March 2019

48 Years Ago OB’s Most Violent Day Became a Watershed Event for its Future

March 28, 2019 by Frank Gormlie

Introduction

March 28 is the anniversary of a wild and crazy day in the history of Ocean Beach. It was the day in 1971 when a peaceful gathering in what’s now Collier Park of hundreds of Ocean Beach anti-Vietnam war activists, environmentalists and college students were charged by a platoon of baton-wielding San Diego police officers – resulting in what became known as the Collier Park Riot.

This most violent day in OB history came to become a significant watershed event in that same history and pushed Ocean Beach to become the community it is today.

Wait – you might say. What is the Collier Park? And who is Collier? Keep reading.

Late March in Ocean Beach nearly 5 decades ago had a different feel that it does today. It was definitely a different time.

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Women Surfers Push for All Sports Events on Public Land to Include Categories for Both Genders

March 28, 2019 by Source

Women surfers push beyond equal pay—even if it means letting men into the water, too

By Laurel Rosenhall / CALmatters / March 21, 2019

Women surfers scored a big win in California last year when an obscure government commission decided it would only lease a public beach to the Mavericks global surf competition if men and women were awarded the same amount of prize money. Experts said the precedent could compel equal pay at marathons, bike races, skateboard contests—any athletic events on public land. …

Now a push to go further is opening a broader debate over how to advance equality for women in male-dominated sports—and whether all-female competitions should be open to men.

Monsanto Ordered to Pay $80 Million After Its Roundup Caused Cancer in California Man

March 28, 2019 by Source

The jury found Monsanto guilty of negligence and failing to adequately warn consumers of Roundup weed killer’s cancer risks.

Andrew Emett / NationofChange / March 28, 2019

A federal jury unanimously ruled Wednesday that Monsanto was liable for causing a California man’s cancer and was ordered to pay more than $80 million in damages. The jury found Monsanto guilty of negligence and failing to adequately warn consumers of Roundup weed killer’s cancer risks.

Amid the Russiagate Hubris, a Gift for Democrats in 2020

March 28, 2019 by Doug Porter

By Doug Porter / Words&Deeds / March 27, 2019

Republicans are celebrating the cliff notes version of the Mueller investigation, which –we’re told– proves the President is not a Russian asset. While the other 16 investigations into Trumpworld continue, the administration has decided to intensify efforts to punish its enemies and/or move forward with its agenda (sometimes that’s the same thing).

The Future Mayors of San Diego : Candidate Cory Briggs

March 27, 2019 by Source

Here’s the fourth installment of Norma Damashek’s series,. The opinions expressed here are of the author’s and do not reflect those of the OB Rag.

Mayoral candidate Cory Briggs (CB)

by Norma Damashek / NumbersRunner / March 26, 2019

Once upon a time in the city of San Diego a much-heralded and wondrous happening took place.

From a crowded field of mayoral candidates (including three sturdy Republicans–Nathan Fletcher, Bonnie Dumanis, Carl DeMaio), voters chose to elect a brash, iconoclastic, independent, politically progressive Democrat to become the city’s mayor. That person was Bob Filner. It was the first and only time in recorded history that an authentic liberal came to power in San Diego.

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PLNU’s Men’s Basketball Captures First NCAA West Regional Championship – ‘Best in the West’

March 27, 2019 by Source

“Perhaps Most Significant Game Ever Played in Golden Gym”

by Griffin Aseltine / LomaBeat / March 20, 2019

In perhaps the most significant game ever played in the Golden Gymnasium, it felt as if the Saint Martin’s Saints would never go away, as they found a way to cut the PacWest champion Sea Lions’ slimming lead down to just four points with nearly 15 seconds remaining.

Mueller Didn’t Exonerate Trump of Obstruction of Justice

March 27, 2019 by Source

By Marjorie Cohn / TruthOut / March 27, 2019

The Mueller report is finally done. On March 23, Special Counsel Robert Mueller sent the confidential report of his 22-month investigation to Attorney General William Barr. Less than 48 hours later, Barr released a four-page letter outlining Mueller’s conclusions and jumping to one as well.

In response to Barr’s letter, Donald Trump claimed, “There was no obstruction, none whatsoever, and it was a complete and total exoneration.” But Mueller did not exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice.

The Mueller report contains three main findings.

Tom Gawronski Has Retired From the OB Planning Board – Again

March 26, 2019 by Frank Gormlie

Tom Gawronski just retired from a lengthy stint on the Ocean Beach Planning Board. He’s been chair of the advisory panel of volunteer community planners twice, he told me at a recent Planning Board meeting, and he’s been on the Board for years – the number is in the double-digits.

And, he mentioned with a twinkle in his eye, he might get back on it after a year. The Board’s Bylaws allow residents to return to the Board after being termed out after a vacation of a year. So, if there’s anybody who knows the in’s and out’s of community planning, it’s Tom.

Can We Not Screw San Diego’s Public Employees Again?

March 26, 2019 by Doug Porter

By Doug Porter / Words&Deeds / March 26, 2019

A conservative scheme to build their cause by demonizing municipal employees has ended, likely costing local taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. The promised savings will now evaporate, plus 7% interest, unless you believe the people who say there will be a minimal cost. (ProTip: Don’t).

On Monday, California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal ordered the City of San Diego to financially compensate about 4,000 employees who don’t have pensions,

Had Myself a Smiley Day

March 26, 2019 by Ernie McCray

by Ernie McCray

Had myself a smiley day
the other day
from the time I woke up
until the time
I called it a day.

Seemed like mostly everything
put a smile on my face:
the rain dropping gently
instead of flooding the place,
the sun peeking through the clouds,
promising a nicer day
later in the day
and my smile widened
as my day got underway,
beginning with a lyft ride
that had me feeling
warm and cozy inside,
glowing with pride

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OB Town Council Meets – Wed., March 27

March 26, 2019 by Staff

All are invited to the public monthly meeting of the Ocean Beach Town Council – Wednesday, March 27th at 7:00pm. They meet at the Masonic Lodge, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard.

Along with representatives from our elected officials and local organizations, the San Diego Police Department Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) giving a presentation.

The OBTC says: “Due to all that is happening in our community right now, this is an especially important and relevant topic. We hope to see you there!”

Here’s the official agenda:

It Ain’t Over Yet: Trump and His People Still Face At Least 15 More Investigations

March 25, 2019 by Frank Gormlie

Mueller may not have found coordination between Trump and his people and Russia, but Trump is still facing a whole raft of investigations that are still on-going. There are at least eight federal criminal cases continuing in this post-Mueller environment. And then there’s all those Congressional committees …

At least 15 investigations in all. It’s way too soon for any Trumpistas to be popping the corks. Trump and his people are not exonerated by anybody.

In general, there are 2 types of investigations: those from within the executive branch – including the Department of Justice and the various offices of federal prosecutors – and those Congressional investigations being launched over wide-ranging inquiries on multiple topics beyond the Russian interference issue.

These DOJ cases will likely continue:

Peninsula Planners Approve 3 Projects, Support Ban on Adults at Play Areas and Hold Elections

March 25, 2019 by Source

By Geoff Page

One of the things that makes community planning groups worthwhile is that they provide a launching site for ideas by regular folks. A one-woman crusader came to the Peninsula Community Planning Board’s regular monthly meeting last Thursday, March 21, with an interesting ordinance proposal to ban adults from children play areas unless accompanied by a child. Just the idea makes one smile. But, there was a serious reason behind her effort.

A Proposal to Ban Adults From Play Areas

Sandy Algra’s very young child was scratched by a bloody needle in a play area and now faces years of biannual testing for possible disease.

The College Admission Scandal Shows Us Who We Are: A Plutocracy Posing as a Meritocracy

March 25, 2019 by Jim Miller

By Jim Miller

This is who we are now: a country where the criminal rich brazenly buy their kids’ ways into elite colleges while the sons and daughters of ordinary Americans scrape and claw to gain admission and then struggle to pay for the skyrocketing costs of higher education. As a recent Public Broadcasting Service story on the college admissions scandal put it:

The multimillion-dollar bribery scheme unveiled by the Justice Department this week has sparked equal parts outrage and incredulity over the astonishing lengths some wealthy parents have gone to get their children into the prestigious universities of their choice.

