Category: Health

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.

By Regina Elling / Point Loma – OB Monthly SD Union-Tribune / April 10, 2025

Whether by providing child care, youth and family services, resources for food and housing assistance and more, the T. Claude and Gladys B. Ryan Family YMCA in Point Loma has served a lot of people in its 55 years, “and we want to continue to serve for … generations to come,” according to Executive Director Jonathon Collopy.

That’s why the Ryan Family YMCA — previously known as the Peninsula Family YMCA — hopes for a new building to replace its current one at 4390 Valeta St., near Correia Middle School and Bill Cleator Park.

Cool heads have, for the moment at least, prevailed on the Mission Bay Park Committee. A majority of the city-backed committee has rejected spending $600,000 on an analysis of how best to divvy up the land known as South Shores between different recreational activities.

When the Committee met earlier this week on Tuesday, they voted 5 to 3 against spending “$600,000 creating a proposed map of amenities — called a general development plan by city officials — before studying which parts of South Shores are too toxic for the public to use,” as David Garrick at the San Diego U-T reported today. Garrick continued:

Committee members strongly support transforming the 100 acres of underutilized land into public amenities — but they said the city must first analyze the land’s history as a dumping site for trash and industrial waste in the 1950s. They said it makes no sense to spend $600,000 creating a proposed map of amenities — called a general development plan by city officials — before studying which parts of South Shores are too toxic for the public to use.

“People are walking around with knowledge there is toxic waste somewhere under the ground in South Shores,” said Jeff Johnson, the committee’s chair. “Before we do a GDP, we should spend money to do an objective study to find out where it is, what it is and how bad it is.”

By Tammy Murga / The San Diego Union-Tribune / March 27, 2025

A large South County development in a fire-prone area, stalled in a yearslong legal battle, will be allowed to move forward with changes aimed at boosting the housing stock while mitigating wildfire risk.

On Wednesday, March 26, state Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that he and several environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club, Endangered Habitats League and the Center for Biological Diversity, reached a settlement in their lawsuit against developer Baldwin & Sons over the Otay Ranch Village 13 project, proposed for a site that has repeatedly burned.

In November 2020, the county Board of Supervisors approved the development despite objections that it threatened wildlife and would put too many people at risk of wildfires.

Environmental activists sued the county over claims it violated the California Environmental Quality Act. The Attorney General’s office later joined the lawsuit.

Due to an all-day medical procedure tomorrow, Thursday, March 27, I will not be able to administer the Rag during the day and the site will be dark. That means there will not be any new posts and I will not be able to okay comments.

By Karen Pearlman / East County Magazine / March 20, 2025

Photos by Karen Pearlman

More than 100 residents who would be most affected by the proposed Cottonwood Sand Mine gathered in force Tuesday, March 18 at the Rancho San Diego Library to let the Valle de Oro Community Planning Group know they don’t want it in their neighborhood.

After listening to more than two dozen people share their concerns, the community planning group voted 11-0 to recommend opposing the project that would see 214 acres of the former 280-acre Cottonwood Golf Course along Willow Glen Drive in Rancho San Diego turned into a digging site for sand mining for at least 10 years.

The group also voted 10-1, with one abstention, to not agree with a design exception review to waive the undergrounding overhead utilities along Willow Glen Road.

Next step: County Planning Commission hearing April 18

A second fire in three days broke out in Ocean Beach this week. This one was sparked by a kitchen appliance and heavily damaged an Ocean Beach apartment in the 4900 block of Del Monte Avenue on Thursday. The first fire was late Monday night on the 4700 block of Muir.

Two residents, not at home, were displaced but the family cat was unable to be saved by first responders.

A funny thing just happened about local lifeguard stations. Not funny funny, but odd funny and something that disparages Ocean Beach — again.

All of a sudden, the San Diego Fire-Rescue department — the city department in charge of the lifeguards and their stations — is insisting on an emergency $1 million in repairs to the Mission Beach Lifeguard Tower. And a city council committee, the Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will be having Fire-Rescue make its case for the necessary repairs at the at 1:00 p.m. Thursday City Hall meeting. And Jen Campbell, who also of course represents Mission Beach is on board for the emergency monies — despite the city’s funding crisis.

They’re all saying that the Mission Beach Lifeguard Tower is facing serious structural issues that demand immediate attention, and is showing significant signs of wear and tear, prompting concerns about its ability to withstand further deterioration. San Diego Fire-Rescue is calling for these emergency repairs to address the building’s failing condition, with the possibility of falling debris becoming a serious hazard. Channel 8 reports, “According to an inspection by the City’s Development Services in November, the situation is so severe that without immediate action, the structure could become unsafe for lifeguards and the general public.”

This could all be accurate and good.

But, hey, what about the Ocean Beach lifeguard station? It’s been falling apart for years and the community has been requesting for repairs or a replacement. For years.

Now, comparisons are rough. The Mission Beach station is one of the busiest in the city. Mission Beach also has a town council that speaks up for the community’s needs and wants.

It’s been totally underplayed by local media, but last week on Friday, March 14, the United States Geological Survey sent out an alert for a magnitude 4.6 earthquake in the Salton Sea area.

The USGS report included details about the epicenter, the depth and how widespread the impact was.

The problem is that it never happened and the earthquake report was pulled down from the agency’s website.

USGS Public Affairs Specialist Paul Laustsen conceded the earthquake never occurred. He said:

“The message was sent in error during a system testing. There was no earthquake of that magnitude at that time or at that depth. We are still looking into what happened. This is definitely a rare occurrence.”

By David Helvarg / Los Angeles Times Guest Opinion / March 11, 2025

Last month, close to 1,000 National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration workers, including weather forecasters, were fired. The Trump administration has now told agency leaders to fire another 1,000 people. Along with 300 resignations to date this will approach 20% of its workforce.

The White House’s Department of Government Efficiency also informed NOAA that its lease on the Center for Weather and Climate Prediction in College Park, Md., will soon be canceled. The center is essential in creating accurate computer models for everything from the next severe weather front to hit farmers in the Midwest to the long-term costs of extreme weather events linked to climate change.