Author: Staff

OB Rag Staff Report

When the Rag began our 2026 San Diego City Council election coverage, we promised to “scrutinize the candidates in the June primary: who they are, what they’ve done, what they say, and most importantly, where their money comes from.”

Our first post reviewed Campaign Disclosure Reports (Series 400) for three District 2 candidates and listed their top contributors. This post focuses on three candidates in the District 8 primary.

By Csaba Petre

Following up on a thorough coffee tour of OB last year, I’m back to give a rundown and review of some local markets. I’ve chosen local stores (not huge chains, and not liquor-only stores) which can realistically qualify for at least a quick, missing-item type grocery trip. A couple of liquor-and-deli places have been added, if they met this criteria. Please feel free to add your favorite small store in the comments if I missed one you like.

Sunset Mini Mart

4799 Voltaire St, San Diego, CA 92107

Sunset Mini Mart is a convenience store and liquor store on the corner of Voltaire Street and Sunset Cliffs Blvd. They carry a wide assortment of snacks, as well as non-alcoholic drinks and sodas. As far as groceries they stock some basics: canned goods, cereals, coffee, and cleaning supplies. The store is clean and conveniently accessible for North OB.

Best for: snacks and drinks; a quick canned/boxed meal; liquor and beer

SD Community Coalition Bulletin:

City Council To Hold Special Meeting Just Before Mayor’s State-Of-City Speech

In an interesting development, the San Diego City Council has posted notice that it will hold a special meeting about the Mayor’s 2026 “State of the City” address on Thursday, January 15, at 1:00 p.m. in the Council Committee Room. The Mayor’s address is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Thursday in the Council Chambers.

This link contains instructions for submitting a written comment before the meeting. The Council will begin the meeting by taking public comment in person and virtually.

This is a developing story, so please circle back for updates later this morning.

Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting: Preservation and Progress Package A Approved to Move Forward for Review by the Full City Council

By South OB Girl

On Wednesday January 14, the Preservation and Progress Package A went before the San Diego City Council Land Use and Housing Committee.  Package A involves controversial proposals regarding preserving and protecting San Diego’s historic housing ideals and districts. Council Member Sean Elo-Rivera was absent.  This left a LUH Committee of three: Committee Chair Kent Lee and committee members Stephen Whitburn, and  Vivian Moreno.

There were 49 speakers in Council Chambers downtown –a mix of those in favor and those opposed, and many in attendance ceded minutes to others who were speaking.  Bruce and Alana Coons spoke, representing Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO).  Mission Hills Heritage also spoke, as did local OBceans including Kathy Blavatt and Coastal Caretakers.

The San Diego Community Coalition publishes this email bulletin to keep our members informed about important Council and Planning Commission hearings. City Hall reopens this week after a 3-week legislative recess for the holidays.

First, a word about Balboa Park parking fees and non-agenda public comment:

The outrageous new fees to park in Balboa Park are on the City Council’s political front burner right now. But they aren’t on any of the Council’s agendas this week – which means the public can raise that issue during the non-agenda public comment at every Council meeting.

Council President Joe La Cava, who strongly supported the new fees, needs to hear a loud message from a lot of constituents: City Hall must live within its means. Stop spending money irresponsibly and then demanding that taxpayers cover your losses. La Cava won’t like having his meetings slowed down by non-agenda comments on Park fees. But he can’t interfere with our right to make those comments.

Monday, January 12: City Council, 2:00 p.m.

Agenda link here.

Items include: Public Utilities FY 2027-2031 Five-Year Financial Outlook

Why it matters: Last year, the Council fought over a proposal to increase water rates by 63% through 2029 and wastewater rates by 31% in the same period. The final 5-4 vote approved less draconian hikes of 14.7% and 14.5%. A year later, public furor over bait-and-switch trash fees and erratic Balboa Park parking fees will make utility rate hikes even more contentious.

Here are some pics from today’s events.

Pacific Beach Saturday, Jan. 10

From SOHO

On Wednesday, January 14, the San Diego City Council’s Land Use & Housing Committee will consider the City’s Preservation and Progress Package A.

