From the get-go, 2015 was an eventful – and productive – year for Peninsulans in Ocean Beach and Point Loma. Here are some month-by-month highlights: JANUARY
– In what’s become an annual rite of passage, students and parents from Silver Gate, Dana and Correia middle schools surf teams proved they’re not hypothermic by taking the “polar bear plunge,” without wetsuits, on New Year’s weekend. – January brings rain and cooler temperatures as well as the seasonal gray whale migration along the San Diego coast. Sportfishing specialists H&M Landing in Point Loma was profiled for the three-hour whale watching tours it’s been conducting since 1956. – Restaurateur Jeff Levitt, co-owner of OB bistro Shades, continued quarterly pet adoption events on the restaurant’s outdoor patio at 5083 Santa Monica Ave. – More than 100 surfers held a paddle-out Jan. 17 honoring legendary Point Loma surfer Barry Ault, who died on Christmas day at 71 of a staph infection. – Residents of Point Loma’s Roseville neighborhood took the first step in a long-term project to convert a vacant lot on Canon Street into a pocket park by cleaning the lot of debris and dead vegetation. – Capt. Howard Warner, Naval Base Point Loma’s commander, addressed Peninsula Community Planning Group Jan. 15 answering questions about the controversial fuel pipeline project. Some 3.5 miles of the 17.5-mile pipeline will be relocated from the submarine base to Miramar Marine Base. Warner defended the necessity for relocation of a section of the pipeline along busy Rosecrans Street, saying the realignment will make the pipeline more seismically and environmentally safe. – For its fifth anniversary celebration, Shelter Island’s The Wine Pub honored Peninsulans James Earnest, Martha Phillips, Matt Kalla and Kristin Garrett for their public service. FEBRUARY
– The owner of a “perpetual remodel” at 1676 Plum St., which had been under construction for more than seven years, was ordered by a judge to fix, sell or demolish it. A grass-roots group named Preserve Point Loma announced Feb. 2 it was organizing the Point Loma community to persuade City Council to deny a proposed four-lot subdivision on the old Jessop estate at La Crescentia Drive. Opponents argued the Jessop site contains environmentally sensitive steep lands and unstable hillsides and should be protected, not redeveloped. – Architects contracted by the San Diego Unified School District outlined the first phase of a long-term project to upgrade facilities at Point Loma High School during the first of three planned community meetings on the high school campus. – Point Loma’s patron saint, the nonprofit Point Loma Association, announced a membership drive. Since 1961, the association, comprising residents and businesses, has been committee to projects like median beautification on Nimitz Boulevard to improve Point Loma’s quality of life. – Why are sunsets so spectacular in winter? Because of the clouds that time of year, answered Beacon editor Thomas Melville in a colorful feature. n Huge waves crashed onto Sunset Cliffs Natural Park’s rocks during a king tide, which is what the highest annual tides are called. City Council voted 6-3 Feb. 9 to deny a project proposal to do a lot split at the old Jessop estate that was opposed by some local residents. – OB restaurateur Mike “Bossman” Hardin, owner-operator of iconic Hodad’s Burgers, whose nickname was tatooed on his knuckles, died unexpectedly Feb. 5, sending the Peninsula community into mourning. MARCH
– Point Loman Betty Peabody, whose volunteerism has played a prominent role in Balboa Park’s success, was named San Diego Woman of the Year by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins. Robb Field Skate Park marked 15 years in OB with a visit from legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk. Loma Portal Elementary School celebrated its centennial during a yearlong celebration that kicked off with a fundraising gala March 20. – Point Lomans started a petition drive to close Canon Street between Talbot Street and Catalina Boulevard following a March 2 early-morning accident in which a father and his child were struck by an SUV. – Cancer victim Gary Orwig had field No. 8 at Robb Field dedicated in his name March 15. He was an integral part of Point Loma/Ocean Beach’s baseball/softball community. APRIL
– The curtain at the historic Luce Auditorium in Liberty Station will rise again, as it was announced that Backlot Hospitality planned to open a state-of-the-art boutique multi-theater complex, to be called The Lot (like its sister complex in La Jolla) in the former 20,000-square-foot Luce Auditorium, which originally opened in 1941. – Tiffany Two, a cat owned by retired Point Loma attorney Sharron Voorhees, turned 27 on March 13, making it the world’s oldest living feline. – Point Loma Patients Cooperative, at 3452 Hancock St. in the Midway area, became the first medical marijuana dispensary to be approved in Council District 2. – Cabrillo National Monument, its old lighthouse and tide pools were profiled in a front-page feature in the April 30 issue. – The Peninsula Community Planning Board was told in April that new wayfinding signage for Liberty Station is on the way. MAY
– National Bike to Work Day was held May 15 in Point Loma with three pit stops. The event encourages people to bicycle to work, encouraging more healthful lifestyles. – Octogenarians Louie and Virgil Paulerio, who’ve owned a barber shop on Rosecrans Street for 55 years, announced their retirement. – The courts ordered the owner of a “perpetual remodel” at 1676 Plum St. to resume work on his half-finished mansion. – The 67th installment of Ocean Beach Kiwanis’ Kite Festival was held May 9 at Dusty Rhodes Park. – At its annual town hall forum, the Point Loma Association heard about the controversial proposed Navy pipeline relocation along Rosecrans, about North Harbor Drive improvements and about the new $316 million airport rental car center under construction. – Lisa Johnson was named the new general manager overseeing the NTC Arts and Culture District at Libery Station. – At a May 21 Peninsula Community Planning Board meeting, the city announced plans for signalizing and restriping the intersection at Catalina Boulevard/Canon Street, where a child in a stroller was killed and its father critically injured in an early-morning accident involving an SUV. – Surfrider Foundation San Diego County chapter chair Mark West discussed the chapter’s role in maintaining beaches, bay and ocean in a profile. JUNE
– The San Diego Comic Art Gallery opened, showcasing the artwork of Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Ninja Turtles comic characters. – Thousands of visitors turned out for the 36th annual OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-off on June 27.
