OB Rag

Peach Tree Thieves Took Over 100 Ripe Peaches and Have Struck at least Once More

By South OB Girl

This isn’t brand new news — it happened back on May 30th. But it only recently came up at a staff lunch (for those who didn’t know it, sometimes we do have writer/contributor meetings or lunches!).

It came up that Judi Curry – the Widder Curry – had a peach tree completely ransacked of over 100, nearly 150, ripe, luscious peaches. All at one time.

This means someone, or a group of people, first scouted out her fruit laden tree. The tree is not visible from the street or sidewalk. The individual (or individuals) then plotted a time to trespass and sneak into her fenced yard (over the approximately six foot fence and gate).

by Blair Marnell /CraveOnline / Aug 9th, 2016

Six years ago, the private investigator series Terriers hit FX and failed to find an audience before it was canceled after a single season. Shows get canceled constantly in television, but Terriers was a cut above almost ever other series. CraveOnline even named it the best drama on television for 2010, and it was also widely recognized by other outlets. Since its cancellation, Terriers has been rediscovered on Netflix and there may yet be some hope that the series could return.

Forced birthers intimidate and shame women at health clinic

By Anne M. Haule /San Diego Free Press

The shouts of the “religious” zealots ring in my ears as I help escort patients from their cars to the front door of a local family planning clinic that provides abortion services one morning per week.

Armed with earplugs to hand out to patients who don’t wish to hear the abuse, I take the elevator up to stand by the door of the clinic.

Today the zealots are carrying large signs with graphic photos of bloody aborted fetuses and words claiming that Jesus saves and babies are not body parts. The good news is the “preacher” with a voice louder than the decibel limit who bellows out the scripture is not here today.

Organizers Have Created Tree Watch Shifts – Zapf and Mayor Are No-Shows

Directly across the street from “Esparenza” – the name protesters have given the Torrey Pine target for chopping – is a small group of local residents sitting in chairs, eating, talking, reading.

They’re the current shift on Saratoga Street doing a “watch” for any signs of Atlas Tree Service crews or equipment. If they are sighted, then the call goes out to dozens of residents and supporters to gather at the Torrey Pine.

They were there today, Wednesday, by 7 a.m. – some having breakfast and coffee. They told this reporter that an Atlas “scout” truck drove by to check them out and just drove on.

By South OB Girl

A native New Yorker, Bob Peace (his website) brings a loaded resume from his time on the East Coast. He previously performed live with Phish drummer Jon Fishman at a benefit concert in Vermont, and his album “The Peace” charted a few spots away from Jack Johnson on jambands.com.

I felt a world away as I listened to his music at The Loma Club last Thursday, where Peace will be playing as the Thursday evening guest artist for the next two months. The warm summer evening was as beautiful as could be, as the sun set over the golf course. And Peace’s mellow, soulful tunes filled the air.

He describes his music as “uplifting soul music with reggae and blues roots.” A Bob Peace show does just that — lifts up the soul.

Interview by Jeffrey Siniard / Bolts From The Blue

Please provide a little background on the group Barrios Against Stadiums (B.A.STA!). Who is involved, and what are the aims of the group?

B.A.STA! is a grassroots, barrio based, loose knit formation of residents, artists, activists, small business owners and allies creating a movement. The sole purpose of this movement is to prevent a football stadium/convention center from being built in the East Village of San Diego, just a few short blocks from our historic barrios.

The revolution ‘will continue until we create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1 percent,’ Sanders writes in new op-ed

By Andrea Germanos / Common Dreams

Bernie Sanders has again urged his supporters to back Hillary Clinton, writing Friday that “Donald Trump would be a disaster and an embarrassment for our country if he were elected president.”

In an op-ed published at the Los Angeles Times, Sanders contrasts the two leading candidates on everything from tax policy to climate change to healthcare, and says that the “immediate task” of his political revolution is to make sure the real estate mogul doesn’t end up in the White House.

Sanders criticizes Trump’s campaign for being “based on bigotry,” and says that his Supreme Court justice nominees “would preserve the court’s right-wing majority.” Clinton’s appointees, in contrast, would be “prepared to overturn” Citizen United and “would protect a woman’s right to choose, workers’ rights, the rights of the LGBT community, the needs of minorities and immigrants, and the government’s ability to protect the environment.”

Many of us have heard awhile ago about how Anthony’s Fish Grotto has to move out of their prime location along Harbor Drive by the end of 2016. What I hadn’t heard was that the property was taken over by the owners of the Brigantine restaurant network, the Morton family.

I became appalled when I heard this not too long ago – and I was even sitting at a window seat at the Grotto – and I honestly think that I could see the Brigantine on Shelter Island from that window.

Now just more recently, I have heard – and it’s verified by an employee – that the Red Sails Inn on Shelter Island is closing on August 31st and will be revamped and sold.

And guess who is buying it? Yeah, the same owners of the Brig.

A fire broke out late Saturday night, August 6th, in the controversial 3-story building under construction at Ebers and Greene.

And arson is suspected.

Fire investigators found evidence that the fire was intentionally started with some kind of accelerant.

When firefighters arrived at 11:10 pm, flames were reportedly spreading through the 3rd floor. Part of the building was charred, causing an estimated $1,000 in damage. San Diego Union-Tribune

The building damaged is controversial because it appears that the actual construction did not meet the submitted plans, and the project should have gone before the OB Planning Board for community input, but did not as per a decision within the City’s Planning Department. Neighbors also question its size, height, its bulk, its floor-area-ratio, and the intent of the owner.

A shooting that involved roommates occurred on Ebers Street Monday, August 8th, around 5 p.m.

Jeffrey Renteria, 30, was sent to a local hospital after being shot three times by his girlfriend’s brother. He is expected to recover.

The shooting suspect is in police custody, claiming self-defense.

According to law enforcement, Renteria and the unidentified brother of his girlfriend, Becky Touchtone, had been arguing for most of the day inside the house they all share on Ebers near Muir Street in north OB.

There’s been an extreme weather change.

Two Middle Eastern locations hit 129 degrees F, the hottest temperatures ever recorded in earth’s history.

The temperature in Mitribah, Kuwait surged Thursday, July 21 to a blistering 129.2 degrees (54 Celsius). On Friday, the 22nd in Basra, Iraq, the mercury soared to 129.0 degrees (53.9 Celsius). At the same time, a heat dome in the US sent temperatures soaring to over 100º in much of the country.

A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change last October cautioned that by the end of the century temperatures may become too hot for human survival due to climate change.

Hottest Temps Ever Recorded

Last year was the hottest year ever globally — or it was until 2016 got off to a sweltering start. NASA announced that the first six months of this year have been the hottest since 1880, which is when people started keeping reliable records.

Calls for Independent Botanist and Community Review

Editor: John Ambert is the Chair of the Ocean Beach Planning Board. The following is his request to the City to issue a work stop to the cutting down of the Torrey Pine currently target by Atlas Tree Trimming Service, contractor to the City.

By John Ambert

As you may know, the City of San Diego has decided to remove a third, 75 ft tall Torrey Pine Heritage Tree from the middle of the 4600 Block of Saratoga in Ocean Beach. Crews attempted to remove the tree on the morning of August 4th, but a group of residents rallied to stop the effort.

In fact, only after work was stopped, did the City of San Diego provide the requested backup documentation for this project. All documents provided to the community, including email correspondence with the city, can be provided upon request

After a thorough review, it has been determined the documentation provided by the City of San Diego is very questionable, …