Ocean Beach

The sign for the Ocean Beach Fishing Pier is right at the entrance on the concrete wall, before you get to the gate in the pier.

Reading the sign makes you realize

Part I

By Colleen O’Connor

A bit of good news. Brought to you by good people. And lots of human effort.

A new hotel built in Point Loma, where the community worked with developers to get what each wanted most. Something attractive, with an emphasis on “local” faire; a family friendly meeting place, a restaurant with local chefs, local beers, and local morning coffee.

The OB Mainstream Association is coordinating the committee’s formation.

By Geoff Page

The OB Planning Board meeting Wednesday, May 5, drew an abnormally large crowd because of an agenda item that stated, “The board will hear a presentation from the City about the current status of the pier and what options there are to reopen.” According to the on-line meeting information, 68 people had tuned in, far more than most meetings draw.

Unfortunately, the presentation from the city did not happen due to a scheduling mix up, but one will be rescheduled. The city was, however, represented by Teddy Martinez, the District 2 representative. Martinez was not there specifically for the pier item but did field a number of questions during the pier discussion.

In his remarks during the standard “Representatives Report” portion of the agenda, Martinez said

By Colleen O’Connor

Some House Republicans are prepping a vote to remove, Wyoming’s Rep. Liz Cheney, the highest-ranking woman in the House GOP, from her #3 Leadership post.

“There is no way that Liz will be conference chair by month’s end. When there is a vote, it won’t be a long conference [meeting]; it will be fast. Everyone knows the outcome,” opined Republican.

This will be the second such attempt. Cheney survived the first such effort; 145 to 61. A secret ballot.

Cheney’s grievous offense? Calling out Trump on his “BIG LIE” trying to overturn the 2020 election results and his participation in the January 6th Capitol insurrection. “What he did on January 6 is a line that cannot be crossed.”

By Judi Curry

From the 1300 block of Sunset Cliffs southbound, some of the most beautiful terrain of San Diego can be viewed. This particular area brings people from all phases of life to view the Cliffs, the waves, the birds, the homes, etc. and they do this on a very regular basis.

However, as a resident of the Cliffs area, it is getting out of hand. The traffic, the trash, the drinking has sky-rocked to the point that residents sometimes cannot get out of their driveways because of congestion on the road; rescue vehicles cannot traverse the road safely; pedestrians think they are invincible and cross in the middle of the street even though there is oncoming – and outgoing – traffic.

On Friday, the San Diego Union-Tribune announced the sad news:

Jim “Mouse” Robb, a legendary San Diego surfer who started riding waves in the 1940s on 70-pound longboards made out of redwood, and who became a father figure to dozens of local lifeguards and assorted water rats, died April 22, one day shy of his 88th birthday.

His impact, especially in Ocean Beach, inspired a bumper sticker, “Mouse Would Go,” which nods to his eagerness to surf even the biggest waves, and to his willingness to help people as a mentor, electrician, and do-whatever-it-takes volunteer.

by JW August / Times of San Diego / April 30, 2021

It was back in 2016 when Geoff Page noticed during his runs up and down Ocean Beach Pier what he thought were troubling structural problems.

Page has a construction background, so he says he couldn’t help but notice excessive wear and other damages to the supports for the 1,971-foot pier — the longest concrete pier on the West Coast.

It was also the same year that Ocean Beach celebrated the iconic pier and its 50-year survival of many of nature’s challenges. Over the decades, massive waves have taken a toll on the pier but how serious the problems may have become had never been made public by the city.

Editordude: This is the second part of our series of the proposed changes and improvement to OB’s seven parks by the Ocean Beach Planning Board Parks Subcommittee. (Here is the original presentation document.)

Ebers Street Park

This family-focused pocket park adjacent to the Ocean Beach Recreation Center is in need of updates to support the health and safety of the many local children that use the playground and grassy area.

Set in the midst of a family neighborhood and across the street from Ocean Beach Elementary School, this park is highly utilized by local children and their caregivers.

Editordude: the Ocean Beach Planning Board Parks Subcommittee has come with proposed improvements and recommendations for OB’s 7 parks: Veterans, Saratoga, Ebers Street, Collier, Dog Beach / Spray Street, Robb Field and Dusty Rhodes.

Introduction

The purview of the Ocean Beach Planning Board Parks Subcommittee is to review the accessible park space in the Ocean Beach area for the quality and usefulness of existing amenities and suggest upgrades focused on equity, safety, climate action goals, art, and promoting healthy and active lifestyles in accordance with the City of San Diego’s Parks Master Plan.