December 2015

Nailing Monsanto

December 4, 2015 by Source

By Jeeni Criscenzo / San Diego Free Press

Monsanto’s CEO, Hugh Grant

At the tail end of CBS This Morning this Wednesday, Dec. 2nd, was a brief interview with Monsanto’s CEO, Hugh Grant (not the movie star), on the debate over GMO labeling.

He tried to come off as a soft-spoken, reasonable man, describing his company as –

“…an agricultural company. We sell seeds to farmers and those farmers make harvests and those harvest end up on plates around the world.”

Cool. The man running the company that is poisoning our planet and our population is just so damn nice, what with putting all that poison (err food) on our plates!

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Friends of OB Library Bookfair at Barnes & Noble Bookstar – Dec 4th and 5th

December 4, 2015 by Staff

OB Friends of Lib Bookstar poster

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OB’s Dog Beach Is a Model for Other Cities

December 4, 2015 by Source
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Editor: OB’s Dog Beach is truly a model for other cities. Here is a comparison of Dog Beach in Ocean Beach and other San Diego dog areas with those in Atlanta, Georgia, and is part 3 in a three-part series that examined the similarities of two leading convention cities – Atlanta and San Diego.

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Home of nation’s first leash-free, free-range dog park offers lessons for Atlanta

By David Pendered / Saporta Report

San Diego – San Diego built what a plaque says is the nation’s first leash-free dog beach, in 1972, at a time the beachfront community was blossoming into a surfing capitol and the Haight-Asbury of southern California.

City leaders never turned back from their decision to provide a place for dogs and their owners to play together off leash. …
Today, San Diego has 14 leash-free dog parks, according to the parks department’s website. Popular nomenclature dubs these leash-free parks as “dog parks,” as if parks where companion animals can’t be set free aren’t dog friendly.

On any given day, dogs and their companion persons are playing catch with Frisbees on Dog Beach, said to be the nation’s first leash-free dog park; ….

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Nuclear Shutdown News, November 2015

December 3, 2015 by Michael Steinberg

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the US and global nuclear industry. In addition, it highlights the efforts of those who are working to create a nuclear free world.

Two more US nuclear plants slated for shutdown.

November brought news that two more US nuke plants will be permanently shutting down in the future.

On November 3 Bloomberg.com reported that the Fitzpatrick nuke on Lake Ontario in uppermost New York state would close down for good in “late 2016 or early 2017.”

Then on November 7 the Cape Cod Times reported that the Pilgrim nuclear plant on Cape Cod in Massachusetts will have its permanent closure “sometime before June 19” next year.

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First Community Forum on Police Cameras Set for Dec. 9th

December 3, 2015 by Frank Gormlie
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The first community forum on the planned installation of the police surveillance cameras has been set for Wednesday, December 9th.

The forum is being sponsored by the OB Citizens Against Privacy Abuse (CAPA) and will be held at the OB Recreation Center. The forum will run from 6:30 to 8:30 pm and will include a presentation or two by members of CAPA as well as a question and answer session with San Diego Police representatives.

Councilwoman Lorie Zapf has been invited to address the forum, as well, as it was her office that found funds for the surveillance cameras.

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Shades Restaurant in OB Had Fire Over Thanksgiving

December 3, 2015 by Frank Gormlie
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Waterfront Bistro Will Attempt to Open By Weekend of Dec. 5

One of our favorite restaurants in OB suffered a fire over the Thanksgiving holidays and has been closed ever since.

Shades had a fire in its kitchen – and due to the flames, the sprinkler system went off – and probably damaged more than the fire did.

When we checked on the restaurant on Wednesday, workers and electricians were making repairs.

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OB Opposition to Police Surveillance Cameras Makes the News

December 2, 2015 by Staff
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OB Planning Board Presentation For and Against the Cameras – Tonight, Dec. 2nd

The surveillance cameras to be installed in Ocean Beach have been in the news lately. And only because of the opposition to them being posed by the OB Citizens Against Privacy Abuse (CAPA).

