OB Rag

By Caitlin Callahan / lomabeat.com / Nov. 15, 2023

With women representing a larger percentage of undergraduate enrollment, a gender gap has impacted U.S. college campuses for several decades, and enrollment data reflects a similar trend at Point Loma Nazarene University; however, PLNU’s numbers are much higher and steadier, having been around 63% female enrollment from 2013-2020.

On Thursday November 16th, Ocean Beach Historical Society welcomes old friend Richard Carrico who will tell stories from his new book Monsters on the Loose.

This all happens at 7:00 pm, Water’s Edge Church, 1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. in OB.

In early 1931 the city of San Diego was terrorized by the murders of three young women. None of the crimes were witnessed, the killings seemed unrelated, and forensic criminology was still in its infancy.

By Paul Kruger

At first glance, the results of the Union-Tribune’s “Econometer” published Nov. 10 indicate a 5-3 win among local experts for Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposal to greatly increase housing density in Hillcrest in “Is San Diego on the right course with its Hillcrest density plan?”

Three of the UT’s eight land using/housing/economic experts did reject the Mayor’’s plan, commenting that “20-30 story structures (in Hillcrest) “don’t make sense,” that there’s “no (legitimate) reason why Hillcrest is being singled out for a major increase in density,” and questioning the lack of “sufficient infrastructure, including schools, parking, traffic, public safety, water (and) sewer… to support increased population.”

But what about the five experts who voted “Yes”?

Former Democratic Assemblyman Passes

By Michael Smolens / San Diego Union-Tribune /Nov. 15, 2023

Howard Wayne had a license plate that read “AB 411.” That probably meant nothing to the uninitiated, but those who knew the former Assembly member certainly got it. In 1997, Wayne’s Assembly Bill 411 to require and standardize ocean water-quality testing in California was approved by the Legislature and signed by then-Gov. Pete Wilson.

If you were disturbed by candidate Trump’s recent “vermin” speech and have been concerned about the country ever since the coup attempt on January 6th, 2021. this story should interest you deeply.

This Friday morning in San Diego Superior Court there will be a hearing on a motion by a defense attorney accusing San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan and her office of being politically biased against anti-fascists and should be disqualified from a case where he’s defending a young man. The defendant – along with 10 others – are self-described anti-fascists accused by Stephan of participating in a violent altercation at a pro-Trump march 2 1/2 years ago in Pacific Beach. One of the charges is conspiracy on the basis of being alleged “antifa supporters.”

Here are two views within the continuing community debate over the future of De Anza Cove in northeast Mission Bay recently published by the San Diego Union-Tribune:

Does city grasp that restoring wetlands is key to cleaner Mission Bay?

By Tyler Vanosdell

City’s flawed plan won’t right Mission Bay’s wrongs of the past

By John Heatherington

Public Service Announcement

Pt Loma OB Monthly – City News Service / Nov. 14, 2023 

The San Diego City Council voted Nov. 13 to approve a permit fee waiver and expedited permit process for sidewalk repairs through June 2026 in an effort to encourage property owners to fix damaged sidewalks.

The city says it needs residents to help cover about $238 million in needed repairs and help reduce city payouts to people injured by crumbling sidewalks.

State law contains a special designation for sidewalks that makes adjacent property owners responsible for repairs.

By Ernie McCray

I read somewhere that
“A salary is the amount your employer
pays you to forget your dreams.”
And my take on the idea is
are you kidding me,
with some of the poorly paying jobs I had early in my life,
sweeping and mopping
and buffing and dusting
in between
wiping tears from my eyes
and cussing?

The long, contentious 5-hour city council meeting that ended Monday night, Nov. 13, ultimately witnessed a rejection of Mayor Gloria’s current Housing Action Package because of its controversial give-away to affordable housing developers.

Ultimately, by a 5 to 3 vote, the council turned down the entire package (Councilmember Raul Campillo was absent for the birth of his first child). Councilmembers Stephen Whitburn and Marni von Wilpert made the initial proposal. So, Councilmembers Joe LaCava, Jennifer Campbell, Monica Montgomery Steppe, Kent Lee and Council President Sean Elo-Rivera opposed the proposal with Whitburn, von Wilpert and Vivian Moreno supporting it.

I could be imaging things, but today’s — Monday, Nov. 13 — San Diego Union-Tribune was the slimmest I have ever seen it. (Actually, I view the U-T online, so it was “short”.) 32 pages online.

Now, it’s true that the Monday edition is slimmer than most days as it follows the blockbuster Sunday edition. But still … it’s a sign that it’s getting bad.

Other San Diego media outlets have raised recent concerns about the future and direction of the U-T after its purchase last July by the New York-based hedge fund Alden Global Capital from biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong.

By Joni Halpern

Let’s look at the facts. Every housing project in the portions of San Diego that can be considered affluent or wealthy can yield maximum market-rate rents for a developer. Adding market-rate units in a city that contains part of the “American Riviera” can only increase profits.

So first things first — the developers gain the right to build hundreds and later thousands of new units, promising to help the City accommodate households up to 60% Area Median Income (AMI), or 80% AMI, or preferably 120% AMI.