OB Rag

By Jim Miller

As we move into yet another election cycle, perhaps it might be useful to start with a little perspective. Back in 2003 in the introduction to Under the Perfect Sun, Mike Davis, Kelly Mayhew, and I summarized the political landscape of San Diego as such:

War, tourist spectacle, endangered dissent: these are the perennial axes of modern San Diego history. Here, where illusion is a civic virtue, reality has always nestled inside spectacle like a set of Russian nesting dolls.

San Diego’s Cohn Restaurant Group will, at least for now, be running Surf Rider Pizza in Ocean Beach (and La Mesa) as it was part of a group of restaurants run by Gina Champion-Cain, who is now accused of federal fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Cohns – David and Lesley Cohn of the Cohn Restaurant Group (CRG) – will also be running The Patio on Lamont in Pacific Beach, Saska’s in Mission Beach and the Surf Riders as those eateries will placed “under the operational guidance” of the Cohns beginning September 30.

It’s at the monthly Ocean Beach Town Council meetings where one learns a lot of what’s going on in the community. From reports on the OB Library’s programs and updates on other community groups to announcements from political representatives of various office-holders, to shift changes with police and lifeguards, to what’s going on at OB’s Elementary School – these meetings are where’s it at.

And it’s during the public comment portion of the meeting where details of the many goings-on occur.

By Brett Warnke

I adore e-scooters. I think they’re the best idea to come to San Diego in a hell of a long time. If it were up to me, I’d subsidize thousands more of the damn things in low-income neighborhoods, in addition to more bicycles.

If it were up to me, I’d do studies to see where we could lessen commute times for semi-local traffic, find new lots for additional scooter parking, and if need be, provide space and training for them at schools as well. From Facebook freaks in the Bay to refugee kids in City Heights, I think everyone should have one handy for the day’s commutes.

The Ocean Beach Woman’s Club is hosting the “1st Annual OB Ping Pong Tournament” and it’s this Friday, September 27.

The games begin at 6:30 pm – with warm-ups at 6:00. You can come to play, come to watch – it’s Happy Hour “all night long” with $5 beer, wine, wings or pizza.

It’s true. Congresswoman Susan Davis has finally moved into the pro-impeachment side of the House Democrats. Davis became the 169th Democrat to do so and was part of the impeach wave on Tuesday created by the UkraineGate scandal. (As of this writing, there are 209 House Democrats on the list.)

She tweeted out her new position on Tuesday, September 24, minute after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House was launching an impeachment inquiry.

By Ted Henry / The Conversation / Sept. 23, 2019

You’re probably used to hearing that the ocean is full of plastic, but scientists are puzzled by a rather different problem—there actually appears to be a lot less of it than there should be. Most large plastic debris floats, but observations of it on the sea surface offshore are far lower than what would be expected, considering that 8m metric tonnes of plastic is estimated to empty into the ocean from land each year.

Scientists assumed that the missing plastic has simply broken down into tiny microplastics and sunk to the sea floor.

Nikki Rae Bose: “OB has a rawness to it. There’s a specific, open-hearted free culture here where anything goes.“

By Brett Warnke

The first thing you notice when you meet Nikki Rae Bose, besides her shower of golden hair, is that you’re possibly talking to Jessica Rabbit. The voice is Nikki: intense, deep, a charming whisper that invites you in like a flower.

It’s fitting then that a “Flower of Life” orb sits atop her new yoga studio on Bacon and Voltaire, reUnify. That laser engraved piece was part of a collaboration with Justin Warchol of Warchol Woodworking because Nikki seems to know everybody.

Definitely resting on their laurels after a totally successful pancake breakfast on the OB Pier last Saturday, the Ocean Beach Town Council is pivoting to hold their public monthly meeting this upcoming Wednesday, September 25. The OBTC meets at the Masonic Lodge, 1711 Sunset Cliffs, at 7:00pm.

Over 1200 guests attended the Town Council annual chow-down on the pier, the 21st annual breakfast – and the Town Council is calling it a “record-breaking turnout,” which translates to more funds for their Holiday events and the Food and Toy Drive.

Besides the crowd of locals, a number of politicians dropped by

In a five minute address to the nation at 2 PST, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House of Representatives will begin a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump because of his very recent violations of law and the Constitution in his interactions with the head of Ukraine.

“The President must be held accountable. No one is above the law,” she said.

This whole “Ukraine-Gate” scandal is big. Real big. So big that impeachment proceedings against Trump because of it could begin this week.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is set to make a public announcement today – Tuesday – at 2:00 pm California time. She is meeting with the entire Democratic Caucus an hour before.

What it’s all about and what we know so far:

Trump pressured newly-elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky up to at least eight times in a call to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. Trump admitted this on Sunday, Sept. 22.

Meanwhile military aid to Ukraine – already approved by Congress – was held up until after the phone call; Trump had asked his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney to put a hold on 400 millions in military aid to Ukraine roughly one week before the call. A whistleblower within the intelligence community made a formal complaint weeks ago about Trump’s “promises” to Zelensky.