OB Rag

Santa Susanna Lab in Ventura County Suffered Meltdown 58 Years Ago

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

The worst meltdown in our history? And we’ve never heard of it?

That’s Right. Wikipedia characterizes the meltdown as “the worst in US history” and asserts “the radioactive releases are thought to be much more than at Three Mile Island in 1979.”

And where? Less than 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles and less than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Authors Felt It All Was an Enlightening July 26th Workshop on Avenida de Portugal Park

By Jon Linney and Don Sevrens

Our thanks to the more than 100 persons who attended the Portuguese Hall workshop July 26, on our coming pocket park on Avenida de Portugal.

Everyone who chose to speak or ask a question was allotted two minutes. The views expressed ran the gamut, and answers to probing questions were enlightening. All present appeared to learn something, including landscape architect firm KTU&A, which was told the park needed to be special, not mundane.

City project manager Mark Calleran said the budget is funded at $1.16 million and the completion date is projected at summer 2020.

Restaurant Review

Hector’s Mexican and Seafood Restaurant
1224 Rosecrans St.
San Diego, CA 92107
619-221-9138

Several weeks ago I met someone that asked me if I had tried Hector’s. He said it has been in Pt. Loma for years, and, to be honest, I had never even heard of it. (It is located on Rosecrans as per address, but I was directed to take Locust Street and then Carlton to get to it. It is very close to West Marine, and it is easy to miss because it is on the back of the parking lot of the Mail Boxes Express.)

The person that told me about Hector’s said that he makes the best breakfast burrito in town, and has an excellent homemade salsa.

OB Has Long History of Bias Against Large Mega-companies

By Frank Gormlie

It’s axiomatic that residents and businesses in Ocean Beach have an anti-corporate bias. OB is known for this attitude of distrusting huge, mega-companies – and it goes back a long ways. At least back to the 1970s.

And this anti-corporate bias has now translated into a stiff wind of opposition to the plans by Target to open up one of its Express stores right here on Newport Avenue, the main commercial street of the bohemian enclave.

By OB Planner

On social media, in news articles, and at City Council meetings on the topic of Short Term Vacation Rentals, a constant complaint has been the lack of meaningful data on the topic. Occasionally a map is highlighted, or members of Save San Diego Neighborhoods share data they have paid for on the issue. Other than that, the conversation is severely lacking useful data points. The City is playing catchup, and has not requested a detailed study by local economists.

Meanwhile Short Term Rental websites, like AirBnB and VRBO continue to closely guard information which is confusing local elected officials.

DETAILS INSIDE

Dusty Rhodes Recreation Council Addresses Concerns

By South OB Girl

The above looks like a photo of a tree on a dreary day in a cold winter climate. But guess again. It is a photo of a dead coral tree on a recent warm summer day at Dusty Rhodes Park.

There are a number of dead coral trees at Dusty Rhodes. Just sitting there dead, with their bare branches stretching into the sky and looking even more like pieces of coral than if the trees had leaves. The trees are old and break easily in stormy weather. They don’t fare well in a drought or in storms. And also don’t fare well if they aren’t watered. Watering of the grass and trees at Dusty Rhodes Park were stopped this year due to the City’s drought restrictions.

One of the great pleasures of San Diego in the summer is joining the gaggle of tourists and bike riders for the short trip across the bay from downtown to Coronado.

Like Allen Ginsberg who, in his poem “A Supermarket in California,” touches on Walt Whitman’s book and feels absurd–but wanders through the aisles dreaming nonetheless—I stand in line with young couples holding hands and whole families grinning and gabbing in the midday sun and muse about that which connects us all without our knowing it.

Planning Board to Meet at Masonic Center
UPDATE: See Agenda here

The OB Rag has just learned that the Ocean Beach Planning Board will be taking up the issue of a Target Express coming into OB.

Taking up Target will occur during their regular monthly meeting to be held Wednesday, August 2nd. In anticipation of a large crowd, the Planning Board meeting has been moved to a different venue, the OB Masonic Center, located at 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.

OB Town Council Met in Muggy Masonic Center on Wednesday, July 26

By Brett Warnke

On Wednesday, July 26th OB’s Town Council met in the muggy Masonic Center, though there was not much hot air from delighted grant recipients or special guest, 78th District’s Democratic Assemblyman Todd Gloria.

In President Gretchen Newsom‘s absence, newly-selected Vice-President Marcus Turner led the meeting before an audience of over 50 people.

The San Diego City Council went ahead on Monday, July 24, and by a 8 to 1 vote, passed a law allowing looser rules for so-called granny flats, in its effort to deal with the city’s housing shortage and affordability crisis.

Many hail granny flats as the panacea to the whole mess in this city, where the average 2 bedroom goes for $1700 a month and where less than half of the residents can afford a median-priced home.

By Brett Warnke

At last night’s July 26th Ocean Beach Town Council meeting, Vice-President Marcus Turner announced the winners of the Board’s Community Grants program.

So, here they are: