Month: February 2020

Our dire prediction nearly 2 years ago that the City of San Diego was poised to dismantle the 30 foot height limit in the Midway District in order to allow massive redevelopment is coming true.

Just yesterday, Feb. 27, Council members Jen Campbell and Chris Cate in a memo have asked a San Diego City Council committee to place a measure on the November ballot to rescind the 30-foot coastal height limit “for the entirety of the Midway -Pacific Highway Community Plan area.”

The thirty-foot height limit was a citizen initiative that was approved overwhelmingly by voters in 1972 for the area essentially west of I-5, which included areas north of downtown, in the Midway, Pacific Highway and Sports Arena communities. (See this history of the 30-foot height limit.)

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors looks like it is feeling the pressure from the public about government’s continued use of Roundup and other pesticides that contain glyphosate, which is a noted carcinogen.

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Board directed the chief administrative officer to come up with a plan that has organic alternatives to herbicides and report back to them in 120 days.

This is definitely a good step. Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, who – along with Dianne Jacob – have proposed a ban of the weedkiller of Roundup. Fletcher called for killing weeds “in the most responsible way,” without using toxic chemicals.

Jacob hopes San Diego County will join the cities of Encinitas, Carlsbad, Napa and Sonoma, along with Los Angeles County, which have banned using glyphosate, because “this is the right thing to do.”

By Colleen O’Connor

Odd this.

Trump’s two greatest fears — germs and money — have come back to haunt him, bigly. Some would call it Karma.

As a spiritual practice, Karma means “Good thoughts and deeds contribute to good Karma and rebirths.” Bad thoughts and deeds bring about the opposite. Karma comes back to haunt or bless you.

Trump’s karma seems to be making up for lost time.

First, the stock market is not a true gauge of the country’s economic health, but Trump knows most people think it is. And, so does he. Hence, the angst. And the crash is happening on his watch.

Just last year, Trump predicted “if the I lose the stock market will crash.” Bad timing or bad Karma?

Here’s the OB Rag Primary 2020 ballot recommendations. (to see how the OB Rag arrived at these recommendations, see below.)

San Diego County Measures

A – Yes
B – No

San Diego City Measure
C – No

United States House of Representatives

By Thomas Ultican / Tultican / Feb. 20, 2020

Katherine Stewart’s The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism is a brilliant piece of investigative journalism. It shines a light on significant threats to American pluralism and representative democracy.

The religious rights amazing successes now influence every aspect of American life, from the White House to local governments, from schools to hospitals. Stewart documents the origins of “the Russia thing” and the evangelical embrace of Donald Trump. She clarifies that the Christian right is not fighting a culture war; it is a political war waged against the institutions of American democracy and freedom of conscience.

Trump is a Gift from God

Developer at OB Project Continues to Flaunt Safety Codes for Workers

The workers at the construction “rehab” at Ebers and Greene continue to be forced to work without scaffolding or other safety measures … a

Lawsuit Filed Against Airport Noise Increase

A group of San Diegans said it is not against a $3 billion expansion planned for the San Diego International Airport, …

Midway Burger King Damaged by Fire

OB Mom Songwriter Loves Blacks Nude Beach for Leap Year Day

SoundDiego Podcast EP1: Slightly Stoopid’s Miles Doughty

“In the debut episode of the SoundDiego Podcast, we are pleased to host none other than Slightly Stoopid’s own Miles Doughty.”

Art Historian and Dean at Nazarene Knows Difference Between Street Art and Graffiti

By Geoff Page

Some of the show that was predicted for the February 20 regular monthly meeting of the Peninsula Community Planning Board played out as expected.  The best description of it came from an audience member who walked by and soundlessly pantomimed the word “Wow” accompanied by an expression of amazement.

The gist of it was this.  The first vice-chair of the PCPB is Scott Deschenes who has resigned after one year of the turmoil.  According to the by-laws, the first vice-chair heads up the yearly election subcommittee.  Despite his desire to leave, Scott is willing to fulfill his duties until the end of the election on March 19.  That was not enough for board members “Lucky” Morrison, Don Sevrens, Margaret Virrissimo, and Mandy Havlik.

This group wanted Deschenes removed from chairing the election subcommittee. 

Catch up on the current news and activities around town at the upcoming Ocean Beach Town Council Public Meeting.

Local parents and advocates Mandy Havlik and Ashley Lewis will be on hand to address the ongoing concerns surrounding OB Elementary traffic and pedestrian safety.

Tuesday, February 25th, 2020

Networking Hour : 6:30PM-7:30PM

Meeting : 7:30PM-9:00PM

SDASA is honored to host a candidate forum for the San Diego Mayor race! We have five candidates joining us for a patient-centric discussion on cannabis as medicine. Join us to hear the mayoral candidates’ visions for San Diego cannabis policy!

By Geoff Page

The highlight of the Midway-Pacific Community Planning Group’s monthly meeting February 19 was an appearance by District 2 City Council member Dr. Jennifer Campbell. But, there appeared to be a serious disconnect between Campbell and the Midway group on the topic of the old SPAWARS site on Pacific Highway. The Navy has renamed it NAVFAC.

Campbell was asked about the site and talked about the “Grand Central Station” transit center idea that SANDAG and the lame duck mayor are pushing. The Navy and SANDAG and the mayor have signed some exploratory documents in this direction. Campbell seemed upbeat about the project and called it a win-win for the Navy and San Diego. This was where the disconnect was apparent.

The Midway group has expressed its displeasure, repeatedly, with how the city has handled everything

by Kathy Blavatt

Under a canopy of flowering fragrant, Wisteria vines in Ocean Beach is an extraordinary place that carries the spirit and history that make our community so very special.

The Wisteria Cottage at 4761 Niagara Avenue, built-in 1907, was owned by Mr. & Mrs. John Clarke. The property has the cottage, a small barn, and shack on the back of the large lot. There was also once a brackish well on the property.

In Our Moment of Profound Ecological Crisis and Historic Economic Inequality, Sanders is Our Best Hope for a Just and Sustainable Future

By Jim Miller

Last week in the midst of Trump’s revanchist frenzy and the “centrist” anxiety attack in progress that is the Democratic Presidential primary race, a small story in the Guardian noted the release of a statement by 23 former foreign ministers calling for urgent action on the climate crisis and the dramatic loss of biodiversity now in progress.

In advance of a meeting in Rome to begin negotiations on a Paris-style agreement on preserving the natural world, these international leaders starkly observed that, “Humanity sits on the precipice of irreversible loss of biodiversity and a climate crisis that imperils the future for our grandchildren and generations to come. The world must act boldly, and it must act now.”