OB Rag

By Geoff Page

The Rag had occasion to revisit the city’s homeless parking lot camp site at the City’s Maintenance Operations Yard Friday morning, October 6. During that visit, a couple of surprising bits of news were discovered. It was learned that the city is building a new, bigger campsite and that the city has obtained an extension on the existing parking lot site permit.

Checking the news media following the visit did not reveal any information about the new campsite or the extension for the current site. On Saturday, October 7, however, there was a brief mention in the Union Tribune about the mayor’s press conference on Thursday, October 7. During that conference, the account related the following about the new site.

Every Saturday 10:30 am. Climate Mobilization Coalition Meetings  October 28th.

October 27th Friday 8 am – 6 pm 2023 San Diego Green Building Conference & Expo BUILDING POSITIVE: CULTIVATING A REGENERATIVE FUTURE UC San Diego Park & Market 1100 Market St San Diego 92101 This is San Diego’s premier event for green building professionals from all fields of expertise to come together to share ideas, inspiration and connection. This year we are partnering with the World Woman Foundation’s Sustainability Forum taking place on Thursday, October 26th at UC San Diego Park & Market. Join both days of this exciting collaboration to hear from visionary leaders, activists, entrepreneurs, academics, artists, and policymakers. $135 to $275 More info:  https://www.sd-gbc.org/sdgbce23

October 28th Saturday 10 am – 2 pm Fall at the Farm Event by Wild Willow Farm We are excited to invite you to a day of fun and celebration At Wild Willow Farm, we are passionate about regenerative agriculture, education, and connecting with our local community. This event is our way of sharing the joys of farm life with you! This event is free and suited for all ages. More info:  https://www.facebook.com/events/710216361149527/?ref=newsfeed

From SOHO

Now in its 36th year, SOHO’s Most Endangered List continues to serve as a rallying cry to raise awareness and focus attention on sites threatened by deterioration, lack of maintenance, insufficient funds, or inappropriate development, and to bolster local advocacy efforts and build support for each property or site’s eventual protection and/or preservation.

The Most Endangered List of historic resources serves as a comprehensive compilation of historic sites and locations that currently face imminent risk of permanent loss.

By Paul Krueger

The Hells Angel who allegedly stabbed a Black man in the chest during a brutal attack on Newport Avenue remains in jail without bail due to his “…callous and senseless decision to try to stab to death a total stranger and the substantial likelihood that his release would result in great bodily harm to more victims.”

Those allegations are included in a seven-page court filing by county prosecutors, who persuaded a judge to deny bail to Troy Scholder, a twenty-year member of the violent motorcycle gang and one of its “chief enforcers.”

By Geoff Page

Here is a brief explanation about how to make a Public Records Request. It is actually very easy.

The city’s website for Public Records Requests is here.  There you will find some explanations and links and the one you want is the “Public Records Portal.”

There’s been a rising reaction to Mayor Gloria’s nomination of former sheriff Bill Gore to San Diego’s Ethics Commission. Gloria made the announcement at the end of September.

The appointment is for a four-year term that expires June 30, 2027, and still requires confirmation from the city council, which would leave one vacancy on the seven-member panel that is responsible for enforcing San Diego’s elections and campaign-finance laws.

First the push-back began in the Letters to the Editor at the U-T and yesterday, it was on the editorial page of the newspaper itself.

By Ernie McCray

What if the slogan,
“Make America Great Again,”
was replaced
with a more hopeful
and promising acronym
such as
“Make America Governable Again”
like the time
when the powers that be
set, although rather unenthusiastically,
its slaves free
or when they laid down highways
allowing motorists
to travel the country
more easily and economically
or gave birth to voting rights
for all of our citizenry.

OB’s iconic Surfside Cottages on the cliffs near the OB Pier are up for sale. Built in 1955, the series of  small cottages at 5072-5078 Niagara Avenue are being touted by the sellers as ocean front property located at the entrance to the pier — which they are of course.

The sellers are also pushing that the cottages are:

• Located In One Of Southern California’s True Beach Communities
• Hotel/Airbnb Potential
• Located In Front Of Famous Surf Break

I had to laugh sarcastically this morning when I read in today’s Union-Tribune about how “San Diego plans to boost the city’s urban forest with $10 million in federal climate funds that will help it plant thousands of trees in vulnerable neighborhoods and preserve many threatened trees.”

A good part of the article was about how trees help mitigate heat. City Forester Brian Widener even was quoted as saying:

“Trees provide shade, ecosystem services and a host of other benefits to make a greener and more livable San Diego. We are thrilled to receive this funding which will improve San Diego’s urban forest in our city’s historically underserved communities with new trees and expansion in growing space around our existing trees.”

Thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers went on strike this morning, Wed., Oct. 4 at hospitals and medical offices in San Diego and across the country.

Kaiser has failed to reach a deal with a coalition of unions to renew a contract that expired Sept. 30. Union leaders are fighting for more staffing and higher annual pay raises, arguing their wages have not kept up with the rising cost of living and inflation.

Midway Rising, the redevelopment team selected to remake the 48 acres at the Sports Arena property, has dropped the 250 middle-income family residential units from its plan. Instead it will build “market-rate” units. The 200-room hotel has also been removed from its plan. These moves have angered some City Council members

Housing for middle-income families is distinct from affordable housing, and includes units deed-restricted for families making between 80 percent and 120 percent of the area median income.

As U-T reporter Jennifer van Grove reported: