Category: History

This is a brief summary of David Garrick’s piece at The San Diego Union-Tribune, published May 26-27, 2026, entitled “Here’s who’s drawing the most money in San Diego City Council races”. Our primary focus is on District 2, and Garrick’s review was primarily on the candidates drawing the most money.

Josh Coyne

Josh Coyne — who’s a Democrat (as are all the D2 candidates except Bailey) has been receiving strong financial support — “more than $200,000 — from an independent committee led by Local 89 of the Laborers International Union of North America.”

In terms of positioning for a future campaign should he be one of the winners in the Primary, Coyne has “essentially nothing — he has $30,000 in cash on hand but a matching $30,000 in unpaid bills,” reports Garrick.

However, all the top Democrats in this race expect party and labor help for whichever of them wins in the Primary.

Nicole Crosby

Nicole Crosby, is also getting labor support, mainly from the largest labor union for city workers — the Municipal Employees Association

By Katie Anastas / KPBS /  May 28, 2026 

On an April morning in downtown San Diego, Elizabeth Johnson and a half-dozen other parents with children in the San Diego Unified School District gathered to protest.

Johnson stuck letters onto a piece of cardstock to spell “teachers over tech.” Other signs read “less screens, more humans” and “ed tech is the biggest grift in education.”

The group is part of the local chapter of Schools Beyond Screens.

They stood in front of the Manchester Grand Hyatt outside of a sold-out conference, where school district leaders, college presidents, tech executives and startup founders were speaking about the latest in artificial intelligence and educational technology.

Johnson and a growing number of other parents are asking the district to reevaluate the role technology plays in its classrooms. They’re concerned about kids’ learning, attention spans, eyesight, privacy and social skills.

A resolution on the issue could go before the school board as soon as next month.

OB Rag Staff Report

San Diego’s 22-year experiment with a “strong mayor” has been hobbled by a string of financial crises.

Is it time to consider restoring the position of City Manager?

Jack McGrory, the last person to hold the job, will share his thoughts at a town hall forum on “Why We Need a City Manager and Other Insights” on Saturday, June 20, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway.

Sponsored by the San Diego Community Coalition (SDCC) and Neighbors for a Better San Diego (NFABSD), the forum is the fifth in a series of question-and-answer sessions on important civic issues.

These events are free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

Sponsorships Light this Year for Free Concert Organizers

By Dave Schwab / Times of San Diego / May 25, 2026

With the start of the Point Loma Summer Concerts series just weeks away, organizers are seeking donations to help offset the rising costs of delivering five weekly concerts from July 10 to August 7.

The free concerts are held every Friday evening at Point Loma Park, 1049 Catalina Blvd., with a performance on the junior stage at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Main Stage band kicking off at 6:30 p.m.

“For 26 years, the Point Loma Summer Concerts has brought our community together for free summer concerts in the park,” said Glenn Millar, president of the nonprofit concert series for 2026. “But keeping the concerts free is not free.”

From Voice of San Diego / May 27, 2026

When Mayor Todd Gloria first proposed eliminating grants that support arts institutions and community programming in the city’s budget, many of us in the arts community were deeply concerned. The proposed $11.8 million reduction to arts funding—an 86.6% cut—would have a significant impact on organizations and programs that serve hundreds of thousands of San Diegans each year.

Arts and culture contribute so much to the economic vitality and civic life of our region, but these proposed cuts threaten the ability of arts organizations to continue to play that role into the future.

When the mayor later released his revised budget in May, however, no funding was restored for arts and culture. Indeed, as funds were found for other areas of the budget, the arts were left behind. For many in the sector this was profoundly discouraging and intensified fears about the future stability of arts programming. It raises significant concerns about the city’s priorities and our collective future.

City arts and culture funding does not bankroll lavish galas or extravagant productions. It supports community theater in neighborhoods that otherwise have little access to the arts. I

By Ed Harris

My experience as a former District Two Council Member and Lifeguard taught me that most of our elected officials do not represent the communities. They spend their careers pleasing special interest to ensure they get donations for their next office. When deciding who to vote for please follow the money. The other candidates in this race are already indebted to special interests. They are getting ads paid for by committees and parties who spin the truth. When you are flooded with campaign mailers take a look at the bottom to see who funded it. Then you will know who will own that candidate. Mandy is the real deal. She’s not bought and paid for by special interests.

She hasn’t sold out our neighborhoods, our coastline, or our community values for political favors or insider backing. She’s independent, she’s authentic, and she’s exactly the kind of leader we need at City Hall right now.

We do not need another rubber stamp politician.

USS F-1 Submarine Sank in 1917 After Collision During Training Exercise, 19 Crew Members Lost

By Pia Gray / Futura / May 12, 2026

A research expedition off the coast of San Diego has captured the most detailed imagery ever recorded of the USS F-1 submarine. The World War I vessel sank in 1917 following a surface collision during a training exercise, taking 19 crew members down with it. Operating 1,300 feet below the surface, researchers used advanced deep submergence technology to document the site with precision, providing a clear window into a century old naval tragedy.
Locating the relic

The USS F-1 has occupied the seafloor west of Point Loma since its sudden sinking eight days before Christmas. While a Navy submersible initially spotted the rough location of the wreckage in 1972 during an unrelated search, a close-up survey remained impossible for decades due to the extreme depth. A joint expedition by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the US Navy finally resolved the mystery by deploying deep sea submersibles directly to the site.

Voice of San Diego / May 27, 2026

Tonight, Wednesday the 27th, the San Diego City Council will hold a public hearing on this year’s proposed budget, which seeks to close a $118 million deficit. Tonight’s public hearing will be held in Council Chambers starting at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting is the latest deliberation following Mayor Todd Gloria’s May revision. He restored some library and recreation center hours after Councilmembers pushed back, saying those cuts pose a threat to public safety.

But there are still some tense conversations ahead.

WE WANT MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION
Join San Diego ART Matters, Arts+Culture: San Diego, and regional arts and culture leaders for a public press conference calling attention to the proposed elimination of City funding for arts and culture grants in the FY27 budget.

News Item: In 2025, the San Diego City Council passed a final budget that reduced the San Diego Humane Society’s (SDHS) annual animal services contract by $1 million. While the city initially proposed a more devastating 20% ($3.5 million) cut, the compromise forces the organization to evaluate fee increases and operational adjustments while facing critical shelter capacity issues.

By Debbie L. Sklar

Public discussion has included questions about the San Diego Humane Society, including shelter capacity, animal control responsibilities, and executive compensation. San Diego Humane Society President and CEO Dr. Gary Weitzman is compensated at more than $500,000 annually, according to publicly available IRS Form 990 filings. Records published through ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer list total compensation of approximately $509,396 in the most recent reporting period, including salary and other reportable compensation. The filing also lists approximately $72.8 million in annual revenue and more than $100 million in net assets.

Weitzman has served as president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society since 2010.

by Ernie McCray

Attending a
Community College league of California
Trustees Conference
with Maria, my querida,
a trustee,
I happened upon
a session that very much interested me,
one regarding
protecting campuses
from ICE
who a while back
became a concern
to Santa Barbara Community College
when agents, nevertheless,
although they didn’t harass or arrest
any students,

By Jillian Butler

Every Memorial Day weekend, the Point Loma and Ocean Beach Peninsula community pauses to remember the men and women who never returned home from war. Against the backdrop of sweeping ocean views and rows of white headstones overlooking the Pacific Ocean, residents, veterans, and military families gathered at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Point Loma can trace its military history back to the late 18th century when the Spanish sought to build a fortress opposite Coronado Island. In 1852, the southernmost point of Point Loma was given to the United States Army and named “Fort Rosecrans”, after Major General William Rosecrans, a Civil War Era union soldier, and later California Congressman. In 1932, Fort Rosecrans was registered as a California Historical Landmark.

During the two World Wars, Point Loma became a key strategic point. The United States military erected numerous bunkers, fire-control stations, and radio stations. The area was equipped with long-range coastal artillery batteries, an underground railroad to carry ammunition to the batteries — rendering the region a crucial coastal support zone. Additionally, the area served as a bastion for anti-submarine warfare.