OB Rag

Editordude: Last Sunday I took the Proctor Valley Road out of Jamul to once again check out what I could see of the newly purchased 1300 acres of open space and wildland.

By Tammy Murga / San Diego Union-Tribune / Jan. 26, 2024

Nearly 1,300 acres of wildland in southwest San Diego County once envisioned for housing development will remain undisturbed under a successful land swap.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has acquired and will manage the swath of land where a developer had planned to build more than 1,000 homes just east of Chula Vista and south of Jamul along Proctor Valley Road. On Thursday, Jan. 25 the $60 million sale became final.

By Norma Chávez-Peterson, Executive Director, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties

Winding down the first month of the new year, I find myself at the crossroads of hope and apprehension. The challenges to people’s civil rights and freedoms are real, relentless and widespread. From a rise in xenophobic rhetoric and accompanying anti-immigrant proposals in federal budget negotiations, to continued voter suppression and gerrymandering attempts that threaten our democracy and aim to minimize the clout of communities of color, to the grave threats on transgender rights, to ongoing incidents of police violence, there is much at stake in 2024.

Even so, there are very real opportunities for meaningful social change – if we are resolute that justice, equity and human dignity are our collective responsibility. Through our combined efforts of advocacy, organizing, education and litigation, we can attain the change we seek in San Diego County. However, we must resolve to be diligent and unwavering in the face of adversity.

Here’s two takes by Rag readers on Monday night’s meeting on H-Barracks.

By Keith Fink / January 29, 2024

As publicized, the Point Loma Association hosted a “Community Conversation” on H-Barracks at the PLNU Conference Center at Liberty Station on the evening of January 29.

Before even entering the venue, it appeared clear that a majority of attendees were not there to hear what the speakers had to say. …

By Gregg Robinson / January 30, 2024

I was at the meeting on H-Barracks last night — Monday — and I have never seen so many angry white people in one place without Trump being at the podium. The only non-white person I could see was the representative from Councilwoman Jen Campbell’s office. …

By Nick Hancock / The Point LomaBeat.com / Jan. 23, 2024

With 2023 now in the rearview mirror, it’s every music critic’s favorite time of the year as we get to dissect the past 12 months and pick our favorite releases. As always, remember this list will be based on my personal opinion, and while I feel I have pretty diverse music taste, I might leave something off that you loved.

10. “CAN YOU IMAGINE?” – Elevation Worship / Best Song – “Praise”

It may be a bit surprising to see a worship album kick this list off, but Elevation Worship’s fourteenth live album was too good to leave off the list. It took a comfortable seat atop the Christian Billboards and featured some of worship music’s current best artists like Brandon Lake and Chandler Moore.

By Erwin Chemerinsky / Op-Ed Los Angeles Times / Jan. 29, 2024

Texas’ continuing dispute with the federal government over immigration enforcement goes to the very heart of our constitutional system. Gov. Greg Abbott, and those who are cheering him on, are challenging not only federal authority but also the power of the Supreme Court and ultimately the supremacy of the Constitution itself.

The dispute arose because Texas installed razor wire fencing along parts of the Rio Grande, among other unilateral measures at the U.S.-Mexico border. Texas officials say they did so to deter an influx of people crossing the border, many of whom are seeking asylum. The question is whether the federal government can remove the fence given its power over the border and immigration.

Here’s a series of brief news bits from OB and Point Loma you may have missed this month.

Water Advisory Still In Effect at Dog Beach

Jeep Used to Rescue Motorists in Midway

New Storm Coming this Week – More Rain, Possible Snow in Mountains

Small Businesses Damaged by Storm May Be Eligible for Gov’t Help

OB’s Peace Pies One of 4 San Diegan Restaurants on Yelp’s Top 100

New Korean Fried Chicken Coming to Point Loma

Everything that came after the dramatic exposition Wednesday night of the Council’s problems and the reactions from community members fell into its deep shadows. But, here in brief is an encapsulation of what we’re calling “news” announced by different individuals either representing community groups or city agencies.

OBMA – “Shop Local” — Businesses Hurt by Pier’s Closure

Denny Knox of the OBMA described how after the lights along Newport Ave went out just before the Holiday Parade back in early December, the Mainstreet Assoc stepped up and spent $8,000 in installing new ones — just a day before the event. There was a quick round of  applause.

By Jason DeRose/ KPBS / January 24, 2024

When Americans are asked to check a box indicating their religious affiliation, 28% now check ‘none.’

A new study from Pew Research finds that the religiously unaffiliated – a group comprised of atheists, agnostic and those who say their religion is “nothing in particular” – is now the largest cohort in the U.S. They’re more prevalent among American adults than Catholics (23%) or evangelical Protestants (24%).

By Lyndsay Winkley / San Diego Union-Tribune / Jan. 23, 2024 

The City Council on Tuesday [Jan.23, 2024] voted to overhaul San Diego’s hard-fought surveillance law, a move officials said was necessary to prevent city-wide disruptions, but that privacy advocates saw as a gutting of oversight powers.

City officials have warned for months that without amendments, San Diego’s surveillance ordinance, which created a multi-layered review process for many city technologies — from body-worn cameras to emergency dispatch systems to fingerprint scanners — could seriously impact vital operations.