Month: October 2016

Republished with permission from SOHO

Save Our Heritage Organization’s annual Most Endangered List is a sobering assessment of the state of historic preservation in San Diego County. SOHO is releasing the names of 11 threatened properties this month to coincide with the announcement by the National Trust for Historic Preservation of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

SOHO has nearly a half century record of saving important historic buildings, sites, and landscapes through advocacy, public education, and negotiation, but there are always properties at risk. The Most Endangered List, now in its 29th year, raises public awareness about the valuable historic and cultural resources that are currently threatened with demolition or irreparable alteration by development, deterioration, or neglect.

By Ernie McCray

Looking at an autumn scene, with trees changing colors, overlooking a lake of cold water, signifying the last season of a year, I thought of how I’m in the autumn of my years.

And from that I couldn’t help but think about the Class of ’56 of Tucson High, people whom I hold dear, old “Badgers” celebrating a time when we were classmates 60 years ago.

Our hair, like the leaves in the picture of the trees, has thinned and its color has changed as has a host of other things.

The Nation Magazine Endorses Clinton for President

A Trump presidency would be a catastrophe, whereas a big win by Clinton creates an opening for change.

By The Nation / October 5, 2016

The Nation endorses Hillary Clinton for president and believes that a substantial victory by her in November is essential to advance the progressive issues we have long championed. We supported Senator Bernie Sanders? in the Democratic primary, and we remain concerned about Clinton’s approach to politics and governing. But Clinton isn’t running against Sanders anymore.

The first case for Clinton can be summed up in two words: Donald Trump.

The first case for Clinton can be summed up in two words: Donald Trump. In the contest between hope and cynicism, justice and prejudice, solidarity and selfishness, we can be absolutely certain that Trump is not on our side. Given the perils facing our country and our planet, we believe that Trump’s election would be a catastrophe for the United States—

Barely able to scrap together a quorum 15 minutes into his meeting, veteran OB planner and acting-chair Craig Klein (chair John Ambert and vice-chair Blake Herrschaft were at an architectural conference in LA) finally got the ball rolling at the Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting last night. The Board ended up appointing a new board member, approving the project at 4768 Del Mar Avenue, and taking on the controversial project at Ebers and Greene.

Appointment of New Board Member to District 5

Numan Stotz was appointed to District 5 by an unanimous vote of the Board last night. Stotz, having completed all the requirements for the appointment, is an OB local, a realtor and has worked at the Olive Tree for over 20 years.

Lack of City Representatives

The disappointing aspect of last night’s Board meeting was the visible absence of any representatives from the City of San Diego.

By Sarah “Steve” Mosko / Boogie Green

What typically comes to mind when contemplating our personal environmental footprint is the energy efficiency of the car we drive, how religiously we recycle, and maybe whether or not we have a water thirsty lawn.

However, everything we do and own has impacts on the environment, and that includes the choices we make in dressing ourselves.

San Diego ACLU troubled by “community reports of aggressive police response” and “potentially unlawful arrests” at peaceful vigil

Ferchil Ramos / San Diego ACLU

In response to a video post by a community member at what appears to be a peaceful vigil at the site of the killing of Alfred Olango, the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties sent a letter requesting information from the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) concerning the arrests of individuals at the vigil on the evening of Saturday, October 1.

While no video necessarily tells the complete story, the available information raises serious questions that the arrests were unlawful. One of the factors in declaring an unlawful assembly is whether there is a clear and present danger of imminent violence.

The available information does not show the vigil itself presented a clear and present danger of imminent violence.

8 Restoration Options for Mission Bay Evaluated by More than 100 Community Members

Based on News Release from ReWild

On September 27th, ReWild Mission Bay – a project of San Diego Audubon and its partners – unveiled eight possible options to enhance and restore up to 170 acres of wetlands in the North East corner of Mission Bay.

Based on community suggestions from two public workshops earlier this year, the draft plans were presented to more than 135 community members to collect input. To view the potential alternatives, please click here.

Restaurant Review

Breakfast Republic
2865 Sims Rd
(Liberty Station)
San Diego, CA 92106

Last Saturday, Irene and I decided to have a widow’s day of exploring and wanted to include breakfast at the Breakfast Republic. We arrived there about 11:30am, and there was a wait of at least 90 minutes. Needless to say we did not stay.

But yesterday, a gentleman that I had met when I broke my leg last year called and suggested that we go out for breakfast. I jumped at the chance and this time when we arrived we were seated immediately. It was not quite 10:00 am. I should say that all of the outside seating was taken and there was a 20 minute wait for a table, but there was inside seating.

By Jeeni Criscenzo

Last month the OB Rag had a survey asking what people would do if Trump is elected president. Since my husband’s parents were from Mexico, and we have friends in Baja, we have had conversations about moving across the border, even before the possibility that Trump could become our next president was considered anything but ludicrous. Now, that possibility is neither far-fetched nor funny.

A year ago our reason to consider leaving San Diego was more for financial reasons and for now, at least, we have under control. Mexico might be more affordable, but are plenty of other issues that convinced us to take a move there off the table. Now, it’s back.

There is a conversation in JRR Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring”, in the second chapter (The Shadow of the Past) where Gandalf explains that The Shadow has returned and this time it is Frodo who must confront it: …

Back a few weeks ago, during a particularly “bad week” campaign-wise for Hillary Clinton, it looked like Trump could actually be elected President. It was during that period that the OB Rag asked a number of activists and progressives what they would do if Trump was indeed elected.

Today, still, Trump winning is not a far-fetched concept, for as recently as last night – Monday, October 3rd, Rachel Maddow of msnbc made the plausible case that there could be an electoral college vote tie between Clinton and Trump and it all may end up in a divided US Supreme Court.

(The OB Rag also ran a readers’ poll on the very same question with some startling results.)

The agenda for the Wednesday night’s OB Planning Board appears full, with reports and discussions on a number of popular issues – the Torrey Pines and the project at Ebers and Greene – as well as proposed project at 4768 Del Mar, plus it looks like at effort by the Board to reach out to the community during what’s being touted as “Archtoberfest”.

The Planning Board meets at the OB Recreation Center, 4726 Santa Monica Avenue, at 6pm sharp, Wednesday, October 5th.

Torrey Pines and Canopies

Of great interest will be the Board’s review of questions submitted to the City by the Friends of Peninsula Trees, as well as an update to City policies regarding trees and its reforesting efforts.

For 148 years, the San Diego Union-Tribune has endorsed Republican candidates for President – until now.

Calling Hillary Clinton “the safe choice” candidate, the newspaper endorsed her for the highest office in its editorial for Sunday, October 2nd, 2016.