OB Rag

By Geoff Page

It has been three weeks since The Rag’s story on the city’s homeless encampment at the city’s Central Operations Station. The hot lot. A return visit was in order to see if the facility was doing any better after all of the criticism in the media. Sadly, not much better at all.

There have been changes. During the last visit, the facility consisted a large fenced area with one interior fence. There was a large area for tents and a small area for a trailer, restrooms and wash stands. The trailer appears to be an office.

Finally, the Department of Justice has indicted Trump for his coup attempts, which included of course the armed insurrection and attack on the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021. The indictments also cover his and his cronies’ other efforts to overturn the election in various states.

No where in the indictment is the word “coup,” but we know what he did — we witnessed it on live television.

It was a federal grand jury that indicted Trump on Tuesday, August 1, for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Six unnamed co-conspirators were also indicted. Trump is charged with four counts:

Reporter Jill Castellano at inewsource has written that the San Diego Police Officers Association and a group sponsored by County Deputy DAs have published misleading attack ads against Monica Montgomery Steppe, a candidate in the upcoming San Diego County Board of Supervisors special election on Aug. 15.

She reports that “Law enforcement unions have funneled more than $160,000” into the race. Their ads claim Montgomery Steppe, a Black woman, is a threat to public safety.

By Michael Smolens / San Diego Union-Tribune /July 30, 2023

A political heat dome is hovering over Mayor Todd Gloria on a couple of fronts. The mayor is supporting smart streetlights, with cameras and license plate reading technology, but has faced the ire of some privacy advocates, who point to his earlier comments about reining in use of surveillance tools.

Similarly, Gloria has been hounded about his approach to homelessness since almost the beginning of his administration two and a half years ago.

In two separate votes, the San Diego City Council approved the Police Department’s smart streetlights and automated license plate readers proposals on Tuesday, August 1.

Seven council members voted in favor of the cameras, with Monica Montgomery Steppe and Sean Elo-Rivera voting no, and six council members voted for the license plate readers with Montgomery Steppe, Elo-Rivera and Vivian Moreno voting no.

These votes now authorize SDPD to obtain contracts with Ubiquia, a telecommunications company, for the cameras, and Flock Safety, for the license plate readers. Once the contracts are approved, police can install the network of 500 cameras –all equipped with automated license plate reader technology.

There are a few points worth emphasizing:

Here’s How to Make Your Opinion Known

The San Diego Planning Commission is reviewing Senate Bill 10 for the second time on Thursday, August 3rd at 9 AM and the Agenda has been posted.

It’s time to make your opinion known!

BEFORE THURSDAY: Use the PUBLIC COMMENT WEBFORM to get your opinion into the Planning Commission record no later than 7 am on Thursday, August 3rd.

All events are online and free unless stated otherwise

Every Saturday 10:30 am. Climate Mobilization Coalition Meetings  August 26th.

August 24th Thursday 7 pm Nat Talk: Three Parks, Three Stories by San Diego Natural History Museum

August 26th Saturday 10 am – 1 pm Health & Healing Summerfest

August 26th 10 am – 11:30 am County LWV Day: Permanent Housing Solutions by League of Women Voters

August 31st Thursday 7 pm – 10 pm Farm Film & Music Series Coastal Roots Farm

Roll up for Cannabis Social Equity

By Terrie Best

Big cannabis and social justice are having a showdown and it’s not pretty. Nor is it helpful to the most vulnerable citizens in our city – the sick and dying patients who use cannabis to improve their quality of life and those under-served and over-policed communities so wounded they require a whole renaissance of repair.

Rooting out inequity in public policy is part of San Diego’s Strategic Plan. Under the “Foster Regional Prosperity” portion it states:

Increase access to opportunities for ownership of and employment in small, locally owned businesses, as well as key industries.

The OB Planning Board has two action items on its Wednesday night agenda. The first one is a permit to construct 3 ADUs at 2171 Abbott Street over an existing commercial building, and the second one is a permit to demolish 2 units at 4732 Del Monte and construct 2 ADUs. That’s a total of 5 ADUs up for consideration.

Also on the agenda is an update on the OB Pier and on the proposed two roundabouts on Bacon Street.

The Board meets at 6 pm at the OB Rec Center, 4726 Santa Monica Avenue.

By Seth Hall / Op-Ed Voice of San Diego / July 28, 2023

Two important recent events hint at whether San Diego is ready to responsibly handle the use of mass surveillance technology in our city.

The first was a recent agreement between community groups and the San Diego City Council.  Under the leadership of Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, we reached a solution to extend an important deadline for the city of San Diego to review and approve the use of all its existing technology.

By Colleen O’Connor

While waiting for more Trump indictments to drop, hotter weather to arrive, and a cool Blue Moon to appear on August 1st, might I suggest a getaway to an air-
conditioned theater to indulge in two blockbuster movies.

And I do mean indulge. “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” One a doll. The other a physicist. Both icons. Both movies historically accurate (mostly). Both also subversive. And both
monstrous money-makers.

Recalling an Era

By Anne Kegley

Mick (could it be ?) prances onto the stage to a sea of cheering fans. The Rolling Stones took the stage and the crowd went wild. He was just as brash and lean and animated as the original. The band gave a lively rendition of favorite hits.

The Beatles had just given a rocking performance of their great oldies.