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Mayor’s Office Confirms Sale of Liberty Station Leases by McMillin – But Questions Remain

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After the Times of San Diego story of the sale of Liberty Station leases by McMillin Company to a Michigan company broke on Wednesday, there have been further developments in the unwinding of just what and when it all happened.

To recap briefly, it was reported that McMillin sold leases to Seligman Group on Wednesday, but nobody in city government appeared to have heard about it. The city is supposed to monitor and approve any sales of the leases at Liberty Station by terms of its agreement with McMillin. Especially of concern is the fate of the North Chapel at Liberty Station.

But by the next day, things had changed. Thursday afternoon, as the Times of SD reported, Christina Chadwick, a spokeswoman for Mayor Kevin Faulconer, had confirmed the deal. She added an operator has been found by the new owner, who would continue to allow religious worship at the chapel.   [Read more…]

Why Would Anyone Want to Flee Beautiful Honduras?

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As thousands of Honduras camp outside the border of San Diego, their desperation is clearly evident. We’re told they are fleeing their country because of the harsh conditions there.

But isn’t Honduras a tropical paradise somewhere out there in Central America? Don’t they have a lot of neat old Spanish churches and stuff? And all those crazy and wonderful Mayan ruins. Why would anyone want to flee beautiful Honduras?

So, we have to wonder why any person would travel by foot thousands of miles through jungle, desert, towns, large cities and wilderness to reach our borders when they have plenty of nice beaches there.   [Read more…]

A Progressive Looks at the San Diego Mid-Terms – OB Rag Interview With Doug Porter

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Intro – Doug Porter, the main political writer for the San Diego Free Press – sister online publication of the OB Rag – and one of 7 SDFP editors, has been observing and critiquing elections in San Diego City and County from a progressive point of view for years. Here is an interview he did with the OB Rag over the weekend on the recent mid-terms:   [Read more…]

Follow the Money in the ‘Rough and Tumble Race’ Between Jen Campbell and Lorie Zapf for District 2

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Originally posted at the OB Rag

It is a rough and tumble race out there between challenger and Democrat Jen Campbell and incumbent and Republican Lorie Zapf in the District 2 showdown.

Even though Zapf is known through-out the district and has an advantage being the incumbent, registered Democrats have the edge with their 32,000 to 22,500 registered Republicans. (There’s also 27,000 ‘no party preference’ voters.)

So, with less than 2 weeks to go to the November 6 election, who’s on first? And who’s on second?

  [Read more…]

Kavanaugh Confirmation: White House Whitewashed FBI Report Gives Cover to Swing Republican Senators

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News reports from this morning indicate that Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation is now very likely because the whitewashed FBI report is giving cover to swing Republican Senators. This despite the failure of FBI investigators to interview neither Christine Blasey Ford nor Kavanaugh and nor at least 40 other witnesses who could give corroboration to Ford’s sexual assault allegations.

The newly-released 46 page FBI report is being called “incomplete” by Democrats and the White House is being blamed for restricting the scope and breadth of investigators. Reportedly, 10 people were contacted and only 9 interviewed by agents. That’s 9 people in the 5 day period (less than 2 a day – wow!). Also, the third woman to come forward, Julie Swetnick, was not contacted by the FBI. Also the second accuser Debra Ramirez gave agents a list of 20 people who come corroborate her accusations against Kavanaugh. None – again, none of them were contacted.

The report is also being called “a sham”, “a whitewash” by critics. Yet, this morning swing GOP senators Susan Collins and Jeff Flake stated it was enough for them. Which means it’s very likely they’ll vote to confirm.   [Read more…]

Trump Seeks to Undermine Investigation by Ordering Documents Declassified

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Is Trump barreling towards a high-stakes confrontation with the FBI and Department of Justice?

A confrontation that could unfold within the next several days is about to overtake the news cycle and signal yet another abuse of power move by Trump. But this one could be the trigger – as FBI Director Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein – decide how to respond to the president’s latest attempt to subvert the investigation into whether the Russian sabotage of the 2016 election included Trump and his people.

Did you miss the memo on the latest installment in the continuing American constitutional crisis?   [Read more…]

California’s Recycling Crisis: China Doesn’t Want Our Trash Anymore

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It’s a sad fact of our Californian recycling world – China no longer wants our trash.

China used to be California’s — and the world’s — largest overseas market for recyclables, but in January, China began not accepting “contaminated” material it once brought to its shores. For China, now, if the recycled material is one-half of 1% contaminated, it’s too impure for recycling.

CalRecyle – which runs California’s recycling program – stated in a bulletin in August:

“This policy change is already starting to have adverse impacts on California, and is resulting in more material being stockpiled at solid waste facilities and recycling centers or disposed of in landfills.”   [Read more…]

The Sins of Councilwoman Lorie Zapf – Part 2

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Zig-Zags on the 30 Foot Height Limit

These days, it does appear Councilwoman Lorie Zapf is a strong supporter and defender of the sacrosanct 30-foot height limit for San Diego’s coastal and and beach communities. She did come out against a 4-story monstrosity on Emerson Street in the Roseville neighborhood of Point Loma, and along with Mayor Faulconer, issued a joint statement announcing a “stop-work” order for the project :

“Mayor Faulconer and Councilmember Lorie Zapf strongly support the coastal height limit and protecting coastal views. Further review of the Municipal Code has determined that this [Emerson Street] project does not conform to the City’s development regulations. Today the City issued a stop work order on the project to ensure it follows all codes and regulations.”

However, we have to note, as we reported then in June 2016:

The stop work order comes after a community protest by nearly a hundred residents … and after a widely-attended town hall meeting about the huge duplex … after a facebook page was set up and after an online petition to stop the project was begun – … it had close to 550 signatures. It came after the OB Rag and other media shown spotlights on the project.

  [Read more…]

The Sins of Lorie Zapf – Part 1

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As Councilmember Lorie Zapf does her victory laps through the coastal neighborhoods of District 2 for her successful stand against unrestricted short-term vacation rentals, locals need to remember Zapf is also a partisan candidate running to keep her seat on the Council (and hoping for an unusual third term).

While her STVR coalition with Councilmember Barbara Bry ultimately and admirably won the day for restrictions on STVRs and for saving communities from the deluge of mini-hotels plaguing the beaches, one need only peek at some of the other issues Lorie has taken positions on to have your eyebrow raised.

A more serious look into her record over the past 8 years on Council does more than raise eyebrows – it raises the blood pressure.   [Read more…]

Will San Diego Become the Largest City in the State to Ban Styrofoam?

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Councilman Chris Ward appeared before the Ocean Beach Town Council last Wednesday night and urged OBceans to support his efforts to ban styrofoam.

He explained his proposal passed the Council’s Rules Committee unanimously on July 11 and is heading to the full Council sometime this fall.

And if San Diego does pass it, the city will become the fourth city in San Diego County to ban food and beverage containers made of styrofoam – also called polystyrene. Others include Solana Beach, Encinitas and Imperial Beach.   [Read more…]

Out-of-Town Vacation Rental Owners Summoned for ‘Firestorm of Anger’ At City Council Meeting

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When the San Diego City Council voted by a wide majority on July 16 to regulate short-term vacation rentals, it was using the democratic process to resolve an issue that has been plaguing the city and especially the beach and coastal neighborhoods for years. By a vote of 6 to 3, the bi-partisan majority vote saved coastal residences for long-term renters.

Yet, immediately, the Airbnb crowd cried foul, threatening legal suits – and more against the vote – which has to be confirmed on Wednesday, August 1 in a so-called “second reading” of the ordinance. The second reading will be at 1PM in the Council Chambers at 202 C Street, 12th floor.

So, now Airbnb, HomeAway, and local STVR operators are planning “an all-out assault” against the regulations just passed coming up for that second reading. One owner of a local mini-empire of vacation rentals has called for a “firestorm of anger” to be unleashed at the City Council meeting.   [Read more…]

Short-Term Rentals Get a Short Leash from San Diego’s City Council

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After 5 plus hours of public testimony, a bi-partisan majority of the San Diego City Council today, Monday, July 16, halted Mayor Faulconer’s proposal on short-term vacation rentals and approved by a vote of 6 to 3 Councilwoman Barbara Bry’s proposal to limit the rentals to “primary residence” and onsite granny flat.

In the end, 4 Democrats (Bry, Myrtle Cole, Georgette Gomez, Chris Ward  ) and 2 Republicans (Lorie Zapf and Mark Kersey) voted for the so-called “Bry Proposal”. In essence, the Bry plan limits short-term rentals to the primary residence – and if there’s an accessory unit, a so-called “granny flat” – the host is allowed to rent that out as well, as that still meets the requirement for the host to be on the property during the visit.

Faulconer’s proposal went down on a 3 to 6 vote, with only Cate, Sherman and Kersey voting for it.   [Read more…]

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