The Voice of San Diego crew sits down with City Council President Joe LaCava to unpack a controversial Sacramento maneuver reviving the Midway Rising development, revisit the Mission Bay bathroom closures and who's really to blame for the budget fallout, and dig into La Jolla's secession talk. The conversation closes on lighter fare — SeaWorld's fireworks-to-drone-show transition and the escalating conflict between beachgoers and La Jolla's growing sea lion colony.

0:00 Welcome & Guest Intro: Council President Joe LaCava
0:45 Midway Rising & the SB 344 "Gut and Amend"
8:35 City Council's Land Use Process & Timeline
15:39 Traffic Concerns in OB and Point Loma
16:47 Mission Bay Bathrooms: The Follow-Up
24:23 Who's to Blame for the Budget Cuts?
29:34 La Jolla Secession Talk
33:00 District 2 Election
35:13 State Mandates & Budget Pressure
36:44 SeaWorld: Fireworks vs. Drone Shows
39:37 Sea Lions and the La Jolla Cove Closure

The Voice of San Diego crew sits down with City Council President Joe LaCava to unpack a controversial Sacramento maneuver reviving the Midway Rising development, revisit the Mission Bay bathroom closures and who's really to blame for the budget fallout, and dig into La Jolla's secession talk. The conversation closes on lighter fare &mdash; SeaWorld's fireworks-to-drone-show transition and the escalating conflict between beachgoers and La Jolla's growing sea lion colony.
0:00 Welcome &amp; Guest Intro: Council President Joe LaCava 0:45 Midway Rising &amp; the SB 344 "Gut and Amend" 8:35 City Council's Land Use Process &amp; Timeline 15:39 Traffic Concerns in OB and Point Loma 16:47 Mission Bay Bathrooms: The Follow-Up 24:23 Who's to Blame for the Budget Cuts? 29:34 La Jolla Secession Talk 33:00 District 2 Election 35:13 State Mandates &amp; Budget Pressure 36:44 SeaWorld: Fireworks vs. Drone Shows 39:37 Sea Lions and the La Jolla Cove Closure

This is Voice of San Diego’s weekly spitfire roundup of news. We cover local and regional politics, the environment, education, the border and more. This show features our investigative reporting and interviews with lawmakers and other special guests.

This is Voice of San Diego&rsquo;s weekly spitfire roundup of news. We cover local and regional politics, the environment, education, the border and more. This show features our investigative reporting and interviews with lawmakers and other special guests.

Voice of San Diego Podcast

Joe LaCava Wants to Evict Us

Mayor Todd Gloria announced this week that San Diego is reopening the 13 Mission Bay Park restrooms it shut down last month in budget cuts, after a public poop photo helped force the reversal — reportedly for around $200,000.

Also this week: Marvel's Gaslamp Quarter sign fine, Comic-Con's extension through 2030, the back-to-school heat debate, untrained special-needs substitutes, and Sacramento's missing votes.

0:00 Mission Bay Bathrooms Reopen
10:33 Marvel's Gaslamp Quarter Sign Fine
21:29 Back-to-School: Why So Early and So Hot?
25:24 Special Needs Students Getting Untrained Substitutes
34:06 "No Vote Recorded"

Mayor Todd Gloria announced this week that San Diego is reopening the 13 Mission Bay Park restrooms it shut down last month in budget cuts, after a public poop photo helped force the reversal &mdash; reportedly for around $200,000.
Also this week: Marvel's Gaslamp Quarter sign fine, Comic-Con's extension through 2030, the back-to-school heat debate, untrained special-needs substitutes, and Sacramento's missing votes.
0:00 Mission Bay Bathrooms Reopen 10:33 Marvel's Gaslamp Quarter Sign Fine 21:29 Back-to-School: Why So Early and So Hot? 25:24 Special Needs Students Getting Untrained Substitutes 34:06 "No Vote Recorded"

Flip Flops Are Good

Del Mar's city council cut its summer recess short this week for an emergency meeting — and came out of it asking for criminal investigations into California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a Del Mar Fairgrounds board member.

At the center of it all is Seaside Ridge, a 249-unit housing project proposed for Del Mar's North Bluff. A resident's letter raised questions about ties between the fairgrounds board member and a string of warning letters Bonta sent pressuring Del Mar to approve it — and despite formally referring the matter for investigation, city officials insist they're not accusing anyone of wrongdoing.

Also on the show: A downtown gas station sidestepped pedestrian-safety rules with the help of a $15,000 lobbyist, the city closed public restrooms in Mission Bay while funding new playgrounds nearby, and we debuted our first-ever Summer playlist.

