OB Rag — Grassroots and Progressive views on local, national and world news

‘Adams Avenue Unplugged’: a Free Musical Walkabout — Saturday, April 25

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:41:05 +0200

From Adams Ave Association On April 25, 2026, Adams Avenue will host the free musical walkabout, Adams Avenue Unplugged. This event features 90 live musical performances at 26 locations hosted by restaurants, bars and coffee houses lining a two-mile stretch of Adams Avenue.

Next District 2 Candidate Forum at Liberty Station — April 27

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:32:11 +0200

OB Community Cleanup — Saturday, April 18: 10 am–Noon

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:28:03 +0200

An Afternoon with Josefina Lopez

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:15:26 +0200

by Ernie McCray I, along with a room of other people, just spent “An Afternoon with Josefina Lopez” who just happens to be an award-winning highly acclaimed Chicana playwright and screenwriter who gave to the world, early in her career, the play, “Real Women Have Curves,” which later became adapted into a film and then a Broadway musical,

‘Ramona’s Castle’ — a Treasure at Foot of San Diego’s Mt. Woodson

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:01:05 +0200

by Debbie L. Sklar / Times of San Diego / April 8, 2026 At the foot of Mt. Woodson in Ramona stands a remarkable stone-and-adobe residence that locals affectionately call the Ramona Castle. Despite the nickname, there were no princesses or royalty here. The home was conceived and built as the private vision of Irene Amy Strong, a San Diego dress designer and entrepreneur who wanted a residence that combined craftsmanship, artistry, and harmony with nature. A Home Born of Craft and Personal Vision In 1909, Strong, a successful designer catering to San Diego’s social elite and known for sourcing fabrics from Europe, acquired the Woodson Ranch property. She commissioned architects Emmor Brooke Weaver and John Terrell Vawter to design a home reflecting the American Craftsman Movement, which emphasized handcrafted detail, natural materials, and integration with the environment. Construction began around 1916 and concluded in 1921 at a reported cost of $50,000 — a significant investment for the era. The resulting structure spanned roughly 12,000 square feet, with 27 rooms over multiple levels. Thick stone walls, flagstone floors, and a great room with a 16-foot ceiling highlighted the home’s grandeur. Materials were sourced largely from the property itself, including eucalyptus, oak, and redwood, complemented by rock, adobe, brick, plaster, concrete, and stucco.

Forecasters Warn This Year’s El Niño Could Be Worst in California’s History

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:42:12 +0200

Forecasters are sounding the alarm that the return of El Niño this year could be one of the worst in California's history if it develops as many meteorologists have recently predicted — and the phenomenon already appears to be in motion. This week, a cluster of tropical cyclones were recorded on both sides of the equator in the western Pacific Ocean, generating a westerly wind burst that is pushing warm water eastward, and accelerating “real potential for the strongest El Niño event in 140 years,” Paul Roundy, an atmospheric scientist at the University at Albany told the San Francisco Chronicle. The rare cluster of tropical cyclones, which are fueling the westerly wind burst, points to signs El Niño could be emerging and may set records. The strong westerly wind bursts have been documented in the Pacific Ocean all year, pushing unusually warm water, following the end to the La Niña pattern. Roundy estimated the setup could cause El Niño to arrive quickly, within one to two months. Last month, one of the leading weather forecast models calculated a 62 percent chance that a strong El Niño could develop in the summer. Over the past two decades, the name El Niño has become synonymous with extreme weather. El Niño occurs when there is a change in the Pacific Ocean's typical pattern of water movement, temperatures and air flow, which happens about every two to seven years. The southern jet stream strengthens, especially in the eastern Pacific Ocean, bringing more moisture into the southwest and storm activity in the southern part of the country.

Ticket Prices for San Diego Buses and Trains to Raise Nearly One-Third

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:36:03 +0200

By David Garrick / San Diego U-T / April 17, 2026 Fares to ride local buses and trains would rise 30% under fare increase packages approved Thursday by the county’s two transit agencies, the Metropolitan Transit System and the North County Transit District. It would be the first fare hike in 17 years for monthly passes on local buses, the San Diego Trolley and the Sprinter. The cost of a pass would jump from $72 to $85 this fall and then to $95 in fall 2027 — up nearly 31%. And it would be the first increase in seven years for one-way fares, which would rise from $2.50 to $3 this fall and then to $3.25 in fall 2027. That’s a 30% hike, far steeper than the last increase in 2019 from $2.25 to $2.50.

Restaurant Review: Pazzo’s Italian in Ocean Beach

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:12:09 +0200

Pazzo’s Italian 2163 Abbott St. in Ocean Beach (92107) 619.230.5303 https://pazzos.net (sadly there’s no content here) by LK Bruce Just when you thought you knew a place. Your neighborhood. After all these years. Then a Rag reporter says why not review Pazzo’s and you go, “huh?” having never heard of it. Well this is word that needs to get out. Abbott Street in OB is the second location for Pazzo’s, the first being in Scripps Ranch. The original, Pazzo’s Pizza was founded way back in ’93 by four guys of Italian descent – southern Italian to be exact – using recipes from Grandma Antonia. Everything is made fresh daily, including breads, dough and sauces. The OB shop opened in 2024 and is located on the corner of Abbott and Muir in northern OB where Sugarlab Bakery & Desserts, Surfrider Pizza and Wild Things Pizza all used to be. The owners made good use of the corner locale to foster people-watching through large rolling garage-door style windows. A few tables dot the center of the space, better for those not into dining on stools. The menu consists of “Sicilian, Italian, and California Nouveau-style” food says the owner and though the OB menu is not on their website, we’ve got you covered with a pic. First we tried the pizza because if that’s what you’re primarily known for, it better be good. It is.

$45 Million Wave Pool Coming to San Diego — Only 3 Miles from Beach in Oceanside

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:54:46 +0200

After years of lawsuits, delays, and archeological surprises, Oceanside’s Ocean Kamp surf lagoon is finally under construction near real ocean waves.

By Dashel Pierson / SURFER / Apr 7, 2026 Key Points

The $45 million Oceanside wave pool project is finally moving forward after years of delays.
The 92-acre mixed-use development will include a 3.5-acre customizable surf lagoon as centerpiece.
Developers aim to open before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics; no official date yet.
News about Oceanside’s inbound wave pool is, well, nothing new.

The San Diego, CA project has been in the works for years, in fact, but there’s been a number of setbacks that have left the manmade surf park – located near the coast, and one of the Golden State’s popular, although sleepy, surf towns – in something like limbo. But now, it appears the $45 million project is moving finally moving forward. Previously, some four years ago, the Ocean Kamp project had been announced and everything seemed to be moving forward. But then, it stalled. The project got embroiled in a number of hurdles – including lawsuits, city approvals, and the discovery of Native American artifacts on the site. And so, the bureaucratic hoops, as they say, were set. Construction on the project is currently underway, and according to the video above, the narrator describes: “A massive surf lagoon is coming to Oceanside, San Diego, and they’re targeting to have it finished by the [Los Angeles] 2028 Olympics…the centerpiece of this project is a $45 million surf lagoon. It’s going to have a 3.5-acre wave pool, which produces perfect, customizable waves all year round.”

11 Years Ago, the City Promised Skyline a New Fire Station — All They Got Was a Firetruck Under a Tent

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:38:40 +0200

Firefighters Live in a Trailer

by Mariana Martínez Barba / Voice of San Diego / April 16, 2026 In 2015, construction workers plowed through an abandoned gas station in southeastern San Diego to make way for a new, temporary fire station. The site, which would house a fire engine and an ambulance, was opening to improve emergency response times in the area after our reporting revealed people died of gunshot wounds and overdoses because emergency responders came too late. Then-Mayor Kevin Faulconer applauded the city’s efforts at a press conference outside the soon-to-be station in 2015. He made a bold promise: “In two to three years, we will begin building a permanent fire station right here on this very spot.” That never happened. Instead, Fire Station 51 is still a temporary fire station. The fire truck sits under a large tent and firefighters’ living quarters are a mobile trailer. George Duardo, president of the San Diego City Firefighters IAFF Local 145, has worked more than 100 shifts as a firefighter at Fire Station 51. He said it does not meet the standards of a “modern fire station.”

