Author: Frank Gormlie

Here is a quick overview on this 17th day of Trump’s war with Iran.

• Cost of war — it was estimated that in the first 6 days of the war, it cost the U.S. nearly $2 Billion a day. The Pentagon reported that the first week cost us $11.3 Billions, not counting the expenses of the build-up. Tomahawk cruise missiles, like the one the U.S. military used in that deadly strike on an Iranian girls’ primary school, cost $2.2 million each. It may be worth keeping these figures in mind as the Trump administration argues it doesn’t have enough money to make health care more affordable.
• Cost of gas — since the war started on Feb. 28, the average cost of gas has risen 25%; the cost of oil 40%.
• The war is unpopular with Americans; only 1 in 4 support it. A good portion of the MAGA base is seething over the war, since their guy ran against “endless wars.”

Editordude: The following is an account of the background to the City’s efforts to close De Anza Point in Mission Bay, and was originally submitted as an attachment to the Mission Bay Park Committee agenda by Dep. City Manager Beth Murray on Feb. 14, 2005.

By Judy Swink

Property History

In 1945 approximately 70 acres of land and 6 acres of water located at De Anza Point in Mission Bay Park were conveyed to the City of San Diego by the State of California for the primary purpose of park and recreational uses. In 1953, the City entered into a 50-year lease with De Anza Harbor Resort and Golf’s predecessor for the purpose of operating a transient tourist and recreational vehicle park area which was consistent with the use restrictions under the tidelands grant. In 1962 the property was included in the dedication of Mission Bay Park to park and recreational use pursuant to Section 55 of the City Charter.

Kapiloff Legislation

In the late 1970’s the issue of legality was raised, and in 1978 the City Attorney opined that use of State tidelands and dedicated park for permanent private residences was not a legal use. The legality of the mobile home park use was addressed by state legislation sponsored by then Assembly member Larry Kapiloff and adopted in 1981 (AB 447, the Kapiloff Bill).

An OB Rag supporter saw these signs in her neighborhood and wanted to share them with us.

From The Washington Post / March 11, 2026

The Iranian elementary school building where scores of children were killed as the U.S. and Israel began their massive aerial campaign was on a U.S. target list and may have been mistaken for a military site, multiple people familiar with the strike told The Washington Post.

The deadly attack occurred in the first few hours of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran — just as parents were hurrying to the two-story schoolhouse to take their kids home to safety — and killed at least 175 people, many of them children, according to Iranian state media.

It is still not clear why the building was hit, but one person familiar with the school strike said the building had been identified as a factory and had been an approved strike target. A second person familiar said there was an arms depot target located in the same area and did not know if the United States hit the school by mistake, or if U.S. officials had the wrong intelligence and thought the building was the arms depot.

“Initially there was some confusion on why it was on the target list,” said a third person familiar with the strike. The individual would not go into further detail, citing the military’s ongoing investigation into the strike.

Tessa Balc at the Times of San Diego dropped a stunning article on Sunday the 8th of March, by declaring there soon could be a Walmart at the former RiteAid property in Ocean Beach.

The new owner of the property is seriously considering putting in a Walmart Depot — but it wouldn’t be a “walk-in” store to buy anything but a location for delivery drivers to pick up wares and products to distribute nearby.

An application to install one was submitted to the City of San Diego recently and, as Balc reported:

“describes Walmart Depots as non-branded facilities, stocked with high-demand delivery items. Based on the description, it would not be open to the public, instead serving only authorized delivery “drivers/shoppers.” [Rag emphasis.]

Let’s back-up by returning to Balc’s article.

She reports that Murfey Construction Company is a developer who bought the RiteAid property in January, whom she also describes as “a well-known developer in the beach neighborhoods ….” (See below.) Balc in addition stated the company “is also considering a housing development.”

Balc also maintains the City staff is on board with this idea, having already reviewed the idea and reported back to Murfey that it did not run afoul of any development restrictions.

The first District 2 candidate forum organized by the League of Women Voters San Diego is tonight, Thursday, March 5  –    5:30-7:30 PM  at the Cathy Hopper Clairemont Friendship Center, located at  4425 Bannock Ave, San Diego 92117   This Forum is also hosted by the Clairemont Town Council.

Seven candidates have confirmed their attendance, and several more may come.

No one still knows  why these 4 American servicemembers had to die. Trump doesn’t know. Hegsleth doesn’t know. Rubio doesn’t know.

They were killed in an Iranian drone strike on Sunday, March 1.

Yet, here they are – as the Pentagon has identified them of the six US service members who have died. The multiple reasons that Trump and gang have given for attacking Iran since it all began have varied with the time of day and night. From “regime change” to wiping out missiles they don’t have, or to making the first strike before they did ….Trump still hasn’t addressed the nation on the widening war. 

CNN:

The soldiers are Capt. Cody Khork, 35; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20. All four were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve sustainment unit out of Iowa.

The two other soldiers who were killed in the strike on Sunday have not yet been identified.

CNN first reported that the suspected drone strike hit a temporary tactical operations center at the port of Shuaiba in Kuwait on Sunday. At the time of their deaths the soldiers were serving with 1st Theater Sustainment Command.

A source familiar with the situation described the operation center as a triple-wide trailer with office space inside; the building was surrounded by concrete barriers that are typically used to protect military structures overseas from things like car bombs and improvised explosive devices. However, there was nothing overhead that could shield the building from drones or missiles.

By Alex Cheney / CBS8 / February 27, 2026

A Navy investigation has determined that human error caused an E/A-18G Growler military jet to crash into San Diego Bay during a training exercise on Feb. 12, 2025, according to information the Navy shared with reporters today. The two crew members safely ejected from the aircraft and sustained only minor injuries.

The investigation revealed that unfamiliar software triggered warnings during aerial refueling, complicating the crew’s approach to Naval Air Station North Island. Pilots contended with a wet runway and a tailwind while attempting to land, employing an aero brake in an effort to slow the aircraft. However, investigators determined the measures proved insufficient.

Gregory Feith, a former senior investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said naval air traffic control should have directed the pilots to use a different runway. “In aviation we try to never land with a tailwind,” said Gregory Feith.

Here are some hard facts of what we know so far about the war with Iran:

• The Iranian people have NOT risen up to overthrow their regime.
• Neither Trump or the White House  have given a serious justification for the war; the reasons for the war keep changing; Sec. Hegsleth this morning said it is “not about regime change.”
• At least 4 American service people have been killed.
• It’s estimated that 555 Iranians have been killed, including 185 in a single strike on a southern Iranian girls’ school.
• 2,000 targets in Iran have been hit by US or Israeli bombs, missiles or drones.
• Iran has widened its retaliation and the war has spread to the entire region.

As we continue into the first day of the Iranian War of 2026, we will attempt a “live blog” of the action right here in ol’ San Diego. I’ve been posting info from a variety of sources, from NBC, Daily Kos, CBS, The Atlantic, Common Dreams, to AlterNet, CNN, Politico, the Guardian, and Al Jazeera.

4:19 pm It’s Likely that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, according to CNN

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader who ruled the country for almost four decades, has been killed, according to US President Donald Trump and two Israeli sources. Israel has not shared evidence of Khamenei’s death, and a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry earlier insisted that Khamenei, 86, and Iran’s president were both “safe and sound.”

But Khamenei has not been seen in public or in videos since Israel and the United States attacked Iran on Saturday morning, unleashing barrages of airstrikes.

Trump announced the death on his Truth Social platform, calling Khamenei “one of the most evil people in History.” Israeli sources concluded earlier on Saturday that Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials were dead.

The news appeared likely to plunge the Islamic Republic into the most serious crisis since its establishment. Cheers and celebrations were heard in parts of Tehran Saturday night following reports of Khamenei’s death.

Here’s what we know: …