Mueller: No Coordination With Russia But No Exoneration of Trump; Barr and Rosenstein Decide ‘No Obstruction’

March 24, 2019 by Frank Gormlie

Attorney General William Barr has released his “summary” of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report – and it’s a doozy. I’ve just read the brief 4-page letter Barr sent to Congress today and since released to the public. (See letter below.)

First off, Mueller does not find any coordination or conspiracy between Trump and his people and Russia.

On the issue of obstruction of justice, however, Mueller punts, and while – according to Barr – does not exonerate Trump on other matters, left the decision of whether Trump did obstruct justice to Barr and Rob Rosenstein. And guess what? They – Barr and Rosenstein – have decided there’s not enough evidence for any obstruction of justice by Trump.

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How the Spectrum of Light Can Be Used in Landscape Architecture

March 22, 2019 by Source

By David McCullough / San Diego UrbDezine / March 9, 2019

Originally published in the author’s own blog under the title of “Spectrum of Light.”

Light is not often the first thing that one thinks of when considering the built environment, but in fact, as to the photographer, light is a primary ingredient to the success of any site design.

In contrast to other professions that utilize light, the impact of light on the built environment is constantly in flux. In its complexity there are three types of light: continuous, absorptive and emissive. In the science of the light spectrum, the fact is that light behaves like a wave and is defined by its wavelength frequency. Simply put, light of different wavelengths is perceived as different colors.

Peninsula Planning Board Election Results

March 22, 2019 by Frank Gormlie

Here are the election results from Thursdays vote for the Peninsula Community Planning Board. Chair Robert Goldyn was re-elected with the most votes (227). And other top vote-netters were Margaret Virissimo (202), Korla Eaquinta (194) and Brad Herrin (194).

Due to ties, there’s a recount “underway” for the 5th, 6th and 7th places. Voters could select up to 7 candidates when voting.

San Diego’s Future Mayors – Candidate Barbara Bry

March 22, 2019 by Source

Editordude: The opinions expressed here are of the author’s and do not reflect those of the OB Rag.

Mayoral candidate Barbara Bry (BB)

By Norma Damashek/ NumbersRunner / March 21, 2019

Here’s a fact: San Diego is a big small town in which–at one time or another–most everyone gets into bed with most everyone else (figuratively speaking, of course, but literally sometimes). So when we question who’s got easy access to whom, we’re not just being nosy.

Good-Bye Electoral College? Popular Vote Movement Gaining Steam

March 21, 2019 by Source

It’s not just Democrats that see the virtue in reforming presidential elections.

By Steven Rosenfeld / Voting Booth /March 14, 2019

This article was produced by Voting Booth, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

There’s new momentum around the National Popular Vote movement, where states will award Electoral College votes to elect the president based on which candidate has won the most votes nationwide—instead of today’s state-by-state winner-take-all system.

“It does have new momentum, because there was a [recent] period starting with the second Obama election when Democrats bought into this blue-wall theory” that their political party had a lock on the White House, said John Koza, a former Stanford University scientist who co-founded the National Popular Vote project in 2006.

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The Spy Street Lights of Ocean Beach and Point Loma

March 21, 2019 by Frank Gormlie

Without much fanfare or public notice, the San Diego City Council in December 2016 approved a $30.3 million project to upgrade 14,000 street lights with sensors — and a portion of them with cameras.

Since then 3,200 have been installed to collect data that the City or developers can use for future infrastructure and sustainability projects.

Neighborhoods with the highest concentration of smart sensors include Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Little Italy, Bankers Hill,

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Ralph Nader: Boeing Greed Led to Software Without Pilots

March 21, 2019 by Source

By Ralph Nader / Common Dreams / March 21, 2019

As internal and external pressures mount to hold Boeing responsible for its criminal negligence, the giant company is exerting its immense influence to limit both its past and future accountability.

Boeing whistleblowers and outside aviation safety experts are coming forward to reveal the serial, criminal negligence of Boeing’s handling of its dangerous Boeing 737 Max airplanes,

Development and Promotion of Candidate Slates Is Not Allowed in Peninsula Planners’ Election

March 21, 2019 by Frank Gormlie

It’s happening again in this most recent campaign for the Peninsula Community Planning Board. The promotion of “slates” of candidates for the Board. It’s not allowed.

