Cheswicks to Close After Memorial Weekend – Will Reopen With New Name and New Owners

May 21, 2024 by Source

From SanDiegoVille / May 20, 2024

The tiny biker bar with a big window, San Diego’s decades-old Cheswick’s West is under new ownership in Ocean Beach and will soon close to rebrand into a different concept.

In 1983, Ocean Beach resident Dean Hall opened Cheswicks West. Over the more than 40 years in business, the dive bar has hosted eclectic blend of patrons ranging from bikers, to surfers, to hippies and musicians, and everyone in between. Last year, a large brawl occurred outside of Cheswick’s, resulting in a stabbing and multiple people injured. Reportedly 17 Hells Angeles were indicted connected with the incident.

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Uptown Planners Need Your Support — Today, Tuesday, May 21

May 21, 2024 by Source

by Mat Wahlstrom

City Council will be deciding today, Tuesday, 5/21 on whether Uptown’s current Community Planning Group (CPG), Uptown Planners, will continue or whether a new CPG proposed by a group calling itself Vibrant Uptown will be chosen to take over advising the city on how our community feels about development.

We need your support on Tuesday! The developers who want to make Uptown into the new Downtown will be coming out in force. The people who promote 20 to 30 story high rise apartments will be there. The people who oppose off-street parking requirements in new buildings will be there. The people who don’t care why you selected Uptown to live and work in will be there. We need to be there too!

There are important ways you can help!

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Hillcrest Is Ground Zero for San Diego’s War on Community Planning Groups

May 21, 2024 by Source

By Kate Callen / Times of San Diego / May 16, 2024

If you’re wondering why Uptown Planners has become a prime target of City Hall’s war on planning groups, the battle over the unpopular Plan Hillcrest offers a case study.

When the Uptown community first questioned the city’s radical proposal to shoehorn more density into an already congested community, the planning group went to work. After seeing what looked like development overreach — 50,000 new residents, 30-story buildings – they requested public records that might elucidate how this startling proposal was conceived and crafted.

The city responded with a 600-document data dump. Undaunted, Uptown leaders sifted through the pile and zeroed in on several dozen relevant document pages.

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Update on Status of OB Town Council and OB Community Foundation

May 21, 2024 by Source

The following is from the Board of the OBCF

May 15 Town Hall Recap: Public Statement Regarding the Status of OBTC & OBCF

The Ocean Beach Community Foundation held a town hall meeting on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 pm to discuss the status and facts of the OBTC and OBCF organizations with the community. Below is a summary of our public statement from this Town Hall:

Introduction

As a board, we have a lot of information to share tonight, so we respectfully request to present everything before receiving comments and questions from the audience. This is an interim report, as work is still underway to uncover all of the missteps of the past and take corrective action. The facts that we are going to share may be shocking and as you process this information it may feel similar to the stages of grief and loss.

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The OB Kite Festival 2024 — A Video

May 21, 2024 by Source

Check out Charles Landon’s video on the OB Kite Festival.

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U-T Editorial Board: San Diego Residents Trust City Council Less Than They Trust SDG&E

May 20, 2024 by Source

Lack of Trust Reason Power San Diego Couldn’t Collect Enough Signatures for Ballot

San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board / May 17, 2024

San Diego Gas & Electric is easily the least objectionable of the state’s three giant investor-owned utilities. It is not a corporate felon on “a crime spree,” as a federal judge described Pacific Gas & Electric in 2022. It didn’t launch the clandestine scheme to make ratepayers cover far too much of the cost of shuttering the broken San Onofre nuclear plant. Though SDG&E benefited, that was the work of an Edison executive.

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Workers at Better Buzz Hillcrest Win Union Election

May 20, 2024 by Source

Baristas Join UFCW Local 135 to Bargain for Better Wages and Working Conditions

San Diego, CA – Workers at Better Buzz Coffee’s Hillcrest location have achieved an important victory in their pursuit of better wages, fair treatment and improved working conditions. In a decisive election held by the National Labor Relations Board on Friday, May 17, the baristas, trainers, and shift supervisors voted overwhelmingly to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135.

This worker victory marks the culmination of a determined effort by the employees, who organized under the name Better Buzz United. The workers cited concerns about wages, benefits, scheduling, and overall workplace safety as primary reasons for seeking union representation.

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Application for Construction of Large Church in Del Cerro Was Properly Denied

May 20, 2024 by Source

By Michael Livingston of Save Del Cerro

On January 9, 2024, in a 6-2 vote, San Diego City Council denied the All People’s Church (“APC”) application to build a 54,476 square foot, 900 seat facility, with over a dozen classrooms, over 20 offices, over 350 parking spaces, along with a 71,010 square foot two-level parking structure, at the intersection of Interstate 8, College Avenue and Del Cerro Boulevard.  In response, APC filed a federal lawsuit alleging religious discrimination.  All Peoples Church v. City of San Diego 24 CV 0562 TWR-MSB.

The City Council denied APC’s application based upon the inadequacy of the 2019 traffic analyses that APC used to support its application and the safety dangers that the proposed project created.  Both parties will now need to spend significant time and money litigating APC’s claims, when the traffic analyses and safety issues could have been decided years ago— indeed even when APC first made its plans — if APC had simply provided full and accurate traffic as well as safety analyses.

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Point Loma’s Portuguese Festa 2024

May 20, 2024 by Source

It’s More Than Just The “Wow” Dresses

By Colleen O’Connor

The annual Portuguese Festa de Espirito Santo has a 100 plus year tradition. It is family oriented, based in devout Catholicism, an affinity for the Portuguese community, their fishing history, and a bit of fun. A joy in serious times.

The parade on Sunday, with High Mass to follow, was delightful. Bands, lots of children in costumes, and dresses.

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Celebrations, Flowers and Remembrance of Colorful Lives in Ocean Beach

May 17, 2024 by Source

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Sign Surfrider Petition to Keep Public Access to San Onofre Beach

May 17, 2024 by Source

Surfrider has launched a petition directed toward decision makers to keep public access  to San Onofre State Beach.

Here’s their statement on the Petition.

California’s State Parks’ lease allowing public access to San Onofre State Beach expires in August 2024. Without a lease renewal or extension, we could lose public access to this valuable stretch of coastline and world-renowned surf breaks indefinitely!

Make your voice heard by these key leaders and decision-makers:

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OB Weekly Vigil for Ceasefire in Gaza — Saturday, May 18

May 17, 2024 by Source

This Saturday, May 18th, 2024 at Noon in Ocean Beach !!

Come join a growing number of your friends and neighbors, 45 folks last Saturday, our largest group yet, standing out on a busy corner in Ocean Beach, demanding a CEASEFIRE in Gaza, and demanding that the U.S. stop providing Israel with weapons that have already killed 32,000+ Gazans.

This weekly demonstration, organized by the San Diego Veterans For Peace and the progressive women’s group, Code Pink, will mark the sixteen consecutive Saturdays at the same location,

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March for Animal Rights — Downtown San Diego to Little Italy: Saturday, May 18

May 17, 2024 by Source

Hundreds of activist will march for animal rights from Pantoja Park in downtown San Diego starting this Saturday May 18th at 10 AM. The march will go to Little Italy and then end back at Pantoja Park. There will be large, colorful art depictions of animals along with a “Barbie” theme.

