Serving OB, the Peninsula and San Diego Beaches
By South OB Girl
Same week that Ocean Beach locals have been preparing to defend the OB Community Plan at the California Coastal Commission meeting on Thursday — the iconic Ocean Beach entry way sign was seriously vandalized late Sunday night – August 9th or early Monday morning.
OB Town Council President Gretchen Newsom has tackled the issue full throttle. And no doubt, she will fight for the Community Plan just as hard.
There’s a movement afoot to change the name of “Saratoga Park” – that grassy area at the foot of Saratoga Avenue – and to have it named after Ocean Beach’s preeminent historian, Ruth Varney Held.
Held wrote the local classic about OB – “Beach Town” – and also wrote a column for a local regional beach newspaper.
Folks with the OB Community Development Corporation are developing a children’s play area within the grassy area and other elements such as an adult fitness are – and are pushing for the name change.
Saratoga Park has been the name for the grassy area next to the sand and lifeguard parking lot for decades. Today, it sits in front of the new condo complex recently constructed with million dollar units.
Establishment of Public Banks Considered
By John Lawrence
At their meeting on June 19-22, the US Conference of Mayors considered the possibility of establishing public banks as an alternative to Wall Street.
Instead of spending a fortune in Wall Street fees and interest, a public bank would keep the money right in each Mayor’s jurisdiction. Finally, Mayors are wising up.
A special meeting has been called by OB planners to finalize their preparations for the California Coastal Commission hearing on the OB Community Plan Update.
The special OB meeting is scheduled for 6 pm Wednesday, August 12 at the Dog Beach Dog Wash community room, 4943 Voltaire Street. The Commission will hear the OB Plan sometime during Thursday, August 13.
Volunteer leaders from the OB Community Plan Update sub-committee along with the leadership of the current OB Planning Board joined in calling the meeting.
To Our Members and Friends:
On Thursday, August 13, the California Coastal Commission will consider approval of the Ocean Beach Community Plan at their meeting in Chula Vista.
The larger hearing begins begins at 9am, but the Community Plan is item #22c on the agenda, so the actual time it will be heard is currently unknown.
The Ocean Beach Town Council is sponsoring bus transportation to Chula Vista. If you would be interested in bus transportation, please email your name, phone number, and address to: communityplan@oceanbeachplanning.org.
The design for the T-shirt commemorating the centennial of the first Ocean Beach fire station is now made public.
Todd Barry talked to OB Rag writer Matthew Wood earlier this month about how the shirt’s logo will commemorate the house’s very first fire truck. He and other OB fire and rescue guys designed it. As Matt wrote:
OB history buffs may recall the original fire station opened in August of 1915 on Newport Avenue. It moved from there to its current location in 1946.
Editor: The following account referencing “Lois Lane” from Superman comics is not to be confused with the Lois Lane who writes regularly for the OB Rag.
By Terry Ratner
Lois Lane, the talented young journalist, sits in the office of Perry White, a crusty, straight talking, demanding and passionate editor of the Daily Planet. She regales him with her optimism and fresh ideas for stories dedicated to the people of Metropolis. Ever the curmudgeon, Perry questions the minute details of her pitch, leaving her tongue tied and frustrated, but still tirelessly pushing her novel approach to journalism. He dares her to prove her worthiness, hoping she’s up for the challenge.
This is how I felt when I met Frank Gormlie, editor of the OB Rag.
As a wannabe OBcean and Rag writer, I emailed Frank my proposal before suggesting we meet. After several rounds, he relented.
By Lois Lane
Recycling plastic bags should not be this hard.
If you get a grocery bag, it is likely to have printed on it “Please return to a participating store for recycling.”
This may not mean the store where you got it. Not governed by local regulations, recycling locations are left to individual businesses. Plastic bags are designed to be confusing.
As a reminder, you can recycle plastic bags:
By Jim Miller
President Obama made big news last week when he unveiled his plan to significantly reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants as part of his strategy to address the climate crisis. His speech was urgent, moving in fact, and showed that, at least rhetorically, he is committed to making this part of his legacy:
[W]e’re the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it. And that’s why I committed the United States to leading the world on this challenge, because I believe there is such a thing as being too late.
“People don’t want to watch abused animals being forced to perform pointless circus tricks,” says animal rights group
By Nadia Prupis /Common Dreams
Since the 2013 release of Blackfish, a bombshell documentary exposing animal cruelty at SeaWorld, the aquatic theme park has lost increasing levels of both profits and visitors, reporting an 84 percent plunge in net income in just three months.
SeaWorld announced its quarterly earnings on Thursday, acknowledging the steep drop in profits as a result of “brand challenges.”
Editor: The following report by News8 is being reposted in its entirety to insure no one thinks the OB Rag is making this stuff up.
SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) – There has been no arrests, but witnesses to an alleged sexual assault in Ocean Beach in broad daylight said the actions of one of the officers responding to the call were disturbing.
The alleged sexual assault happened Thursday in broad daylight, but no charges have been filed, and San Diego Police has said they take all potential sexual assault cases seriously.
According to the police, no arrest has been made because the alleged victim refused to press charges.
Ocean Beach resident Cornelius Harris witnessed a man sexually assaulting an unclothed and unconscious woman in broad daylight right in front of his beachside home.
“I know a lot of crazy stuff goes on down here, but this was nuts. This is a sidewalk. ” he said.
The so-called “Ocean Beach Plaza” was approved by the OB Planning Board last Wednesday night, by a vote of 8 to 1. Once approved and given the go-ahead by the City, the project will be constructed at the southeast corner of the intersection of Cable Street and Santa Monica.
Lee Hope, the architect for the project, made the presentation on behalf of the owner, John Small, who was in attendance at the meeting on August 5th along with a couple dozen others in the audience – including a newsman and cameraman from Channel 8 (on hand for the OB Plaza issue).
Small owns – besides this near-half acre of prime OB property, a couple of bars – Sunshine Company and Tony’s, plus other buildings on Newport Avenue.
The much-anticipated project had several surprises.
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