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

City Council Votes for Some Restrictions on SB-79 — Next Move: SANDAG

Fri, 08 May 2026 23:10:14 +0200

By Geoff Hueter of Neighbors for a Better San Diego First, it is important to highlight that on Thursday night, May 7th, the San Diego City Council voted to follow the City Planning Department’s restriction of SB 79 to 1 mile walking distance and the phased approach to implementing SB 79 in the following areas:

high fire hazard zones,
low resource areas,
historic resources, and
areas subject to sea level rise.

This is the most important outcome of the ordinance that was adopted last night and what we supported.

State Farm vs. State of California

Fri, 08 May 2026 20:07:55 +0200

By Zain Khan / Yahoo Finances New York Post / May 4, 202 State Farm is in crisis mode in California as officials look to slap it with massive fines and suspend its license over the handling of the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire. The California Department of Insurance issued a damning verdict on the state’s largest insurer after an investigation into its actions towards customers following the inferno. The probe, released in part on Monday, found a staggering 398 violations of state law in 114 of the 220 sample claims it looked into. Among the key findings was claims were not investigated or resolved within required timelines, payouts were unreasonably low and policyholders were frequently reassigned to different adjusters — creating confusion some described as “adjuster roulette.” Smoke damage claims, which made up nearly half of all complaints, were also mishandled, with delays, denials and missing explanations cited by investigators. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said Monday: “Wildfire survivors came to us for help, and we followed the facts.

Balboa Park Operating Funds: What a Tangled Web

Fri, 08 May 2026 19:49:45 +0200

OB Rag Staff Report Rag stories about Balboa Park have what reporters call “legs” — they get lots of views and comments. This has been especially true since City Hall imposed parking fees that have threatened the Park’s solvency by driving away visitors. So we weren’t surprised when our April 27 story on a $1.8 million reduction in the 2027 Park budget became a “top post.” Commenters generally agreed that the city has utterly failed the park and must turn over its management to an independent nonprofit. But one comment piqued our interest. Don said the city hadn’t actually cut $1.8 million from the park. He contended that the city was simply going to shift $1.8 million from a “Developed Regional Parks” fund over to pay for Balboa Park operating expenses.

OB Band Slightly Stoopid Wins ‘Song of the Year’ at Annual San Diego Music Awards

Fri, 08 May 2026 18:59:41 +0200

“Step Into The Sun" Winning Song

by Peter Blackstock / Special to Times of San Diego / May 7, 2026 The Schizophonics, Anthony Cullins, Slightly Stoopid and Tigers In Cairo took home top honors at the 35th annual San Diego Music Awards, which drew a sold-out crowd from the local music community on a cool Wednesday evening at Humphreys by the Bay. Garage-rock trio the Schizophonics were named Artist of the Year. Fallbrook blues/soul artist Cullins won Album of the Year for “Inside Out & Backwards.” Ocean Beach reggae-rockers Slightly Stoopid won Song of the Year for “Step Into The Sun.” And postpunk band Tigers In Cairo was named Best New Artist. Awards shows can be difficult propositions, and SDMA’s organizers should be commended for getting through an extensive program in three hours. In addition to handing out 28 awards, SDMA presented six performances by nominated artists, plus another by musicians from the educational nonprofit Young Lions Jazz Conservatory.

Non-Profit Seeks to Become Conservancy for Mission Bay Park in Wake of Devastating City Budget

Fri, 08 May 2026 18:45:12 +0200

by Staff and Wire Reports / Beach & Bay Press / May 6, 2026 In the wake of a devastating proposed city budget, a citizen-led initiative to assist the city of San Diego meet its Mission Bay Park Master Plan began Wednesday. The initiative invites locals to help steer the direction of the city’s largest aquatic park. The Mission Bay Park Conservancy seeks to maintain city-owned structures around the bay, including the visitor’s center and 25 restrooms, which are at risk of seasonal closure as San Diego seeks to patch a more than $120 million hole in its Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Additionally, 14 city jobs in the park would be eliminated under San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed budget.

“This nonprofit is designed to be a community catalyst — bringing together public and private efforts to turn vision into action,” said Bradley Schnell, Mission Bay Park Conservancy founder and president.

Larry Turner Endorses Richard Bailey for San Diego City Council D2

Fri, 08 May 2026 18:11:59 +0200

From the Richard Baily Campaign San Diego is facing serious challenges. A growing budget deficit, mounting infrastructure backlogs, and declining basic services didn’t happen overnight - they are the result of years of bad policy, irresponsible spending, and a lack of accountability at City Hall. Fixing these problems will require better policies from experienced leadership with a clear vision for how city government should function.. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Richard Bailey for San Diego City Council. Bailey is by far the most qualified candidate in the field and centers his entire campaign platform around policies, not politics. Richard brings something that is increasingly rare in government today: a deep command of the actual policies and decisions that shape our city.

