January 2018

Welcome to Plutocracy: Wealthiest 1% of Americans Own 40% of Country’s Wealth

January 22, 2018 by Jim Miller

Buried under all the noise of the national circus over the last month was some fairly stark economic news. Despite all the hoopla about the stock market booming along and other financial happy talk, it appears the iceberg of economic inequality is becoming an even larger threat to our collective ship.

Late last December we learned that the world’s wealthiest people got a whole lot richer in 2017. As the Washington Post reported, “The richest people on earth became $1 trillion richer in 2017, more than four times last year’s gain, as stock markets shrugged off economic, social and political divisions to reach record highs.”

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25,000 Rally and Take Part in San Diego’s Women’s March – Photo Gallery

January 20, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

25,000 San Diegans rallied at the downtown County Administration Building and then marched a few blocks around the waterfront for today’s historic Women’s March, that coincided with hundreds of similar marches around the country.

Based on a scientific estimate of the marchers, this reporter counted a minimum of 22,250 people in the march. This number did not take into account those who remained at the rallying point – at the Waterfront Park, those who came late or left early. (See below for my method.) So rounding up …

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San Diego District 2 City Council Candidate Campbell Apologizes for ‘Fake Homeless’ Remarks Caught on Video

January 19, 2018 by Source

Editordude: District 2 candidate, Dr. Jen Campbell, gave a speech back on January 4th, during which she spoke disparagingly of homeless panhandlers. (Come inside to view her remarks)

Dr. Jen then sent the Free Press – not the OB Rag – an apology of sorts; we repost it below.

By Dr. Jen Campbell

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your article in the San Diego Free Press.

My comments referenced were regrettable and off-the-cuff and I apologize. They do not reflect my values or my beliefs .

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Another Memory of the 1967 ‘Summer of Love’ in Ocean Beach

January 19, 2018 by Source

Editordude: We received the following letter from Holly of Santa Cruz who wished to share some of her memories from the “Summer of Love” in Ocean Beach – the 50th anniversary of which the OB Rag celebrated enthusiastically – so, we now print it below without editing. On the outside of the envelope, she wrote: “A tiny fragment in the mosaic of time.”

By Holly

I was twenty years old in 1967 and a not so subtle change was taking place in Ocean Beach.

The “surfing USA” vibe was being altered, different ideas, sounds, and “things”.

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Do Something for the Ocean or Watch It Die!

January 19, 2018 by Source

By David Helvarg / Blue Notes / January 16, 2018

Two new reports in Science magazine confirm what we’ve been seeing for years: climate change and nutrient pollution are contributing to dead zones in the world’s ocean – in part because a warmer, more acidic ocean holds less dissolved oxygen.

Another study of 100 reefs showed coral bleaching is occurring globally at least once every six years. The most recent wave reduced half of the corals in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (watch the Academy-Award nominated film ‘Chasing Coral’).

And of course, climate-induced extreme weather events like hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria contributed to making 2017 the costliest year for natural disasters in U.S. history.

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San Diego Park and Rec Board Gives Go-Ahead to Hotelier Bill Evans’ Public Land Grab at Mission Bay

January 19, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

Expansion Project Nearly Doubles Bahia Resort – Eliminates Public Parking

On Thursday, January 18th, the San Diego Park and Recreation Board gave the go-ahead to hotelier Bill Evans’ plans for his public land grab at Mission Bay. At the end of the public presentations and discussion, the board voted 10-0 in favor of recommending the San Diego City Council approve Evans’ expansion project – that would nearly double his Bahia Resort – with no modifications.

Yet, one of the main organizers of the stiff opposition that mobilized in just a few weeks, on the group’s facebook urged his fellows on….

What’s this all about?

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Midway Square in Point Loma Sold for $5.25 Million

January 18, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

BizNews reports the Midway Square in the Midway District of Point Loma has sold for $5.25 million. The mini-mall at 3112 Midway Drive was sold to Midway Square LLC. The seller was another LLC, Winston Square LLC.

The property has15,271 square feet and has a number of auto-related businesses as tenants; Express Tire, Auto Serve Center, Suspension Plus and Smog Check.

For the capitalists and land speculators involved, the Midway Center has a bunch of positive attributes.

