OB Rag

By Bruce Coons / SOHO Newsletter / September-October 2024

In politics, a good, simple story sells. The housing crisis has fueled a persistent myth among YIMBYs—that preservationists are a major obstacle to solving this pressing issue. This narrative is appealing in its simplicity, but it obscures the complex realities and nuanced role of historic preservation in our communities. This myth persists because many YIMBYs think that well-intentioned but misguided preservationists are blocking progress.

From SanDiegoVille / September 12, 2024

After successfully launching its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Mission Beach last year, Rosemarie’s Burgers is set to expand, with a new location opening soon in San Diego’s Ocean Beach and is expected to open by year’s end at 1774 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard.

Nick Bálsamo, the founder of Rosemarie’s, embarked on a culinary journey, working as a chef in Hong Kong for several years before returning to the U.S. Back home, Bálsamo channeled his culinary skills into Where To Eat California, a collective that includes a catering company

A little over a month ago, the Rag announced our “Worst ADUs in San Diego” contest. We said then:

If a towering “accessory dwelling unit” (ADU) is throwing shade at you and your neighbors, the OB Rag wants to hear from you. Why? We’re holding a contest, ta-dah.

After some 50 entries, the judges deliberated and made selections for the Gold, Silver and Bronze categories.

If we are to take Donald Trump at his word, then since I just donated to the Harris-Walz campaign, I now will anticipate an arrest if he wins.

Come get me! Last weekend, Donald Trump threatened violence if he didn’t win the election and if he won, he would jail political opponents, Democratic political lawyers and donors and enact the substance of that Project 2025.

Editordude: Here’s hoping Scripp researchers can study that unstable bluff at Sunset Cliffs that the Rag has been warning about since June.

Scripps researchers make strides on research into bluff collapse warning system

By Scott Rodd / KPBS / September 9, 2024

Scientists at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla are seeing promising results in their quest to predict bluff collapses before they happen. Using sophisticated technology, the researchers have successfully anticipated several coastal landslides

From Pickleball Association of San Diego

For four years now, Mayor Todd Gloria has refused to meet with San Diego pickleball representatives. He has told his staff to shun us. He has consistently acted in bad faith to the pickleball community. For example, when PASD presented our proposal to the Mission Bay Parks Board, the chair asked us “why are you here wasting our time, when you know the Mayor has already decided that no tennis courts will ever be converted to pickleball?”

Editordude: Here’s two takes on Council President Elo-Rivera playing yo-yo with the public over granting Mayor Gloria emergency authority. The first is by Kathy McClellan, a Talmadge resident, and the other is by Terry Hoskins, Elo-Rivera’s opponent in his re-election bid.

By  Kathy McClelland

On Friday September 6, Council President Elo-Rivera proposed giving Mayor Todd Gloria extraordinary emergency authority over the homeless and affordable housing “crises.” It was a poorly written, ill-conceived proposal, but he placed his last minute assault on democracy on the Monday agenda.

This billboard is at 1898-1878 Cable Street in Ocean Beach. It’s part of Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s re-election campaign.

Some notes on Faulconer and Trump:

By Rachel Leingang / The Guardian / August 1, 2024

You’ve probably heard of Project 2025 – either from Democrats such as the vice-president, Kamala Harris, warning of what it could mean for US government, or from Republicans such as former president Donald Trump claiming they have nothing to do with it.

What is Project 2025 and what is Trump’s involvement?

By Daniel Martinez HoSang / The Guardian / September 9, 2024

… First come the firings. Thousands of federal, non-partisan civil servants –environmental and food safety regulators; authorities in disaster relief coordination; attorneys overseeing anti-discrimination policies in housing, education and employment; medical and scientific researchers – receive immediate layoff notices.

By Arturo Castañares – Editor-at-Large / La Prensa / September 4, 2024

San Diego State University has blocked a statewide university official from testifying under oath about his knowledge of an offer for a free-to-taxpayers sports arena in Mission Valley that was kept secret from the public for over two years and could have impacted the City’s current proposal for a taxpayer-subsidized arena in the Midway area.

Jack McGrory, a Trustee on the 25-member California State University (CSU) system Board and former City Manager of the City of San Diego,