Ocean Beach News – Mid-October 2020

“Citizens Patrol” Formed to Control Homeless in Ocean Beach

A so-called “Citizens Patrol” has been formed in Ocean Beach to ostensibly control the homeless, who they contend are out of control. They say it’s worse than ever. The mainly male-group met with KUSI’s Dan Plante the other day on the beach, and Plante gave his usual pump-up for anything anti-government or anti-liberal. KUSI is just that way. Plante, an OBcean, asked them if they were armed, and their response was, “If fired upon, we’ll fire back.” The people Plante interviewed feel the police have their hands tied, and they’re here to help. One of the individuals made a distinction between the “regular homeless guys” and those who chose the lifestyle and just hang out on the beach. Some in the group also don’t like all the unlicensed vendors that set up their tents at the foot of Newport. They did not deny they were vigilantes.

House Fire on Niagara

Firefighters battled a house fire on the 4400 block of Niagara Avenue, which forced the evacuation of surrounding Ocean Beach homes Thursday afternoon, Oct. 15. The fire was reported about 2 p.m. on Niagara Avenue near Santa Barbara Street. Fire officials said flames and smoke were billowing from the garage of the house. While firefighters attacked the fire, San Diego police officers evacuated residents from nearby homes. About 2:20 p.m., police said on Twitter that firefighters had the fire under control and that residents of the house where the fire broke out had been accounted for. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department officials said no one was injured. Fire investigators were called to the scene to look into the cause of the fire, while San Diego Gas & Electric crews were requested to assess gas and electric lines on the property, officials said.

Another report said “loud popping sounds possibly caused by discharging ammunition sounded from within the burning home.” Witnesses reported hearing what sounded like firearm cartridges going off inside the small single-family home as the flames spread through it, police said. An SDFD chief confirmed that dozens of rounds of ammo went off when the garage of the house was burning. It took firefighters about 15 minutes to subdue the blaze, according to SDFRD public affairs. SDU-T; Times of San Diego

California research institute files application for yellowtail tuna fish farm

Pacific Ocean AquaFarms (POA), a collaboration between an ocean science research institute and a purpose-based investment group, has filed applications for permits for a California yellowtail farm in federal waters off the coast of southern California. Formed by Pacific6 Enterprises, a Long Beach, CA-based social benefit investment group, with Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) providing science-based consulting services, POA will construct and operate the first-of-its-kind finfish farm located in U.S. federal waters. Once approved, POA will initially grow and harvest 1,000 metric tons of California yellowtail, scaling up over several years to 5,000 metric tons as it proves its environmental and economic sustainability. HSWRI is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) research institute that works in cooperation with, but is independent of, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. For more than 50 years, it has been recognized for its leading environmental and conservation research. KUSI

Positive COVID Cases Grow at Point Loma Nazarene

New positive COVID cases have been found at Point Loma Nazarene. The college now has 23 active cases with 17 active cases on campus, for a total of 32 student cases. It was not clear just how much the case totals at Point Loma Nazarene University changed Thursday. On Wednesday, the picturesque private campus reported that a dozen of its students had tested positive for coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of active cases to 19, including five who live off campus. There were 66 students under quarantine or isolation, and the university reported that it was awaiting the results of 98 additional tests. Now, there are 69 in quarantine / isolation. The school has administered 2,956 tests, and has a positivity rate of 1.1%. Here is PLNU’s reporting data page.

Bassist Benjamin Wanicur Revives San Diego’s Underground at Robb Field – With Masks, of Course

“I’ve decided to revive the San Diego Underground,” says bassist Benjamin Wanicur, referring to his monthly jam session that used to operate out of 3rd Space on Park Avenue. Wanicur’s revival has an important new distinction: it will be held outdoors in the afternoon with strict social-distancing and mask-wearing encouraged at Robb Field in Ocean Beach. Wanicur debuted the idea on September 18, leading a trio featuring pianist Mikan Zlatkovich and drummer Tim McMahon over two sets that invited local players like saxophonists Ian Tordella and Nick Caldwell up onto the grass bandstand to participate. I asked Wanicur about what prompted his return. “The gigs are just starting to emerge, very slowly — mostly do-it-yourself type situations. It’s been over six months since Covid-19 shut everything down. Now we have to provide our own venue, and the San Diego Underground was already a kind of DIY gig.” “The virus just killed the music scene. And it seemed like it would be a good time to have a jam session just for people to hang out and play. So we were looking for a place that’s outdoors.” So did he have any problem putting together a band, under the circumstances? For more, go here to the Reader.

OB Surfers Connect Plant Lovers Via App

Imagine if there was an application that crossed Tinder with OfferUp … for plant people. Well, Ocean Beach residents Brian Feretic and Nick Mitchell decided to make one. Feretic and Mitchell recently launched Blossm, a plant swap application. It aims to connect folks obsessed with horticulture and facilitate meetups for plant trades. The idea stemmed from a friendly visit with an Ocean Beach neighbor last November. After admiring her landscaping, Feretic gifted her a ficus elastica (commonly known as a rubber plant); she returned the favor and invited him to pick a plant from her own garden. This organic plant exchange cultivated Feretic’s desire to connect and swap with more plant lovers in the area. He began searching for a website or app that provided this service — and couldn’t find one. Pacific

Youth Shot in Stomach During Robbery in Mission Beach

An 18-year-old man was shot twice in his stomach during an armed robbery early this morning in the parking lot of a Mission Beach hotel, police said. Two men, both of whom were 18, were in a car leaving a party at the Bahia Resort Hotel, 998 West Mission Bay Drive, when they were approached by two men on foot around 12:30 a.m., San Diego police Officer Robert Heims said. One of the men on foot pulled out a gun and pointed it at the pair in the car while demanding items from them, Heims said. The victims got out of the car and the man with the gun stole a chain necklace from one of the victims. The other victim tackled the gunman and was shot twice in his stomach, the officer said. The assailants fled in an unknown vehicle and the victim who had his necklace stolen drove the gunshot victim to a hospital for treatment of his wounds, Heims said. The gunshot victim underwent surgery. No update on his status was immediately available. SDUT