Ocean Beach

Suspect Arrested in McDonald’s Fatal Stabbing in Midway District – Getaway Driver Still on Loose

September 22, 2023 by Source

A 31-year-old man was arrested this week in the killing of a man who was chased and stabbed repeatedly in a McDonald’s parking lot in the Midway District last month, San Diego police said. Armando Parras was arrested at a motel in West Covina on Sunday. He was later booked into San Diego County jail on suspicion of murder in the stabbing death of Joshua Goodman, 44, police said. Investigators did not reveal a motive.

Goodman, who apparently was homeless, was attacked around 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 30 after he rode his bicycle to the McDonald’s on Midway Drive near Duke Street,

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Church of the Nazarene Votes to Remove Head Pastor’s Credentials for ‘False Teachings’ on Human Sexuality

September 22, 2023 by Source

By Elaine Alfaro / LomaBeat.com / Sept. 20, 2023

Senior pastor Dee Kelley at First Church of the Nazarene, located on Point Loma Nazarene University’s campus, stood trial within the Church of the Nazarene on Aug. 11, accused of spreading false teaching regarding human sexuality. The Regional Board of Discipline in the Church of the Nazarene determined him guilty and ultimately voted to remove his credentials.

The upset began after Kelley contributed an essay entitled “A Hope For Change” to Nazarene Theologian Thomas Jay Oord’s book, “Why the Church of the Nazarene Should Be Fully LGBTQIA+ Affirming.”

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New Stroll at Pt Loma Native Plant Garden

September 22, 2023 by Source

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Water’s Edge Congregation to Be Terminated on Christmas Eve, Church to Be Sold by Methodists

September 19, 2023 by Frank Gormlie

First United Methodist Church in Mission Valley, the parent church for Water’s Edge, wants to terminate the Water’s Edge congregation after 90 plus years, and sell the church.

Water’s Edge church — formerly Point Loma United Methodist –at 1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd — has for a number of years been functioning as a community center, home to its congregation, of course, and also for the OB Historical Society, the Pioneer School for developmentally disabled kids, the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry and several AA and NA groups who hold meetings there.

The Methodist trustees would like to see “affordable” housing go in on that corner, Saratoga and Sunset Cliffs. The church also owns the little duplex immediately west of the church school building on Saratoga Ave, which would also be sold.

Ironically, according to plan, the Methodist Church wants to terminate the Water’s Edge congregation on Christmas Eve. This is not a joke.

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The War on San Diego’s Planning Groups

September 19, 2023 by Source

Editordude: The following is by Kate Callen who is a candidate for the District 3 seat on the San Diego City Council.

By Kate Callen

Imagine if all democratically-elected officials had to “apply” to keep their jobs. And the candidates they defeated were invited to apply for those jobs. And the “winners” were chosen behind closed doors.

This is called “overturning elections,” and it’s exactly what is happening to San Diego’s 53 community planning groups, including District 3’s five groups: Downtown, Greater Golden Hill, Mission Valley, North Park, and Uptown.

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San Diego Joins Camping Ban Case Review by US Supreme Court

September 19, 2023 by Source

On Monday, in a closed session, the San Diego City Council voted 6 to 2 to join a city in Oregon that is asking the US Supreme Court to weigh in on the legality of its camping ban. After yesterday’s vote, San Diego will file an amicus brief, or a written submission with legal arguments and recommendations about the case.

San Diego is only joining the case as an “amicus curiae,” or a “friend of the court.” This means the city isn’t party to the case, but can get permission to submit briefs and arguments supporting the city in Oregon — Grants Pass. Of course, San Diego has a reason as it just recently implemented its own camping ban.

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San Diego Closes 2 La Jolla Areas to Protect Sea Lions

September 19, 2023 by Source

by Elizabeth Ireland / Times of San Diego / Sept. 18, 2023

The San Diego City Council Monday, Sept. 18, voted for a year-round closure of Boomer Beach and Point La Jolla, two areas that serve as California sea lion rookeries and areas which have been closed seasonally since 2021.

The closure area encompasses Point La Jolla and parts of Boomer Beach, specifically from the Conrad F. Limbaugh and Harold F. Riley commemorative plaque northwest of La Jolla Cove to the last gazebo above Boomer Beach northeast of Rocky Point.

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OB Planners Project Review Com. : Valvoline Station and Dish Wireless — Wed., Sept. 20

September 18, 2023 by Source

This is the official agenda of the OB Planning Board’s Project Review Committee for Wednesday, Sept. 20 :

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No Strikes Here: All Home Runs – Portuguese Hall Vintage Car Show

September 18, 2023 by Source

By Colleen O’Connor

A busy weekend at the Point. Sports fishing vessels packed. Duck boats touring the bay filled.

And Portuguese Hall celebrating the Festa Da Lapa Saturday night with folk dancers, food, and “late into the night” live music.

All followed by Sunday morning’s vintage car show.

