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THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2013
San Diego Community Newspaper Group
Staycation Paradise
SEE MESS, Page 6
SEE RECALL, Page 7
BY DAVE SCHWAB | THE BEACON
Another major draw locally, of course, is the iconic, 1,971-foot Ocean Beach Municipal Pier that attracts fisherman, romantics and sunset admirers. Photo by Jim Grant I The Beacon
sanctuary, Dog Beach provides a has more of the feel of the “dock,” haven where pets can run leash-free having been the landing place of the with their families. first European expedition to come Next door, Point Loma shares the SEE STAYCATION, Page 5 ocean lifestyle with its neighbor, but
Obecians vent frustrations about Marshmallow Wars BY TONY DE GARATE | THE BEACON
Photo by Jim Grant I The Beacon
BY DAVE SCHWAB | THE BEACON
It’s been a Fourth of July tradition in Ocean Beach since the 1980s. But many Obecians are saying they have finally had enough after last month’s appalling mess involving too many marshmallows and too many revelers with too little judgment who were too eager to skip out without cleaning up. That was the clear consensus of the more than 60 concerned citizens who gathered at the Point Loma Masonic Lodge recently in search of a solution to the increasingly infamous Marshmallow Wars. The tradition, which reportedly first took place in a small area between two fire pits on the sand, has spread to include the entire beach from the Ocean
OB, Point Loma meccas for things to do and see
The annual tradition of Marshmallow Wars after the Fourth of July fireworks display from the OB Pier has drawn a growing chorus “enough is enough” for many Obecians. Others, however, are calling for tradition to continue — under tighter constraints.
Two Filner recall camps join forces to give voters a voice The drive to recall San Diego Mayor Bob Filner took a new turn Aug. 2 as competing efforts joined forces for a common cause: to oust a man they see as unfit for his office and incapable of carrying out his duties. Land-use consultant Michael Pallamary of La Jolla and Stampp Corbin, publisher of LGBT Weekly, held a news conference near City Hall to announce they’d merged their separate recall drives. The announcement came in the wake of a memo released by the City Attorney’s Office finding that, though the municipal code doesn’t prevent separate efforts to collect petition signatures in recalling an elected official, only one can be certified for an election ballot by the City Clerk’s Office. “The city attorney has said we can do both campaigns separately, but if we do that, the signatures that we collect cannot be combined at the end,” said Elisa Brent, who, along with Corbin and Pallamary, co-chairs the Recall Bob Filner Campaign. “So that was a clear signal to us that we needed to bring both campaigns together in order for the citizenry of San Diego to be able to have a say.” Pallamary agreed. “We have one unified goal and common objective, that is to represent the eight women, and maybe more, who have been harassed,” he said. The trio distributed to the media and observers a laundry list of reasons why Filner should be recalled, a list that included the mayor repeatedly ignoring City Council votes and moving in a direction contrary to their wishes. “It’s about Bob Filner and his totally unacceptable behavior,” said Brent. “He has disrespected and abused women and is so offensive that he is clearly unfit for public office. This recall is the only remedy.” The clock is now ticking on the Filner recall effort. The mayor has until Aug. 11 to choose whether to respond to the petition notice. “On Aug. 11, the people of San Diego will be able to have their voices heard,” said Corbin citing the date when petitions to recall Filner can begin to be circulated. The deadline to collect almost 102,000 valid signatures to put the recall on an election ballot is Sept. 26. Corbin acknowledged he and Pallamary had agreed to join forces despite having different strategies to recall Filner. Corbin has said he opposes hiring paid signature-gathers for the Filner recall effort. He cited the success of paid signature gatherers who were instrumental in getting Proposition 8, the measure against same-sex marriages, put on the 2008 state election ballot which Corbin said violated civil rights. “My strategy says the people of San Diego want to speak — and they will step forward,” said Corbin. Pallamary acknowledged it may be necessary to use paid signature-gather-
San Diego Bay, as seen from the scenic La Playa Trail, offers one of the many gorgeous vantage points around the Point Loma and Ocean Beach communities. Photo by Jim Grant I The Beacon
The adjoining coastal communities of Point Loma and Ocean Beach have much to offer, not only in sightseeing and recreation, but also in products and services offered by their respective business communities. “It still has that sort of traditional beach feel to it. It hasn’t been totally gussied up. It’s very real,” said Denny Knox, executive director of the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association, which boasts a membership of 525 businesses. Were you to do a Google search on Ocean Beach, entries variously describe it as a place that’s “unpretentious” and “sleepy,” where waves pound Sunset Cliffs and shops are locally owned and managed. Ocean Beach is the home of San Diego’s original dog beach at the end of Voltaire Street at the northernmost end of the community. A true canine
www.SDNEWS.com Volume 27, Number 16
WORD ONTHE STREET >> The Peninsula Beacon posed the following question to visitors at the Politifest event at Liberty Station on Aug. 3: “Would you support a recall of Mayor Bob Filner?” Anne Bessinger, Pacific Beach
I’m not 100 percent sure if I completely agree with the recall. But I can see why the majority of people would like to see him out of there. But it doesn’t mean he hasn’t done a good job for the city. His actions are completely uncalled for and unwarranted. At the same time, he’s still making decisions for the city of San Diego that are enabling us to progress and grow as a community. Tammy Molenaar, Coronado
I think he should step down. It’s just gone too far. I’m embarrassed for him. Laura Garrett, Downtown
My concern is how he can still be effective, because he’s got to work well with others, and he’s lost so much of that. I don’t know how he’d get that back. It already feels tired. And I don’t think its going away anytime soon. Richard Williams, Carlsbad
I don’t understand the politics. I haven’t seen a story that explains the back story. It’s a very vast conspiracy at this point. I hang out at the court during the daytime for fun. I’d love to watch this in court. Chuck Waller, Encanto
Yes. It’s all the underlying things that he’s done. He’s had a pretty good career, but no one’s ever challenged him on any of these issues.
— Interviews and photos by Dave Schwab