San Diego News Fix

When might San Diego County reach the orange tier? Apr 01, 2021

San Diego is inching toward the orange tier, but when might that happen? We’ll talk to reporter Jonathan Wosen. Then, columnist Charles T. Clark shares his take on reparations.

San Diego home prices top $672,000 for the first time Mar 31, 2021

Home prices in San Diego are among the fastest rising in the nation and now they’ve reached a new high. Reporter Phil Molnar will explain. Then, cartoonist Steve Breen discusses his latest inspirations.

A preview of the 2021 San Diego Padres season ahead of Opening Day Mar 30, 2021

Opening Day for the San Diego Padres is April 1 and fans can't wait to return to Petco Park (with limited capacity due to pandemic restrictions). On this episode, Union-Tribune sports editor and Hot Lava podcast co-host Jay Posner gives a preview of the 2021 season.

San Diego law enforcement stop, search and arrest minorities at a higher rate Mar 27, 2021

A new series from the San Diego Union-Tribune analyzed almost half a million traffic stops made by San Diego police and sheriff’s deputies. Watchdog reporters Lyndsay Winkley and Lauryn Shroeder found that minorities are stopped, searched, arrested and subjected to use of force at higher rates than Whites.

The Brazilian variant of the coronavirus is now in San Diego Mar 26, 2021

The Brazilian variant of the coronavirus has made its way to San Diego. We’ll talk to reporter Jonathan Wosen. Then, reader engagement editor Andrew Kleske shares what stories are getting attention this week.

Unaccompanied migrant children will soon arrive at the San Diego Convention Center Mar 25, 2021

Migrant children will soon be sheltered at the San Diego Convention Center. Immigration reporter Kate Morrissey will share what she knows. Then, columnist Chris Reed talks about mistrust of the media and what the future of journalism could look like.

Need help finding a COVID-19 vaccine? Twitter bots can help. Mar 24, 2021

San Diego County has expanded the list of those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but once you’re qualified, it’s not always easy to find an appointment. Reporter Jonathan Wosen will share some tips.

Then, health reporter Paul Sisson has covered the pandemic for the U-T for over a year now. We’ll talk to him about what he’s learned about himself and his community.

A year without powwows has affected San Diego's indigenous communities Mar 23, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic began over a year ago, and for indigenous communities, that’s meant a year without powwows. We’ll talk to reporter Lauren J. Mapp about the effect that’s had. Then, this week’s guest on Name Drop San Diego is metal cellist Tina Guo. Opinion editor Abby Hamblin will tell us more.

For Asians in San Diego, Georgia shootings compound a year of pandemic hate Mar 20, 2021

Anti-Asian hate has been on the rise since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, including in San Diego County. We’ll talk to reporter Kristina Davis. Then, more than 3,400 lives have been lost to COVID-19 in the region. Editorial Cartoonist Steve Breen memorialized each victim in a thoughtful, full page artwork for Sunday.

San Diego guitarist Mark ‘Big Toe’ Goffeney and his ex-wife found dead Mar 19, 2021

San Diego musician Mark “Big Toe” Goffeney has died under mysterious circumstances. We’ll talk to music writer George Varga about the case. Then, deputy opinion editor Chris Reed will discuss the rise of anti-Asian hate in America.

Now that San Diego County schools can reopen, how soon will they? Mar 18, 2021

Now that San Diego is in the red tier, schools have the green light to reopen. We’ll talk to Kristen Taketa about that. Then, should the Andrew Jackson post office in Rolando be renamed? Charles T. Clark will share his thoughts.

Driver arrested after crash that kills 3 near City College Mar 17, 2021

A crash in a tunnel near San Diego City College left three dead and many others injured. We’ll talk to Teri Figueroa about this developing story. Then, letters editor Andrew Kleske shares reader thoughts.

Here's how San Diego scientists have been battling COVID-19 Mar 16, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way the medical field operates, and some of those changes are being developed right here in San Diego. Reporter Gary Robbins explains. Then, we'll meet this week's Name Drop San Diego guest, Ron Nehring, a Republican Party leader.

What Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package means for San Diego Mar 13, 2021

President Joe Biden has signed the American Rescue Plan, and San Diego and other nearby cities will get some of that money. Reporter David Garrick explains. Plus, there’s a special election underway in California’s 79th Assembly District to replace Shirley Weber. Editorial and Opinion Director Matthew T. Hall will share an endorsement.

Did San Diego police point a gun at an 8-year-old? Depends who you ask. Mar 12, 2021

David Hernandez explains a controversial traffic stop in Hillcrest where police officers may have pointed a gun at an 8-year-old boy. Then, deputy opinion editor Chris Reed will share his take on the incident and recent police reforms.

California's new red tier, explained Mar 11, 2021

California schools and businesses could open up more next week when California redefines the red tier. Reporter Paul Sisson explains. Plus, Lisa Deaderick, the UT’s social justice columnist, discusses what drives her coverage.

Crime fell in San Diego in 2020 in all categories but two Mar 10, 2021

Crime in San Diego declined by 8 percent in 2020. Property crimes were down across the board, and violent crimes were mostly down, with two important exceptions. Reporter Alex Riggins explains.

Off-shore windfarms could be built off California's coast Mar 09, 2021

Off-shore wind farms -- that is, windmills at sea -- are gaining popularity as a source of green energy. California has considered off-shore wind farms before, but the efforts haven’t gone anywhere. That might be changing. Michael Smolens has more.

Apes at the San Diego Zoo are getting COVID-19 vaccines Mar 06, 2021

Apes at the San Diego Zoo have been vaccinated against the COVID-19, and other primates will soon get the shot. Jonathan Wosen explains. Then, business editor Diana McCabe shares a moving story about her mother’s time in a Japanese internment camp in Arizona.

San Diego area police got COVID-19 vaccines before they were eligible Mar 05, 2021

Police became eligible to get vaccines in San Diego County the last weekend of February, but it turns out, most who wanted shots had already gotten them. David Hernandez reports. Plus, deputy opinion editor Chris Reed discusses vaccine equity, school reopening and more.

Six Dr. Seuss books cease publication due to racist content Mar 04, 2021

Dr. Seuss books are known around the world, and they hold a special place in San Diego history because the author is from La Jolla. Yesterday the Seuss Foundation announced it will discontinue six books because they contain racist content. John Wilkens explains. Plus, should college debt be canceled?

San Diego pays women, workers of color significantly less than white men Mar 03, 2021

A first-ever pay equity study at the City of San Diego revealed that women there make less than men and non-White city workers make less than White city workers. David Garrick explains. Plus, Kelly Marie Tran of Disney's "Raya and the Last Dragon" is our guest on Name Drop San Diego this week.

An earthquake fault line through San Diego is worse than we thought Mar 02, 2021

If you look at a map of San Diego, the Rose Canyon earthquake fault basically runs down Interstate 5 from La Jolla to downtown San Diego. Scientists are now saying the fault is larger and more active than we once thought. Gary Robbins explains.

Plus, opinion editor Laura Castañeda reflects on one year of life and death during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asylum seekers are no longer required to remain in Mexico Feb 27, 2021

More than two years after the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” program began, a small group of asylum seekers have been allowed into the United States to await their court cases. Kate Morrissey has details. Plus, Steve Breen discusses his latest #StopAsianHate gif.

San Diego Unified schools are set to reopen Feb 26, 2021

San Diego Unified School District announced this week that schools would reopen for some in-person learning on April 12. That’s as long as San Diego falls into the red tier and if teachers and staff are fully vaccinated. Kristen Taketa shares the details. And opinion writer Chris Reed talks about why he doesn't think it will happen.

San Diego City Council endorses new Airbnb rules Feb 25, 2021

After years of trying to regulate short-term rentals, San Diego might have found a compromise. Lori Weisberg explains. Plus, Andrew Kleske shares reader reactions.

When might San Diego reach the red tier? Feb 24, 2021

Reporter Jonathan Wosen gives an update on case rate, vaccine rollout and more. Plus, Abby Hamblin introduces a YA author Marisa Reichardt, whose latest book is about vaccines.

When should San Diego police fire pepper balls? There's a policy for that. Feb 23, 2021

The San Diego Police Department has implemented a policy that sets parameters on officers’ actions during demonstrations. David Hernandez explains. Plus, community

Andra Day just acted her first role -- and got a Golden Globe nod for it Feb 20, 2021

Singer Andra Day of San Diego just starred in her first movie, "The United States vs. Billie Holiday." UT critic George Varga shares her story. Plus, editorial cartoonist Steve Breen talks nonpolitical news.

San Diego's role in the Gov. Gavin Newsom recall effort Feb 19, 2021

Political columnist Michael Smolens on how San Diego politicians factor into recall campaigns against Gov. Gavin Newsom. Plus, editorial writer Chris Reed speculates on what could change Newsom's luck.

NASA's latest Mars mission has a San Diego tie Feb 18, 2021

Thursday afternoon, a $3 billion NASA rover called Perseverance will attempt to land on the Red Planet. Gary Robbins explains. Plus, Andrew Kleske shares reader reactions to the Senate acquittal of former President Donald Trump.

San Diego school reopenings and student mental health Feb 17, 2021

Education reporter Kristen Taketa outlines San Diego school reopening plans. Plus, a sneak peek of this week's episode of Name Drop San Diego.

Charles T. Clark on ethnic studies, jail deaths Feb 13, 2021

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Extremism in the Navy Feb 12, 2021

Navy leaders visited San Diego ships this week to have "stand-downs" with sailors after two racist incidents. Plus, U-T Opinion Director Matthew T. Hall talks media literacy.

In San Diego, racial equity means fewer dirt roads Feb 11, 2021

The city is home to 60 miles of dirt roads -- and 70 percent of those are in low-income areas. David Garrick explains. Plus, letters editor Andrew Kleske tells readers how to get published.

Is the port the most misunderstood government entity? Feb 10, 2021

The San Diego Unified Port District is super powerful, but little known. Jennifer Van Grove explains. Plus, a chat with Abby Hamblin of the Name Drop San Diego podcast.

Is this $5 billion water project a pipe dream? Feb 09, 2021

News Fix is back after a short break, now with headlines, opinion coverage and a new host.

In today's episode, environment reporter Joshua Emerson Smith explains a controversial pipeline project that would bring Colorado River water to the region. Plus, Community Opinion Editor Laura Castañeda discusses transgender writers in San Diego and how she brings diverse local voices to the opinion section.

A San Diego perspective on impeachment and the GOP's future | Michael Smolens Jan 14, 2021

Political columnist Micheal Smolens discusses many of the issues facing congressional Republicans in the coming weeks, as well as how our congressional delegation has responded to the past several weeks

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Editor's note: This podcast will be taking several weeks off and will return on Feb. 8

Multiple life terms for San Diego man who killed four during 2016 spree | Teri Figueroa Jan 13, 2021

A mentally ill San Diego man who admitted to a deadly spree of attacks primarily on homeless men — killing three of them by hammering their bodies with railroad spikes — was sentenced Tuesday to multiple terms of life in prison without parole.

Jon David Guerrero, 43, received four life sentences without parole, plus an additional 143 years to life in prison for the attacks.

Guerrero’s sentencing in San Diego Superior Court came nearly a year after he pleaded guilty to murdering four people and assaulting nine others in the bizarre and brutal spree in 2016.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2021-01-12/multiple-life-terms-for-san-diego-man-who-killed-four-during-2016-spree

So, some gorillas got COVID (and a vaccine update) | Jonathan Wosen Jan 12, 2021

Gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park tested positive for the novel coronavirus Monday, marking the first known case of the virus infecting any of the great apes — a group that includes gorillas, bonobos, chimps and orangutans.

Lisa Peterson, executive director of the Safari Park, said that more than one gorilla has tested positive but would not provide an exact number. During a Monday COVID-19 press briefing, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that two gorillas have tested positive for the virus and that a third is showing COVID-19 symptoms.

What the insurrection means for politics and democracy | Michael Smolens Jan 11, 2021

The U-T's political columnist explains how the events in Washington have affected our country.

Read his latest column: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2021-01-08/column-reps-jacobs-and-issa-profiles-in-courage-and-cowardice

Front-page editorial condemns insurrection, President Trump | Matthew T. Hall Jan 07, 2021

Jan. 6, 2021, will be remembered as the day American democracy died. Now the revival is up to all of us.

The peaceful transfer of U.S. presidential power dating back to George Washington and John Adams more than two centuries ago ended with Donald Trump’s incitement of an insurrection Wednesday when hundreds of his supporters broke into the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. This domestic terrorism was meant to prevent the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s decisive victory in the Electoral College, and it left at least one person dead — a San Diego woman — and several people injured. The chaos cemented Trump’s reputation as the worst president of all time. But it will also cement the ruined reputations of shameless cheerleaders who put party over country for a president for whom lying came as naturally as breathing.

Read the editorial: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/editorials/story/2021-01-06/editorial-the-domestic-terrorism-trump-incited-at-the-u-s-capitol-cemented-him-as-the-worst-president-of-all-time

Questions remain in alleged murder of Butterfly Farms owner | Pam Kragen Jan 06, 2021

Monday would have been Tom Merriman’s first day back at work at Butterfly Farms. Instead, the nearly 8-year-old education and research nonprofit in Encinitas is preparing to move forward without its co-founder and president.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/encinitas/story/2021-01-05/butterfly-farms-in-encinitas-will-carry-on-despite-co-founders-murder

BLM activists fear they missed the moment in 2020. Will 2021 be different? | Alex Riggins Jan 06, 2021

Ten days after George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, more than 2,000 protesters marched through the streets of downtown San Diego, North Park, Hillcrest and Balboa Park in a huge demonstration organized by a nameless collective of young, Black San Diegans.

Earlier that same week, law enforcement leaders across the county had forcefully denounced the actions of the Minneapolis officers in Floyd’s death and banned their deputies and officers from using the carotid restraint, a controversial neck hold they’d previously resisted giving up.

San Diego police Chief David Nisleit tweeted, “Our profession must do better.” Then-Mayor Kevin Faulconer, voiced support for a stronger, independent police oversight board. District Attorney Summer Stephan committed to increasing transparency in law enforcement and de-escalation training for officers and deputies.

With protests like the June 4 march — the largest demonstration in San Diego County following Floyd’s Memorial Day death — applying pressure to elected officials and law enforcement leaders, quick and meaningful change seemed possible, maybe even inevitable.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2021-01-03/did-2020s-summer-of-protests-san-diego-over-death-george-floyd-breonna-taylor-change-san-diego-policing

Who gets the vaccine next? | Greg Moran Jan 04, 2021

As state leaders wrestle with plans for who gets vaccinated and in what order, they have received hundreds of comments asking for priority in line

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2021-01-03/from-across-the-state-individual-and-groups-ask-for-priority-in-vaccine-rollout

Union-Tribune documentary: "Missing in Mexico" | Wendy Fry, Alejandro Tamayo Dec 31, 2020

More than 79,000 people have disappeared in that country, the vast majority since 2006 when former president Felipe Calderón launched Mexico’s war on drugs. Tijuana, a sprawling metropolis of 2.1 million people, became a front line as cartels fought to secure lucrative trafficking routes into the United States. More recently, neighborhoods on the city’s outskirts have been drawn in as low-level drug dealers fight and die for the right to sell methamphetamine on local street corners.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2020-12-30/missing-mexico-voices

Watch the documentary: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/5akz3ztqcvq-123

Looking back at the military's 2020 | Andrew Dyer Dec 30, 2020

San Diego based service members faced a number of challenges in 2020. Military reporter Andrew Dyer walks us through this eventful year.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2020-12-30/2020-a-year-of-travails-and-tragedy-for-san-diego-military-community

What the Padres trading spree means for 2021 | Kevin Acee Dec 29, 2020

A series of key trades shows that Padres' GM AJ Preller plans on making the team a serious contender next year.

Returned IV: How can the U.S. asylum system be reimagined? | Kate Morrissey Dec 28, 2020

The U.S. has always resisted protecting refugees at its border. The incoming Biden administration will have to decide whether to break with that past.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2020-12-27/how-could-asylum-system-be-reimagined

The rest of the series: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/returned

Previous episodes:

Returned Part III: A legitimate fear of death doesn’t always matter in the US asylum system | Kate Morrissey https://art19.com/shows/the-san-diego-news-fix/episodes/83753631-407a-4ea8-b80f-1d5e74b0bbea

Returned Part II: Who gets asylum? | Kate Morrissey https://art19.com/admin/series/eda62611-1093-4bef-a541-36a48c7289b5/content/episodes/e9541525-b629-4b2a-9d4f-05c5276907a8

Returned Part 1: What it takes to make a case under the US asylum system https://art19.com/admin/series/eda62611-1093-4bef-a541-36a48c7289b5/content/episodes/a2fb8dc5-8590-4c6c-89c0-2fd0f6fe9a67

Here's why cruise ships are docked at the port right now | Lori Weisberg Dec 24, 2020

Barred from sailing for the last nine months because of the pandemic, several cruise ships are making their way to San Diego this month, but don’t expect to see thousands of passengers boarding or disembarking from the ocean liners.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2020-12-23/cruise-ships-return-to-san-diego-after-long-absence-because-of-covid-but-no-passengers-allowed

Also read: ‘We called it Voyage of the Damned’: Days of despair on the Grand Princess

Trump pardons Duncan Hunter, Blackwater contractors convicted in 2007 massacre | Morgan Cook, Andrew Dyer Dec 23, 2020

President Donald Trump on Tuesday granted a full pardon to former Republican congressman Duncan Hunter, who had pleaded guilty to illegally spending campaign money for his personal use.

Hunter was sentenced in March to 11 months in prison, but he has been allowed to postpone serving his term in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was supposed to begin serving his sentence in January.

The White House announcement said the pardon came at the request of “many” members of Congress and is supported by former Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission Bradley Smith.

Leaked COVID-19 outbreak data reveals more about the pandemic | Lyndsay Winkley Dec 22, 2020

Although health officials regularly release information about the number of COVID-19 outbreaks that are being investigated across the county, the specific locations have usually been kept a secret.

Until now.

On Monday, the public media station KPBS published an investigation that revealed the addresses of 1,006 outbreaks that occurred between March and December.

For the first time in 800 years, the "Grand Conjunction" appears in the night sky | Gary Robbins Dec 21, 2020

The richly luminous planets Saturn and Jupiter will be so close in the sky on Monday night they’ll appear to meld together with a starkness that has not been widely seen on Earth since the 13th century.

