Pros and cons of berms – shelter for homeless, backwash for surfers The sand berms are up in Ocean Beach. For some it signals the beginning of winter when kids can be seen boarding down …
August 3, 2020
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Stories by Delinda Lombardo
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Ocean Beach – San Diego's last true neighborhood
Unemployment leads to Ocean Beach baking
In late March when stay-at-home orders were initially put into place, one item seemed to be in higher demand than toilet paper. Yeast. Because simply put, some people cannot live without their bread. Many people …
July 13, 2020
How to get to the river path from Sports Arena Boulevard
As far back as March of this year, locals have been asking the city for better access to the San Diego River bike path from Sports Arena Boulevard. “Anyone else experience going to the bike …
July 3, 2020
Jigsaw puzzles – while you wait for that slow Zoom conversation
Stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus have led to a resurgence of jigsaw puzzles. Brent and Teresa, who live in Ocean Beach, have been doing puzzles for years and started a puzzle exchange on Nextdoor. …
March 30, 2020
Was the Zodiac killer in San Diego?
After the Oceanside Police confirmed on February 3, that they’re “looking into” claims that the unsolved murder of Ray Davis in 1962 could have been committed by the infamous, and still unidentified, Zodiac Killer, it …
March 18, 2020
OB's Newport Ave. shuffle
Chances are, if you haven’t visited Ocean Beach in a while you might need a new map to help you find some of your favorite spots, as raising rents have some merchants relocating or simply …
February 17, 2020
Some Point Loma streets fixed, others ignored
More than a few who live in Point Loma are fed up with the nonsensical way some streets and alleys in the wooded area paved while others remain ignored. One example is the Chatsworth alley …
February 3, 2020
Homeless clean up trash in Ocean Beach
Every morning before dawn in Ocean Beach, a silver minivan pulls into the parking lot at the foot of Newport Avenue and Abbott Street, parks in the handicapped spot, and out rolls Marc Gervais, Dave …
January 28, 2020
O.B. cop with a heart of gold
San Diego Police officers responded to a shoplifting incident at Rite Aid in Ocean Beach at Niagara and Sunset Cliffs Blvd. Monday morning (Jan. 6). When officers arrived about 5 am, the suspect was waiting …
January 13, 2020
Jen Campbell constituents urged to email her
There is talk among voters in San Diego’s council District 2 about starting a petition to recall Councilmember Jennifer Campbell who they feel is ghosting her constituents and their public safety concerns, most notably in …
January 8, 2020
Pros and cons of berms in Ocean Beach
The sand berms are up in Ocean Beach. For some it signals the beginning of winter when kids can be seen boarding down the dunes. Others aren’t fans of the windswept sand build-up and wonder …
November 18, 2019
Fire spinners out of control in Ocean Beach
“It's just not a harmonious space by the tower anymore, as much as we want it to work, it's become a shit show, and we're antagonizing people because of it.” –Unknown participant. The peaceful gathering …
November 12, 2019
Squatters' paradise on Sunset Cliffs
In September of 2018, the property at 2068 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in Ocean Beach was purchased by Socal Metro Holdings LLC, for $520,000. The one bedroom, one bath, 634-square-foot home built in 1908, fell prey …
November 1, 2019
Amanda posts anti-suicide notes all over San Diego
After losing her mother Deb to suicide last year, Amanda turned her grief into something positive, “I will forever cry for my mom but there’s nothing that I can do to bring her back.” Amanda …
October 22, 2019
Was the West Point Loma water meter being read?
“It’s insane just how beautiful it was back here, I had butterflies, flowers everywhere and was being mindful of how much water I was using, even cutting out one shower a week to make up …
September 30, 2019
Ocean Beach locals escort bully out of town
On Wednesday, September 18, "Jane" parked in front of the OB Hotel at the foot of Newport Ave for her daily surf session. After getting out of the ocean, she rinsed off with a jug …
September 23, 2019
Homeless weigh heavy, even in Ocean Beach
“The stench by the wall is overwhelming. I barely go that way anymore. So unfair to the actual residents! Come on SDPD-DO SOMETHING,” said Tracey, an Ocean Beach local. “All the trash and sketchy/drugged out/aggressive …
August 12, 2019
San Diego’s campaign against Round Up
The use of the weed killer Roundup at city parks has spawned an organized opposition movement known as Campaign for a Non Toxic San Diego.“After learning Dog Beach, Dusty Rhodes Park, Robb Field, Shelter Island, …
July 24, 2019
Can't find the geocache on the OB Pier
Geo what? Over the last several months, I’ve noticed people looking for something on the edge of my property in Ocean Beach. First, an older gentleman was poking around the fence and bushes with a …
July 23, 2019
Point Loma caves cleaned out once more
Three young men were rousted from a den along Sunset Cliffs Boulevard Tuesday morning after pictures of the elaborate cave surfaced on social media earlier in the week. Multiple reports have been made to the …
May 20, 2019
Suspect in Mom's murder helped her with VRBO in Ocean Beach