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CSI-OB Community Cleanup event with Pizza Port – Sat., Jan. 20

January 18, 2018 by Source

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OB Pier Walkabout

January 18, 2018 by Source

by Joaquin Antique

Since it’s has been inaccessible the last couple days due to high surf, I thought I’d put together a collection of current and past photos with a pier theme.

The pier yesterday, January 17, 2018

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Ocean Beach Turns Out for a Town Hall on Arson and Vandalism

January 17, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

Driving into the parking lot at the OB Masonic Center right off Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, I knew there was going to be a large crowd at the town hall meeting called by a variety of Ocean Beach groups to talk about all the arson and vandalism that’s been going on.

Having missed the very beginning of the meeting, I could hear Community Relations officer Dave Surwilo speaking about police call times. The place was packed. Just about every chair was taken and there was a dozen locals standing in the back.

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Police Say They Know Who Murdered ‘Ras’ Riley in Ocean Beach Last June

January 17, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

San Diego Police say they know who murdered “Ras” Riley on an Ocean Beach street last June.

The African-American homeless man was stabbed to death on Bacon Street without provocation on June 22, 2017. Video cameras caught an image of a man in the vicinity.

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Women’s March in San Diego – January 20, 2018

January 17, 2018 by Source

From Website:

On January 20th we will march again, this time for our voices and votes to be heard!

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Donald Trump Is a Lying, Traitorous, Racist Shithole of a Person

January 16, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

We have to tell it like it is: the president of the United States, Donald Trump, is a lying, traitorous, racist shithole of a person.

Donald Trump is a liar and lies all the time. The fact checkers at the Washington Post report:

Trump has made 2,001 false or misleading claims in 355 days, according to our database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president. That’s an average of more than 5.6 claims a day.

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Beach Residents Mobilize to Halt Evans’ Land Grab of Bahia Point in Mission Bay

January 16, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

Beach residents and San Diego lovers of Bahia Point in Mission Bay are mobilizing to stop Bill Evans – the owner of the Bahia Resort Hotel – and his land grab of the public park at Bahia Point.

On January 2nd, the Mission Bay Park Committee voted to agree that Evans’ baby, the Bahia Development Plan, is consistent with the Mission Bay Master Plan. This vote so angered a room full of frustrated neighbors that they formed a group to oppose the plans. They passionately believe the Bahia Point access should be kept open for the general public.

So, a group called the Citizens and Paddlers against the Bahia Hotel land grab on Bahia Point was organized – and established a facebook page. Now, the group is organizing a presence at the San Diego Parks and Rec Board meeting coming up on Thursday, January 18th,

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OB Historical Society Presents: San Diego’s Naval Disaster and the Zeal for Conviction – Thurs., Jan. 18

January 16, 2018 by Source

Join the Ocean Beach Historical Society for their monthly presentation this Thursday, January 18th. This month’s presentation is titled, “San Diego’s Naval Disaster and the Zeal for Conviction” and will be presented by Karen Scanlon.

It was business as usual along San Diego’s waterfront in the early morning of July 21, 1905. But a boiler explosion aboard the patrol gunboat USS Bennington, at anchor in the stream of the bay, plundered the ordinary and remains one of the deadliest peacetime disasters in the history of the United States Navy.

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High Surf Closes Ocean Beach Pier

January 16, 2018 by Staff

Lifeguards closed the Ocean Beach Pier on Tuesday morning due to high surf.

As a major winter swell pounded the San Diego County coastline, the National Weather Service reported waves could reach 15’ at select west-facing beaches, with the largest in South County, where forecasters say the surf is in the 5’ to 8’ range, with sets to 10’ to 12’.

The swell will reach its peak today, then start to fade on Wednesday. However, ways will still be large, and the rip currents will last into Thursday.

The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory that will be in effect for San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties through 6 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18th.

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Advocates Arrested for Feeding Homeless in El Cajon Vow to Contest Legality of Ordinance

January 16, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

OB Advocates Have Also Been Threatened with Arrest Over the Years

On Sunday, January 14th, about a dozen people were arrested for feeding homeless people at a park in El Cajon. Police cited them and did not actually cuff or take the arrested in but released them.

The very next day, Monday the 15th, the homeless advocates – part of a group called Break the Ban – held a news conference in Balboa Park to announce they will be filing a lawsuit against El Cajon that will claim the city ordinance banning food sharing in public spaces is unconstitutional.

