San Diego

U-T Editorial Board Disses and Warns Gloria, Gives Props to Turner

March 14, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

About a week ago, the Union-Tribune issued its stance on the results of the just-held Primary and took swipes at Todd Gloria and gave props to the independent Larry Turner, all the while longing for the heavyweight pro who didn’t appear.

For Mayor Todd Gloria, the results are anything but a confirmation of voters’ faith in him.

And the editors rightly acknowledged that the incumbent mayor barely won half the vote, something the Rag did in our recent analysis; this is big; after 4 years a Democratic mayor in a Democratic city and all Democrats on the City Council barely won half the freaking vote!!??

In barely winning half the vote against well-meaning opponents with little mastery of basic issues,

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Now, the City Is Thinking About Subsidizing Midway Rising’s Affordable Housing in Sports Arena Redevelopment

March 13, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

After all the ups and downs of the Midway Rising redevelopment team and its promises, San Diego residents now are being faced with subsidizing Midway Rising’s affordable housing part of the project.

For example, just last October Midway Rising dropped the middle-income family units from its redevelopment plan, which angered a number of City Council members.

Originally, in order to obtain the bid for the massive redevelopment of the Sports Arena area, Midway Rising pledged it would build 2,000 affordable housing units. As U-T reporter Jennifer van Grove stated in yesterday’s (subscriber only) article on the matter:

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The Fukushima — California Connection: A Video

March 13, 2024 by Source

Please take a moment to reflect on Japan’s Nuclear Disaster at Fukushima 13 years later, billions spent, unchecked meltdowns persist while contamination abounds with no end in sight.

Please watch this 12 minute video made especially for this somber occasion, and remember that it could still happen here too, with 3.6 million pounds of nuclear waste 100 feet from the ocean at sea level, in a tsunami zone.

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Expanding Bribery Indictment of Former DOD Engineer at NAVWAR Involved $100 Million in Gov’t Contracts

March 12, 2024 by Source

James Soriano is accused of taking bribes from two defense contractors

Here’s 2 Sources:

From US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California

A former civilian employee of San Diego-based Naval Information Warfare Center and a former executive with a South Carolina defense contractor were charged in an indictment unsealed today with participating in a bribery scheme to trade expensive meals, jobs and a ticket to a premiere sporting event for help obtaining more than $100 million in government contracts.

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The Rhetoric Behind San Diego’s Historic Preservation Debate

March 12, 2024 by Source

From SOHO March-April 2024 Newsletter

Preservation isn’t just a coat of paint or a nostalgic sentiment; it’s the very fabric of our city’s identity. At SOHO, we know firsthand the immense value historic preservation brings to San Diego.

The benefits of preservation are manifold, spanning aesthetics, culture, society, education, and economics. Despite SOHO’s relentless advocacy and educational endeavors, historic preservation is clearly under siege in our city.

Often, the critics are well-intentioned but misguided community activists, who erroneously argue without substance that preservation fuels gentrification and racism and impedes necessary new housing and urban density. Their arguments lack in-depth research to stand against the facts.

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Lawyer for Pacific Beach Riot Defendants Wants Identities of Undercover Cops

March 11, 2024 by Source

By Eva Knott / San Diego Reader / March 5, 2024

San Francisco attorney Curtis Briggs asked for the names of all policemen who were embedded in the Antifa mob during an assault in San Diego on January 9, 2021.

The demand was heard Friday, March 1, by Judge Daniel Goldstein. This judge, who will hear the trial, was hearing motions before jury selection, which is expected to begin in two weeks.

Three alleged Antifa rioters have pled not-guilty to multiple felonies: Brian Cortez Lightfoot Jr., 27, Luis Francisco Mora, 32, and Jeremy Jonathan White, 41. Eleven people were originally charged, eight already made plea deals, and of those eight, two were sentenced to state prison. Erich Yach, now 40, was the first one to make a deal and could be released from prison as early as April 1, 2024, according to a prison spokesperson. Jesse Cannon was sentenced to five years state prison last month, but so far remains in local custody.

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Update to Local San Diego City Primary Results

March 11, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

It’s been nearly a week since San Diego voted in the California Primary and here, in brief, are some of the changes or noteworthy developments from our last report:

Mayor — No Substantial Change

The newest results show Gloria has come down a percentage point, as has Larry Turner to 23.3%, and Genevieve Jones-Wright has notched up a point and half. With the suit challenging Turner’s residency qualifications dismissed, and only 54,000 ballots to be yet tallied, it will be Turner, the “Protest” candidate against Gloria, the incumbent mayor who barely got half the Primary votes.

