Month: April 2024

Associated Press – Politico / April 2, 2024

John Sinclair, a poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him, has died. He was 82. Sinclair died Tuesday morning at Detroit Receiving Hospital of congestive heart failure following an illness, his publicist Matt Lee said.

Sinclair drew a 9 1/2-to-10-year prison sentence in 1969 from Detroit Recorder’s Court Judge Robert Colombo for giving two joints to undercover officers. He served 29 months but was released a few days after Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger and others performed in front of 15,000 attendees at the University of Michigan’s Crisler Arena.

“They gave him 10 for two/What else can Judge Colombo do/We gotta set him free,” Lennon sang in “John Sinclair,” a song the ex-Beatle wrote that immortalized its subject.

by Danna Givot / Times of San Diego / April 2, 2024

The Building Industry Association touts the Complete Communities Now program as ramping up production of more affordable homes, but this deserves a closer look. Complete Communities is not a cure-all for San Diego’s housing problems.

[Please see original for important links]

By Arturo Castañares / La Prensa San Diego / March 30, 2024

San Diego State University has arbitrarily delayed disclosing documents requested by La Prensa San Diego beyond the timeline allowed by California law.

The requested documents are related to discussions in 2022 between SDSU officials and a Denver-based development company to build a new sports and entertainment arena as part of SDSU West in Mission Valley.

By Geoff Page

The Ocean Beach Planning Board is feeling a little like Rodney Dangerfield, “get no respect,” or like Ol’ Lonely, the Maytag repair man no one ever called because the machines never broke down. Choose your own character, the theme being a group that deserves attention but is not getting it.

The OBPB held an election last month and hardly anyone showed. The board is supposed to consist of 12 people, according to the board’s by-laws. The election resulted in a total of nine sitting members, not 12. This reflects a continued sad lack of interest. The Rag had an account of the 2023 election and things have not improved.

Ongoing events

Every Saturday at 10:30 am. Climate Mobilization Coalition Meetings April 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th.  Keep up-to-date on climate issues and Climate Action events. To register email Jon Findley at  jon@climatemobsd.org.  More info: https://www.facebook.com/SDClimateMobilization/

Every Saturday 12 pm – 1 pm Peace Vigil for Palestine: Advocate for Peace and Justice in Gaza and Everywhere Join CODEPINK SD, San Diego Veterans for Peace, and Palestine Pals every Saturday at 12:00 pm on the plaza corner of Sunset Cliffs Blvd. and W. Point Loma Blvd., entry to Ocean Beach, San Diego. Wear pink and bring a peace-related poster if you have one! Contact: Nathanael · nathandw@riseup.net

By Judy Miller

On Friday, I was at Ocean Beach. Sunny day, gentle breeze, new grass on the lawn, crowds of happy visitors spending money during spring vacation.

Then I had to use the restroom. The public restrooms at the O.B. lifeguard station are so run-down that I was embarrassed for my city, just looking at them.

by Andrew Van Dam / Washington Post / March 29, 2024 

Where in the unholy heck did all these bees come from?!

After almost two decades of relentless colony collapse coverage and years of grieving suspiciously clean windshields, we were stunned to run the numbers on the new Census of Agriculture (otherwise known as that wonderful time every five years where the government counts all the llamas): America’s honeybee population has rocketed to an all-time high.

By Mark Doering / SD U-T Op-Ed / April 1, 2024 

While in plain sight, the root cause for why potholes are forming rapidly is not visible to most. I am a native San Diegan and licensed engineer who for years has seen our city streets deteriorate from what they once were — beautiful and smooth — to what they are now, potholed and dangerous. The cause of the deterioration of our streets is very apparent if you know what to look for and know a little of San Diego’s road maintenance history.

The City of San Diego is set to show the public what a replacement design for the OB Pier may look like, and is prepping for the unveiling of a final, preferred design concept at a community workshop on Saturday, April 6.

Three potential design concepts for a replacement pier were presented in September of 2023, and the city has been collecting feedback from San Diegans ever since on what they want to see in the new pier. And now city officials are saying the preferred design is an amalgamation of the three concepts, using the public input received to combine preferred features from each design.

The session will be held 2 to 5 p.m. April 6 at the Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road.

In San Diego, City, county and local offices will be closed today, Monday for César Chávez Day along with courts, public health clinics, family resource centers, libraries and animal shelters. County parks, campgrounds, and neighborhood day-use parks will largely remain open, though county officials said certain facilities will be closed Monday.

There will be mail delivery because César Chávez Day is a federal commemorative holiday, first proclaimed by then-President Barack Obama in 2014, and not a federal holiday.

Over the weekend we heard that Claudia Jack, the unofficial mayor of Ocean Beach, has passed on. Hodad’s gave us the word:

Ocean Beach doesn’t toss the word LEGEND around too easily. Same with LOCAL. So when we tell you that OB lost a true local Legend today, it is with the upmost respect. Claudia Jack… Never enough Thank You’s for all of the energy you pumped into this community. Rest in Peace Claudia Peters Jack.

Here is a tribute I wrote about her a few years ago: