Articles by Source

Source has written 5947 articles for the OB Rag!

The Supreme Court May Be Poised to Kill the Voting Rights Act Once and for All

December 4, 2023 by Source

A federal court said only the government, not civil rights groups or individuals, can enforce the Voting Rights Act.

By Marjorie Cohn / Truthout / December 1, 2023

The Voting Rights Act, which Congress passed to enforce the 15th Amendment, has been targeted by the right wing since it was enacted in 1965. In the last few years, the Supreme Court has weakened the Voting Rights Act but has never ruled that civil rights organizations and aggrieved individuals could not sue to enforce its provisions.

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Driving Range on E. Harbor Island Lease Up for Approval by Port of San Diego — Tues., Dec.5

December 4, 2023 by Source


San Diego Union-Tribune for subscribers only

Topgolf International and the Port of San Diego are close to reaching an agreement on preliminary lease terms for a 9.5-acre site on East Harbor Island, opposite San Diego’s airport, where the entertainment company is looking to a build a flagship, driving-range venue with panoramic views of the bay and downtown.

Tuesday, December 5, Port of San Diego Commissioners will vote on whether to sign a non-binding term sheet with Topgolf, as recommended by the agency’s staff.

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December 2023 Events from the Ocean Beach Green Center

December 4, 2023 by Source


December 5th Tuesday 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Power San Diego Kickoff Event

Join SanDiego350, Power San Diego, the First Unitarian Universalist Climate Justice Team, UCSD Green New Deal, Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice, and other partners.   First Unitarian Universalist Church Bard Hall 298 W Arbor Dr. San Diego 92103. 

Come learn about why a municipal power utility that owns our poles and wires is essential to lower rates, speed regional decarbonization, and create energy democracy. We’ll talk about the mechanics of municipalization, how this approach will center union workers and protect and expand local rooftop solar, and how this is different from and complementary to San Diego Community Power.

Speakers include Bill Powers and Dorrie Bruggemann from the Power San Diego Campaign, Adam Aron (SD350 & UCSD Green New Deal), and Yusef Miller (Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice).   At this kickoff, we will be learning about the Power San Diego initiative and how to get it on the ballot.

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The City Is Exaggerating Its Damage — The OB Pier Does Not Need to Be Closed Till Spring

December 4, 2023 by Source

By Geoff Page

As recounted in The Rag’s November 22 story, the city has decided to keep the OB Pier closed until the winter storm season is over.

The Lifeguards closed the pier October 20 because of high surf. The San Diego Fire Department announced the closure in a Tweet. The Lifeguard Department is part of the Fire Department now. The Tweet said the pier would probably open the next day.

Thirty-one days later, this writer and others began pressing the city, wanting to know why the pier was still closed. No one responded. The Citizen’s Task Force that is working on the pier replacement effort was in the dark as well.

Finally, the city made an announcement and the city’s spokesperson, José Ysea, said the following:

“While it was closed, the pier incurred surface damage and has remained closed since,” Ysea said. “Once the storm season has passed, the city will reassess and determine the next steps for the iconic 57-year-old pier.”

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City Staff’s Failure to Enact Coastal Commission Options on Bike Paths Leads to Higher Costs and Dangers on West Pt Loma Blvd.

December 4, 2023 by Source

Here’s KPBS writer Andrew Bowen’s take on the dangers on West Pt Loma Blvd. and its lack of safe bike paths.

Bowen blames the California Coastal Commission on delaying the city’s efforts to install bike paths along a dangerous section of the boulevard. He cites the bureaucratic roadblocks thrown up by the Commission for preventing the good city to install protected bike lanes and for injuries suffered by bicyclists in that stretch between Nimitz Boulevard and Adrian Street.

Yet, if the reader dives into Bowen’s piece, another cause does appear.

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Dec. 4: Advisory for Dog Beach in OB – Humans and Dogs Advised to Avoid Contact With Ocean Water

December 4, 2023 by Source

There’s a county water advisory in place for OB’s Dog Beach — to include 300 yards south of the mouth of the San Diego River.

Bacteria levels exceed health standards and humans — and dogs are advised to avoid water contact in the advisory area. (See here.)

The advisory at Ocean Beach – Dog Beach has been in place since Nov. 29.

Other advisories for the following beaches are also in place:

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Christmas Came Early – Santos Gone, Trump Liable for Illegal Acts, and Remembering Trailblazer Sandra Day O’Connor

December 1, 2023 by Source

By Colleen O’Connor

Christmas Came Early!

Rep. George Santos (the fabulous) has been expelled from the U.S. Congress.  The vote wasn’t even close.

The 9th Circuit Court has ruled unanimously that former President Donald trump is NOT immune from prosecution for illegal acts during his time as President.  So the courts can now proceed with the long stalled trials.

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‘Voters Gonna Vote!’

December 1, 2023 by Source

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Point Lomans Have What It Takes to Help the Unhoused

December 1, 2023 by Source

By Joni Halpern

There have been many times in the past when community advocates for the best interests of the Point Loma community have needed the support of residents of other San Diego communities. The retention of Dana Junior High School is only one example.  We needed support from other communities to prevent the school from being sold to developers who planned to replace it with almost 300 condominiums.  We succeeded in our efforts, because other communities joined us.

However, had it not been that other communities were targeted to lose their schools to developers, we would have been unable to make the argument that other communities should support us, because their residents widely believed that neighborhoods like Point Loma, La Jolla, and other constituencies of affluence did not care one whit about any community but their own.

The truth is, every community needs the support of others — all of us in this city, all of us in every neighborhood need each other’s support. 

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Remembering the Spaceman of Ocean Beach – Clint Cary — XiB/2

December 1, 2023 by Source

By Eric DuVall / Pt Loma – OB Monthly / Nov. 15, 2023

One thing we learned in this space last month is that “they are most definitely out there.” The UAPs, that is (unidentified aerial phenomena) … the NHI (non-human intelligence).

Nothing new, of course. Clint Cary was saying the same thing 60 years ago — repeatedly and frequently. Clint had firsthand information. He hadn’t just seen a UFO, he’d been to Rillispore twice. In 1965, every kid on the beach in O.B. knew that. Clint loved to tell that story, and many others. These weren’t generic stories about little green men, by the way. No creepy gray space aliens either.

The Rillisporians were tall and beautiful. They came in peace. Theirs was a message of love and unity. Naturally they worried about the foibles and follies of the people of Earth.

Obviously, if you wanted to go with them when they came back, you needed a space number. Everybody knew that, too. And the only guy giving out space numbers was Clint Cary. Even if you didn’t care about going to Rillispore and just wanted to be cool, you still needed a space number.

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The Very Latest Update on Loma Portal’s Beloved Vintage Street Lamps

November 30, 2023 by Source

Here’s the very latest update on Loma Portal’s historic, vintage, 100-year old and beloved street lamps — from the folks who publish the Peninsula News (who are way more on top of this issue than the Rag):

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San Diego Area Credit Unions Collected More than $36 Million in Overdraft Fees in 2022

November 30, 2023 by Source

By Scott Rodd / KPBS / November 29, 2023

All told, credit unions chartered in California collected more than a quarter billion dollars in overdraft fees in 2022, according to data collected by the state. A KPBS analysis found state-chartered credit unions based in the San Diego area collected more than $36 million.

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SDG&E Is Making More Money Than Ever – Here’s Why

November 30, 2023 by Source

On Sunday’s Union-Tribune front page, reporter Rob Nikolewski wrote how and why SDG&E is making more money than ever. But it’s a “subscriber only” piece, and we’re only providing the first few paragraphs of the report here:

San Diego Gas & Electric is a very different company than it was just a few years ago. Rates charged to the 3.7 million people the utility serves continue to rise in large part because California utilities — not just SDG&E — have additional responsibilities to shoulder.

But SDG&E is also making more money than ever.

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Despite New Courts at Pt Loma’s Barnes, Pickleball Players Still Feel City’s Prejudice Against Them

November 30, 2023 by Source

Jakob McWhinney, a writer at Voice of San Diego, has documented the acrimony between San Diego pickleball players and tennis players in a recent post, including a brief synopsis of pickleball’s origins. But he also outlines why pickleball players are angry with the City of San Diego and why they feel the mayor and city council are prejudiced against them.

Here’s a peek in how it all has impacted OB and Point Loma:

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The ‘Back-and-Forth’ of H Barracks

November 29, 2023 by Source

Even though the issue has dropped from the cameras of our local TV stations, H Barracks is still with us. Mayor Gloria has not changed his plans and those in the community of Point Loma have not changed their minds.

Here, is more on the issue, a letter to the mayor from the Peninsula Planning Board and Gloria’s position, as stated by his representative.

First, a report of the “famous” meeting of the PCPB on Nov. 16. from KPBS:

Point Loma community members sent a letter to the city of San Diego opposing a plan to turn the site known as H-Barracks into a homeless shelter. The site would temporarily house 300 to 700 people experiencing homelessness, according to the city.

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Peninsula Planners Come Out in Support of ‘Sunbreak Ranch’ Plan for San Diego’s Homeless

November 29, 2023 by Source

In a letter addressed to Mayor Gloria and Councilmember Campbell on November 16, the Peninsula Community Planning Board came out and endorsed the controversial Sunbreak Ranch plan for the region’s homeless.

Here is the text of the letter:

The Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) endorses Sunbreak Ranch’s innovative plan to address the homelessness crisis in our community. Sunbreak Ranch, a nonprofit organization, aligns with our community values and offers a comprehensive solution to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of unhoused individuals in the City of San Diego.

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Is Christmas in November Now? A View from Pt Loma Nazarene

November 29, 2023 by Source

By Anna Novelo / The Point – Lomabeat.com / Nov. 29, 2023

It was the start of September and I walked into Home Depot for some home essentials when I  saw a jolly smiling Santa blow-up animatronic nestled right next to the Halloween decor. I stared in disbelief then proceeded to ask, “Why does it seem like every year the start of the Christmas season inches closer and closer?”

Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is easily my favorite holiday, but it’s hard to get excited about it when it feels like it’s being marketed to us all year long.

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The Installation of OB’s Holiday Tree 2023 – A Short Video

November 28, 2023 by Source

OB’s Holiday Tree for 2023 goes up at the foot of Newport Avenue, Tuesday, November 28. A short vid by Charles Landon.

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San Diego Ranked Worst City in US For Parking Availability, According to New Study

November 28, 2023 by Source

ABC10News / Nov. 27, 2023

A recent study ranks San Diego to be the worst city in the U.S. when it comes to parking availability.

FINN, a car subscription service says that the city has the lowest parking score because there is limited amenities at the parking lots in the city, including charging stations for electric vehicles and wheelchair accessibility.

According to the study:

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Not your grandma’s granny flat: How San Diego hacked state housing law to build ADU ‘apartment buildings’

November 28, 2023 by Source

by Ben Christopher / CalMatters / November 28, 2023

In the minds of most Californians, accessory dwelling units — ADUs, short — bring to mind words like “small,” “subtle” and “cute.”

None of which describe the side-by-side ADU duplexes on E Street.

Perched at the edge of San Diego’s desirable Golden Hill neighborhood, there’s nothing dainty or diminutive about these three-story structures. “Backyard cottage” is another term used to describe accessory dwelling units, but these are out front, practically hiding the five-unit multiplex to which they are technically “accessory.”

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Lighthouse Ice Cream Forced to Close Temporarily Due to Fire

November 28, 2023 by Source

SanDiegoVille reports that Lighthouse Ice Cream on Newport in OB was forced to close following an electrical fire on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. No one was injured but the well-known parlor suffered substantial smoke and water damage and two of the parlor’s freezers melted in the blaze.

Carol Ladiges, the owner, hopes her place will re-open in early to mid-December. Known for its hot waffle ice cream sandwich, Lighthouse Ice Cream is located at 5059 Newport Avenue, Suite #102.

Here is background on the parlor:

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More on Loma Portal’s Vintage Street Lamps

November 27, 2023 by Source

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San Diego Lifeguards Unveil New ‘Life-Saving’ Scanner – the AquaEye

November 27, 2023 by Source

To help with in-water rescues and hopefully cut the time it takes lifeguards and dive teams to find a swimmer in need, the San Diego lifeguard service announced it has acquired two AquaEye scanners designed to use ultrasound and artificial intelligence technologies to point rescuers in the right direction.

