OB Rag

By JW August

It’s called the Black Family Statue. The original statue was installed 52 years ago, the work of local artist Rossi Wade and was created to honor Black family values.

A little more than a half century after the original Black Family Statue took its place in a Mountain View park, its long-awaited replacement was celebrated Saturday, June 13th with an official unveiling.

The community gathering at Neil Pettis Mountain View Park, which doubled as a Juneteenth celebration, capped a decade-long effort to replace the original wood statue that had grown so deteriorated that only a brass plaque and the brick and mortar foundation remained.

The San Diego Community Coalition publishes this email bulletin to keep our members and the general San Diego public informed about important Council and Planning Commission hearings and other city public meetings.

Monday, June 15: City Council, 2:00 p.m.

Agenda:

Item 203. California Coastal Commission Modifications to the 2024 Land Development Code Update of the San Diego Municipal Code and Local Coastal Program.

Why it matters: This would make it easier to build affordable housing in coastal regions. In theory, that’s a worthy idea. But given the age-old intense demand for coastal residences, how long would it take for market forces to flip affordable coastal homes into expensive coastal homes?

Opening of Strait of Hormuz and End to Israel’s Attacks on Lebanon Parts of Murky Details

By Jason Burke / The Guardian / Mon 15 Jun 2026

A framework peace deal between the US and Iran has been reached, Donald Trump and senior Iranian officials have said, bringing the 15-week conflict to a tentative end and offering hope of relief for the Middle East and the world economy.

The secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, would end permanently from Monday night.

The precise terms of the deal remain unclear but in a statement posted to Truth Social on Sunday evening, the US president announced the opening of the strait of Hormuz as well as the removal of the US naval blockade. “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” he wrote.

Trump later clarified that reopening the strait would depend on the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding on Friday, which Pakistan, acting as mediator, said would take place in Geneva.

Leaked drafts suggest the memorandum will trigger an immediate 60-day period of intensive technical talks, during which the most contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme, will be discussed. Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed that negotiators would seek to reach a broader agreement that would include sanctions relief for Iran.

Eric Law, the chair of the Peninsula Community Planning Board, has just announced that Navy representatives will provide a briefing to the community on Navy plans for the redevelopment of the NAVWAR Old Town Campus.

The update will be at the Peninsula Community Planning Board monthly meeting on Thursday, June 18th, 2026 — 6PM at the Point Loma Hervey Library Community Room, 3701 Voltaire St, San Diego, CA 92107.

Law stated,  “The NAVWAR Old Town Campus (OTC) Revitalization program manager and the Navy Region Southwest Public Affairs Officer have confirmed that they will provide a briefing to the community on the OTC program ….”

OB Rag Staff Report

San Diego’s 22-year experiment with a “strong mayor” has been hobbled by a string of financial crises.

Is it time to consider restoring the position of City Manager?

Jack McGrory, a former city manager for San Diego, will share his thoughts at a town hall forum on “Why We Need a City Manager and Other Insights” on Saturday, June 20, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway.

Sponsored by the San Diego Community Coalition (SDCC) and Neighbors for a Better San Diego (NFABSD), the forum is the fifth in a series of question-and-answer sessions on important civic issues.

These events are free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

By Eric Sanchez / SanDiegoRed / June 14, 2026

Authorities and local residents are sounding the alarm after a dog exhibited neurological symptoms and tested positive for methamphetamine following a visit to the dog beach in Ocean Beach, San Diego.

The dog’s owner, Justin Voeller, took to social media to warn other pet owners about the incident involving his small dog, Angus. Voeller said he brought Angus to the specialized dog beach around 10:00 a.m. Initially, the dog appeared unwell but was simply “glued to the sofa and very alert,” leading Voeller to believe it was only a stomach issue.

However, by approximately 4:30 p.m., Angus began showing clear neurological signs, including repetitive movements, hyperactivity, and fully dilated pupils.

Gates to Be Installed at 7 Coastal Parking Lots

by Karen Pearlman / Times of San Diego / June 11, 2026

Thinking of a late-night run to listen to the waves at Dog Beach?

Don’t make plans to park your car in lots near the beach, bay, or shoreline park in the late night or early morning hours for the next 10 years.

The California Coastal Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved the city of San Diego’s plan to change existing parking restrictions and implement new restrictions at more than 35 coastal area parking lots in La Jolla through Mission Beach down to Ocean Beach and over to Sunset Cliffs.

The restrictions will include new nighttime vehicle closure hours, gates and time-limited parking.

The Coastal Commission’s approval of a Coastal Development Permit is the final hurdle for the city of San Diego to put the parking changes into action.

The reasons the city cited for the parking changes include an increase in nighttime criminal activity at certain lots, from controlled substances to attempted murders. Additionally, a steady increase in overnight parking by “van-lifers” or those living in their cars or RVs has also become a growing challenge.

On June 14, the Committee for the First Amendment will be hosting Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment, an uplifting evening of song, solidarity, and action.

Featuring an all-star line-up of performers, this 90-minute concert event will celebrate the freedoms guaranteed by our First Amendment—of speech, religion, press, assembly, and protest—and the people power that both fuels these rights and is essential to guarantee them.

Even as authoritarians increase their attacks on our freedoms and communities, we see examples across the country of people rising up together, taking action, and turning back those forces.

SOHO / May-June Newsletter

Many SOHO members follow historic designation cases closely, but fewer people see what actually happens inside City Hall when an owner applies for a development permit for a building that may be historic.

San Diego’s 45-year review is the process city staff uses to determine whether a property might qualify as a historic resource before a permit moves forward.

Today, the City of San Diego is considering changes to its historic designation process that would significantly endanger the preservation of individual properties and historic districts. Among these changes, which are part of the Planning Department’s Preservation and Progress program, is a proposed move away from the 45-year review process.

SOHO maintains this potential “update” would present significant risks. Eliminating the 45-year review before completing a comprehensive citywide survey would expose countless historic structures to irreversible loss.

Event Include Juneteenth Celebration

By JW August

The revival of the Black Family statue – and a lasting legacy of San Diego artist Rossie Wade – will be unveiled this Saturday, June 13th in one of San Diego’s oldest parks. The event is set for 11 a.m. at the Neal Petties Mountain View Park at 641 S Boundary St., near 40th St. and Oceanview Blvd.

The City of San Diego’s Cultural Affairs department flyer says it will be part of a Juneteenth celebration.  Following the unveiling of the statue there will be free food, a petting zoo, and free performances.

The original statue was made of painted redwood, which had deteriorated over time.  All that remained of Wade’s original creation was its brick and mortar base.

A new stainless steel statue has been created to respect and honor Wade’s image of Black values and community pride, as was the case when the original was dedicated in 1974. Saturday’s event signals the end of a 10-year journey to create a replacement for Rossi’s original work.

By Jillian Butler

As technology advances, it is injected into the educational curriculum for children. Naturally, many parents have questions, concerns, and convictions. A national coalition of parents and educators called Schools Beyond Screens is advocating for research and evidence-based guidelines to be put in place for educational technology.

Ocean Beach mother, lawyer, and administrative judge, Angelika Oliver, is one of the parents leading the fight in San Diego, and there’s at least one other woman from OB involved. Below is an interview with her, conducted via email.

1) I have read up a little bit on your background and why you got involved with Schools Beyond Screens. Please tell me in your own words why you got involved in the movement.

My initial concern was screen and internet use at home. I believed that if we could agree as a community to limit our kids’ access to devices and the internet, we could help safeguard childhood. This thinking came largely from The Anxious Generation, the idea that kids need more supervision online and less in the real world, so they can take on independent tasks, explore freely, and develop grit and resilience.

But then I realized even if we limit screens at home, kids are on them too much at school. At first, I hoped our school site would respond to what parents clearly wanted and make changes at our elementary school. When I kept hearing that Chromebook use couldn’t be addressed at the school level and would have to be decided at the district level, I felt obligated to push for change there.

Editordude: Here’s a fun take on the differences between beach culture in San Diego and that of Los Angeles – by a San Diego native. It has been edited somewhat to delete the more commercial aspects. 

San Diego vs LA Beach Culture: A Native’s Honest Take 

San Diego and Los Angeles share a coastline, but the beach cultures could not be more different. San Diego beaches run quieter, warmer, and more locals-first.

LA beaches run busier, faster-paced, and more visible in pop culture.

San Diego County has roughly 70 miles of coast averaging 266 sunny days a year.

LA County has roughly 75 miles averaging 284 sunny days.

The cultural difference is not about geography, it is about pace. This piece breaks down the real difference for anyone choosing between the two for a beach trip, a move, or a long-term home.

If you want the postcard version of California, go to LA. If you want the lived-in version, go to San Diego.

By The Log Staff / June 4, 2026

To visitors arriving by land, San Diego’s waterfront can feel like one continuous destination. But ask local boaters and they’ll tell you something different.

San Diego is not one harbor experience.

It’s many.

Move a few miles in any direction and the personality of the waterfront changes entirely. Offshore sportfishing transitions into polished marina promenades. Historic yacht clubs give way to family sailing centers. Working waterfronts blend into resort docks and protected recreational waterways.

For boaters planning a visit, understanding San Diego often means understanding its districts.

Start at Point Loma and work your way south and east and the city unfolds almost like six separate boating destinations connected by one coastline.

Point Loma is where many boaters feel San Diego truly begins.

There is a reason so many offshore adventures start here. Positioned at the entrance to San Diego Bay and closest to open ocean access, Point Loma carries a working-waterfront energy that feels rooted in fishing, cruising, and departure.