OB Rag

By Jennifer Van Grove / San Diego Union-Tribune / December 16, 2025

The local agency that controls the land around San Diego Bay has finalized the governing document that will expand its authority to 7,900 more acres in the bay and another 100 acres on land.

Last week, the Board of Port Commissioners for the San Diego Unified Port District unanimously approved what’s known as the Trust Lands Use Plan, or TLUP, a land-use framework for the mostly submerged lands transferred to the agency in 2020. The commissioners also approved the plan’s associated environmental impact report, or its Mitigated Negative Declaration, which determined that there will be no significant effects once mitigation measures are implemented.

The actions advance the plan for consideration by the California Coastal Commission.

The TLUP is an amendment to the Port Master Plan that, once certified by the Coastal Commission and approved by the California State Lands Commission, will give the port permitting authority over what has colloquially been referred to as “the doughnut hole.” The moniker describes how the port’s jurisdiction has historically wrapped around the coastline of the entire bay, from Shelter Island to the South Bay and Coronado, but excluded the more central water areas.

The mostly submerged lands, previously held in trust by the State Lands Commission, were transferred to the port on Jan. 1, 2020, through California Senate Bill 507. The water and land area, which includes the deep-water federal navigation channel, is said to have been granted to the port for more streamlined management.

A sandy, muddy salt marsh is the reason San Diego is the West Coast home of the Marine Corps

By Eric DuVall / Point Loma– OB Monthly SDU-T / December 15, 2025

I liked the old main post office on Midway Drive. Perhaps I should have spoken up sooner. The place was intentionally, brutalistically, functional. Plus, it was close.

Remember the Old Town Philatelic Center in there? No? I don’t know if stamp collectors made much use of that desk or not, but somewhere in that big airplane hangar of a room I once noticed a plaque on the wall, maybe 16 inches square, that proclaimed “DUTCH FLATS — On this site on April 28, 1927, the Spirit of St. Louis was flight-tested by Charles A. Lindbergh.” How cool is that?

I had heard of Dutch Flats, but it is certainly not a place name that folks use these days.

The area referred to as Dutch Flats is simply the alluvial flood plain and former arroyo created by the watercourse of the San Diego River as it flowed past Old Town at the base of Presidio Hill, hung a hard left and was seemingly drawn directly toward San Diego Bay. A substantial portion of what is now arbitrarily referred to as the Midway District, all of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and parts of Liberty Station and San Diego International Airport were once known as Dutch Flats.

Town Hall Hosted by San Diego Community Coalition on Dec. 13

Rag Staff Report

At the December 13 San Diego Community Coalition Town Hall, Union-Tribune City Hall Reporter David Garrick spoke candidly, listened carefully, and laid out the challenges facing journalists who cover local government.

As the City Hall reporter for the city’s major metropolitan daily, Garrick is the unofficial dean of the San Diego press corps. When he started covering City Hall in 2014, Kevin Faulconer was the new Mayor, Todd Gloria was City Council President, and Sempra Energy occupied the tower at 101 Ash Street.

In an hour-long exchange at the Logan Heights Library with community activists from across the city, Garrick was straightforward and thoughtful.

He explained that while journalists rarely report things perfectly, they always try to report things accurately. Throughout the discussion, he was open to hearing views that had not occurred to him.

By Alyssa Ray / Yahoo News / December 8, 2025

Jon Stewart accused the Trump administration of giving him Iraq War déjà vu over their reasoning for the looming conflict with Venezuela.

The comedian addressed the “eerie” similarities between the two separate conflicts during Monday’s monologue for “The Daily Show,” where he slammed the president and his administration for recycling old Iraq War-era justifications amid the growing conflict in South America.

“So the two dictators [Nicolás Maduro and Saddam Hussein] share a remarkably similar taste in facial hair, body shape, ceremonial sabers and headgear. It doesn’t mean that the pretext for the wars will be the same,” Stewart joked before airing news footage of MAGA supporters accusing narco-terrorists of being in possession of fentanyl, which they called “weapons of mass destruction.”

“Are you f–king kidding me right now?” Stewart sounded off. “You guys have the balls to tell us that the pretext for Iraq was bulls–t, and that war was a mistake, and we’re not like that, and also, Venezuela has weapons of mass destruction, and we have to stop them. Or is WMD just the new slang, like, ‘Yo, bro.Venezuela’s total WMD, 6-7.’”

He also fact checked the fentanyl claim, sharing “almost none of it [in the U.S.]” comes from Venezuela.

By William Menard / Op-Ed San Diego U-T / December 12, 2025

Immigration officers have ignited a global outcry recently as masked ICE agents have patrolled communities across the country, arresting people at their homes, work and schools. While this is extremely distressing, ICE is now taking actions that have received much less attention but are just as concerning: arresting immigrants lawfully applying for green cards.

A few weeks ago, I was preparing my client and her husband for their green card interview at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service field office in San Diego. My client was from Australia, lawfully entered the United States, and had no criminal record whatsoever.  While she was here, she fell in love with her husband, a U.S. citizen and veteran of the U.S. Navy who received numerous commendations during his service. They lived together with their dog in a San Diego suburb.

My client’s only issue was minor — she had overstayed her visa in the United States for a few months. This was extremely typical. Federal statute explicitly permits spouses of U.S. citizens to apply for permanent residence even if they had previously overstayed a visa. I had submitted hundreds of nearly identical applications in the past without any issue.

