OB Rag Celebrates 11th Birthday Online
On Oct. 26, the OB Rag turned 11 years old, having begun its online run during the massive fires that swept San Diego County in October 2007. And we’ve been going ever since. The original OB People’s Rag began as an “underground” newspaper in the Fall of 1970 – and flourished until early 1976. There was another version of the printed OB Rag in 2002-03. Many people have written or contributed to OB’s online newspaper over the years and many have donated to ensure that it keeps publishing. Check out some of our history and an impressive roster of people who have sent us articles.
McMillin Co. Asks City for Okay to Sell Liberty Station Lease
The Corky McMillin Cos., the San Diego developer that remade the Naval Training Center into a sprawling housing, business and and entertainment hub, has asked city officials to review a plan to sell all or part of its leasehold in what’s now known as Liberty Station. McMillin officials declined to discuss their business plan for the property, which has been transformed into a regional destination over the two-plus decades since the U.S. military closed the base and turned it over to the city of San Diego. A city spokeswoman acknowledged the request from McMillin after The San Diego Union-Tribune posed a series of questions over three days related to North Chapel, the historic sanctuary that served as the last house of worship for thousands of sailors and recruits headed off to fight World War II. San Diego Union-Tribune
‘An Alligator Walks into a Pet Store and Says …’
An alligator was left on the steps of a pet store in Point Loma over the weekend. The three-foot reptile was inside an unmarked container outside Pet Kingdom on Sports Arena Boulevard, a store employee told NBC 7. The manager of the pet store opened the box, alarmed to find what was inside. Alligators are not allowed as pets in California, the store said. The San Diego Zoo doesn’t have room for the alligator, Pet Kingdom said. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating. No injuries have been reported. This comes one week after the Heartland Fire Department found a lost tortoise. SanDiego7
Woman Shot in Baron’s Parking Lot Identified Being From Arizona
A 20-year-old Phoenix woman was identified as the victim of a deadly shooting earlier this month in Point Loma. Octavia Williams was gunned down a little before 11:45 p.m. on Oct. 9 in the Baron’s Market parking lot on West Pt Loma Boulevard. Detectives believe the shooter was Joe Bennette Conway, 41 and there is an arrest warrant out for him. Police said Williams was from Phoenix. In describing the car Conway was allegedly driving the night of the shooting, they said it would possibly have Arizona license plates. San Diego U-T
Point Loma Nazarene President Declares Campuses Safe
In a statement posted online, President Brower of Point Loma Nazarene University declared the campus safe. “…the threat has been mitigated and there is no longer a danger to the PLNU campuses.” This after all classes were canceled Thursday when the school officials were given a report from the local FBI of an unspecified threat.
Suspect in Point Loma Murder “Not Mentally Competent”
A man suspected of fatally shooting his ex-boss, a Point Loma auto repairman seven years ago, is not mentally competent to stand trial, a San Diego judge ruled Tuesday. Superior Court Judge Laura Halgren found that Nicolas Brito Rosales has a delusional disorder and could not assist his attorney in his defense. After hearing three days of testimony, from three doctors as well as investigators, Halgren accepted that Rosales does not fully understand the murder charge he faces. Rosales is to be sent to Patton State Hospital. If his mental competency is restored, he could be brought back to court to face the murder charge. Halgren said Rosales repeatedly gave “nonsensical answers” when asked about his own background and about the shooting. He could face up to 50 years in prison if tried and convicted of killing 63-year-old Jalal “Joe” Abou at Joe’s Auto Repair on Rosecrans Street. San Diego Union-Tribune
Big Rig Hits Plug, Showers Power Lines
A big rig crashed into and sheared off a fire hydrant Wednesday afternoon Oct. 24 in the Midway District, sending a geyser spewing into a power line, water flooding into the street and shutting down a portion of Sports Arena Boulevard, authorities said. The crash happened about 1:45 p.m. on a stretch of Sports Arena Boulevard between Pacific Highway and Rosecrans Street, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Alec Phillipp said. “Crews arrived at 1:52 p.m. and requested (San Diego Gas & Electric) come because the water was near a power line,” Phillipp said in an email. Westbound lanes on Sports Arena Boulevard have been shut down in the area, SDPD said. The accident occurred near a Goodwill and a Big Lots. SD U-T;
