OB Rag

The Callen Report

By Kate Callen

If you’ve seen the movie Gladiator, you’ll remember the scenes where a smoldering Maximus faces off against a twitchy Commodus. That’s pretty much how things played out at the only 2024 San Diego mayoral debate.

Throughout the exchange, incumbent Todd Gloria appeared robotic, spooling out scripted lines, gesturing theatrically. Most of his responses boiled down to: I’ve
done a lot under great duress. But I’m not satisfied! I’m going to do more!

By Leorah Gavidor / San Diego Magazine / September 18, 2024

Ryan Thorsen knows what he’s doing with an iconic remodel: he took the helm from Bertrand Hug at the legendary Mister A’s in 2022 and breathed new life into the historic restaurant. So, taking on another San Diego landmark is a fitting next move for Mister Ambitious. And this time it’s a lot bigger—a lot bigger—and older.

Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza Opening at 4852 Voltaire

SanDiegoVille / September 6, 2024

Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza, a family-owned eatery specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza, is expanding from Yuma, AZ to San Diego’s Ocean Beach neighborhood.

Planner and professor says massive increase in density and new housing didn’t bring costs down; in fact, costs are way up.

By Tim Redmond / 48 Hills / September 15, 2024

Patrick Condon was once what they now call a Yimby. A landscape architect, urban planner, and professor at the University of British Columbia, he worked with hundreds of others to build a sustainable, affordable city in Vancouver, BC. He showed how the Yimby approach didn’t work. It backfired.

San Diego, of course, is not the only California city holding a mayoral race this fall. 500 miles away, San Francisco is also embroiled in its own election for the helm of the city.

Aaron Peskin, the lone progressive, is running against incumbent London Breed along with 3 other Democrats. Here’s today’s LA Times on him:

Here are the Pointers recently inducted into Point Loma High School Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

Margaret Avery

PLHS 1961: Academy Award-nominated film, stage, and TV actress. She was nominated in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category for her role as Shug in the 1985 period drama film “The Color Purple.” …

Ned Chambers

PLHS 1969: A native Point Loman, Chambers stood out as a star athlete (football and track), was a top student, ASB president, and was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.”

In a more perfect world, a substantive candidate would have run against Todd Gloria for San Diego’s mayor. But no one did. And it’s common knowledge that Gloria has such a lock on local Democrats that no one dared to upset his apple cart of governing. No one, except Genevieve Jones-Wright, an attorney and social justice advocate and Larry Turner, a former Marine officer and San Diego Police officer.

A new coffee shop drive-through is apparently banking on its cannabis customers. These photos sent in by a dedicated reader.

By Arturo Castañares / La Prensa San Diego / September 16, 2024

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria continues to spin a misleading narrative about his background when he claims he’s “the son of a maid and a gardener” referring to jobs his parents had before he was born, giving the public the false impression he actually worked his way up from humble blue-collar beginnings to the height of political success.

Last week, during an interview with San Diego’s ABC Channel 10, Gloria said he learned the lesson of hard work as the “son of a maid and a gardener”, a consistent claim he has made since launching his political career nearly 18 years ago.

Help! The Widder Curry Needs a Rescue! (Or at least her daughters think she does)

By Lynn, Michele and Stephanie

If you’re reading this, then you’re a reader of our mother and are aware of the health issues that she has been facing. You’re also likely aware that our mom LOVES dogs – so much so that her love of dogs may actually put her own health and well-being at risk.

The 4th Annual OBWC Ping Pong Tournament is back on Friday, September 27th.  This annual event features fierce competition, with the current champion, Kevin Hastings, coming back to defend his two year reigning title.

The 1st tournament kicked off in 2019, but was cancelled the next 2 years due to COVID. Now on its 4th year, it has grown into one of the most highly anticipated parties in Ocean Beach.

This year’s winner will go home with the treasured Golden Paddle and a WWE Style Championship Belt-provided by Skrewball.

By Geoff Page

The people’s rare August 29 victory over greedy development was well-covered here – and virtually only here – in The OB Rag. The news of the winning effort to appeal approval of a project on Point Loma Avenue was in The Rag the same day.

The following day, Kate Callen provided a detailed report of the hearing in The Rag.

The purpose of this piece is to provide some additional information, including something about how this appeal process works.