The discovery of an erosion-caused cave used by the homeless in Sunset Cliffs fueled community concern about environmental damage and public safety. – As of June 4, airlines previously operating out of the commuter terminal at San Diego International Airport were relocated to gates in Terminals 1 and 2. – The city’s Smart Growth and Land Use Committee directed staff to return with a new draft ordinance on controversial short-term vacation rentals, better defining and more strictly controlling them. Earlier start times for some Point Loma cluster schools for the 2015-16 year had some parents crying foul. – OB Elementary fourth-grader Zarai Rosenzweig-Bullard and Correia Middle School eighth-grader Ava Marie Bunn won, respectively, for their turkey taco and avocado salad dishes in San Diego Unified School District’s Kids Create Recipe Contest. – During a mini-workshop on homelessness at its June meeting, Midway Community Planning Group was told by city officials and public service providers there is no “silver bullet” to address homelessness, which is epidemic in the Midway District. District 2 Councilwoman Lorie Zapf said there’s a new generation of “urban campers” now using smartphones. “We’re trying to come up with some solutions the community can support and move forward with,” Zapf said. JULY
– The iconic OB seagull logo was sold to John McCoy, the owner of Ocean Gifts & Shells on Newport Avenue. The hand-drawn logo was created in the ’60s by Bob Sorben, who still owns/manages Peninsula Graphics in Point Loma. – The Heritage Group, a real estate management and investment advisory firm involved in multiple projects in the Midway District, including the $6.2 million sale of Midway Village Shopping Center, reported the District is “poised for growth,” noting its redevelopment is likely to include mixed-use, transit-oriented and smart-growth projects. – Cabrillo National Monument Foundation held its first Cabrillo Sunset 5K run-walk July 25 at the national park, at 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive. – Point Lomans and the PLA representing them were up in arms when the Murdock family, owners of the Dolphin Motel at 2912 Garrison St., announced they would not be taking down their billboard at the Small Hotel in Roseville. The PLA’s position was that the Murdocks had previously agreed to remove the billboard in exchange for the nonprofit’s support of the Murdocks’ application for a parking variation with the city on their property. – Rexford Industrial, a leading Southern California industrial real estate investment firm, was named anchor tenant for the former Midway Post Office site. Rexford plans to redevelop the ground floor of the two buildings onsite into 10 industrial units ranging between 10,000 and 45,000 square feet, totaling approximately 229,000 square feet. – Ocean Beach Community Development Corporation forged ahead with redevelopment of OB Veterans Plaza as it began accepting applications to add veterans’ names, living and deceased, to the wall of a new proposed Veterans Plaza. – Midway Community Planning Group got a pitch from attorneys representing medical marijuana cooperatives expressing that industry’s willingness to help in solving local problems, like homelessness. – City Council voted unanimously July 13 to support a proposed zero waste plan with the goal of diverting 75 percent of the waste generated in the city away from landfill disposal by 2020. – IDW Publishing, one of the nation’s largest comic book publishers headquartered in Liberty Station, earned accolades and awards at the annual Comic-Con convention downtown. – Point Loma Summer concerts celebrated 15 years on July 25. AUGUST
– A front-page story in the Aug. 6 issue profiled Point Loman Jim Gilhooly, on a mission to “divert” the Navy away from its plan to relocate a section of its 17.3-mile fuel pipeline between Naval Base Point Loma and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar from the coastline to Rosecrans Street. – Liberty Public Market revealed the first of 10 homegrown vendors who, once construction is complete, will operate out of the market in Building 1 at 2816 Historic Decatur Road. – The 10th annual ArtWalk NTC at Liberty Station, a weekend full of art, food and live entertainment, was held Aug. 15 and 16. n Culminating 14 years of effort, the California Coastal Commission Aug. 13 vote unanimously to approve Ocean Beach’s Community Plan. – Controversy continued over security camera footage taken by a San Diego police officer who shot and killed a mentally ill man in April in the Midway District in an incident some allege was unprovoked. – In August a judge set a January 2016 deadline for the owner of a “perpetual remodel” on Plum Street to either finish up, sell or raze the unfinished mansion. – Point Loma Patients Consumer Co-Op, the first medical marijuana dispensary legally approved for Council District 2, opened at 3452 Hancock St. in the Midway District. – Liberty Station announced plans for three hotels to be built at the former Wally Park San Diego site. Coasterra, an upscale Mexican restaurant, lounge and event space, opened on Harbor Island. SEPTEMBER
– Police and lifeguards were contending with a new growing problem: youthful cliff divers making a 30-foot leap from the Arch at Sunset Cliffs in OB. – Shane Hardin, son of the late Mike “Bossman” Hardin, announced he would be carrying on with the family business, moving Ocean Beach’s iconic Hodad’s burger place forward. – The Beacon profiled Seabreeze Limited, a shop that has been selling charts, guides and books for mariners for 35 years in Point Loma. High-profile Nelson Photo Supplies announced it would be moving from Little Italy to Point Loma Plaza. – A new microbrewery, Modern Times, at 3725 Greenwood St. in the Midway District, was profiled. Also on the beer front, Mike Hess Brewing opened a tasting room in Ocean Beach, at 4893 Voltaire St. – A major tiff evolved in the wake of an announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration that flight changes were being proposed at San Diego International Airport that could lead to more planes flying over more parts of the Peninsula. – Kevin McKay, former managing editor of the Peninsula Beacon, died at 51 after a long illness. – The annual Cabrillo Festival historical re-enactment at Ballast Point was held Sept. 27. – The annual Ocean Beach Pier Pancake Breakfast fundraiser to support OB Town Council was held Sept. 19. – Point Loma yoga instructor Amy Pachowicz and her studio were showcased in a Beacon feature. OCTOBER
– Point Lomans showed their displeasure over FAA-announced plans to consider deviating flight paths from the LOWMA Waypoint, which for years has minimized flights over residential areas. An online petition drive garnered more than 2,000 signatures in less than two weeks, and 1,000 residents packed a Liberty Station meeting hall Oct. 6 for a special meeting to protest the FAA proposal. – Outgoing City Council member Marti Emerald made a personal appearance at Peninsula Community Planning Board to lobby in favor of putting a $280 million city firehouse bond on the November 2016 ballot. – In September, Midway Community Planning Group got progress reports on its ongoing Community Plan Update. – A Beacon feature discussed a new cooperative spirit between Peninsula leaders in both OB and Point Loma. The 11th annual OB Oktoberfest was held Oct. 9-10, featuring brew, games, entertainment and the annual Brat Trot run. – The Wine Pub on Shelter Island hosted its third annual Bike for Boobs anti-cancer fundraising bike ride Oct. 18. – Liberty Public Market held a “hardhat” tour Oct. 7, giving the public a sneak peek at its new Liberty Market space under construction, with an early 2016 planned opening. Liberty Station spokesman Nathan Cadieux also unveiled a new logo and promotional materials for the market, a 22,000-square-foot artisan mecca in Building 1, at 2816 Historic Decatur Road. – SeaWorld announced its intent to challenge the Coastal Commission’s conditional approval of plans to double the size of its orca tank. The Commission approved the tank expansion with the provision that orcas kept there could not be captured in the wild or bred from genetic material. – The Point Loma High School Pointers rallied to support Kevin Gormly, the high school’s vice principal, who was suffering from a brain tumor. NOVEMBER
– In an apparent about-face bowing to public opinion, SeaWorld San Diego Nov. 9 announced plans to phase out its orca shows in 2016 and to replace them with a “more natural” whale experience in 2017. – San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced a San Diego police officer who shot and killed an unarmed mentally ill man in the Midway District earlier in the year would not be prosecuted, noting the case “didn’t meet the high bar needed to criminally charge officers in the line of duty.” – A Beacon feature discussed the probability of warmer-than-usual El Niño ocean temperatures in the Pacific, bringing stormy weather to San Diego this winter. – Peninsula artists whose work was on display in the Central Library’s Rainmaker exhibit were profiled. DECEMBER
– On Dec. 3, the City Planning Commission “tore up” a proposed new city ordinance on Short-Term Vacation Rentals (STVRs), sending it back to staff for revision. – On Dec. 2, OB Planning Board urged strict limits for STVRs in residential areas. – Dave Martin and Lynn Silva joined Point Loma Association’s board. – Tami Wong was tapped to lead the new wine program at Liberty Public Market’s in-house restaurant, Mess Hall. – Crowds were heavy on Newport Avenue to watch the annual OB Holiday Parade on Dec. 5. OB Town Council held an auction Dec. 3 to raise funds to support its annual Food and Toy Drive. – On Dec. 8, San Diego International Airport unveiled MetroGnome, a public art project featuring two 54-foot-high kinetic sculptural forms. – A front-page article in the Dec. 17 issue featured the annual Garrison Street Christmas light show and profiled a hot chocolate fundraiser to support Point Loma High School junior Divina Leal, who lost her mother to domestic violence. – On Dec. 15, City Council voted unanimously to pass an ambitious Climate Action Plan, with the ultimate goal of getting the city to 100 percent clean energy use by 2035.