Voice of San Diego Podcast

You may be shocked to learn that of San Diego County cities Encinitas is closest to meeting its housing goals. That’s right. The bad boy of North County with a history of failing to follow housing laws is actually building homes. Housing, or lack of, is among the top issues in our region and senior investigative reporter Will Huntsberry has spent months analyzing housing data. He’s here to dish on his findings. Also, we’ve gone over how there are far fewer kids in San Diego schools than there were a decade ago. We’ll explain what school leaders are doing to address enrollment decline. SHOW NOTES SEGMENT 1 VOSD Events Meet our South County reporter, Jim Hinch, on August 13 at the Civic Center Branch Library in Chula Vista for a discussion about his latest investigations and how they impact residents in South County. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. RSVP at vosd.org/event to reserve your spot. The City of Chula Vista Public Library does not advocate nor endorse the views or positions expressed by the users of its facilities. Buy Your Tickets for Politifest 2025 Politifest is back on Oct. 4, and this won’t be our usual public affairs summit. This year, we’re bringing together community leaders to go head-to-head in our first ever Solutions Showdown. Hear their ideas and cast your vote on which proposals you think could solve the biggest issues facing San Diego. Save on tickets with early bird pricing at vosd.org/politifest SEGMENT 2 The Tsunami Warnings KPBS 8.8 magnitude quake strikes off Russia's Far East. Tsunami waves reach Japan, Hawaii and California BBC Waves reach US west coast after Russian earthquake as Japan lifts tsunami warnings SEGMENT 3 In Whose Backyard? In Whose Backyard? Is our new series that tackles housing in San Diego County. And it is a stat lover’s cornucopia of information. The Places in San Diego Meeting Their Housing Goals Will Blow Your Mind by Will Huntsberry 17 hours ago Encinitas, shockingly, is closer to meeting its state-mandated housing number than any other city in San Diego County. San Diego Is Building a Lot of New Homes, But Not Always in Places That Need Them Most by Jake Gotta / KPBS July 30, 2025 San Diego Housing Data Reveal Fastest Growth in Urban Core by Andrew Bowen / KPBS July 29, 2025 In Whose Backyard? Where Homes Are Being Built in San Diego by Will Huntsberry July 28, 2025 Coronado and Imperial Beach Haven’t Produced a Single Affordable Home in Years by Will Huntsberry July 16, 2025 El Cajon Lags Behind Rest of Cities in Home Building Per Capita by Will Huntsberry July 7, 2025 SEGMENT 4 Education The Progress Report: How Some Schools Are Trying to Counter Enrollment Decline Despite having little control over the unwieldy factors driving enrollment decline, school leaders are taking steps to push back on the frightening trend. 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s officially a new county supervisor and so there’s a new chair of the board of supervisors and they’re wasting no time making big changes. El Cajon police have stopped responding to calls when a person says they’re going to hurt themselves. They blame lawyers but it’s complicating the response of civilian teams as well, we’ll explain. And we talked about school enrollment plunging across the county but there are a couple schools in particular seeing major surges in enrollment. How two charter schools are racking up their numbers. Plus an update on the water drama. Always fun. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 County Supervisors swear in a new Sup and waste no time getting started. Aguirre Cements Democrats’ Control of County Government Newly elected South County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre took office Tuesday promising to clean up the Tijuana River and prioritize the needs of working San Diegans. She and fellow Democrats on the Board of Supervisors moved swiftly to implement their agenda. by Jim Hinch July 22, 2025 Segment 2 Why would El Cajon police ignore calls for help? A Crisis Team Responding to a Suicide Attempt Asked for Help, El Cajon Police Refused A June incident where El Cajon police repeatedly declined to help a civilian crisis response team emphasizes the challenges tied to the department’s decision to stop responding to some crisis calls. by Lisa Halverstadt 10 hours ago Fearing Lawsuits, El Cajon Police Stopped Responding to Some Mental Health Calls The decision means county mental health teams sometimes also can’t respond to crisis calls involving a threat to a single person or lack police support when they do. by Lisa Halverstadt and Tessa Balc July 23, 2025 Segment 2 There's another reason why enrollments are declining county wide San Diego County’s Schools Have 27,000 Fewer Students Than a Decade Ago. It Will Get Worse. Over the past decade, enrollment at San Diego County public schools has declined by about five percent. That means there are 27,000 fewer students in local schools. State officials are projecting rates of decline will only get worse, which will force educators to make some hard decisions. by Jakob McWhinney July 15, 2025 Segment 3 More Water Chisme (Kinda like the budget, the story has legs) Politics Report: Water Authority Moves On by Scott Lewis July 19, 2025 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mayor is just flat ignoring the budget the city council passed and will not fire the top managers the Council cut. And you thought budget drama was over. Local water managers are demanding an apology from one of their colleagues. Apologies after demands for apologies are always the best apologies. We’ll explain why this matters. And Jakob published an extraordinary analysis and maps this week of how many fewer kids there are in San Diego schools. Why