The paths the planets follow around the sun will bring them into rough alignment shortly after the sun sets in the southwest, creating what astronomers call a “grand conjunction.”

From recruit to Marine during the pandemic: Inside the Alpha Co. | Andrew Dyer, Nel Cepeda Dec 18, 2020

Over the past eight months, the Marine Corps, like each military branch, has been forced to adapt to minimize the spread of COVID-19. At its San Diego boot camp, that means quarantines, coronavirus screenings, social distancing and masks.

The San Diego Union-Tribune followed recruits of Alpha Company — from the time they got off the bus at boot camp until they got back on those buses as Marines — to document how training has changed and how it’s stayed the same amidst the greatest public health crisis in a century.

Questions remain on what judge's ruling on strip clubs, restaurants means | Dana Littlefield, Lori Weisberg Dec 17, 2020

A San Diego Superior Court judge on Wednesday ruled two strip clubs can remain open and operating during the most recent COVID-19 shutdown orders from the state, in a ruling that appeared to extend to the county’s beleaguered restaurant industry and allow those businesses to reopen to some extent.

The ruling by Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil came in a case filed by two San Diego strip clubs. And while the clubs prevailed in earning an injunction that allowed them to continue to offer live dancing, the judge went a significant step further and said the injunction can apply across San Diego’s restaurant sector that has been crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ICU availability, staffing stretching to manage COVID-19 hospitalization surge | Paul Sisson Dec 16, 2020

Severe impacts on local emergency departments have forced paramedics to wait for hours before they can deliver their patients, prompting unprecedented changes to San Diego County ambulance bypass procedures Tuesday.

The change came as intensive care capacity across the state continued to dwindle, prompting local hospitals to reach out to Sacramento for staffing help even as the first batches of vaccine began to arrive.

Inside the Union-Tribune's Phenomenal Women project | Merrie Monteagudo, Morgan Cook Dec 15, 2020

The San Diego Union-Tribune and the Women’s Museum of California are celebrating a century of female achievement in San Diego to mark the 100th year of women’s suffrage in America.

Explore the full series here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/phenomenal-women-series

First shipment of Pfizer vaccines arrive, inoculations set to begin | Jonathan Wosen Dec 15, 2020

In total, San Diego County will initially receive 28,275 doses of vaccine. Each dose will be given to hospital health care workers at highest risk of exposure to the coronavirus — including doctors, nurses, custodians and security staff who are regularly in contact with COVID-19 patients. Because Pfizer’s vaccine requires two doses, those who get the vaccine will need a booster shot about three weeks later when another vaccine shipment arrives.

Overhaul at City Hall w/ reporter David Garrick Dec 11, 2020

Todd Gloria takes over as San Diego's first mayor of color while City Council chooses a new president.

Tough choices loom as ICU beds fill up countywide | Paul Sisson Dec 10, 2020

A second-straight day with San Diego County’s intensive care beds at 80 percent occupancy prompted questions Wednesday about when crisis measures will be necessary.

While officials with the county health department made it clear during their regular weekly COVID-19 briefing that we’re not there yet, they also declined to set a firm break point beyond which hospitals will need to begin making decisions about who receives care in a proper room and who must be cared for in a less-than-ideal setting.

How a controversial land swap -- of protected lands -- almost occurred in East County | Joshua Emerson Smith Dec 09, 2020

A controversial and unprecedented land deal that would have allowed a housing development on 219 acres of ecologically prized land in San Diego County was defeated Tuesday.

The California Wildlife Conservation Board voted five to one, with its chairman Chuck Bonham abstaining, to deny a proposed land exchange between the state and developer group GDCI Proctor Valley, L.P.

How teachers continue to solider on during the pandemic | Kristen Taketa Dec 08, 2020

Distance learning is a constant fight to find all their students and just have them come to class. They’re trying anything from jokes to poetry to being more forgiving in grading.

COVID-19 exposure app set to launch this week | Lyndsay Winkley Dec 07, 2020

The smartphone-based COVID-19 exposure notification system that was piloted by UC San Diego and other state universities will be made available to all Californians this week.

State officials hope the blue-tooth based technology will help slow the transmission of the novel coronavirus by quickly notifying people when they’ve been exposed to someone who later tested positive for the disease.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-12-07/smartphone-based-covid-notification-system-coming-to-all-californians-governor-says

SDG&E power shutoffs may soon return as wildfire conditions persist | Rob Nikolewski Dec 04, 2020

Tens of thousand of SDG&E customers lost power late Wednesday evening and Thursday morning as Santa Ana winds combined with dry weather conditions led to high wildfire risk. By Friday, the number of customers without power had dropped, but the utility has warned that outages may return soon.

Fire danger expected to continue this weekend | Alex Riggins Dec 04, 2020

Santa Ana wind conditions may spark fires countywide in the next few days.

How the Convention Center homeless shelter became an unlikely success story | Gary Warth Dec 02, 2020

About half of the 900 homeless people sheltered at the San Diego Convention Center are scheduled to move out of the venue and into permanent homes next week with the remainder expected to leave the following week, a city official said Tuesday.

San Diego Housing Commission President and CEO Rick Gentry said the city finalized the purchase of two extended-stay hotels last Wednesday, and 400 people now at the Convention Center’s Shelter to Home program will begin moving in next week.

San Diego County surpasses 1,000 COVID deaths | Gary Warth Dec 02, 2020

On Tuesday, San Diego County reached a grim milestone, reporting on the first day of a new month that COVID-19 deaths have now passed 1,000.

It is impossible, at the moment, to say exactly who was the 1,000th person to succumb to the disease because it often takes days, or even weeks, for COVID-related deaths to make it into the county health departments daily updates.

Another COVID-19 side-effect: a rise in D and F grades | Kristen Taketa Nov 30, 2020

Schools nationwide and across San Diego County are seeing a surge in poor grades fueled by the pandemic. The trend is in line with school officials’ and national experts’ predictions that school closures, along with obstacles to online education, will cause massive learning loss this year.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-11-28/surge-in-ds-and-fs-in-san-diego-county-schools-raises-questions-how-to-grade-during-pandemic

Will COVID-19 hamper holiday shopping? | Jennifer Van Grove Nov 25, 2020

Already a holiday season like no other, experts are looking into their crystal balls of shopping predictions and coming up with more questions than answers. Still, the consensus seems to be that, despite the pandemic’s unwelcome and unavoidable presence, there’s more reason for end-of-year retail cheer than fear

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/retail/story/2020-11-25/holiday-shopping

Here's why housing prices are still high despite the pandemic | Phillip Molnar Nov 24, 2020

San Diego home prices went up the third fastest in the nation in September and appreciated at a pace not seen in more than six years.

Prices in the San Diego metropolitan area were up 9.5 percent annually, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices reported Tuesday. The acceleration is still not near housing boom levels when, in July 2004, prices were up 33.37 percent in a year.

Only Phoenix, up 11.4 percent, and Seattle, up 10.1 percent, saw prices go up faster in September. But all markets covered in the 19-city index were up, even places like New York and San Francisco, that saw price gains slow considerably since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Black, Latino San Diegans wary of COVID-19 vaccines | Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, Jonathan Wosen Nov 23, 2020

Conversations revealed many people of color are concerned that science has been polluted by politics and isn’t being explained to them clearly. Others worry their communities are being used for clinical trials without an assurance they’d have access to an approved vaccine.

State curfew and enforcement | Paul Sisson Nov 20, 2020

The state curfew requires any county in the most restrictive, “purple” tier of the state’s reopening system — which includes San Diego — to limit “all gatherings with members of other households and all activities conducted outside the residence, lodging, or temporary accommodation with members of other households.” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-11-19/san-diego-covid-enforcement-california-curfew

Sheriff Bill Gore criticized for working with ICE | Charles Clark Nov 20, 2020

The annual Truth Act community forum took place this week.

The discussion is meant to inform the community of their legal rights when it comes to how local law enforcement agencies work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigration issues.

At the forum, dozens of people criticized Sheriff Bill Gore for allowing ICE access to county jails and for transferring immigrants to ICE.

Here’s how he responded.

Judge orders emergency halt on immigration arrests at San Diego federal court | Kristina Davis Nov 18, 2020

A judge has issued an emergency restraining order that prohibits the Trump administration from making civil immigration arrests at the San Diego federal courthouse, saying the widespread practice “invades the decorum and dignity of the court” and violates common-law principles dating back to the 15th century.

“The court is not an ‘arrest pad’ nor will it ever be,” U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw said in a strongly worded opinion filed late Monday.

At issue in the case are two wholly separate legal systems.

Will BLM increase transparency in the hiring of police chiefs? | David Hernandez Nov 17, 2020

Last year, three cities in San Diego County hired police chiefs. All three cities — Escondido, National City and El Cajon — promoted top brass from within their police departments with little public input and transparency.

That was the norm.

It was what Oceanside City Manager Deanna Lorson noticed a few months ago when the time came to find a successor to replace the city’s police chief, Frank McCoy, who will retire at the end of the year. With the hires across the county in 2019 in mind, Lorson started an internal recruitment.

“Of course, 2020 is different” she said recently.

Jahi Turner was 2 when he vanished in San Diego in 2002. His mother still searches for answers | Dana Littlefield Nov 16, 2020

For more than a decade, Tameka Jones held onto the idea — a fantasy, really — that her son would come home one day.

She believed it in April 2002 after she got a call from her then-husband, the man she’d trusted to care for 2-year-old Jahi Turner while she was deployed on a Navy ship off San Diego. “Baby, I can’t find Jahi. The police are here,” she recalled hearing as she stood on the smoke deck of the USS Rushmore, her hand trembling as she held the phone.

Jones, then just 18, was certain she’d see Jahi again even as police told her they didn’t believe her husband’s version of how the boy disappeared. She kept believing it as weeks, months and years went by without charges filed or a body found.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2020-11-15/jahi-turner-was-2-when-he-vanished-in-san-diego-in-2002-his-mother-still-searches-for-answers

Sunday listen: A virtual community forum on reparations Nov 15, 2020

California Assembly member Dr. Shirley Weber was the featured speaker at a community forum on reparations being held virtually on Nov. 12. Dr. Weber is the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and author of AB3121, which will create a task force to recommend appropriate slavery reparations and determine who would be eligible to receive compensation. This discussion is moderated by Luis Cruz, host of Together San Diego livestream.

Surveillance in San Diego | Teri Figueroa Nov 13, 2020

The San Diego City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an ordinance that would govern all surveillance technologies in the city — action rooted in pushback after the city had quietly installed cameras on 3,000 smart streetlights.

The councilmembers also backed a second ordinance creating an advisory board to oversee uses of surveillance technology.

The proposals face a few more steps before becoming law, but the unanimous votes marked a leap forward in a push by advocates fighting for transparency and oversight for surveillance programs in the city.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2020-11-10/san-diego-city-council-unanimously-backs-ordinances-to-govern-surveillance-technologies

Local businesses worry the Purple Tier rules may force them to shut down | Lori Weisberg Nov 11, 2020

Pandemic-weary businesses, hit with the third shutdown of indoor operations in eight months because of rising COVID-19 rates, fear they may not survive this time around as they watch their customers — and financial reserves — evaporate.

From restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theaters, which will soon be limited to outdoors-only service, to shops and malls where indoor capacities will drop to just 25 percent, the news Tuesday that San Diego County will enter the most restrictive tier of the state’s reopening system is yet another financial blow to both the owners and their workers.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2020-11-10/san-diego-county-businesses-fear-they-may-not-be-able-to-survive-another-indoor-shutdown-due-to-covid

Purple tier COVID-19 rules go into effect 12:01 a.m Saturday | Paul Sisson Nov 10, 2020

The day many have dreaded for months has now come to pass. San Diego County fell to the most-restrictive level of the state’s COVID-19 reopening system Tuesday, meaning that restaurants, houses of worship, movie theaters and other organizations must cease or significantly reduce their indoor operations by 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

In the state’s latest tier report, the region received an adjusted case rate of 8.9 per 100,000 residents, once again over the limit of 7. Taken together with last week’s score of 7.4, San Diego has now gone two consecutive weeks with out-of-bounds numbers that force it to fall to the lowest of the four levels included in the coronavirus risk-ranking system

What to make of the Pfizer vaccine news | Jonathan Wosen Nov 09, 2020

Pfizer Inc. said Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine may be a remarkable 90% effective, based on early and incomplete test results that nevertheless brought a big burst of optimism to a world desperate for the means to finally bring the catastrophic outbreak under control.

The announcement came less than a week after an election seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s handling of the scourge, which has killed more than 1.2 million people worldwide, including almost a quarter-million in the United States alone.

What happens to schools if we fall to the Purple Tier| Kristen Taketa Nov 07, 2020

Thanks to persistently high COVID-19 case rates, San Diego County is days away from potentially landing in the purple tier, the most-restrictive level of the state’s COVID-19 monitoring system, which would mean that schools that have not started teaching at least some students in person would lose their chance to reopen.

Falling into the purple tier would mean San Diego County’s closed schools would not be able to reopen until Dec. 16 at the earliest, or five weeks after Tuesday.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/heres-how-schools-might-be-affected-if-san-diego-county-falls-to-purple-tier-next-week

If COVID cases don't decrease, SD will be in the Purple Tier next week | Paul Sisson Nov 05, 2020

An out-of-bounds score in the state’s weekly reopening report creates the possibility that San Diego County could fall to the most-restrictive tier in the COVID-19 ranking system next week.

Released by the California Health and Human Services Agency on Wednesday, the weekly scorecard lists San Diego County with 7.4 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents. That number is slightly greater than the limit of 7, the demarcation point between the red and purple tiers of the state’s COVID-19 risk-ranking system.

With votes still being tallied, the "blue-ing" of SD County seems to be complete | Micheal Smolens Nov 04, 2020

Political columnist Michael Smolens discusses the local results.

Election 2020: What we know so far Nov 04, 2020

Politics reporter Charles Clark discusses the early returns, plus a longer update from Daniel Wheaton

"Defend East County" Facebook group gets deactivated | Andrew Dyer Nov 02, 2020

Facebook removed, then republished, then again removed the 22,000-member Defend East County group from its social media site Saturday.

The group’s founder and administrator Justin Haskins announced in a post to a separate Facebook group Saturday morning that the group was gone. However, by 7 p.m. the group was back. By 8:00 p.m., the group again disappeared from the site and remains so as of Monday morning. Neither Facebook nor Haskins responded to requests for comment Saturday.

Rebroadcast: San Diego's Haunted History Oct 31, 2020

San Diego Union-Tribune archivist Merrie Monteagudo discusses several local ghost stories. Episode from 2019.

Special Election Episode: What to expect on Election Night Oct 31, 2020

In the final episode of our election series, hear the latest on early voting and how the U-T plans on covering the election.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/2020-election-dashboard-san-diego

How safe is trick-or-treating? | Paul Sisson Oct 30, 2020

State and local public health authorities have been very clear that trick-or-treating is strongly discouraged this year due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

Parents who are asking whether the candy will be safe if they let their kids go trick-or-treating this year, then, are asking the wrong question. The proper focus, Knight and Rohwer say, is the face, not the candy bowl.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-10-30/people-not-candy-seen-as-the-biggest-risk-for-trick-or-treaters-this-year

How BLM chalk art became a political flash point in La Jolla | Lauren Mapp Oct 29, 2020

La Jolla residents are calling for the removal of two La Jolla Parks & Beaches Association board members following comments they made about social justice-themed chalk drawings during a September meeting.

The drawings were created during “Chalk Up” events on the Fay Avenue Bike Path this summer. The events, which started in July, were organized by a group of parents who said they wanted to their children to have an outlet to express themselves about the Black Lives Matter social justice movement through art.

New fencing coming to railroad tracks, despite Del Mar's opposition | Phil Diehl Oct 28, 2020

North County Transit District plans to install fences along miles of railroad track in three coastal cities by the end of this year, an idea many residents, especially in Del Mar, have fought for years.

The transit district, in a report released this month, said the 6-foot-tall, chain-link fence will be placed in the areas where people most frequently trespass on the track right-of-way, resulting in death or injury, damage to the railroad system and delays in service.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/story/2020-10-18/residents-fight-plan-to-fence-coastal-railroad-tracks

How to dismantle a nuclear power plant | Rob Nikolewski Oct 27, 2020

They are perhaps the most distinctive features of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station — the pair of containment domes from Units 2 and 3, rising nearly 200 feet above the ground on the northern edge of San Diego County that every motorist sees on the drive along Interstate 5.

But in about six years, the twin domes will be gone — obliterated — provided the schedule holds true for dismantling the now-shuttered plant, known as SONGS

An update on COVID-19 vaccine trials| Jonathan Wosen Oct 26, 2020

That urgent desire for a sense of safety and a return to normalcy has fueled an unprecedented search for a vaccine against the worst pandemic humanity has faced in a century.

CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna, two of the vaccine developers furthest along in that search, have said they could request emergency-use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccines by late November and December, respectively, depending on results from trials that have enrolled tens of thousands of volunteers (including San Diegans).

On Wednesday, Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar said there could be enough doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for those most vulnerable to the disease by the end of 2020, with enough vaccine for all Americans by early April.

Also: https://go.sandiegouniontribune.com/trials-of-the-century/p/1

Special Election Episode: Key races part II Oct 24, 2020

On the latest special election episode, Daniel Wheaton and Micheal Smolens discuss key races in the city of San Diego: mayor, city council, Measures B and E.

Visit our election dashboard: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/2020-election-dashboard-san-diego

Vista schools reopen | Deborah Sullivan Brennan Oct 23, 2020

Nearly 10,000 students returned to class in person this week at Vista Unified School District as campuses reopened after more than a half-year of remote learning. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/vista/story/2020-10-22/with-face-masks-and-hepa-filters-vista-students-return-to-school

California theme parks threaten legal action over COVID rules | Lori Weisberg Oct 22, 2020

Tensions build as theme parks, from Disneyland to Legoland, push to reopen after being closed seven months because of the coronavirus pandemic

Baseball at 3:10 in Yuma? Youth sports head to Arizona to skirt COVID rules | Mark Zeigler Oct 21, 2020

Frustrated with the state of COVID-19 restrictions in California, parents have taken to bringing their children to sporting tournaments in Arizona

That state has a more lax approach to such gatherings.