San Diego Unified to Offer Free After-School Care at All Elementary and Middle Schools

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:22:06 +0200

By Katie Anastas / KPBS / April 15, 2026 The San Diego Unified School District will offer free after-school child care for all elementary and middle school students starting next school year. The district’s PrimeTime program is already at all 144 elementary and middle schools in the district, but space has been limited. At the start of the 2025-26 school year, about 7,000 students were on the waitlist. The demand has grown over the last several years, said Tobie Pace, the district’s senior director of extended learning opportunities. “Working families in San Diego County need quality, safe places for their kids to go,” she said.

The Vatican Can Elude Trump Threats by Awarding Him ‘the Order of the Golden Spur’ (Yes, It’s a Real Thing)

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:41:55 +0200

By Steve Rodriguez Up until last week, even critics of President Donald Trump found it hard to accept that his war rhetoric could get much more extreme, or his threats against both enemies and traditional allies more outrageous. However, recent news about the Pentagon’s interaction with the Vatican, along with Trump comments made in the past few days that are highly critical of Pope Leo XIV, have proven such concepts wrong. Fortunately for the Vatican, I contend the Pope, a critic of Trump’s actions and words related to the Iranian War, does possess a unique advantage he can employ to escape our president’s wrath. According to reports in the Free Press, the Vatican’s ambassador to the U.S. was summoned in January to the Pentagon, where he was advised the Vatican needs to play ball with the Trump administration’s efforts in the area of national security. Pentagon officials supposedly asserted the U.S. has the military power to “do whatever it wants” and that “the Church had better take its side.” while making references to “the period in the 1300’s when the French Crown leveraged its military power to dominate the Avignon Papacy.” The threat sounds right out of The Sopranos, something akin to a thug character threatening …“Nice Sistine Chapel you got there, padre. Be a real shame if it should be damaged in a bombing.”

3 Point Loma High Students Sweep District-Wide Video Contest on School Safety

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:29:20 +0200

by Dave Schwab / Times of San Diego / April 14, 2026 Three Point Loma High School students have swept first through third places in a districtwide public service announcement contest about school safety — and earned $2,500 for their efforts. First place and $1,200 in prize money went to Seraphina Bush for her video titled “Life is Worth Too Much,” offering an anti-suicide message. Her work is especially poignant, given that a PLHS student tragically ended her life on campus in 2024 while a school football game was happening nearby. ... Second place, along with its $800 in prize money, went to Natalia Ritterman for “PSA.SSSS.” Third place and $500 in contest winnings were claimed by London Kwasizur for his video “Ebike.” All three students are in the class of theatre instructor Anthony Palmiotto.

A Deep, Deep Dive Into the Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:12:50 +0200

by Daniel Zeller / CNM VIP Voice / December 2013 Introduction Much has been written about the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, and this paper brings together from multiple sources a single summary of information that will be useful to Cabrillo National Monument staff, volunteers, and guests. Interpretation Period We interpret the lighthouse as being set in the year 1887, and we do this for two main reasons. First, the lighthouse was painted white in 1887, and if we were to accurately interpret the lighthouse prior to that year, we would have to strip the white protective paint from the house and revert to the natural color of the sandstone blocks, exposing them to the elements and erosion. Obviously, this is not an option. Second, by interpreting later in the life of the lighthouse, we have more history to look at than if we interpreted at the beginning of the lighthouse’s life. The flag that we fly on the flagpole outside of the lighthouse has 38 stars representing the 38 states in the United States in 1887. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse Site Selection Chief Topographer, U.S. Coast Survey, A.M. Harrison recommended the location of the Point Loma Lighthouse near the end of Point Loma 422 feet above sea level during his survey in 1851.

Coastal Commission Approves Drone Trial for Sea World — Yet Critics Still Wary of Its Treatment of Dolphins and Whales

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:56:42 +0200

By Jennifer Van Grove / San Diego Union-Tribune / April 16, 2026 SeaWorld San Diego will soon light up the night sky over Mission Bay in a whole new way as it embarks on a yearlong test of a more eco-friendly alternative to its frequent fireworks displays. On Wednesday April 15, the California Coastal Commission approved a coastal development permit for a one-year pilot program — the first of its kind in the state — that allows the San Diego theme park to conduct up to 110, 15-minute drone shows, each using as many as 1,000 illuminated autonomous aircraft. The permit, which defines the boundaries for the drone show and allows the aerial vehicles to fly up to 660 feet in the sky, also requires the theme park to monitor its first two shows and a portion of the rest to document noise impacts, light levels and bird strikes.

