Category: History

San Diego has played an important role in American aviation history. Indeed, some of the earliest attempts at controlled flight have occurring here.

While most historians recognize the pioneering work of Montgomery, Curtis, Ryan, and Lindbergh, most ignored the role women played in San Diego’s aviation history.

Alex Bevil – the California State Parks Historian – will focus on the untold story of San Diego’s female aviators within the broader context of the history of women’s aviation.

The OB entryway sign is under attack – by termites and the weather. The wooden iconic welcome was installed back in the mid-Eighties, but now nature has taken its toll. It needs to be replaced.

The OB Town Council had issued a call to the community for new designs. And the Council reports that of those designs submitted fourteen were accepted; they will pare the entries down to about five – and then place the issue up for a community vote. (It’s unclear how that vote will occur – it could be via facebook.)

For more go here.

By Alon Harish / ABC News / Aug. 2, 2012

A new law in North Carolina will ban the state from basing coastal policies on the latest scientific predictions of how much the sea level will rise, prompting environmentalists to accuse the state of disrespecting climate science.

The law has put the state in the spotlight for what critics have called nearsightedness and climate change denial, but its proponents said the state needed to put a moratorium on predictions of sea level rise until scientific techniques improve.

The law was drafted in response to an estimate by the state’s Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) that the sea level will rise by 39 inches in the next century, prompting fears of costlier home insurance and accusations of anti-development alarmism among residents and developers in the state’s coastal Outer Banks region.

By K.S. Wang / Motor Trend / August 9, 2012

When members of the jam band Slightly Stoopid drive around Ocean Beach, San Diego, they are often recognized for being famous hometown sons. But when co-lead singer Miles Doughty drives around town, what usually turns heads is his 1942 Ford pickup.

“My dad got it for me 18 years ago when I was 16 and I was able to get it restored over the past couple years, so it’s pretty sweet,” Doughty says proudly. “We bought it in a farm area in Northern California. We were driving down the coast and there was this truck sitting out there in the field with a ‘for sale’ sign on it.”

Editor: The following was lifted off People’s online newsletter.

This month, Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market celebrates its 40th year as a retail vegetarian grocer.

Our story began in 1971, when a group of liked-minded people met at a beachside picnic table to discuss the idea of creating a place where the community could purchase whole, minimally processed, organic (when available), vegetarian food at affordable prices.

Today, as a bastion of sustainable and environmental living practices, People’s operates out of a 12,000 square foot, award winning “green” building, providing the very best in organic and vegetarian food.

Another apartment building in Ocean Beach has been sold. The 6-unit two-story complex at 5029 West Point Loma Boulevard was sold for over a million bucks – $1,052,500 – to be exact. The apartments consist of 4,483-square-feet within the apartments with a total of 7 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The building was originally built in 1976, and at that time, a large tree had to be cut down for the construction.

Editor: Seth is a former member of the Ocean Beach Planning Board (OBPB) and his well-thought out comments were left in response to another rant about apathetic Ocean Beach citizens. We wanted to share it so we brought it out for all to see.

By Seth

As a former OBPB rep whose term just ended this spring, my thoughts are essentially as follows:

While there are many good employees and some good departments, in my opinion there is an undeniable culture at the City that views Ocean Beach as something of an underutilized revenue stream, rather than as a community that they exist to serve.

A Majority of Americans Support Legalization of Marijuana Now for the First Time

This is an Open Letter to President Barack Obama Calling on him to legalize marijuana.

If you legalize marijuana, Mr. President, you’ll get the youth vote and win the 2012 Presidential election. It’s as simple as that. However you do it, Mr. President, if you legalize cannabis, you’ll then do for the young of this country what you did for the Mexican-American and Latino populations, and then what you did for the gay and lesbian communities earlier this year.

How is this so? …

By Barry Ladendorf
In many parts of the world, people will pause to commemorate what happened 67 years ago on August 6, 1945, when the United States unleashed the most diabolical weapon in the history of mankind on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later on August 9th, the same hellish fire consumed the city of Nagasaki. It is estimated that 250,000 people died as a result of the bombs.

On June 4th, the San Diego Free Press was launched as an online news source for the San Diego area, promising in its byline, “Progressive views and neighborhood news.” It was the latest effort in citizen journalism to hit San Diego. So how is it doing, two months into its re-birth?

Re-birth it is, for the original San Diego Free Press was published for about one year, 1968 to 1969, …

Here are some short articles recently published about Ocean Beach and its denizens.

Ron – the Rock Stacker

Dave Rice, at the San Diego Reader tells us about Ron, the OBcean who stacks rocks in his “spare” time. …

Two Women Seriously Injured in Fall from Sunset Cliffs

Two women were seriously injured Saturday when they fell off Sunset Cliffs near Ladera Street in South OB (haha – Point Loma).

Raccoons Give OB Tenant and Property Manager Headache – Was it the Cat?

The raccoon noise at the Maggards’ Narragansett Avenue apartment in Ocean Beach began in early May. They were often awakened around three in the morning to a racket above their bedroom.

We’re Reminded Why OB Has Lifeguards – OB’s Deadliest Day at the Beach

The Voice of San Diego reminds us in an older post of theirs why we have lifeguards at all.