OB Rag

You Get What They Pay For: Midway Rising and Every Other City “Deal”

By Mat Wahlstrom

In the wake of an FBI investigation into the mayor for his alleged pay-for-play deal to broker (in cahoots with the local Chamber of Commerce) the sale of the city’s sports arena site to a donor in exchange for $1 million to support his re-election campaign, today (September 13) the city council will consider implementing stronger anti-corruption rules.

If you were mistaken in thinking this actual news item was about San Diego instead of Anaheim, it’s understandable.

The question now is whether the avalanche of questions being raised will stall Mayor Gloria’s steamrolling of Midway Rising for council approval?

Over the weekend, the San Diego Union-Tribune joined a chorus of media and other voices in raising tantalizing questions and revelations about the redevelopment team led by Brad Termini  of Zephry Partners.

The Navy will hear you now.

From Point Loma Association

Last month, PLA was unsuccessful in arranging a community presentation by the Navy regarding their plans to increase military training at our neighborhood base. And Public comments closed September 1.

By Colleen O’Connor

Seriously, why are people prepared to wait in line for “thirty hours” at Buckingham Palace to view the Queen’s coffin? Such reverence, not heard of since the death of FDR’s coffin moved by train from Warm Springs, Georgia back to the nation’s capital to lie in rest.

So, why the outpouring of respect, grief, and yes, a bit of fear, at the prospect of life without this Queen.  Granted there are the just curious, the selfie-photographers, and the wannabe influencers.

Councilmember LaCava Calls Issues About Midway Rising “Unsubstantiated”

On Thursday, September 8, a key San Diego City Council committee voted unanimously to push forward Mayor Gloria’s choice for the Sports Arena redevelopment, Midway Rising.

The four councilmembers on the Land Use and Housing Committee include Democrats Vivian Moreno (Chair) – out on maternity leave, Joe LaCava (Vice Chair), and Stephen Whitburn, plus the lone termed-out Republican, Chris Cate.

By Geoff Page

The future of the Ocean Beach Library was the single topic at the OB Planning Board’s regular monthly meeting Wednesday September 7. That future was moved a step closer when the board voted to approve a specific concept for the future library that will move the design and permitting process along.

The meeting was held at the New Break church on Ebers St. where the city of San Diego made a presentation titled “Ocean Beach Library Expansion Survey Results.”

By David Helvarg / Los Angeles Times / Sept. 6, 2022

Two years ago the sky above my San Francisco Bay Area home was a dark pumpkin orange from wildfire smoke. The air smelled of wood fire, and gray ash covered my car. Today the bay’s waters are dark brown from a harmful algal bloom and the air smells of decay and dead fish. Both incidents, like the heat dome California’s been suffering under since last week,

The state of California has notified the city of San Diego that Mayor Todd Gloria’s pick of Midway Rising to redevelop the sports arena area is legal.

David Zisser, the assistant deputy director of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), has informed the city by letter that San Diego has up to now “successfully completed all applicable requirements” of the Surplus Land Act,

The San Diego Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has issued a blistering critique of the design process for OB’s new, expanded library. The new design will be on display at tonight’s OB Planning Board meeting.

In undated letters to Mayor Gloria, Councilmember Campbell, and other officials, the architects claimed there was a “flawed design process and substandard outcome” for the new plans, and that “The community deserves better; it deserves well-designed civic assets that will endure the test of time.”

Ocean Beach Historical Society Presents

Richard Carrico – “Peeling Back 10,000 Years of San Diego History”

Thursday, September 15, 2022, 7:00 pm
Water’s Edge Faith Community
1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego
Cost: FREE

by Ernie McCray

I was just thinking
if I had stolen
a bunch of classified
U.S. documents
and hid them in my basement
and the FBI had to come and get them,
and I had the nerve
to ask for a
“Special Master Review”
of some kind