Month: January 2023

By Geoff Page

The Peninsula Community Planning Board’s regularly monthly meeting, Thursday, January 19, was relatively unremarkable until a certain piece of very remarkable information popped up, almost routinely.  It appears the evisceration of the planning board system has begun.

About one hour into the meeting, the PCPB reached the point in its agenda called “Applicant-Initiated Action Items.” Board chair, Fred Kosmo, pointed out that there were no projects on the agenda and explained why. Kosmo said that the PCPB’s Project Review subcommittee chair, Joe Holasek, informed him of a change at the city.

The planning boards will no longer be reviewing projects involving accessory dwelling units or ADUs. So, how does removing projects – the most common and of numerous projects these days – from planning board review square with the following?

From San Clemente Green

Eleven years ago today — Jan. 31, 2013, we almost nuked Southern California. We owe a debt of gratitude to the nuclear operators that managed a swift and flawless emergency shutdown.

A Thank You Note to Edison Employees and a reminder to all. It is important to remember that they prevented a major disaster eleven years ago.

Your quick actions when radioactive steam began escaping into the environment, prevented a chain reaction from occurring in one of the newly replaced steam generators. It turns out that whistleblowers, afraid of known retaliation from management for such things, had rightfully warned us of this possibility two years prior.

There’s more snow in them thar hills today, Tuesday, the last day of January 2023.

After the Vaccine, Republicans Became Far More Likely to Die with Covid-19 Than Democrats

A Voice of San Diego analysis of death certificates and public voter files reveals that partisan affiliation was a predictor of one’s likelihood to perish during year two of the pandemic. Those who decline to identify with a party also saw a higher rate of death.

by Will Huntsberry and Jesse Marx / Voice of San Diego / January 30, 2023

America’s partisan divide isn’t only bitter. It’s deadly.

During the first year of the pandemic, Democrats died at higher rates than Republicans. But during the second year, as Covid vaccines became widely available, Republicans in San Diego County began dying at significantly higher rates than Democrats,

From Luminosity Newsletter

There Will be Drones.

The LUMINOSITY Steering Committee is currently in negotiations with a major Drone Company. A contract should be signed in February. On the Fourth of July of 2023, Ocean Beach WILL have at least 200 drones with additional drones added as more funding becomes available.

Further information will be made available after the contract is finalized.

The LUMINOSITY Arts Council Meets

The first meeting of the Arts Council recently met to begin planning the Festival of Lights element of LUMINOSITY. The panel is made up of individuals with a background in the arts and who have ties to Ocean Beach. The role of the council is to determine the scope and vision of the festival.

Mt. Laguna live cam at the Mt. Laguna Lodge, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023 at 9:35 a.m.

In comparison, look at Lake Cuyamaca this morning, just down the hill. So, there’s snow in only some of them thar hills.

Obviously, “There’s snow in them thar hills” is a take-off of Yosemite Sam’s favorite expression, “There’s gold in them thar hills.”

Check out these black and whites taken by ACE, Albert C Elliott, on Thursday, Jan. 26 at Ocean Beach. Smokin’, dude.

From Peninsula Newsletter of PLA

Remember this? (At 2959 Midway Drive) For many years it did a pretty good job of quick-washing vehicles.

An added thrill (for kids of many ages) was staying in the car as it moved through brushes, chamois and soapy waterfalls. One day it closed. We don’t remember the exact date.

By Judi Curry

There is no question that I am an insomniac. I have been for over 13 years and it started when my husband Bob was diagnosed with lung cancer.  As the cancer advanced, it was difficult for him to speak, and so we developed a method of communication by turning on a light whenever he needed anything.  It didn’t matter what time of day it was – the light went on.

But insomniacs seem to “run” in my family. 

From San Diego Fox5 News

The government’s plan to replace old border walls at Friendship Park is getting a lot of pushback from a nonprofit group.

A rally and march in protest of the plans was held at the U.S. Border Patrol station in Chula Vista Tuesday morning, Jan. 24.

Friends of Friendship Park believes the new border wall that will go up near the binational park will undermine the cross-border connection and friendship between the United States and Mexico.

San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial:

California’s emergence as the U.S. epicenter of poverty because of extreme housing costs has galvanized state lawmakers, but the resulting legislation hasn’t had a huge impact on the problem.

The latest study to make this point was issued last week by the UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation. It found that 2021’s Senate Bill 9 has had “limited or nonexistent” results in 13 California cities, including San Diego.

It is full speed ahead on initial planning to replace the iconic Ocean Beach Pier creating an updated regional landmark to last up to a century.

A best-case scenario would be to have construction on a new structurally modern pier likely costing upwards of $100 million beginning before the end of 2026, with completion by mid-2028.

It will be a new pier for a new age, said OB resident and OB Pier Task Force member Mark Winkie.