Man Suspected in 3 Vicious Attacks on Homeless – Kills 2 – One in OB – Seriously Injures 3rd

 Frank Gormlie  July 5, 2016  0 Comments on Man Suspected in 3 Vicious Attacks on Homeless – Kills 2 – One in OB – Seriously Injures 3rd

UPDATED: One of the victims has been identified as Lorenzo. And the local NBC affiliate spoke with the clerk who sold gas cans to the suspect.

COME INSIDE FOR MORE OF UPDATE …

NBC 7 spoke to a Hector Roman who told them he knew the burned victim as Lorenzo. He told the media that Lorenzo came by his store often, and would buy sandwiches, soups and candybars:

Homeless attacks July 2016 map

There is a suspect in vicious attacks on three homeless men over the July 4th weekend – attacks that killed two – including one in Ocean Beach, and seriously injured a third.

The suspect – as yet unidentified – is in photos here. He is described as a white male, 40 to 50 years old, who was wearing a tan or brown jacket or sweatshirt, a green Army hat or baseball cap and tan khaki pants, and carrying a backpack.

Here is what happened, as best as we can put together:

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Questions Raised About Ocean Beach Project at Ebers Street and Greene

 Frank Gormlie  July 1, 2016  4 Comments on Questions Raised About Ocean Beach Project at Ebers Street and Greene

More questions have been raised about the project going up at Ebers Street and Greene Street in Ocean Beach.

Why does the current project not conform to the scope of the construction? Were the plans misrepresented to the City? Why didn’t this project come before the OB Planning Board?

Curtis Nelson of Nelco Properties, LLC is the contractor and Jennifer Quan is the agent/ applicant of this project at 2269 Ebers Street.

So let us get this straight.

The original permit only called for an “addition” to an existing single dwelling unit. The addition included a new attached 3-car garage with “storage” and with two floors above the garage area. The second floor is to include the living area, the third floor would include the master bedroom and bath, with a roof top deck.

The original scope of the permit called for a “New hallway to attach new garage to existing SDU (single dwelling unit)”. In a scope change, the applicant revised the garage down from a 3-car garage to a two car one.

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The GDP is a Poor Measure of Progress

 John Lawrence  July 1, 2016  1 Comment on The GDP is a Poor Measure of Progress

By John Lawrence

GDPGross Domestic Product does not measure the well-being of human beings.

War, natural disasters, incarcerations all add to positive GDP growth. Profits from casinos, drug sales, cigarette sales, junk food all add to economic growth.

Stock buybacks contribute to GDP. GDP is based on distorted values. If I pay down my debt, that does not add to GDP. If I borrow more money and go into debt and go out and buy stuff, that increases GDP.

Wall Street insistence on short-term profits, as opposed to long-term growth, does add to GDP. GDP is f’d up, yet for every politician and government functionary it’s the sine qua non of economic indicators. Every swindler that parts someone with a buck contributes to GDP growth.

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Murder Suspect in Point Loma Shooting Pleads Non-Guilty Due to Self-Defense

 Frank Gormlie  July 1, 2016  4 Comments on Murder Suspect in Point Loma Shooting Pleads Non-Guilty Due to Self-Defense

This murder suspect in the June 22nd shooting in Point Loma pleaded not guilty to murder and a gun-use allegation at his arraignment in downtown San Diego, Thursday, June 30th.

Thomas Francis Burke, 32, arrested for the murder of Jess Matthew Robles, who was in his mid-30’s, is being held on $10 million bail. During the arraignment, Burke’s attorney said his client fired at Robles in self-defense.

Now that the suspect’s attorney and the prosecutor had their say in court, a picture of what was happening between Burke and Robles has emerged.

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Update on the Emerson Project in Point Loma

 Frank Gormlie  June 30, 2016  10 Comments on Update on the Emerson Project in Point Loma

This is an update on what’s happening with the controversial Emerson project in the Point Loma neighborhood of Roseville. The 40 foot duplex has been under siege ever since neighbors and Peninsula activists took notice of its construction and of its clear violation of the 30 foot height limit.

The only real news is that on Wednesday, June 29th, Mayor Kevin Faulconer met with a few Peninsula Community Planning Board members and a local resident who organized a protest rally at the project, at 3144 Emerson Street, near Evergreen.

Afterwards, the mayor held a press conference to pledge that he would ensure that the city and developers follow the rules and that “we protect our coastal zone and height limit.”

The day before – on Tuesday – Faulconer had ordered a Stop Work Order on the project being built by Pacific Enterprise Builders.

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A Review of the 2016 San Diego International Fringe Festival

 Source  June 30, 2016  0 Comments on A Review of the 2016 San Diego International Fringe Festival

By Mukul Khurana / San Diego Free Press

San Diego International Fringe FestivalThe 2016 San Diego International Fringe Festival arrived a month earlier than last year. There must be good reason, but it wasn’t announced.