Gloria’s poor showing could really make him vulnerable come the fall battle, especially if everybody who doesn’t like Gloria rallies around Turner, who then becomes the “anti-Gloria” candidate. That could be a tall order

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Neighborhood Coalition Urges City to Conduct Economic Study of San Diego’s Historic Preservations

March 8, 2024 by Source

SOHO / March-April 2024 Newsletter

San Diego is at serious risk of losing the irreplaceable authenticity, architectural evolution, and unique character embodied in our historic homes, neighborhoods, heritage sites, and cultural landscapes.

Not only is the City of San Diego starting to overhaul its Heritage Preservation Program, with some officials fallaciously assuming that preservation curtails affordable housing creation, City officials are also acting on these important issues without a clear economic picture to guide them.

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Lawsuit Challenging Residency of Mayoral Second-Place Finisher Larry Turner May Be Dropped

March 8, 2024 by Staff

A lawsuit challenging San Diego mayoral candidate and second-place winner Larry Turner’s residential status in the city may be dropped as soon as today, March 8, Friday.

A lawsuit filed in February by Helen VanDiver against the City of San Diego, the City Clerk, and the County Registrar of Voters alleged Turner did not meet residential requirements to run for mayor of San Diego.

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Assemblymember Alvarez Pushes for Big Changes to How Port of San Diego Is Governed in New Bill

March 7, 2024 by Source

By Greg Moran / inewsource / February 26, 2024 

Assemblymember David Alvarez has proposed legislation that would bring sweeping changes to governance of the powerful Port of San Diego, including instituting term limits and residency requirements for the city’s commissioners.

The legislation, filed Feb. 15, comes after a tumultuous year for the Port District staff and its seven-member governing board of commissioners.

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SOHO: Recent San Diego City and County Historic Designations, Redlining and Racism

March 7, 2024 by Source

By Ann Jarmusch / SOHO Newsletter March-April 2024

(The following is an edited version of the original.)

At the January 2024 meeting of the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board, members heard public testimony on the proposed Talmadge Park Estates Historic District (1926-1951) before voting 6-2 to approve it in concept.

As other groups have done to allow for the process of creating a historic district, Talmadge residents bypassed local designation because the local process has hopelessly stalled. Instead, they worked with the State Office of Historic Preservation …

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Local San Diego City Primary Results With Only 22% Counted: Mayor Gloria to Face Off With Larry Turner; Foster in Council District 4 Likely Winner

March 6, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

Here in brief are most of the San Diego City Primary unofficial results so far with only 22% of the ballots counted.

Mayor Gloria vs Larry Turner

It appears that Mayor Todd Gloria will have police officer turned upstart politician Larry Turner to face in November. Gloria has nearly 51% of the vote to Turner’s 24.3%. Genevieve Jones-Wright trailed a distant third with 14%. The only other Republican in the race was Jane Glasson who garnered nearly 7%.

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Rag Primary Recommendations: Genevieve Jones-Wright for Mayor and More …

March 5, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

Today is the day — the last day to vote in California’s Primary election — Tuesday, March 5.

Here are the OB Rag Primary recommendations. You won’t find a lot of material or text to read here but there are links for a number of the lesser-known candidates to their interviews or statements with the U-T.

Mayor * Genevieve Jones-Wright

Geneviéve Jones-Wright is an attorney, criminal justice reform advocate and Democrat who is challenging Mayor Todd Gloria for re-election.

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The Point Loma Operational Lighthouse ‘Is in Good Standing for Another Century’

March 5, 2024 by Source

By Eric Duvall / sdnews.com / March 5, 2024

La Playa Trail Association presents its next history lecture, “The Restoration of San Diego’s Operational Lighthouse” by authors and twin sisters, Kim Fahlen and Karen Scanlon at Point Loma Assembly, 3035 Talbot St., on Tuesday, March 12. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with lecture 6-7 p.m. A donation of $10 is accepted at the door.

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2024 California Cannabis Bills Being Watched

March 5, 2024 by Source

By Shelby Huffaker, MPH / San Diego Americans for Safe Access / March 5, 2024

Note: This page is a living document, though not all updates will be reflected immediately. Please refer to the bills’ pages for the most up-to-date information at the original.

