OB Rag

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 …

Here in brief are most of the San Diego City Primary unofficial results so far with only 22% of the ballots counted.

Mayor Gloria vs Larry Turner

It appears that Mayor Todd Gloria will have police officer turned upstart politician Larry Turner to face in November. Gloria has nearly 51% of the vote to Turner’s 24.3%. Genevieve Jones-Wright trailed a distant third with 14%. The only other Republican in the race was Jane Glasson who garnered nearly 7%.

by Ernie McCray

Like a bat
responding to vibrations
from its echoes,
I listen
for feedback
from those whom
I’ve asked
to try seeing matters
through the eyes
of Lallia Allali
who says that what she’s seeing
is a lack of support for
Muslim students

Today is the day — the last day to vote in California’s Primary election — Tuesday, March 5.

Here are the OB Rag Primary recommendations. You won’t find a lot of material or text to read here but there are links for a number of the lesser-known candidates to their interviews or statements with the U-T.

Mayor * Genevieve Jones-Wright

Geneviéve Jones-Wright is an attorney, criminal justice reform advocate and Democrat who is challenging Mayor Todd Gloria for re-election.

By Eric Duvall / sdnews.com / March 5, 2024

La Playa Trail Association presents its next history lecture, “The Restoration of San Diego’s Operational Lighthouse” by authors and twin sisters, Kim Fahlen and Karen Scanlon at Point Loma Assembly, 3035 Talbot St., on Tuesday, March 12. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with lecture 6-7 p.m. A donation of $10 is accepted at the door.

The owner and business of a martial arts studio in Ocean Beach are being sued for sexual harassment, sexual assault and battery of a young woman who had been attending classes for years and had become an employee of the studio.

Setting Sun Dojo owner Jherie Araos and his business, located at 4993 Niagara Ave, #109 in Ocean Beach, are being sued by Elleanor Tow, a prior Ocean Beach resident, …

Here is a letter that will be presented at tonight’s OB Planning Board meeting for Item #1 on short term vacation rentals. There will also be a powerpoint to go with it.

Recommended Improvements to the Short Term Rental Ordinance

The 2021 Short Term Rental (STR) Ordinance created a licensing framework and brought transparency to the city’s STR listings, but it is not fulfilling its intent. Many owners are exploiting the ordinance to the detriment of residents, visitors, and small-time hosts. We request that the City consider the following changes to improve the STR ordinance:

The Ocean Beach Planning Board’s Tuesday, March 5th meeting will be presenting two important items. To participate in the discussion please attend from 6-8pm at the OB Recreation Center 4726 Santa Monica Ave.

Action Item #1 – Short Term Rental Ordinance Fix: The board will hear a presentation about the possible fixes to the STR ordinance.

Action Item #2 – Target’s Application for On Site Liquor License

By Anna Schier / San Diego Patch / March 1, 2024

Environmental groups have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop planned logging projects following fires at Giant Sequoia National Monument.

The lawsuit opposing the commercial logging projects was brought in the Northern District of California by the Sierra Club, John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute and Sequoia ForestKeeper. The projects proposed by the U.S. Forest Service would be on 13,000 acres that burned in the 2020 Castle Fire and the 2021 Windy Fire, which killed many giant sequoia trees,

By Shelby Huffaker, MPH / San Diego Americans for Safe Access / March 5, 2024

Note: This page is a living document, though not all updates will be reflected immediately. Please refer to the bills’ pages for the most up-to-date information at the original.

AB 1775: Cannabis: retail preparation, sale, and consumption of noncannabis food and beverage products.*

This bill would authorize a local jurisdiction to allow for the preparation or sale of non-cannabis food or beverage products at licensed consumption lounges; …

By Jon Queally / Common Dreams / March 4, 2024

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday accused Israel of standing in clear violation of the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act by creating the conditions for mass starvation within the Gaza Strip as he called on the Biden administration to halt all military aid to the country until Palestinians are granted the life-saving humanitarian relief they urgently need.

“Starvation is taking place in Gaza,” Sanders said in a statement. “Israel is prohibiting aid convoys from delivering desperately needed food and water.”

This Tuesday night, the OB Planning Board will review proposed changes to the Short-Term Rental Ordinance. This review is in anticipation that the San Diego City Council also plans to review the ordinance in May.

And at the Pacific Beach Town Council meeting on Feb. 21, there were discussions on ways to close loopholes that let property owners violate the spirit of the law. PB Monthly reporter Madison Beveridge wrote up an account of PB community member Iain Richardson presentation on the impact of short-term rentals …