OB Rag

This is an update on the series of grisly and vicious attacks on homeless people that have occurred this week – that have now claimed their fourth victim. A homeless man was set on fire early today – Wednesday, July 6 – in downtown San Diego.

One of the first victims – the other victim whose body was burned – has been identified as Angelo De Nardo, 53. An autopsy determined that he had been killed before being doused with gas and set afire.

The other attacks occurred around Mission Bay; one in Ocean Beach – in Robb Field where a sleeping houseless man was beaten to death; another in the Midway area, where a man was beaten, but survived and is now hospitalized with life-threatening injuries; De Nardo’s death occurred just east of Mission Bay. The victims from OB and the Midway have not been identified.

Police say that the 4th victim’s injuries match the pattern of the earlier attacks.

Here is the official agenda for the Ocean Beach Planning Board’s monthly meeting, Wednesday, July 6th. The Board meets at the OB Recreation Center, 4726 Santa Monica Avenue, and the meeting starts at 6pm.

By Jim Miller

As the Fourth of July is the day when we celebrate the Declaration of Independence, it’s important to remember Jefferson himself believed that each new generation needed to make the American creed their own.

And everyone from slaves to women to working people did just that as we see in Frederick Douglass’s great speech “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?”, the early feminist manifesto “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls,” and the much lesser known “Working Men’s Declaration of Independence.”

This last is centrally important to remember because while Americans are largely aware that the battle for inclusion involved long and heroic abolition, civil rights, and women’s movements, struggles around issues of class have all-too-frequently been relinquished to the dustbin of history.

By South OB Girl

Art Box at 1919 Cable Street – right off Newport – is now open. And has been open for 8 weeks now.

Owner Catt Catterdon has been living in Ocean Beach since 1998 and this is his dream come true – to open this art supply store, which is a gallery space and where painting classes are being offered.

Canvases, sketch books, paints, and more are available.

For a fee, one can join the class offerings. For example, on July 12th, from 6 to 8 pm, they offer:

Paint with JJ. Come be inspired to “be all you… you are the only you there has ever been and the only you that will ever be.” We will supply everything you need. (You bring the wine if you like) “May it be a night of freedom and fun, community and creativity, all done a little differently as we enjoy the mess.

By Judi Curry

This should not be construed as a “poor me” article. It isn’t meant to be seen that way; rather it should be an insightful message to those more fortunate to have people around them that care, that are concerned, and are aware of mental status.

The Fourth of July. It used to be such a fun day when my husband was alive. We did all of the things that people do on the fourth; BBQ, watch the fireworks, and, when legal, even had our own show. Frequently we would take the boat out and catch some fish for homemade ceviche or sushi.

He’s been gone almost seven years now and the Fourth of July is only another day; a day of keeping my dog calm because of the assh*les that insist on shooting off fire crackers all day by the beach. Shadow doesn’t mind the fireworks – Sea World in their infinite wisdom of continuing with their polluting noisy 9:50 pm show – has allowed him to become somewhat immune to the percussion’s he feels every evening. Oh yeah, he still tries to get away from it, but he is much better than my other dogs that tried to get under the carpet to hide.

No, this is not about Shadow, but about all of the lonely people that have no one to celebrate with.

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:

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:

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.

By John Lawrence

Gross 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.

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.

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.

By Mukul Khurana / San Diego Free Press

The 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.

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 …

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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?