It’s memorandum time in the city of San Diego’s budget saga. Councilmembers may be headed for a historic standoff with the mayor. We’ll do a little history lesson to show how interesting it could get.    Only 58 percent of San Diego Unified high schoolers are on track to graduate. Rather than get them on track, they’ve decided to create a new track

There had been some controversy about whether the Mayor and San Diego City Council would have to dip into reserves to handle their budget deficit – now it appears they have no choice. We’ll explain how bad the city’s finances are getting.    South County is now home to a massive hotel and convention center many years in the making. The mayor of Chula Vista like all south bay officials was proud. But he quickly distanced himself from his real estate company that appears ready to cash in on an adjacent project.    And Jakob’s got an update from the telenovela that is Grossmont Union High School District.   SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading) San Diego County Grand Jury Findings VOSD: Grand Jury Finds Faults in San Diego Unified’s Bond Program Among the report’s findings, the grand jury concluded the district had ‘consistently failed to inform,’ voters of bond-induced tax rate increases or provided detailed lists of projects. San Diego Budget Crisis KPBS: San Diego’s highest paid city employees? Cops racking up overtime and earning over $400,000 City of San Diego City of San Diego Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2026 Draft Budget and May Revision. Chula Vista Mayor and Amara Bay VOSD: Chula Vista Mayor Distances Himself from His Own Real Estate Company  Chula Vista Mayor John McCann’s real estate company filed paperwork enabling it to do business under the same name as a high-profile bayfront redevelopment project McCann has promoted as mayor. After Voice of San Diego asked about the arrangement, McCann said he was divesting himself from the company. GUHSD Drama Continues to Unfold VOSD: Grossmont Board Gives Final ‘Yes,’ to Layoffs, Inks Six Figure Resignation Settlement with Chief of Staff After months of uproar, Grossmont Union’s board did what everyone was scared they would – they finalized layoff notices. Later that night they also approved a settlement agreement with a district administrator whose journey back to Grossmont sparked concerns of serious conflicts of interest. Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

The city of San Diego is officially at legal war with La Jolla separatists. Why a ballot measure push a couple years ago is related.  The mayor’s revised budget is still pretty ugly and still gets rid of beach bonfire rings. And finally the budget also has set up an nasty little standoff between the city and county over a homeless shelter in the Midway area. They have stopped letting people into the tent and the operator is furious.

This week the crew brought their notes and their game to Soda Bar where they recorded the podcast before packed house, as Scott, Andrea, Jakob and Bella welcomed Keene Simonds, the Executive Officer of the Local Agency Formation Commission, to the lively LIVE podcast recording session. Recorded live at Soda Bar, Wednesday May 7, 2025.

This week we sat down for an in depth interview with San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Dan Denham. He filled us in with some deep water knowledge during this week’s show.   SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading) VOSD: San Diego Council Bashes County Water Authority Over Costs Councilmembers say they want to see steep cuts in spending by the region’s major water buyer. One suggested refusing to pay the city’s water bills.   by MacKenzie Elmer January 17, 2025 The Truth About the Cost of Water: Dismantling the Water Authority Would Harm All San Diegans by Jim Madaffer April 28, 2025 Axios:  Elo-Rivera to San Diego Water Authority: Lower rates, or else Andrew Keatts        

We have another guest this week. Hot off her state of the county speech, County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is joining us.  Our South Bay reporter did a deep dive into what happened after Chula Vista Mayor John McCann helped secure the release of a woman convicted of fraud several years ago. She’s being sentenced today on another charge.  And we had a story this week out of Encinitas where a homeless service provider is being attacked online and blamed for the increasing visibility of homelessness in the beach town.    SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading) INTRO 00:00:00   SEGMENT 1 00:00:53 Spring Fundraising Campaign One week left Goal - 100 new members and $150k by April 29 All gifts will be matched up to $10k thanks to a generous anonymous donor. Donate at vosd.org/podpeople and leave a message about why you support Voice.  Here’s what our members said about why they donate: Leticia S. wrote, “Your paper has been the only one we as latinos have been able to count on to tell our story on various issues important to our small community of Fallbrook. You don't ignore us and you tell the truth.” Martha D. said, “No one else is focusing on the areas that you do. Also your reporting is succinct, explanatory, and free from rambling opinion. Thank you for continuing to do what you do!” Marjorie W. wrote, “you are increasingly a sane voice in this chaotic world” Thank you to those who have supported our work! You can become a supporter too by going to vosd.org/podpeople. Leave us a message about why you support and we’ll read a few in the next episode. Again, that’s vosd.org/podpeople  Brews and News Live Podcast Brews and News Live Podcast is back! It's time to embrace your inner news nerd and talk about the latest scoops with our pod crew on Wednesday, May 7 at Soda Bar. Brews and News Live Podcasts are opportunities to meet our journalists, play audience games, enjoy a beer and listen to San Diego’s most popular public affairs podcast live.  If you missed our beer launch party, you can still try our anniversary beer at Brews and News. Plus, every Brews and News attendee will be entered to win one of two baseballs signed by our Padres favorite - Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill. You won’t want to miss out. Buy your tickets now and learn more at vosd.org/livepod. Again that’s v-o-s-d.org back slash l-i-v-e-p-o-d. SEGMENT 2 00:04:54 Banter SEGMENT 3 00:09:14 John McCann Chula Vista Mayor Helped Free a Felon Who’s Going Back to Prison with Her Brother – A Lot Happened in Between SEGMENT 4 00:11:12 County Supervisors: Unvited GOP County Supes: Dem Didn’t Invite Us to State of County Speech SEGMENT 5 00:13:01 DOGE Effects on the County The State of the County Resistance SEGMENT 6 00:25:58 Terra Lawson-Remer on Gloria’s Homeless Critique Politics Report: The ‘Era of Austerity’ Is Here SEGMENT 7 00:28:39 Encinitas Gets Ugly with Homeless Blame Anonymous Account, Neighbors Target Provider as Homelessness Surges in Encinitas  SEGMENT 8 00:38:11 Terra’s Activism Past SEGMENT 9 00:44:00 Hot Take: Leave Fire Pits Alone (From the archives) San Diego Council Seeks to Snub Out Some Beach Bonfires San Diego’s City Council wants to clarify that open fires are only allowed in concrete fire pits. Beachgoers could still cook on propane-powered grills. by MacKenzie Elmer May 23, 2022   TRT 00:51:26   Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

