News from Ocean Beach and Point Loma – Mid-January 2018

James Gang Up and Roaring

The good folks at James Gang have settled in at their new location on Newport Avenue. Everything is set up and business has been “good”, says LeAnn, one of the co-owners. Formerly at the corner of Bacon and Santa Monica, the shop now – with its 7 full-time employees and 2 co-owners – is much more visible. It sits right across the street from the Antique Center.

Co-owner Paul Bearce. Photo by Frank Gormlie

Paul Bearce, the other co-owner told this reporter that they have a 2-year lease with their new landlord, and they’re pleased with that.

Burnt mattress.

OB Alley Arsonist Back at It? Fire in Alley Between Brighton and Long Branch Sunday Night

A reader reports that he believes the OB arsonist is back at it, and lit a fire in the alley between Brighton and Long Branch right by Ebers Street Sunday night.  Whoever lit the fire, dragged a mattress across the ally, piled it on a wooden fence and lit it on fire.  Fire department and arson investigators showed up. The reader said this happened around 7pm “when all the neighbors were around. Lights Lights were on and people were very close to where s/he started his fire.”  Our reader friend added: “As these crimes seem to be crimes of opportunity the Fire Dept reiterated how important it is to keep this stuff out of the alleys.”

OB Man with Dementia Goes Missing Twice in Less than 2 Weeks

A 72-year-old Ocean Beach man with dementia has now been reported missing and then later found – twice in less than two weeks. James Burks, who lives in the 4600 block of Newport Avenue, went missing on December 27th and then was found safe within 2 days. It happened again on Sunday, January 7th – when San Diego police said Burks was last seen leaving his home at about 12:45 p.m. But just before 9:30 a.m., on Monday police confirmed Burks was “located and reunited with his family.” It’s fortunate that he has been located both times and was not injured. But what’s going on at the home we have to ask? How is it Burk can wander off two different times in less than two weeks? Where’s his care-giver?

OB Kilowatt Gets a Shout-Out at CityBeat

OB’s own Kilowatt brewpub got a shout-out in the recent San Diego CityBeat. Here’s Andrew Dyer’s summation: “Overall, Kilowatt’s OB tasting room offers a unique experience in a fun space, and there’s lots of room inside and out to enjoy the electric buzz throughout. With a wide variety of styles on tap, I’m confident anyone can find something to enjoy in a location that’s as authentic as it gets in Ocean Beach.”

George Varga Notes Cow Records in Survey of San Diego’s Music History

Says George Varga, music critic for the San Diego U-T, in his sweeping historical survey of San Diego musicians published in Sunday’s edition: “Go into Cow Records in Ocean Beach, and you’ll probably bump into Redwoods Music mainstay Al Howard, who works there when not appearing with one of the many bands in which he is a key member.”

Stan Searfus. Screen grab from NBC7

Memorial in Coronado for Surfer Who Died After Sunset Cliffs Rescue – Led by Local Mayor with 500 Attending

The Mayor of Coronado let a memorial service attended by hundreds in memory of Stan Searfus, 56, the surfer who died after being rescued off Sunset Cliffs recently. It’s now believed Searfus suffered a heart attack. As a father of six children — including to two young twins — a husband to wife Jan, a lifeguard and a surf coach at both Coronado High and Coronado Middle schools, there was no shortage of loved ones to comment on the impact Searfus left behind at the memorial dubbed “One Last Sunset with Stan.” NBC7SanDiego

OB Elementary School Volunteer Crossing Guards to Have Body-Cams

“From now on, all of the crossing guards at OB Elementary will be wearing a body-cam,” wrote Wayne Simard on a private Facebook page, the lead volunteer crossing guard. “I’m just a concerned community member volunteering because basically what I want is safety for the kids…. It’s a constant struggle, but I’m always out here, Monday through Friday, 7:15 to 8:00 a.m.” He’s been helping kids cross the street safely for nearly seven years, in a crosswalk that took nearly three years to have installed.  “People are still blowing through and speeding too much,” he added.