Homicide detectives and SWAT officers swooped into Ocean Beach Wednesday, May 1, after a woman’s body was found inside the garage of a rental property and a 36-year-old man, Daniel Chase McKibben, was seen running …
May 6, 2019
Car theft thwarted by Stronghold Jiu Jitsu teacher and students
A man was arrested Thursday night after attempting to steal – for the second time – a 2011 Porsche Carrera parked outside of Stronghold Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy in Point Loma. “My fiancé had just …
April 29, 2019
Steel ball resurfaces again at Black’s Beach
On Sunday, a crew of lifeguards at Black’s Beach discovered that “the elusive steel ball” has resurfaced after a 2-year hiatus, this time washing up along the north end of the beach. “We haven’t seen …
January 29, 2019
Double bluff collapse at Pelican Point again
Pelican Point Apartments in Ocean Beach (5107 Narragansett) suffered a bluff collapse in January 2017, and was sold in May, 2018 to Michael Mills for $6.75M. Less than a year later, there have been no …
January 21, 2019
OBecians reclaim pieces of pier broken by storm
Massive tides and high surf significantly damaged the Ocean Beach Pier Thursday night, taking out portions of the railing that washed ashore only to be met by creative locals. The debris includes small and large …
January 18, 2019
Sunset Cliffs Not So Natural Park
In March, the Reader reported details of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Improvement Project, quoting Ellen Quick, trails committee chairperson for the park advisory council, saying “Thirty-five acres will be revegetated with native plants. That’s …
January 15, 2019
Man and sons skate from Oceanside pier to Ocean Beach pier
A Carlsbad man and his three kids skateboarded from the Oceanside Pier to the Ocean Beach Pier on December 30, making it his fifth pier-to-pier skate and his youngest boy's first. “It was a solid …
January 4, 2019
Dec. 19 swells stop the Orchard Ave. repairs – again
On September 26, the City of San Diego’s "Orchard Avenue, Capri by the Sea and Old Salt Pool Beach Access Improvements Projects" in Ocean Beach began, but within weeks, planned improvements came to a halt …
December 21, 2018
Ocean Beach hospitality wears thin
For weeks, the Ocean Beach Business Center and Lazy Hummingbird Coffee & Tea House in Ocean Beach were harassed by a man who was found creeping around the shared retail space. I spoke with the …
December 17, 2018
Vigilantes root out rooftop camps on Garnet
Residents and business owners in Pacific Beach have taken it upon themselves to help tackle the problem of rooftop encampments. “We get lots of backlash,” one member who wished to remain anonymous told me. “We …
December 17, 2018
Smashing pumpkins
A posse of teens went on a pumpkin-thieving spree Sunday night in Point Loma and stole dozens of the gourds from porches and yards before hurling them onto the Point Loma High School track. It …
October 23, 2018
Check your drink
During the last week of September, numerous women reported being drugged after drinking at several bars in Ocean Beach. Most incidents were only shared on social media and not reported to the police for fear …
October 9, 2018
Look for the tinted windows
San Diego Police Officers arrested four individuals in Ocean Beach on Monday afternoon, after a routine traffic stop led to a known gang member fighting the sergeant and a loaded gun being recovered from the …
September 11, 2018
Zonie gets sick after Coronado swim
While visiting San Diego from Arizona, Travis Moncur enjoyed a swim in the ocean off Coronado beach, but on his way home things took a turn for the worse. “It’s super important that we really …
August 21, 2018
Smog checks come to San Diego
Some drivers in Point Loma were thrown for a loop on Tuesday after being waved over for a smog checkpoint set up along Nimitz Boulevard. “Looks like they are testing two at a time. CHP …
August 10, 2018
The David buoy
Every summer, the lifeguards place orange buoys in the waters off Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and Mission Beach, prompting people to ask what’s that orange thing in the water is. “It’s out there every summer,” …
July 2, 2018
Horn shark egg on sand in OB
If you find what looks like a corkscrew along the beach, you’ve most likely stumbled upon a horn shark egg. Mating season for horn sharks generally occurs in December or January and from February through …
June 25, 2018
Pelican Point sold to Michael Mills
Pelican Point Apartment complex located at 5101-5107 Narragansett Avenue in Ocean Beach sold for $6,750,000 on May 22, 2018. Originally listed for sale at over $8M, the property located at the end of the street, …
June 21, 2018
OB Pier steps to get makeover
The Ocean Beach Pier gets roughly 500,000 people visiting each year, so its no surprise that after fifty-plus years, the stairs leading up from the pier parking lot at the foot of Niagara Avenue have …
April 17, 2018
Sucker punched
An Ocean Beach resident was sucker-punched Tuesday, April 3, around 8:00 pm while in his car on Santa Monica Avenue (near Cable Street). The victim, who wished to remain anonymous, told me he was about …
April 16, 2018
Baseball-bat attack
Earlier this month, Christian Fischer’s life changed after three swings of a baseball bat in Ocean Beach that left him with injuries so severe, it may impact his livelihood forever. “The hospital said many things …
March 3, 2018