Motorcyclist Suffers Broken Leg in Midway Crash with 2 Cars
A 47-year-old man on a Triumph motorcycle suffered a broken leg in a traffic collision in the Midway neighborhood of San Diego, police said Wednesday. Officers were called about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday to the 3800 block of Rosecrans Street and located the victim suffering from non-life threatening injuries, according to Officer Robert Heims of the San Diego Police Department. Investigators determined the motorcycle rider and the driver of a 2017 Lexus SUV were traveling southbound on Camino Del Rio West and entered the intersection at Rosecrans Street on a green light when a 20-year-old man driving a 2005 Toyota Camry northbound on Camino Del Rio West turned left onto Sports Arena Boulevard against the red light and hit the motorcycle as it was in the intersection, Heims said. The Lexus ended up hitting both the Camry and the Triumph. The motorcycle rider was transported to the hospital, but the other drivers were not hurt, he said. San Diego Patch
Halloween Events Around OB and Pt Loma
- Ghoul in school at Loma Portal Elementary at 3341 Browning St. is hosting its annual Monster Bash Friday, Oct. 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. featuring a Halloween carnival and haunted house staged by volunteer dads. Outdoor carnival fun and games include a photo booth to take pictures of costumed kids.
- OB Halloween Carnival –The annual Halloween Carnival at OB Rec Center, 4726 Santa Monica Ave., will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27. Guests are requested to bring a Halloween bag for prizes and treats and wear costumes.“There will be a costume contest for all ages, kids up to 17 and 18 and beyond for adults,” said rec leader Marcus Stevens. “For $2, wrist bands for all ages can be purchased to play activities and games in the gym.”
- OB Rec Center Costume Contest Oct 27: Times are: Infant to 3 years old: 2:40 p.m.; 4-6 years old: 3 p.m.; 7-9 years old: 3:20 p.m.; 10-12 years old: 3:40 p.m.; 13-16 years old: 4 p.m.; and17-Adult: 4:10 p.m.OB Rec Center will award prizes for most creative, scariest, funniest and prettiest costumes.Food is sold separately, said Stevens noting the event draws more than 100 participants every year.For more information, call 619-531-1527.
- Savage Station at Liberty Station will host its free Halloween at the Station celebration Sunday, Oct. 28 from noon to 4 p.m. in the North Promenade. The Halloween haunt is held in partnership with San Diego Comic Art Gallery and Comickaze Comic Books and More. Daytime festivities will include free comics, a costume contest, trick-or-treating throughout the district, ghoulish arts and crafts, a play area presented by Kid Ventures, music and live entertainment.There will be a costume contest, and the winner will receive a prize. Families can explore the corridors of Liberty Station and pop into local businesses and shops that will be opening their doors for trick-or-treating. The Beacon
- Samhain Ritual and Celebration, On Sunday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m., Ocean Beach’s Tree of Life (4870 Santa Monica Ave., Suite 1A) metaphysical bookstore will put on a public Samhain Ritual and Celebration, headed by diviner John Hijatt and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring a small token or photograph of the departed to add to the altar. Psychic readings will also be available from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Entry is $5 and info can be found at treeoflifestore.com.
Photo by Brandon Weisman. Caption: The cast of “From Dusk Till Dawn” perform recently at Winston’s
An Early Halloween Scare at the Masonic this Weekend
A live version of the cult classic “From Dusk Till Dawn” will be presented at the Masonic in OB this weekend during a dinner-theater production with a twist. The performances this Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be an immersive experience, where the action takes place not only on the stage but all over the room. OB is well represented on the cast and crew put together by Shetrick Entertainment, which has produced several immersive-theater performances at the Masonic. The show features live music and sexy dancers re-creating the 1996 movie starring George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino. The movie was R-rated and so is the live version, and alcohol will be available so only 21 and older will be admitted.
The shows are a benefit for the Breast Cancers Angels, a charity that assists breast cancer patients with everyday needs during their treatment. For more information about the Angels, please visit their website. Tickets are available at shetrick.com. Friday and Saturday’s shows start at 7 PM and Sunday starts at 6 PM. The Masonic it located at 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.
