OB Rag

by Ernie McCray

It never ceases to amaze me how we Americans continue to resist discussing the number one problem in our country ever since it came to be: racism.

That resistance has never been more evident than when San Diego City Schools decided to provide students with ethnic studies and anti-racism education and some parents freaked out and decried having CRT, “critical race theory,” taught to their children.

By Colleen O’Connor

The announcement today – Thursday, July 1 – by Speaker Pelosi that Rep. Liz Cheney will be one of her 8 appointments to the Select Committee to investigate the January 6th breach of the Capital has put the #1 prediction (made 6 months ago) on the fast track.

And Cheney’s decision (along with current Minority Leader, McCarthy’s toothless bluff) has strengthened her position and will give her the gravitas and national recognition enviable for any but Presidents.

All events are online and free unless stated otherwise.

July 12th, 19th, and 26th Mondays 7:30 pm -8:30 pm Empower Hour Hosted by Sunrise Movement San Diego

July 8th Thursday 6:30 pm “Our Climate, Our Future” hosted by STAY COOL for Grandkids.

July 8th Thursday 5:30 pm “River’s End” Virtual Movie Screening and Panelist Event

July 11th Sunday 10:30 am Resilient Community March

July 11th Sunday Caravan for Justice Ocean Beach

By Jim Perry, Barbara McDonald, and Mary Koto

Are you aware of the NAVWAR proposal to redevelop the hangars near Old Town that we all see when we drive on I-5 or Pacific Highway? Look at the picture simulating what this area may look like if the Navy’s proposal goes forward. The Navy and City of San Diego support a mega-development of 109 buildings on the NAVWAR site, with 35 high-rise buildings.

The Navy is now calling for public comment on its “Preferred Alternative’” and other options. San Diego residents have been given a very brief amount of time to review this proposal, so if you oppose or have concerns about the Navy’s Preferred Alternative, the time to comment is NOW as the deadline is only 11 days away. Comments can be submitted directly to the Navy – go here . The deadline for public comment is July 13.

OBceans and other Southern Californians must have breathed a sigh of relief in not being engulfed by the record-breaking heatwave that hit the Northwest this past weekend. I happened to be in Oregon visiting family and was able to experience it all.

It was 109 in the small town I was in, southwest from Portland. For three days. After spending two days mostly indoors, on the third day of the heat, we bundled everybody into two cars and headed for the Oregon coast.

Akili Cobbs was fatally shot Sunday night, June 27, in a parking lot at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. Now his family wants answers.

Multiple gun shots and someone yelling for help brought police to the scene close to the 4500 block of Ladera Steret around 11:30. Cobbs was found in a car in the parking lot often used by surfers and park visitors, below Point Loma Nazarene University.

Now there’s a memorial for the 33-year old victim.

Outdoor restaurant spaces have become common to many Ocean Beach, Little Italy and other San Diego streets as eateries and other businesses used them to survive the coronavirus pandemic.

Now the outdoor eating areas could become permanent according to a plan the city of San Diego is currently working. Some businesses are rejoicing while others see the host of new restrictions and regulations as making things that much more complicated for business owners.

By David Garrick / San Diego Union-Tribune / June 22, 2021

San Diego is spending $15 million to buy 240,000 green recycling bins and kitchen pails so city residents can begin recycling food scraps to comply with a new state law that will fundamentally change recycling in California.

The new organics recycling law, SB 1383, forces residents and businesses to start separating out food waste and food-soiled paper products from their trash so that they can go in green bins for recycling.

By David Garrick / San Diego Union-Tribune / June 23, 2021

San Diego’s proposal to allow many businesses to eliminate their parking spots passed a key test last week when a City Council committee voted 3-1 to support the change after a contentious hearing. The vote, with only Councilmember Marni von Wilpert opposed, makes it likely the proposal will get support from at least five members of the full nine-member council next month.

Many San Diego businesses would no longer have to provide parking under policy proposal

By Chris Brewster / Voice of San Diego / June 23, 2021

If the mayor and City Council are serious about police reform, they should make clear that the expectation is that the police chief must meaningfully bring police stops into alignment with the makeup of the population, or spell out clearly why doing so isn’t desirable.

The San Diego Police Department’s leadership has been ineffective over many years at ensuring equity in police stops.

By Jesse Marx and Sofía Mejías Pascoe / Voice of San Diego / June 17, 2021

A long-awaited analysis of San Diego Police Department data, conducted by an outside think tank, was released Thursday, June 17, and offers a familiar picture of the disparities that people of color face when encountering law enforcement. But the police chief and the report’s authors have said they don’t believe it’s appropriate to attribute such disparities to officer bias.

The OB Rag will have very limited postings over the next 6 days, as I’m off to the Portland area to visit my daughter and her family.

Leaving behind a rain storm and heading into 90+ heat is quite a turnaround for San Diego and Portland.

Comments will continue to be open –