The scanners, unveiled Wednesday at the lifeguard headquarters at Mission Bay, where Lt. Rick Romero, San Diego lifeguards dive team leader, compared the device to a flashlight or a thermal detector used by firefighters in that it emits a beam that can register information with the device.

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The Rose Creek Native Plant Garden Has Some Very Good Friends

November 22, 2023 by Source

The Rose Creek Native Plant Garden has some very good friends, the nonprofit Friends of Rose Creek who judiciously maintain it and support it by being its custodian.

Friends accomplish this task, in part, through hosting work parties on the second Saturday of every month.

PB social activist and environmentalist, Karin Zirk, is the founder and current executive director of Friends of Rose Creek. If you’re lucky, you’ll get on one of her conducted tours of the native plant garden where she’ll explain the origin of the garden, its purpose, and the joys – and challenges – of keeping it properly tended.

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Surfrider Was Born 40 Years Ago — Here’s Its History

November 22, 2023 by Source

40 years ago a group of surfers from Malibu, California, were concerned about the health risks associated with environmental threats posed by escalating coastal development at their favorite surf spot. They took action. Not even they could have envisioned the history they were making when they succeeded in protecting their beloved surf spot.

Since its inception in 1984, the Surfrider Foundation has evolved into one of the largest non-profit grassroots organizations with a volunteer-activist network dedicated to its mission to protect and enjoy the world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Today, the Surfrider Foundation has over 200 chapters and student clubs …

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City: OB Pier to Be Closed Through Early 2024

November 22, 2023 by Source

The city of San Diego announced Wednesday, Nov. 22, that it will keep the Ocean Beach Pier closed through early next year as a result of recent damage and the potential for additional impairment during the upcoming storm season.

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Fun New Fact: Rolling Stone’s Next American Tour Sponsored by AARP

November 21, 2023 by Source

The Rolling Stones are wasting little time hitting the road to promote “Hackney Diamonds,” the legendary English band’s first album of new songs since 2005’s “A Bigger Bang” — and its first since the 2021 death of the group’s drummer, Charlie Watts.

The tour will open with an April 28 concert at NRG Stadium in Houston and conclude with a July 17 performance near San Francisco at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

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New Study Shows Coastal Air Quality in San Diego and Tijuana Is Unsafe

November 21, 2023 by Source

By María José Durán / San Diego Magazine / Nov. 21, 2023

Some Californians rejoice when rain falls—but surfers aren’t among them. San Diegans have known for a long time that swimming in the ocean after a storm is a risk to their health, since runoff can send contaminants streaming into the sea. But recent discoveries are bringing to light that swimming or surfing in bacteria-contaminated water is no longer the only way to get exposed. Just walking on the beach—or merely existing near the coast—can make people sick.

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Wade’s World of Cannabis Seeds

November 21, 2023 by Source

Roll Up For Cannabis Equity – A Monthly Column

By Terrie Best

I met Wade years ago at a cannabis activist meeting and he stood out when he volunteered to host a seed exchange for patients who would like to grow for themselves. That generosity, very typical of Wade, eventually morphed into a really fun activist action at the first ever Cannabis Row at Earth Day in Balboa Park.

Earth Day is held every year around April 20th which of course begs for a cannabis presence. The legal market had begun to flex its PR and marketing muscle beyond the back pages of The Reader and Cannabis Row at Earth Day goes down in San Diego history as one of the first mainstream weed events. A win. After all, it was 2017!

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Issue from 2015 Ocean Beach Community Plan Update Point of Contention in Recent Approval of Barrio Logan Community Plan

November 21, 2023 by Source

Importance of community plans and local planning boards highlighted in tentative approval of Barrio Logan’s long-awaiting community growth plans

With the recent approval of Barrio Logan’s long-awaited community growth plan, it came to note that City staff raised similar concerns with affordable hotel policies in 2015 when the Ocean Beach growth blueprint was being considered. At that time, then-Coastal Commissioners agreed to remove those policies — but current commissioners say that eight years later, the city still has yet to come forward with a comprehensive, citywide ordinance.

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