Month: February 2019

Dear friends of the Ocean Beach Green Center,

We are still in the process of setting up at our new location at 4862 Voltaire St. Ocean Beach 92107. We will be opening up soon. Look for updates on our website: oceanbeachgreencenter.org. Ocean Beach Green Center, 4862 Voltaire Street, Ocean Beach 92107 : oceanbeachgreencenter@gmail.com

February Events From the Ocean Beach Green Center

Every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Climate Mobilization Coalition Meeting Feb 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd. Ocean Beach People’s Cooperative Community Room, 4765 Voltaire Street. Come help plan for the upcoming Climate Action events. More info https://www.facebook.com/SDClimateMobilization/ Contact: oceanbeachgreencenter@gmail.com

We now know San Diego County was the second most popular California destination for Airbnb users in 2018; hosts saw $213 million in income from some 1 million guests who stayed in Airbnb rentals. (LA County was first with 2.7 million guests.) San Diego Union-Tribune

Yet a new study out from the Economic Policy Institute reveals the economic costs and benefits of Airbnb – and their summary had a far-less rosy picture of how short-term rentals affect cities and counties.

In their cost-benefit analysis, they found “the costs to renters and local jurisdictions likely exceed the benefits to travelers and property owners.”

The OB Planning Board meets this Wednesday, February 6 – and on deck for their review are two projects, an alcohol license and transit parking issues.

The monthly board meeting will be at the OB Rec Center, 4726 Santa Monica Avenue, and begins at 6pm.

5026 Saratoga

A 3-story residence is planned for 5026 Saratoga. On December 19, the Project Review Committee punted the project to the full board.

by Ernie McCray

I’ve been home for a while but I’ve still been reflecting on my recent trip to Hawaii, on, in part, how although I had a wonderful time I also had other things on my mind.

Like, I thought about my daughter, Debbie, who would have turned 61 on January 4th, one afternoon in the darkness of a Big Island porch with my mind going back and forth about a number of things, then, because it was such a beautiful day,

I went on a little hike with Maria and Glen, our host and friend, and soon my mind, caught up in the beauty of the people with me and the beauty around me, was back to the nice place it had been before my moments of grief set in. But my spiritual nature was very much alive on that trip, and it was intensified when I picked up the paper one day and read that Barack Obama was in town, Honolulu, his town, home,

An OBcean is being a good and green citizen by recycling

The San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council Passes Resolution in Support of a Green New Deal

Sometimes the unexpected happens. Last year, during one of her first visits to the Capitol as a newly elected member of the House of Representatives, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made headlines by joining a group of young activists from the Sunrise Movement protesting outside Nancy Pelosi’s office and calling for a Green New Deal. Since that time, Pelosi has formed a committee to address the idea, but, even more importantly, a Green New Deal has emerged as one of the key progressive talking points in the early days of the Democratic presidential race, forcing even some reluctant candidates to at least give it a nod.

Not surprisingly, probable candidate Bernie Sanders is at the front of the line, but he has been joined by Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and even some less likely suspects who despite their “centrism” seemed to feel it necessary to voice qualified if grudging support to some form of a Green New Deal.

Good ol’ Target. As the giant mega-company was readying the former antique mall for its new Ocean Beach store, over on the environmental side, it was “disposing of batteries, light bulbs, medical waste and other environmentally hazardous materials improperly in landfills across the state” of California.

And it got busted – and now it has agreed to pay a $7.4 million settlement to California. It appears the Minnesota-based company violated a $22.5 million stipulated judgment from 2011 over similar allegations of improper disposal of hazardous retail waste.

Repairs to the damaged Ocean Beach Pier will be delayed due to the current storm systems hitting San Diego, San Diego officials told the media Thursday, Jan. 31.

Alec Phillipp with the City’s Public Works Department stated to media city crews were still clearing away damaged materials and assessing the pier. Phillip said:

“We don’t have any estimates as of now, as we have to fully assess the extent of the damage before beginning repairs.”

The 4th Annual OB Surf Classic has been postponed! The NEW DATE is Saturday February 23, 2019, 7am-5:30pm. It was originally scheduled for this weekend, Saturday Feb. 2.

The event is presented by the Hodad’s Foundation & AWOL Productions, who are dedicated to bringing back the Old School and keeping it local! This Surf Contest is for all the local rippers and families in our beloved Ocean Beach Community.