Month: July 2020

by Chris Jennewein / Times of San Diego / July 5, 2020

Asian Americans in California have reported 832 incidents of discrimination and harassment in the last three months as the coronavirus stoked racial tension, according to a summary by the coalition Stop AAPI Hate (Stop Asian American Pacific Islander Hate).

The incidents listed in the study released last week were self-reported and included 81 assaults and 64 potential civil rights violations.

By Enrique Gili / Shareable / June 17, 2020

The specter of empty shelves at the store and restrained household budgets have spurred Ocean Beach Public Library members in San Diego to flock to an online seed exchange.

What began as a community project by library assistant Destiny Rivera in 2019 with 150 active members has recently tripled and has a following throughout the county. The library has seeds for leafy greens and root vegetables, by request via Facebook.

CNBC:

The United States reported more than 60,000 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 setting a fresh record for new cases reported in a single day, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The country reported 60,021 newly confirmed cases over the previous 24 hours as outbreaks continue to expand across a number of states, mostly across the American South and West. Arizona, California, Florida and Texas have accounted for nearly half of all new cases in the U.S. in recent days.

A statement was sent out early this morning, July 7, by the Pacific Beach Town Council board of directors in response to District 2 Councilwoman Jen Campbell’s recent and to them – surprising – announcement on short term vacation rentals released on July 1st with Expedia and Unite Here.

The PB Town Council Board of Directors “strongly oppose this approach by Councilmember Campbell to legalize vacationer accommodations in our neighborhoods and permanently transfer thousands of residential homes into mini-hotels.” One of their main criticisms is that as a community and stakeholder, they’ve been ignored by Campbell and the process that came up with the deal.

In the intro to the statement by the BOD, Brian White, president, asks, “Why is our elected representative playing the ‘housing giveaway sweepstakes’ with a multi-billion dollar corporation during an unprecedented housing crisis?”

White adds, “The business interests of HomeAway, VRBO, and their cavalry of STVR operators run contradictory to the City of San Diego’s purported affordable housing goals. As stakeholders in the future of our San Diego housing supply, we ask to be heard on this critical issue.”

Here is the PB Town Council Board’s statement:

by Joaquin Antique

The popular Bayside Trail at Cabrillo National Monument has been temporarily closed due to bee activity that has resulted in stings to multiple visitors.

Over the past two weeks, this reporter has made several visits out to the Cabrillo lighthouse hoping to walk the always pleasant 2.5 mile roundtrip Bayside Trail. Each time, the trail was blocked about halfway down by a sign forbidding passage and warning of aggressive bees.

After walking a short distance past the sign to take pictures of the bees, your intrepid reporter and his scofflaw companion were checked out and then pursued by several of the persistent insects who followed them back up the trail about 75 feet before giving up the chase. No stings resulted.

By Claire Trageser / KPBS / Tuesday, July 7, 2020

While the South Bay remains the epicenter of San Diego County’s coronavirus outbreak, cases increased most rapidly during the last half of June in other areas, most notably Pacific Beach, according to a KPBS analysis of case data.

As with many places throughout California, cases have surged across San Diego County since businesses began opening up in late May. The total number of cases in the county nearly doubled from about 7,500 at the end of May to 14,600 by the start of July.

On June 15, the Pacific Beach ZIP code of 92109 had 70 cases. By June 30, the number had jumped to 181 — a 159% increase.

By Colleen O’Connor

It is conventional political wisdom that nothing changes in an election’s trajectory from July until November. Behind in July. Loser in November.

It matters not the amount of money or the massive political ads. The dye is cast. Except, the 2016 election where Clinton, led, until she didn’t. (That assumes Russian interference played no role).

Leaving that aside, every voter should be able to pick the dominate influence in this election year. Look at the Big 4 contenders; the #MeToo movement; COVID-19; Black Lives Matter; and the fractured economy. Pick the one that will dwarf all others and dominate the news from now until voting begins.

By Kathy Blavatt

Covid-19 has given me a chance to become closer to my plants, thinking about their future, and analyzing their health. While I am confessing, I will admit I sometimes sing to my plants. Okay, it might be a little weird, but the plants have never complained.

I recently read an article that brought a smile to my face and warmed my heart. Over two thousand plants were special guests at a concert. The article read, “Barcelona Opera House Reopens with a Concert for 2,292 Plants” By Olivia Rosane, EcoWatch, June 23, 2020. A Barcelona opera house played its first concert since mid-March to an unusual audience: 2,292 plants.

Originally published on August 15, 2008

by gjohnsit / DailyKos / August 14, 2008

What do you think of when someone says “California”? Beaches? Sunshine? Hollywood?

How about the largest act of genocide in American history?

“The idea, strange as it may appear, never occurred to them (the Indians) that they were suffering for the great cause of civilization, which, in the natural course of things, must exterminate Indians.”
– Special Agent J. Ross Browne, Indian Affairs

California was one of the last areas of the New World to be colonized. It wasn’t until 1769 that the first mission, Mission San Diego de Alcalá, was built.

Motorcyclist Hits and Runs After Striking Pedestrian on Voltaire

San Diego police were searching for a motorcyclist who they said struck and seriously injured a pedestrian in Ocean Beach before fleeing the scene. The crash happened around 8:40 p.m. July 5 on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard near Voltaire Street,

‘Day-After’ Mess Cleaned-Up by Surfrider Volunteers, Again

Ocean Beach, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach were targeted by more than 60 volunteers,

New Principal Named for Point Loma High: Kelly Lowry

The San Diego Unified School District has named Kelly Lowry as the new principal at Point Loma High School.

State Asked San Diego to Close Beach Parking Lots for the Fourth, But ‘Oh, sorry, we didn’t have enough warning’ Claims Local Official

The California Office of Emergency Services sent a letter to city officials in San Diego and other cities imploring them to also close beach parking lots. Some did. Some didn’t – including San Diego.

Back to the Future: A Proposal to Replace the OB Pier Fireworks Festival With A Light and Water Show

By Mike James

In 1980 I was 24 years old and part owner of the James Gang Custom T-Shirts with my brothers Ron, Rich, Greg and Pat. I was also serving my first term as the president of the Ocean Beach Merchants Association (later renamed Mainstreet Association).

As a new organization formed in 1978, we were looking for ways to promote the community. I had remembered watching the Fourth of July fireworks off the Ocean Beach Pier while on vacation in 1974. An event that ended a year later due to lack of sponsorship.

So in the spring of 1980 I proposed to a skeptical OBMA Board of Directors to bring back the fireworks.

by Ernie McCray

I remember days when Mr. Sydney Dawson, one of my two favorite teachers, would raise his baton and we, the Dunbar Junior High Chorus, the best in the city of Tucson, would stand tall and proud and sing the Black National Anthem out loud, ending with:

“Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on ’til victory is won”

That song, one I’ve never heard anyone sing but black people, has kept us afloat, kept us scratching and crawling and marching, pursuing a victory that perpetually has seemed both elusive and out of reach. Much like a fantasy.

And then I look up one day and I hear a man on ESPN say that at all the opening games of the next NFL season, the game will begin with the words “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the opening line of my anthem, and I thought I was in an nonparallel universe. As this seemed so out of sync with reality.