Month: October 2016

Flawed Transportation Plan Underlies Measure A

By David Harris, SD 350 and Ruben Arizmendi, Chair, Sierra Club San Diego

Why are most labor unions, numerous environmental groups, and several local elected officials opposing the proposed ballot measure that would utilize a half-cent sales tax increase to improve roadways and public transit? Aren’t we all tired of driving on deteriorated roads and congested freeways?

Yes, of course, but looking beyond the potholes and into the future, we need to ask what should our transportation system look like 20 or 40 years from now?

Measure A on the November ballot follows the “planning as usual” approach. It gives allocations of funding to every city but fails to address our long-term transportation problems. This measure does not substantially decrease greenhouse gas emissions that are already endangering our quality of life; nor does it create a more efficient system to meet the mobility needs of a growing population.

Keep It In the Ground

By John Lawrence

Bill McKibben of 350.org said recently, “If our goal is to keep the Earth’s temperature from rising more than two degrees Celsius—the upper limit identified by the nations of the world—how much more new digging and drilling can we do? Here’s the answer: zero.”

The goal of keeping earth’s temperature rise below 2 degrees C is already in danger even with the coal mines, oil wells and pipelines currently in operation and assuming there will be no new ones. That means we shouldn’t be doing any more digging or drilling. It all has to stop — now — if the earth is to survive.

Some scientists think it is already too late. Meanwhile, the Federal government continues to lease land for oil and gas drilling.

Neighbors of the construction project at the corner of Ebers and Greene streets are calling for their fellow OBceans to rally and demonstrate against the project on Saturday, October 15th. A rally and informational picket line will begin around noon right at the site itself.

So why protest this project at Ebers and Greene?

The owner-developer of the land is Curtis Nelson of Nelco Properties, and his project has had many problems and issues since its beginning, multiple investigations by city, county and state agencies, from the asbestos exposures, to the unlicensed contractors directing the work on the 3-story structure, still in its wood-frame, from the lack of scaffolding, to the underpayment of the workers – and to much more.

But one of the central issues and complaints of the project – raised by neighbors and local planning veterans – is really a question of process.

By South OB Girl

Recently I was in line at OB Donuts on Sunset Cliffs Blvd., waiting to order a muffin and a coffee. A customer in front of me ordered an old-fashioned doughnut and a cruller. Now that caught my attention…

I had never heard of a cruller. What on earth was he ordering? Perhaps I have not adventured enough into the doughnut world to know all about it. My knowledge of baked goods is pretty thorough – but I had never heard of a cruller before.

I asked the young man and Mrs. Yang, “What are crullers?”

Mrs. Yang explained that the batter is different and they take longer to make. They are more expensive to make and are made with different equipment.

By Donald Cohen / Capital & Main

Last Wednesday was a big day for In the Public Interest. We released one of our longest and most wide-ranging reports, How Privatization Is Increasing Inequality.

The report describes how the privatization of public goods and services disproportionately impacts poor individuals and families, and people of color. It pulls together issues that at a glance appear unrelated—like private prisons, charter schools and privatized water—to show that handing control of such things as education and infrastructure to the private sector is fueling an increasingly unequal society.

Mid-October Events in Ocean Beach

October 29th Saturday 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Annual Green Spooktacula Come and celebrate with us at our annual Halloween fundraiser. This year’s event will be co-sponsored by the SD Climate Mobilization Coalition. All speakers will be dedicated to the climate crisis and it’s solutions. Also we will have the usual great music, food, beverages and good vibes. Come in costume as a historical figure for the cause, political villain, or as yourself! Free Event! oceanbeachgreencenter@gmail.com 619.225.1083

The OB Rag just received the following email in response to our post, “Did the City Just Damage Another Torrey Pine With a Street Repair?”

Here is the email from Anthony Santacroce, Senior Public Information Officer for City of San Diego
Communications, in which he requests that we publish the city statement:

Mr. Gormlie,

In response to your blog post from yesterday, please see below:

A City concrete repair team responded to multiple community requests to replace a lifted slab of concrete adjacent to a Torrey pine on Greene Street …

City Issues Inspection Correction Notice to Owner Nelco Properties

It’s definitely starting to heat up around the controversial construction project at Ebers and Greene in northeast Ocean Beach.

For one, the City of San Diego issued an Inspection Correction Notice to the owner-developer, Nelco Properties, run by Curtis Nelson, with offices in Vista. There is already push-back on the Notice – dated October 6th – that it does not address at least one of the main issues, plus an anonymous group of locals sent the developer a letter warning him that the people of OB are watching the project.

OBcean Bob Edwards joined a handful of other former anti-Vietnam war activists at a commemoration of a photo exhibit at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art on Tuesday, October 11th. An exhibit by photographer Fred Lonidier, entitled, “29 Arrests” was on display – as Fred had taken Edwards’ photo at the time of his arrest on May 4, 1972 in front of the 11th Naval District headquarters.

Rumors are flying – Ranchos Cochina – or just “Ranchos” – OB’s iconic organic Mexican restaurant has closed.

Opps, no, it’s still open. No, it’s only open for a while. But then closing. No, it’s only remodeling.

We had to find out just what is going on at this historic eatery – the first organic Mexican place in San Diego? or Point Loma? Definitely OB. So South OB Girl was gracious enough to drop everything and rush over there this morning.

What she found out is either distressing or encouraging for fans of the restaurant.

South OB Girl heard a couple of different things. Yes, it’s open today – and will be perhaps for one more week, then it’s closing. But it’s only closing for a remodel, and then will reopen again.

Incredibly as it may seem, it appears that a City of San Diego street crew just damaged the roots and branches of another Torrey Pine – this one near the corner of Greene Street and Ebers.

A city crew tore up the concrete and asphalt of a patch of Greene Street yesterday, Tuesday, October 10th. It was a city crew – not a contractor – a city crew from the General Services department.

And apparently, in the process, they managed to damage the roots of the Torrey Pine right there and even broke off one of its branches and possibly damaged another one.