Supreme Court’s Decision Against Voting Rights Act Is Devastating

Thu, 07 May 2026 20:37:30 +0200

By Erwin Chemerinsky / Op-Ed Los Angeles Times / April 30, 2026 The Supreme Court has again dealt a devastating blow to voting equality in the United States. On Wednesday, April 29th, in Louisiana vs. Callais, six justices effectively nullified a 1982 federal statute that prohibits states from running or establishing election systems, such as election districts, that have a discriminatory effect against voters of color. Simply put, unless it can be shown that a state or local government acted with the intent of racial discrimination — something very difficult to prove — it will be impossible to successfully challenge laws as having violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or the Constitution. The Voting Rights Act is, simply put, one of the most important federal laws adopted during my lifetime. Although the 15th Amendment, adopted in 1870, prohibits denying someone the right to vote based on race, this was a hollow promise due to an array of practices used to keep Black individuals from voting. In Mississippi in 1964, for example, only 6.7% of eligible Black citizens were registered to vote. At the time it had the highest Black population of any state in the U.S.

New Owner of Mega-ADU Project in Pacific Beach Says Foreclosure Notices Are Without Merit

Thu, 07 May 2026 20:23:25 +0200

by Dorian Hargrove / Times of San Diego / May 6, 2026 The saga over a proposal to build a 136-unit accessory dwelling unit project in Pacific Beach continues. Pacific Beach residents discovered public notices were placed near the parcels on Pacifica Drive and Chalcedony, indicating the property, referred to as Chalcifica, is in default and heads to auction on May 28 if developer SDRE does not catch up on the amount owed. Opponents of the project should not get their hopes up. The president of the development company that now owns the Chalcifica says the notices are part of a dispute with the lender. “The foreclosure is without merit,” said Brian Doyle, president of Infill Innovation. Doyle says his company acquired ADU-developer SDRE in April 2026.

Informational Meeting on Sunset Cliffs Seawall ‘Improvement’ –Tuesday, May 12th at Point Loma Library

Thu, 07 May 2026 20:05:56 +0200

The City of San Diego is holding an informational meeting on Tuesday, May 12th about a proposed seawall along Sunset Cliffs. It will be held at the Point Loma Library from 5 to 7 p.m. Please see the following City documents.

A Retired San Diego Judge Looks at Some of the Candidates Running for California Governor

Thu, 07 May 2026 19:40:44 +0200

By Judge Runston "Tony" Maino There are 61 people running for Governor. This includes one of the most interesting candidates, one Eric Swalwell, who has decided to not run due to unfounded allegations made against him, namely his Peter Problem. The first thing I noticed was the interesting names of some of the candidates: Living for God and Country Demott and Barrack D. Obama Shaw. These are real names and not AKAs. More interesting than the names are the candidates' statements as to why they wish to be Governor and what vision they have for California. Clean water, affordable housing, leadership, affordable health care and on and on with the usual buzz words. I found it interesting that many of the candidates are going to abolish ICE, forgetting, or maybe not knowing, that ICE is a federal function and the California governor, legislature, and judiciary cannot abolish ICE. But I digress. If you will spare me a few moments I will go over some of the more colorful statements from some of the candidates.

Are We Still at War With Iran or Not? Somebody Please Tell Us.

Wed, 06 May 2026 22:16:47 +0200

Are you confused as I am about whether we're still at war with Iran? For me to even ask the question displays a lot about this particular moment. Are we at war still, after over 2 months of war? Who knows? I wish somebody would please tell us, to get us out of this confusion. We have good reasons for our confusion. The Trump White House, Trump himself, and his cabinet secretaries all are saying different things. We aren't at war, we are at war, it's an "excursion," a "blip", it's an operation, not war. Yet, for good times, try this. Supposedly, the White House and Iran are looking at an agreement spelled out in a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations. On this news, the DOW shot up. Then also Trump put Project Freedom on pause last night,

OB’s Chili Cook Off faces city budget cuts

Wed, 06 May 2026 21:24:10 +0200

By Steve Anderson / Beach & Bay Press - Times of San Diego / April 30, 2026 Recently, Mayor Todd Gloria proposed major cuts to San Diego’s arts and culture funding. As the city faces an $118 million deficit, the proposed arts cuts alone would save $11.8 million. Like much of Gloria’s decisions as mayor, this was met with backlash, especially among the local arts community. On top of that, it seems like the cuts will affect other beloved aspects of our community — street fairs and parades are also under threat of losing major funding. Within Point Loma and OB that would be annual events, like the OB Street Fair and Chili Cook Off. That doesn’t necessarily mean the OB Street Fair will cease to exist, but it might raise attendance fees and the organizations that support the events may experience layoffs.

