OB Rag

From San Diego’s fishing history from Kumeyaay and Portuguese tuna fishermen, to today’s multicultural palette

by MacKenzie Elmer / Voice of San Diego / December 16, 2024

Behold! The San Diego Seafood Then & Now cookbook, which offers recipes and stories from our region’s deep connection to fishing. It’s based on interviews with the fishermen of Dockside Market, local historians and the keepers of cultural wisdom from San Diego’s indigenous communities who were forcibly removed from their coastline.

A local chef and historian dreamed up the idea during the pandemic and, years later, turned it into hard copy with support from California Sea Grant, a government-funded research and public education effort dedicated to supporting coastal and marine environments.

The book walks the reader through San Diego’s fishing history from the indigenous tribes of the Kumeyaay and the Portuguese tuna fishermen, to the multicultural palette San Diego offers today.

There’s an illuminating recent article by Jake Kincaid at inewsource about Awaken Church in San Diego and how it celebrated Trump’s election all the while enjoying its non-tax status. The church and its 7 local churches push the idea that “God” has called upon Christians to take America back and reshape it into its view of Biblical principles.

Here are some excerpts:

The day the 2024 election was called for Donald Trump, there was a palpable atmosphere of celebration at Awaken Church’s Kearny Mesa campus. Pastors at Awaken had been telling their congregations to pray — and vote — for Trump. From the pulpit, congregants were encouraged to exchange high fives and say, “we won.” They had just shared an unfounded claim that election monitors in Pennsylvania had narrowly stopped what one speaker called a “wicked scheme” to steal the election with truckloads of fake ballots.

On Tuesday December 17th, the San Diego City Council — sitting as the Housing Authority (SDHA)–  is set to approve development of the Famosa Canyon with construction starting in 2027!

The meeting begins at 2 PM and opponents of the project say this will be the ONLY and LAST chance to have their voices heard on the proposed development.

The meeting will take place at the 12th floor of the City Administration building, 202 C Street, San Diego, CA, 92101.

They want as many people as possible to either show up in person or call in and TAKE THIS FINAL OPPORTUNITY to let your voice be heard on the proposed development of the Famosa Canyon before it’s too late!

On this past Saturday, Frank Gormlie, editor of the OB Rag, gave a talk about his recently published book, The May 1970 Rebellion, before a small crowd in the backyard of good friends in a home in northeast Ocean Beach.

Videographer Charlie Landon took a video of the talk and edited it some what — there were many “OB Pauses” — when the airliners passed overhead — and it’s presented here.

By Colleen O’Connor

In his last weeks as President, Biden has been offered several “To Do” lists before his term ends.

Major newspapers and networks have offered logical suggestions with detailed rationale.

Pardons, new legislation, drain the coffers and send the money to select states.  Get ready for mega demands on time and a flood of rationales for each move.

Let’s make it simple.  Do what Trump would, could, should and will do.  Follow his prescriptions.

The time to put out the “dumpster fires” is now.

Here are the easiest wins to guarantee a Biden legacy of note. 

By Lisa Mortensen

Good morning Council members:

I am really shocked that you are wasting more time and resources on the failed Kettner and Vine Mega Shelter that you will discuss in ‘closed-door’ session on Monday December 16th.  Why the ‘closed-door’ meeting?  Why are you continuing to ignore the public and allow yourselves to be arm-twisted by the mayor?

Have you not been listening to all the cogent public testimony statements at prior meetings this year from those who have lived experience of homelessness as well as mental health professionals, and individuals who have dedicated their lives representing homeless advocate non-profits?

What part of this public record are you missing?

Neighbors, business owners, homeless advocates, and other opponents of the proposed Kettner and Vine “mega-shelter” will voice their concerns about the project during public comment on the San Diego City Council’s “closed session” agenda at Monday’s 10 am City Council meeting.

The Mayor and City Council will hear new information about lease negotiations related to the proposed shelter in a closed session following these public comments.

A new group called Neighbors for a Better California has been rallying residents of local communities against high-rise projects and other over-development in San Diego. Here is their latest newsletter.

by Kasia Gregorczyk / Fox5SanDieog / Dec 12, 2024

A group of neighbors in Clairemont have taken their fight against a “bonus” ADU project up a notch. They’re suing the city and a group of developers over a project that includes a dozen units on one property.

“Transparency and the ability to know what’s going on in the neighborhood was virtually impossible for them,” said Craig Sherman, attorney at law.

Sherman says he had to file a lawsuit just to get proper records from the city of San Diego about the development at 4602 Shoshoni Ave. Neighbors are now suing the city and developers, including SDRE Homebuyers LLC, over several concerns.

By Noah Perkins /Pt Loma-OB Monthly San Diego Union-Tribune / December 11, 2024

It was a very good year for the Point Loma High School girls cross country team.

The Pointers’ second-place standing at the CIF Division III State Championships in Fresno on Nov. 30 was good for the best finish in school history.

“The team went into it very confident, but not overly confident,” head coach Keith DeLong said. “I was ecstatic with the finish. They were thrilled. Getting there and placing was a huge thing for us.”

By JW August 

While the OB pier stands abandoned, up the coast the Pacific Beach’s Crystal Pier is installing pilings to replace damaged ones … the crew told me they can do about one piling a day now. The job has three elements, moving massive steel girders and wood beams that provide support under the crane, lifting and placing the piling replacement, dropping it through a hole in the boardwalk down to the sand/surf below and lifting up a giant “hammer” over the piling replacement and letting it drop on the top of the pier to drive it into the earth.

By Renee Schmiedeberg, Christina Bravo and Danielle Smith / 7SanDiego / December 12, 2024

Higher-than-normal (and lower-than-normal tides) are headed back to San Diego’s coasts this weekend, according to NBC 7 meteorologists.

King tides — the phenomenon that describes what are typically some of the highest tides of the year — are happening Friday, Saturday and Sunday. These uniquely high tides are caused by a stronger-than-normal gravitational pull from the moon and sun. A full moon is expected to occur on Sunday.

NBC 7’s meteorologist Brooke Martell said high tides could peak around 7 feet Friday through Sunday, and there will be some stronger surf as we head into the weekend.

Between the higher-than-normal tide and elevated surf, minor coastal flooding is possible.