Category: Health

By Geoff Page

I am writing this today to express my extreme frustration with the lack of care or effort on the part of the Ocean Beach lifeguards when notified of a dangerous condition on the beach. The right rear skid of Tower 3 is bent into an upright position, sticking out of the sand like a knife blade where lots of people might encounter it.

Saturday morning, May 24, I sent an email and a picture of the condition to the lifeguard website. Because I was concerned the problem would not get attention quickly enough I called the weekend number. I knew the beach would be very crowded with families and children. I was dispatched through to the OB lifeguards.

Deficits and a coming demolition threaten to shutter the Rosecrans facility that offers mental health services.

By Blake Nelson / San Diego Union-Tribune / May 26, 2025

The city of San Diego has nowhere near enough shelter for everybody asking. Yet an ongoing dispute between city and county officials has reduced the number of available beds even more.

The Rosecrans homeless shelter, a large tent in the Midway district that helps residents with mental health issues, has stopped accepting new people, leaving 14 spots open as of Wednesday, according to Alpha Project CEO Bob McElroy. The San Diego Housing Commission has also halted intakes at 8 other programs in anticipation of Rosecrans’ possible closure at the end of June, and two staffers at the tent recently quit to take other jobs.

At times, the reasoning by staff at San Diego’s Development Services Department gets so twisted, it’s difficult to recognize what language is being spoken.

Many Point Lomans know about the proposed project for 1004 Rosecrans, formerly occupied by the San Diego County Credit Union, at the intersection of Rosecrans and Talbot.

It is currently under review by the San Diego Development Services Department for a proposed four-story, 56-unit apartment development with 1,700 square feet of first-floor commercial space. There also would be basement parking with up to 45 spaces — for commercial tenants only.

It’s been on the radar by many in the Peninsula, particularly the new group, Protect Point Loma — and by the just-formed San Diego Community Coalition — because the project violates so many rules, norms and laws (just take the 30-foot height limit for example). Purchased by North Star Homes, it has been the focus of scrutiny by many. And community members have voiced opposition to the project’s height, scope and potential effects on traffic and parking in the area.

As many know, the site was a gas station before the credit union was there, raising caution about the soil. Records show that six underground gasoline storage tanks and one underground storage tank for used oil were removed from the property in 1992.

Residents of San Diego County have been subjected to two recent devastating news reports about our area.

A doctor expert says San Diego County’s jails are the worst than he’s ever seen them and are ‘far behind other jail and prison systems in California.’ The County has faced dozens of lawsuits that have cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in recent years.

And children taken from their parents for their own safety were abused by county social workers. The county is currently confronting hundreds of lawsuits filed by now-grown victims who say they were sexual assaulted at Polinsky Children’s Center and other facilities.

San Diego County might have the best weather around, but perhaps it helps hide an ugly, dark underbelly.

U-T writers Jeff McDonald and Kelly Davis recently published the following on our jail conditions:

‘No meaningful treatment’: Doctor says San Diego County jails are the worst he’s ever seen —
An expert for the plaintiffs suing over jail conditions says San Diego County’s lockups are ‘far behind other jail and prison systems in California.’

By Marilyn, Ph.D. / Special to the OB Rag

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  We have heard about the downsides to high density including increased traffic and the lack of parking. But an important factor that has been minimized is the impact of high density on our mental health.

When you see drastic changes that alter the fabric of our communities, it can feel overwhelming and disorienting. There are many reasons Protect Point Loma (www.ProtectPointLoma.com) was formed to protest the building of 1004 Rosecrans. For one, it has not been fully vetted by the professional experts as it relates to the impact on congestion, pollution or safety.

Other new projects in the area like the one on Lytton are larger scale and replace smaller buildings, which can change the neighborhood vibe from friendly to hostile. There does not seem to be anyone looking at the big picture as they approve multiple ADU’s in single family home backyards, huge apartment complexes and the high rises slotted to go in along Pacific Highway.

It’s city budget time in San Diego (and elsewhere) and that means the head executive (Mayor Gloria) presents his budget for discussion to the legislature (city council) and they and their constituents then bob heads for several weeks in response, and the electeds all come back together and finalize the final financial plan.

Although this is 2025, so that means we’re in for a “mean” budget (in both senses of the word) because San Diego voters refused back in November to pass Gloria’s tax measure and he’s now in a mood to punish the rest of the city for this miscreant act. (See below for the budget)

So, the process is basic: the chief exec proposes all kinds of cut-backs to favored programs and services — and then the screaming begins, with those with the loudest objections are handed some relief, but those other program cuts are then enacted.

And this year, there’s another new wrinkle. City Council members are concerned that Gloria called the spending plan he released April 15 a “draft” budget instead of a full-blown “proposed” budget ready for debate and haggling. As David Garrick at the U-T explained:

The mayor’s subtle shift in terminology appears to begin the next front in an ongoing war between the mayor and council for control and influence over the city budget. The new battle comes at a crucial time, with the city facing deep cuts and potentially significant employee layoffs for the first time since the aftermath of the Great Recession 15 years ago.