Citing comparatively low transmission rates among athletes and at outdoor gatherings, many San Diego parents have decided to let their children play.

California is also losing much-needed revenue from letting these games slip out of state, something that league leaders hope will make the state reconsider the rules.

Breaking down San Diego's Measure E | Jennifer Van Grove Oct 20, 2020

The freeway-adjacent, mostly industrial town is what supporters of a November initiative, Measure E, view as a classic fixer-upper, meaning with ample investment it could be transformed into a community where people want to live and recreate. Yet the area’s proximity to the water is a quality that makes it attractive to would-be investors while simultaneously inhibiting their interest. That’s because the Midway District, either accidentally or intentionally depending on who you ask, finds itself in San Diego’s coastal zone, subject to a 30-foot building height limit.

Newly released emails detail origin of 101 Ash St. sale | Jeff McDonald Oct 19, 2020

Mayor Kevin Faulconer began meeting with the former owners of the high rise at 101 Ash Street in 2014, a full year before Sempra Energy vacated the property, according to a new cache of emails released by the city under the California Public Records Act.

The communications also show the building’s previous owners, Sandor Shapery and Douglas Manchester, enjoyed access to the mayor and his senior aides, allowing them to market their building to city officials.

“Does the shortened 25-year lease option improve the look of the proposal?” Shapery representative Richard Ledford wrote to Faulconer’s then chief of staff, Stephen Puetz, in July 2014. “May we set that second meeting with the mayor on this issue?”

Taken together, the 80-plus pages of emails show more clearly how the city came to enter what is now considered one of the worst land deals in the history of San Diego governance.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2020-10-19/newly-released-emails-show-faulconer-top-aides-overruled-city-real-estate-director-on-ash-street-property

Special Election Episode: Key races Part I Oct 17, 2020

On this special election episode of San Diego News Fix, we break down key Congressional races, the County Board of Supervisors and a housing measure in Santee.

Visit our elections dashboard: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/2020-election-dashboard-san-diego

ImmunityBio tests COVID-19 vaccine | Jonathan Wosen Oct 16, 2020

ImmunityBio, an El Segundo-based biotech firm headed by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, said Thursday it had received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin preliminary testing of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/california/story/2020-10-15/soon-shiong-phase-1-trial-coronavirus-vaccine

San Diego Unified announces changes to how it grades students | Kristen Taketa Oct 15, 2020

Starting this school year San Diego Unified will eliminate non-academic factors, such as student behavior, from academic grades, following a unanimous vote by the school board Tuesday to overhaul the district’s grading practices.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-10-15/san-diego-unified-changes-grading-protocols-to-be-more-equitable

Issa, Campa-Najjar appear in "Defend East County"; both face different kinds of criticism | Charles Clark Oct 14, 2020

California’s 50th District Congressional Candidates, Darrell Issa and Ammar Campa-Najjar, stirred controversy after virtual Q&A sessions with the local Defend East County Facebook group.

Their appearances Friday on the group’s Facebook Live sessions have drawn criticism from some activists and experts who study extremism.

Appearing alongside the East County group’s founder, Justin Haskins, Issa seemed to promote citizen groups taking up arms to “defend their communities,” days after a thwarted plot by self-styled militia members to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and weeks after a counterprotester in Kenosha, Wis., shot and killed two people and wounded a third.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-10-13/50th-candidates-appear-with-group-that-trafficked-in-racism-and-conspiracies-issa-promotes-taking-up-arms

Trump has called on his supporters to "observe the polls" -- can they do that? | John Wilkens Oct 13, 2020

Watching, yes. Interfering, no.

President Donald Trump’s repeated calls to his supporters to monitor election polling places for fraud have raised questions about what is allowed, and what isn’t, as San Diego County residents begin casting their ballots for the Nov. 3 election.

Observers, as they are known in California, have long been part of elections here. Usually they are campaign insiders or political-party volunteers, and they rarely draw public attention as they quietly watch what goes on in polling places or at the Registrar of Voters, where ballots are processed and tabulated.

Returned Part III: A legitimate fear of death doesn’t always matter in the US asylum system | Kate Morrissey Oct 12, 2020

For Central American migrants fleeing gang violence, winning protection in the United States can be particularly difficult

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2020-10-11/us-asylum-system-gang-violence-honduras

The rest of the series: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/returned

Previous episodes:

Returned Part II: Who gets asylum? | Kate Morrissey https://art19.com/admin/series/eda62611-1093-4bef-a541-36a48c7289b5/content/episodes/e9541525-b629-4b2a-9d4f-05c5276907a8

Returned Part 1: What it takes to make a case under the US asylum system https://art19.com/admin/series/eda62611-1093-4bef-a541-36a48c7289b5/content/episodes/a2fb8dc5-8590-4c6c-89c0-2fd0f6fe9a67

Special Election Episode: How the U-T's Editorial Board makes endorsements Oct 10, 2020

In preparation for the election, The San Diego Union-Tribune's editorial board is publishing a series of endorsements on many local races. On this special election episode of San Diego News Fix, you'll hear from two members of the board: Matt Hall and Laura Castadñeda about how the process works and how the opinion team highlights community voices.

Key links:

Election dashboard: sandiegouniontribune.com/electiondashboard

2020 Endorsements: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2020endorsements

Candidate interviews: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/san-diego-election-2020-candidate-interviews

Commentary on propositions and measures: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/2020-election-commentary-on-propositions-and-measures

Discrepancies in Georgette Gómez tax filings | Andrew Dyer Oct 09, 2020

San Diego City Council President and Congressional candidate Georgette Gómez reported no salary on her federal tax filing in 2017 despite earning more than $90,000 from her job on the council. Gómez, who is facing fellow Democrat Sara Jacobs in the November runoff for the 53rd District congressional seat, through a spokeswoman blamed the errors on her tax preparer and pledged to amend at least one of her returns. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2020-10-08/city-council-president-georgette-gomez-failed-to-report-more-than-100-000-in-income-on-taxes-records-show

New report explains the causes behind the Aug. blackouts | Rob Nikolewski Oct 08, 2020

A reportfrom three key state groups analyzing what caused a pair of blackouts in mid-August largely conformed to reasons previously cited by California’s grid operator — that a combination of factors, including a sweltering heatwave, pushed the state’s power system to its edge, leading to the first statewide outages in nearly 20 years.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2020-10-07/report-a-combination-of-factors-led-to-californias-rolling-blackouts-in-august

Poll: Gloria, Bry in virtual dead heat for SD mayor | David Garrick Oct 07, 2020

Assemblyman Todd Gloria and Councilwoman Barbara Bry are in a virtual dead heat among likely voters in the runoff for San Diego mayor, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune/10News SurveyUSA poll released Tuesday.

Gloria leads Bry 39 percent to 38 percent, which is within the poll’s 5.3 percent margin of error. That leaves nearly a quarter of likely voters still undecided, with mail voting already underway and Election Day on Nov. 3.

More on the poll: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-10-06/new-poll-shows-bry-gloria-in-near-dead-heat-as-race-for-san-diego-mayor-enters-final-stretch

David's Mayoral race preview: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-10-04/battle-for-san-diego-mayor-focused-on-housing-vacation-rentals-future-of-sports-arena-area

Photo Essay, The Lost Campaign: https://go.sandiegouniontribune.com/the-lost-campaign/p/1

Will the health equity score keep San Diego in the red COVID tier? | Paul Sisson Oct 06, 2020

Starting with Tuesday’s test, an additional score is now being published. This new number, dubbed a “health equity metric,” calculates a test positivity rate for the most disadvantaged quartile of census tracts in each county. The positivity rate for this subset of a county’s overall population must also meet the positivity rate requirements for a less-restrictive tier before a county will be allowed to move up.

The state’s health equity score for San Diego County in Tuesday’s report is 6.2 percent, a full 2.7 percentage points greater than the region’s overall positivity rate of 3.5 percent. To qualify for the orange tier, counties must have their positivity rates below 5 percent for two consecutive weeks.

San Diego's bitter divorce from a homeless service provider | Gary Warth Oct 05, 2020

The city of San Diego has terminated its contract with the service provider running its Housing Navigation Center downtown.

City officials said they will take it over next month and rename it and they will base its homeless services on programs they said have been successful in the temporary shelter in the San Diego Convention Center.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/homelessness/story/2020-10-01/city-to-take-over-navigation-center-ousted-service-provider-says-system-was-unworkable

Special Election Episode: Voting 101 Oct 03, 2020

If you're a registered voter in San Diego County, you'll be seeing a ballot in your mailbox this week. On the first special election episode of San Diego News Fix, Daniel Wheaton speaks with politics reporter Charles Clark about how this election will be different — and what to expect.

Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis | Gary Robbins Oct 02, 2020

President Donald Trump said late Thursday night that he and his wife, Melania, have tested positive for COVID-19 and that they have gone into quarantine. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/science/story/2020-10-01/trump-tests-positive

How different school districts are planning to get students back in the classroom | Kristen Taketa Oct 01, 2020

More than five weeks after the first schools in San Diego County were allowed to reopen, most of San Diego County’s school districts have either reopened or have opening dates set for October.

Many are reopening first by bringing back the youngest students or by offering hybrid learning, where students attend for part of the week or day and continue with distance learning part time.

Grossmont Union High is phasing in reopening by first having students attend in-person one day a week. Santee and Poway are having students attend for half a school day. Still others are like Alpine Union, which has students attend in-person a couple of days a week.

When looking at timelines for districts reopening, it’s clear that district size matters. Most of the districts that have reopened are small.

An officer-involved shooting, an Instagram post and a suspended SDPD officer | David Herandez Sep 30, 2020

A San Diego police officer has been suspended without pay amid allegations that he posted a photo on social media that appeared to make light of a makeshift memorial for a man the officer and a partner fatally shot in late June, police Chief David Nisleit announced Tuesday.

The chief also said Officer Jonathon Lucas, who has been on the force for about four years, was stripped of his police powers — forced to give up his gun and badge — while the Police Department investigates the matter.

Californians can reverse the state's affirmative action ban. Will they? | John Wilkens Sep 29, 2020

This summer, it seemed the planets might be aligning to repeal California’s 24-year-old ban on affirmative action.

Widespread street protests over the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis had fueled a national reckoning with racism, discrimination and other social-justice problems. Poll after poll of public opinion showed rising acknowledgement of racial inequality and the need to address it.

The novel coronavirus was having a disproportionate impact on people of color.

And California was in a sustained demographic and political shift — more diverse, less conservative — away from what it was in 1996, when voters approved Proposition 209, a constitutional amendment outlawing racial or gender preferences in public employment, education and contracts.

"RADD" biotech hub planned for bay front development | Jennifer Van Grove Sep 28, 2020

Hoping to make a splash in downtown’s real estate market, a celebrated biotech office developer has purchased more than 8 acres of waterfront land to create a life science city along San Diego’s Bay.

Friday, the newly formed IQHQ real estate investment group, started by storied life science builder Alan Gold, completed its acquisition of around two-thirds — or five city blocks — of the development site known as Manchester Pacific Gateway. The transaction paves the way for what IQHQ is calling the San Diego Research and Development District, or RaDD, as a massive lab-filled campus where ground-floor retail and unrivaled bay views work to recruit the biggest names in the pharmaceutical industry.

Downtown construction during a pandemic? Yes! | Phillip Molnar Sep 25, 2020

Logic dictates construction during a global pandemic would halt. But, the economic effects of COVID-19 are anything but logical.

The transformation of downtown San Diego’s skyline has continued at a furious pace throughout the crisis, so much so that a visit to some parts can feel like you accidentally walked into a massive construction zone.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/story/2020-09-25/downtown-san-diego-construction-continues-at-furious-pace-will-it-last

How San Diego Black Lives Matter protestors reacted to the Breonna Taylor verdict | Alex Riggins Sep 25, 2020

Several hundred people marched through downtown San Diego Wednesday night to protest a Kentucky grand jury’s decision not to indict any Louisville police officers for the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Led by a “wall of moms” in matching yellow T-shirts, demonstrators marched down Broadway chanting Taylor’s name along with other social-justice slogans.

Padres win bid to develop Tailgate Park | Jenn Van Grove Sep 23, 2020

The San Diego Padres have won the opportunity to turn four city blocks, currently used as a Petco Park parking lot, into an urban square where technology workers commingle with artisans and baseball fans.

Wednesday, city officials announced that the Padres and its development partners, Tishman Speyer and Ascendant Capital Partners, were picked over challenger Brookfield Properties to redevelop the 5.25-acre plot of land known as Tailgate Park.

The selection brings to an end a competitive bidding process that started in December and paves the way for the city to offload the long-held asset as is required by the state.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2020-09-23/in-bid-for-tailgate-park-padres-beat-brookfield-with-1-4b-office-focused-proposal

6 pandemic months: What we learned, what we lost, and what's next | Paul Sisson Sep 22, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has largely been a story of numbers.

Daily reports tell us the number of new cases, the number of hospitalizations, the number of outbreaks and the number of deaths.

The numbers are a dispassionate, point-in-time measure necessary to track the footprint of the deadly coronavirus as it continues its advance into homes, businesses, churches, even hospitals.

But they can’t quantify the sense of loss that has pervaded life since the pandemic began six months ago — the loss of intimacy, tradition, confidence, and economic well-being.

Back to school at UC San Diego — will a COVID-19 outbreak follow? | Gary Robbins Sep 21, 2020

San Diego State University is reeling from a calamitous outbreak of COVID-19. Is the same thing about to happen at UC San Diego?

The answer will begin to emerge this weekend as 7,500 undergraduates start to move into meticulously cleaned dorms on the sprawling La Jolla campus for the start of the fall quarter.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/education/can-usd-ucsd-succeed-where-sdsu-failed-to-fight-covid-19

Who is Gen Z? Why should we care about them? | Abby Hamblin Sep 18, 2020

Generation Z is transforming America's culture and identity. And its members are just getting started. "Hello Gen Z" is a podcast from The San Diego Union-Tribune with the goal of hearing directly from them. https://go.sandiegouniontribune.com/hellogenz/p/1

San Diego's $300M tax revenue loss | David Garrick Sep 17, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic will cost San Diego about $300 million in tax revenue by next summer, including $48 million in hotel tax losses. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-09-16/san-diego-estimates-300m-tax-revenue-loss-during-covid-19-pandemic

Ex-sheriff's captain behind illegal gun sales | Kristina Davis Sep 16, 2020

A former sheriff’s captain charged with selling “off roster” guns available only to law enforcement admitted to long-standing corruption in a plea agreement Tuesday. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2020-09-15/former-sheriffs-captain-pleads-guilty-to-illegal-off-roster-gun-sales

Parents of "disappeared" children attempt exhumation of human remains in Tijuana | Wendy Fry Sep 15, 2020

A smell of death drapes over the unfinished two-story house on Calle Loma Alta on Tijuana’s eastern side. Neighbors report sometimes hearing screams coming from the abandoned property.

Inside, the floor is littered with empty Coca-Cola bottles and dozens of children’s toys and grade school notebooks. Clothes are piled everywhere. Partially burnt mattresses cover the door frames to several rooms.

In one, wooden planks are nailed to the floor with heavy chains piled on top. Stacks of different size stones are nearby with chains also attached to the rocks. A boulder, twice the size of a basketball, is marked with chiseled incisions.

Spray-painted in red in the corner are the words “Te Amo.” I love you. Two Virgin de Guadalupe plaques are propped against the wall above the television set, illuminated by a working light bulb.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2020-09-13/parents-dig-for-hours-but-are-unable-to-find-the-buried-remains-missing-teenager

North County school districts begin phased reopening | Deborah Brennan Sep 14, 2020

North County school districts are moving toward reopening campuses, with phased plans for in-person instruction that focus on the youngest and most vulnerable students first.

Vista, Poway and Oceanside have announced plans for opening campuses to small groups of students this month, including special education students, English learners, and others who need additional help or receive specialized instruction.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/story/2020-09-13/north-county-schools-to-start-phased-reopening

COVID-19 at SDSU | Gary Robbins Sep 11, 2020

Union-Tribune reporter Gary Robbins talks about COVID-19 at SDSU and whether the more than 500 cases there will put us back to Tier 1. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-09-10/covid-cases-increase-at-sdsu-countywide

Mayor shuts off "Smart Streetlights" until surveillance ordinance is passed | Teri Figueroa Sep 10, 2020

San Diego’s controversial Smart Streetlight cameras will be shut off, drawing applause from social justice activists, but removing police access to a tool they say helps solve violent crimes.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer on Wednesday ordered that the more than 3,000 cameras installed on streetlights throughout San Diego be turned off until the city crafts an ordinance to govern surveillance technology.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2020-09-09/mayor-orders-san-diegos-smart-streetlights-turned-off-until-surveillance-ordinance-in-place

Poll: Ammar Campa-Najjar (D), Darrell Issa (R) in statistical dead heat in CA-50 | Charles Clark Sep 09, 2020

With Election Day two months away, a poll released Tuesday shows the race for the 50th Congressional District is anyone’s game, with Republican Darrell Issa and Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar in a statistical tie in the traditionally Republican stronghold.

A San Diego Union-Tribune/10 News poll of 508 likely voters conducted by SurveyUSA shows Issa, a former congressman, leading with 46 percent, slightly ahead of business owner and San Diego State University lecturer Campa-Najjar, who polled at 45 percent.

“The contest between Republican Darrell Issa and Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar is anyone’s guess, with way too many variables in play to begin to handicap the winner,” SurveyUSA pollsters wrote.

About 9 percent of voters said they remain undecided in the poll conducted Friday through Monday. It has a margin of error of 5.4 percentage points.

Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-09-08/50th-district-contest-is-anyones-guess-with-issa-and-campa-najjar-in-a-statistical-dead-heat-per-new-poll

What we know about the Valley fire so far | Teri Figueroa Sep 08, 2020

While skies were overcast and temperature cooler in East County Tuesday morning, officials warned that a wildfire that has scorched more than 17,000 acres and destroyed nearly a dozen homes and 25 other structures is not letting up and is expected to flare up again tonight.

“I want to be very clear in my message,” said Cal Fire San Diego Chief Tony Mecham at a news conference at Viejas Casino and Resort. “We have a sleeping giant in the backcountry.”

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag fire weather warning for most of San Diego County through 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Santa Ana winds blowing up to 50 miles an hour were expected to hit around 8 p.m. — pushing the fire from east to the west — and Mecham and other officials warned residents to be prepared.