CAPA formed a couple of weeks ago after a collection of OBceans began meeting to share their views against the police-initiated cameras planned for OB’s waterfront.

Opponents of the cameras are also planning a series of public forums and a petition drive, plus have been plastering OB with their Uncle Sam posters. And it is this opposition to the cameras that is drawing press attention.

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Annual Auction for Holiday Food and Toy Drive – Thurs, Dec. 3rd

December 2, 2015 by Staff
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The Ocean Beach Town Council is hosting its annual auction to benefit their Holiday Food and Toy Drive this Thursday, December 3rd.

Please join them in this great night of fun, hilarity and good vibes … and fund raising for a wonderful cause.

Plus you’ll have a chance to bid on and win fantastic prizes from local businesses and sports teams.

The Silent Auction kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and the Live Auction gets underway at 6:30 at the Sunshine Company Saloon (5028 Newport Avenue).

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Pinyon-Juniper Forests – an Ancient Vision Disturbed

December 2, 2015 by Source

Will Falk looks out across both natural and highly-impacted lands in Cave Valley, Nevada.

By Will Falk / San Diego Free Press

Standing in a pinyon-juniper forest on a high slope above Cave Valley not far from Ely, Nevada, I am lost in an ancient vision. It is a vision born under sublime skies stretching above wide, flat valleys bounded by the dramatic mountains of the Great Basin.

The vision grows with the rising flames of morning in the east. The night was cold, but clear, and the sun brings a welcome warmth.

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15 Years Ago Today – Dec 1 – Was a High Water Mark for OB Activism

December 1, 2015 by Frank Gormlie
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In 2000 OBGO Held Its First ‘Coming-Out’ Community Forum

Grassroots activism has been in the air in OB of late, with a definite spike last year during the campaign to have the OB Community Plan approved, but it also has been seen this year around the Plan at the Coastal Commission. Prior to 2014, however, there had been many a lean year in terms of genuine local activism across the village, many a moon had passed without throwing shadows on such OBcean activity as petitions and community mobilizations.

And that’s the way grassroots activism is, it comes and goes – like the tides that lap OB’s beaches and cliffs.

Coincidentally or not, there has been some talk – also of late – of a former OB activist group. It was mentioned in an article about ‘why SeaWorld can’t build a hotel at its current location’, and it’s also been longingly mentioned at some meetings of another group, the OB Citizens Against Privacy Abuse.

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San Diego Planning Commission to Hold Hearing on Short Term Vacation Rentals – Thurs., Dec. 3rd

December 1, 2015 by Staff

STVR City Not p1 ed
The San Diego Planning Commission is holding a public hearing on proposed short term vacation rental / home sharing amendments to the City of San Diego Municipal Code.

The hearing is on Thursday, December 3rd,at 9 a.m. in the Copper Room in the City Administration Building at 202 C Street in downtown.

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OB Planning Board Meeting – Wed., Dec 2nd: OB Community Plan, Short-Term Rentals and Surveillance Cameras

December 1, 2015 by Staff
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The Ocean Beach Planning Board meets Wednesday night, December 2nd, at the OB Rec Center.

On the Board’s agenda is the latest on the OB Community Plan, the issue of short-term vacation rentals, as well as the issue of the planned installation of surveillance cameras at the beach.

Come inside for the official agenda:

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A Higher Calling for Downtown San Diego’s East Village

December 1, 2015 by Source

East Village Sunset

By Bill Adams / UrbDeZine

I read an op-ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune that made me want to stand on top of a downtown high-rise and scream . . . YES!!!

The opinion piece was entitled “A higher and better use for downtown,” and was written by Wayne Raffesberger and co-authored by Rob Quigley, Jack Carpenter, Pete Garcia and David Malmuth – individuals who have exceptional knowledge of downtown San Diego’s East Village neighborhood and a promising vision for its future.*

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