News from Ocean Beach and Point Loma – Late January 2018

OB Women Noted in Media Coverage of San Diego Women’s March

In the San Diego U-T’s coverage of Saturday’s Women’s March in downtown, several women from OB were mentioned or  highlighted. First, Genie Zapienza was in the front cover photo of Sunday’s edition, plus this: ” “We still believe in civil discourse,” said Anita Dacey, of Ocean Beach. “We’re here because we’re strong, erudite and sick of being led by people with no compassion, no morals, no character, no intelligence.” The pediatric nurse said she was marching with the support of four men behind her: her husband and three sons. “I have three sons — three sons who know better than to act like President Trump.”

Plus this in Times of San Diego: Judy Collier from Ocean Beach said she wanted to see a kinder America. “I’ve had it with crassness and cruddy language,” Collier said. “I want my America back again as a place of ideals.” “When all of us unite like this, it gives me hope and gets e out of being angry or sad. It’s a reaffirmation of the values that makes this country great,” Collier concluded.

Two Pedestrians Injured at Voltaire and Cable

Adam Ewing reported on facebook, that two women pedestrians were hit by a van with Nevada plates on Sunday, Jan. 21, at the intersection of Voltaire and Cable. Fire Dept medics responded and stated “the women will be banged up and sore but alright.” The male driver stopped and appeared to be “pretty traumatized”.

Establishment Woman from Point Loma to Be Mayor’s New “City Manager”

This is not a surprise. Mayor Kevin Faulconer has chosen longtime establishment woman from Point Loma, Kris Michell, to be the City’s chief operating officer – which in effect is like being the city manager under the “strong mayor” model. Michell, only the 2nd woman to hold the position, has been in the GOP leadership circles for decades, was chief of staff for Republican mayors of Susan Golding and Jerry Sanders, worked for the Padres, and ran the San Diego Downtown Partnership. She’s been on Faulconer’s staff as deputy chief operating officer for special projects, and now will see her salary go from $195,000 to $255,000, the same salary as her predecessor. Michell’s appointment to the post must be approved by the City Council. San Diego U-T; also see this.

Citizens trace origin of Robb Field’s dumpster overflow problem

For the second time this month, two city dumpsters at Robb Field in Ocean Beach have been filled to overflowing with trash and recyclable materials left piled up next to the dumpsters. The first incident happened on or about January 8th, when someone dumped numerous glass doors; it raised safety concerns about the broken glass and disrespect for the community. What appear to be wine-bottle shipping material.
Eric Jackson, who originally reported the first incident via social media, told me, “It was spotless 2 days after” but is not sure who cleaned the area. Yesterday, January 20th, Jackson posted images to social media showing the dumpsters were used again for disposal of what appears to be empty wine-bottle shipping boxes. San Diego Reader

Housing Commission Head Uses Point Loma Rents in Arguing Against Zip Code Voucher System

From KPBS: At the beginning of 2018, some low-income San Diegans started getting more federal assistance for rent to live in more expensive neighborhoods. But while a recent court ruling could have given them even more, that additional money is likely not coming their way. The court ruling clears a way for a new method of determining how much federal assistance people get for rent depending on the size of their family and income level. It offers more money to people who want to live in more expensive neighborhoods. The old method meant that people with housing vouchers were usually segregated into the least expensive parts of a city. San Diego is taking a middle road between the new and old methods. … CEO Rick Gentry: “”It costs more to rent in say Point Loma or La Jolla than it’s going to cost to live in San Ysidro or Encanto or Nestor. … I believe in providing opportunity and choice for people, but I don’t believe in social engineering. I think what the HUD system did, crossed the line from providing help and assistance to social engineering and tried to predicate where people lived.”

What a long strange trip it’s been for OB’s Electric Waste Band

There are quite a few bands in San Diego that fall in to the category of “long lived,” but nothing compares to Electric Waste Band, who have a Monday night residency at Winston’s. Dedicated to the music of the Grateful Dead, the band has been together since 1990, though there have been many line-up changes in the ensuing decades. “I’m the only original member left,” said guitarist Robert Harvey. “But I was out of the band mid ’98 to ’02. The current lineup has been together for about four years, but we all had played with one another in different settings for years going back to at least the ’90s if not before.” The current edition of the band also includes Ed Fletcher and Danny Campbell on drums, guitarist Mark Fisher, keyboardist Dave Chesavage and bassist Bob Rosencrans. In what is one of the longest residencies in San Diego history, February will mark 26 years of Monday night shows from the band at Winston’s. “We’re throwing a party on Friday, Feb. 16,” Harvey said. “Though we have the residency, many of our fellow deadheads can’t make it out on Mondays, thus the Friday.” Although the band is a firm festival favorite, they consider Winston’s their favorite venue. San Diego Community News Group

