October 2021

OB Community Garden Free Workshop: ‘Fall Into Pruning’ – Sat., Oct.23

October 20, 2021 by Source

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City Forester Threatens Use of Police If Point Loma Residents Interfere With Cutting Down Palm Trees

October 20, 2021 by Staff

City Forester: “We don’t care what you think.”

By Geoff Page

The City of San Diego is moving forward aggressively to cut down iconic and historic, tall palm trees on Newport Avenue, Santa Monica and Santa Barbara.

They are lying to the public saying it is because of a safety issue.

These are healthy trees — there is no safety issue whatsoever. But, when talking to the city’s forester, Brian Widener, it soon becomes clear that he is one of those people who believe if you repeat a lie over and over, people will eventually believe it is true. No matter how many times he says it is a safety issue, it is still not true.

The city is not only using public safety as an excuse, they are bypassing all the normal procedures for removing city trees by designating these as emergency removals. There is no emergency, the city just does not want to take the time to explain to the public why removals are necessary.

How to Survive the News

October 19, 2021 by Source

By Colleen O’Connor

Has the news begun to depress you? As in leaving you numb or emotionally defeated?

As in non-stop warnings of the COVID-19 pandemic morphing and being “always with us?”

Or the nightmarish headlines about ransomware attacks, daily mass shootings, supply chain shortages, or the overwhelming evidence of catastrophic climate change. All amid political amateur hour in our nation’s capitol?

If so, there is a remedy. Especially in San Diego. Simple. Step outside.

Video: Ernie McCray in His Own Words

October 19, 2021 by Ernie McCray

Point Loma Residents Urged to Call City and Airport ASAP – City Crews Are Beginning to Illegally Remove Trees on ‘Emergency Basis’

October 19, 2021 by Frank Gormlie

Residents of Point Loma are being urged to immediately contact the city and airport because city crews are out and about currently (noon Tuesday) and are attempting to remove some of the trees on their “obstruction” list. Property owners at 4404 Newport “chased” one crew off after it had “topped off” one Palm Tree on their list.

Once a Palm Tree is “topped off” it will never come back.

Residents need to contact the city and airport and get them to halt this practice, immediately.

The airport has informed residents of Point Loma that an independent contractor hired by the city would remove the mainly Palm Trees it identified as “obstructions”. Yet, it is a city crew out today attempting to circumvent proper and legal procedures for removing trees.

Point Loma’s Endangered Palm Trees

October 19, 2021 by Frank Gormlie

A reader sent in the following list of trees and addresses the airport will have removed or trimmed. The list includes other than Palm Trees, such as several Eucalyptus trees on Alcott Street and trees on the other side of the airport. There are 12 trees from Point Loma on the list:

TREE; PALM
City of SD ROW; 4386 Newport Ave.
City will remove, Airport will inform resident

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Airport Explains Purpose and Location of Point Loma Palm Trees to Be Removed

October 19, 2021 by Frank Gormlie

The San Diego Airport has responded to Point Loma residents’ inquiries about the nature and purpose of its program to unilaterally remove tall trees that it claims “obstruct” airspace and aircraft paths. Ralph Redman, manager of planning and environmental affairs, sent out a letter, map and descriptions of the locations of the trees – mainly Palm Trees – which are posted below.

“The purpose of removing the identified trees,” Redman stated, “is to ensure the safety of community and flying public as planes approach San Diego International Airport (SAN).” He goes on:

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The Famous ‘Shack’ of OB Founder, Charlie Collier

October 18, 2021 by Source

By Eric DuVall / Pt. Loma-OB Monthly / Oct. 18, 2021

Welcome to Collier’s Shack, friends and neighbors! Our guests are always encouraged to relax, put their feet up, recharge their batteries and enjoy our fresh air, balmy breezes and unparalleled views from our promontory high above the crashing surf of the mighty Pacific.

Doesn’t that sound great? It is certainly intended to. Come on, take a stroll in the garden or along the cliffs. Hop in the pool if you have a mind to. Our hospitality here is second to none, and the food isn’t bad either.

You’ve never heard of Collier’s Shack? That’s not surprising, as the shack has been gone from Ocean Beach for nearly 50 years.

‘A Spit in Time Saves Mine’

October 18, 2021 by Judi Curry

The Widow Laments Unhealthy Habit by Ball Players

By Judi Curry

I am a native Californian. More specifically, I am a native “Angelean” – born and raised in Los Angeles. As long as I can remember – granted, that is a long, long time ago – I have always been a Los Angeles Dodger fan. I remember in 1957, when the then “Brooklyn Dodgers” were allowed to move to Los Angeles, and the New York Giants were allowed to move to San Francisco how excited I was about the move.

As a native, I always went to the Los Angeles Rams football games; the Los Angeles Lakers basketball games. Even though I was living in San Diego when the Rams moved to St. Louis, I always rooted for them – unless they were playing the San Diego Chargers. But this is not about the feeling of traitor-ship I felt when both football teams moved out of my city – and yes, I know the Rams are back – but….

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County Supervisors to Honor Former OB Rag Writer

October 18, 2021 by Staff

On Tuesday, October 19, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors will honor Doug Porter, a former writer for the OB Rag, for all his contributions over the years to San Diego journalism.

Airport Set to Unilaterally Remove Palm Trees in Point Loma as ‘Obstructions’ to Airspace and Runway Paths

October 18, 2021 by Frank Gormlie

The San Diego Airport, working with the City of San Diego, is set to remove palm trees in Point Loma, unilaterally and with or without local adjacent property owners’ consent.

Dozens of letters were sent out by the Airport this month addressed to adjacent property owners in Point Loma warning them that a City of San Diego contractor would be removing palm trees within the next couple of weeks.

The letters inform the property owner that the FAA requires the airport to survey “surrounding airspace and runway approach paths,” to locate “obstructions” which “have a detrimental impact on airport operations, particularly during periods of reduced visibility, low clouds, or nighttime operations.”

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Competing Images for the Midway ‘Emerge’

October 15, 2021 by Frank Gormlie

Now that the redevelopment of the Midway District has returned to the drawing board, competing images of its future have emerged.

Brookfield Properties – former Mayor Faulconer’s favored developer for Midway – has returned with a reworked concept for a mixed-use development called “Discover Midway.” Plus Brookfield has an expanded team which now includes two experienced affordable-housing developers and retains ASM Global, the current operator of Pechanga Arena.

Their project includes a commitment to set aside at least 25 percent of housing units for lower-income families. According to the U-T, “There are no specifics, no renderings, and none of the pomp and circumstance of the last go-around. Some of that will come as the Discover Midway group works to fine-tune its bid, which is due Dec. 3.

The Case for a Universal Basic Income

October 15, 2021 by Source

The following is based on a presentation made at Global Forum for Democratizing Work, October 6, 2021.

by Peter Bohmer

A substantive and non-neoliberal Universal Basic Income (UBI) could substantially improve people’s lives, is feasible and possible and can be a step towards a revolutionary transformation of a society towards participatory socialism. There is no conflict with related proposals for Universal Basic Services, a UBS, or with a Guaranteed Jobs Program. A UBI is expensive although it is economically feasible within a capitalist society such as the U.S. although it will require major taxes on the wealthy.

A Special Relationship With Point Loma Benches

October 15, 2021 by Source

Lessons Learned From San Diego Housing Commission Pilot Project on Building ADUs

October 15, 2021 by Source

This past Monday, Oct. 11, the San Diego Housing Commission released a report on the lessons it learned in a pilot project to construct five Accessory Dwelling Units, or “granny flats.” It’s part of the Commission’s effort to help San Diego homeowners considering building the units.

The ADUs were constructed in yards of five single-family homes owned and rented by SDHC’s nonprofit affiliate.

Based on the pilot project, SDHC found cost estimates to build a granny flat ranged from $116,803 for a 224-square-foot studio to $342,078 for a 1,199-square-foot three-bedroom unit. And depending on the type of ADU, the building time may range from 10 to 26 months.

Ernie McCray Recites His Poem ‘Rapper Mellow’s Epiphany of Love and Hope’

October 14, 2021 by Ernie McCray

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Stand With San Diego Kaiser Healthcare Workers

October 14, 2021 by Source

By Todd Walters and Grant Tom / Times of San Diego

The essential frontline healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente deserve more from their company. These unionized workers have given their all during the pandemic to provide the best care possible to their patients. Yet Kaiser Permanente has taken an inflexible and shameful position towards their employees.

Over the last few months, labor organizations that are part of the Alliance of Health Care Unions have been negotiating new national and local agreements with Kaiser to no avail. UFCW Local 135 is part of the alliance, as well as United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, United Steelworkers, and others.

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A Dream Like My Daydreams

October 14, 2021 by Ernie McCray

by Ernie McCray

I had such a lovely dream the other night.

A dream where I sat amongst beauty during a sunset.

When the sun slowly drifted over the horizon the visions began, the first one featuring a young Black man.

He was about 18 and he moved down the street, bopping and nodding to a beat coming from his earpiece, with White people all around him paying no more attention to him than anybody else on the street.

I mean everybody is perfectly at ease, no grabbing of purses like he might be a thief; nobody at the ready to call the police.

UPS Driver Killed in Santee Plane Crash Was Steve Krueger of Ocean Beach

October 13, 2021 by Staff

The driver of a UPS delivery truck who was killed when a small plane crashed into a Santee neighborhood on Monday has been identified as Steve Krueger of Ocean Beach.

Krueger, 61, had worked at the company for nearly 30 years. The company identified him as the victim of this freak accident.

Dr. Sugata Das, a cardiologist from Yuma, was the pilot and was also killed. A moment of silence was held for Krueger’s by his UPS co-workers on Tuesday outside the UPS facility in Kearny Mesa where he worked.