We have a guest co-host today, Congressman Mike Levin is here with some reports from D.C. where things are normal and not very interesting at all. He was supposed to bring a hot take.  Jakob did a story about how some classrooms in local colleges are filled with fake people. We’ll break down how that works and how much it’s costing.  And we have more trash talk. The new fee for San Diego homeowners is probably coming but it’s got to go through a big hurdle.  SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading) INTRO 00:00:00 SEGMENT 1 00:00:42 VOSD Beer Launch Party Beer Launch Party  To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’ve collaborated with 3 Punk Ales to create a limited edition Voice of San Diego beer can.  Come enjoy a beer with all our reporters at the official launch party. When: Thursday, April 24 at 5 p.m. Where: 3 Punk Ales – 259 3rd Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910 SEGMENT 2 00:01:41 Banter SEGMENT 3 00:02:08 Mike Levin   SEGMENT 4 00:13:22 Smart Trash San Diegans are set to pay a new fee for trash pickup — but officials dialed down the proposed price for trash pickup by 10 percent. (Union-Tribune) SEGMENT 5 00:21:18 County vs City Sprung Structure Tent Homeless temporary housing SEGMENT 6 00:29:57 Student Aid Fraud How Fraudsters Swindle Community College Financial Aid  Community colleges have in recent years been plagued by fraudsters posing as students to swindle financial aid money. Here’s how it works. SEGMENT 7 00:29:57 Mike Levin on DOGE Cuts SEGMENT 7 00:57:37 Hot Takes TRT 01:07:39   Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.    

The South Bay County Supervisor runoff is set. Two mayors will race for the future of the county.  An effort to set aside an area for homeless residents near the airport has hit another snag as the developer of Liberty Station takes the city to court.  And the U.S Secretary of Education was in town. Jakob went to see her.  All that and another Dear VOSD.      SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading)   INTRO 00:00:00   SEGMENT 1 00:55:20 VOSD Beer Launch Party Grossmont Union accounts:  https://www.instagram.com/guhsd_parent/ https://www.instagram.com/studentsforstaff.guhsd/  Sdbikelanes: https://www.instagram.com/sdbikelanes/  Mts lovegang: https://www.instagram.com/sdmts.lovegang/  Sdfloodsurvivors: https://www.instagram.com/sdfloodsurvivors/   SEGMENT 2 00:07:17 Dear VOSD: Luis from City Council District 4 What’s the correct number of city council districts?   SEGMENT 3 00:17:57 Southbay Election Update Two Mayors Will Battle for Supe Seat   SEGMENT 4 00:26:23 Trash Fees San Diegans are set to pay a new fee for trash pickup — but officials dialed down the proposed price for trash pickup by 10 percent. (Union-Tribune) SEGMENT 5 00:33:02 Liberty Station Liberty Station Developer Asks Judge to Halt H Barracks Safe Parking A prominent real estate developer is asking a Superior Court judge to stop the city from opening a safe parking lot for people living in vehicles until a legal battle over the project ends.   SEGMENT 6 00:39:39 ASU + GSV Education Summit In San Diego, Education Secretary Insists Cuts Target Bureaucracy, Not Fundingocuments show Renteria donated to Reyes’ school board campaign in 2018.   TRT 00:48:15   Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

On Sunday, March 31st, 1985, a group of young Black men drove back to southeastern San Diego after visiting Balboa Park. It was just after 6:00 PM and the sun was retreating into the horizon. As a truck driven by 23-year-old Sagon Penn pulled into a driveway on a quiet street in Encanto, they were followed by two police cars. What happened next would leave one officer dead, another officer and a civilian ride along severely injured, a young man in a years long legal limbo and a city reeling.  On the 40th anniversary of the incident, I have author Peter Houlahan in the studio with me. His book, “Reap the Whirlwind: Violence, Race, Justice and the story of Sagon Penn,” is a fascinating deep dive into the case, the compelling figures who drove the story and the impact it all had on San Diego and beyond.    SHOW NOTES 10News Story: New book revisits the impact the story of Sagon Penn has had on communities of color in San Diego You can find book from Counterpoint Press here: Reap the Whirlwind Reap the Whirlwind - Violence, Race, Justice, and the Story of Sagon Penn by Peter Houlahan Book Description The bestselling author of Norco ’80 returns with a riveting story of mid-1980s San Diego that placed one young Black man at the center of a whirlwind of crime and punishment that profoundly altered Southern California CREDITS Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer   Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

Coming up on the show, we are in the final stretch of the District 1 County Supervisor race.  The mailers are getting SPICY, and one especially pissed off a lot of people.  Last month, Mayor Todd Gloria announced he was eliminating the position of chief operating officer and taking over the gig himself. Now, former COO Eric Dargan is suing Gloria and the city for discrimination and for breaking promises in his contract. We’ll break it down.  Finally, why are officials at Chula Vista Elementary school trading corruption allegations? Investigative reporter Will Huntsberry joins us this week to explain. SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading) INTRO 00:00:00 SEGMENT 1 00:04:13 Hyperlocal IG Accounts Grossmont Union accounts:  https://www.instagram.com/guhsd_parent/ https://www.instagram.com/studentsforstaff.guhsd/  Sdbikelanes: https://www.instagram.com/sdbikelanes/  Mts lovegang: https://www.instagram.com/sdmts.lovegang/  Sdfloodsurvivors: https://www.instagram.com/sdfloodsurvivors/ SEGMENT 2 00:19:28 SD COO Sues SD VOSD Mayor’s Office: Ex-COO Alleging Discrimination Was Fired Mayor Todd Gloria’s chief of staff claims former city COO Eric Dargan, whose position was eliminated in February, was ‘terminated for cause’ in response to his lawsuit alleging discrimination and a breached contract. SEGMENT 3 00:25:11 UCSD to Lose Funding VOSD The Learning Curve: UCSD Could Lose Hundreds of Millions from Trump Cuts While many in higher education are sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump’s research slashing, it has been tough to suss out exactly what the impacts will be. An email from UCSD’s Chancellor gives us a ballpark figure. SEGMENT 4 00:32:32 Chula Vista COO Conflict of Interest VOSDChula Vista Superintendent Allegedly Pushed for Work for Builder Who Donated to His Campaign Superintendent Eduardo Reyes previously said he has no personal relationship with Al Renteria. Campaign documents show Renteria donated to Reyes’ school board campaign in 2018. TRT 00:48:58 Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