It’s unclear how or if this will be resolved, as the annual election for the Board is Thursday, March 21, at the Point Loma Library, from 4 to 8pm.

This happened last year for the March 2018 Board election, where Board members helped draw up slates of candidates and promoted them.

According to Peninsula Board’s own bylaws, Article V “Elections,” Section 3 states:

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Peninsula Planning Board Campaigns Heating Up – Election Thursday, March 21

March 20, 2019 by Source

Board Election : The Peninsula Community Planning Board election is Thursday, March 21, 2019 from 4 to 8pm and is held at the Point Loma Library.

The following post is by Geoff Page, who is a candidate for the Board

By Geoff Page

The Peninsula Community Planning Board election is heating up as expected and is getting nasty. There is something of a Trumpian tone to the whole thing. People are flouting the election rules as if rules don’t apply to them and are resorting to tearing down election posters and putting up others. All this for a planning board election.

As related in last week’s Rag story about the PCPB Candidate Forum, there are a record number of candidates running for seven open seats and there is a concerted effort to take control of the PCPB.

Local San Diego Dems Demand Kevin Beiser to Step Down From School Board

March 20, 2019 by Doug Porter

By Doug Porter / Words&Deeds / March 20, 2019

The Union-Tribune reported yesterday on a lawsuit alleging sexual assault and ongoing harassment filed by a political consultant against San Diego Unified School Board Trustee Kevin Beiser. Later in the day, Voice of San Diego dropped a story based on weeks of investigation concerning three more accusations of sexual harassment.

I believe Beiser’s fall from grace has a silver lining for San Diego Democrats. Last night, the party proved it’s moved past the era of providing cover for malfeasance on the part of elected officials who happen to have a “D” beside their name, calling on Beiser to step down from his elected office. …

Beiser, who last year was president of the SDUSD Board, was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in November. He was widely expected to run for City Council next year.

Pizza To Go From Leucadia Pizzeria in Point Loma

March 19, 2019 by Judi Curry

Leucadia Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant
4161 Voltaire St.
San Diego, CA 92107
619-295-2222

By Judi Curry

A friend of mine gave me a gift card for Leucadia Pizzeria for my birthday and I thought it would be fun to use it with a good friend from Leucadia. He was going to meet me there and so we had two cars. When we pulled into the parking lot we found there were no parking places, but three spaces were taken up with Leucadia Pizzeria delivery vans. There was no available parking on the street so we went somewhere else.

They have over 20 pizzas listed on their menu,

The Jennings House on Rosecrans: Topic and Setting for OB Historical Society – Thurs., March 21

March 19, 2019 by Source

The Jennings Family… More than Meets the Eye!

Thursday, March 21, 7 PM- “Special Event-Program” at the Jennings House Café at 1018 Rosecrans, Point Loma. By Cathy Gallagher,

The historic Jennings House on Point Loma, built in 1886, will be the topic, and the setting, for the OBHS meeting on March 21.

Some History of the Dirt & Kids at the Famosa Pump Track – With Plenty of Questions Remaining

March 19, 2019 by Source

By Katie Mae B.

“It’s the dirt!” they both say in unison. “The unique mix of dirt, sand and organic materials – that is what makes it the perfect dirt.”

You can see the little boys shining through the eyes of the men across from me – Jesse and Darren. These two have been active in Famosa Open Space pump track at different points over a few decades and with the same core group. Now they are a part of the larger group working together to save the whole space.

What I am about to share is a small snapshot in the infinite time span over which Famosa Open Space has existed in its current state.

Who knows what was here before 1909! What we do know is that it’s all about the dirt.

‘My 15 Minutes of Fame’ : The Old Broad’s On TV Today, Mon. March 18

March 18, 2019 by Judi Curry

As a teacher, I have always hoped that things I have said or written would have a positive influence on my students. As a journalist I know that some of the things I say will anger some; align myself with others; and not make any difference to still others.

Last week I wrote a story for the OB Rag re: the potential scam that I was involved in, namely a “Secret Shopping” experience that seemed that it could be legitimate, but deep down I knew wasn’t.

Our local NBC channel read the story and asked if they could do an interview with me re: the article. They came out today, Monday, March 18th, and the interview will be broadcast today at 4:30 pm and again at 6:00 pm.