OB Rag

By Eric DuVall / Pt Loma-OB Monthly SDU-T / April 16, 2025

We were a Tribune family. In other words, we got San Diego’s afternoon daily, the Evening Tribune.  A high school kid rolled down our sidewalk on a cool old bike with extended front forks and flipped the Trib onto our driveway. I didn’t know the guy, but as a second- or third-grader, I thought that looked like a sweet gig.

Many homes had televisions by that time, black and white portables mostly, but news consumption in the early 1960s was predominantly the domain of print media. We subscribed to Life magazine, which was still a weekly in those days. National Geographic came every month, and twice a week — Thursday and Sunday mornings — we got the Peninsula News.

Very local coverage was the calling card of the Peninsula News. “Serving the 60,000 population in Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Loma Portal [and] Midway,” the Peninsula News claimed to be “the only newspaper 100% interested in San Diego’s Peninsula area.”

Sound familiar? It should. The Peninsula News was a new moniker for the publication originally known as The Beach News.

There’s a brand new 3-story project planned for 4870 Voltaire Street in OB. The City of San Diego just announced the project on April 15 with a “Notice of Future Decision.”

An application has been made for a Process 2 Coastal Development Permit for development of the following:

• new detached three-story building
• with commercial tenant space on 1st level,
• office tenant space on 2nd level, and
• 2-bedroom dwelling unit on the 3rd level,
• conversion of the garage of the existing one-story dwelling unit into a bedroom.

The 0.11-acre site was once the location of Dover Plumbing and has had previous commercial development proposals that did not pan out.

From UC Peeps

The official proposed monthly trash collection fees are out and, while they are down slightly from the initial $53/month, they are still higher that other cities in the county.

City officials have said they will mail out protest cards beginning the week of April 21st to each of the estimated 233,000 households that would pay the new trash tax. 

Michael Chen of  abc10News has compiled a fairly solid update on the stabbings in Ocean Beach last Sunday morning, which follows down the page.

In the meantime, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the two victims, Chris Abrahamsen and his friend Gabe with their recovery. Here’s what the campaign page states:

On April 12th, 2025, my friend Gabe and I experienced an unexpected and violent attack that has left us both with serious injuries. Without any warning, a woman approached Gabe and stabbed him, and when I tried to intervene, I was also stabbed.

I was fortunate to survive, and thanks to the quick actions of those around us, we were able to get help. Both Gabe and I sustained serious injuries, including punctured lungs, and I also had damage to my diaphragm and heart. We are incredibly thankful for the immediate medical attention we received, which allowed us both to survive the ordeal.

Thursday, April 17, 2025, the Ocean Beach Historical Society presents When Art and Science Met on the Southern California Coast. 

In an era before photography, artists and illustrators joined the surveyors and cartographers of the United States Coast Survey in the mid-19th Century.

by Ron Winter

In what would be a precedent-setting development on the historic Middletown hillside behind India Street’s restaurant row, a 14-story residential tower has been proposed. The densely populated area, which began building out in 1909, is currently a mix of older homes, apartments and condos that abide by a 40-foot height zoning restriction.

The City is using the controversial Complete Communities urban planning initiative to exempt height and density restrictions for residential developments. The result means fast-tracking the building permitting process through the Developmental Services Department as “Ministerial” review proposals. This means that community review, feedback and appeal, is not allowed, including any recommendations by Community Planning Groups.

In response, Middletown residents and business owners are organizing to demand responsible development in their neighborhood (StopColumbiaHighrise.org). They argue that the modest affordable housing requirement in the project can be built offsite, up to 3 miles away and 5 years later, thanks to a developer perk recently approved by the City Council. That’s 6 affordable units out of the proposed 161. The remaining units would be market-rate.

The proposed development, straddling two lots at 3677 Columbia Street, and an active earthquake fault, would have no street set-back and fronts on a narrow split-
level hillside street, meaning access for emergency and fire response would be limited.

A local community group based in Pacific Beach is leading a campaign against Senate Bill 79 which has to do with Transit-Oriented Zoning Mandates. Neighbors for a Better California urges fellow residents to support their effort and have sent the California Senate an open public letter.

They believe projects like the proposed Turquoise Tower in Pacific Beach, with its high-density design, already challenge the unique character of San Diego neighborhoods.

They state: “SB 79 could push even further, allowing more ‘bonus density’ that risks overwhelming our communities, clogging streets, and straining local resources. If you value the charm and livability of places like North Park, Pacific Beach, or Clairemont, please read our letter and join us in advocating for development that respects what makes San Diego special.”

Here is their letter to members of the California Senate, and is signed by Marcella Bothwell, MD, the chair of the group.

By Kate Callen

Neighborhood activists from across San Diego came together April 12 to launch a San Diego Community Coalition that will be a platform for coordinated citywide action on two interwoven issues: massive overbuilding in residential areas and City Hall’s disrespect for the public.

Leaders from 14 communities, many meeting in person for the first time, were already active in pushing back against predatory development and elected officials’ dismissive treatment of their constituents.

The new Coalition will empower them to join forces, mobilize residents and business owners in their individual communities, turn out large numbers at public meetings, and flood city offices with constituent messages.

Communities represented were:

By Joey Reams/  What Now San Diego / April 8, 2025

Doughboy’s Grill, a new restaurant from the same team behind BBQ House OB, is preparing to open in Ocean Beach at 4994 Newport Ave.

Previously, What Now San Diego reported that D’lish Restaurant had closed its doors, allowing the ownership team to reopen OB Kabob, a family-owned and operated Middle Eastern restaurant that closed early last year. While this news was told to What Now directly by the owners, it appears the space will be repurposed for a new concept.

Now, Doughboy’s Grill will occupy the former D’Lish Express/OB Kabob location on Bacon Street,

By Lisa Mortensen

On Tuesday, April 15th, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria will present his budget report to the city council.  It will be interesting to learn if he is going to address the needed staffing cuts with a shredder or electric buffer at the podium. It’s obvious Todd needs to perform major surgery on the bloated city staffing but we realize he isn’t capable of plugging in the needed power tools.

We all know Todd is very adept at political speak but we must read between the lines and connect the dots

A woman reportedly stabbed two men early Sunday morning, April 13, San Diego police said.

Shortly after 1 a.m., a man called police to report someone had been stabbed in the chest in the vicinity of Bacon Street and Newport Avenue. The initial report indicated the man and a second man had been stabbed by a woman, who also may have taken a skateboard from one of the victims, said police.

One of the victims suffered multiple stab wounds and both were taken to the hospital. Police had ordered paramedics to stand back until the scene was considered safe to enter.

 By Kimberli Grogan

This regards the proposed project at 1004 Rosecrans Street by Northstar Homes LP developer Michael Contreras.

This project does not qualify for “Complete Communities Housing Solutions” (“CCHS”) and should be reviewed under full normal discretionary review and procedures. CCHS bypasses all zoning, setbacks, height limits and community input. The application provided to the Development Services Department and San Diego Housing did not disclose the contamination on this property.

Disclosures during the purchase by Northstar Homes from San Diego Credit Union that this property used to be an Exxon gas station that had leaky gas tanks was mandatory under California common law and Civil Code 1102 et seq, (Sellers are obligated to disclose known material defects such as environmental hazards.)