The Padres are playing their opening game as we record. We’ll explain a new minimum wage increase they are fighting. We’ve got a few updates on what the city is doing to get you to pay for parking. Why San Diego is on the hook for monthly rent payment on an empty homeless shelter. And the historic San Diego Taxpayers Association has no leadership.  Also, the hospitals are fighting. Palomar Health is borrowing money from friends and that never goes well.   SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading) INTRO 00:00:00 SEGMENT 1 00:01:10 AxiosOpening Day at Petco: Padres face Braves, Profar returns Bella's Tarot Cards SEGMENT 2 00:10:34 Tax Association VOSD Politics Report: Taxpayers ‘Cash Flow Problem’ SEGMENT 3 00:15:13 Homeless Senior Center VOSD San Diego Is on the Hook for Monthly $77,000 Payments of Shuttered Senior Shelter SEGMENT 4 00:19:15 SD CPR Parking Update from Bella KPBS Charging on Sundays? Surge pricing? San Diego eyes reforms to manage parking demand SEGMENT 5 00:27:17 Palomar Health  VOSD Palomar Health’s Borrowing Has Ruffled Feathers at Sharp HealthCare Michael Scott I DECLARE BANKRUPTCY!!! - The Office US TRT 00:41:52 Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

We’ve got a Dear VOSD response finally on the city’s history of charging for parking.  Grossmont Union School District has had some very tense meetings. We’ll talk about a hot mic moment that went viral.  And as part of our 20th anniversary talk, we have reflections from several of the journalists and former writers at Voice of San Diego who made a difference here. SHOW NOTES:  (Links to VOSD articles mentioned during the show and links for further reading) INTRO 00:00:00 SEGMENT 1 00:02:16 SD County - Registrar’s Office  First Supervisorial District Special Primary Election  Luke Bergmann Resigns - VOSD County’s Top Behavioral Health Official Resigns Dept of Education - NPR Trump signs order aiming to close the Education Department Trash Fees - NBC San Diego City of San Diego announces how much trash pickup will actually cost SEGMENT 2 00:19:23 Dear VOSD: Parking Instagram  New fiscal year, same structural budget deficit SEGMENT 3 00:34:55 GUHSD Budget Cuts VOSD Amid Layoff Talks, School Board Member Says Librarians Are Overpaid SEGMENT 4 00:51:34 20th Anniversary Talk with Voices VOSD  20 Years of Impact - At 20 Years Old, We Check In with 20 Former Voicers TRT 01:10:49   Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer   Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

There was a surprisingly tense conversation about water rates at the city. The reality that they’re going to soar is starting to set in and we’ll discuss.  Finally, we’ve got a guest, I have been on his show many times but he’s never been on ours. Darren Smith, the best unemployed radio guy in town is here to explain us some sports and more.  We’ll go through some headlines with him and get into it.     SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 Intro SEGMENT 1 00:01:48 San Diego Football Club opening day drama KPBS San Diego FC announces security, messaging measures after homophobic chants AXIOSSDFC confronts fans' homophobic chant that's plagued soccer for years   NBC San DiegoHomophobic chant at San Diego FC's inaugural home match condemned by coach, sporting director SEGMENT 2 00:13:41 COVID-19 Five Years Later Guardian Article: ‘We have ignored lessons’: how Covid continues to affect lives five years later Reuters:COVID-19 shut us down five years ago. Here's how its economic impact continues Axios: Remembering the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in San Diego, five years later SEGMENT 3 00:23:46 Troubled Waters VOSD Why It Matters: Why Are San Diego Water Rates About to Soar? City Council Meeting Item 331: Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Water Rate Increase not to Exceed 5.5% to pass through increases from San Diego County Water Authority. 9:04:52 - 9:05:05 “Because we are going to be using ...it's ghost water, it's water noone is going to drink.” 9:09:38 - 9:10:04 “I'm not comfortable ...I'll put that on the table.” SEGMENT 4 00:39:01 SD FC & San Diego Padres VOSD Tom Penn, New SD MLS Chief, Sees a Soccer Campus on the Horizon In a Q&A, the former LAFC president talks about the youth academy the new team will build and all the other major projects he has two years to complete. SEGMENT 5 00:53:19 NIL in College Sports Cal Matters:California’s college athletes can now make millions off sponsorship deals. Here's a first look at the numbers TRT 01:10:49   Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

What exactly happened at City Council this week? We have one of them here, Councilmember Henry Foster joins us to talk about housing, ADUs, land use, the city’s deficit and more.   SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 Intro SEGMENT 1 00:02:09 San Diego Football Club opening day drama AXIOSSDFC confronts fans' homophobic chant that's plagued soccer for years   NBC San DiegoHomophobic chant at San Diego FC's inaugural home match condemned by coach, sporting director SEGMENT 2 00:11:13 Mailers D1 County Superintendent Race SD County San Diego County’s First Supervisorial District VOSD County Workers Back Imperial Beach Mayor in Supervisor Bid VOSD Morning Report: Housing and the Supe Race San Diego’s Budget Deficit VOSD Morning Report: Deep Cuts Coming to City   SEGMENT 3 00:24:05 Henry Foster on Housing VOSD Morning Report: Council Spares ADU Bonus Program VOSD Morning Report: Mayor Cans COO City of San Diego March 4, 2025 City Council Meeting Audio Clip: 00:36:10 Daniel Horton, chief of staff, D 4 “Under the current rules … slave quarters or camps … is needed.”  Audio Clip: 00:49:45 CM Marni Von Wilpert “Under existing regulations … when it lacks sidewalks .. does that mean the city is required to deny … very interesting.” TRT 01:06:13   Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.  

SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 Intro Parent’s Guide on Instagram!   SEGMENT 1 00:00:57 Parent’s Guide on Instagram! The wait is OVER This year’s A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools is here and ready to help answer all your local education questions! The Guide explains school choice opportunities and enrollment deadlines, what’s available for after-school care, school performance data in an easy-to-use format and much more — all for FREE!!! Donor Thank You’s Ways to Give Women Leading The Conversation San Diego’s most influential women leaders. Thursday, March 20, 2025 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Farmer & Seahorse, Illumina Theatre 10996 Torreyana Rd., San Diego, CA SD 101 Video and Washington Post Tik-Tok  Dave Jorgenson on Blue Sky Bella Ross on Blue Sky   SEGMENT 2 00:13:42 South County Endorsements From La Prensa StoryFriends Clash in County Special Election (2/3/2025) By Arturo Castañares Editor-at-Large   SEGMENT 3 00:21:36 Cannabis: How a Barber Became the Unwitting Owner of a Cannabis Company   SEGMENT 4 00:36:25 CARE Court:  San Diego’s CARE Court Isn’t Forcing Treatment   Governor Newsom Unveils Plan to Care for Californians Struggling with Behavioral Health Challenges   TRT 00:49:34 Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

If you listened last week, you were set up for the big news this week. The mayor is flexing his muscles.    We’ll explain the difference between eliminating a position and firing someone and what happened to the now former top bureaucrat at the city.    And the parents guide is coming out. Jakob and Andrea here have been working hard on it. We’ll talk. SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 Intro What our supporters have to say.   SEGMENT 1 00:03:00 The Reader and Alt Weeklies   KPBS: San Diego Reader ends print edition after 52 years The Union-Tribune: A cultural shift you can’t deny’: San Diego Reader ceases printing and goes fully digital The Times of San Diego: San Diego Reader Ends 52-Year Print Run, But Will Keep the Alt-Press Faith Online The Reader Instagram account: Not ended, but changed. The San Diego Reader is now SanDiegoReader.com! SEGMENT 2 00:13:15 The Chula Vista School Board Drama   VOSD: Why a Chula Vista School Board Member Ran for a Seat He Already Held Chula Vista Elementary School District trustees Francisco Tamayo and Lucy Ugarte allegedly ‘conspired’ to take control of the district’s school board by ousting a Democratic board member they disliked and replacing her with an ally. The maneuver resulted in a Republican being appointed to the board. Now, Tamayo and Ugarte face a possible censure from their political party.  by Jim Hinch SEGMENT 3 00:19:12 Strong Mayor Gloria   YouTube: Mayor Gloria to Announce Operational Efficiencies, Reductions for City Budget 2/18/2025   VOSD:Mayor Gloria Tries to Save the Strong Mayor  by Scott Lewis   VOSD: Mayor Dismisses Embattled COO and Takes Reins of City Management Chief Operating Officer Eric Dargan is out and department executives will now report directly to the mayor. by Will Huntsberry   YouTube: “Bueller?”  SEGMENT 4 00:40:09 The 2025 edition of A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools (7th Edition)   VOSD: The Learning Curve: The Schools Guide Has Arrived The 2025 edition of A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools comes packed with all of the data you’ve come to rely on, plus two new exclusive metrics to help parents make sense of local schools.   VOSD: A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools  (download or order a hardcopy)   Voice of San Diego’s 2025 Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools helps families make informed decisions for their child’s education.   The Guide explains school choice opportunities and enrollment deadlines, what’s available for after-school care, school performance data in an easy-to-use format and much more.    The Guide is generously supported by The Girard Foundation, David and Annie Malcolm, Girl Scouts San Diego, Nordson Corporation, Brian Connelly & Associates, Carmel Valley Test Prep, and all of our members.   TRT 00:50:57   Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego. Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor Bella Ross, social media producer Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer. Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County. Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

It’s the 20th anniversary of the launch of Voice of San Diego, the greatest nonprofit news organization go live in 2005. We launched before YouTube. We’ll reminisce a bit with a sort of special guest.  The city of San Diego’s budget deficit has provoked some tense conversations. A City Council budget committee hearing last week had some great clips. And where are the kids? San Diego Unified School District is going to have to deal with another drop in enrollment.   SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 Intro SEGMENT 1 00:00:00 “Dear VOSD” Jim from University Heights - When it comes to parking, why is La Jolla an exception? Parking and RIP Donald Shoup Donald Shoup, distinguished professor emeritus whose decades of teaching and scholarship at UCLA greatly influenced the field of land-use planning as well as generations of scholars, students and urban planners, died Feb. 6, 2025, at age 86. Shoup was a titan in the fields of urban planning and specifically parking reform, and his landmark book, “The High Cost of Free Parking,” resulted in the adoption of many of his parking reform ideas in cities around the nation and world.   SEGMENT 2 00:11:47 San Diego’s Budget Deficit City of San Diego Budget and Government Efficiency Committee Michael Zucchet, San Diego Municipal Employees Association General Manager critiques San Diego’s budget handling. 1:03:31 - 1:03:55 1:04:00 - 1:04:13 1:08:06 - 1:08:10 1:09:25 - 1:10:02 Council Member Mike Lee  1:39:35 - 1:39:45 “Bueller?” YouTube clip   SEGMENT 3 00:33:32 San Diego City Unnecessary Travel Mayor has much still to reveal about his secret trip to the Philippines San Diego Union Tribune San Diego Unified Has Lost Nearly 12,000 Students in Past Decade VOSD   SEGMENT 4 00:43:04 20 Years! of VOSD 20 Years of Impactful Journalism 20 Years of Voice Impact: The Investigation into SEDC Our investigation into the Southeastern Economic Development Corp. put us on the map and taught us invaluable lessons. Lessons After 20 Years of Voice of San Diego   TRT 01:13:16

Coming up on the show today, a special interview with San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez. She is ready to talk about deaths in county jails, local law enforcement’s relationship with federal immigration agents and more.    SHOW NOTES 2017 California Senate Bill 54, commonly referred to as "SB 54" and also known as the "California Values Act" is a 2017 California state law that prevents state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources on behalf of federal immigration enforcement agencies AG Says Sheriff Must Find Solution to Jail Deaths – Or Face Consequences If death rates in San Diego jails don’t come down, Attorney General Rob Bonta said he could pursue multiple legal remedies. by Will Huntsberry October 10, 2023 Border Report: Understanding San Diego’s Stricter ‘Sanctuary’ Policy  by Kate Morrissey January 6, 2025 Proposition 36 Has Already Led to Hundreds of Arrests in San Diego by Jakob McWhinney February 5, 2025   Become a Member  

Is it the end of San Diego’s decidedly pro-housing majority? There was an earthquake at City Hall this week about ADUs  At the same time, Poway City Council has reached a telenovela level of drama, we’ll break it down.   SHOW NOTES   00:00:00 Opening  00:04:15 Controversial Encanto ADU Policy From KPBS San Diego City Council repeals controversial footnote targeting Southeastern neighborhoods   Encanto neighbors say their infrastructure can’t support the ‘granny towers’ coming to backyards   Gloria 'exploring options' after surprise City Council vote seeking repeal of landmark housing program   San Diego City Council Meeting Cue to: 3:51:00 - 3:55:00   00:29:22 Poway Telenovela Poway City Attorney Accuses Councilmember of Harassment, Intimidation Poway City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher accused Councilmember Tony Blain during a contentious City Council meeting of harassment, intimidation, bullying and retaliation.    https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/01/22/poway-city-attorney-accuses-councilmember-of-harassment-intimidation/   Poway council member threatened recall effort against colleague based on how he voted Councilmember Tony Blain was accused of trying to bribe and extort his colleague Peter De Hoff in emails.   Poway City Council Meeting where drama unfolded Become a Member

Our annual Parents Guide to San Diego Schools is almost done. We have added a new metric this year and it reveals how well schools recovered, or didn’t, from COVID.  Jakob here took it and turned it into a story. It’s a bit of a downer.  Another local government is promising to protect people from Trump’s immigration action. We’ll review the supposed protections.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria gave his state of the city speech. If last year was the everything is awesome speech, this year was the everything is definitely not awesome speech. This was the tough conversations speech. The we can do hard things speech.  The dynamic PowerPoint that went with included such rousing lists like refocus, reimagine, revisit and re-evaluate…   SHOW NOTES 00:00:00 Opening  January 28th Event: Meet the Beat: South County January 28 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Free Have you met our newest journalist Jim Hinch yet? Have refreshments and get to know the face behind Voice’s South County Report. This event is open to the public.   00:06:14 State of the City Part I 2025 State of the City Livestream Mayor: Steep Budget Cuts Are Coming San Diego by Will Huntsberry and Lisa Halverstadt   00:16:43 State of the City Part II 2024 State of the City Livestream   00:32:45 State of the City Part III Morning Report: Deep Cuts Coming to City   00:37:48 County Update San Diego Is Less Blue   Public Matters Public Matters is led by KPBS, inewsource and Voice of San Diego. These three independent, nonprofit news organizations are partnering to share content, conversation, and events that ensure all San Diegans understand their opportunity to participate in the democratic process and that it means more than voting in an election. The initiative provides news stories on politics and governance including the areas of housing affordability, public safety, neighborhood improvements and social justice; facilitated, in-person discussions around important issues that often divide us; and resources to help you make a difference in your community. At its core, it is about reminding us that we have a shared humanity, and together we are empowered to make positive change. Become a Member  

We are going to go through some updates to stories but we’ve got a special co-host today, San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo. We’ve got some questions for him and he said he’s come up with a contribution to our hot takes segment at the end.    SHOW NOTES Segment 1  00:02:15 Updates  00:06:28 Fletcher Nathan Fletcher’s Accuser Drops Sexual Assault Claim — for Now 00:08:13 Vargas South County Report: Supervisor Race Takes Shape   Segment 2  00:11:17 She Said What?  County Supervisor Candidates Have No Love for New Immigration Policy New San Diego Council President Wants to End SeaWorld Fireworks 00:23:55 Padres Matthew Seidler denies allegations of wrongdoing from wife of late Padres owner Peter Seidler (Associated Press)   Matt Seidler responds to Sheel Seidler’s lawsuit, says Padres not going anywhere (Union Tribune)   Segment 3  00:30:27 Raul Campillo Interview 00:55:21 Do you want to run for mayor?   Segment 4 01:00:57 Hot Takes Andrea: The County’s Sanctuary City Statement Raul: The Future of Balboa Park Scott: SDGE’s Fire Safety Policy Jakob: No hot take (!?) January 28th Event: Meet the Beat: South County January 28 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Free Have you met our newest journalist Jim Hinch yet? Have refreshments and get to know the face behind Voice’s South County Report. This event is open to the public.   Become a Member  

This is our first show of 2025 and it is already starting with some huge news: We finally will discuss the incredible news that County Supervisor Nora Vargas will not be taking the oath of office for her re-election.    The balance of power in the county is once again up for grabs, right as the county braces for thousands more people being forced into treatment.    What’s going to happen? Who’s going to run?   We’ll get into everything plus an update about stunning news from the San Diego Housing Commission: It has decided it no longer has the resources to dole out vouchers to specific low-income housing projects. IT’s a move that could have major implications for the Sports Arena project and other efforts to provide housing.         SHOW NOTES   Segment 1  0:05:21 - 0:11:28   The Libby App  (app that Scott uses to read books) The Power Broker (book) Segment 2 0:11:33 - 0:19:26   Politics Report: Another County Supe Down by Scott Lewis, December 21, 2024   Locate Your District (San Diego County site) Segment 3 0:19:39 - 0:40:56   Morning Report: Another Scandal Ends in a Resignation by Voice of San Diego, April 5, 2023 Segment 4 0:41:01 - 1:05:12   In 2025, San Diego Can’t Look Away from the Screaming by Scott Lewis, January 1, 2025 City’s Housing Agency Won’t Issue Vouchers for New Housing Projects The San Diego Housing Commission has decided it no longer has the resources to dole out vouchers to specific low-income housing projects, a move expected to slow the pace of new homeless housing.  by Lisa Halverstadt, January 2, 2025  

