OB Rag

The 40th anniversary of the horrible San Ysidro Massacre is coming up on July 18th and Charlie Minn has made a film about it, “77 Minutes.” And there is an anniversary screening on July 18, 2024 at Reading Cinemas Town Square, and the film will be shown for a week through July 25.

Over the years, the Rag has posted several articles about it. For starters,

Editordude: Here’s a chuckle story from our friends at Peninsula News about our city’s flag.

If vexillologists are not vexed, should we be?

This is all about our City of San Diego Flag. You can picture it, right?

By JW August

The San Diego Police Department currently has 439 street surveillance cameras (smart street lights)  installed across the city.

Police Chief Scott Wahl says that some of the cameras currently in position will be moved to six new locations in Hillcrest in advance of the Pride Parade.  He is concerned about the growing number of hate incidents targeting the LGBTQ+ community.   The chief’s announcement that he was using his emergency powers in a public setting is, says City Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert, “wildly opposite how street lights were deployed the first time” referring to previous Mayor Kevin Faulkner’s administration.

From 7SanDiego

The California Coastal Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a city of San Diego permit application to create nearly 200 parking spaces for people experiencing homelessness at the H Barracks site in Point Loma.

According to the permit application, the site would have 190 parking spaces of varying sizes for standard vehicles, RVs and drivers who need accessible stalls. The plans also include a motorized entry gate, fencing with privacy screening, a pet relief area and cell phone charging stations among other things.

By Coleen Cusack, Esq. / ASA Newsletter

With Gloria and Whitburn a pattern has emerged of telling voters what they think voters want to hear then doing the opposite. Why should their promises be believed this election cycle? Gloria and Whitburn also have a pattern of doing what special interests and corrupt influences direct them to do and ignoring the will of the voters.

It’s clear that Jesus Cardenas in his dual role as paid lobbyist for cannabis retailers and Chief of Staff for Councilmember Stephen Whitburn has influenced and continues to influence the office of the councilmember in his policy making decisions. T

From Neighbors for a Better San Diego

Two local neighborhoods recently staged impressive protests against multi-unit “Bonus ADU” projects in their communities.

Jicarillo Avenue —

On June 22, more than 50 homeowners and renters in Clairemont/Bay Ho rallied against a 12-unit development on Jicarillo Ave near Moraga Ave. That over-sized project abuts a high-risk fire zone on a sensitive canyon rim. It will have no off-street parking for residents, and like all Bonus ADU projects, it was approved without community input or design review.

By JW August

The Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) for the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) faces some hair raising scenarios.  It might be a standoff after  hostages are taken during a robbery, an angry shooter firing out a window onto the street or perhaps a murder suspect holed up in a dark, abandoned warehouse.

Given the job and its dangers, the SWAT unit looks for way to reduce the potential for deadly fallout for both the cops, civilians and suspects. At least that’s the game plan according to SDPD.

The San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit challenging the County of San Diego’s approval of the Greenhills Ranch sprawl project — a proposed development located in fire-prone rural Lakeside. The suit was filed on July 3.

The East County area is designated by CalFire as a Very High Fire Severity zone, far away from public transit and facilities, which would threaten residents and wildlife.

By Shelby Huffaker, MPH / Co-Chair, San Diego Chapter of Americans for Safe Access/ July 8, 2024

For years, the City of San Diego was prepared to implement a comprehensive cannabis social equity program. This initiative was shaped by extensive community feedback and careful consideration of the shortcomings seen in earlier cannabis social equity programs. But, like a joint canoeing after a couple of tokes, the program was ashed before it ever had a chance to succeed.

By Steve Smith / 10News / July 9, 2024

The United States will send 12 athletes to the Paris Olympics as part of the team skateboarding team, and four of the skaters are from San Diego. Among those competing for the red, white, and blue is Point Loma High School graduate Tate Carew.

Like many kids, Carew grew up on a skateboard and knew at a young age that he was talented on four wheels.

By Miriam Raftery / East County Magazine / July 4, 2024

On July 4th, we celebrated our nation’s declaration of independence from Britain’s king in 1776. But ironically, America’s democracy is at risk, along with the liberties we cherish.  Constitutional experts warn that like several failed democracies, most notably Germany in the 1930s, the United States now faces the very real threat of becoming an autocracy,  or dictatorship.