News from Ocean Beach and Point Loma – Late Feb. – Early March 2019

Graphic from Slightly Stoopid’s How I Spent My Summer Vacation 2019

Point Loma Whale Carcass Heading to the Big Deep

On the day before Thanksgiving, 2011, Greg Rouse, a trim marine biologist in his fifties, was tidying his lab at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in La Jolla, California. Rouse studies the worms and other small animals that inhabit the deep sea. He was organizing his microscopes, dissection supplies, and jars of deep-sea critters when he received a long-anticipated e-mail. … [Rouse] had begun meeting with officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the city of San Diego to pitch an alternative approach to the disposal of dead whales.

Often, whales that wash up on shore are hauled to landfills or pushed back into the water. Rouse and Kisfaludy wanted to tow one out to sea, sink it to the seafloor, and watch what happened. Whale falls, as marine biologists call such events, create pop-up habitats that may serve as stepping stones for organisms migrating from methane seeps or hydrothermal vents to other parts of the ocean. Precisely how this works, and which species colonize the carcass as it degrades, were open questions that Rouse hoped to answer. In the e-mail, a biologist from NOAA wrote that a large female fin whale had washed ashore four days previously, on the rocky beach at Point Loma, just west of downtown San Diego. The New Yorker

Wedding Singer at OB Playhouse

The Wedding Singer: The stage adaptation of the film about a ’80s wedding singer who falls in love with an engaged woman. Presented by OB Theatre Co., it runs through March 3 at the OB Playhouse in Ocean Beach. obtheatrecompany.com

Drama at Point Loma Playhouse

Samuel D. Hunter’s “A Permanent Image,” depicts a family mourning the loss of a father and husband in a tense exploration of the distance people put between themselves and what it takes to bring them back together, 8 p.m. Feb. 22-23, March 1-2 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 24 and March 3, Point Loma Assembly, 3035 Talbot St. Tickets $15-$20. (619) 800-5497. pointlomaplayhouse.com

Slightly Stoopid Announces Summer 2019 Tour

Slightly Stoopid announce their annual summer amphitheater tour, with this years installment: “How I Spent My Summer Vacation 2019”. This summer, Slightly Stoopid will bring along special guests Matisyahu, Tribal Seeds and HIRIE.  2019’s North American route will take the band on 28 stops from California’s Pacific Ocean across the Atlantic seaboard, with additional dates to be announced including stops in Europe.

Slightly Stoopid fan presale is underway and runs through Thursday 2/28, 10pm local time.  All tickets purchased through the Slightly Stoopid fan presale are entered to win a backstage experience and meet & greet with the band. … Two decades into the process, Ocean Beach San Diego natives, Slightly Stoopid, have created a lifestyle movement of die-hard “Stoopidheads” and a catalogue of musical work that reflects their influences musically and socially. “Once we found music as a form of expression, as an outlet, we did whatever it took to survive. We are who we are- a product of Southern California.  And, we are where we are in life because of how passionate we are about the music.” – Kyle McDonald (bass, guitar, vocals – Slightly Stoopid) For more information, and to keep up to date with all Slightly Stoopid news, please visit slightlystoopid.com. Vents Magazine

How I Spent My Summer Vacation 2019 Tour w/ Matisyahu, Tribal Seeds, Hirie – June 1 San Diego, CA – Bayfest @ Embarcadero Marina Park North

Celebration of Life for Good Samaritan Who Died in Jump off Bridge

A celebration of life was held Sunday for a Good Samaritan who was killed earlier this month trying to help another motorist on a Pine Valley bridge. 48-year-old Robert “Bob” Bruno was fatally injured on Feb. 6 when he jumped over a bridge railing as he attempted to avoid oncoming vehicles. … Friends and family of Bruno gathered Sunday at the Marina Village Conference Center in Mission Bay to celebrate the life of someone they call a giant in the community…. Pictures displayed at the event highlighted Bruno’s life as an Ocean Beach-lover, a biker and an artist. …Sneed said Bruno raised his son in Ocean Beach. She and Bruno had only lived in their Jacumba Hot Springs home for two months when he died. … The family buried Bruno on Friday in Alpine. A GoFundMe page was established to help the family with expenses.