This is the last episode of 2024 and we have a super mega roundtable for you.  I am in studio with the core four – Lopez, Jakob, Bella – and we have one open seat so we’re going to bring in one reporter at a time. We’ll ask them each what’s going to happen. What’s one thing they want to know "What’s going to happen?"  I think that’s the core compelling ingredient of media of all kinds. If a piece of content makes you wonder “What’s going to happen?” you’re hooked. So prepare to be hooked.   Show Outline and Notes You can show your support for our podcast today by going to vosd.org/podpeople. 00:00:00 Intro 00:06:56 Segment 1 What’s Going to Happen to TikTok?  Bella Ross - Social Media Producer Pew Research on TikTok Book: Infinite Just What’s Going to Happen to Forces of Gentrification on the South Bay? Jim Hinch - South County Reporter Gentrification Is Coming for South San Diego County South County leaders have made it a goal to catch up to wealthier North County cities. But the race to the top risks leaving some residents behind. Port of San Diego: Chula Vista Bayfront Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center 00:29:12 Segment 2 What’s Going to Happen to Nathan Fletcher and His Accuser?  Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, Managing Editor, Daily News Who Is Nathan Fletcher? San Diego Explained Fletcher Resigns as MTS Chair as Former Agency Employee Accuses Him of Sexual Harassment and Assault in Lawsuit Morning Report: MTS to Release Fletcher Investigation What’s Going to Happen to Del Mar Housing?  Tigist Layne - North County Reporter Morning Report: The Builder’s Remedy Prevailed in an LA Court. Will the Same Happen in Del Mar? 00:36:46 Segment 3 What’s Going to Happen to AI in San Diego Schools?  Jakob McWhinney - Education Reporter The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified’s AI Future Is Now San Diego Unified paid $83,000 to integrate its high school English curriculum into an online platform and got access to an AI tool as well. Now, some teachers are using it to grade student work. The Progress Report: AI Is in Use at San Diego Unified – But the District Doesn’t Have its Own Plan The rise of AI-supported education technology caught San Diego Unified without a policy. Now, as teachers and students within the district have begun to use AI products in the classroom, district leaders are creating one. What’s Going to Happen to Federal Funding and the Impact on Environmental Projects? MacKenzie Elmer - Environment Reporter Officials Fear Nightmare Flooding from New Tijuana River Border Wall A lifting gate structure could impede the Tijuana River’s flow if it fails to rise during heavy rains like San Diego just experienced. Time to Evacuate the Tijuana River Valley? County officials said the pollution problem is far from triggering a mandatory mass exodus from South Bay, but it’s not totally outside the realm of possibilities. 00:50:43 Segment 4 What’s Going to Happen to the City of San Diego in an “Era of Austerity”?  Scott Lewis - Editor in Chief County Supe Slams San Diego Mayor’s Budget City Council budget hearings will begin next week. The City Council has until June 30 to approve the budget. Cup of Chisme: Cuts Hit Different What’s Going to Happen to the Mega Shelter?  Lisa Halverstadt - Homelessness What We Know About the Mayor’s Mega Shelter Pitch Mayor Todd Gloria unveiled a plan to convert a large warehouse near downtown into a 1,000-bed homeless shelter. Four Big Disputes Dogging the City’s Quest to Open Its Biggest Shelter Yet The City Council is set to vote Monday on a proposed 1,000-bed shelter and there are lots of questions and disagreements over the city’s plans. Morning Report: Mega-Shelter Monday July 22, 2024 The 30-year lease agreement for the Middletown warehouse the city wants to turn into the city’s largest long-term homeless campus – and the concept itself – have spawned major questions: What’s the value of the building? Can the city count on the site and its potential landlord? Should the city open a big shelter and pull from housing funds to pay for it? Is it sustainable?    

This week we have a special episode for you. This coming year is going to be a difficult one for leaders of San Diego Unified School District. They are facing a massive budget deficit, ongoing stagnation in enrollment. They’re grappling with the aftermath of scandals involving sexual misconduct allegations that got the attention of the federal government and brought down the district’s superintendent. Cody Petterson was just named the new school board president. He’ll guide the five member Board of Education for the District.  He’s taking over that role from his colleague, trustee Shana Hazan.  Both of them came into the studio to talk about all these issues and more. It was a frank and interesting exchange on some very touchy topics in education.   Show Notes You can show your support for our podcast today by going to vosd.org/podpeople   Links San Diego Unified School District Board of Education  About Shana Hazan Board President - District B Term Expires: December 2026 Cody Petterson Board Vice President - District C Term Expires: December 2026   Selected Recent VOSD Stories: San Diego Unified School District    Oct 14, 2024 San Diego Student Test Scores Haven’t Made Up Pandemic Losses The slow recovery from pandemic performance drop offs coupled with growing budget woes may spell trouble for districts like San Diego Unified.   Sep 12, 2024 Billions of Dollars Later, Some San Diego Unified Students Still Dealing with Hot Classrooms Taxpayers have voted to give San Diego Unified School District $11.5 billion over the last 16 years with the express purpose of bringing working air...   Sep 5, 2024 New San Diego Schools Superintendent Didn’t Mention Misconduct or Victims in Speech to Principals Over multiple district communications since Lamont Jackson's firing, there's been a group of people conspicuously missing.   Sep 3, 2024 Lamont Jackson Is Out as San Diego Unified Supe. What’s Next? Fabiola Bagula, who was elevated to acting superintendent from her deputy superintendent role after Jackson's firing, seems poised to keep that role.   Aug 29, 2024 Investigation Into San Diego Unified Superintendent Substantiates Allegations of Misconduct Involving Staff The allegations against Superintendent Lamont Jackson were levied by former San Diego Unified School District staff.   Aug 19, 2024 Feds Slam San Diego Unified’s Handling of Sexual Misconduct A new report from the U.S. Department of Education skewers how San Diego Unified for years handled sexual misconduct complaints.   Aug 12, 2024 School Is Back in Session: 4 Education Stories to Follow Believe it or not, most schools in San Diego County are back in session. If the new school year snuck up on you, that's likely because start dates have been…   Jun 12, 2024 The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified’s AI Future Is Now San Diego Unified paid $83,000 to integrate its high school English curriculum into an online platform and got access to an AI tool as well.   Jun 11, 2024 San Diego Unified High Schoolers: Getting Great Grades But Troubling Test Scores An analysis of thousands of letter grades from San Diego Unified high schoolers shows that far more students pass classes in subjects like English, math and...   May 20, 2024 San Diego Unified Investigating Superintendent Lamont Jackson Though a district official has confirmed an investigation is occurring, no one will say what prompted it.   May 17, 2024 San Diego Unified Is Slowly Embracing Science of Reading The district has long relied on an approach to teaching kids to read that's not back by science. Now, officials are working to change that – but it hasn't...   May 16, 2024 San Diego Unified Walks Back Majority of Teacher Layoffs District officials announced Thursday that they had rescinded 96 percent of the layoff notices issued in March.   Feb 26, 2024 ‘I Can’t Wait Until You’re 18’: Despite Years of Sexual Harassment Allegations, San Diego Unified Allowed Teacher to Quietly Retire For years, students and faculty at Roosevelt Middle filed complaints against a middle school math teacher. Students alleged he'd grabbed their butts,...   Feb 21, 2024 San Diego Unified Board Member: Teacher Layoffs Are Coming In June, San Diego Unified officials announced the district was projecting big deficits in the coming years. The expiration of hundreds of millions of...  

December 13, 2024 The election just ended. The election just started. We often accuse politicians of being short sighted but one thing they definitely plan far in advance is their next political move. We may have heard the first shots in the 2028 mayoral race.  The city has a new president of the City Council and the region has a new Republican leader, same as the old one.  And the county passed a rule about what the sheriff can and cannot do with immigration enforcement officers and the sheriff said thank you but I run my own show.  We get into the meat and potatoes of it all. Show Notes San Diego's Pension Scandal: Wikipedia San Diego pension scandal VOSD Mayor Announces New Pension Board Nominees; Whistleblower’s Name Absent by Andrew Donohue February 28, 2005   La Jolla Secession: VOSD Morning Report: In Point Loma, Talk of Secession by Randy Dotinga January 6, 2011 VOSD Mayor Gloria Chimes in on La Jolla Secession ‘As a Mayor, I wouldn’t recommend it,’ he said on the VOSD Podcast last week. by Jakob McWhinney December 10, 2024   101 Ash Street (the former Sempra building) Wikipedia 101 Ash Street VOSD How the City Came to Lease a Lemon It’s likely the city never would have purchased 101 Ash St. if a developer hadn’t come along to act as middleman. But that structure also laid the groundwork for a situation that is stunningly messy even in the canon of San Diego real estate history. by Lisa Halverstadt and Jesse Marx August 10, 2020 San Diego City Council Meeting Item 330:  Proposed Settlement Agreement Involving Acquisition of the 101 Ash Street and Civic Center Plaza Properties   Carl DeMaio  Carl DeMaio Won an Assembly Seat but the Road to Victory Was Vicious  The Republican Party of San Diego County has been absorbed in a family feud centered around their newest elected official, incoming Assembly member Carl DeMaio.  by Deborah Sullivan Brennan December 6, 2024   Sanctuary City San Diego Border Report: Schools, Churches Mull Sanctuary Policies by Brooke Binkowski December 5, 2016 Neither San Diego – Nor California – Is a Sanctuary for the Undocumented by Scott Lewis February 21, 2017 Border Report: What a Sanctuary City Is, and Isn’t by Kate Morrissey December 9, 2024 Jim Desmond's Instagram Account What does it mean to become a “Super” Sanctuary County? To fully grasp the implications, you need to understand California’s current sanctuary state law and its impact. San Diego County Board of Supervisors Meeting Agenda Item 29 SUBJECT: ADOPTING A BOARD POLICY ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY SAFETY (DISTRICTS: ALL) December 10, 2024 Agenda Item 29 PDF Meeting Video on YouTube Statement on Board of Supervisors Vote on Immigration Enforcement Sheriff's Office to continue following state law. Post Date:12/10/2024 5:15 PM

We’ve got the full crew in today to host a conversation with Mayor Todd Gloria, fresh off re-election, the mayor has no honeymoon. A huge budget deficit is coming up and his plan to deal with it – a tax increase – failed.  For more on the issues: Can San Diego Finally Pass a Sales Tax Increase? Politics Report: The Civic Center Dream 101 Ash St. Newly Homeless Residents Still Outpacing Newly Housed Homelessness Crisis Response System 2023 Data and Performance Report Morning Report: The Battle Against Homeless Shelters Wendy's - 'Where's the Beef ' Ad (Original - 1984) La Jollans Are Trying to Divorce San Diego (Again) November 1, 2024 Podcast: 2024 Election Draft Pick(start at 16:40 for Andrea’s description of the Mayor’s pup) Support VOSD: Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

This week is thanksgiving so what better time for us to bring back beef week? It’s more like Beef 10 Days. It may seem incongruent but we should all be thankful we can beef in local politics without violence or whatever.  And we have a special guest this week, Council President Sean Elo-Rivera is here. We’ll talk about the election and some tough decisions coming up for him and his colleagues. LINKS For more on the issues: Beef Week No Longer ‘Norita.’ Some of Nora Vargas’ Constituents Sour on her Leadership It’s Impossible to Pee Legally in San Diego Sean Elo-Rivera Official City Webpage Sean Elo-Rivera Instagram Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

The Registrar of Voters made us wait six days for an update on the vote count from November 5 – 16 days ago. The main local race we’re still watching is the Oceanside mayoral race. Just 31 votes separated the incumbent and her challenger.  Senior investigative reporter Will Huntsberry will join us later on the show to explain why the city of San Diego has purchased at least $1 million worth of gear from a man involved in one of the largest law enforcement scandals in San Diego’s history.  And new data about local schools just dropped. There’s some encouraging news but it’s still kind of bleak.  For more on the issues: Bill Walton FBI files Pop culture in the FBI filing cabinet: Sanctuary City rhetoric KTLA’s Story on LA’s Sanctuary City declaration A Man Convicted in a Major Law Enforcement Scandal Is Doing Big Business with the City Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

We are still processing the election, as I am sure all of you are. But at least some questions have been answered. We’ll go through those updates.  And, where does the city of San Diego go from here? The mayor and Council President got re-elected but a sales tax failed and a deficit looms. A lot of people are worried about big cities and we get it. For more on the issues: Deadly Failure: A Sailor’s Struggle in a Fractured Mental Health System, NBC San Diego VOD VOSD Story Election 2024 San Diego County Unofficial Election Results The Learning Curve: Bazzo Has Likely Won – Just Barely Politics Report: Baked Months Ago Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

Well, that was an election. We will go back through the races we drafted last week. As always, there are a couple nail-biters as we begin the tradition of waiting for updates every afternoon.  But we can say that San Diego incumbents did well. Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Councilmembers hoping for another term did fine. So did Terra Lawson Remer, the county supervisor who faced down millions in spending against her.  Turns out all she had to do was all we suspected she had to do: Connect her opponent Kevin Faulconer to Trump. But like everywhere else in the country, Trump did better here than before. For more on the issues: Union Tribune College/Talmadge/Montezuma Rd Fire Photo  Scott’s Twitter/X palm tree post Jakob’s Twitter/X young voters post Voices of the Voters Election Results: We’re Waiting on These Races North County Report: Election Results Are Rolling In

Coming up on the show this week… It’s time. This is our last show before the apocalypse. We’ve got a special roundtable to go through our ranking of the best elections to watch Tuesday. Local elections that is. The Voice of San Diego elections draft and the elections contest are back. We’ll do it. For more on the issues: San Diego 2024 Election: What’s at Stake Politifest 2024: News and Media Voice of San Diego relies on reader and listener support: Voice Member Benefits Join today and receive insider access.

It’s the last lap of this election season and we have updates on several major races in San Diego.  Is Mayor Todd Gloria overstating his creation of homeless shelter beds? Yes. Did Terra Lawson Remer use campaign funds for her kid’s preschool? Yes. She has a good defense but it’s interesting.  And in South Bay, the chair of the County board of Supervisors has created several enemies.  Finally, remember that fake charity that had fake volunteers selling concessions at Petco Park? Well two of its workers are now running a new charity. The thing is, we cannot figure out what the charity does.

Coming up on the show this week…  We’ve got more mailers here to dissect. We’ll cut through what campaigns want voters to know and what we don’t even understand like: Why are California realtors bullying a candidate for her poker playing skills? There’s a newspaper endorsement that’s not really a newspaper endorsement … It is silly season in San Diego.  To wrap it up, We’ll talk about a key school board race and the latest in the biggest race of them all – the District 3 County Supervisor contest. 

Coming up on the show this week…  The race between Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and former mayor Kevin Faulconer is easily the hottest race this year. Millions are being spent on behalf of the candidate. The mailers are getting wild. We’ll get into it.  Speaking of mailers, we’ve got some good ones.  Plus, the latest in the city attorneys race and can a new million dollar infusion help a cop beat the incumbent mayor in the mayor’s race?

We got through Politifest. We’re going to discuss some of the many things people said and didn’t say. It was a big day for us.  Also, why does Brian Maienschein, who is running for city attorney, have a campaign finance account for an attorney general race in 2030. We posted an explainer we can give you the cliff’s notes on.

A million dollars has already gone into the big county supervisors race from outside groups – most of it in support of mayor Kevin Faulconer, and if you’re in the district, you can tell from your mailbox. Usually mail waits until ballots are out.  That’ll be our introduction into Politifest Week. We’ve been trying to run the show like normal while preparing for our big annual gathering. We’re going to go through some of the sessions we’re most excited to see.

Why the San Diego Republican party has had it with Carl DeMaio. Nobody has been more influential than him in the party but resources are now  going to flow to DeMaio’s opponent in a closely watched Assembly race. We’ll get into the beef.  Also, we’ve got more details on the allegations of sexual harassment against former San Diego Unified Superintendent Lamont Jackson. New documents reveal the allegations against him from two former high-ranking district officials.  And if you haven’t heard, we welcomed a new reporter this month. Jim Hinch is covering South County San Diego. He’ll join us later on the show to discuss his latest stories.  All of that and more in this week's episode.

The city of San Diego stands to lose hundreds of shelter beds. Mayor Todd Gloria is proposing one solution: move some people from the Golden Hall shelter to the city’s safe camping sites.  Feels like the city and county are going backwards on shelter. We’ll dig into it.  University researchers raised an alarm about a toxic gas in the Tijuana River Valley, but the county says there’s no reason to panic right now.  And moments after we published a story about battery storage fire fears, a site in Escondido went up in flames. All of that and more in this week's episode.

San Diego Unified School District, the second largest district in the state, fired its superintendent. It appears trustees have already settled on his successor. We’ll talk about what she apparently doesn’t want to talk about.  It’s been 10 years since California banned plastic bags at grocery and liquor stores. Now a San Diego lawmaker is trying to get the state to ban plastic bags at grocery stores. Why one of the statistics is shocking.  And we’re back with one of our favorite recurring segments: Climate change promises that are fun to make but really hard to pull off. This week? Battery facilities. Recent fires have caused a panic and may lead to bans. But where else are they going to store power for when the sun doesn’t shine.

A few months ago Jakob here broke news that San Diego Unified School District had commissioned an investigation into its superintendent for alleged misconduct. Now, they’ve apparently finished that investigation. We’ll tell you what we know.  For months, Nathan Fletcher’s advocates have said he was wrongly accused of assault and that soon enough, they’ll have the receipts to prove it. A new court filing last week revealed text messages his accuser sent that do not help her case at all. We’ll review.  Finally, the county quietly lifted a major barrier to building housing in unincorporated areas of San Diego because of a case involving a recycling plant. We’ll explain how that happened.

Mayor Todd Gloria didn't speak at this year's Democratic National Convention, but it's no secret that he's tight with Vice President Kamala Harris. The crew talks about their friendship and whether Gloria could be headed to Washington if Harris wins in November. Jakob also takes a look back at Harris' record as attorney general of California, and senior investigative reporter Will Huntsberry discusses his latest reporting on foster care charity New Alternatives.

The Padres made franchise history with their latest winning streak and Scott can't wait to tell the crew about it. Also on the show this week: San Diego Unified gets slapped with significant Title IX violations, Cajon Valley School District tests a new state law and local foster care charity New Alternatives is the subject of a Voice investigation into its finances.

One of the mayor's employees, a city police officer, is running to try to oust him. Larry Turner, a retired Marine, wants to make big changes to the police department. He wants to reduce pensions for future city employees, including police, and perhaps use bankruptcy to get there. He opposes a new sales tax for the city, which is on the November ballot. He thinks we could reapportion the hundreds of city special project funds to close the deficit. Voice Editor-in-Chief Scott Lewis talked with Turner about how he would change city government if he were to win.

Scott and the team catch up on what he missed, including a big development in the local stormwater tax which won't make it onto the November ballot. They also discuss the latest development in the city's organic waste recycling program and share some honest admissions about their own green bin behavior.

The city of San Diego is building a massive wastewater-to-drinking water recycling plant. It's going to cost billions and will require tearing up roads in the process. But after years of dumping sewage into the ocean, it may be time for a change. Plus, Lisa Halverstadt is back on the show this week with updates on county detox beds, the Hope @ Vine mega shelter and her take on Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent executive order.

Voice of San Diego's environment reporter MacKenzie Elmer joins the show to talk about a spate of recent bird deaths in the city. Advocates say fireworks are to blame. She also has the latest on the flood prevention measure that just got pulled from the November ballot. Senior investigative reporter Will Huntsberry is back again this week, this time with north county reporter Tigist Layne. They've got a two-part series out now about a youth gymnastics scandal in Santee. You can read their stories here and here.

Voice of San Diego's Will Huntsberry joins the show this week to discuss his new profile on Rep. Sara Jacobs. She's defied expectations with her voting record and is poised to become very powerful in Washington. Reporter Lisa Halverstadt also comes on to give an update about the Hope @ Vine mega shelter, which is facing a crucial City Council vote on Monday.

The calls for President Biden to leave the presidential race have reached a fever pitch, and this week Rep. Scott Peters weighed in. If Biden does drop out, Bella has a prescient prediction for when he might do it. Plus, Scott points out all that we still don't know about the proposed mega shelter and Jakob makes a pitch for revamping the city of San Diego flag.

A brief history of drinking on the beach, an update on impending water rate hikes and what the Grants Pass ruling means for San Diego.