Friends and family of popular fisherman and YouTuber, Mikey Rijavec, came together Saturday, Dec. 13, to honor his memory after his body was found off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, in November this year.

The paddle out took place in Fiesta Island in Mission Bay, where those who attended laid a wreath in the ocean to honor the life of Rijavec.

“The happiest guy in the water. It doesn’t matter if you meet him at his house, out on the water, at the restaurant, he’s the exact same guy- he’s thrilled to meet you, he’s thrilled for the experience, and what you’re about to do together, there’s just no people like him,” said Glenn Udvarhely who was a close fishing friend to Rijavec.

By Jillian Butler

As wallets tighten under economic uncertainty and SDG&E  prices soar to astronomical highs, a beloved Ocean Beach gathering place is fighting to keep its doors open.

Owned by Kyle Schubert, Long Story Irish Pub has been a community hub for people hailing from all walks of life -– from aspiring musicians playing at their Tuesday open mic nights to Little League teams celebrating a win over lunch, to sports fans catching a Padres game.

A seasoned restaurateur, Schubert moved from Sacramento to San Diego to both open Long Story Irish Pub with his friends and to be with his long time partner, Azure. The namesake of his pub is a tribute to the “long story” of his love for Azure. Schubert met his partner when he was only 13 years old, and followed her down to San Diego decades later, laying down roots here.

Developers of 186-unit apartment building have the green light to continue work

By Paul Krueger

Developers of an eight-story, 186-unit apartment building in the heart of Golden Hill can resume work on their controversial project following a significant legal ruling.

Opponents of “The Lawson” housing project on 29th and A Streets had temporarily stopped excavation of the complex in October, following a favorable ruling by Judge Joel Wohlfeil.

But Judge Wohlfeil last week declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the developer, which which would have extended his initial stop-work order. In his 16-page ruling, the judge said a more thorough review of evidence in the case convinced him that the community group challenging the project does not have the “probability of prevailing” at a trial.

Judge Wohlfeil did agree with several arguments made by attorneys for “Preserve Greater Golden Hill.” He acknowledged that project opponents have a “reasonable skepticism” that a required bus stop will ever be established within walking distance of the development. He also said the community group made a strong argument that the Golden Hill neighborhood “will be irreparably diminished…if adequate infrastructure” is not built.

By Lori Saldaña  / Op-Ed  San Diego Union-Tribune / December 15, 2025

The Clairemont Mesa Community Plan Update — envisioning the future of the region’s 8,557 acres — goes before the City Council on Tuesday, seeking to update a vision last adopted in 1989.

It calls for tens of thousands of new homes in San Diego’s original, post-World War II “planned community” and seeks to enhance “mobility” and “connectivity,” “protect open space,” and preserve “historical resources and districts that embody architectural and cultural history.”

But while these are admirable, aspirational goals, the plan should not be adopted until it also addresses more recent housing and transportation concerns in Clairemont. They include:

Coalition Bulletin: “This Week at City Hall”

The San Diego Community Coalition publishes this email bulletin to keep our members and the public informed about important Council and Planning Commission Hearings. City Hall is beginning to wind down this week before it goes into a 3-week legislative recess for the holidays. We will resume this bulletin when the city government reopens Monday, January 12.

Monday, December 15: City Council, 10:00 a.m.

Agenda link:

Items include: Closed session discussion of “City of San Diego v. 101 Ash, LLC et al,” involving “the City’s claims against its contractors for negligent disruption of asbestos during renovations of the 101 Ash Street property.”

Why it matters: After 10 long years of civic disgrace and hundreds of millions of dollars gone, this albatross is still around the city’s neck. Will it ever end?

Monday, December 15: City Council, 2:00 p.m.

Agenda link:

From OB Community Foundation

December 15-20, 2025

A 40 year tradition in Ocean Beach, the OB Food & Toy Drive brings together volunteers, neighbors, donors, and community members during the holiday season. This year our goal is to spread extra holiday cheer to 100 families and 75 seniors in OB.

Here’s how you can get involved:

Receive Cheer [Editordude: it’s too late to sign up to receive food and toys as registration closed on Thanksgiving (11/27).]

Donate Time, Treasure, Food, Toys, Gifts, and More

Volunteer – Register for a volunteer shift December 15-20.

Donate (financially) – Earmarked donations to OB Food & Toy Drive supports supplies (wrapping paper, boxes, etc.), toy and gift purchases, food purchases, as well as gift cards for the families and seniors.

Our 2025 toy collection locations throughout OB are hosted by:

By Paul Krueger / Times of San Diego / December 13, 2025

Mayor Todd Gloria is spreading the word about a national survey that shows 76% of San Diego residents are “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their city.

According to Gensler Research, San Diego ranks second in “satisfaction with their city as a place to live,” trailing only San Antonio with a 78% score.

But Axios, which published the results, cautioned that “satisfaction” is a “broad” term, defined as “a general vibe check on how people are feeling about job opportunities, housing costs, safety and other key urban issues.”

And the survey’s methodology reveals a very significant — even disqualifying — limitation: The poll was conducted more than a year ago, from July 18 to Nov 24, 2024.

Since then, there’s been a flurry of activity at City Hall, and most of it is having a negative impact on our personal finances.