OB Rag

By Geoff Page

The centerpiece of the Ocean Beach Planning Board’s regularly monthly meeting on June 1 was a city presentation on the Pier, it’s current condition and the future. The meeting was held at the New Break Church. Attendance was not outstanding. One District 2 candidate, Lori Saldaña, attended.

James Nagelvoort presented for the city’s new Strategic Capital Projects Department. Nagelvoort explained that this new department was formed by the city to oversee large and complex projects like the Pier. This by itself was news.

Point Loma High alumni have put together a video on the school’s grand re-opening. OB Rag readers have enjoyed previous peeks at the rehabilitated old school, nearly 100 years old, thanks to Peninsula News published online by the Point Loma Association. But now we have the official PLHS alumni video and news from their website:

From the PLHS Alumni News:

Hello Pointers!

Today is Monday June 6, 2022 and at long last the ribbon cutting for the modernization of PLHS is taking place. In honor of that event we have put together a sneak peak slideshow of the newly renovated campus.

Come inside for the video

Roger and Yasuko at Bernie’s Bike Shop are celebrating. A casual observer could tell something special was up by the three balloons near the old funky cash register.

33 years ago this June, Roger Lovett bought the original Bernie’s in its location on Voltaire and Ebers. It was 1989 and Roger was in his late 20’s – having graduated from Point Loma High School in 1980. As a kid, he had been a regular customer of Bernie’s.

Yasuko came into Roger’s life around that same time — they met on a blind date. They married and she has worked in the shop with Roger ever since.

When polls closed Tuesday night, District 2 incumbent Jen Campbell had the lead with not quite 31% of the vote. Linda Lukas, the Republican dentist, had over 25% with 5300 votes versus Democratic challenger Lori Saldaña with 18% and 3780 votes – a mere 1520 votes apart.

But with 250,000 ballots yet to be counted County-wide, the challenger race was too close to call. The next tally will not be announced until Thursday, June 9, by 5 pm.

Local activist Mandy Havlik came in with 8% and 1700 votes and Joel Day from Clairemont had 13% and 2700 ballots.

by Jake Harper/ inewsource / June 6, 2022

A surge in COVID cases hitting San Diego County has public health experts worried that a rise in hospitalizations and deaths could be on the way.

The Omicron variants BA.2 and BA.2.12.1, which are even more contagious than the variant that caused a winter surge in the U.S., are responsible for the recent increase in cases across the county — rivaling numbers seen in the Delta wave late last summer. For example, confirmed cases surpassed 1,500 per day for three days straight in late May.

By Editors / Times of San Diego / June 7, 2022

Every batter in the Point Loma Nazarene lineup recorded a hit Monday as the Sea Lions enjoyed a 11-3 victory over No. 3 seed Southern Arkansas.

With their 50th win of the season, No. 2 PLNU became the first team with two wins in the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship in Cary, N.C., moving within one win of a spot in the weekend best-of-three series for the national title.

By Joni Halpern

Perhaps people just want it on their resumé. Or maybe they want it written on their tombstone. Whatever the motivation, there seem to be innumerable candidates for public office whose qualifications are so sparse and potentially unsuitable that you hope and pray your fellow voters will take a hard look at them before voting.

Take the upcoming U.S. Senate race. You may not like Democrats as a general rule, or current U.S. Senator Alex Padilla in particular, but the guy is a bona fide graduate in engineering from MIT with a lot of experience in public policy. It appears that for some of the others on the long list of candidates for California’s contribution to the U.S. Senate, if they had one point of I.Q. less, they’d need watering. … Some of the candidates on that list seem like they haven’t worked in years,

By Geoff Page

The purpose of this opinion piece is to highlight the real importance of the District 2 city council race. This is not just an ordinary race among a collection of local, aspiring politicians. The outcome will decide how city hall operates for the next four years.

If Jennifer Campbell is re-elected, we will have a city administration that can do what it wants, unconcerned by what the public it is supposed to serve thinks. If we vote in Lori Saldaña, we will see an administration that will be forced into the open to answer hard questions.

The mayor sorely wants to keep the super majority on the council and that means re-electing Campbell. Saldaña is also a Democrat, so electing her would still preserve the super majority but not how the mayor wants it.

By Colleen O’Connor

Back in full- swing, after the recent Covid lockdowns and restrictions, this year’s Point Loma Portuguese Festa delivered lots to admire.

Not just the religious celebration of the Feast of the Holy Spirit, but a much-welcomed display of spirit and perseverance in the Portuguese community.

Decked out in full-dress regalia with amazing hand-sewn capes and glittering crowns, generations of neighbors and friends planned, organized, produced and cheered an enchanting parade.

What propels us forward?
Are we aware of all the cycles that influence our lives?
Can we control these rhythms?
Do we love the dance?

Locked Groove is a looped audiovisual experience that traces and morphs along the entire curb edging of Point Loma’s Plumosa Park.

Locked Groove presents a rhythmic visual design using temporary chalk pigments based on conceptual ideas about life rhythms. These rhythms are divided into four themes: domestic, social, industrial, and natural. These rhythms’ graphical patterns are inspired by rhythmic sound palettes designed by the artist and ancient, modern, and contemporary visual media.

All events are online and free unless stated otherwise.

Every Saturday 10:30 am. Climate Mobilization Coalition Zoom Meeting June 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th.
June: Join Solidarity Farm SD at their free Summer Farmer Training
June 8th Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm Connecting Housing and Energy: I
June 8th Wednesday 12 pm – 2 pm Stop Sempra from Fracking Our Future and Polluting Our Communities!

June 8th Wednesday 6 pm – 7 pm Expanding EV Infrastructure

By Geoff Page

New San Diego, the political action committee that is sending out hit mailers specifically targeting Lori Saldaña, received a big influx of cash from January 1 to May 21, 2022, according to its filing with the city. New San Diego received $156,000 in monetary contributions and $5,456.57 in “non-monetary” contributions.

As reported previously here in The Rag, New San Diego reported $105,850 in contributions in 2021. This means that $261,850 in donations alone have flowed into New San Diego since late last year. In fact, much of the $156,000 came in during three weeks of May.

The list of contributors in 2022 was just filed and here it is: