Month: March 2020

By David Garrick / San Diego Union-Tribune / March 19, 2020

Barbara Bry widened her lead over Scott Sherman on Wednesday, March 18 for the second slot In a November runoff for San Diego mayor.

Bry’s lead Increased from 169 votes to 444 votes when the county Registrar of Voters added more late-arriving ballots to the candidate totals. Bry seems likely to keep the second slot, based on how the ballots have trended since the primary. The candidate who secures the second slot In the runoff will face Assembly-man Todd Gloria, who took to 444 votes over Sherman. Sherman are both on the City Council.

Now that we know the OB hostel will close and probably be sold to another investor, the question of the future of the iconic “OB Peace Sign” that has sat on the roof for years is front and center.

The Peace Sign – created by the OB Peace Rockers – was first installed atop the fabulous rock off Sunset Cliffs known as ‘Bird Shit Rock’, and then after its mysterious disappearance, it wound up being donated to the community of Ocean Beach and the folks at the then-OB International Hostel agreed to place it on their building. When the business was sold to USA Hostels, the new owners agreed to keep it.

And since it was given as a gift to Ocean Beach, the original creators hope it can stay atop the old building despite an ownership change.

Researchers at UC San Diego are evaluating a new diagnostic testing system designed by an Orange County company that holds promise for identifying the novel coronavirus in as little as 45 minutes and typically within one hour.

Initial tests by Irvine-based Fluxergy using a synthetic COVID-19 virus suggest this system has the potential to dramatically reduce the time it takes to get results and deliver those results directly at the patient bedside. Such a test, if validated by physician-scientists at UCSD, would potentially eliminate the need to send patient samples to centralized labs, significantly speeding up the time it takes to get results.

Elizabeth Sullivan, a Point Loma Navy wife and mother of two girls, went missing in October of 20, 2014. Sullivan and her husband Matthew had been having marital problems. And he is the one who contacted police and filed a missing persons report.

Yet there was always something hinky about Matthew Sulllivan’s stories about her and her disappearance. The OB Rag took up the coverage of her missing, recovery and what transpired later to ensure her case wasn’t forgotten.

Over two years later, the search for her came to a tragic end when her body was found in San Diego Bay waters off the 2600 block of Farragut Road in October 2016 and she was finally identified on December 7 of that year.

At that point, police re-opened their investigation and began focusing on Matthew. And finally, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018,

By Thomas Ultican / Tultican

Chula Vista, California

Superintendent Karen Janney and the school board at Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) have a target on their backs. In September 2018, new Chief Financial Officer, Jenny Salkeld, announced there was a $20 million dollar hole in the submitted 2018-2019 school year budget.

Salkeld had discovered a long smoldering budget irregularity. Janney immediately reported the budget issue to the County Office of Education and informed the bargaining units with whom she was negotiating about the new uncertainties. Since then, journalists looking for readers and politicians looking for opportunities have robustly slimed the district and its leaders.

Folks line up at OB People’s Food. Only 20 customers allowed in the store at a time, one goes out another one goes in.

Others went surfing or visited the tide pools. (All photos by Bob Edwards unless otherwise noted. )

Here are more photos taken today, St. Patrick’s Day – Tuesday, March 17-, in Ocean Beach.

Here is a list of Ocean Beach businesses that are still open and those that are closed. It was compiled by Christoff Huber and posted on Facebook Social OB yesterday, Monday, March 16 and updated today, Tuesday, March 17. The OB Rag, like Christoff has no opinion about any of this, just sharing information.

Open:

• Nico’s
• Mad Munch
• BBQ House
• Olive Tree
• Chris Liquor & Deli
• Pure Thai
• Hodad’s
• Pac Shores (closed?)
• OB Smoothie
• OB Kabob

The owners of the Ocean Beach hostel, USA Hostels, will be closing their doors for good on Friday, March 20. The OB Rag confirmed this today, Tuesday, March 17.

The hostel has been a mainstay on Newport Avenue for years – under different managements and companies – and the iconic building is one of the wonders along Ocean Beach’s main commercial street.

The Rag first reported on the hostel’s up-coming change of hands in February 2014 and confirmed the final sale in October of that year. The new owners formalized a name change and made major upgrades in June 2015.

Yet, this sudden departure after nearly six years leaves us stunned.

The management of the hostel requested that we publish their statement, and here it is:

by Ernie McCray

One never knows what life
might bring,
like this coronavirus thing,
a deadly disease
that has rolled up its sleeves
and got people shaking at their knees
afraid of themselves
if they cough or sneeze,
hording toilet tissue
as if it’s the answer
to being at ease

For the first time, Councilwoman Barbara Bry has bypassed Scott Sherman for the second slot in a November runoff for San Diego mayor against Assemblyman Todd Gloria.

Two things: it’s a very tiny lead of only 9 votes, but her lead could very well improve as more ballots are counted.

This was the result of ballot counting results released Monday, March 16.

On the actual election primary day, Sherman had a lead of over 3,000 votes over Bry. But ever since, that lead has been chipped away.

From SanDiegoVille.com

Seemingly unrelated to the growing coronavirus pandemic, Culture Brewing Company has announced it will permanently close its 5-year-old Ocean Beach tasting room next month.

“It is with great sadness and the heaviest of hearts that we share with you the news we are announcing today,” posted Culture Brewing Co. to the company’s Instagram page. “After 5 years and much careful deliberation, Culture Brewing Co will be officially closing its doors in Ocean Beach on Sunday, April 19th. This decision was not made lightly, but after much consideration and determination of a move for the best interest of our company as a whole.”

By Richard Riehl

Two days before the pandemic was declared, we received a warning from the executive director of our 55+ senior community. The Château’s salad bar would be closed during meals. Seating in the dining hall would be limited. Two days later we found the second notice, a critical update after the pandemic was declared, taped to our front door.

The dining room has now been closed, and will remain so for at least 30 days. We may order our breakfast, lunch and dinner by telephone. Meals, packed in disposable boxes, will be carried to our front doors. Servers will not be permitted to enter our units or come within six feet of us upon delivery. It is “highly recommended” that we “limit outside guests or other visitors.” We are urged to “minimize all contact with non-residents.”

You might say we have been quarantined, but we choose to call it cocooned.