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Celebrate the History of the Peninsula — Tuesday, May 21

May 17, 2024 by Source

Come Inside for More Details

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More Outside Agitators Found at UC Irvine

May 17, 2024 by Staff

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Trump Makes $1 Billion Deal With Oil Companies to Reverse Climate Regs — But US News Blackout Is Scarry

May 16, 2024 by Source

By Ruth Milka / Nation of Change /May 15, 2024

Amidst a backdrop of escalating environmental and political stakes, a recent report by The Washington Post unveiled a controversial offer by former President Donald Trump: the reversal of crucial climate regulations in return for a staggering $1 billion donation to his campaign from oil industry titans

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Resignation of Labor Leader Brigette Browning Demanded by Coalition of Latino Groups

May 16, 2024 by Staff

It’s getting intense, this controversial confrontation between supporters of County Supervisor Nora Vargas and those who back Brigette Browning, the leader of the San Diego Labor Council. Even today’s U-T op-ed page was devoted to the controversy, with both sides sharing their view.

Now, we at the Rag and at the beach have our own problems with Brigette Browning — more on that at another time.

Part of the current flare-up is over the fact that Cindy Chavez has been passed over for the top job in the County, and the Labor Council supports her.

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Resistance is Not Futile, San Diego

May 16, 2024 by Source

By Colleen O’Connor

More resistance to the Mayor’s mega plans for neighborhoods is afoot.  Not just North Park’s frustration over the high-rise, no parking, increased bicycle lanes and tone deaf  “push on” responses from the Council and Mayor, but repeats in Point Loma, Ocean Beach, Mission Hills, Clairemont, etc.

Always the rush. The closed session meetings, the insistence on a major development will “improve” the obvious problems.

The latest “solution” to homelessness is a proposed 1,000 bed facility on Kettner & Vine.  This in addition to the Tent City dwellings along near Balboa Park on Pershing Drive, the Barracks near the airport and now this.

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New Surveillance Technology to Replace Cameras at OB Pier and Around Mission Bay Approved for Fire Department

May 16, 2024 by Source

Tuesday, May 14, the San Diego City Council approved the fire department lifeguard services division to buy upgraded surveillance technology to replace existing cameras around Mission Bay and the Ocean Beach Pier.

The fire department wants to upgrade its existing cameras for “situational awareness,” according to James Gartland, Chief of the Lifeguard Division for the City of San Diego. Gartland said the upgrades will help them better monitor the activity on the bay or when a boat is in trouble.

San Diego City Council on Tuesday approved the fire department’s lifeguard services division to continue the use of the Mission Bay and Ocean Beach

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‘Why People Have Stopped Buying Vacation Rentals in San Diego’

May 16, 2024 by Staff

A very interesting article by Phillip Molner at the Union-Tribune yesterday described why so many people have stopped buying vacation rental homes in San Diego. (It’s only for subscribers, so there’s no link.)

Here’s Molner’s main points:

Overall, interest rates and home prices are so high in San Diego that even vacation rental buyers have fled.

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Pizza Port Ocean Beach Celebrates 14 Years — Saturday, May 18

May 16, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

Pizza Port Ocean Beach is celebrating its 14th anniversary this Saturday, May 18.

Their ad says it’s “an epic celebration of 14 delicious years,” and that “It’s not just an anniversary party—it’s a day to enjoy some of the brewery’s best flavors and fun activities!”

They’re transforming their parking lot into a beer garden,

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Update on ‘Power San Diego’: Not Enough Sigs for Ballot But Enough for Plan B at City Council

May 15, 2024 by Source

By Rob Nikolewski / San Diego Union-Tribune / May 14, 2024

Power San Diego, the initiative that wants to oust San Diego Gas & Electric by creating a municipal electric utility within the city limits of San Diego, has fallen short of its goal of collecting 80,000 verified signatures to put the proposition on the ballot this fall.

But the group turned in about 31,000 signatures to the County Registrar of Voters on Tuesday, which it says would be enough to put the question before the San Diego City Council instead.

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City Council Passes Compromise Plan for Northeast Mission Bay – and Nobody’s Happy

May 15, 2024 by Frank Gormlie

After 7 to 8 years of at-times contentious community debates and discussions, of this group and that group vigorously lobbying the San Diego City Council, the council on Tuesday finally made a decision in how to transform much of northeastern Mission Bay. Supporters call the decision a win for a “climate-friendly marshland that can fight sea-level rise and pull carbon from the air.”

It’s a compromise! supporters yell, and it’s a fair one. A back-and-forth between environmentalists, city staffers and camping and recreation sports advocates has been going on so long, a certain fatigue has set in – and many are just happy to have a final decision, even if it’s a compromise.

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Student Movements and Solidarity With Gaza: A Vision for Equal Rights for Palestinians and Jews

May 15, 2024 by Source

The following was a talk given at a May 4, 2024 march in solidarity with Palestine in Olympia, Washington, and updated May  14.

By Peter Bohmer

Student movements have played a major role in radical history and revolutionary struggles.  For example, France in May 1968 began with a student strike and then spread to worker occupation of many factories. They didn’t win their demands although they gained substantial increases in student rights and wages.

On May 4, 1970, 54 years ago from the day of this demonstration, four students were killed at Kent State University for protesting the US invasion of Cambodia by the Ohio National Guard. 

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Modern Horror Show: Developers Podcast Plan to Target 92107 for Profitable ADU Projects

May 15, 2024 by Source

By Geoff Page

Those of us raised in the television generation grew up with images for stories. The generation before TV listened to radio programs with as much enthusiasm, it seems, as the TV generation did to TV. We have images that are inseparable from horror stories we know. It was a wonder to us how the radio generation could be as scared as we were, without pictures.

This writer does not wonder any more after listening to a podcast by two developers, Shawn DiMartile and Mike Tighe, talking about their ADU project in Ocean Beach. It is possible to horrify a person with only words.

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OB Kite Festival — Saturday, May 18 — at Robb Field

May 15, 2024 by Staff

This Saturday, May 18, is the 77th Ocean Beach Kiwanis and OB Woman’s Club Children’s Kite Festival!

It’s all happening from 10 AM to 3 PM at Robb Field – and it’s for all ages and is free!

Officially Robb Field is located at 2525 Bacon Street, San Diego, CA 92107.

It’s all family oriented, you can make and decorate your own kite, cuz there’s free materials, and instructions, and help with kite making. Get instruction from some of the best kite fliers around.

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Historic Mission Hills Library to Be Back in Circulation as ‘Library Shop’

May 14, 2024 by Source

The city of San Diego is bringing the old and historic Mission Hills library building back into circulation — this time as a “library shop,” much like the one in the downtown library. Used books and tchotchkes would be sold, and the building would also host community events.

City crews have been at the site to address a series of the structure’s problems: broken brickwork, shattered windows, and graffiti — and bring it back from being a neighborhood eyesore.

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Over 30,000 Signatures Gathered by Volunteers to Place ‘Power San Diego’ on Ballot

May 14, 2024 by Source

Needs City Clerk’s Certification

The Power San Diego ballot measure campaign has delivered tens of thousands of signatures from their volunteer effort to replace SDGE with a non-profit public electric utility. Designed to conform to San Diego’s City Charter, the initiative would  establish a lower-cost electric utility, retain the current union workforce, and be overseen by a qualified board of directors with citizen oversight.

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How the San Diego Sports Arena Is Historic

May 14, 2024 by Source

From Save Our Heritage Organization

3500 Sports Arena Boulevard in the Midway area is well known to generations as the San Diego International Sports Arena.

This venue for sports, concerts, and other events is designated under Historic Resources Board Criteria A and B, with a period of significance of 1966-1974, and under Criterion C, architecture for the year it was built, 1966.

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Reader Rant: ‘OB and PL Are Targeted by Developers – Time to Fight the Billionaire Buyers’

May 14, 2024 by Source

By Lynne Miller

Hey Friends! Some of you know that we have been opposing a 20-unit building in our Ocean Beach neighborhood. The good news is that OBPB voted to deny the project. The bad news is that the City of San Diego does not have to accept the recommendation, so we will likely have a long appeal process ahead.

I attended Peninsula Planning Board (subcommittee) meeting and found out something disturbing.

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