By Geoff Page

Ocean Beach will soon have a big empty eye sore right on Sunset Cliffs Blvd. The Rite Aid store, with an address of 4840 Niagara, will soon be a shuttered shell. A very big shuttered shell. Its closure was confirmed.

Rita Aid has filed for its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the first was in 2023. The result this time appears to be liquidation or sale to another company. These proceedings can take a long time so, until it all shakes out, the building will eventually end up closed and empty.

Rite Aid has said it is committed to keeping the stores open during the bankruptcy process. The pharmacies will keep operating in-store and on-line for now. But, the remainder of the available inventory in the store will slowly disappear and not be restocked.

Long time OB residents may remember when the building was a grocery store, the Mayfair Market. It was one of only two large scale grocery stores in OB at that time. The other was the Safeway on Santa Monica and Cable, later the Apple Tree Market, before it became CVS.

Recent Die-Off Very Apparent at Campus of Point Loma Nazarene

By Angelica Moser / The Point / May 4, 2025

The raccoons on Point Loma Nazarene University’s campus have turned into the center of a wildlife conundrum as a recent die-off has led to concerns over illegal poisoning and the spread of disease among the animals.

The poison found is a rodenticide that causes internal bleeding and neurological disorders in animals, and it was banned in California by Governor Gavin Newsom on Jan. 1 due to its serious risks to wildlife. Photo courtesy of Brad Lally.

Brad Lally, resident and volunteer with the San Diego Humane Society, first noticed something was wrong in late January when a neighbor found a suspicious teal blue substance in the brush by the cliffs after a heavy rainstorm.

“It was really fresh looking and still kind of soft,” he said. “We’re sure that lot was spread around Jan. 26 and 27.”

The substance was later identified as a banned rodenticide by the San Diego Humane Society, which became illegal in California on Jan. 1 this year due to its harmful ecological effects.

Upwards of a thousand San Diegans rallied and marched on Thursday, May 1, for International Workers Day, shining light on a number of local unions involved in fights with management and on the contributions by immigrants to the nation. They rallied in Hillcrest, Balboa Park, at Chicano Park and at the Waterfront Park at the bay.

Nearly a 1,000 demonstrators marched in the morning through the streets from UC San Diego Hillcrest Medical Center to Balboa Park. Later in the day at Waterfront Park, dozens protested and then at night, hundreds rallied at Chicano Park.

Demonstrations occurred across the country — and the world in honor of workers.

The U-T reported:

At the hospital in Hillcrest, hundreds of UC San Diego Health system employees — including tech support specialists, pharmacists and patient ambassadors — gathered around 10 a.m. near the hospital’s entrance to demand better pay and work conditions during a one-day strike.

By Todd Walters

May Day is a global day of action to recognize and uplift working people. Here in San Diego, it’s a moment to reflect on our progress and renew our fight for fairness, respect, and dignity on the job. At UFCW Local 135, our members are standing strong and united— whether they work in grocery stores, healthcare, cannabis, or anywhere else.

They’re ready for the fight. And they’re rising together.

Our grocery members—more than 7,000 strong—are currently in contract negotiations with Vons/Pavilions, Albertsons, Ralphs and Stater Bros. These workers kept our communities fed through the pandemic and beyond. Now, they’re demanding a contract that reflects their hard work and the rising cost of living. Alongside our sister locals across the region, we are part of a powerful 65,000-member strong Southern California grocery bargaining unit. Together, we are demanding real raises, improved staffing, and better benefits. We’re not backing down—Grocery Workers Are Rising.

Unfortunately, we’re also facing major roadblocks at the bargaining table with one of the grocery companies: Stater Bros.

By Linda Taggart

Subject: Urgent Concerns Regarding Proposed Cuts to San Diego Humane Society Funding

Dear Mayor Gloria,

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the proposed 20% cut ($3.5 million) in the City of San Diego’s contract with the San Diego Humane Society, as outlined in the draft budget.

I understand you have publicly stated there would be “no cuts to public safety,” but I, along with many others, respectfully disagree. Humane Law Enforcement is a critical component of public safety, for both animals and people.

These proposed cuts would have devastating consequences for the residents and animals of San Diego. The San Diego Humane Society provides essential services that directly impact the safety and well-being of our community. Specifically, these cuts would eliminate the following:

Michael Chen of  abc10News has compiled a fairly solid update on the stabbings in Ocean Beach last Sunday morning, which follows down the page.

In the meantime, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the two victims, Chris Abrahamsen and his friend Gabe with their recovery. Here’s what the campaign page states:

On April 12th, 2025, my friend Gabe and I experienced an unexpected and violent attack that has left us both with serious injuries. Without any warning, a woman approached Gabe and stabbed him, and when I tried to intervene, I was also stabbed.

I was fortunate to survive, and thanks to the quick actions of those around us, we were able to get help. Both Gabe and I sustained serious injuries, including punctured lungs, and I also had damage to my diaphragm and heart. We are incredibly thankful for the immediate medical attention we received, which allowed us both to survive the ordeal.