OB Rag

By Marta Vidal / Washington Post / February 5, 2024

CORUCHE, Portugal — The rhythmic noise of axes whacking trees echoes in the depths of the cork oak forest. But in Coruche, a rural area south of the Tagus River known as Portugal’s “cork capital,” the bang of trees falling to the ground doesn’t follow the sound of the ax strokes. Instead, experienced workers carefully peel away the bark from the tree trunks.

This annual rite of extracting cork in the summer months has been around for thousands of years in the western Mediterranean. Egyptians, Persians, Greeks and Romans used the material to make fishing gear and sandals and to seal jugs, jars and barrels. As glass bottles gained popularity in the 18th century, cork became the preferred sealant because it is durable, waterproof, light and pliable.

By Geoff Page

The Ocean Beach Planning Board wants to see some serious changes to the very flawed Short Term Residential Occupancy, or STVRO, ordinance. To that end, the OBPB, in conjunction with other beach areas suffering under this hastily crafted and poorly thought-out law, will send a letter with recommendations for changes to the City.

The OBPB discussed and approved the letter at the OBPB’s regularly monthly meeting, Tuesday, March 5 at the OB Rec Center. The OBPB recently changed its meeting day from the first Wednesday of each month to the first Tuesday instead. The board changed the night to avoid parking problems on Wednesday’s the Farmer’s Market crowd.

Kevin Hastings, OBPB vice-chair is leading the effort. Hastings probably knows more about the subject than anyone else. Hastings gave a presentation that contained history, information, and recommendations.

It’s been nearly a week since San Diego voted in the California Primary and here, in brief, are some of the changes or noteworthy developments from our last report:

Mayor — No Substantial Change

The newest results show Gloria has come down a percentage point, as has Larry Turner to 23.3%, and Genevieve Jones-Wright has notched up a point and half. With the suit challenging Turner’s residency qualifications dismissed, and only 54,000 ballots to be yet tallied, it will be Turner, the “Protest” candidate against Gloria, the incumbent mayor who barely got half the Primary votes.

Gloria’s poor showing could really make him vulnerable come the fall battle, especially if everybody who doesn’t like Gloria rallies around Turner, who then becomes the “anti-Gloria” candidate. That could be a tall order

SOHO / March-April 2024 Newsletter

San Diego is at serious risk of losing the irreplaceable authenticity, architectural evolution, and unique character embodied in our historic homes, neighborhoods, heritage sites, and cultural landscapes.

Not only is the City of San Diego starting to overhaul its Heritage Preservation Program, with some officials fallaciously assuming that preservation curtails affordable housing creation, City officials are also acting on these important issues without a clear economic picture to guide them.

Editordude: I voted for Katie Porter on Tuesday but now I’m pissed off at her for falsely claiming California’s Senate primary was “rigged” – echoing Trump’s election denials and bogus claims of “rigged elections.”

Here’s Jeremy B. White, reporter for Politico, late yesterday:

A lawsuit challenging San Diego mayoral candidate and second-place winner Larry Turner’s residential status in the city may be dropped as soon as today, March 8, Friday.

A lawsuit filed in February by Helen VanDiver against the City of San Diego, the City Clerk, and the County Registrar of Voters alleged Turner did not meet residential requirements to run for mayor of San Diego.

The Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) will be holding elections this month – March 2024 — to fill seven (7) vacancies. Five (5) seats have 3 year terms and Two (2) seats are One (1) year partial terms. 3 year seats go to the 5 candidates with the most votes.

The election will be held on Thursday, March 21, 2024 from 4:00pm – 8:00pm, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Library located at 3701 Voltaire Street, San Diego, CA 92107.

By Aliah Fabros / LomaBeat.com / March 1, 2024

If you travel down pot-hole-ridden Rosecrans, you’ll find La Playa Books — an independent used bookstore located six minutes away from campus. Upon opening their heavy wooden door, you’ll be greeted by the chime of a bell and that woody, slightly medicinal old-book smell.

From the Peninsula Newsletter of the PLA

By Greg Moran / inewsource / February 26, 2024 

Assemblymember David Alvarez has proposed legislation that would bring sweeping changes to governance of the powerful Port of San Diego, including instituting term limits and residency requirements for the city’s commissioners.

The legislation, filed Feb. 15, comes after a tumultuous year for the Port District staff and its seven-member governing board of commissioners.

An award-winning landscape artist with plant and tree expertise, Russell Bowman, transforms the sickly trees and gardens of Point Loma into ” Disneyesque wonderlands,” it is said.

Bowman donates his time and expertise for the trees for the Point Loma Association and gardens at the Rock Church in Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, the YMCA, Barnes Tennis Center,  and other sites, like Chili’s Restaurants, Stone Brewery in Escondido, and San Diego Botanic Garden. He also served with the San Diego Rose Society in Balboa Park for 12 years.

By Ann Jarmusch / SOHO Newsletter March-April 2024

(The following is an edited version of the original.)

At the January 2024 meeting of the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board, members heard public testimony on the proposed Talmadge Park Estates Historic District (1926-1951) before voting 6-2 to approve it in concept.

As other groups have done to allow for the process of creating a historic district, Talmadge residents bypassed local designation because the local process has hopelessly stalled. Instead, they worked with the State Office of Historic Preservation …