Photographer for Original OB Rag Passes – Bruce Gardner RIP

October 12, 2021 by Frank Gormlie

One of the first great photographers for the original OB Rag, Bruce Gardner, has passed. Friends believe he was 70 years old.

Around 1974, Bruce joined the staff of the Rag as a photographer, and many of his black and whites made the front cover. He worked out of a garage which he had converted into a darkroom, across the street from where the rest of the staff worked. Those were the days when the Rag was published out of an old surfboard maker’s shed, in the backyard of an OB house near the coast.

Stumbling Blocks on the Way to Enact Vacation Rental Regs for San Diego; City Staff Ignored Council Directions on Lottery System, Airbnb Complaints

October 12, 2021 by Staff

Lori Weisberg in the U-T reported this morning:

As the city of San Diego prepares to implement in July its first-ever regulations for short-term vacation rentals, officials unveiled on Monday a lottery system that both longtime hosts and City Council members said failed to give priority to responsible operators, as promised earlier this year.

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Coast Repairs, ADUs, Replacing Car Parking and Public Input on New Library Design – OB Planning Board Report

October 12, 2021 by Staff

By Geoff Page

The regular monthly meeting of the Ocean Beach Planning Board, Wednesday, October 6, appeared to have a busy agenda, but much of it took very little time. Some of it was clearly just procedural by the city and looked like a waste of tax dollars.

Action Items #1 and #2 – Emergency coastal repair permits

Sonja Olsen, City of San Diego Transportation Department planner, represented the city in the two action items that involved emergency repairs. It was not clear why a planner from the transportation department was called on to present these two repairs to coastal areas instead of an engineer involved in the work.

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An Open Letter to Sen. Joe Manchin

October 12, 2021 by Source

By Joni Halpern

Dear Sen. Manchin,

I am writing to convey my sorrow that you are ill. When you first won your Senate seat, people said “Joe Manchin is a guy who listens,” “Joe Manchin is a guy who cares about his constituents,” “Joe Manchin understands how his people struggle.” But now we find you have your limits. Human infrastructure is nowhere near as compelling as bridges, roads and Wi-Fi. You can’t be spending money on people who don’t work. That’s when I realized you are suffering from the same serious illness that afflicts so many American political figures.

In fact, you are a victim of a pandemic that has overtaken millions of our countrymen as well. It is not COVID-19. It is a blistering, foul smelling, open-sored ignorance caused by not knowing what it means to be poor in America.

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Dunbar: A Grand Old School Was She

October 12, 2021 by Ernie McCray

by Ernie McCray

I just ran across an article about an old friend from when I was growing up in Tucson.

Among so many things I found interesting in the piece was something he said about a place I hold dear:

Dunbar. The “Colored” school.

He said: “I’m sorry I didn’t get a good education.”

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Mid-October 2021 News from Ocean Beach and Point Loma

October 11, 2021 by Frank Gormlie

Tarballs Found at Mission Beach – How to Report Them

Tar balls were discovered on Oct. 8 in Mission Beach. To report tar/oil email:

Skateboarder Hit Tuesday Succumbs to His Injuries In Hospital

John Patrick Robinson, 27, passed away Saturday in the hospital.

Gov. Newsom Signs Bill That Expands Outdoor Dining

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Hillcrest: A Cautionary Fairy Tale

October 11, 2021 by Source

By Mat Wahlstrom

Once upon a time, there was a land by the sea where it was always sunny. Because it was always sunny, the land was known throughout the many kingdoms as a beautiful place to visit.

The land was ruled by a group of evil wizards, who were only interested in the coins they could extract from the sunshine with their magic. They enchanted all who visited the land as necessary for this, and made the people living there serve the visitors.

In this land, there was a village on the crest of a hill. At one time, it was very populous, with more homes per acre than the surrounding villages. But then people left it for the valley below, the village changed, and many people in the neighboring villages became afraid of it.

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San Diego Airport Terminal 1 Construction Could Begin as Early as November

October 8, 2021 by Source

Approval of Key Contracts Allow Replacement of Terminal 1 to Move Forward: Feds Need to Approve Environmental Report

By Lori Weisberg / San Diego Union-Tribune / Oct. 7, 2021

Construction on the long-awaited expansion of Terminal 1 at the San Diego International Airport could start as early as next month, following a vote Thursday on two key contracts for what will eventually be a $3.4 billion project — the largest in the airport’s history.

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Tar Balls Showing Up As Far South As Del Mar and Other San Diego County Beaches

October 8, 2021 by Staff

Local governments and the media are scrambling to keep up with evidence that the Orange County oil spill has spread as far south as Del Mar and other San Diego County beaches.

Tar balls have been spotted at Oceanside, Carlsbad, Del Mar and Encinitas.

Volunteers with the Southern California oil spill response are now working on North County San Diego beaches, officials said Thursday.

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Navy Postpones Coastal Commission Review of NAVWAR Proposals

October 8, 2021 by Source