Man Steals Tips from OB Subway – Caught on Video

The owner of an Ocean Beach sandwich shop is sharing surveillance video of a man he says stole the employees tip jar. Maziar Boushehry says the theft happened at the Subway at 1916 Cable street in Ocean Beach around Feb 22. CBS8

Friends of OB Library Push for Expansion

Friends of OB Library have been leading the slow charge to expand the aging facility. At long last, they have good news to share: San Diego Library Expansion Committee members will meet with District 2 City Council member Dr. Jen Campbell in March about working the expansion money into the City’s Five-Year Capital Infrastructure Plan (CIP). Campbell has already submitted the request for approval. On Jan. 29, the Expansion Committee met with Mayor Kevin Faulconer and members of the City Public Works and Engineering staff to establish the need for a bigger library in Ocean Beach . “The Mayor was very positive about the expansion and said we need to do this and we need to do it now,” Dennison told Point Loma -OB Monthly. “At this point, once the Committee can get $2 million for the expansion budget, we have an open door to solicit philanthropists who might want to have their name on a library.” La Jolla Light

Andrea Schlageter, Chair of OB Planning Board Interviewed

A born again Peninsulan, Andrea Schlageter has returned from Boston University to become a civic activist, which seems apropos as more women than ever are becoming politically involved. An almost-native Point Loman (she lived in north PB with her family until kindergarten), Andrea is a product of local schools – Dana Elementary, High Tech Middle and Point Loma High School. She’s returned with a degree in political science and international relations. Her ultimate career goal is to someday work for the U.S. State Department, perhaps even as an overseas diplomat. San Diego Community News Group

Shots Fired During Midway Robbery

Police were on the lookout Thursday night – Feb. 20 – for a man accused of firing multiple shots during a robbery at an adult store in the Midway District. A sales clerk at the adult Depot on the corner of Pacific Highway and Bandini Street was not injured, but she told NBC 7 a shot fired inside missed her only by a couple of feet. She was too shook up to speak on camera, but the clerk said the suspect pointed a large caliber semi-automatic handgun at her and demanded cash. 7SanDiego

Suspect in Midway Murder Ordered to Trial

A judge ordered a man Feb. 15 to stand trial for murder with the special circumstance of torture during a slaying in the death of a clerk at a Midway Drive adult bookstore. At a solemn preliminary hearing, a deputy medical examiner testified that Diane Spagnuolo, 65, was cut or stabbed 65 times while she worked at the X-Spot bookstore at 3606 Midway Drive on Oct. 29, 2018. Shaun Douglas Ward, 39, was ordered to stand trial for murder as well as two special circumstances of murder during a robbery and during torture. sdnews.com

16 People Stuck for Hours on SeaWorld’s Malfunctioning Gondola Ride

Sixteen people were back on solid ground Tuesday after they were trapped for hours when a gondola ride at SeaWorld San Diego malfunctioned due to a large wind gust, according to the San Diego Fire Department. Rescue crews were called in around 7:20 p.m. Monday after the Bayside Skyride malfunctioned and the first person was rescued at about 8:50 p.m., the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department reported. According to the San Diego Fire Department, among the passengers were an infant and a partially paralyzed passenger who suffered a stroke last year. Firefighters worked for several hours to rescue those trapped above the frigid waters. CBSNews8

GoFundMe to Fly OB Woman Home to Brazil

A GoFundMe campaign was started on Jan. 26 to help raise funds for an OB woman to fly home to Brazil for her mother’s funeral. The fundraiser named “Fly Val Home!” was created by Andrea Macouzet and has raised more than $1,000 of its $4,000 goal for Val Fiorini. Fiorini owns Val’s Coffee Corner at 2244 Bacon St. To donate to the campaign, visit gofundme.com and search “Fly Val Home!”