that is. SHOW NOTES SEGMENT 1 Meet the Beat: Voice in North County Join our North County reporter, Tigist Layne on July 24 at the Escondido History Museum at 6 p.m. to talk about the stories she’s watching that impact residents in North County. Seats are limited. RSVP at vosd.org/events. Politifest Buy Your Tickets for Politifest 2025 Politifest is back on Oct. 4, and this won’t be our usual public affairs summit. This year, we’re bringing together community leaders to go head-to-head in our first ever Solutions Showdown. Hear their ideas and cast your vote on which proposals you think could solve the biggest issues facing San Diego. Save on tickets with early bird pricing at vosd.org/politifest SEGMENT 2 San Diego City Budget Mayor: Nah, I Won’t Be Laying Staff Off by Mariana Martínez Barba July 15, 2025 SEGMENT 3 Where’d the Kids Go San Diego County’s Schools Have 27,000 Fewer Students Than a Decade Ago. It Will Get Worse. Over the past decade, enrollment at San Diego County public schools has decline by about five percent. That means there are 27,000 fewer students in local schools. State officials are projecting rates of decline will only get worse, which will force educators to make some hard decisions. by Jakob McWhinney July 15, 2025 SEGMENT 4 Water Wars Water Managers Want Apology by Scott Lewis July 9, 2025 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re drowning in education news this week. The Trump administration’s grant freeze has put millions of school funds in jeopardy. The decision has some school leaders scrambling. Our Jakob McWhinney got nerdy and figured out just how much money San Diego County stands to lose. Also, a San Diego Unified Board Trustee is calling it quits after one term. We’ll explain why. And, meet our new City Hall reporter, Mariana Martinez Barba! SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:44 SEGMENT 1 00:01:33 - Support VOSD SEGMENT 2 00:02:15 - Banter SEGMENT 3 00:08:27 - Spring Valley Swap Meet Addressing false ICE sighting https://www.instagram.com/p/DL7-rW-vAjn SEGMENT 4 00:13:45 - Meet our new City Hall beat reporter Mariana Martinez Barba https://www.reportforamerica.org/ BREAK 00:19:14 SEGMENT 4 00:19:24 - Drowning in Education News Trump Froze $50 Million in Education Funds. Here’s How Hard Each Local District Was Hit The Trump administration’s freezing of a slew of federal grants has left $50 million for San Diego County schools up in the air. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/07/10/trump-froze-50-million-in-education-funds-heres-how-hard-each-local-district-was-hit/ The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified’s Board President Won’t Run for Reelection Cody Petterson, who won a seat on the board in 2022, won’t seek reelection. But he may run for a different office. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/07/09/the-learning-curve-san-diego-unifieds-board-president-wont-run-for-reelection/ Trump Grant Freeze Puts Tens of Millions of Local K-12 Funding in Jeopardy In the latest disruption of education norms, the Trump administration froze more than $6 billion in federal grants. Even if the freeze doesn’t become permanent, it could have serious ramifications for local schools. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/07/08/trump-grant-freeze-puts-tens-of-millions-of-local-k-12-funding-in-jeopardy/ TRT 00:45:49 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The county is back in the hands of Democrats. Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre is set to fill the vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. The county has so much going on – there are big questions around the sewage crisis, homelessness, housing, budget, immigration. The list goes on and on – and South County reporter Jim Hinch joins us today to dish on what Aguirre’s victory means for the direction of the county. San Diego Unified is doubling down on its restorative justice efforts. But the district is also losing funding for some key positions. We’ll explain. SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 SEGMENT 1 00:00:51 - Support VOSD SEGMENT 2 00:01:55 - Banter SEGMENT 3 00:07:17 - Aguirre Wins D1 Race (whew!) Aguirre’s Win Puts Democrats in Charge at Pivotal Time Tuesday’s election of Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre to fill a vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors puts Democrats back in control of San Diego’s most powerful governmental agency – just as the county confronts a range of pressing challenges. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/07/02/aguirres-win-puts-democrats-in-charge-at-pivotal-time/ SEGMENT 4 00:27:47 - Restorative Justice in SDUSD. What is it and what does this mean? The Progress Report: San Diego Unified Leaders Expand Restorative Discipline Policy As Funding Dips San Diego Unified’s board recently passed a new restorative justice policy they hope will help improve implementation. But they also lost funding for some of the key positions that support that work. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/06/26/the-progress-report-san-diego-unified-leaders-expand-restorative-discipline-policy-even-as-they-cut-funding/ TRT 00:58:31 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The city has a new budget. There was a veto. A veto override and then an Instagram slam. We have a special guest, Councilmember Vivian Moreno is here. She’ll give us the insider take. And the push to raise the minimum wage for hospitality workers is going forward. And, the mayor has a new job! SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 SEGMENT 1 00:00:39 - Support VOSD SEGMENT 2 00:06:39 - Vivian Moreno SEGMENT 3 00:11:06 - Mayor’s IG Story “Today, some on the City Council attempted to fully override my veto—and failed. While the Council chose to override some items, the restored hours at libraries, rec centers, and lakes that San Diegans rely on will remain in place.” Mayor Todd Gloria SEGMENT 4 00:28:51 Audio Clips: 00:23:28 - Marni Van Wipple on the Council override of the Mayor’s veto. Start at 1:44:42 "I want to thank the Mayor for all the work ... whole city at once" SEGMENT 5 00:28:51 Minimum Wage Hike 00:30:53 - Diana Puetz, Padres ITEM-1: Hospitality Minimum Wage Ordinance for Certain Workers at Hotels, Event Centers, Amusement Parks, and Zoos Within the Geographic Boundaries of the City of San Diego Start at 57:05 - 57:29 "The ordinance doesn't apply broadly or equitably ...... Why doesn't that apply to your own workforce." 00:34:45 Brigette Browning, Labor Council ITEM-1: Hospitality Minimum Wage Ordinance for Certain Workers at Hotels, Event Centers, Amusement Parks, and Zoos Within the Geographic Boundaries of the City of San Diego Start at 1:50:37 - 1:51:05 “I want to applaud you all ...... for the workers who work in their hotels.” SEGMENT 6 00:46:01 Supes Race SEGMENT 7 00:55:59 Hot Take TRT 00:58:31 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mayor does not want a chief operating officer gosh darn it! The most dysfunctional budget cycle in the city of San Diego continues with a big list of vetos from Mayor Todd Gloria. And the biggest political battle in San Diego is finally nearing its end. Our reporter Jim Hinch went to a debate between Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann and he’ll tell us how the race is looking. SHOW NOTES INTRO 00:00:00 SEGMENT 1 00:01:14 - Support VOSD :) When we hired Tigist Layne to cover North County three years ago, we set out to provide northern cities with the coverage they deserve. But to keep doing that work, we need YOUR support. Escondido resident, Jack Raymond, has put forth a $50,000 match to fund our North County coverage for the rest of the year. We have just $18,000 left to raise to meet our match and to keep our journalism going. Support Tigist's reporting and Voice in North County by giving at vosd.org/givenorthcounty and have your gift matched today. SEGMENT 2 00:03:44 - SDUSD Superintendent Vote https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/06/18/san-diego-unified-has-a-new-permanent-superintendent/ San Diego Unified Has a New (Permanent) Superintendent by Jakob McWhinney SEGMENT 3 00:10:07 - Billboard Story Update and Corrections https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/06/14/politics-report-prepare-for-digital-billboards/ Politics Report: Prepare for Digital Billboards by Scott Lewis SEGMENT 4 00:23:28 - D1 Supe Race Update https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/06/18/supe-candidates-spar-over-taxes-homelessness-and-trump/ Supe Candidates Spar Over Taxes, Homelessness – And Trump Democrat Paloma Aguirre and Republican John McCann made their pitch to voters in a televised debate Tuesday. But the real star of the show, given how often his name came up, might have been President Donald Trump. By JIm Hinch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal immigration agents are trying to hit their quotas of people to arrest and deport and it’s causing some distressing scenes across California. On the eve of big protests, where are we headed? We’ll grapple with it. For the first time in more than 100 years, owners of single family homes in the city of San Diego will have to pay for trash pickup. It almost didn’t happen. We’ll go through the tense meeting. And with that, the city balanced its budget, sort of. The Council wants to take some big risks. Show Notes: The Learning Curve: ICE Arrest in Oceanside Highlights Impact of Immigration Crackdown Job Corps Trump’s Cuts Thrust San Diego Students into Chaos and Homelessness When President Donald Trump’s administration abruptly announced the shuttering of the more than 60-year-old Job Corps program at the end of May, many students who live at the San Diego site didn’t have a place to go. It’s only gotten more chaotic. San Diego City Council Avoids a Whole Lotta Budget Cuts, for Now The city’s budget for the year that begins in July is balanced – at least for now – with the help of assumptions the city will more swiftly pursue paid parking at Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo, move forward with digital billboard ads, charge fees on credit card transactions at parking meters and cut about a dozen additional positions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An immigration raid in the early dinner hours at a popular restaurant in South Park has led to a week of backlash among local leaders. We’ll talk about what we know. We’re in the final days of this epic budget process at the city of San Diego. Will the beloved fire pits survive??? And finally, the giant water agencies based in San Diego and Los Angeles have resolved their 15-year legal dispute. We’ll explain how interesting it is and a fascinating little fight they started right after it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 6, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 https://www.instagram.com/guhsd_parent/https://www.instagram.com/studentsforstaff.guhsd/https://www.instagram.com/sdbikelanes/https://www.instagram.com/sdmts.lovegang/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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 https://www.instagram.com/guhsd_parent/ https://www.instagram.com/studentsforstaff.guhsd/https://www.instagram.com/sdbikelanes/https://www.instagram.com/sdmts.lovegang/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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Opening Day at Petco: Padres face Braves, Profar returns 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.