New study to evaluate airplane flight paths and noise in coastal neighborhoods

A new study titled “Part 150” has been green lighted to evaluate flight-path improvements and noise reductions in and around San Diego International Airport. Noise has been a real sore spot for coastal residents from the Point to La Jolla, who allege flight-path changes the past couple years have negatively impacted their lifestyles. Recently, District 2 Councilmember Lorie Zapf spoke before the Airport Authority on the  merits of the Part 150 study. “As your council member, I have advocated for reduction in airport noise in our communities,” Zapf said. “As part of my support for the Part 150 study, I have requested the FAA be a proactive partner to improve the quality of life in surrounding communities.” Part 150, a federal aviation regulation, guides and controls planning for aviation noise compatibility on and around airports. The federal regulation establishes procedures, standards and methodologies to be used by airport operators for preparation of Airport Noise Exposure Maps. Such exposure maps are used in the Quieter Home Program, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s Residential Sound Insulation Program. The FAA has determined that residences within the 65-plus decibel-level limit around SDIA may be eligible for sound-insulation treatments to mitigate aircraft noise. sdnews.com

Jamie Thomas’s slam at Point Loma High School was a piece of art.

Twenty-one years ago, a man on a skateboard fell down a 17-foot drop at a schoolyard in San Diego and changed the world forever. Known as the “Leap of Faith,” the stunt was featured on the skateboard company Zero’s seminal 1997 video Thrill of It All, and immediately made the sport’s history books. Overnight, the guy behind it, Jamie Thomas, a 22-year-old from Dothan, Alabama, became an industry celebrity. Two years later, he was immortalized as a character in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, the sequel to which featured a level with a gap named after his famous slam at Point Loma High School. Back in real life, other skaters began gathering at the location hoping to best him. Some results are now online, including footage of Richard King, who broke his leg after plummeting like a rock to the concrete. Vice

Encinitas Places Requirement on Modern Times New Restaurant

Modern Times has a tasting room in Point Loma. They were planning on putting one in Encinitis but local opposition kiboshed that idea. So, instead, they’re making a restaurant. The local  planning commissioners said their primary concern with the new proposal was whether the restaurant might later “morph” into a bar where food sales are minor compared to alcohol revenue.They decided to require Modern Times to provide documentation annually showing that the restaurant’s alcohol sales do not exceed 50 percent of its gross sales on a quarterly basis. This is the second time the commission has placed such a requirement on a downtown, alcohol-serving establishment — it previously did so for Union Kitchen & Tap — and commissioners said they would like to make it a standard requirement. SD U-T

Point Loma Woman Injured in Scooter Missap

A 53-year-old female was riding her scooter southbound on Plum Street on Friday, Jan. 19 about 10 a.m. She tried to make a right turn onto Lowell Street. She failed to negotiate the turn and lost control of the scooter, crashing into the sidewalk. The female sustained facial fractures and a laceration to her chin. Alcohol or drugs are not a factor in the collision. Traffic Division responded and will be handling the investigation. Anyone with information related to the above incident is encouraged to call the listed command handling the investigation or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. Beacon

Pt Loma Nazarene Makes Cut on One of Best Surfing Colleges from Surfer mag

Surfer magazine’s annual list of the best colleges and universities for surfers includes three local institutions: UC San Diego, ranked first in the nation; Point Loma Nazarene, number three; and San Diego State University in eighth place. The county’s coastline, overall, received massive props from the Carlsbad-based publication. “San Diego beach towns may as well have invented beach culture,” the story maintained. “And you’ll find no shortage of low-key enclaves peppering the PCH from Mission Beach northward.” UC San Diego took the top spot thanks to its location within walking distance of Black’s Beach; its status as the home of Scripps Institution of Oceanography; and the 1-unit “Physics of Surfing” course. Point Loma was praised for its proximity to “wave-rich Sunset Cliffs,” while State was judged freeway-close to Ocean Beach and Baja California’s waves.  San Diego U-T