AB 1775: Cannabis: retail preparation, sale, and consumption of noncannabis food and beverage products.*

This bill would authorize a local jurisdiction to allow for the preparation or sale of non-cannabis food or beverage products at licensed consumption lounges; …

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Changes to San Diego’s Short-Term Rental Ordinance Could Add 100’s of Affordable Housing Units

March 4, 2024 by Staff

This Tuesday night, the OB Planning Board will review proposed changes to the Short-Term Rental Ordinance. This review is in anticipation that the San Diego City Council also plans to review the ordinance in May.

And at the Pacific Beach Town Council meeting on Feb. 21, there were discussions on ways to close loopholes that let property owners violate the spirit of the law. PB Monthly reporter Madison Beveridge wrote up an account of PB community member Iain Richardson presentation on the impact of short-term rentals …

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A Strain of Cannabis Called Vista 

March 4, 2024 by Source

Roll up for Cannabis Equity – a Monthly Column

By Terrie Best

To say the city of Vista likes weed is an understatement. To say Vista likes weed so much they want a strain named after them is more accurate.

I listened in and gave a virtual public comment on an agenda item at their City Council meeting held on February 27th. Afterward we were treated to some very promising public discussion around cannabis social equity by the council. I’m not kidding, they want a cannabis strain. They wouldn’t mind a handful of consumption lounges, a shared cannabis workspace and don’t even think about limiting cannabis events in Vista either. They don’t want that.

The agenda item was a presentation by Kyle Tankard, Lead Researcher at SCI. SCI has been winning many contracts in California municipalities. These contracts are for licensing outlets and social equity assessments – the preliminary findings report necessary to begin giving priority licenses to individuals harmed by the war on drugs.

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March 2024 Events from the Ocean Beach Green Center

March 4, 2024 by Source

(For Ongoing Events, see below)

March 4th Monday 6 pm – 7:30 pm   Envisioning an Environmentally-Just City

March 5th Tuesday – California Primary – Go vote if you haven’t already.

March 5th Tuesday 4 pm Silver Screen War Machine: Decoding the Military-Entertainment Complex

March 6th Wednesday 11 am  Petroleum 238: A Seven-Year Investigation of Oilfield Radioactivity

March 6th Wednesday 6:30 pm – 8 pm Connecting Creatures, Climate, and Communities

March 7th Thursday 6:30 pm Meeting of San Diego Chapter of BDS movement 

March 8th Friday — International Women’s Day

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Here’s the ‘Official Line’ on the Beginning of the Installation by San Diego Police of the 500 Smart Street Lights

March 1, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

More Than 100 Cameras Have Already Been Installed

Since late December, more than 100 of the 500 cameras that the San Diego Police Department will be installing and using has begun. These are the Smart Streetlight cameras and Automated License Plate Recognition technologies, and nearly every day brings new installations.

Installation of all 500 cameras is anticipated by June, weather and other infrastructure issues permitting. It’s unclear how the new city budget restrictions enacted by Gloria just recently will affect the rate of installation.

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Reader Rave: ‘Change the California Senate Race into a Real Run-off by Backing Katie Porter’

February 29, 2024 by Source

By Brian Ritter

The California open primary voting for U.S. Senator is upon us and it will send the two top vote-getters to a final showdown in November. The four major candidates are Adam Schiff (63), Steve Garvey (75), Katie Porter (50) and Barbara Lee (77).

Schiff is a pro-corporation Democrat; Garvey is a Trump supporter; and Katie Porter and Barbara Lee are progressive Democrats. Schiff is currently polling the best. Garvey and Porter are neck-and-neck vying for second place, and Lee trails. Second place continues to be uncertain, but it’s possible the Senate runoff in November might be between two older, white males — neither of them progressive. Californians deserve a better choice.

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3 Guys With Connections to Mayor Gloria Are Linked to Lawsuit Challenging Opponent Larry Turner’s Residency

February 27, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

U-T reporter Jeff McDonald disclosed in a piece on Feb. 25 that there are at least three individuals with connections to Mayor Gloria who are “indirectly linked” to the lawsuit challenging Gloria opponent Larry Turner’s campaign for not meeting the residency requirements of running for mayor and which argues that any votes for him should not be counted.

Turner claims he lives in a cottage in Ocean Beach along with his spouse and small boy and has for months.

So who are these three guys?