Mandy Havlik, a concerned parent, organized a “Traffic Safety Awareness Campaign” that was held on November 3rd of last year in front of the school. She aimed to encourage local community members to abide by the existing traffic safety laws and to donate to her campaign to purchase safety equipment, including hand-held stop signs, safety vests, and traffic safety signs for the six crosswalks and the area around the school perimeter. Her efforts — as well as those of Simard and other concerned parents — paid off when, on November 30, mainstream media picked up the story, highlighting the dangers of speeding and distracted drivers at the intersections surrounding the school. The rest is history. See this San Diego Reader article for more.

Point Loma Rehab Checks Patients for Flu

Dr. Mike Wasserman, chief of Rockport Healthcare Services, the company that runs Point Loma Rehab, said that his workers began proactively testing residents after one patient was diagnosed, and discovered 10 more who, though they were not showing classic symptoms such as fever and cough, nonetheless tested positive for influenza infection. Shutting things down, he said, is simply standard procedure. “You have the most complex and the most frail people in our communities living in these facilities. They’re the most vulnerable to begin with, and we have to be hyper vigilant,” Wasserman said. San Diego Union-Tribune

Point Loma High Graduate Jamal Agnew Is Now All-Pro

Former University of San Diego star Jamal Agnew is an All-Pro. The Lions rookie was named to the Associated Press first-team as a punt returner and nobody will argue with this. Agnew only had 29 returns, mostly because teams eventually stopped testing him, and took two of them back for touchdowns. Here’s what makes his All-Pro nod so surprising to the football establishment. Agnew had zero Division-1 scholarship offers out of Point Loma High School so he landed at non-scholarship USD where he became one of the best players not only in Toreros history but the entire nation. Then despite being one of the fastest defensive backs in the nation and an elite punt returner he didn’t get drafted until the 5th round by Detroit. Now he’s showing everybody how badly they messed up not jumping on him early. 7SanDiego

Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill One of 50 “New Most Anticipated” Restaurants for 2018

The Ocean Beach Blue Water is one of the most … restaurants opening in San Diego this year, 2018. Brothers Matt and Judd Braun will open the second location of their Mission Hills-born seafood eatery this spring in Ocean Beach. They plan to update the location with a new stage for live music. 5083 Santa Monica Ave., Suite B, Ocean Beach. SDU-T

Royale Makes the 10 Hot Plates: San Diego’s Top Food News in January

Coming in at No. 8, we get: “Previously a pop-up at University Heights’ Park & Rec bar, Royale (née Royale with Cheese) has taken over the Sessions Public space in Point Loma. There will be grass-fed burgers, patty melts, egg sandwiches, cocktails, and kombucha.” San Diego Magazine

Point Loma Makes “the To-Do List” for the San Fran Chron

Here’s what the San Francisco Chronicle says to do while in San Diego: “If you went with the whales, detour to Point Loma for a casual experience at Mitch’s Seafood. Choose from its daily fish board. Get something grilled and served on corn tortillas — fish tacos are the celebrated cuisine of San Diego (and Baja California). Eat yours on the wraparound patio deck facing sport-fishing yachts parked outside. A short drive down the Point Loma peninsula is Cabrillo National Monument and historic lighthouse, honoring the Spanish ships that anchored on the spot in 1542 and came ashore California for the first time. Evening – A sunset fanatic knows there are good displays everywhere in San Diego, yet the ones at Sunset Cliffs are surreal. Don’t you want uncluttered views when the sun takes its dip into the ocean? Not all San Diego waterfront faces the Pacific. So buy tickets for one of Humphrey’s outdoor concerts on Shelter Island on the San Diego Bay (kayakers park outside and take in tunes for free). Cross the street to a nearby pier for a nightcap. This is a drinking town that often makes the list of drunkest U.S. cities. Grabbing a local craft beer at a tiny, hipster-y Fathom Bistro, Bait & Tackle is the right call.”