This fast-tracked proposal would weaken San Diego’s historic preservation program by allowing the City Council to override expert historic designations, thereby stripping protections from historic districts such as Ocean Beach’s Cottage Emerging District and the Asian Thematic District, while prioritizing new construction over true preservation.

Your voice matters now. Please attend the meeting if you can and send a letter or email urging the committee to reject these harmful changes.

Land Use & Housing Committee
City Council, City of San Diego

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 • 2pm

City Administration Building
Council Chambers – 12th Floor
202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101

By Angelo Haynes

On the evening of January 8th at 6pm, residents and community members of Encanto and surrounding areas of City Council District 4 gathered at the Encanto Recreation Center to provide input on the construction of a skate plaza on an existing shuffleboard court.

Several community groups were in attendance, including the San Diego Parks Foundation, an independent non-profit group that raises funds with the goal of enhancing public parks across San Diego County. One man in particular, Abel Macias, has been the driving force behind this entire project beginning with his activism with a local chapter of Black Lives Matter during the pandemic.

Abel coordinated with several skater friends in the neighborhood to create an activist group that took to the streets in a unique protest that brought people together for social justice, but turned into a coalition that sought to develop the sport of skating in his community.

By Rag Staff

For those San Diegans resisting City Hall’s housing policies, 2026 is off to a good start with two recent major court wins in the fight for sustainable development. Everett Delano, the lawyer who scored one of them, will be the guest speaker at the San Diego Community Coalition’s third “Town Hall With A Newsmaker” forum on Saturday, January 17, at 10:30 a.m. at the La Jolla-Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave.

The forum is titled “What Communities Need to Know About Land Use Court Battles,” and is free and open to the public. The event is co-hosted by Neighbors for a Better San Diego.

Delano has a distinguished record of representing neighborhood groups seeking to block environmentally destructive development. His latest win came December 31 when the California Supreme Court denied Mayor Todd Gloria’s effort to override the 30-foot height limit in the Midway/Pacific Highway district.

That decision followed a December 18 ruling against Chalcifica, a notorious 136-unit complex planned for Pacific Beach. Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal ordered the City to stop issuing permits for the project until a more comprehensive impact analysis is performed.

By Angelo Haynes

At 6:30 last night, Wednesday, Jan. 7, local activists and community organizers led by the SD Bike Brigade staged a protest in downtown San Diego to express their anger and frustration while showing support for Renee Nicole Good, the woman killed by ICE Agents in Minneapolis earlier in the day.

The protests started near the downtown central corridor by the courthouse appearing to start in front of the civic building on C street. The throng of protestors then crossed the trolley tracks and began moving northbound towards Little Italy before turning left heading west on Ash Street.

Protestors were shouting to express their grief, anger and frustration at the loss of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman who was shot in her car by ICE Agents. It was stated by ICE that Good angled her car towards them and was attempting to hit them with her vehicle, although no evidence has been brought forward to corroborate that story yet. Department of Homeland Secretary Kristy Noem also described Good as a “domestic terrorist” in the wake of the shooting.

Cocina De Barrio
3924 W Point Loma Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
Cocina De Barrio 
(619) 222-6600

By LK Bruce

Cocina De Barrio is one of those places you walk out of kicking yourself for not going there more often.

The menu is not your usual Mexican fare of tacos and burritos but rather focuses on authentic Oaxacan dishes which include not just corn, beans, and chili peppers, but a great variety of other ingredients and preparations based on Oaxaca’s varied geography and indigenous cultures. Chef Jose J. Flores has crafted a diverse, interesting and creative menu that pops with classic Oaxacan ingredients.

The difficult choices start with the appetizer menu; everything sounds so good. Imagine prickly pear and lime marinated striped bass ceviche, Mexican street corn with shrimp, sliced raw salmon with pickled strawberries or fresh guacamole and/or salsa made in a real molcajete, the traditional Mexican mortar and pestle made of volcanic basalt. And you’re just getting started.