OB Rag

by Ernie McCray

Oh, I’m practically overflowing
with joy
having my name
living on in perpetuity
as a
University of Arizona
Basketball Ring of Honor honoree,
mostly for the reason that it highlights
just how far Tucson, my hometown,
has come
since my growing up days,
as I was the second Black basketball player
to perform at the U of A
and now there are

By Ricardo Flores /  Op-Ed San Diego Union-Tribune / Jan. 30, 2023

The Navy wants to redevelop its Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, or NAVWAR, a sprawling 70.3-acre complex in San Diego’s Midway District. According to the Navy, the site can accommodate up to 10,000 housing units, but, no surprise, there is no requirement in its request for qualifications/proposals that any of the units be affordable housing.

This is unfortunate because San Diego is experiencing an affordable housing crisis that has become a homeless crisis.

By Danna Givot / Commentary – San Diego Union-Tribune / Jan. 30, 2023 

In October, as part of its 2022 Land Development Code Update, San Diego’s Planning Department introduced the concept of “Sustainable Development Areas.” Then, at every subsequent presentation, department officials changed the definition, preventing full public understanding and debate.

But the term is important to understand because it is a major housing policy shift by city officials. The general idea is that new high-density housing could be built up to a mile walking distance from bus or trolley stops, instead of the almost universally accepted half-mile walking distance.

All events are online and free unless stated otherwise.
See inside for “More on Kip Kruegar”

Every Saturday 10:30 am. Climate Mobilization Coalition Meetings  February 4th, 11th, 18th,and 25th

February 8th Wednesday 5 pm Conscious Closets Webinar

February 9th Thursday 5:30 – 7:30 pm Fossils, Fertilizers, and False Solutions 
February 9th Thursday 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Restorative Justice in Education Event by League of Women Voters 

February 11th Saturday 11 am – 4 pm City Heights Multi-Cultural Festival of Love 
February 11th Saturday 10 am – 1 pm SD Fixit Clinic with Goodwill Industries  

There’s certainly beauty in San Diego during these rainy, snowy winter months.

By Jeannine Boisse / What Now San Diego / January 31, 2023

City Tacos is planning another outpost along the coast, this time in Ocean Beach. A new permit filing places their next spot on Voltaire Street at Cable Street, [4896 Voltaire St,] formerly a Tiki Port coffee shop.

Owner Gerry Torres opened the first City Tacos location in North Park in 2014. City Tacos now operates seven locations across San Diego, with spots in La Mesa, Encinitas, Sorrento Valley, and Pacific Beach.

By Geoff Page

The Peninsula Community Planning Board’s regularly monthly meeting, Thursday, January 19, was relatively unremarkable until a certain piece of very remarkable information popped up, almost routinely.  It appears the evisceration of the planning board system has begun.

About one hour into the meeting, the PCPB reached the point in its agenda called “Applicant-Initiated Action Items.” Board chair, Fred Kosmo, pointed out that there were no projects on the agenda and explained why. Kosmo said that the PCPB’s Project Review subcommittee chair, Joe Holasek, informed him of a change at the city.

The planning boards will no longer be reviewing projects involving accessory dwelling units or ADUs. So, how does removing projects – the most common and of numerous projects these days – from planning board review square with the following?

From San Clemente Green

Eleven years ago today — Jan. 31, 2013, we almost nuked Southern California. We owe a debt of gratitude to the nuclear operators that managed a swift and flawless emergency shutdown.

A Thank You Note to Edison Employees and a reminder to all. It is important to remember that they prevented a major disaster eleven years ago.

Your quick actions when radioactive steam began escaping into the environment, prevented a chain reaction from occurring in one of the newly replaced steam generators. It turns out that whistleblowers, afraid of known retaliation from management for such things, had rightfully warned us of this possibility two years prior.

There’s more snow in them thar hills today, Tuesday, the last day of January 2023.

After the Vaccine, Republicans Became Far More Likely to Die with Covid-19 Than Democrats

A Voice of San Diego analysis of death certificates and public voter files reveals that partisan affiliation was a predictor of one’s likelihood to perish during year two of the pandemic. Those who decline to identify with a party also saw a higher rate of death.

by Will Huntsberry and Jesse Marx / Voice of San Diego / January 30, 2023

America’s partisan divide isn’t only bitter. It’s deadly.

During the first year of the pandemic, Democrats died at higher rates than Republicans. But during the second year, as Covid vaccines became widely available, Republicans in San Diego County began dying at significantly higher rates than Democrats,

From Luminosity Newsletter

There Will be Drones.

The LUMINOSITY Steering Committee is currently in negotiations with a major Drone Company. A contract should be signed in February. On the Fourth of July of 2023, Ocean Beach WILL have at least 200 drones with additional drones added as more funding becomes available.

Further information will be made available after the contract is finalized.

The LUMINOSITY Arts Council Meets

The first meeting of the Arts Council recently met to begin planning the Festival of Lights element of LUMINOSITY. The panel is made up of individuals with a background in the arts and who have ties to Ocean Beach. The role of the council is to determine the scope and vision of the festival.

Mt. Laguna live cam at the Mt. Laguna Lodge, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023 at 9:35 a.m.

In comparison, look at Lake Cuyamaca this morning, just down the hill. So, there’s snow in only some of them thar hills.

Obviously, “There’s snow in them thar hills” is a take-off of Yosemite Sam’s favorite expression, “There’s gold in them thar hills.”