Month: July 2016

Suspect Imprisoned 6 Years Ago for Lighting Homeless Man on Fire

The suspect in the serial attacks on homeless men was arrested Thursday, July 7th, and the Ocean Beach victim of one of his fatal attacks has been identified.

Anthony Alexander Padgett, 36, was arrested by San Diego Police in Chula Vista about 10 a.m. Thursday. The arrest occurred near H Street and Broadway. He was booked on 5 felony counts altogether, two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of arson.

San Diego homicide Capt. David Nisleit told the media :

“At this time, we have probable cause to arrest Mr. Padgett for these heinous crimes.”

The Friends of the Ocean Beach library and its staff have high hopes for the expansion of the branch – one of the oldest in the City’s system.

It was in a cool, air-conditioned backroom where I sat down with head librarian Matt Beatty and Laura Dennison, one of the co-chairs of the Expansion sub-committee for the Friends to discuss the library’s expansion plans.

The basic idea is for the library to take over either parts of or all of the building next door, which is already owned by the City – bought over a decade ago in anticipation of the OB Library’s rehab and expansion.

The next door building – now inhabited by law firms – all with leases with the City – is so close to the Library, that the hopes are that they can be connected at some point, with a computer lab, meeting rooms and staff offices for the librarians.

Cop Fatally Shoots Black Man in St. Paul – Victim’s Girlfriend Records Tragic Aftermath

A graphic video shows Philando Castile bleeding in the car while his girlfriend’s young daughter watches.

By Carla Herreria / Huffington Post / July 7, 2016

Police shot and killed a man Wednesday in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights, Minnesota, and his girlfriend recorded the aftermath in a graphic video shot using the Facebook Live feature.

The video shows the man bleeding from gunshot wounds as his girlfriend films from the driver’s seat. The police officer “shot him three times because we had a busted tail light,” the woman filming can be heard saying.

Officials have not officially released the victim’s name, but his family identified him as Philando Castile, local news station WCCO reported. He was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis and relatives told The Star-Tribune he died at the hospital.

July Events in Ocean Beach and Point Loma

July 14th Thursday 7 p.m. Film night “The Future of Energy” – Ocean Beach Green Center

July 21st Thursday 7pm – OB Historical Society” The OB Pier Turns 50!

ALSO EVENTS NOT IN OB OR POINT LOMA INSIDE …

Here’s the video that has been released of the suspect of the vicious assaults on homeless men at a convenience store buying goods. It was released by the Homicide department of the San Diego Police Department.

If you have any information on this person please call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of $1,000.

COME INSIDE FOR THE VIDEO – IT CANNOT BE PLAYED FROM OUR HOME PAGE.

The other victims of the vicious attacks on homeless men have now been identified.

In the Midway District of the 4th of July, the killer assaulted his second victim who has been identified as Manuel Mason, 61, who was stabbed and found at Greenwood and Kurtz streets at about 4:50 a.m. The good news is that he is expected to survive, but is still in in critical condition.

An hour or so later near tennis courts at Robb Athletic Field in Ocean Beach, Shawn Longley, 41, was found dead with wounds to the upper torso.

Man Falls to His Death from Sunset Cliffs

An unidentified man fell to his death, Tuesday, July 5th, off Sunset Cliffs, near Ladera Street. …

Is Reader Article on “Aggressive Homeless” Inappropriate Right Now?

There is a new SD Reader article out, published online on July 6th, about how OB is on edge – not because of the killer of homeless on the loose, but because of “aggressive transients”. Badtaste? …

Poke Hotspot Heading to OB

Poke is currently blowing up in San Diego, and the latest hotspot will be take-out hub It’s Raw Poke Shop, heading to Ocean Beach by early August.

Part 2 in a series

By John Lawrence

I previously reported on the 110 Pages of Gobbledygook that represents the Chargers’ proposal to build a combination football stadium and convention center expansion in downtown. It looks like it’s not going to happen because Mayor Kevin Faulconer and a lot of conservative businessmen are against it.

Perhaps the Chargers assumed that Faulconer would immediately climb on the bandwagon and start cheering for the so-called convadium.

Faulconer, however, to his credit has been cautious, questioning the $1.15 billion in new debt the City would have to take on as its part in this endeavor. The Chargers casually gloss over this in their gobbledygook proposal. And they say nothing about the $50 million still owed on Qualcomm Stadium as if that’s not even something worth mentioning.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, recent state Supreme Court ruling means that the Chargers will probably have to have a two-thirds approval from the voters in November instead of a simple majority.

This is an update on the series of grisly and vicious attacks on homeless people that have occurred this week – that have now claimed their fourth victim. A homeless man was set on fire early today – Wednesday, July 6 – in downtown San Diego.

One of the first victims – the other victim whose body was burned – has been identified as Angelo De Nardo, 53. An autopsy determined that he had been killed before being doused with gas and set afire.

The other attacks occurred around Mission Bay; one in Ocean Beach – in Robb Field where a sleeping houseless man was beaten to death; another in the Midway area, where a man was beaten, but survived and is now hospitalized with life-threatening injuries; De Nardo’s death occurred just east of Mission Bay. The victims from OB and the Midway have not been identified.

Police say that the 4th victim’s injuries match the pattern of the earlier attacks.

Here is the official agenda for the Ocean Beach Planning Board’s monthly meeting, Wednesday, July 6th. The Board meets at the OB Recreation Center, 4726 Santa Monica Avenue, and the meeting starts at 6pm.

By Jim Miller

As the Fourth of July is the day when we celebrate the Declaration of Independence, it’s important to remember Jefferson himself believed that each new generation needed to make the American creed their own.

And everyone from slaves to women to working people did just that as we see in Frederick Douglass’s great speech “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?”, the early feminist manifesto “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls,” and the much lesser known “Working Men’s Declaration of Independence.”

This last is centrally important to remember because while Americans are largely aware that the battle for inclusion involved long and heroic abolition, civil rights, and women’s movements, struggles around issues of class have all-too-frequently been relinquished to the dustbin of history.

By South OB Girl

Art Box at 1919 Cable Street – right off Newport – is now open. And has been open for 8 weeks now.

Owner Catt Catterdon has been living in Ocean Beach since 1998 and this is his dream come true – to open this art supply store, which is a gallery space and where painting classes are being offered.

Canvases, sketch books, paints, and more are available.

For a fee, one can join the class offerings. For example, on July 12th, from 6 to 8 pm, they offer:

Paint with JJ. Come be inspired to “be all you… you are the only you there has ever been and the only you that will ever be.” We will supply everything you need. (You bring the wine if you like) “May it be a night of freedom and fun, community and creativity, all done a little differently as we enjoy the mess.