At Our Peril: Ignoring the Canary in the Coal Mine of Arts and Culture Defunding

Wed, 06 May 2026 21:18:00 +0200

by Linda Caballero Sotelo / Voice of San Diego / May 5, 2026 Over a recent phone conversation, a friend conveyed her sense of disillusionment with how cities are being managed. The expression “tone-deaf” came up, and that warnings are all around us. Across the United States, cities are making budget decisions that reveal far more than their fiscal priorities. They reveal their values, their imagination, and their sense of responsibility to future generations. In San Diego, the mayor’s proposed budget would virtually eliminate nearly the entire $12 million arts and culture budget, effectively dismantling the cultural ecosystem of educational organizations filling the gaps for student art education-based programming, artist support to produce works that attracts visitors and creates a livable and forward city to enjoy, visit and invest in. An ecosystem that extends across borders and has taken decades to build. This is not simply a budget cut. It is a cultural alarm, a canary in the coal mine warning us about the direction of our civic life.

CALL TO ACTION: Help Limit the Impact of SB 79 at Special City Council Meeting — Thursday, May 7

Wed, 06 May 2026 20:47:15 +0200

This Thursday, May 7th, the City Council is holding a "Special Meeting" to vote on an ordinance implementing Senate Bill 79, the new state law that allows 5+ story apartments within one-half mile of trolley stops and certain major bus routes. And a Call to Action has been announced for residents to help limit the impact of SB 79 by attending or by using the city's online comment system. It's Agenda Item 600. Here's more on the situation from Neighbors For A Better San Diego (NFABSD):

To use the protections allowed under the law, San Diego must adopt an implementing ordinance before SB 79 takes effect on July 1.

While Neighbors For A Better San Diego (NFABSD) opposed the bill in Sacramento, the Planning Department’s phased approach

OB Rag Endorses Mandy Havlik for District 2 of City Council

Wed, 06 May 2026 20:18:00 +0200
Based on a polling of our writers, the OB Rag now endorses Mandy Havlik for District 2 of the San Diego City Council. Mandy has long been active in the communities of Point Loma and Ocean Beach and has ingrained the wishes, dreams and complaints of the residents of this sector of District 2. For instance, she's been the first vice-chair of the Peninsula Community Planning Board for years, has been active in helping maintain Sunset Cliffs as a local treasure, active in the local Rotary and among the leadership of the local Democratic club. In housing issues, she has actively opposed the overdevelopment of ADUs, favors real affordable homes, opposes Midway Rising, shows compassion for those suffering homelessness, has maintained her unbridled support for the 30-foot height limit at the coast, and is opposed to Measure A, the proposed tax on vacant homes.

A Sign of the Times … on the Parking Meter

Wed, 06 May 2026 19:10:13 +0200
The picture snapped in Hillcrest yesterday

Happenings in May for the Peninsula

Tue, 05 May 2026 20:53:41 +0200

Framing the News About Bicycling? Let’s Try ‘Safety First’

Tue, 05 May 2026 20:32:46 +0200
By Kate Callen Shortly before 12 noon on May 4, I nearly killed a bicyclist. After I made a full stop at the 30th & Upas four-way stop sign, I stepped on the accelerator to start moving through the intersection. Within seconds, a speeding cyclist ran the stop sign meant for him and flew past the front of my car. If I hadn’t slammed on the brakes, I would have crashed into him, and it’s doubtful he would have survived. News stories would have accurately reported that I hit him. Biking activists would have vilified me as a murderer. This awful scenario happens all too frequently in neighborhoods across San Diego because too many cyclists think stop signs and stoplights are a nuisance. They will literally bet their lives that they can frighten motorists into giving them the right-of-way that the law doesn’t grant them. If they lose the bet, motorists who obeyed the law can still face criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. Bicycling activists often talk about “bike safety.” For them, the term seems to mean that drivers should always be deferential to the needs of cyclists.

Mission Bay: From Wetlands to Resorts to Largest Aquatic Park on West Coast

Tue, 05 May 2026 20:10:05 +0200
by Debbie L. Sklar / Times of San Diego / May 4, 2026 Mission Bay didn’t start as a destination. It started as water that refused to sit still. Just inland from the oceanfront homes and boardwalk of Mission Beach, the waters of the bay stretch across what was once a wide, shifting tidal wetland. Before it became a center of recreation, the bay was part of a dynamic coastal system of marshes, mudflats and seasonal channels— land that helped shape the surrounding beach communities as they developed. Early waters and wetlands For centuries, the San Diego River spread across a wide tidal basin here, carving through a shifting wetland of mudflats, marsh channels, and seasonal flood zones. Long before development, this was part of a larger coastal ecosystem used by the Kumeyaay, whose presence in the region predates Spanish settlement by thousands of years. By the mid-20th century, that landscape was already being redesigned.

City Council to Ponder Library and Rec Center Cuts — Cabrillo Set to Close

Tue, 05 May 2026 19:05:43 +0200
On April 27, the mayor sent a memo to the City Council laying out three options for cutting costs at libraries:
Option 1 focuses on preserving hours in Districts 4, 8, and 9 (historically underserved communities), while cutting hours at 14 other branches. Six of these branches would eliminate a full day of service. Eight branches would be reduced to a half-day on Saturdays.

Option 2 would result in more uniform cuts across the city for branches open Monday-Saturday. Most locations would lose Saturday hours, and four locations (Carmel Valley, North Park, University Heights, and Allied Gardens) would lose Monday hours entirely.