OB Rag

As more and more cities within San Diego County pass “No Camping” bans, the numbers of our fellow citizens who live along the San Diego River have increased until now it’s over 400.

According to figures just released by the San Diego River Park Foundation, there’s an estimated 423 people living along the San Diego Riverbed, marking an increase over the last count in the spring. That figure comes from the Foundation’s homelessness census, conducted by volunteers over four days in late September.

By Aaron Amerling / East County Magazine / October 8, 2024

A Call for Ethical Leadership in the 79th

As a long-time resident of La Mesa, I’ve had the opportunity to observe our local politics closely. Today, I feel compelled to share my concerns about Colin Parent’s candidacy for the 79th District Assembly seat. My intention is not to attack, but to spark a thoughtful discussion about the ethical standards we expect from our representatives.

Here is the OB Rag 2024 General Election Ballot Guide. Ballots began arriving in San Diego County mailboxes the week of October 7, while the first vote centers open October 26.

So, this is a guide to the major state and county candidates, issues and ballot measures in the election. (For some races and offices, there’s no need for discussion.) What we’re not covering are the school board and other-than-City of San Diego races, generally. (Our recommendations are next to the office or initiative listed.)

President – Kamala Harris

Senate – Adam Schiff -(D)

Adam Schiff, a 12-term Democratic Congressman from Burbank, is of course going after the seat held by the late Dianne Feinstein and is going against Republican Steve Garvey, a former Dodgers and Padres star who is seeking his first public office. Garvey is a two-time supporter of Trump. Note that you have to vote for your candidate twice — both to fill two months of Feinstein’s unfinished term, and then for the full six years beginning in January.

By Lynne Miller

As San Diego City officials continue to sneak quietly behind their constituents and  groom our communities for financiers and builders, there is a grassroots movement gaining traction.

I went to a Pacific Beach protest last night, joining about 200 people. The group ‘leader’ found out 5 days ago about the 23 story building planned for Pacific Beach. He did not read it in the San Diego UT, hear it on the radio, or get a flier from the City. Kudos to the OB RAG for posting the article that exposed the city’s intentions.

A woman motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries when her bike crashed while she was traveling eastbound on Midway Drive Tuesday night, October 8.

The unidentified person suffered a collapsed lung, fractured collarbone, multiple rib fractures, as well as lacerated liver and spleen.

She was traveling east in the 3100 block of Midway Drive around 8:30 p.m.

Neighbors for a Better San Diego

We sent six questions to San Diego’s Mayoral and City Council candidates. Four of the six candidates responded. Their responses are below.

Note: Neither Mayor Todd Gloria nor Councilmember Stephen Whitburn have replied, but if/when they do, we will post their replies.

Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, District 9, declined to answer the questions specifically. He instead sent the following one-sentence reply to our questionnaire:

“I stand by my record of championing tenant protections, investing in more affordable housing, increasing safe and sustainable mobility options, and strengthening the Council’s role in the legislative process.”

By Mat Wahlstrom

Of the fifteen state and local measures on this November’s ballot, arguably none would be more beneficial to the largest number of Californians than Proposition 33. Which is why it’s curious that one cannot find a single mainstream media outlet which supports it.

Proposition 33 is a clean repeal of the 1995 Costa-Hawkins Act, which bans cities and counties from limiting the amounts that new and existing tenants can be charged for rent. That’s it. It doesn’t specify any limits; it simply allows them to be enacted.

And that’s the ugly truth that’s being ignored: we already have rent control, but it protects landlords not renters. Current state law prevents even the possibility of tenant relief.

by Ernie McCray

I will forever remember

Kamala Harris

walking into a presidential debate space

at a nice snappy pace

with the most beautiful smile on her face

extending her hand

as she looked at what was to become her prey

directly in his face,

taking control, from the beginning,

The call went out to other “SavePB” members, “Gather on October 9th at 5:45 p.m. in the library courtyard, where speakers and media will be present.”

It was all about showing up to protest a planned 23-story building being proposed for 970 Turquoise Street before the PB Planning Group meeting where the developer is going to present the plan to the group.

The meetings, SavePB says, “are crucial because you will hear about the disregard of building rules and coastal height limits and their negative impacts on Pacific Beach.
Join us before the meeting to voice your concerns in public. Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St.”

PB residents are also fighting a 5-story building on Garnet (more of that later). SavePB members were also given this outline:

970 Turquoise: Vela, 23-story building

At the north corner of Cass and Tourquoise, where the German Motors garage, Freddy’s Liquor store, and the French Gourmet, now closed, are located, a 23-story building project is proposed on four lots.  23-story privately funded high rise in Pacific Beach

By Lisa Deaderick / The San Diego Union-Tribune / October 5, 2024

It’s not even that Dawud Hasan Tarleyb (who goes by Dawud Hasan) is a science nerd or anything like that. He’s not; he’s a writer, an independent hip hop artist, a community organizer, and an event planner. It’s in those creative spaces where he’s found himself open to expand his work and his visions for what he can do, including incorporating science into his creative work.

An opportunity came late last year in the announcement of the “Art for Planetary Health” community art project with the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. The program invited five local artists from diverse San Diego neighborhoods (Hasan, southeastern San Diego; LaRaza Webb, southeastern San Diego; Claudia Biezunski-Rodriguez, Barrio Logan; Yvette Roman, San Ysidro; and Kline Swonger, National City) to collaborate with their communities in creating art focused on alignment between communities and the health of the planet, and promoting an environmental consciousness.

From Neighbors for a Better San Diego

After our August 2023 defeat of Mayor Gloria’s implementation of Senate Bill 10, we warned that SB 10 would be back in some form.

Sure enough, Mayor Gloria is applying for a $7 million federal (HUD) grant that would allow up to 9 units on single-family lots — just like SB 10.

Mayor Gloria continues to blame homeowners for the city’s housing challenges, despite our thoughtful and respectful efforts to suggest improvements to San Diego’s land development codes.

The grant application amps up the Mayor’s anti-homeowner sentiment by distorting what’s possible in single-family zoning.

For example, the proposal states multiple times that