Rocky Horror Show at Ocean Beach Playhouse Through October 31
A satirical tribute to the science fiction and B-list horror movies of the 20th century, the show centers around two naïve lovers, Brad and Janet. Seeking shelter from a thunderstorm in an old castle, they find themselves thrust into the laboratory of the cross-dressing mad scientist Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter and his motley crew. The mad transvestite scientist unveils his new creation, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man named Rocky Horror, complete “with blond hair and a tan”. Stripped of inhibitions – and their clothes – Brad and Janet embark on a wild, unforgettable journey of pleasure and self-discovery. Reality, fiction, and camp collide in this mash-up of comics, rock and roll, and late-night horror flicks. KUSI News
Sea Lion Blocks Traffic in Point Loma, Taken to SeaWorld
Officers were called to the intersection of Garrison and Rosecrans streets around 3:30 p.m. Oct. 22 to find the sea lion lying on its back in the roadway blocking traffic. It was in no apparent hurry to clear the intersection despite the row of cars waiting for their right of way. People on the street were singing Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose” as a SeaWorld crew came to the sea lion’s rescue. A SeaWorld San Diego crew arrived a short time later and trapped the sea lion in a net and loaded it into a cage. The sea lion was taken to SeaWorld’s Animal Health and Rescue Center and given a full-body exam. SeaWorld Senior Animal Care Specialist Heather Armentrout said the female sea lion didn’t appear to have any injuries but did say it was odd for her to be in the street. She is able to eat live fish and remains “alert, active and responsive,” SeaWorld said. The rescue center will monitor her for a few days, but haven’t announced when she will be ready to return to the ocean. Armentrout said she’s taken part in sea lion rescues in city streets before but has never seen one that far inland. 7SanDiego
In Search of Sunset Cliffs’ Green Flash –
Point Loma resident Chris Mannerino direct-messaged me on Instagram at 4 pm on October 5. “Do you want to shoot [the green flash] with me this evening at Sunset Cliffs at Froude Street, at around 5:45 pm.” We’ve been messaging back and forth since the previous week about capturing the elusive green flash occurrence during sunset: he’s caught about 12 in the last two years since he started photographing. I parked alongside Sunset Cliffs Boulevard on the opposite side of the parking area in front of a house. I saw Mannerino posted atop the cliffs overlooking the big rock where the mermaid mannequin sat in May. I left my gear by his bag of lenses next to the guardrail by where walkers, joggers and vehicles passed us. San Diego Reader
OBceans React to Power Lines Going Underground
The City of San Diego has an aggressive plan to move the lines underground. People in Ocean Beach aren’t looking forward to the headache during construction, but can’t wait until the power poles are gone. Wayne Samuel works at Ozzie’s Import Auto in Ocean Beach. The process to move utility wires outside his business underground has already begun. “So far they’ve taken underground connections from building to power grid,” said Samuel. A map of the plan shows there are 1,000 miles left to transfer underground. The city plans to bury 15 miles a year. The project will be funded by a surcharge on your SDG&E power bill that you’ve been paying since 2002. The city says you won’t see an increase in your bill, even though the price tag is in the billions. The reason for going underground? Fire safety and aesthetics. “I think it’s a good idea getting billboards and power lines out of the visible view of the public,” Samuel said.
Arthur Harral has lived in Ocean Beach for more than 40 years. He’s dealt with the pre-construction and paid for the surcharges, but doesn’t mind. “It’s a wonderful deal. In some states across the country, in Colorado, they have them underground, and I’m all for it in San Diego,” said Harral. Construction will last 18 to 36 months. Once the new underground utility lines are in place, the city will install curb ramps, replace street trees, and repair damaged pavement. 10News
OB Businesses in the News
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
“A man suspected in the killing of a woman inside a Midway District adult bookstore has been arrested, the San Diego Police Department said Tuesday. [Oct 30]
Shaun Ward, 39, was identified as the suspect in the stabbing death of 65-year-old Diane Spagnuolo of El Cajon, who managed the X-Spot adult store on Midway Drive near Kemper Street, SDPD said. A customer found Spagnuolo dead with trauma to her upper body at around 1:45 p.m. on Monday, SDPD said. Police believed she was assaulted and launched a homicide investigation. ”
7SanDiego https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/midway-adult-book-store-shooting-SDPD-SDFD-498934101.html