Sunset Cliffs Continue to Erode — Bluff Section Broke Off April 14th

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:37:16 +0200

By Alex Cheney / CBS8 / April 15, 2026 A section of the bluff near the Arch atset Cliffs broke off yesterday morning [April 14], prompting warnings from geologists and local safety experts about the dangers of cliff diving in the area. The collapse occurred near a popular spot where people frequently jump from an arch that extends from Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. Warning signs posted in the area alert visitors to potential fines and possible arrests for jumping. Natural geological processes caused the collapse, according to a geology professor at SDSU. "This is not an unexpected event here at all," said Dr. Pat Abbott. The rocks surrounding the cliff are 75 million years old and fracture as the earth moves and waves crash against the cliffside. "And those natural fractures mother nature's fractures occasionally then gravity will pull one of those blocks off and it'll hit the ground. And you can even see the fracture edges on that bluff it looks like it was cut during construction it's so perfectly cut," said Dr. Pat Abbott.

Water Quality Advisories Still in Effect at Dog Beach and Various Sites Around Mission Bay

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:52:36 +0200

There are still water quality advisories in effect at Dog Beach in OB all the way to 300 feet south of the River outlet, according to the County of San Diego Beach Water Quality website. This has been in effect since April 2th under the catch-all advisory: "Bacteria levels exceed health standards. Avoid water contact in the advisory area." This is the statement on the Water Quality Board website:

Advisories are issued to warn beach users as follows: - A Bacterial Exceedance Advisory is issued when ocean or bay water sample results exceed State health standards due to high bacteria levels. - A Precautionary Advisory is issued when DEHQ determines there is a potential for elevated bacteria due to dredging, lagoon opening or other sources in the vicinity of coastal areas.

Raise Your Voice (or Keyboard) to Get San Diego City Council to Reform Downtown Parking Meter Rates — Thursday, April 16

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:25:47 +0200

The City continues to charge $10 per hour at downtown parking meters during Padres' games and other "special events". Padres' fans are definitely not the only ones subject to this outrageous fee, which starts two hours before the event, and continues for four hours from the event's start time, for a total of six hours. The area subject to this $60 per event fee extends well beyond any logical boundaries, all the way north to Broadway, and east to 17th Street and the I-5. Worse, it's a devastatingly regressive tax, because it penalizes renters who don't have off-street parking, and can only park at meters. It hurts downtown's restaurants and small businesses, who lose customers who can't or won't pay $10 an hour to buy groceries, mail a package, or eat a meal.

More Spotlights on the District 2 Candidates: OB Planning Board Video and Interviews by ‘Explore Clairemont’

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:14:09 +0200

Here's more on the District 2 candidates -- first in a video of the April 7 Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting where 3 candidates were questioned, and second, in interviews of 3 candidates by the editor of Explore Clairemont, an online platform.

OB Planning Board video

-- here. Only three were present as per plan by the OBPB. They will interview others at the next board meeting. [Video is not the best, but audio and captions work well.]

Interviews of Bailey, Rickey and Crosby by Explore Clairemont publisher Tanja Kropf

Belmont Park Readies for Summer Crowds with New Attractions and Rehab of Giant Dipper

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:54:39 +0200

Belmont Park in Mission Beach is unveiling a multimillion-dollar revamp just in time for the busy summer season, featuring upgrades to its historic Giant Dipper roller coaster and new attractions for visitors. The nearly century-old amusement park expects about 150,000 visitors during peak summer months as families return to enjoy the updated rides, beachfront views and classic attractions. One of the park’s most iconic features, the Giant Dipper, recently underwent a $1.6 million rehabilitation project focused on improving the ride experience. “So the Giant Dipper, which just turned 100 years old last year, it's going into a 101st birthday in July, just went under a six-week rehab this past February,” said Sarah Abelsohn, marketing director for Belmont Park. The work primarily focused on smoothing out the wooden track to enhance comfort for riders while preserving the coaster’s historic charm. In addition to the coaster upgrades, Belmont Park has introduced new attractions, including a free-access play structure near Shipwreck Cove designed for younger visitors and families.