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San Diego’s ‘Crackdown’ on Scooters Has Dropped Use by 80% and Caused 3 of 4 Companies to Leave Town

September 18, 2023 by Source

By David Garrick / San Diego Union-Tribune / Sept. 16, 2023

San Diego’s year-old crackdown on electric scooters has had the unintended consequence of shrinking usage by 80 percent and prompting three of the four companies with city scooter contracts to cease local operations.

The number of annual rides since the new rules were approved in August 2022 plummeted from 3 million to 595,000 and Spin, Lime and Link have all left town, leaving Bird as San Diego’s lone scooter company.

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Hurricane Hilary Blamed for Rise In Ankle Biter Mosquitos

September 18, 2023 by Source

By Paige Austin / Patch / Sept. 16, 2023

It’s been more than three weeks since Hurricane Hilary dumped record August rain on California, and the rare summer storm’s impact on the mosquito population is hitting home, literally.

An uninvited houseguest is plaguing homes up and down California. It’s the Aedes aegypti, better known as the ankle-biter mosquito, one of the most vicious little bloodsuckers to invade the Golden State.

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The Very Latest in the Internecine Warfare Within San Diego’s Democratic Party

September 15, 2023 by Source

By Ken Stone/ Times of San Diego /Sept. 15, 2023

Days after balking at demands that she apologize to Rep. Scott Peters and others, former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña on Tuesday sent San Diego County Democratic Party officials an 830-word memo titled “Re:Social Media statement corrections.”

In short, she apologized.

“I am writing to apologize for using incorrect and misleading punctuation in a social media post in July,” she told the party’s Ethics Committee and executive board. “As a retired teacher, I understand the importance of using correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation in any writing, for clarity and accuracy.”

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Greenpeace: ‘Huge’ Overfishing Problem Shows Ocean Treaty Needs to Be Ratified

September 14, 2023 by Source

By Romain Fonsegrives / Yahoo News / September 13, 2023

Overfishing in international waters has surged in the past five years and demonstrates the need to ratify a recent global treaty to protect the high seas, a Greenpeace report said Wednesday.

The non-governmental network is calling on as many countries as possible to sign the treaty next week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

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OB Friends of the Library Book Sale at Vignettes Antiques — Sat., Sept.16

September 14, 2023 by Source

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Far-Right Politicians Try to Muscle In on Citizens’ Revolt Over San Diego Housing Policies

September 13, 2023 by Frank Gormlie

Needless to say, but this summer witnessed a citizens’ revolt over San Diego housing policies, most noteworthy the showdown at the August 3 San Diego Planning Commission hearing on Senate Bill 10. (The Commission voted unanimously against the proposal and Mayor Gloria stated he was taking SB10 out of his housing package – although SB10 opponents won’t rest until it’s formally removed from the Housing Action Package.)

Yet, once the dust settled, one of San Diego’s most far-right politicians emerged to take credit for SB 10’s defeat. Enter Carl DeMaio. His team has since sent out an email to his followers which claimed:

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Reader Rant: ‘New Pier Designs Will Destroy OB’s World-Class Surf’

September 13, 2023 by Source

By Anonymous Surfer

I’ve been surfing OB for decades and as a teenager I remember the 1966 World Class Surfing Contest held at Ocean Beach. Every year since there’s been important surfing contests in the waves right off the OB Pier.

I think now that the new designs for the OB Pier are horrible and will destroy the very surf spot that has put OB on the surfing map.

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‘The Piers of Ocean Beach’ by OB Historical Society — Thursday, Sept.21 — at the Pier

September 13, 2023 by Source

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25th Annual OB Pancake Breakfast — Sat., Sept.16

September 13, 2023 by Source

The Ocean Beach Town Council will hold the 25th annual Pier Pancake Breakfast on Ocean Beach Pier from 7:30 AM to noon on Saturday, September 16th.

This annual community tradition kicks off their big fundraising season for the Ocean Beach Food and Toy Drive which helps as many 100 local families and seniors in need during the upcoming holiday season.

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San Diego County’s Shrinking Beaches

September 12, 2023 by Source

By Phil Diehl/ San Diego U-T / Sept. 10, 2023

San Diego County’s beaches need costly, sustained replenishment efforts to remain the wide, sandy tourist attractions they have been for so long, a new regional study shows.

Shorelines in south Oceanside, south Carlsbad, Leucadia and Coronado are shrinking fast, according to the 2023 “State of the Coast” report released Thursday by the San Diego Association of Governments.

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The Saga of the Street Lights on Abbott – Short Video by Charles Landon

September 12, 2023 by Source


Here’s a short video by Charles Landon of “The Sage of the Street Lights on Abbott.”

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Midway Rising Sports Arena Update — Tuesday, Sept.12

September 12, 2023 by Source

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Parents and Students Rallied at Correia for Safety Concerns and Due to ‘Dismissive’ Response by School Officials

September 11, 2023 by Staff

Forum at Correia Planned for Monday, Sept. 11.

Last Thursday morning, Sept 7, a group of parents and students stood outside Correia Middle School on Valeta Street before the bell rang with some holding signs that read “See something, say something,” “Believe them,” and “Zero tolerance for guns at school.”

The small rally was organized by parents concerned about reports of a gun on campus being brandished plus allegations of sexual harassment by boys from over a dozen girl students. Also, part of parents’ grief was the milquetoast response by school officials that denigrated parents’ concerns and students’ claims.

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The Best Idea: Neither Biden nor Trump — Part 2

September 11, 2023 by Source

Colleen O’Connor’s views are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the OB Rag.

By Colleen O’Connor

Earthquakes happen.  Geological (Morocco), Economic (Crashes), Environmental (Cat 4 hurricanes), Medical (pandemics) and even political ones.

Each manifest fault lines that presage potential disaster and prompt the wise to prepare.

It is in that vein that “Neither Biden nor Trump” Part 1 was written.

The political fault lines in both leading candidates and their respective parties are well known.  The consequences of not preparing for an obvious political earthquake is imprudent at best.

Hence, the need to find an escape route and prepare ahead.  Just in case.  Surely, it merits a discussion.  Even if for beyond 2022.

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Report From OB Planning Board: Wireless at St. Peter’s Parking Lot, Update on Terminal 1, and Bylaw Changes

September 11, 2023 by Staff

By Geoff Page

The agenda item that generated the longest discussion at the Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting, Wednesday, September 6, illustrated that long-running concerns about wireless transmissions and health are still alive and kicking.

There was also an interesting update on San Diego Airport’s Terminal One construction progress. And, there was a discussion of by-laws changes that need to be made to have the OBPB “recognized” next year by the city as the planning group for OB.

DISH Wireless

DISH was seeking approval for a wireless project located in a parking lot of St. Peter’s by the sea Lutheran Church. The church sits on a large lot bounded by Point Loma Ave., Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Adair Street, and an alley on the east side. There is a parking lot across the alley next to the laundromat that belongs to the church.

The work involves placing two 30-foot-tall light standards with DISH equipment at the top in a “24 by 24” enclosure. The original design for a “48 x 48” enclosure was down-sized when the OBPB Project Review subcommittee criticized it by saying it looked like a refrigerator on a tall stick.

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The 3 Design Concepts for the Ocean Beach Pier

September 11, 2023 by Source

Here are the preliminary design concepts for the OB Pier unveiled at a workshop on Saturday.

We offer now only renderings and the brief descriptions of the different designs by the city, without comment.

Preliminary Design Concept #1 – The Squint Test

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San Diego to Sue SeaWorld for Failure to Pay Back Rent of Over $12 Million Today … or Maybe Tomorrow

September 7, 2023 by Source

It seems we’ve been hearing for months now that San Diego will move on SeaWorld for not paying back rent and penalties of over $12 million it owes the city. And now we’re told that if SeaWorld missed its midnight deadline, the city will sue for breach of contract. Here’s the latest by U-T reporter Jennifer van Grove in Wednesday’s edition.

By Jennifer van Grove / SDU-T / Sept. 6, 2023

The city of San Diego will Thursday move forward with a breach-of-contract lawsuit against SeaWorld San Diego if the theme park fails to meet a midnight deadline to pay $12.2 million in outstanding rent and penalties, the city attorney’s office said Wednesday.

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Point Loma’s Roseville Walking Tour — Sat., Sept.9

September 7, 2023 by Source

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The Best Idea: Neither Biden nor Trump

September 7, 2023 by Source

Colleen O’Connor’s views are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the OB Rag.

By Colleen O’Connor

In December of last year, I posted a prediction: “Neither Biden nor Trump will be elected the U.S. President in 2024.”

I stand by those postings.  Now some very prominent politicians and strategists are beginning to agree. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said, “there’s a ‘good shot’ neither Biden nor Trump will be on the 2024 ballot.”

Add Senator, Tim Kaine (D-Va.) who declared that there is a “powerful argument” to be made that the 14th Amendment disqualifies former President Trump from even running in 2024.

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Troubles at Correia – Parents Threaten Sit-Out Due to Safety Concerns

September 7, 2023 by Frank Gormlie

Parents of students at Correia Middle School threatened a “sit-out” for Thursday morning after they were dissatisfied with the response by school officials over an alleged gun threat and allegations of sexual harassment of girl students by a group of boys, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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Ocean Beach and Point Loma News — Early September 2023

September 6, 2023 by Frank Gormlie

3 Design Alternatives for OB Pier Replacement to Be Presented at Public Workshop Sat, Sept. 9

The city of San Diego says three initial design alternatives for a planned replacement of the Ocean Beach Pier will be presented during a public workshop Saturday, Sept. 9.

Summer Moratorium on Vendors Lifted: Vendors Allowed on Newport Between Abbott and Sunset Cliffs Blvd

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