Photog Jim Grant Ponders Seafoam

On February 17 at about 7 am, Jim Grant pulled up to a “big whitish blob” north of the Ocean Beach Pier. “The foam was coming up the stairs and had come over the 40” high sea wall for a length of 100 or more feet,” he explained. “The foam was all up and down the beach on the sand and in the surf for as far as I could see both directions.” Grant, 63, is a Point Loma resident that’s been photographing the surf for years — especially when there’s interesting weather, winds, clouds, rainbows, full moons or sunsets. SanDiegoReader

Some OB and PL Residents Upset With Decision to Allow People to Sleep in Cars

A recent decision to allow people to sleep in their cars on San Diego city streets isn’t sitting well with some residents. Some in Ocean Beach are angry with the city over its recent vote and say it’s already having a negative impact on their neighborhood. “So, here’s this car that parked in someone’s space and what did they leave? They left poop,” said Cheryl Kerr. CBS8

Sleeping in Point Loma

One of those people is Sebastian Fayad, who calls himself a traveler. “In my opinion, I’m not doing anything wrong, you know? I’m not hurting anybody,” said Fayad. Fayad’s van looks like an old work truck with faded lettering on the outside, but once you open the doors, it feels like you’ve stepped into an HGTV episode, with cedar panels, a kitchen complete with a stove and a decorative rug on the floor. Fayad worked as a ship builder in Canada from age 18 to 26 and turned his craftsman skills into a way to travel the world. 10News

Large Palm Falls on Cars on Coronado Ave. 

A large palm tree came crashing down onto two parked vehicles in an Ocean Beach neighborhood Thursday morning, Feb. 14th, but no injuries were reported. The large tree came down on Coronado Avenue, near Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, according to authorities. Residents told 10News they heard a loud crashing sound at around 3:30 a.m., but no one noticed that the tree had fallen until a few hours later. The tree came down onto an SUV and struck the rear of another car.

Rose Creek in Mission Bay Not Getting the Attention It Deserves

Rose Creek isn’t getting the attention it deserves. At least not according to local environmentalists, who insist restoring and maintaining the wetlands environment there is key to preserving the health of Mission Bay. … Rose Creek is a San Diego urban stream draining into Mission Bay, which flows north-south through Rose Canyon and San Clemente Canyon and their tributary canyons. The Rose Creek watershed comprises about 36 square miles. Rose Creek, however, was diverted and channelized in the first half of the 20th century. It now enters Mission Bay through an artificial channel.

The wetland where the creek historically entered Mission Bay is now known as the Kendall Frost Marsh, and is studied and managed by UC San Diego. The Rose Creek Watershed Alliance was created in 2005 to create a plan to improve the watershed. The plan was accepted by the City of San Diego in 2008.  Friends of Rose Creek conducts periodic cleanups in the waterway. The city has applied for a permit to clear vegetation from the lower creek channel, in an effort to prevent flooding. sdnews.com

Pt Loma Garden Club to Discuss Aeroponics – March 13

The Point Loma Garden Club’s monthly program and meeting will be held 10 a.m. to noon on March 13 at Portuguese Hall, 2818 Avenida de Portuga. JulieAnn Engel, who has been representing Tower Garden for four years, will discuss Aeroponics, a soil-less way to grow plants, fruits, and vegetables using air and water. Plants will grow 50% faster and use less water than traditional methods of gardening. The program will include a demonstration.

Run for Cover OB Book Store Hosts Author Lisa Congdon – March 6

Portland-based artist and author of the book “Art Inc.” Linda Congdon will be visiting the Run for Cover Bookstore in Ocean Beach. Congdon will host a discussion with Zohreh Ghahremani first, and then she will answer questions from the audience and sign books purchased from the store. The event starts at 6 p.m. on March 6. Visit runforcoverbookstore.com for more information.