Almost everything else remains the same.

Bi-national shows (San Diego and Tijuana being so close to one another) are now a fact since last year. The venues are pretty similar to last year too. However, this year, there are essentially two “centers.” Downtown has always been a base. Diversionary Theatre in University Heights got added to the mix.

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Is There Another Problem Building in Ocean Beach at Ebers and Greene?

 Frank Gormlie  June 29, 2016  11 Comments on Is There Another Problem Building in Ocean Beach at Ebers and Greene?

UPDATE: Several past and current members of the OB Planning Board have confirmed that this project never went before the Board.

Here’s why: come inside …

________________

If you drive in and out of OB on Ebers Street, like many locals, you can’t but notice a large, wood-framed, 3 story building under construction at the corner with Greene Street.

It’s been going up for months now – and it was constructed from scratch – whatever used to be there was totally demolished and removed and the building began at grade level. The building looks like a single-family residence.

It does looks tall. Is it 30 feet or under? Hard to say, really. You just hope it is.

Didn’t the OB Planning Board approve this?

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OB Rag Editordude Quoted in “Ballotpedia” on Calif. Marijuana Initiative

 Frank Gormlie  June 29, 2016  2 Comments on OB Rag Editordude Quoted in “Ballotpedia” on Calif. Marijuana Initiative

Hey, this is crazy! I – editordude of the OB Rag – am quoted in “Ballotpedia” – the “online encyclopedia of American politics and elections,” in their complete run-down and neutral analysis of California’s marijuana initiative.

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Stop Work Order on Emerson Project in Point Loma Issued by City

 Frank Gormlie  June 29, 2016  9 Comments on Stop Work Order on Emerson Project in Point Loma Issued by City

Temporary Victory for Roseville – But Hurdles Remain

On Tuesday, June 28th, the City of San Diego issued a Stop Work Order on the controversial 40 foot structure at 3144 Emerson Street, near Evergreen.

Both Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilmember Lorie Zapf issued a joint statement that stated:

Further review of the Municipal Code has determined that this project does not conform to the City’s development regulations.

This is definitely a victory for Roseville, Point Loma and all the neighbors who rose up and demanded action from the City to deal with an obvious violation of the spirit of Proposition D, the 30-foot height limit that passed overwhelming in the 1970’s. Although, it is a temporary victory.

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Hunger Strike Being Organized in San Diego Against Private Prison

 Source  June 29, 2016  1 Comment on Hunger Strike Being Organized in San Diego Against Private Prison

Private PrisonOn July 5th activists and community leaders in Southeast San Diego will begin a hunger strike to protest the private prison Corrections Corporation of America (CCA)

By Mark Bartlett

Community Leaders and Local Activists will execute a hunger strike on July 5th at 6pm next to the Oceanview Facility located at 551 S. 35th St. San Diego, CA 92113. The hunger strike will continue until all action items requested by the protest organizers have been satisfied.

Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) is the largest for­-profit prison industry in America and they currently operate three Correctional Facilities across San Diego County.

Two out of the three facilities are located in the heart of Southeast San Diego and Barrio Logan. Both centers are located in residential neighborhoods within close proximity of homes, churches, schools and businesses.

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Culture’s Head Brewer Does His Own Heavy Lifting

 Source  June 29, 2016  6 Comments on Culture’s Head Brewer Does His Own Heavy Lifting

By South OB Girl

Without a doubt Culture Brewing Co. is wildly popular here in OB. Popular with OBceans and people from throughout the city. And many a tourist has stopped in at Culture on their travels to San Diego.

You may not know that the head brewer and the assistant brewer deliver their kegs themselves in Culture’s own, heavy duty pickup truck.

South OB Girl happened to run into head brewer Mitchell Wix delivering a truck load of kegs along with assistant brewer Perry Hague on Monday morning, June 27.

More often than not, Wix and Hague deliver the kegs themselves in this black pickup truck, which is owned by one of the owners of Culture. And occasionally Wix delivers in his own personal pickup truck.

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Former Gallagher’s Evolves into “The Holding Company 1502” Music Venue

 Frank Gormlie  June 28, 2016  2 Comments on Former Gallagher’s Evolves into “The Holding Company 1502” Music Venue

Steve Yeng and his family, the owners of both the OB Noodle House on Cable and Bar 1502 over on Niagara, had moved into the old Gallagher’s on Newport Avenue. They held an opening night under the old name not too long ago – which a bunch of us attended.

And now there is a new handle on the place.

The new name: “The Holding Company” or “THC” and “1502” (the positions of the alphabet for “O” and “B”).

Some locals find the new name very edgy, even controversial due to the obvious double layer of meaning. But Yeng is not fazed. After all, this is the year that Californians will (probably) vote to legalize marijuana.

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