News from Ocean Beach and Point Loma – Spring 2018

“Jesus Christ Superstar,” at the OB Playhouse

Friday night, March 23, the OB Playhouse opens a concert rendition of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the concept album turned musical that was last revived on Broadway eight years ago under the direction of former La Jolla Playhouse artistic chief Des McAnuff (who also brought the show to La Jolla). OB Playhouse artistic director Jennie Gray Connard helms the new concert staging, teaming with music director Kirk Valles. SeeJay Lewis, as Jesus, leads a 16-member cast that will perform such enduring favorites as “Superstar,” “Everything’s Alright” and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.”

It all begins at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; plus 8 p.m. April 3 (industry night). Through April 15. OB Playhouse & Theatre Co., is located at 4944 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach. Tickets: $28-$38; Phone: (619) 795-9305; Online: obplayhouse.com.

Peninsula Planners Election Results

The results are in for the March 15 annual election to the Peninsula Community Planning Board – one of the most contentious Point Loma planning committee elections in years – due to claims of bylaw violations and negative campaigning (see following news blurb). Here are the vote totals for the winners and other candidates (from the PCBP website) :

Peninsula Planners’ Election Results Being Challenged

Two unsuccessful candidates for the March 15th election to the Peninsula planning board have filed challenges to the election. Julia Quinn, an incumbent, and Geoff Page, a Point Loma planning activist, both timely filed their required notifications to the Board’s election chair – but as yet, have not received a response.

The challenges, we understand as we have not seen the challenges, are based on allegations of violations of the Board’s bylaws having to do with a prohibition of board members participation or endorsement of “slates”. Quinn and Page allege that at least 2 sitting Board members sent out endorsements of slates for the election, and that one Board member sent out emails with false accusations against them.  We don’t know what the remedies for something like this are, if Quinn’s and Page’s allegations are found to be true.

Kellogg Beach Supporters Make Progress

The folks who are working to save Point Loma’s Kellogg Beach from destruction due to nearby construction, put out an update on March 21, 2018, which states: “UPDATE: Thanks to your support, our Change. org petition is two-thirds of the way to our goal, and our GoFundMe page is almost half way to our goal!!” They ask that we not let the momentum die and that we keep spreading the word and sharing their GoFundMe page with your friends and family. If youdon’t know what this all about, read on:

Along San Diego Bay in Point Loma, there is a beautiful stretch of sand and water known locally as “Kellogg’s Beach”. For generations, it has been a place where locals congregate on sunny weekends and families enjoy the calm water, gentle waves, and scenic views. This is a small public beach, cherished by all who live near to it and by those who visit here.

However, a potential Multi-family development right on Kellogg Beach threatens all who cherish this beautiful public beach and the surrounding area.  If you’d like to read more about the development project, please visit our petition on Change.org . Our biggest concerns about the project at this point are:

1. Public access to the beach being hindered at Lawrence Street;

2. The accelerated erosion the proposed seawall could cause;

3. New development that will reside on a coastal beach is in violation of City codes

4. It will forever change the look and character of this small beach

Here are their links:

• GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/save-kellogg-beach
• Change. org: https://www.change.org/p/pcpb-save-kellogg-beach
• Forms to send to the City, Port District and Coastal Commission – make your voice heard: http://savekelloggbeach.com/

Stolen Boy Scott Trailers Discovered by Scout Leader Who Lives in OB

University City’s Troop 11 had its trailer stolen earlier this month – and it was full of their gear. The trailer was found by chance, ten miles from the church parking lot, in Mission Bay Park across the street from the Hilton Hotel, by one of the troop’s leaders, Doug, who lives in OB. A mother of one of the scouts said: “One of our scout leaders, that works in Ocean Beach as a mechanic, was coming home Monday and decided to drive along Mission Bay Drive to avoid traffic. He’s one of the few people that could have driven past a plain white trailer and known it was ours.” Which he did. Although 90% of their gear was gone  — a loss of about $9,500. San Diego Reader

‘We Knew It!’ – Mission Beach and PB Inundated with Short Term Rentals

The San Diego Reader reports Mission Beach and Pacific Beach are filled with short term rentals. Julie Stalmer writes: “Per 2017 documentation, five streets were listed as having 587 (17 percent) of the rentals in San Diego — all in close proximity of each other in Mission Beach (458) and Pacific Beach (129). Ocean Front Walk had the most with 225 between sixteen blocks, with 72 on just two blocks. Ocean Boulevard in Pacific Beach was next with 129, with 74 located in one luxury beachfront condo building. Bayside Walk listed 121 rentals spread out between 15 blocks, with 50 rentals on just two blocks. Mission Boulevard listed 81 rentals on 17 blocks. It then dropped to 31 rentals sandwiched onto two Island Court blocks.”

The article quoted an OBcean named Jon: ‘”What happens when an entire block has nobody living there?” In 2014, when Jon moved to Abbott Avenue in Ocean Beach, he was surrounded by long-term renters. Every year since, he’s seen neighbors evicted to make room for short-term vacation rentals. Jon, now a homeowner, misses getting to know his neighbors.’

Don Bauder Warns about Short Term Rentals

Sage and full of wisdom and collective memory, Don Bauder at the San Diego Reader warns us about short term rentals: “… overwhelmingly, the short-term rental industry is based near the water — such as Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and La Jolla. The average daily rate in San Diego is $163, says AirDNA, which provides data on the short-term rental industry. The growth rate is 44 percent a year, and that frightens some San Diegans. Short-term rentals may make a small dent now, but if they keep growing at a big rate, they could push up rents and housing prices, driving even more people out of the county. … Mikaela Sharp of Irvine’s John Burns Real Estate Consulting says she hasn’t made a study of the topic, “but in my opinion more short-term rentals will increase rents because it causes a decrease in the supply of spaces available for long-term rentals.”

Dockless Bikes On OB Town Council Agenda – Wed., March 28

The OBTC is taking up the new issue of dockless bikes at its monthly meeting on Wed., March 28th, at the Masonic Center. Meanwhile, the Peninsula Beacon asks: “Opinion is mixed regarding the surge of dockless vehicles. Is dockless an unjustifiable threat to rental shops? Or is this transportation trend the green alternative that will reduce traffic issues? Can both be true? Presently, four dockless vehicle companies – Bird, Ofo, LimeBike and Mobike – have moved into town in a big way, scattering their bikes and scooters across the landscape. Beach & Bay Press recently conducted an impromptu survey of small-business owners, locals and tourists, soliciting their views on dockless vehicles.”

‘Open House San Diego’ Includes Many Sites in Point Loma – Mar. 24 & 25

Open House San Diego 2018 will take place March 24 & 25 at specially curated sites throughout Downtown, Bankers Hill, Barrio Logan and new for 2018, Point Loma. The details: participating sites are located in Downtown San Diego, Bankers Hill, Barrio Logan and new for 2018 – Point Loma. Most sites are open from 10am – 4pm, but some have limited hours. Most sites offer open access or self-guided tours. Some offer regularly scheduled guided tours on a first come, first served basis. Some require advance reservations. All are FREE! Start your day at an OH! San Diego hub in each neighborhood to check in and receive your collectible passport which volunteers will stamp at each site you visit. Hubs in Point Loma: Site 68 | Point Loma Assembly and  Site 77 | ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station | Dick Laub NTC Command Center. Here are the Point Loma sites:

• All Souls’ Episcopal Church
• The Thursday Club
• Point Loma Hervey Branch Library
• Point Loma Assembly
• Point Loma Living Room
• Point Loma Nazarene University
• Fire Station 22
• Loma Theatre
• Pacific Rim Park
• Tunaman’s Memorial
• Portuguese Historical Center
• St Agnes Catholic Church
• ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station
• Scout @ Quarters D
• The Rock Church
• Moniker Commons
• Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty Liberty Station Office
• Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens
• KMA Architecture
• Naval Base Point Loma

OB CityBeat Writer Thinks Bush Jr Was Worst than Trump

OBcean Edwin Decker, who is one of the main columnists for CityBeat, recently penned his thoughts on the differences between Trump and Bush Jr. While Decker doubts Trump seditiously colluded with Russia, one day of Bush’s Iraq War is worst than everything Trump has done or said. Edwin makes a good point and reminds us about the war – but we still must disagree. Bush was around, afterall, for 8 years; and Trump has been here for a little over a year. So, Mr. Decker – hold onto your observation deckchair – cuz, it’s gonna be more rocky than we’ve seen.

Reward Offered for Info on Midway District Killer

The family of a man murdered last month in the Midway District is offering an $8,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of their loved one’s accused killer. Ernesto Castellanos, 41, is wanted by San Diego police in connection to the murder of 27-year-old Alexander Mazin. Crime Stoppers is also offering up to a $1,000 reward for information in the case. Mazin was found suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper torso behind the 24-Hour Fitness on Midway Drive and Kemper Street at around 11 a.m. on Feb. 28. He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after. San Diego Police Department (SDPD) homicide detectives determined that Castellanos, a boxing and mixed martial arts coach well known in the community, shot Mazin and fled the scene. Police say Castellanos knew the victim but police won’t elaborate on the relationship more than saying the connection was the mother of Castellanos’ children.

Castellanos is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, 185 pounds, normally bald with brown eyes. His full name is Ernesto Castellanos Martinez but is known as Ernesto Castellanos, according to Crime Stoppers. The department is asking anyone with information regarding Castellanos’ location to contact the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.  7SanDiego

Search on for Midway Hit-and-Run Driver

Police are searching for an alleged hit-and-run driver who injured a woman crossing a street in San Diego’s Midway District. The 48-year-old victim was crossing Fordham Street in a crosswalk when the vehicle turned from Midway onto Fordham and struck her, San Diego police Officer Robert Heims said. She sustained fractured ribs and a dislocated shoulder and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. After striking the pedestrian, the car continued southbound on Fordham Street, Heims said. The vehicle was described as a dark, midsize, newer sedan and could possibly have damage to the front or front-left side due to the crash. Traffic officers from the San Diego Police Department were investigating, and anyone with information relevant to the collision was asked to call the SDPD traffic division at (858) 495-7805. Fox5