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Trump Apologists Are Gunning for Mueller

January 16, 2018 by Source

By Marjorie Cohn / Blog / Dec. 21, 2017

As special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation moves closer to Donald Trump, there is a concerted effort by the president’s apologists to shut it down. Commentators on Fox News and Republican Congress members are attacking Mueller, causing speculation that the special counsel’s days are numbered.

Since his investigation began in May, Mueller has already obtained two indictments and two guilty pleas. Most recently, former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI. Although he could have been charged with more serious crimes, Flynn secured the deal by promising to cooperate with prosecutors and provide evidence against other, as yet unnamed, individuals. Flynn’s guilty plea brings Mueller’s investigation into the White House.

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Surviving 2017 – Looking Like a Palm Tree Bent Over By the Wind

January 15, 2018 by Ernie McCray

Lone slightly leaning palm tree in grassy plain, cloudy skies, mountain range in distance

I am so glad to say “Good riddance” to 2017 because it was a bit unearthly to me.

I mean, on top of being barraged by all the abject buffoonery in D.C. that was unleashed by that fool who occupies the presidency, I had to go around most of the year looking like a palm tree bent over by the wind.

All due to some life-threatening vicious form of bacteria that found its way into my body and started whacking away like a field hand taking a machete to the stems of sugarcane, devastating my belly and tightening and weakening my muscles, making an absolute wreck of my lifelong bad back. It made standing and walking upright kind of an aerobic exercise that took all my might.

And let me tell you, trying to struggle to get your health back in a world that’s out of whack isn’t easy by any means.

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Ocean Beach Town Hall Meeting on Arson and Vandalism – Tues., Jan.16

January 15, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

A number of Ocean Beach and Point Loma community groups are hosting a town hall meeting focused on the recent string of arson and vandalism that has happened in the area, Tuesday, January 16th.

The groups include the OB Town Council, the OB Planning Board, OB Community Development Corp., OB Community Foundation, OB Main St. Association, OB Historical Society, Point Loma Association, and OB Clean Streets Initiative.

The town hall will be held at the Masonic Center at 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd, from 6 PM – 8 PM.

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Love and Resistance: Lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

January 15, 2018 by Jim Miller

It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day and, for those of us who deeply value his legacy, it’s hard not to greet the first official King holiday of the Trump era with a deep sense of painful irony. As I wrote last year at this time on the eve of his inauguration:

Today we are at [a] dead-end with Trump’s administration full of revanchist billionaires, right-wing demagogues, and military strongmen representing the triumph of market fundamentalism married to racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and authoritarian militarism. Simply put, in Trump Nation, King’s “triple evils” [of racism, economic injustice, and militarism] are akin to the holy trinity.

Unfortunately, the last year has done little else but confirm this proclamation, making this year’s remembrance especially important. For King’s critique of American society is now even more relevant than it has been in the decades since his death—it haunts us like a ghost.

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It’s Time for Lifeguard Ed Harris to Jump in and Rescue Residents of San Diego City Council District 2

January 9, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

It’s time for Ed Harris – the lifeguard union chief – to jump in and rescue the citizens of San Diego City Council District 2.

Why do they need rescuing? Well, consider this …

The next election – the June Primary – is less than 5 months away and incumbent Lori Zapf is up for re-election. Zapf, a Republican, faces a district where registered Democratic voters outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 9,000. That ought to make her very vulnerable come next November.

Yet, she faces a field of weak challengers. All of them – and here is where OB Rag makes enemies – from Bryan Bease to Jordan Beane to Jen Campbell – they all have political flaws that make them unable ultimately to mount the District 2 seat in City Council Chambers downtown. And that’s why Ed Harris – who once sat in that chair for the District – needs to dive in

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General Rain Advisory in Effect for San Diego Coastal Waters – Avoid Ocean for 72 Hours After Rain

January 9, 2018 by Source

General Rain Advisory in Effect

The Department of Environmental Health has issued a GENERAL RAIN ADVISORY for the coastal waters of San Diego County due to contamination by urban runoff following rain.

Swimmers, surfers, and other ocean users are warned that levels of bacteria can rise significantly in ocean waters, especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers, and lagoon outlets that discharge urban runoff.

Activities such as swimming, surfing and diving should be avoided for 72 hours following rain.

