A bunch of us at the OB Rag feel that Ocean Beach needs to have a conversation, a discussion – let’s say – about what it means to have so much of Ocean Beach concentrated in the hands of so few people.

We recently published The Ocean Beach Empire of Michael Mills, about how one man and his trusts owned 241 units in OB.

Looking at things one way – if there are 2-3 people living behind each one of those 241 doors, that’s between 480 to 720 people. If the total population of OB something like 12,000, that would put something like 1 out of every 16 to 25 residents in a Mills building.

What does that mean? What are the consequences of that?

By Frank Thomas

In recognition of Trump’s extremely complicated tax situation, James Stewart in a recent NY Times article asked him to just simply submit ten numbers – adjusted gross income and actual federal taxes paid over his last 5 year returns.

That seems a simple request for Trump to respect. But the legally allowed complex tax concessions given to real estate developers complicates making judgments about Trump’s moral business integrity and obligation to expose his returns.

By Will Falk / San Diego Free Press

“I am suicidal.”

Three words only — but, the three most difficult words I’ve ever had to say. I did not want to say them. I fought so hard to leave them in the chill darkness of my depressed mind and now their expression feels like a declaration of defeat. I fear that giving voice to my suicidal thoughts will make them more dangerous. And, when I admit being suicidal, the demonic voices whispering on the edges of my consciousness will escape through my words to materialize as physical shadows hounding me wherever I go.

San Diego Coastkeeper has released a statement in response to latest release from California State Water Resources Control Board, Statewide Water Conservation Drops Below 18 Percent in August.

This statement is submitted by San Diego Coastkeeper’s Legal and Policy Director Matt O’Malley:

“We are still very much in a drought. Our southern coast lies somewhere between extreme to exceptional drought. The monthly conservation numbers released by the State Water Resources Control Board yesterday prove that without the statewide conservation mandate, we are seeing bad habits once again take hold.”

Way back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were very active social movements stirring in San Diego – and across the country. Here in San Diego, there was always this one guy -the “movement photographer” on the scene – Fred Lonidier, with his long-lens camera dangling from his neck, always there to record it all.

There was one particular and historic event in May of 1972 where 88 students and supporters were arrested for peacefully sitting down in front of the local Naval District HQ in protest of the Vietnam war. Fred Lonidier was also there – but he only had 29 shots remaining in his camera. So, he took 29 photos of those being arrested that day.

And now those 29 photos are part of a larger exhibit, called The Uses of Photography, currently at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla.

UPDATED – see inside

The 50th Anniversary of the Black Panther Party is being celebrated this week on the campus of San Diego State University. There’s a showing of the current film of the Panthers, a roundtable discussion of their contributions, and the semi-formal celebration itself.

It’s been over 40 years since San Diego Black Panthers roamed the campus of San Diego State University. The local chapter had its origins right there. It all started with Black Student Union members, Kenneth Denmon and Shirley George-Meadors. Today, the African Students Union is the off spring of the Black Student Union.

Here it the the itinerary for October:

An empty lot on Clairemont Drive in Bay Park is at the center of a lot of debate.

San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is considering using eminent domain to take over the private property for public use. It needs the property as a staging area while it builds a new trolley station. Then, the plan is to use the land for a park and ride.
By Jim LaMattery

The question was asked at the “Choose or Snooze” event on October 1st, “Why doesn’t the Board of Directors of SANDAG want to work with Protea Properties in developing the Vacant Lot?”

Rory Devine of NBC Channel 7 News asked me the same question. Julie Stalmer, while preparing her article for the Reader, asked me the same question.

Allow me, for the moment, to put on my my “real estate broker” hat. In my opinion, the reason for the Closed Session vote to continue eminent domain action against the new owner of the lot, Protea, is very clear.

By Jim Miller / Jana Clark

Much of the reporting on the early campaign surrounding Measure A is falling victim to the proponents’ attempts to greenwash their deeply flawed measure.

They are doing this by representing a few astroturf “environmental” organizations in league with big money from corporate interests and a handful of unions doing the bidding of downtown insiders as a “split” in progressive circles.

This is unfortunate as the fact of the matter is that the opposition to Measure A by the Quality of Life Coalition represents a historically significant new alliance between progressive labor and nearly all of the local environmental organizations doing serious work around climate.

From San Diego Americans for Safe Access / October 10, 2016

With the stroke of a judge’s pen, Justice has prevailed. Pursuant to Court order, members of San Diego Alternative Care, a lawfully formed medical cannabis Cooperative, retrieved their property last week from the El Cajon Police Department, including 30 pounds of medical cannabis flower, 5 pounds of concentrates, and hundreds of medicated edibles and vape pen cartridges.

El Cajon Police had been in possession of SDAC’s property since late June when the department raided SDAC’s facility. Along with the apprehension of possibly facing felony charges, Cooperative members were confronted with the fact that their property was in police lockup. The property not only included medical cannabis products but also corporate documents, membership records, and office equipment.

Protest the Project at Ebers and Greene

The owner-developer of the project still under construction at the corner of Ebers and Greene was able to begin building without any review by the OB Community Planning Board or any review by the California Coastal Commission. —- He did this by calling a full 2-story house as an “addition” to an already existing house – and the City’s Development Services Division allowed it.

Rally & Speakers

Saturday, October 15^th – Noon
at corner of Ebers & Greene

On October 7th, 2011 – a long 5 years ago – the Occupy Wallstreet movement burst upon the San Diego scene.

Upwards of 4,000 demonstrators marched through downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp District, rallied at Civic Center Plaza at City Hall – renamed “Freedom Square” for awhile -, and then returned to Children’s Park – all the while protesting the inequalities of the American economy. A tent encampment was set up – which moved the very next day to the plaza at City Hall.

It was on that October 7th that San Diego had very visibly and demonstrably joined the nation-wide movement – then a world-wide movement – against the disparities of the financial system. Local activists had been meeting for a couple of weeks and had planned the large protest.

The numbers of San Diegans who turned out was stunning – on October 7th, 2011, I was there, see my full account : :

Impact on Human Health Stressed

From Science Daily / October 4, 2016

Rising sea surface temperatures are causing marine-related tropical diseases and harmful algal blooms to spread towards the poles, a shift that is impacting human health, according to a chapter from a new report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) authored by professors from The University of Texas at Austin and Plymouth University.

The report, Explaining Ocean Warming: causes, scale, effects and consequences, was compiled for IUCN by 80 scientists in 12 countries and draws on several decades of scientific research from across the spectrum of marine science.

The chapter on “Impacts and effects of ocean warming on human health” highlights the spread of Vibrio vulnifucus, an often lethal disease-causing bacteria.