June 2019

Very early Tuesday morning, June 18, a car sped down the Ocean Beach Pier, doing burnouts, striking 2 people and a police cruiser before fleeing off into the darkness. Police are currently searching for the driver in a black Acura hatchback last seen on West Point Loma Avenue.

The 2 people hit had fortunately only minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

People fishing at the pier called 911 around 1:30 am reporting a car speeding down the pier, doing 50 mph and doing burnouts – or spinouts.

When the black Acura reached the end of the OB Pier, witnesses reported, it did the spinouts, turned around and sped back towards the entrance. This is when the 2 people, who were fishing, were injured. According to witnesses, the driver – described as heavyset with a beard – was smiling as he drove.

A police officer tried to block the entrance with the patrol vehicle,

By Judi Curry

So … my Great Grandson was going to celebrate his first birthday last week. Of my three daughters, two live in San Diego and one lives in Orange County, along with her family of ten. The party for “Wiley” was going to be in a restaurant in Huntington Beach at 6:30 pm on a Sunday evening.

My two daughters that live here and I discussed driving to HB, but there were a lot of factors against that drive: We would have to leave here by 4:00pm to make sure that we arrived in time; we would probably hit a lot of traffic going up – and back -; none of us really wanted to buck that traffic; dinner would probably take1 1/2 hours and we’d be on the road again, etc.

“Why don’t we take a train?” the wise mother asked.

Thanks to Steve O from Kilowatt, our readers can be kept up to date on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach.

Ten years ago, June 2009, the OB Rag staff swarmed the Ocean Beach Street Fair and got down to writing and photographing the gala event of that year on a granular level. Down to the nitty-gritty. Everybody on the staff (it was larger then, prior to the launch of the San Diego Free Press) got in on it, each taking on different aspects of one of the community’s mainstay happenings at the beginning of summer.

In our posts, we gave extensive coverage to the musicians, the street vendors, the trolley, the chili cook-off, and where all the money came from and went.

There’s a whole new batch of yard signs popping up in front yards in the Ocean Beach Heights area – the hilly section of eastern OB.

And these are true OBcean signs – signs that welcome, signs that express tolerance, respect. They say, “In our America Love Wins” – and then offers pearls of wisdom on the remainder of the cardboard broadside.

Run for Cover Bookstore is pleased to welcome, Natalie Freedman, on June 14 at 6 pm.

Natalie Freedman has been an educator and social worker for many years, serving as Director of elementary schools and Director of Social Services for a retirement and nursing home. She has edited the book TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS and written the chapter “Separate But Equal Education in Phoenix”.

Editordude: the following appeal by Marianne, the owner of Run for Cover Bookstore was posted on its website a few weeks ago. We thought it worthy of reposting.

Run for Cover Bookstore Needs Your Help

Dear Book Lovers,

Our little bookstore opened 6 months ago!

What a crazy, interesting, joyous, fulfilling and challenging ride it has been. The time has come for a first assessment.
In many ways we have experienced great success but financially we are struggling.

A juror in the recent murder trial of Noah Mitchell Jackson who was found guilty May 31 of the stabbing death of Walter “Ras” Riley, a well-known Ocean Beach homeless man known as “the Incense Man”, has opened up on reddit and described his thoughts on the prosecution case and on Jackson’s background.

With a reddit handle alternating between “JurorNumber00” and “AfroCracker”, the person – whom we assume is being truthful – was a member of the jury that deliberated for nearly 2 and a half days, eventually finding Jackson guilty of second-degree murder for his unprovoked knife attack on Riley – which took place on June 22, 2017, on Bacon Street, near Newport Avenue after Jackson encountered Riley around 12:30 a.m.

The former juror plans to meet up with other former jurors on the anniversary of Ras’ death at the spot on Bacon Street, to pay homage to the Incense Man.

The debate around the future of Fiesta Island in Mission Bay has been brought to a focus now that the San Diego City Council’s Environment Committee decided on May 23 to send their favorite proposal for its future to the full council.

That proposal – which was unanimously endorsed by the committee – is known as “Option B” and it would reserve much of Fiesta Island’s southwest corner for a fenced-in, off-leash dog park – which currently exists – but would be enlarged, it also includes parking areas at the north and east perimeters of the area, and walking trails.

“Option A” was a plan to include a smaller fenced-in, off-leash dog park; park road extension that cuts through the dog park; parking lot; boat storage area; and a park adjacent to a swimming beach. City staff have been pushing Option A, which also includes upgrades such as turf fields, children’s play structures, picnic areas, a camping area, restrooms, public plazas, hiking trails, parking lots and a concession stand.

Women of Ocean Beach – please come out and join the women who run the Ocean Beach Woman’s Club at their next general meeting, this Tuesday, June 11.

This is a social gathering and they’re making succulent teacups. And not just from any teacups – these were left to the club years ago and are taking up space they desperately need.

This is a great chance to check out the club, meet some cool women, and make and take home a piece of OB history!

At their Wednesday, June 5 meeting, the Ocean Beach Planning Board prioritized their list of future Capital Improvement Projects for the community – those large public projects that usually take years to materialize.

Every couple of years, the city of San Diego goes through this process in order to determine what future projects are needed for the neighborhoods. The volunteer community planning committees are tasked with coming up with these CIPs – and this year the Mayor’s Office wants the lists in by July 1.

It was important for the Board to do this, to be part of the process in deciding what OB needs for its infrastructure. And CIPs are usually considered projects that cost $100,000 or more.

At Wednesday nights Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting, the volunteer panel quickly dispatched 2 projects before it, had rounded discussions about Capital Improvement Projects for OB, a couple of California Senate bills concerning housing, plus the board took on scooter corrals.

The board had a full quorum of 13 members within the Community Meeting of the OB Rec Center, while at least 25 people circulated in and out of the audience. Chair Andrea Schlageter gaveled the meeting to order very close to 6pm.