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UFCW Union Tries for State-Wide Agreement for Drivers With Major Pot Delivery Company

February 26, 2024 by Brent Beltran

Eaze Drivers Act as Negotiations Stall: Petition Demands Fair Treatment

By Brent Beltran / UFCW San Diego / Feb . 22, 2024

The workers at Eaze, a leading state-wide cannabis delivery company, are taking a stand as negotiations with UFCW Locals 5, 135, 324, and 770 for a statewide master agreement slow down. When the agreement is ratified by the members, it is poised to be the largest Collective Bargaining Agreement covering cannabis delivery drivers and staff in the country.

Frustrated by the slow progress of negotiations, members of the Eaze bargaining committee have united to collect signatures on a petition. T

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Manchester Company Selected by Navy to Redevelop NAVWAR Sued by San Diego for Dumping Contaminated Soil at Landfill

February 26, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

Here’s one of the latest under-reported San Diego scandals for you.

The very company that the Navy selected to redevelop the 70 plus acres at NAVWAR is right now being sued by the City of San Diego for allowing contaminated soil to being dumped at an inactive city landfill and denying it.

Earlier in 2024, the Navy chose Manchester Financial to replace the agency’s obsolete facilities and remake the rest of the 70.3-acre military campus with private development. Its partners on the endeavor are McLean, Virgina-based Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate. You remember Manchester,

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‘Town Hall Meeting’ Hosted by Protect Point Loma — Monday, Feb.26

February 26, 2024 by Source

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Luxury Townhomes for Sale in Point Loma’s New ‘Voltaire Corridor’

February 23, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

Seventeen luxury townhomes are for sale just outside OB in that transition zone between the beach and the Point – along that stretch of upper Voltaire.

The new Cabri at the corner with San Clemente Street has a website that now calls that stretch the “Voltaire Corridor” to find some descriptive term for the tunnel-like effect from all the construction of housing developments that have been built over the last few years along that stretch.

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‘Shadowy’ PAC and Electrical Union Oppose San Diego Municipal Utility to Replace SDG&E

February 21, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

Should San Diegans have our own municipal utility that would replace SDG&E?

The Power San Diego Campaign believes so.  They’ve launched a signature drive to get the question on the November ballot. On their website, the group claims SDG&E has the highest rates in the nation (although just recently, this has changed), that SDG&E profits are $1 million dollars a day from San Diego City alone, and that 25% of SDGE’s customer are behind on their bills.

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Michael Smolens: San Diego Voters Are Not Happy – Which Could Help Incumbents

February 21, 2024 by Source

By Michael Smolens / San Diego Union-Tribune / Feb. 18, 2024

San Diego’s electorate is not happy with the way things are going in the city.

The recent devastating failure of the city’s flood protection infrastructure is only the latest example of the municipal government’s seeming inability to do its job.

Homelessness continues at crisis levels despite many actions and much talk about reducing it.

Audits conclude the quality of city roads has dropped sharply and there’s no comprehensive funding plan to fix them.

The legal quagmire surrounding the city-owned 101 Ash St. building is not only a reminder of that boondoggle, but other costly city real estate debacles stretching over two mayoral administrations.

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The 2024 San Diego Bird Festival Begins at Marina Village Conference Center — Feb 21-25

February 20, 2024 by Source

From San Diego Audobon Society

The 2024 San Diego Bird Festival will take place Feb 21-25, 2024. San Diego Bird Festival is a celebration of the wild birds, habitats and people of San Diego County.

For a listing of programs taking place at Marina Village Conference Center, please click here.

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Mayoral Candidate Forum — Thursday, Feb. 22 at Kroc Center

February 19, 2024 by Source

One of the most important candidate forums of 2024… Reserve your seat now!

The Mayoral Candidate Forum is this Thursday, February 22nd, at 6:30 PM at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Theater. It’s at 6753 University Avenue, San Diego 92115.

Why does this forum matter? San Diego has a Strong Mayor system of government, which makes it the most powerful office in San Diego.

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U-T Editorial Board Endorses Colleen Cusack for City Council District 3

February 19, 2024 by Source

San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board / Feb.16, 2024

As any student of politics can attest, governing bodies benefit from having at least one member who is skeptical of claims put forward by dominant political factions and realizes that many consultants and staff members tell the politicians who hired them what they want to hear.

This insight drives our view of the race for San Diego City Council District 3, which has Hillcrest at its center and ranges north to include part of Mission Valley, west to Mission Hills, south to Downtown and east to North Park. Incumbent Stephen Whitburn, a former nonprofit executive, is the strong favorite.

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