Will a new heat wave bring rolling blackouts? | Rob Nikolewski Sep 04, 2020

With an intense heat wave bearing down across California throughout the Labor Day weekend, the state’s grid operator has issued a Flex Alert calling on electricity consumers to voluntarily conserve energy so that the demand for power does not outstrip supply.

The Flex Alert will be in place statewide from Saturday through Monday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/energy-green/story/2020-09-03/californias-grid-operator-orders-a-flex-alert-ahead-of-labor-day-heat-wave

Audit details inappropriate payments approved by SANDAG head | Jeff McDonald Sep 03, 2020

The executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments, the county’s leading transportation and planning agency, approved hundreds of thousands of dollars in severance payments to former employees without telling the board of directors, a new audit has found.

Hasan Ikhrata, who took over as SANDAG’s top executive in December 2018, also allowed an employee to redeem unused sick time for more than $110,000, even though the unidentified worker was not entitled to the money, auditors said.

And another payment — made while the compensation and compliance audit was under way — authorized a $60,000 severance to a senior official after the official voluntarily resigned.

“The material findings disclosed within the report were a result of significant weaknesses in SANDAG’s governance and system of internal controls,” independent performance auditor Mary Khoshmashrab wrote to board chairman and Poway Mayor Steve Vaus last week.

Poll: Bry leads Gloria 37-34 in SD mayor's race Sep 02, 2020

Councilwoman Barbara Bry and Assemblyman Todd Gloria have nearly even support among likely voters in their runoff to become San Diego’s next mayor, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune/10News SurveyUSA poll released Tuesday.

Bry, who finished 66,000 votes behind fellow Democrat Gloria in the March primary, leads Gloria 37 percent to 34 percent. But her lead is within the poll’s 5.3 percent margin of error, and 29 percent are undecided.

Indoor businesses begin to re-reopen | Brittany Meiling, Gary Warth Sep 01, 2020

Despite cries from some to go faster and others to go slower, Dr. Wilma Wooten largely stuck with the state’s new rules announced Friday allowing a wide range of businesses to resume varying levels of indoor activity.

There were a few new public health orders announced Monday, including one that all businesses now reopening keep logs with names and phone numbers of everyone they serve to make it easier to track people down quickly if a COVID-19 outbreak is detected.

Overall, Wooten’s take on the now-underway move back indoors seemed to be: Now it’s up to you.

Continuing to meet the state’s requirements for fewer and fewer local cases, she said, will come down to whether the community can collectively hew to long-standing facial covering, hand-washing and distancing requirements even as they begin to move more freely.

How effective is convalescent plasma? | Jonathan Wosen Aug 31, 2020

Hundreds of San Diegans have received a COVID-19 treatment that arms those battling the disease with the defenses of past survivors — though it’s still not clear how well it works.

What is clear is that more people will likely get the treatment, known as convalescent patient plasma, which the Food and Drug Administration authorized on Aug. 23 as an emergency treatment for COVID-19.

Scientists and doctors in San Diego County and nationwide have good reason to believe that plasma therapy is safe. And with about 6 million COVID-19 cases and 180,000 deaths in the United States, the need for new COVID-19 treatments could not be more painfully clear.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/biotech/story/2020-08-30/hundreds-of-san-diegans-with-covid-19-have-already-been-treated-with-plasma-but-does-it-work

Track the outbreak: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/tracking-coronavirus-cases-san-diego-county

Will K-12 distance learning drive parents out of the workforce? Aug 28, 2020

Working families in San Diego are bracing for distance learning at K-12 schools to start next week. With the pandemic still raging, most students in the region will be logging on rather than sitting in classrooms. That means many parents will now have to juggle their jobs with overseeing their children’s studies. Reporter Phillip Molnar recently reached out to local economists to find out whether this could result in many people dropping out of the workforce.

California begins to increase COVID-19 testing capacity | Jonathan Wosen Aug 27, 2020

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the state has contracted with a diagnostics company to conduct up to 150,000 more COVID-19 tests a day.

Under the contract, the state will build a testing laboratory and provide some testing equipment, such as supplies to collect and transport specimens, according to Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.

The company, PerkinElmer, will process and report back test results within 48 hours, but the company will not collect the actual nasal swabs. That will happen at state testing sites.

Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego County’s public health officer, welcomed the deal, set to begin in eight to 10 weeks

Why CBP is cracking down on cross-border travel | Wendy Fry Aug 26, 2020

Northbound border lanes into San Ysidro were nearly empty Tuesday morning after nightmarish 10-hour traffic jams clogged Tijuana’s streets and freeways Sunday through Monday.

Customs and Border Protection increased its enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions on non-essential travel over the weekend, which snarled traffic citywide.

Essential workers, such as health care and food service employees, are allowed to cross daily into the U.S. for work, whereas people who want to visit family or shop have been asked to refrain from crossing the border.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2020-08-25/border-crackdown-travel

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2020-08-24/border-traffic-coronavirus

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2020-08-16/baja-coronavirus-hospitals

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Margaret Hunter sentenced in campaign finance scheme | Morgan Cook Aug 25, 2020

Years after a criminal conspiracy was discovered by the Union-Tribune, former Congressman Duncan Hunter and his wife Margaret, are now felons.

Margaret’s sentence is 3 years probation with 8 months of home arrest, for being part of a scheme that mis-spent a quarter million dollars of campaign finance funds on everything from Italian vacations to oral surgery.

Returned Part II: Who gets asylum? | Kate Morrissey Aug 24, 2020

The second part in series that takes a deep dive into the U.S. asylum system to help readers understand what the system was meant to do, how it previously functioned and what it has become. Immigration reporter Kate Morrissey discusses the project.

The series: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/returned

The simulation: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2020-08-23/asylum-system-interactive-experience

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Sunday listen: A discussion of race and equity with Ibram X. Kendi, Robin DiAngelo and Wesley Lowery Aug 23, 2020

The San Diego Union-Tribune partnered with the National Conflict Resolution Center to hold a discussion on race and equity.

It’s part of the NCRC's “A Path Forward” series, and it featured three voices that have been driving the conversation following the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests.

The panel includes: Ibram X. Kendi, author of "How to be an Antiracist". Robin DiAngelo, author of "White Fragility: Why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism", and Wesley Lowery, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who came to prominence following his coverage of Ferguson, Mo. for the Washington Post.

Housing prices go through the roof I Phillip Molnar Aug 21, 2020

Home prices in San Diego hit an all-time high last month. The median price tag for a home in July: $634,000. That’s a whopping 9 percent jump over this time last year. That trend extends across much of Southern California, as homes for sale have all but evaporated from the market.

Some people were hoping the pandemic would be a good time to invest. As it turns out, homeowners aren't selling. But will it last? Or is this just a COVID-induced housing bubble.

Restaurants struggle to deal with pandemic-based Yelp complaints | Pam Kragen Aug 20, 2020

Over the past decade, North County restaurant owners Roddy and Aaron Browning have looked upon Yelp, the high-profile crowd-sourced reviews platform, as something of a necessary evil. A diner's positive 5-star review will make their day, but a negative 1- or 2-star review will ruin their week. But since the pandemic began in March, the Brownings and many other local restaurateurs say recent bad reviews on Yelp — many of them for county-ordered safety and service requirements beyond their control — are making the struggle to survive even harder. Some owners' classy, clever and angry written responses to recent low-starred reviews have gone viral. Meanwhile, Yelp says it has stepped up efforts to remove unfair reviews and it is encouraging its diner-members to show compassion for restaurant owners before they push the publish button.

We're off the state's COVID-19 watch list! What changes? Nothing. (At least not now) | Paul Sisson Aug 19, 2020

As expected, state officials announced that they removed San Diego County from the state’s COVID-19 watchlist Tuesday, a move that was telegraphed one day earlier by local leaders.

The action, which came as local doctors were adjusting to new testing guidance from the county, starts a 14-day countdown during which the region must avoid crossing any of six thresholds that, if they persisted for three days in a row, would land the region back on the list.

Provided San Diego’s daily COVID-19 numbers remain below state-set maximums for two weeks, K-12 schools would be able to resume in-person instruction at the discretion of local school boards.

Follow our COVID-19 tracker: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/tracking-coronavirus-cases-san-diego-county

Why rolling blackouts are back | Rob Nikolewski, Gary Robbins Aug 18, 2020

The bad old days — and nights — of rotating power outages in California are back for the first time in nearly 20 years. And they could be back in a big way for the next few days.

But unlike 2001 when market manipulation from rogue entities like Enron were at the root of rolling blackouts, grid operators blame these outages on a combination of reasons that include finding sources to back up energy sources that compose the current grid in the state and a heatwave that not only affected all of California but its neighboring states as well.

“We are scouring every corner of our world to find additional load reductions and generation,” said Steve Berberich, the CEO of the California Independent System Operator, known as CAISO for short. The scale of the outages statewide could be in the millions, Berberich acknowledged.

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The San Diego Festival of Books is right around the corner. Check out the details here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdfestivalofbooks

Conspiracy theories, racism rampant in Defend East County group | Andrew Dyer Aug 17, 2020

A Facebook group that organized after a Black Lives Matter protest in La Mesa turned destructive has ballooned to more than 20,000 members.

Called Defend East County, it has become an active online community of people who say they want to protect their cities, but it’s also a place where conspiracy theories, racist banter and calls for violence persist.

Recently, videos of self-styled “patriots” in other cities punching and kicking Black Lives Matter protesters received hundreds of “likes” on the Defend East County page, as did a video of a car running over protesters.

Some people affiliated with this and other East County community Facebook groups have counterprotested at area Black Lives Matter marches and, in at least five recent cases, have engaged in verbal and physical altercations. The latest verbal conflict occurred Tuesday at a march in La Mesa.

Rents fall during the pandemic I Phillip Molnar Aug 14, 2020

San Diego rents are falling for the first time since the Great Recession.The average rent throughout the region was about $1,850 between April and June.That’s less than a percentage point decrease over the previous quarter, but the downward trend is notable.Rents in San Diego have been on a seemingly unstoppable upward climb in recent years.Now COVID-19 has, at least for now, changed that.

Criminally charged gym owner rallies Ramona against ‘COVID-19 police’ | Alex Riggins Aug 13, 2020

In the days after he became the first San Diego County business owner criminally charged for defying coronavirus-related health orders, Ramona gym owner Peter San Nicolas took to Facebook to decry the “Covid police” treating business owners “like common criminals.”

On Tuesday night, San Nicolas held an informal town hall-style meeting outside the Ramona Fitness Center for himself and other business owners to voice their frustrations with state and local shutdown orders.

The meeting came eight days after San Nicolas learned that San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan had charged him with five misdemeanors — each punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine up to $1,000 — for refusing to shut down his gym.

Enforcement of the COVID-19 public health order is ramping up | Brittany Meiling, Morgan Cook Aug 12, 2020

For months, authorities have treated the Public Health Order with a somewhat lasseiz-faire attitude.

While some egregious violations have been prosecuted, county leaders now plan a more intense crackdown, just as quarantine fatigue and economic stress are deepening.

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Understanding Monday's "earthquake storm" below the Salton Sea | Gary Robbins Aug 11, 2020

Scientists are carefully monitoring a swarm of small earthquakes that erupted on Monday in the Salton Sea below the southern tip of the dangerous San Andreas fault.

They are concerned about the possibility that the swarm could trigger a larger event, a phenomenon that has occurred in that region in the past.

Scientists said Monday afternoon that there’s a less than 1 percent chance that the swarm will produce a 6.0 or larger quake within the next month. But the location of the swarm is worrisome due to its closeness to the San Andreas.

Will the COVID-19 testing site at PedEast slow the South Bay spike? | Lyndsay Winkley Aug 10, 2020

Later this week, a COVID-19 testing site will open up just outside PedEast, where tens of thousands of pedestrians cross into the United States from Mexico every day.

The location is thought to be the closest testing location to the U.S.-Mexico border in any state, and is the result, the county says, of a data-driven, community-led strategy that aims to slow the spread of COVID-19 in South Bay communities.

Officials have long known that the pandemic has disproportionately affected the South County region, where cases continue to climb. Factors that contribute to these increases include long-standing disparities in access to health care, a large population of essential workers and a lack of affordable housing.

Proximity to the border also plays a role, county officials said.

Contact the reporters: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-lyndsay-winkley-staff.html

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-gustavo-solis-staff.html

Check out our COVID-19 tracker: uniontrib.com/coronavirus-data

San Diego City stalls on deal with SDG&E I Rob Nikolewski Aug 07, 2020

City leaders are hotly debating who should provide gas and electric services to San Diegans. The city’s so-called franchise agreement with San Diego Gas & Electric is expiring in January after 50 years.

Now, it seems just about everyone wants a say in what the next long-term deal looks like. Should the city renew its contract with SDG&E? Or go with another company? How long should the new agreement be? And how much money should the city ask for?

Or should the city simply explore running its own electric and gas system, like they do in Los Angeles and Sacramento?

WFH not working? Here's what this one reporter did to fix that | Brittany Meiling Aug 06, 2020

Reporter Brittany Meiling discusses her column about why she leased out commercial office space during the pandemic: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2020-08-04/wfh-is-not-working-why-im-paying-for-a-office-space-outside-my-apartment

What went wrong in the purchase of 101 Ash St. | Jeff McDonald, David Garrick Aug 05, 2020

Cybele Thompson, the career real estate professional San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer recruited in 2014 to manage the city’s portfolio of property and leases, has become the latest official to leave her job after a report about the troubled acquisition of a downtown high rise.

Thompson will leave Wednesday, one week after an independent review found serious deficiencies in the city’s 2016 plan to acquire the former Sempra Energy headquarters at 101 Ash Street, according to her letter of resignation dated Monday.

The departure is the second for a high-profile city official involved in the Ash Street transaction. Earlier this year, former Deputy Chief Operating Officer Ronald Villa retired amid questions of how the property was handled.

A report from the Mayor’s Office last week said it could cost $115 million or more to rehabilitate the Ash Street office tower to a condition that would be safe for city employees to occupy — a stunning amount for a building appraised at $72 million a few years ago.

What we know about the servicemen lost at sea | Andrew Dyer Aug 04, 2020

The nine service members killed in a sinking amphibious transport near San Clemente Island Thursday were young men, ages 18 to 23, junior in rank and assigned to the same unit, the Marines said.

Cpl. Wesley Rodd, 23, of Harris, TX, was the oldest. Pfc. Bryan Baltierra, 18, of Corona, the youngest.

All were attached to Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/4 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Baltierra had just completed his first year in the Corps, having reported to boot camp in San Diego on July 29, 2019.

On Thursday the 16 troops were returning from training on San Clemente Island, about 70 miles west of San Diego, when their 26-ton assault amphibious vehicle began taking on water. Two other AAVs also had been returning and helped with the rescue.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2020-08-03/9-troops-killed-in-marine-amphibious-transport-sinking-ranged-in-age-from-18-23

Latest update: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2020-08-04/sunken-marine-amphibious-vehicle-human-remains-found-on-sea-floor-off-san-clemente-island

Contact the reporter: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sd-andrew-dyer-20180708-staff.html

Do you surf? You might be hanging out with baby sharks | Deborah Brennan Aug 03, 2020

We’re about one week away from “Shark Week” but, as it turns out, it’s always Shark Week along the San Diego County coast.

It’s been a fact of life that these creatures live here, but now we’re starting to learn more about the lifestyles of younger sharks, who until now, may have gone unnoticed.

This research not only deepens our understanding of these animals, but also may be key in finding out ways to prevent shark attacks.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/story/2020-08-01/white-sharks-swim-among-us-at-san-diego-beaches

Contact the reporter: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-deborah-sullivan-brennan-staff.html

Ghost towns to piazzas I Brittany Meiling Jul 31, 2020

Shopping malls and other retail centers badly impacted the ongoing coronavirus pandemic are taking a cue from the restaurant industry — moving operations outdoors wherever possible. Empty parking lots are being converted into drive-in movie theaters, lawns into art studios, and street corners into outdoor markets.

Get ready for an online college semester | Gary Robbins Jul 31, 2020

Throughout the entire pandemic, there was optimism that things would go back to normal in the fall

With the fall semester weeks away for colleges and universities, it’s clear that things aren’t normal. While schools elsewhere have decided to risk in-person instruction: California hasn’t

Here’s what the fall 2020 semester will look like.

July is the pandemic's deadliest month | Paul Sisson Jul 29, 2020

With 14 additional COVID-19-related deaths announced Tuesday, July became the deadliest month for the coronavirus pandemic in San Diego County since it started in mid-February. The news came amid fresh requests for deeper information on how local communities of color are being disproportionately affected by the disease.

According to county records, 161 of the region’s 547 total COVID-19 deaths occurred in July, 12 more than were reported in May, the previous month with the most fatalities. The median age of those who have died of the disease is 78 with the vast majority having other health problems that made them more susceptible to severe illness.

Contact the reporter here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-paul-sisson-staff.html

Why a Latino neighborhood and a Catholic Church are at odds| Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Jul 29, 2020

It started as an issue with parking on a Logan Heights block.

Now tensions between a largely Latino neighborhood and a long-standing, Latin-only Catholic Church have spilled over into social media conflicts, threats and calls for police intervention, evidence of a disconnect between a church and its neighbors.

Logan Heights is a predominantly residential single-family home neighborhood where Latino residents make up more than half the population. It’s bordered by the Barrio Logan community and Interstate-15. About 74 percent of households there earn less than $60,000 a year, according to the San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG.

St. Anne Catholic Church holds Mass in Latin there seven days a week and has a large following of parishioners, mostly from outside the neighborhood. The church belongs to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and, before pandemic restrictions stopped indoor Masses earlier this month, its attendance averaged more than 200 people, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego said. Now the church celebrates Mass in its courtyard.

Got a neighborhood story you want to share? Contact the reporter: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/people/andrea-lopez-villafana

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/san-diego/story/2020-07-26/tensions-grow-between-a-san-diego-church-st-anne-and-the-neighborhood-around-it

Will Comic-Con@Home become a part of the con? | Phillip Molnar Jul 28, 2020

More people viewed parts of the online-only Comic-Con International this weekend than are normally allowed in the crowded San Diego Convention Center.

San Diego’s biggest event was forced to go fully on the Internet for its 51st year because of COVID-19. More than 300 panels, which would normally be spread out throughout the center and parts of downtown, were uploaded steadily on YouTube over five days. All were free to view.

Gen Z podcast I Abby Hamblin & Kristy Totten Jul 24, 2020

San Diego's biggest Ponzi scheme | Lori Weisberg, Greg Moran Jul 24, 2020

San Diego businesswoman Gina Champion-Cain, charged a year ago with securities fraud in a civil case, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to criminal charges of conspiracy, securities fraud and obstruction of justice in connection with a $400 million Ponzi scheme.

Champion-Cain, who will be sentenced Oct. 13, declined to comment to the Union-Tribune as she walked out of the courtroom, her attorney by her side. The maximum prison time for the three charges is 15 years, although Champion-Cain has agreed to cooperate with the probe into the scheme she orchestrated, which investigators are still unravelling, and that could earn her a reduction in her sentence.

Champion-Cain remains free on $100,000 bond.

Comic-Con@Home starts today. Will people watch? | Phillip Molnar Jul 22, 2020

San Diego’s Comic-Con International isn’t happening this year … at least not in person. After the convention’s 51st edition was canceled earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers decided to bring it back as the entirely digital Comic-Con @ Home.

Between Wednesday and Sunday, this year’s SDCC features more than 350 (mostly prerecorded) panels highlighting upcoming television shows and movies with the help of their stars and filmmakers. Panels will stream for free on YouTube and are open to all.

In addition, the convention’s regular merchandise exclusives will be available, with a virtual convention floor accessible via their website. More than 700 vendors will be a part of the virtual convention floor. It opens Wednesday at 9 a.m. Pacific.

Should SDSU be allowed to "cancel" emeritus professors? | Gary Robbins Jul 21, 2020

A proposal to strip professors of their emeritus status if they do anything to harm the reputation of San Diego State University is causing a backlash among faculty who say the policy would suppress free speech and stoke the “cancel culture” movement sweeping the country.

This is the second major free speech controversy to roil the campus since last winter, and the new policy raises the possibility that a professor could be penalized for comments that he or she made in the past.

The proposal says that SDSU’s president, on the advice of the University Senate, would have the right to revoke a professor’s emeritus status based on conduct that occurred before or after they were granted the honorary title. Such conduct would have to harm the university’s reputation. The committee did not specify what that means.

Where schooling stands | Kristen Taketa Jul 20, 2020

The state has barred all public and private schools in San Diego County and most other California counties from holding in-person classes until the counties do a better job of containing the coronavirus.

The decision announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday disrupts the plans of many local school systems that were forging ahead with reopening next month despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-07-17/all-san-diego-county-schools-are-banned-from-reopening-until-covid-19-measures-improve

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-07-18/some-parents-lament-school-closure-order-even-as-they-understand-why-it-was-given

Businesses defy lockdown orders I Brittany Meiling Jul 17, 2020

Host Joshua Emerson Smith talks with Union-Tribune reporter Brittany Meiling about local businesses flouting the coronavirus shutdown orders and the response from government authorities. San Diego News Fix is also available wherever you get your podcasts.

San Diego drafts new surveillance rules | Teri Figueroa Jul 16, 2020

San Diegans are closer to getting a say in how they might be watched.

A City Council committee on Wednesday unanimously approved two proposed ordinances geared at governing surveillance technologies in the city, an action sparked by sustained pushback from activists and others who were surprised and upset last year when it was revealed that San Diego had quietly installed cameras on streetlights throughout the city.

“Today’s action is a promising step that will protect both the safety and civil liberties of our communities,” Councilwoman Monica Montgomery said before she and three fellow councilmembers on the Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods Committee voted to support the proposals.

The crimes of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein | Greg Moran Jul 16, 2020

Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who one year ago had part of his hand shot off in a lethal attack by a gunman at the Poway synagogue he founded and received an outpouring of support that included meeting President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to federal charges of tax fraud and wire fraud Tuesday.

Goldstein, 58, pleaded guilty to his role in several long-running, multimillion-dollar schemes involving tax, real estate, insurance and grant frauds, some of which stretched back to the 1980s. Omar Meisel, the acting head of the FBI in San Diego, said the investigation uncovered $18 million in “complex financial schemes” by Goldstein and co-defendants, with the rabbi “at the center of illegal activity” that went on for years.

Our previous coverage: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/topic/shooting

Special episode on the shooting: https://art19.com/shows/the-san-diego-news-fix/episodes/4128cb9e-6b51-4fb9-8534-ffd049c6ae85

DA files murder charge against SD sheriff's deputy who shot a man in custody | Teri Figueroa Jul 14, 2020

A former sheriff’s deputy who shot an unarmed detainee in May as the man ran from authorities outside the downtown San Diego jail has been charged with murder, a rare move by prosecutors that makes him the first member of local law enforcement to face a murder charge in the shooting death of a suspect.The District Attorney’s Office announced Monday that it is charging former detentions deputy Aaron Russell, 23, with second-degree murder in the May 1 death of Nicholas Peter Bils, 36.

Russell, who resigned from the county Sheriff’s Department in the days after the shooting, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday morning in San Diego Superior Court. He is charged under a theory of second-degree murder, which carries a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison. He also faces an allegation that he used a gun in the killing, which could add up to 10 years to his sentence if he is convicted.

Also: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2020-07-14/former-sheriffs-deputy-arraigned-on-murder-charge-in-shooting-death-of-fleeing-suspect

The Bonhomme Richard fire | Andrew Dyer Jul 14, 2020

Navy officials said Monday that the fire ravaging the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard for a second day has reached temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees, and it is still burning in various portions of the ship.

Smoke and fumes continued to affect the skyline and air throughout San Diego.

Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, the commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, said Monday that the fire is in the superstructure of the ship and its upper decks and that the ship’s forward mast has collapsed.

“There’s obviously burn damage all the way through the skin of the ship, and we are assessing that as we kind of go through each compartment,” he said. “Right now the priority is to get the fire out so that we can take a complete assessment.”

COVID-19 outbreak at South Bay nursing home is state’s largest | Paul Sisson Jul 10, 2020

State data shows that a South Bay skilled nursing facility is coping with what appears to be the largest COVID-19 outbreak among nursing homes in the state.

Early Thursday evening, Reo Vista Healthcare Center in San Diego’s Paradise Hills neighborhood updated a short statement on its website, indicating that it had 100 COVID-19 patients, 15 more than it had Wednesday. The total is significantly higher than the next-highest total listed in a database run by the California Department of Public Health, though figures listed in that resource reflect totals from Wednesday, not Thursday.

Though the facility with an estimated 135-bed capacity does appear to currently house the most COVID-19 patients among the state’s 1,223 nursing homes, that has not been the case until quite recently. Though it now has 100 COVID-19 patients, the total for the entire pandemic is 112. The record for the whole pandemic, according to state records, is 205 at a convalescent hospital in Los Angeles.

Faulconer proposes new plan for San Diego's energy agreement | Rob Nikolewski Jul 09, 2020

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s office has come up with four key recommendations for negotiating a new agreement that allows one utility the exclusive right to use the city’s public right-of-ways for transmission and distribution as well as installing wires, poles, power lines, and underground gas and electric lines.

San Diego Gas & Electric currently holds what is called the franchise agreement, which has been in place since 1970. But the deal expires in January and city officials are counting on fielding competitive bids from a number of different companies — not just SDG&E — before deciding who should win the new agreement.

With that in mind, Faulconer’s staff, working with an energy consulting firm, proposes:

a new franchise agreement that lasts 20 years
a provision calling for third-party reviews to make sure the company that wins the bid is keeping its promises and doing a good job
making adjustments to the franchise fees that would lead to a projected net benefit to San Diego ratepayers of $85 million over the course of the recommended 20-year contract, and
an upfront payment by the winning bidder of $62 million.

“San Diego is making it clear — this is not your grandfather’s franchise agreement,” Faulconer said in a statement. “A lot has changed over the last 50 years and this process ensures residents get a franchise agreement that aligns with their needs for today and shapes a vision for tomorrow.”

The ethics of human challenge trials | Gary Robbins Jul 08, 2020

She doesn’t think of herself as a risk-taker. But April Simpkins of San Diego says she’s willing to help test a COVID-19 vaccine by allowing herself to be directly exposed to the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 130,000 people nationally since February.

“I’m young and healthy and don’t see that much danger,” said Simpkins, 29. “The coronavirus has really been surging lately and a trial like this could help develop a vaccine sooner.”

Simpkins is one of 30,000 people globally — and about 100 in San Diego — who have volunteered to participate in a controversial type of medical study known as a human challenge trial, or HCT, if such a trial gains federal approval.

What you need to know about San Diego's 3-week shutdown | Lori Weisberg Jul 08, 2020

With per-capita infection rates above state thresholds for seven straight days, public health officials confirmed Monday that a fresh set of sure-to-be-unpopular restrictions will start Tuesday.

As has occurred in other counties across the state that have ended up on the governor’s monitoring list, some businesses not considered essential must cease indoor activities for the next three weeks, shutting down or moving their operations outside where, statistics show, the coronavirus is less likely to be transmitted.

Starting at midnight, local restaurants, family entertainment locations such as bowling alleys and batting cages, wineries, movie theaters, zoos and museums must cease all indoor activities, according to the governor’s order which was announced last week.

Grocery stores, medical offices and other businesses deemed essential when the first stay-at-home orders appeared in March will be able to continue serving customers, patients and clients indoors. And some enterprises that were initially deemed “nonessential” will be able to continue operating. Salons, whether they do hair, nails or both, will stay open for indoor business as will retail establishments and gyms.

Why most COVID-19 deaths happened in South Bay | Lyndsay Winkley Jul 07, 2020

South Bay communities, particularly those that are low income and with large Latino populations, continue to be the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis of COVID-19 deaths by ZIP code.

The most recent data provided by the county confirms trends previously reported by health officials and underscores the sometimes fatal consequences that stem from longstanding health disparities, doctors say.

Deaths in these hard-hit communities, they said, are likely the result of social factors that have long been known to impact health, such as poverty, access to health care and the availability of affordable housing. Barriers to testing and a high population of essential workers are also likely contributing to higher numbers.

The politics and policy of San Diego County's COVID-19 response | Michael Smolens Jul 03, 2020

Ahead of Independence Day weekend, many indoor activities and businesses were shuttered across the state.

While San Diego was not among those counties initially closed, current COVID-19 trends show that we will likely have to shut down as well on Monday.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s actions drew criticism, as many argue that the George Floyd protests were the cause of the region’s spike, but contact tracers have found that isn’t the case

San Diego County beaches score well on beach "report card" | Deborah Brennan Jul 01, 2020

Ten San Diego beaches scored perfect marks, while one Mission Bay location failed to make the grade, on the 30th annual “Beach Report Card” by the nonprofit Heal the Bay.

The annual report assigns letter grades to beaches, based on bacteria levels found in water samples throughout the year. Those grades represent an effort to translate scientific test results into readily understandable information for beachgoers.

“California’s beaches are iconic and essential to our economy here in California,” said Shelley Luce, president and CEO of Heal the Bay. “But, unfortunately, they are not always clean and not always safe.”

Drinking establishments closed again as COVID-19 cases surge | Lori Weisberg Jun 30, 2020

Just 17 days after they were allowed to reopen on June 12, San Diego County bars, breweries and wineries learned Monday that they will not be allowed to operate, at least not in the traditional sense, starting Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. While restaurants will still be allowed to serve drinks with meals, no one will be allowed to stand around with drinks in their hands after the stroke of midnight Tuesday.

Announced Monday afternoon by county Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, the decision follows a mandate from Gov. Gavin Newsom, released over the weekend, that asks bars to close in some California counties due to increasing rates of novel coronavirus transmission.

Follow COVID-19 trends here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/tracking-coronavirus-cases-san-diego-county

Saturday's officer-involved shooting, explained | David Hernandez Jun 30, 2020

Within 24 hours of a police shooting that critically wounded a man in downtown San Diego, police on Sunday released footage of the encounter as protesters took to the streets and local elected leaders demanded transparency.

The man, who police identified as Leonardo Hurtado Ibarra, 25, of San Diego, suffered life-threatening injuries. He was hospitalized in an intensive care unit Sunday, police said.

Police released four video clips, captured by the body-worn cameras of two officers who shot Ibarra, a streetlight camera and a security camera. The video shows that the 5:47 p.m. shooting on Sixth Avenue occurred about 10 seconds after the officers got out of their patrol car.

Will office culture survive COVID-19? | Brittany Meiling Jun 26, 2020

After roughly 100 days camped out at dining room tables or propped up on pillows while Zooming from their beds, many white-collar workers across San Diego are slowly coming to a realization: working from home might actually be permanent.

Some think it’s because a post-pandemic world will never exist, and workers must be protected from health threats. Others say it’s more to do with business accounting, as saving money on rent is wise for any company in a shaky economy.

Either way, many businesses in San Diego are in the midst of difficult conversations about how and when they will return to the office — or whether they’ll permanently say goodbye to their office-centric lifestyle.

Some are already downsizing their square footage, while others have negotiated their way out of leases entirely.

SDPD enacts new de-escalation policy | Teri Figueroa Jun 26, 2020

San Diego police now have standalone policy calling for officers to attempt to de-escalate encounters when they can, and a new imperative that officers intervene if they see another officer using unreasonable force, the mayor and police chief announced Wednesday.

De-escalation “is important, because de-escalation tactics help officers to defuse a situation, enhance the officer’s — and the public’s — safety, and lessens unintended consequences,"Mayor Kevin Faulconer said at a midday news conference at police headquarters. “And as a result, of course, results in lives saved.”

The department has long taught de-escalation techniques. The change here is that the officers are now required to use them if safe and reasonable in the situation — and that requirement is among the demands from those pushing for policing reform, from activists to police advisory and review boards in San Diego.

Police review board gets closer to becoming a ballot measure | David Garrick Jun 24, 2020

The San Diego City Council Tuesday unanimously endorsed plans for a new police review board that would have the power to launch independent misconduct investigations and subpoena witnesses. A formal vote to place it on the November ballot is set for July 7.

“It is time to shift power into the hands of the community and to have a more transparent board,” said Councilwoman Monica Montgomery, the City Council’s only Black member. “I’m happy that we’re moving this forward as part of a comprehensive plan for police reform.”

Other recent reform efforts in San Diego include a ban on police officers using carotid restraints, new Police Department de-escalation procedures and creation of an Office on Race and Equity.

Audit: Sweetwater school district financial mismanagement may be fraud | Kristen Taketa Jun 23, 2020

A state fiscal agency found “significant evidence” that current and former employees with the Sweetwater Union High School District may have committed fraud, misappropriation of funds or other illegal practices, according to the results of a long-awaited audit report announced Monday night by the San Diego County superintendent of schools.

The report also found violations of board policy, education and government code, and securities laws, San Diego County Superintendent Paul Gothold said.

Sweetwater Superintendent Karen Janney and district finance staff violated their fiduciary duties, the report found. District staff intentionally misrepresented the district’s finances and left out and delayed information when presenting the district’s finances to the school board and to bond market participants, the report said.

Some financial staff referenced in the report are no longer with the district, including the chief financial officer. Janney has led the district since 2015.

20 years, 217 dead: San Diego's police-related deaths | Teri Figueroa Jun 23, 2020

Death at the hands of law enforcement has come under renewed scrutiny in the weeks since a Minneapolis police officer spent eights minutes, 46 seconds with his knee pressed down on George Floyd’s neck as Floyd lay on the ground. The officer was White, Floyd was Black. Since late May, people have taken to the streets across the country to protest police bias and racial injustice, and to demand reforms.

The demonstrations shine a spotlight on long-running tensions between law enforcement and communities of color, even in San Diego County, where residents say they are over-policed.

Police say race is not a factor in the split-second decisions to use force, but rather they consider the totality of circumstances.

What primary education will look like in the fall | Kristen Taketa Jun 19, 2020

School districts are getting ready to reopen this fall, and many plan to let parents choose what kind of schooling they want for their kids — normal in-person school, online learning, or a blended model that combines both.

A county health order issued Monday allows schools in San Diego County to hold classes on campus as long as they comply with state reopening guidelines and post detailed reopening plans.

Several San Diego County school districts anticipate some version of blended learning, with part of their instruction taking place on campus in smaller than usual classes and the rest occurring at home online.

Some districts say they may also offer a parallel track consisting exclusively of online instruction for students who need stricter health protections or whose parents prefer a more cautious approach.

Supreme Court rules 5-4 in support of DACA | Kate Morrissey Jun 18, 2020

In a striking rebuke to President Trump, the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected his plan to repeal the popular Obama-era order that protected so-called Dreamers, the nearly 800,000 young immigrants who were brought to this country illegally as children.

Led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., the court called the decision to cancel the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, arbitrary and not justified. The program allows these young people to register with the government, and if they have clean records, to obtain a work permit. At least 27,000 of these DACA recipients are employed as healthcare workers.

Trump had been confident that high court with its majority of Republican appointees would rule in his favor and say the chief executive had the power to “unwind” the policy.

Advocates say carotid restraint ban was motivated by politics, not policy | Greg Moran Jun 17, 2020

In San Diego, police agencies for years had insisted that the restraint was necessary.

But within 48 hours of San Diego’s decision, every department in the county announced it, too, was banning use of the hold. Sheriff Bill Gore, whose department employed Ward, initially said the department would continue to use it. But the next day he reversed course and said while he still believed the hold is safe he would follow suit.

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2020-06-16/banning-carotid-restraint-motivated-by-politics-more-than-policy-reformers-say

Inside San Diego's largest homeless shelter | Gary Warth Jun 16, 2020

Life inside San Diego’s largest homeless shelter can be tranquil, relaxing and friendly.

And it could be a place where women are frightened by men who leer at them. Where possessions often go missing. Where sleep is disturbed every night by the sound of someone screaming.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that 1,300 people living at the city’s largest homeless shelter — in the San Diego Convention Center — are not going to have a shared experience.

Depending on who you ask, the bathrooms are either horrible or the best part of the shelter. The effort to find people permanent housing is either running smoothly or at a snail’s pace. The days can be tedious or can be pleasant and peaceful.

Diary of a recovery: University & Euclid | Joshua Emerson Smith Jun 16, 2020

Will life in the neighborhood around Euclid and University avenues quickly return to normal? Or will it take weeks, or months?

Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-06-14/reopening-san-diego-coronavirus-diary

More businesses open today. Here's what you need to know | Lori Weisberg Jun 12, 2020

After almost three long and lonely months, San Diego County residents are legally cleared to meet their friends for a drink, take a date to a museum or the zoo, visit a campground with the family and hit the gym to work off those quarantine pounds.

Today marks the biggest reopening since county health officials began shutting down businesses and events in mid-March to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and it marks a return to some of the most-missed social connections and activities.

But the slow return to normalcy does not mean things are quite normal. Many institutions will not be ready to open today. When they do, expect to make a reservation for the gym or a museum, don’t expect to see any animal acts at the zoo, and you might have your temperature checked when you enter many places, including some that are going to seem rather empty because of new capacity restrictions.

Faulconer: SDPD will mandate de-escalation | Alex Riggins Jun 11, 2020

Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced Wednesday that San Diego Police Department officials are developing a new de-escalation policy, which a department spokesman said should be implemented by next week.

The Police Department currently trains its officers in de-escalation techniques and has language addressing the approach — emphasizing that officers do all they can to avoid a physical confrontation — in its use-of-force procedure. But the new standalone policy “will be more robust,” Faulconer said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

Faulconer said the new policy will give “officers clear rules of the road on how to safely control a situation, and resolve it, with lower levels of force.”

La Mesa police release timeline of the May 30 protest | David Hernandez Jun 10, 2020

La Mesa police on Tuesday released a step-by-step account of what happened when a peaceful protest against racial injustice and police brutality more than a week ago turned into riots marked by fires, vandalism and looting.

The timeline was pieced together from entries La Mesa police dispatchers made in a computer system as the May 30 protest unfolded in the heart of the city. It paints a picture of a large demonstration that gradually turned violent, at first within pockets of protest crowds, then more widespread as night fell.

The information is the clearest, albeit incomplete, account to date from La Mesa police of how they say the unrest unfolded and how law enforcement officers responded.

San Diego youth emerge as protest organizers | Lyndsay Winkley Jun 09, 2020

When Ariel Gibbs arrived last Sunday morning at the Hall of Justice, the place where her protest was set to begin in downtown San Diego, she paused and turned to a friend.

“Wow,” she said.

She could not believe how many people showed up to march alongside her to demand justice for George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer in Minnesota knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

By 10 a.m., there were about 100 people present. Throughout the day, the crowd that gathered would grow to more than 1,000.

So you want to defund the police? | John Wilkens Jun 08, 2020

Protest signs are meant to be provocative, but these were especially so: “Abolish the police.”

They showed up in San Diego and across the country over the past two weeks as thousands of Americans took to the streets to condemn the May 25 killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest over a counterfeit $20 bill.

As far-fetched as the protest signs seem, they are part of a growing national debate that’s moved beyond the usual calls for change — better training, more diversity, increased accountability — to openly question the fundamental purpose of police in society.

Are the officers guardians, or are they warriors?

The politics of policing in San Diego | Michael Smolens Jun 05, 2020

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and his appointed police chief, David Nisleit, on Monday announced SDPD will immediately stop using the carotid restraint.

The neck hold used to subdue people has come to be viewed as dangerous and unnecessary, and minority groups in particular have condemned it. Other police departments increasingly have abandoned the practice.

San Diego police officials had continually defended the tactic, as they did in an in-depth article last year by Lyndsay Winkley of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The reversal was stunning enough. But Faulconer wasn’t done. Later on Monday, as protesters again marched downtown, he threw his support behind a 30-plus-year effort to establish an independent commission to investigate alleged police misconduct and examine police practices.

“That is moving forward,” the Republican mayor said at a news conference. “It will be on the ballot. . . I look forward to giving it my full support.”

Read the column: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2020-06-03/column-san-diego-moves-quickly-toward-police-reforms

San Diego Sheriff calls in National Guard in La Mesa | David Hernandez Jun 04, 2020

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore has requested the help of the California National Guard to support police in La Mesa and deputies around the county amid continuing protests calling for racial justice and police reform, according to sheriff’s officials.

“San Diego County has requested the National Guard (to) assist with security in the region due to the recent civil unrest,” La Mesa city officials said in a statement Wednesday night. “A portion of them will be responding to La Mesa this evening. You may also see them throughout the county.”

Unrest in America: Where San Diego stands | Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Jun 03, 2020

San Diego's protests following the death of George Floyd continue. The region is not immune to police brutality and racism, communities reporter Andrea Lopes-Villafaña discusses the state of things in the county.

Follow the movement here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/topic/george-floyd

SDPD bans the carotid restraint | Lyndsay Winkley, Teri Figueroa Jun 02, 2020

On the heels of protests over the death of George Floyd, the San Diego Police Department announced it would stop using a controversial neck restraint that a U-T analysis found is disproportionately used on black San Diegans.

Floyd, a black man, died after a white officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Learn more from Public Safety reporter Teri Figueroa and Watchdog reporter Lyndsay Winkley.

San Diego joins protests following the death of George Floyd | Kate Morrissey Jun 02, 2020

After spending most of the afternoon in a standoff with police in downtown San Diego, protesters calling for justice for black people killed by police found a place to breathe.

They suddenly turned away from the officers who had fired tear gas, flashbangs and less-lethal ammunition at them and made their way to the County Administration Building, where the group of roughly 1,000 held a moment of silence for more than six minutes.

Speakers called for unity and end to racial inequity in policing.

“Black lives matter now and forever,” one man said, addressing the crowd through a megaphone.

Local auto sales are rebounding despite COVID-19 | Rob Nikolewski May 29, 2020

The more upbeat tone in San Diego has been mirrored across the state. All 160 dealers who responded to a survey released Wednesday by the California New Car Dealers Association said their showrooms are open and 94 percent reported increased traffic.

“There’s a lot of pent-up business,” said Campos, who estimated his dealership has brought back about 90 of the roughly 100 employees it laid off or furloughed. “Customers are tired of being locked up indoors, they’ve been wanting to buy a car for months.”

But the survey also highlighted the financial impact of the shutdown. Since mid-March, 54.5 percent of the dealers reported decreases in sales of between 30 to 60 percent. Another 25 percent said sales had fallen between 60 and 80 percent.

“Those are Great Recession numbers,” said Brian Maas, the president of the new car dealers group. “And it took 2 1/2 years for that drop to occur and this happened in eight weeks.”

Could poop be the key to see where COVID-19 is going to hit? | Lyndsay Winkley May 29, 2020

Most of what we know about COVID-19 comes after people are infected, but current science suggests that fecal matter can show where outbreaks hit before people become symptomatic.

With no county fair, the Del Mar Fairgrounds asks Congress for cash | Phil Diehl May 27, 2020

The Del Mar Fairgrounds needs you, according to a new website saveyourfairgrounds.com created to spread the notion that without financial assistance the state-owned property could be closed.

Fairgrounds officials are urging residents to write their elected officials in support of $20 million the 22nd District Agricultural Association, which runs the facility, has requested in federal economic aid for state and local agencies affected by the COVID 19 pandemic.

If you need a sample letter, the website provides one. Same with email and tweets. Or you can telephone your representative, share your fairgrounds photos, or buy a fairgrounds printed tee-shirt. The talent that normally markets the San Diego County Fair, cancelled this year because of the pandemic, is recruiting people to help push for financial aid.

Did San Diego follow the rules this Memorial Day weekend? | Tarcy Connors, Sam Hodgson May 26, 2020

It was a Memorial Day unlike any in memory. But the spirit was the same.

Be it donning masks and watching video on a flight deck without crowds, joining a parade of cars, or feeding hungry veterans, San Diego County — home to the highest concentration of the nation’s military personnel — honored its fallen heroes Monday with socially-distant, pandemic-shaped tributes.

“It’s not about the audience, it’s not about the pomp and circumstance,” Navy Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar said during a gathering at the USS Midway Museum. “It’s about what’s in your heart and honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

And San Diego’s beaches — the region’s other usual Memorial Day gathering site — saw plenty of people, including some who had to be shooed along for trying to get together in defiance of state and county orders.

We're in Stage 2. What happens now? | Greg Moran May 22, 2020

Before San Diego County could allow some restaurants and shops to welcome customers again, it first had to show state officials in myriad ways that it was prepared to handle a broader reopening of society amid the coronavirus pandemic.

That proof is contained in a 188-page application filed with the state, full of details on health care system capacity and the steps the county has taken to both combat the outbreak, and get prepared if infections surge again.

While county officials have kept up a steady stream of information on the pandemic, primarily through news conferences held daily for more than a month up to this week, the report provides a new level of detail — including specific metrics surrounding case totals and hospital capacity that, if triggered, could prompt authorities to scale back the reopening, or even plunge the county back into lockdown.

Read the story here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-05-21/county-stage-2-plan-detailed-readiness-to-reopen-triggers-that-could-lead-to

The full report: https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/44/65/4a08ea09451fa513d37c80b4f39b/cosd-covid-attestation-and-containment-final-rev-05-19-2020.pdf

Programming note: The next episode will be Tuesday.

San Diego didn't have a COVID surge. El Centro did. | Paul Sisson May 22, 2020

A brigade of ambulances, in the air and on the ground, worked through the day Wednesday to take the pressure off of El Centro Regional Medical Center, which has found itself at ground zero in a cross-border surge of COVID-19 patients that threatened to overwhelm the inland region’s two main hospitals.

Officials announced Tuesday morning that they were diverting all ambulance deliveries of additional COVID-19 patients to facilities in San Diego and Riverside counties, but those measures had been removed early Wednesday at El Centro Regional and neighboring Pioneers Memorial Hospital in nearby Brawley.

Hospitals all along California’s southern border have seen increasing emergency traffic and hospital admissions in recent weeks, and many have linked the slow surge to significant and deadly outbreaks underway in Mexico.

While COVID-19 patient counts have been up and down at hospitals in Chula Vista, a clear and fierce surge arrived in Imperial County over the weekend, flooding emergency rooms for days.

COVID-19 hasn't yet sickened the luxury real estate market | Philip Molnar May 20, 2020

What is happening in the luxury market does not reflect housing as a whole in San Diego County. While the median home price has hardly moved since the crisis began, around $590,000, housing insecurity has only increased in recent months as thousands of San Diegans have lost jobs and reported trouble paying rent.

Read about an estate for sale in Alpine: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2020-05-18/looking-to-escape-covid-check-out-this-8-9m-ranch-in-alpine

Watch the video here: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/1fenmrn9kom-123

Retailers, restaurateurs prepare to reopen | Lori Weisberg, Brittany Meiling May 19, 2020

San Diego County supervisors gave the go-ahead Tuesday for the county to accelerate its entrance into Stage 2 of reopening, which will allow retail shopping and restaurants to cater to in-person patrons while abiding by social-distancing guidelines to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Additionally, the board voted 4-1 to make a request to the governor to launch a pilot program for reopening some Stage 3 activities in the county as well including some youth sports and clubs, outdoor religious services, research labs, and therapeutic and peer support groups of less than 10 individuals.

The pilot, if approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would also allow salons and fitness facilities in San Diego County to operate at 25 percent capacity by appointment only, as well as open up pools at HOA/Condominium/Apartment complexes at 25 percent capacity.

Supervisor Nathan Fletcher was the lone supervisor to vote against pursuing the pilot program, saying that since the county hadn’t yet fully implemented Stage 2, it wasn’t time to move toward Stage 3.

Policing in the age of COVID-19 | David Hernandez May 19, 2020

Faced with a new threat in the line of duty, police officers and sheriff’s deputies have had to adjust to unprecedented work conditions. Tasked with responding to constant violations of ever-changing county orders — like unpermitted activity at beaches and parks, even sizable protests against the orders — in addition to the usual crimes, they gear up in masks and gloves, among other precautions, to subdue the unseen culprit behind the pandemic.

Name Drop San Diego: Ellen Ochoa May 16, 2020

Ellen Ochoa is a local and graduate of San Diego State University who became an astronaut and director of the Johnson Space Center. On this episode, she talks about her early days with NASA, how she lived and worked in space, where NASA is headed next and more.

Subscribe to Name Drop here: https://link.chtbl.com/follow

UCSD begins testing its students for COVID-19 | Gary Robbins May 16, 2020

UC San Diego says it got off to a solid start during its first week of mass testing students for the novel coronavirus, with more than 300 undergraduates volunteering for the program by late Thursday. The figure could rise to around 500 — the goal for the week — when Friday’s figures are calculated.

The university hopes to test up to 5,000 of its residential students during a three-week period. The so-called “Return to Learn” project is part of an effort to largely open the campus to in-person classes during the fall quarter, which begins in September.

UCSD is the first major research university in the U.S. to begin mass testing students for a virus that has killed nearly 90,000 people nationwide. Students must volunteer for the self-administered tests, which generally take less than 10 minutes to complete. Results are typically available with 24 hours.

Campus officials are using social media and word-of-mouth campaigns to recruit students for the program, which might be offered to all of UCSD’s 65,000 students, faculty and staff if it proves to be successful.

Can he do that? Pandemic raises questions about limits to Newsom's power | Greg Moran May 15, 2020

It was another Wednesday in California’s long lockdown spring, and late in the day Gov. Gavin Newsom signed off on Executive Order N-54-20.

The four pages of text began with seven “whereas” clauses laying out the reasons and purpose for what followed: a dozen densely worded paragraphs, suspending timelines and waiving requirements embedded in obscure corners of state regulations, from the Vehicle Code to the Public Resources Code.

The April 22 order was one of more than three dozen such orders Newsom has churned out since March 3, when he declared a state of emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic that has since killed 2,546 residents and sickened tens of thousands more.

With the Legislature not in Sacramento since mid-March, Newsom has effectively been a one-man government, and the executive orders have largely been the vehicle he has used. The Assembly returned on May 4 and the Senate is due back Monday which will likely bring governance back to something resembling what it was before the pandemic with more input from legislators.

Two hate incidents bring back memories of "Klantee" | Karen Pearlman May 13, 2020

For years the East County city of Santee has tried to fix its image.

Racial incidents have occurred in the community, earning it the nickname “Klantee”

Local leaders have been trying to prove that these monikers aren’t representative of the community, but two recent incidents have made that more difficult. A man went shopping in a Santee Vons wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood, and another person wore a mask adorned with a swastika.

During this pandemic, racial and anti-Semitic actions are particularly troubling because economic downturns and other disasters have preceded systematic targeting of minorities in the past.

Who is organizing anti-shutdown protests in San Diego? | Joshua Emerson Smith May 12, 2020

A group calling itself We Have Rights has recently started organizing large back-to-work protests throughout California, calling on state and local leaders to end social-distancing orders aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

The group, which popped up in just the last two weeks, has a professional-looking website and growing social media presence, which provide details for upcoming events, instructions for dealing with the media, highly produced Instagram videos, as well as T-shirts and other branded merchandise for sale.

The campaign — which turned out hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters from San Diego to Sacramento starting May 1 and continuing through this weekend — also has had a charismatic front woman with something of a controversial past: 38-year-old Vivienne Nicole Reign.

Reign, who has been living with her husband in a $3 million home in Newport Beach, according to legal documents, is currently embroiled in legal challenges concerning several neuropathy treatment clinics she owns and operates with a chiropractor. The defendants have maintained their innocence, denying claims brought by former clients of medical negligence, financial elder abuse and fraud.

How the Otay Mesa Detention Center became a COVID hotspot | Kate Morrissey May 12, 2020

Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the past week has released 65 more detainees from Otay Mesa Detention Center who are medically vulnerable to COVID-19, a government attorney said during a court hearing Friday.

There are still more inside. Under court order in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, ICE identified a list of 131 people total in its custody at the facility who are medically vulnerable.

The agency had released two detainees by its first check-in with U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw on Monday. Sabraw had ordered ICE to review cases at the facility — which has the biggest outbreak in San Diego County as well as in immigration detention nationwide — and release as many of the medical vulnerable as possible.

Some of those who haven’t yet been released are waiting for medical clearance because they either have already tested positive for the novel coronavirus or they are waiting for results. Two still need sponsors to live with in order to be released.

Read more here.

Also, read more about how hospitals in Chula Vista are faring, here

Why San Diego should start reopening parks for solo exercise | Mark Zeigler Apr 23, 2020

U-T Sports columnist Mark Zeiger argues that outdoor recreation should be the next phase of reopening, in order to keep San Diegans healthy.

Read the column here.

Behind the decision to reopen San Diego parks | David Garrick Apr 23, 2020

The local death toll jumped by 15 souls Tuesday, as the new case count in San Diego County hit triple digits for the first time since April 4, according to the latest daily COVID-19 update from the county health department.

Though the newly announced deaths did not occur on a single day, they none-the-less show that talk of rapidly opening shut-down parts of the economy and sidelined social and recreational resources too quickly should be expected to backfire, officials said.

County supervisor Nathan Fletcher made his daily effort to convey that those keeping these orders in effect in the face of public protest over the weekend are doing so out of a desire to prevent a deadly resurgence in cases such has the one now underway in Singapore.

“They’re not out of a desire to infringe; they’re out of a desire to protect,” Fletcher said.

Read more here.

What happens when the price of oil drops below $0 | Rob Nikolewski Apr 22, 2020

Unprecedented times led to an unprecedented event in the energy sector Monday.

For the first time in U.S. history, the futures price for domestic crude oil not only dropped to zero, it fell into negative territory. In essence, buyers paid sellers not to deliver oil because there is no place to store all the crude that has piled up around the world, including California, as the COVID-19 pandemic has decapitated demand.

With no specific timeline in place to lift coronoavirus restrictions, fuel experts say gasoline prices will continue to fall — although there are few drivers in position to take advantage of it — and oil producers in the Golden State say they face an increasingly uncertain future.

Read more here.

Decoding the science of antibodies | Jonathan Wosen Apr 21, 2020

As scientists and doctors scramble to track the scope and severity of COVID-19, antibodies have become something of a buzzword.

Here are five things you need to know about coronavirus antibodies, including how and why scientists — many of them in San Diego — are studying them, and why some think they might be the key to reopening the economy.

Read more here.

*****

Listen to Victoria Robertson's porch concert here.

Coronavirus update: Businesses worry about the "how" of opening back up| Phil Molnar, Brittany Meiling Apr 18, 2020

San Diego is closed for business — but it won't be forever. Recently announced federal guidelines suggest that some doors will open sooner rather than later, leaving local proprietors and landlords in the tricky position of needing to make room for radical change right away.In a press conference Thursday, President Donald Trump revealed a three-phase plan to reopen businesses, starting when each state meets a threshold of coronavirus case decline. Reopening would begin with restaurants, movie theaters and sporting venues. Later on, worksites and schools will reopen — all with appropriate social distancing. Some states, like Texas and Florida, are expected to begin reopening as early as late April, while others will wait longer.That means, across the county, human resource staffers and business owners are already huddling remotely to write a new rule book for returning to work or play. They have large blanks to fill in because there's only one certainty: Leave-your-home life will, for the foreseeable future, be different than what we experienced in the days before COVID-19 upended everyday life.

Coronavirus update: San Diego International Airport may delay Terminal 1 expansion | Lori Weisberg Apr 16, 2020

With less than half the scheduled flights taking off here in early April and more of the same anticipated as the coronavirus scare plays out across the world, San Diego’s international airport is facing a deep dive in monthly revenues that is forcing it to slash expenses and possibly delay the start late next year of a $3 billion project to expand its aging Terminal 1.

The airport’s largest airline, Southwest, has already cut by half the number of flights scheduled across its system in June, and by Wednesday, all three of San Diego’s once-popular overseas flights — to London, Frankfurt and Japan — will have ended.

Even more startling are stats released by the Transportation Security Administration, which reported that officers screened just 102,184 people at U.S. airport checkpoints on Monday — a nearly 96 percent drop from the nearly 2.5 million who went through security on the same day in 2019. No figures are available by airport, but in San Diego, a little more than 400,000 passengers boarded planes during the month of March, compared to well over twice that a year earlier, the Airport Authority reported.

Read more here.

Coronavirus update: Inmates fear COVID-19 outbreak | Jeff McDonald Apr 16, 2020

Inmates and their family members say conditions are more serious than department officials have acknowledged. Among other problems, they cite a persistent lack of virus testing and inadequate protective gear and medical care.

As of April 9 the department had tested 62 inmates for the coronavirus — just over 0.13 percent of the people in custody and 16 more than the 46 tested by April 3.

Department officials say they are taking every reasonable precaution to keep COVID-19 from infiltrating the jails, including issuing masks to employees and inmates.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2020-04-12/theyre-filthy-inmates-decry-lack-of-clean-masks-testing-conditions-in-san-diego-jails

Coronavirus update: COVID-19 derails transit plans | Joshua Emerson Smith Apr 14, 2020

Public transit was shaping up to have a banner year in 2020 — from a tax proposal to massively expand bus and trolley service to the unveiling of a vision for an entirely new commuter rail system.

Now those efforts could be, at least temporarily, derailed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that continues to grip California and much of the world. The reality stings all the more since bus and trolley ridership in San Diego had been climbing in recent months, bucking a years-long trend impacting systems nationwide.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/transportation/story/2020-04-10/coronavirus-threatens-to-derail-san-diegos-plans-to-expand-public-transit

Coronavirus update: Feared "surge" of COVID-19 hospitalizations spared hospitals | Paul Sisson Apr 13, 2020

They’ve built special wards, literally punching holes in their walls and snaking ventilation pipes through their halls to make their rooms ready to receive COVID-19 patients.

They’ve conserved personal protective equipment, and they’ve canceled most elective procedures, inconveniencing their own patients in ways that will surely take months to untangle.

But, as Easter arrived, the expected surge of patients with novel coronavirus infections still has not swamped local emergency rooms and intensive care units across San Diego County though news came this weekend that many hospitals in Baja California now have more patients than they can handle.

As of Saturday afternoon, the county public health department has tallied just 396 total hospitalizations since Feb. 14, nowhere near the number that would be needed to inundate the combined capacity of the region’s 21 acute care hospitals which, taken together, exceeds 7,000 beds.

But that does not mean that the burden has fallen evenly on San Diego’s houses of healing. Hospitals in Escondido, San Diego and Chula Vista, visited Friday, had similar but distinct COVID experiences.

Coronavirus update: The Navy's COVID-19 chaos | Andrew Dyer Apr 10, 2020

In just one week, the Acting Secretary of the Navy has resigned following an outbreak of COVID-19 on an aircraft carrier, and now about 10% of its sailors are confirmed to have the virus. How the Navy is handling this pandemic.

Stories:

The San Diego Union-Tribune is providing some coronavirus content for free during the pandemic.

Coronavirus update: COVID-19 Q&A | Morgan Cook Apr 10, 2020

Reporter Morgan Cook answers questions readers submitted about the virus.

Coronavirus update: What schools are doing to prevent "Zoombombing" | Kristen Taketa Apr 09, 2020

Zoom is one of the most popular videoconferencing tools being used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers nationwide are using it to hold remote classes while schools remain physically closed.

But stories of so-called “Zoombombing” like Armstrong’s highlight some of the security risks that come into play when school districts nationwide are forced to quickly switch instruction to online formats because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zoombombing is loosely defined as people harassing others, spewing abuse or showing inappropriate content on Zoom, such as racist language or profanity.

Zoombombing reports have prompted some school districts and agencies to ban Zoom, including New York City schools, the largest school district in the country. NASA, SpaceX and the Taiwanese government also stopped using Zoom.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-04-08/san-diego-zoombombing-incident-highlights-need-for-schools-to-use-safety-controls

Coronavirus update: More tests are available countywide, but not enough to test everyone | Paul Sisson Apr 07, 2020

San Diego County’s collective COVID-19 testing capacity now exceeds 1,200 per day, with significantly more resources poised to come online in the next few weeks.

But, while the group of people throughout the region who can get tested quickly has gradually increased, supply shortages continue to force rationing.

Just Wednesday, in a notice to all local physicians, San Diego County’s public health department reiterated that testing should be offered only to those with symptoms severe enough to require hospitalization and to people with higher-than-average infection risk. Those who are age 65 and older, have a chronic health condition, live in a group home or have a high-risk job are also on the short list for testing.

For everybody else, especially otherwise healthy people with mild to moderate symptoms, the advice continues to be stay home even if that means day after day spent anxiously wondering whether it is coronavirus, or some other microscopic malcontent, causing their illness.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-04-05/only-testing-will-set-us-free

Coronavirus update: Survivors describe what its like to have COVID-19 |Morgan Cook Apr 07, 2020

In the days after the March 3 primary, Democratic political insiders met to socialize and organize for what was expected to be a bruising November contest.

They were unaware that a far more formidable opponent was already in their midst.

Chula Vista City Councilman Steve Padilla was the first among his political circle to announce he had fallen ill with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Within a week of Padilla’s March 14 announcement, he was fighting for his life, and another person in the circle, Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, was critically ill in intensive care.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/story/2020-04-05/whats-it-like-to-have-covid-19

Watch the episode of the COVID diaries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhSzg0qHdSk

Coronavirus update: Understanding the data behind the pandemic | Lauryn Schroeder Apr 04, 2020

San Diego County Health officials have been releasing a trove of data in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. This data, however, has its caveats.

Coronavirus update: Flu numbers suggest social distancing may be working | Paul Sisson Apr 03, 2020

Weekly flu report results released Wednesday morning show that both leaders have a good reason to believe that it is possible for the curve to bend significantly in the coming days and weeks.

The report shows a precipitous drop in the number of flu cases reported to the county health department last week, and similar sudden effects were felt last week at Rady Children’s Hospital for all respiratory viruses, not just the flu.

Last week, a total of 90 confirmed flu cases were reported countywide, an 84 percent decrease in the previous week’s total of 583 cases, and a 71 percent decrease when compared to the prior three-year average of 310 cases observed in the fourth week of March.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-04-01/social-distancing-working-san-diego

Coronavirus update: Empty Convention Center turned into homeless shelter | Gary Warth Apr 02, 2020

The San Diego Convention Center officially became the city’s newest emergency shelter on Wednesday, a move that aims to slow the spread of COVID-19 among homeless San Diegans.

The doors opened a day after county officials announced that three sheltered individuals had tested positive for COVID-19, the first known cases to involve homeless San Diegans.

People currently living in two of the city’s bridge shelters will be the first to move in.

“I’m glad that we can use this community asset to serve our neighbors in need,” said Rip Rippetoe, president of the San Diego Convention Center.

The decision to re-purpose the convention center — dubbed “Operation Shelter to Home” — was announced last week.

With the extra space the center will provide, city officials and shelter workers will be able to better space homeless individuals, ensuring social-distancing guidelines are adhered to. It will also allow the city to convert its existing bridge shelters into locations that provide health screenings and other services to people living outdoors.

Bob McElroy, president of Alpha Project, said 260 men and 170 women from the city’s bridge shelters will be bused to the convention center throughout Wednesday.

Each person can take two bins for personal items that will fit under their cots. Larger overflow bins will remain at the bridge shelter sites, and people will be shuttled back if they need to retrieve something.

Coronavirus update: Capt. to Navy - "Sailors don't need to die" from virus | Andrew Dyer Apr 01, 2020

The captain of the San Diego-based aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, in port in Guam fighting a coronavirus outbreak among its crew, says that unless the Navy takes immediate action to isolate the crew off the ship, COVID-19 will continue to spread and “there will be losses,” he wrote in a letter sent Sunday to Pacific Fleet commanders.

Read the story here.

Original story from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Coronavirus update: How will our lives change after the pandemic? | John Wilkens Mar 31, 2020

If there’s a light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel, it’s faint. Most of our eyes are still adjusting to the darkness.

No one knows how long this will last, or what the final toll will be — in lives, in economic turmoil, in changes to the world as we knew it.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-03-29/end-of-coronavirus-pandemic-what-will-new-normal-look-like

Coronavirus update: Grocery stores batten the hatches, enforce social distancing | Brittany Meiling Mar 28, 2020

San Diego shoppers are noticing curious new fixtures in grocery stores this week: thick sheets of Plexiglas separating clerks from customers. These physical shields are called "sneeze guards," and they appear to be the new normal in supermarkets everywhere. As of Friday, sneeze guards are installed at Walmart, Albertson's, Von's, the Baron's Market in North Park, and 7-Eleven stores, among many others.

Coronavirus update: How the Navy is fighting the pandemic | Andrew Dyer Mar 27, 2020

The crew of the San Diego-based amphibious transport dock Somerset have been ordered to remain on board the ship as the Navy announced Wednesday that six more San Diego-based sailors have tested positive for COVID-19.

The order to remain on board coincides with comments made Tuesday by Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations, who said such orders are already being implemented on submarines 14 days out from getting underway.

Navy officials from the Somerset, Naval Surfaces Forces Pacific, 3rd Fleet and the Pacific Fleet would not confirm the order late Wednesday; however, a post on the ship’s Facebook page made note of the latest “schedule change.”

Coronavirus update: San Diego Unified announces digital learning plan | Kristen Taketa Mar 26, 2020

San Diego Unified will officially start conducting school online beginning on April 27.

It is one of the first large area districts to announce a plan to return to grading and formal instruction.

“San Diego Unified will return to instruction next month to guarantee students an opportunity to successfully complete the current academic year, even as physical school facilities will remain closed until public health officials determine it is safe for students to return to classrooms,” the district said in a statement Tuesday.

The district’s plan is meant to answer the concerns of many students about whether they’ll be able to finish the school year or complete course credits to move on to the next grade or graduate.

“The schedule outlined today by the district will give members of the Class of 2020 the assurance they need that they will graduate, whether or not public health officials approve a return to in-classroom instruction,” the district of 103,000 students said in the statement.

The timeline means most students will get about six weeks of formal instruction for the rest of the school year, which for most students ends on June 9.

Coronavirus update: Going to a park, beach or trail? You could face a $1,000 fine | David Hernandez Mar 25, 2020

San Diego closed public spaces as a means to push for more social distancing amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Coronavirus update: Public spaces begin to close | David Hernandez Mar 24, 2020

Many San Diego County residents failed to social distance this weekend, causing governments to begin to close public spaces. Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases swell to 230, with one death in the county so far.

Coronavirus update: Businesses grapple with stay-at-home order | Phil Molnar Mar 21, 2020

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mandate is clear, but only for about a dozen or so different industries. Grocery stores, gas stations, banks, laundromats and pharmacies are essential and can remain open. Alternatively, others — dine-in restaurants, bars and clubs, entertainment venues, gyms, public events, and conventions centers — must close immediately.

But what about the hundreds or thousands of businesses that fall into the massive gray area not identified in the order? And what exactly is “essential” in today’s totally unrecognizable brick-and-mortar world? As it stands, lattes are still being served through Starbucks drive-throughs, craft beers are available for pickup at local breweries, and cable TV and Internet sales staff are still reporting to Spectrum stores.

Basically, businesses appear to be making the call on their own, with some leaning on the guidance provided to individual municipalities earlier in the week.

When seven counties in the San Francisco Bay Area instituted their shelter-in-place mandate, officials included a wider range of businesses in their definition of essential, including hardware stores, plumbers, some legal services and newspapers. Friday evening, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer clarified that home builders also fall into the go-to-work bucket.

Coronavirus update: Even funerals change in wake of the virus | John Wilkens Mar 20, 2020

Throughout San Diego County, where on an average day about 60 people die from various causes, mortuaries are also making adjustments. They’re shortening or eliminating visitations, live-streaming services so people can watch from home, and asking those at funerals not to hug or kiss.

Coronavirus update: Will San Diego's drinking and dining scene survive the virus? | Lori Weisberg Mar 18, 2020

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy, forcing temporary closures of businesses large and small and cancellations of major events and conventions, hospitality workers are struggling to cope with being suddenly jobless or having their work hours drastically reduced.

Duncan Hunter sentenced in campaign finance scandal | Morgan Cook Mar 18, 2020

A judge sentenced former Rep. Duncan Hunter to 11 months in federal prison Tuesday, closing a case that began nearly four years ago with questions about stolen campaign funds which ended the once-promising career of the scion of an East County political family.

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Whelan gave Hunter until May 29 to report to a federal prison. The judge left open the possibility that date could change in light of evolving circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 11-month sentence is in the middle of the 8-to-14-month range called for by federal sentencing rules under terms of the plea bargain struck by Hunter and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Coronavirus update: Introducing the COVID Diaries | Sam Hodgson Mar 17, 2020

It’s a complicated time to be a journalist.

It’s a complicated time to be anyone.

With strong social-distancing orders in place at all levels of government, we wanted to find a way to check the pulse of the region that wouldn’t contribute in any way to the spread of the coronavirus.

We turned to video chats -- a medium that so many of us are using more often this past week, whether we’re taking business meetings while working from home or doing “social-distancing happy hours” with friends across the county or the country.

“COVID-Diaries” introduce you to people across the region who are navigating this thorny new world under unique circumstances.

Episode 1 will introduce you to Thomas Shaw, who is concerned about the implications of the virus’ spread on his relationship with his wife, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s and lives in a memory care facility. Episode 2 features Daisy Scott, who is trying to run a student newspaper while reckoning with the fact that her final quarter of college has been upended.

If you’d like to share your story or have ideas for who we should reach out to, email sam.hodgson@sduniontribune.com.

Coronavirus update: What's open, what's closed and what's next. Mar 14, 2020

In preparation for a potential boom in coronavirus infections, much of San Diego slowed down to a snail’s pace. Thousands of workers telecommuted, and plans for how to mitigate the damage were revealed in Washington. With the announcement that San Diego Unified -- and most San Diego schools -- would send students home -- the real social and economic impacts of this massive social change remain unknown.

Coronavirus update: Social "slowdown" comes to San Diego | John Wilkens Mar 13, 2020

Over a period of 24 hours, many cornerstones of American life came to a halt. March Madness, Broadway, and even campaigning for the Democratic nomination -- were either cancelled or moved online -- all part of the nationwide effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. In San Diego, the county announced 5 more cases of the virus, and has banned gatherings of more than 250 people. For ongoing coverage, check out our live blog: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/liveblog/coronavirus-live-san-diego-business-updates-sycuan-casino-implements-hourly-disinfection-policy

Sentencing recommendation reveals new details in Duncan Hunter's criminal case | Morgan Cook Mar 11, 2020

UCSD to switch to online learning amid coronavirus update | Gary Robbins Mar 10, 2020

In an unprecedented move, UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla announced Monday night that he will shift all of the school’s courses online and largely close the campus to the public to fight the coronavirus.

There also is a possibility that fans will not be permitted to attend a Division II basketball tournament that is scheduled to be held on campus late this week.

How this homeless advocate helped "defeat" Measure C | Gary Warth Mar 09, 2020

Michael McConnell, who led the only campaign against Measure C, isn’t gloating over the election results that as of Sunday showed the initiative failing to reach its required two-thirds threshold as outstanding ballots were being counted.

“If it fails, it’s not a victory for me,” said McConnell, one of the city’s most vocal and visible homeless advocates."I’ve moved on.”

Coronavirus update: What we know so far | Gary Robbins Mar 06, 2020

Science reporter Gary Robbins discusses how San Diego is responding to the coronavirus outbreak.

SDPD releases body cam footage of an officer involved shooting | Teri Figueroa Mar 06, 2020

San Diego police on Wednesday released body-worn camera video of an officer fatally shooting a man after he’d reportedly grabbed the gun of another officer during a struggle in Oak Park earlier this year.

The graphic footage shows the Jan. 24 afternoon encounter that left 31-year-old Toby Diller dead after two officers tried to stop him while he walked around on the corner of 54th Street and College Grove Drive with an open container of beer.

After a struggle, according to police, Diller pulled at one officer’s still-holstered gun. The holster broke from the officer’s belt.

During the video, one officer yells “He’s got my gun! Shoot him!” Frames later, a gun — presumably held by the other officer — enters the screen near Diller’s head.

Special Episode: U-T reporters recap Super Tuesday's key races Mar 05, 2020

J Harry Jones, Lori Weisberg, Charles Clark, Sam Hodgson and Micheal Smolens discuss the most important election results after California's primary.

J Harry Jones on Measures A and B https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/story/2020-03-03/measures-ab-election-sotry

Lori Weisberg on Measure C https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-03-03/hotel-tax-hike-measure-showing-strong-support-in-early-returns

Charles Clark on CA-53: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-03-03/congressional-races-shaping-up-as-early-primary-results-roll-in

Sam Hodgson on CA-50 https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-03-03/campa-najjar-leads-in-early-vote-count-for-50th-congressional-district-issa-and-demaio-are-neck-and-neck

Micheal Smolens on the state of the Democrats: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2020-03-03/unity-may-be-a-pipe

Looking back on how Super Tuesday has changed in the Trump era | Micheal Smolens Mar 04, 2020

The San Diego Union-Tribune's political columnist, Michael Smolens, discusses the state of play as the first results of Super Tuesday come in.