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The OB Rag Is Just $125 Away From Our Winter Fundraising Goal

January 9, 2018 by Staff

We’re down to the wire, and the OB Rag is just $125 from our Winter fundraising goal of $1,000.

If you haven’t donated but read us daily or even monthly, please help us over the top. There’s a “Donate” button via PayPal up at the top of our homepage. It’s safe and very easy – and it goes right to our account.

Or mail us a check to our Post Office Box:

OB Rag
PO Box 7012
Ocean Beach CA 92167

 

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Ocean Beach Planning Board Looks at Incentive-Based Zoning

January 9, 2018 by Staff

At the most recent Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting on January 3rd, the Board heard a presentation on Incentive Based Zoning which is a method of zoning that is designed to keep down over-development of McMansions in communities along the coast, in particular, and the so-called exemptions to Coastal Development Permits. The presentation was by Sharon Wample, who is part of a group called Citizens for Responsible Coastal Development.

For background, this Citizens group was formed originally as an ad hoc committee in 2015 by the La Jolla Community Planning Association with locals who wished to battle McMansions and who wanted to abolish the so-called “50 percent coastal exception rule”. They want to replace it with an “Incentive-based zoning” approval process. This process would reduce the project applicant’s floor area ratio (FAR) and the applicant would then have to conform to a community’s list of design incentives to earn back their right to build their home more densely to the current FAR allowed.

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OB Rag Is Doing a 10 Hour Auction of 2 Tickets for Saturday at Springboard West ‘Band and Brew Crawl’ in Ocean Beach

January 9, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

The OB Rag has 2 tickets for Saturday, January 13th at the Springboard West “Band and Brew Crawl” being held in Ocean Beach.

Event hosts describe Saturday as:

Sat, Jan 13th: Band & Brew Crawol, 1PM – 11PM (40 Bands on 4 Stages)

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Springboard West 2018 in Ocean Beach – Jan 11th – Jan 13th

January 9, 2018 by Source

Come Inside for More

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

January 8, 2018 by Frank Gormlie

* James Gang Up and Roaring
* OB Alley Arsonist Back at It? Fire in Alley Between Brighton and Long Branch Sunday Night
* OB Man with Dementia Goes Missing Twice in Less than 2 Weeks
* OB Kilowatt Gets a Shout-Out at CityBeat
* George Varga Notes Cow Records in Survey of San Diego’s Music History
* Memorial in Coronado for Surfer Who Died After Sunset Cliffs Rescue – Led by Local Mayor with 500 Attending

* OB Elementary School Volunteer Crossing Guards to Have Body-Cams
* Point Loma High Graduate Jamal Agnew Is Now All-Pro
* Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill One of 50 “New Most Anticipated” Restaurants for 2018
* Royale Makes the 10 Hot Plates: San Diego’s Top Food News in January
* Point Loma Makes “the To-Do List” for the San Fran Chron

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Point Loma Woman Killed in Murder-Suicide Remembered

January 8, 2018 by Staff

Terrie Best remembers her friend, Tiffani Kjeldergaard – the Point Loma woman killed in a murder-suicide last Thursday, January 4th -. Best told NBC 7:

“Tiffani was a character. You couldn’t be in the same room with her without knowing she was there. She was whip-smart. Funny. Just a really interesting human being.”

San Diego Homicide detectives have ruled the fatal shooting of Kjeldergaard by 59-year-old Kenneth Everhart, who then turned the gun on himself at the Point Loma apartment complex, a murder-suicide. The two were reportedly having an argument when the shootings began.

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Why San Diego Lifeguards Need to Be Independent From the Fire Department

January 8, 2018 by Source

By Ed Harris

On December 6th, San Diego Lifeguards voted on whether to pursue an independent department, or to stay within the Fire-Rescue Department.

The fact that 95% of the guards cast a vote, and 80% voted to leave the Fire Department, was unprecedented and clearly shows that there are deep problems. The vote represents an indictment of Fire Department leadership, but also of the structure and history of the Department. It is a clear message to the Mayor and City Council from rank and file Lifeguards who love serving and saving lives.

For the last 40 years, there have been repeated attempts by Fire Department leadership to encroach on Lifeguard job responsibilities.

This has not been a battle fought by the line personnel, who work well together, but rather by the Fire Union and Fire Chief’s determination to expand their Department.

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