Category: Ocean Beach

San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality today, Wednesday, March 25th, announced the closure of the San Diego River where it meets Dog Beach in Ocean Beach after a large volume of sewage was released.

According to the DEHQ, 18,000 gallons of sewage was discharged, with an estimated 9,000 gallons reaching the San Diego River near the intersection of Friars Road and Sea World Drive.

Beachgoers were advised that the ocean water contains sewage and may cause illness. The water contact closure will remain in place until sampling and field observations confirm these areas are safe for water contact, according to a county statement.

Tens of Thousands Expected Across San Diego County for No Kings March 28 

Organizers anticipate largest San Diego turnout yet after 80,000+ joined October mobilization

Tens of thousands of San Diego County residents are expected at 22 rallies, marches and family-friendly events on Saturday, March 28, building on the 80,000+ who mobilized countywide in October 2025. Participants say they are mobilizing in defense of democratic institutions, civil liberties, and social programs affecting San Diego families. Events are scheduled across San Diego County, including Downtown San Diego, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Mira Mesa, Carlsbad, Oceanside,Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Fallbrook, Temecula, Valley Center, Rancho Bernardo, Ramona, La Mesa, El Cajon, Chula Vista, Otay Mesa and Borrego Springs.

Here’s the updated list of No Kings events within San Diego County, March 28

MAIN SAN DIEGO RALLY & MARCH
Waterfront Park
10:00 a.m.–noon | 1600 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101

Schedule:
10:00–10:45 a.m. — Main program & speakers
10:45 a.m.–noon  — March; return to Waterfront Park

by Thomas Murphy / Beach & Bay Press / March 23, 2026

A 75-year-old waterfront restaurant in Mission Bay could be forced out by the city of San Diego’s redevelopment plan, putting Joe Busalacchi’s family business and one of the bay’s oldest tenants at risk.

Sportsmen’s Seafood was the first lease signed in Mission Bay, operating even before the area’s first bridges were built.

Busalacchi has run the restaurant for 36 years, continuing a three-generation family business after his father passed away.

“The city is supposed to serve and protect the citizens of San Diego. They want to kick out all of these people who have to pay rent and pay for their children,” said Busalacchi. “How is that serving and protecting? They ain’t serving me, any of my employees, or anyone on the docks.”

by Brooke Binkowski and Tessa Balc / Times of San Diego / March 22, 2026

A group of surfers held a paddle out Sunday morning, March 22,— an action typically reserved for mourning the death of a beloved community member — to protest the Trump administration’s weaponization of immigration agencies.

Dozens of surfers gathered at La Jolla Shores on Sunday for the event, “Let’s Get Salty – Time to Melt the ICE,” which was organized by a collective called San Diego Salty, with the stated goal of bringing awareness to arrests, deportations, forced disappearances, and deaths at the hands of Immigration Customs and Enforcement and other border agencies.

“This is about showing up together, sparking conversation, and building clear bridges to action – while reminding one another that we are not alone and that solidarity is stronger when we move as ONE,” their Instagram page said.

This Is a Challenge to City’s Passage of “Package A”

Today, March 24, Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) will file a lawsuit against the City of San Diego which challenges the City’s approval of profound changes to its historic preservation program without the required environmental review by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This is about “Package A” which many OBceans are now familiar with.

SOHO’s suit in San Diego Superior Court “seeks an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process to address adverse environmental impacts to historic resources posed by the City’s proposed Preservation and Progress project,” as SOHO stated in an announcement today.

Here’s the balance of SOHO’s announcement:

The City approved “Package A” of the project without analyzing the potential environmental impacts of weakening protections for historic resources across San Diego by modifications to the Municipal Code and General Plan.

By Nicole Gomez / 7SanDiego / March 20, 2026

A group of off-duty San Diego lifeguards is being credited with saving the life of a 57-year-old man who went into cardiac arrest at a restaurant in Ocean Beach.

The incident happened on March 1, around 7:30 p.m. at Blue Water Seafood, where three lifeguards — including Noah Herrera — had just sat down to eat when they noticed a man who appeared to be in distress.

Herrera said the situation quickly escalated.

“We rolled him, checking his pulse, and I didn’t feel anything after about 10 seconds, and I told Mitch, ‘I don’t feel a pulse, start compressions,’ and he just started on his chest right away,” Herrera said.

At the same time, another off-duty lifeguard, Griffin Houldin, was dining nearby with his girlfriend when they noticed the commotion.

by Scott Lewis and Will Huntsberry / Voice of San Diego / March 21, 2026

D2 Race Is On

What do you get when a French mime, an MBA student, a merchant marine and a former mayor walk into a community center in Clairemont?

That would be a League of Women Voters candidate forum, of course.

Seven people are running for the District 2 council seat, which includes Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Mission Beach and Clairemont.

Any District 2 voters looking for San Diego’s version of Zohran Mamdani didn’t find him at the forum, which happened earlier this month. The debate was dominated by reaction to new fees, homebuilding and what the candidates viewed as poor management by current city leaders.

Allow me to break out some lanes for you that appeared evident at the forum.

By Csaba “Abby” Petre

This past Thursday, March 19th, a unique spring celebration happened under the brilliant flower-covered arbors of a very special house. Kicking off in the late afternoon sun around 4:30, the OB Historical Society’s bi-annual fundraiser took place at the beloved Wisteria Cottage on Niagara Avenue, drawing a joyous and elegantly dressed crowd of long-time locals, new neighbors, and friends of OB alike.

The Wisteria Cottage has a long history in the community; built in 1907, it is one of the oldest homes in OB. Its namesake vine was planted by John Clarke in 1915. Ned and Shirley Titlow remodeled the cottage extensively, built the patio, and constructed the arbor that supports the vine, provides extensive shade, and adds a beautiful touch of color to this part of OB. The Titlows also began the tradition of opening the house for the OBHS fundraiser in the early 2000s.

The City’s Municipal Primary Election will be held on June 2, 2026. The top two vote-getters in the Primary will advance to the General Municipal Election, which will be held on November 3, 2026. The following candidates are qualified to appear on the ballot in the order below as selected by random draw:

“My Brother Had a Name: Ryan Richard Taylor”

by Rachael Taylor / Voice of San Diego / March 17, 2026

When people hear that my younger brother died while experiencing homelessness, I can tell they want the story to stop there.

They want something tidy, contained and easier to process.

But my brother was not just another tragic ending on the street to be squeezed inside a statistic.

My brother had a name: Ryan Richard Taylor.

Last year, Voice of San Diego featured him in a story about people who received tickets over and over again because they were homeless. Authorities claimed their crackdown was reducing street homelessness. But Ryan continued to stay in Ocean Beach, where he felt most comfortable and at home, even after five arrests and nine citations for offenses related to homelessness.

He died in Ocean Beach on December 6, 2025.

Construction Could Start As Soon As Late 2027

by Dave Schwab / Times of San Diego / March 17, 2026

For those wondering what’s happening with the affordable housing project proposed in Famosa Canyon, the project is still a go.

It’s just taking a little while.

“Bridge Housing Corp.’s proposed development of affordable housing at the property at the corner of Famosa and Nimitz boulevards is still in the pre-development phase,” said Scott Marshall, vice president of communications and government relations for the San Diego Housing Commission.

Bridge Housing plans to conduct community outreach, submit plans to the city for consideration, apply for necessary financing, and request and obtain building permits before construction can begin.

Construction could start late in 2027, said Marshall. “However, many factors related to these pending items could affect the timeline,” he added.