OB Rag

It’s becoming all the more apparent to critical observers in San Diego, that here in our town, the homeless don’t count. The numbers of the houseless are surging and local government seems just to sweep their encampments from place to place, never really dipping into the real crisis or affecting the real numbers of our fellow humans who don’t have a shelter over their heads.

Lisa Halverstadt at Voice of San Diego peered into the abyss and wrote:

Street homelessness and the misery tied to it appear to be surging to new highs across San Diego.

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry, in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those working to create a nuclear free world.

On February 26 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that “Russian forces have taken control of” the Chernobyl nuclear plant site of the 1986 nuclear catastrophe, when the now former Soviet Union owned and operated the facility.

Come inside for more details about your local CPG and how to participate.

Cornel West Inspires at PL Nazarene’s Writer’s Symposium

By Mat Wahlstrom

Last Friday, I had the great fortune to hear Cornel West speak at Point Loma Nazarene University’s 27th Writer’s Symposium by the Sea. He resigned from teaching the public practice of philosophy at Harvard last year in protest over its dismal response to the Black Lives Matter movement because he lives what he teaches.

For Dr. West, the values of dignity, integrity, honesty, and generosity are as scientific constants:

The Planning Board for Ocean Beach meets this Wednesday, March 2, and the meeting will continue to be held virtually via Zoom. (See below for registration.)

Planning Board Elections

The OBPB will also be ending its annual elections during the March 2nd meeting. Information can be found at this Rag article or on the board’s website . Results will be announced Thursday, March 3, 2022 via OBPB email and social media.

The only project up for review is a proposed parcel divide and construction of a new 2,400 square foot house on the second parcel on Santa Cruz.

On Friday, Feb. 25, SDG&E’s parent company, Sempra Energy, reported $2.6 billion in adjusted earnings for 2021.

It’s not a stretch to say that San Diegans – with the highest electrical rates in the country – have been generously helping the energy giant make its profits.

Sempra’s adjusted earnings of $2.6 billion for 2021 include income from all its companies. SDG&E’s earnings for 2021 were reported as $819 million.

The local CBS affiliate asked Alan Gin, a professor of economics at the University of San Diego, to take a look at Sempra’s recent earnings report. His response:

“Well, I think consumers are probably going to be unhappy because they’re paying these increased rates, the highest in the nation actually. And, yet, the company is taking that and then giving it out as dividends to their shareholders, and they’re also using it to repurchase stock, which is benefiting the shareholders as opposed to the customers.”

Today, Monday, the last day of February, there will be a press conference held to announce opposition to an early County Democratic Party “Friendly Incumbent Endorsement” of Councilmember Jen Campbell before the June Primary.

The press conference will be held at Morley Field parking lot east of tennis courts at 10:30 a.m.

Union grocery workers are rallying today for a new contract at Ralphs on Sports Arena Boulevard today, Feb. 28 at noon. The union contract for almost 9,000 San Diego workers expires on March 6 and the rally is to show the companies and public at large that these workers continue to be essential and that they deserve a new union contract that reflects the service and sacrifices that they have made.

The union that represents the workers is United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135, and the contract that expires covered workers at Albertsons, Gelson’s, Ralphs, Stater Bros, and Vons in San Diego County. The union contracts covered approximately 60,000 workers in Southern California.

Julie Anderson, an artist and resident of Point Loma, has won the second-place award in the continually competitive February 2022 San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS) Member’s exhibition “Simple Pleasures.”

It’s an in-gallery show of the SDWS at 2825 Dewey Road in Liberty Station, San Diego, CA.

Anderson’s painting entitled “Surveying the Scene” was selected by prominent local artist and juror Thomas Franco for this honor, out of over 200 entries.

Restaurant Review

Ketch Grill and Taps
2614 Shelter Island Drive
Point Loma, CA 92106
619-814-8080

By Judi Curry

Almost three years ago to the day I had dinner at the Ketch and did a review of the restaurant. At the time I was impressed with the menu and when I had out of town guests I took them there for lunch. But that time I was very disappointed – the menu had changed – and the food was only fair. That surprised me because the other restaurants in the chain are so good. (Miguel’s, Brigantine, etc.) I have not been back since. Things were about to change.

If you have ever been to the Ketch – the old “Red Sails” restaurant, you know that it is difficult to determine what is the bar and what is the seating area for the restaurant. There was some confusion as to where we could sit; when our table would be ready, etc., and it later turned out that we were comped for our drinks because of the confusion.

The Peninsula Community Planning Board will be holding its annual election to its Board on March 17, 2022. The election this year is to fill five (5) three year seats.

Requirements for those interested in becoming a Board Member:

• Board terms are for three years.
• A candidate must be 18 years of age,
• must reside, own property, or operate a business within the PCPB boundaries, and
• have attended one regular zoom meeting within the past 12 months. Attending the Candidates Forum would also qualify for this requirement.

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