0:00 The Great Encinitas Parking Panic
5:10 Mission Bay's New Playgrounds, Closed Bathrooms
6:17 How San Diego Funds Mission Bay
10:46 No More Driveways on Market Street
11:59 A Gas Station With Seven Driveways
17:34 The $15K Lobbyist Who Changed the Vote
21:08 How City Lobbying Actually Works
28:51 Del Mar Demands an Investigation
38:02 Debuting Our Summer Playlist

Del Mar's city council cut its summer recess short this week for an emergency meeting &mdash; and came out of it asking for criminal investigations into California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a Del Mar Fairgrounds board member.
At the center of it all is Seaside Ridge, a 249-unit housing project proposed for Del Mar's North Bluff. A resident's letter raised questions about ties between the fairgrounds board member and a string of warning letters Bonta sent pressuring Del Mar to approve it &mdash; and despite formally referring the matter for investigation, city officials insist they're not accusing anyone of wrongdoing.
Also on the show: A downtown gas station sidestepped pedestrian-safety rules with the help of a $15,000 lobbyist, the city closed public restrooms in Mission Bay while funding new playgrounds nearby, and we debuted our first-ever Summer playlist.
0:00 The Great Encinitas Parking Panic 5:10 Mission Bay's New Playgrounds, Closed Bathrooms 6:17 How San Diego Funds Mission Bay 10:46 No More Driveways on Market Street 11:59 A Gas Station With Seven Driveways 17:34 The $15K Lobbyist Who Changed the Vote 21:08 How City Lobbying Actually Works 28:51 Del Mar Demands an Investigation 38:02 Debuting Our Summer Playlist

Del Martians Sling Mud

Forget the birds and other environmental impacts, are taller buildings messing with lunar cycles?

On this week’s show, our hosts explain how a proposed bill would stop building height from being treated as a significant environmental impact under state law.

State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson spoke about SB 958 at a committee hearing in June and explained how environmental laws have sometimes been used to slow housing projects. She cited Midway Rising and litigation that has stood in the project’s way.

“Despite years of analysis and multiple EIRs, the most recent ruling from the California's fourth district court of appeal determined that environmental review when related to building height needed to include aspects that were not typically analyzed, including impacts on airflow, atmospheric conditions, lunar cycles, and wildlife attraction,” she said.

Lunar cycles? Co-host Scott Lewis explains what’s at stake and why we’re going to keep talking about SB 958.

Also on the show: The state is moving forward with a mesh barrier to deter suicides on the Coronado Bridge. They also plan to install AI cameras.

00:00:00 - The Padres Poncho Debate  
00:04:15 - Politicians Performing: Bill Wells' Band & Scott Peters' Pull-Ups  
00:08:47 - Mission Bay Restroom Closures & El Niño Budgeting  00:18:47 - SB 958, Midway Rising, and Lunar Cycles  
00:26:28 - Politifest 2026 Announcement  
00:28:03 - Coronado Bridge Suicide Prevention & AI Cameras  
00:37:16 - Sea Lions in La Jolla & The Viral Kicking Video

Forget the birds and other environmental impacts, are taller buildings messing with lunar cycles?
On this week&rsquo;s show, our hosts explain how a proposed bill would stop building height from being treated as a significant environmental impact under state law.
State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson spoke about SB 958 at a committee hearing in June and explained how environmental laws have sometimes been used to slow housing projects. She cited Midway Rising and litigation that has stood in the project&rsquo;s way.
&ldquo;Despite years of analysis and multiple EIRs, the most recent ruling from the California's fourth district court of appeal determined that environmental review when related to building height needed to include aspects that were not typically analyzed, including impacts on airflow, atmospheric conditions, lunar cycles, and wildlife attraction,&rdquo; she said.
Lunar cycles? Co-host Scott Lewis explains what&rsquo;s at stake and why we&rsquo;re going to keep talking about SB 958.
Also on the show: The state is moving forward with a mesh barrier to deter suicides on the Coronado Bridge. They also plan to install AI cameras.
00:00:00 - The Padres Poncho Debate &nbsp; 00:04:15 - Politicians Performing: Bill Wells' Band &amp; Scott Peters' Pull-Ups &nbsp; 00:08:47 - Mission Bay Restroom Closures &amp; El Ni&ntilde;o Budgeting &nbsp;00:18:47 - SB 958, Midway Rising, and Lunar Cycles &nbsp; 00:26:28 - Politifest 2026 Announcement &nbsp; 00:28:03 - Coronado Bridge Suicide Prevention &amp; AI Cameras &nbsp; 00:37:16 - Sea Lions in La Jolla &amp; The Viral Kicking Video

Joe LaCava Wants to Evict Us

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