Debit Card Fraud in Midway

Melissa Contreras works in finance. The Pacific Beach mother keeps a close eye on her personal finances as well. But one day last September Contreras noticed ten charges on her debit card for more than $100 per transaction at a Ralph’s Grocery Store in the Midway district. “I called my husband and I said, ‘What are you doing?’” said Contreras. “He said, ‘What do you mean? I am working.’ I asked him if he went to Ralphs and he said he didn’t.” Contreras checked to make sure she hadn’t misplaced her debit card. She hadn’t. 7SanDiego

Restoration Board for Naval Base Point Loma to Meet Wed, Feb. 20

The Naval Base Point Loma Complex Environmental Restoration Program’s next Restoration Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. The meeting will discuss issues relevant to the program and takes place at the Southwestern Yacht Club, 2702 Qualtrough St. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, call 619-556-8926.

Researchers Find Large Amount Of Tiny, Harmful Plastic Pellets On Ocean Beach – in San Francisco

A global research project to track one kind of beach debris is raising an alarming concern that there may be a lot more plastic in the ocean than we ever imagined. At its monthly cleanup Sunday morning, volunteers fanned out over SF’s Ocean Beach, looking for plastic trash that can harm marine wildlife. But on this day, the focus was on something that could not be seen. They’re called “nurdles”–tiny plastic pellets about the size of lentils, which are melted down to create the products we all use by various industries. “This is the raw form of plastic that’s used in manufacturing, and these are often transported by the ships that come in,” said Shell Cleave. She’s the founder of SeaHugger.org, an environmental group based in Half Moon Bay. Cleave says somehow the nurdles are getting loose to spread across the world’s oceans, creating an unseen toxic danger to fish and seabirds, even on beaches that look clean. CBS5

Closed Ocean Beach Pier Doesn’t Stop Wedding Proposal

A little rain and some damage didn’t stop Thomas Carey from proposing to girlfriend Chelsea Acker at their perfect spot. Despite a gate blocking access to the Ocean Beach Pier, where the pair went on their first date, Carey found a way to make it work. Carey crosshatched dozens of red and white flowers across the Ocean Beach Fishing Pier gate, brought Acker to the spot and got down on one knee. Spoiler alert: she said yes! 7SanDiego

Barona Band Hosts March for Meals – March 23

March for Meals 5K Charity Walk, presented by Barona Band of Mission Indians, will be held on Saturday, March 23 at 8:30 a.m. to support San Diego’s homebound and isolated senior population. Proceeds from the event will help provide nutritious meals and a daily wellness check for this most vulnerable and fragile population. The walk will be held at at Liberty Station NTC Park, 2455 Cushing Road. Prizes will be awarded to the team and individual with the most funds raised, best costume, and most spirited team. Dogs are welcomed. Cost is $35 per person. Children 12 and under are free. Entrants may sign up at classy.org/event/march-for-meals-5k-charity-walk/ e219373.

Lineup for annual Open House San Diego Includes The Wharf at Point Loma

San Diego Architectural Foundation (SDAF) has announced the lineup for its annual Open House San Diego (OHSD), an architecture and urban design extravaganza scheduled to take place March 23 and 24. The free festival will open up over 100 architecturally-significant locations across San Diego for building and history enthusiasts to explore. The list of buildings includes some of the city’s newest architectural works as well as several of its most historic sites … Miller Hull’s The Wharf at Point Loma, America’s Cup Harbor project, a finger-like arrangement of shops and public spaces, will also open to the public. With the structure, the architects have brought a commercial and social node to San Diego’s waterfront area. Architect’s Newsletter

MADCAPS’ annual benefit show at Point Loma Nazarene University

Mothers and Daughters Club Assisting Philanthropies (MADCAPS) celebrates 59 years of community service with its annual benefit show at 7 p.m. March 7-8 and at 5 p.m. March 9 in Point Loma Nazarene University’s Brown Chapel Theater. The theme for this year’s show is “Time Travel,” which takes the audience back in time and features a tribute to music from throughout the decades including, 1920s, 1940s, 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. Tickets for this year’s show are on sale at sdmadcaps.org. MADCAPS mission is to involve mothers and daughters in direct service and support of philanthropic organizations. This show is a celebration of the girls’ hard work and dedication to serving the community. sdnews.com

LocaL Businesses in the News

• Mike Hess Brewing
• Plant Power
• Winston’s
• Blue Water Seafood & Grill
• Red Lobster in the Midway
• Hodad’s
• Cesarina