What you need to know before voting in California's primary | Charles Clark Mar 02, 2020

Nearly 300,000 voters had returned their mail ballots to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters as of Friday morning.

Yet Michael Vu, the county’s Registrar of Voters, is encouraging more voters to get a jump on Election Day by casting ballots over the weekend and Monday, at the registrar’s office or at four new satellite registrar locations.

“If you are not registered to vote and want to participate, put it on your to-do list to get to the registrar’s office or the satellite offices this weekend,” Vu said by phone Friday. “If you can’t do that, get to your assigned polling location on Election Day.”

Tuesday’s election will be one of the most complex elections in San Diego history. Here’s what voters need to know to make voting easier.

Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-02-28/what-san-diegans-need-to-know-to-vote-on-or-before-tuesdays-primary-election

Voting guide: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/votingguide

Endorsements: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2020endorsements

These smart streetlights — That are watching you — might have solved a crime | Lyndsay Winkley, Teri Figueroa Feb 29, 2020

A few years back, San Diego gave the OK to a plan to install energy-saving, and money-saving, LED street lights.

Those street lights had the tech world a buzz. San Diego was deploying the world’s largest smart-city platform, installing high-tech, data-gathering sensors on the street lights. The plan was to track movements of cars and people, particularly in urban and busy areas. Deeper understanding of mobility could follow. Apps could be developed.

Turned out that all that data-gathering required installing cameras on 3,000 street lights. For the public, that revelation last year was a surprise. And not only did all those cameras exist — covering about 5 percent of the city’s public right-of-way — but police were accessing footage.

Among critics, fears of mass surveillance, over-targeting of communities of color, and potential civil-rights abuses followed. Mistrust surfaced, too.

Barrio Logan's zoning has been a mess. This "Transition Zone" could change that. | Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Feb 28, 2020

Following years of loggerheads, industry leaders, environmentalists and community leaders came together to develop a new “Transition Zone" in Barrio Logan. That neighborhood has always been plagued with toxic air, due to the shipyards and industry located along the San Diego Bay, and it's often invoked as an example of environmental racism. The zone would hopefully improve environmental conditions in the area. This idea was attempted back in 2013, but San Diego voters revoked the plan. With a renewed focus, stakeholders are more confident this new transition zone would prove successful.

What you need to know about the CA-53 race | Charles Clark, Michael Smolens Feb 26, 2020

The retirement of Congressman Susan Davis created a wide open race for California’s 53rd Congressional District. The district includes much of central San Diego including Balboa Park adjacent neighborhoods, Mission Valley all the way into El Cajon, and much of eastern Chula Vista. This is a heavily democratic district, and it is fairly likely that two democrats will advance to the general election.

Remembering Chelsea King 10 years after her murder | Teri Figueroa Feb 25, 2020

Chelsea King’s disappearance a decade ago gripped the region. The 17-year-old had gone for an after-school run around Lake Hodges in North County. There, she ran into a rapist and killer. Within months, the college-bound runner who loved sunflowers became the name of legislation targeting sex predators who target children. She became the inspiration behind an annual run. She also became the face of a foundation that has awarded $800,000 in college scholarships. And on Tuesday, the 10th anniversary of her kidnapping, rape and murder, Chelsea’s father has announced he will launch Protect the Joy, which he said will be a national advocacy organization to address issues that affect children, including sexual assault, gun violence, opioid abuse or cyber-bullying.

Returned: What it takes to make a case under the US asylum system | Kate Morrissey Feb 24, 2020

It’s been more than a year since President Donald Trump’s Remain in Mexico program has effectively blocked the ability for most people to claim asylum in the United States…. And now thousands of people wait to have their cases heard while living in Mexico. Even though this migration crisis doesn’t have the same visual impact as the migrant caravan… thousands of people remain displaced, hanging on to hope that they can start a new life in the U.S. The current barriers raise the question: How restrictrive should an asylum system -- which was born out of the failures of the West to save Jews killed in the Holocaust -- be before it becomes a farce? Story:https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2020-02-24/protecting-the-worlds-most-vulnerable-what-it-takes-to-make-a-case-under-us-asylum-system

Understanding Measure C | Lori Weisberg Feb 21, 2020

Come March 3, voters will finally weigh in on the proposed room tax hike, which, if approved, would generate nearly $7 billion over more than four decades — enough money, its supporters say, to enlarge the convention center by 50 percent, help get homeless families and individuals off the streets, and repave 150 miles of roads every year.

County plans on investing in homeless programs, foster youth and mental health | Charles Clark Feb 21, 2020

San Diego County in the past year has become more aggressive about addressing some of its most pressing issues, said Greg Cox, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Residents should know that new approach isn’t going away anytime soon, Cox said during the annual State of the County address Wednesday night. From expanding mental health services and renewable energy projects, to launching new education programs and initiatives to assist foster youths, Cox said the supervisors will continue to take a more forceful approach in the year ahead. “Your County of San Diego has new energy and momentum to tackle the critical issues of today and, working with my colleagues, we are going to take giant leaps in 2020,” Cox told a packed house aboard the USS Midway Museum.

How the Boy Scouts of America are responding to new sexual assault lawsuits | Peter Rowe Feb 20, 2020

In January AB 218 went into effect, allowing for sexual assault victims to sue on claims formerly barred by statues of limitations. This means that thousands of individuals who were abused as children are coming forward with allegations. Among the hard hit youth-based organizations: the Boy Scouts of America. By filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the organization has put on hold hundreds of lawsuits brought against it. But it’s still unclear what this means to the local councils that directly oversee Scout troops. That’s a crucial question for the San Diego-Imperial Council, whose assets include cash reserves and Mataguay, a 1,000-acre camping and canoeing reservation in Santa Ysabel.

Two San Diegans develop app to help "Vanlifers" live life on the road | Brittany Meiling Feb 19, 2020

Two San Diego women have created an app for travelers that’s gaining a sizable following of nomadic young people living out of vans. Inspired by a social media phenomenon, Breanne Acio, a former San Diego State University lecturer, and public relations worker Jessica Shisler teamed up in 2018 to pave the way for the drifter movement known online as “vanlife.” They created a mobile application, aptly called The Vanlife App, that’s just secured the two women spots in a competitive Techstars accelerator program for promising startups. The app currently connects longterm travelers with one another while on the road, solving the problem of loneliness that weighs on this group of individuals. The downside of a nomadic lifestyle is that you have no community, Shisler said. “You’re constantly in places you don’t know and around people you don’t know,” Shisler said. “You’re never a local.” For those who haven’t heard of it, “vanlife” refers to a recent bohemian trend of people buying cargo vans, old ambulances, school buses and other boxy vehicles, and converting them into livable apartments on wheels (think of it as a do-it-yourself RV). Many vanlifers are also “digital nomads” who work remotely online, such as freelance writers, software developers, or content creators. With no strings tying them to specific cities or towns, they wander from destination to destination for months on end.

Lorena Gonzalez introduces anti "poor door" legislation | Phil Molnar Feb 18, 2020

An attempt last year to separate low-income renters from market-rate renters in an East Village apartment building elicited a lot of anger. Now, one lawmaker is trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, plans to introduce legislation this week to stop developers from separating groups of renters in their building design. She is announcing the bill at a press conference Monday at 10 a.m. at the Alpha Lofts subsidized housing complex at 3808 El Cajon Blvd. Gonzalez will also introduce legislation to create greater incentives for developers to build rent-restricted housing.

Crossroads of the West Gun Show returns to Del Mar, amid ghost gun criticism | Phil Diehl Feb 15, 2020

The board that oversees the Del Mar Fairgrounds has approved the return of the Crossroads of the West Gun Show in March, despite new concerns raised by firearms safety advocates. NeverAgainCA founders Ira and Rose Ann Sharp of Del Mar told the fair board at its meeting last week that an increasing number of sales at the show are "ghost gun" kits that can be purchased and taken home the same day. The kits are not considered firearms for legal purposes because they are incomplete and require assembly, so most California firearms laws don't apply to them. Also, the weapons don't have a serial number, which can be used to track sales. "Crossroads sells Saturday night specials on steroids," Ira Sharp told the board, and he asked the board not to renew the Crossroads contract. However, the board approved the show without comment along with dozens of other events planned for March at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Audit of Cal State San Marcos leaders' misspending released | Jeff McDonald, Morgan Cook Feb 14, 2020

Cal State San Marcos announced Wednesday that two key executives have left the university, the interim provost has resigned his position, and the dean of graduate studies is on administrative leave. The changes come as the California State University system is preparing to release an audit that examines how and why top CSUSM officials used university funds for first-class flights and five-star hotels, exceeding spending limits. The spending also has drawn the ire of CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt, who said in a public address last week, “I need you to know that this is unacceptable, and this is not what we are about. “Moving forward, we are hitting the reset button on our cultural drift.” The university said Wednesday that Mike Schroder, the dean of extended learning, and Beth Schroder, the senior director of philanthropy, are no longer with the university.

SeaWorld settles lawsuit with investors, aims to leave "Blackfish" era behind | Lori Weisberg Feb 13, 2020

SeaWorld Entertainment announced Tuesday that it has agreed to pay $65 million to settle a longstanding lawsuit alleging that the company deceived investors when it failed to disclose early on the ill effect the anti-captivity documentary “Blackfish” was having on park attendance. The settlement comes just a week before a jury trial was to begin for the case, which originated in 2014 and was later certified as a class-action lawsuit. In a Tuesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, SeaWorld said that the settlement does not “constitute an admission, concession, or finding of any fault, liability, or wrongdoing by the Company or any defendant.” The proposed $65 million payment, says SeaWorld, is still subject to approval in federal court.

How San Diego's first coronavirus case was mistakenly released from the hospital | Paul Sisson Feb 12, 2020

A long chain of missed opportunities led to an infected coronavirus patient mistakenly being discharged from a local hospital Sunday and then hastily returned on Monday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UC San Diego Health on Tuesday provided additional information on how the snafu happened. The update comes as concern continues to grow about an outbreak that started in China and has now produced a positive case in San Diego County after more than 200 evacuees were delivered to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to wait out a 14-day government-mandated quarantine. Both organizations said Tuesday that the mixup started with simple mislabeling when local hospital personnel collected blood samples from three of four evacuees who showed possible coronavirus symptoms last week.

What San Diego County voters need to know about Measures A and B | J Harry Jones Feb 11, 2020

It was supposed to be the exception, not the rule, when the county Board of Supervisors finally updated the General Plan, its blueprint for growth for more than 500,000 acres in the region’s unincorporated areas. Instead, a provision that permits projects that don’t conform to the document has become a gateway for developers seeking to build thousands of homes in areas not zoned for such development. It is called the General Plan Amendment and it is at the heart of two land-use proposals on the March 3 ballot: Measures A and B. The General Plan was updated by the county nearly a decade ago in a lengthy and collaborative effort by environmentalists, builders and the community. It lays out where it is appropriate to allow homes, businesses and industry – and where it isn’t.

It's time for San Diego to claim its title as a "pizza town" | Michele Parente Feb 08, 2020

From traditional thin-crust Neapolitan to square pies and top-of-the-line toppings, pizza perfection can be found throughout the county, whether from a mom and pop, red-sauce Italian eatery or a trendy, upscale restaurant. And the region’s recent influx of chefs and restaurateurs from Italy — who import with them massive wood-fired pizza ovens, primo Italian 00 flour, prosciutto, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and more — has only enriched the quality. Like Los Angeles, which is arguably the true best pizza city in the U.S., San Diego isn’t a town with hard-fast culinary traditions and carved-in-stone rules on what pizza is supposed to look like, taste like or even if it should be eaten with a fork and a knife or simply folded in your hands. That allows for the kind of freedom and creativity that might elude pizzaiolos in New York and Chicago, not to mention Naples. And like L.A., San Diego has an embarrassment of optimal fresh ingredients that can be used as toppings.

PETA claims victory after SeaWorld says no to trainers riding atop dolphins | Lori Weisberg Feb 07, 2020

SeaWorld Entertainment says it is ending the longstanding practice of trainers riding astride dolphins in marine park shows, a move that comes nearly a year after animal-rights activists began pressuring the company to ban such “circus-style” behaviors. The decision to move away from such showy theatrics in the dolphin shows was disclosed in a letter sent earlier this month by a SeaWorld attorney to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The letter was addressing a shareholder proposal made last December by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which asked that SeaWorld prohibit trainers from riding on dolphins’ backs and standing on their faces. As of last December, PETA held 163 shares of SeaWorld stock and has owned at least $2,000 worth of common stock for some time.

Americans potentially exposed to coronavirus in quarantine at Miramar | Andrew Dyer, Paul Sisson Feb 06, 2020

Two facilities at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar have been readied to house hundreds of Americans returning from China due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Marine Corps said Tuesday. Dr. Christopher Braden, a deputy director with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control deployed to handle repatriation flights from China to California, said the arrival is imminent. Late Tuesday, U.S. Northern Command said on Twitter that two U.S. State Department flights had left China bound for Travis Air Force Base near Vacaville. One plane will refuel and continue on to Miramar. Passengers on the other will be housed in quarantine at Travis.

Debate continues over the ethics of keeping elephants in captivity | John Wilkens Feb 05, 2020

Much remains unknown about elephants, too — witness the death in December at the zoo of 48-year-old Tembo. A “sudden change” in the African pachyderm’s condition prompted keepers to euthanize her, according to zoo officials. They said she’d been under veterinary care for age-related ailments for a while. Results of a necropsy are pending. Her death came four weeks after another African elephant, M’Dunda, collapsed and died at the Oakland Zoo. She was 50 and had shown “no signs of existing medical issues, albeit her advanced age,” the zoo said. A necropsy is under way there, too. Elephants also die in the wild, of course, and often violently. But their passing in zoos raises thorny questions about what is gained by keeping them captive.

Can hobbyists help bring fabric stores back from the brink? | Brittany Meiling Feb 04, 2020

Fabric stores that sell threads, buttons and materials for making clothes are dwindling in San Diego, with owners shuttering their shops citing waning interest from customers. The disappearance of fabric stores is probably not a shock to outsiders — in the age of fast fashion, who still makes their own clothes? But sewing garments at home is — surprisingly — not dead. While fabric stores of yesteryear are falling off the map, a new industry is rising up to meet the modern demands of young “sewists” — a relatively new term that describes anyone who sews. And these businesses look quite different than your grandma’s fabric shop.

Stuck in Wuhan as coronavirus spreads, 3 San Diegans wait | Joshua Emerson Smith Feb 01, 2020

San Diego resident Yanjun Wei traveled with her two small children to the city of Wuhan to celebrate the Chinese New Year with her parents. Now the family is holed up in a high-rise apartment building in the megalopolis, believed to be ground zero of the deadly coronavirus outbreak that’s killed more than 200 people and sickened thousands. Over the last week, the Chinese government has put the urban area’s 11 million people under an unprecedented quarantine. Commercial flights, public transportation and even major roads have been shut down, leaving the usually bustling city eerily quiet, according to numerous accounts. “I’m trying not to be emotional here,” said the 37-year-old Wei, tearing up during a video interview with the Union-Tribune using the social-media app WeChat.

Border Dispatch: Longest-ever drug tunnel found in Otay Mesa | Wendy Fry Jan 31, 2020

Authorities announced Wednesday the discovery of the longest, most sophisticated cross-border drug tunnel in history stretching nearly one mile from the Tijuana airport into the U.S. U.S. Border Patrol agents described the tunnel as the “most sophisticated they had seen” with an extensive rail and cart system to rapidly transport drugs, forced air ventilation, and high-voltage electrical cables and panels. The tunnel, named “Baja Metro” by border agents, also had an elevator at its entrance and a complex drainage system. The drug tunnel’s discovery was the culmination of a “challenging” multi-year, multi-agency investigation led by a coalition of U.S. law enforcement officers, according to Border Patrol.

San Diego's "smart streetlight" program raises privacy concerns |Teri Figueroa, Lori Weisberg Jan 30, 2020

Amid pushback following the revelation that there are data-gathering sensors on thousands of local high-tech street lights, a San Diego city committee will get its first look at a potential policy governing how all that data is accessed and used. On Wednesday, the proposed policy will be discussed by San Diego’s Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee. It’s the first step to putting the policy in front of the City Council. The policy, if ultimately OK’d, will mark the first time the city codifies how the data is used and who gets to view surveillance footage the sensors gather. In a written report to the committee, Cody Hooven of the city’s Sustainability Department said the policy will “create guidelines for the data generated by the City’s streetlight sensors.” That, she said, includes “proper use, access and dissemination” of the data.

Exonerated of war crimes, Gallagher strikes back at SEALS who spoke against him | Andrew Dyer Jan 29, 2020

A retired Navy SEAL whose war crimes trial made international news has launched a video attack on former SEAL teammates who accused him of murder, shooting civilians and who testified against him at his San Diego court-martial in June. In a three-minute video posted to his Facebook page and Instagram account Monday, retired Chief Special Operator Edward Gallagher, 40, referred to some members of his former platoon as “cowards” and highlighted names, photos and — for those still on active duty — their duty status and current units, something former SEALs say places those men — and the Navy’s mission — in jeopardy. Gallagher was accused of several war crimes by some of his platoon subordinates, including that he shot civilians and stabbed a wounded ISIS fighter in the neck, killing him, while in Iraq in 2017. He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted of most charges, but was convicted of posing for a photo with an Isis fighter’s corpse, a crime for which the jury reduced his rank.

Can this San Diego startup do what Theranos promised?| Mike Freeman Jan 28, 2020

San Diego life sciences executive Jeff Hawkins is trying to bring credibility back to field rocked by scandal. A former Illumina vice president, Hawkins heads startup Truvian Sciences. The 5-year-old company is developing a compact blood testing machine that promises to deliver 40 standard health and wellness screening results in about 20 minutes, compared with up to a week turnaround time for similar tests processed at centralized labs. The desktop device, which targets retail health clinics such as those popping up in Walmart and CVS, medical offices and corporate wellness centers, also requires less blood than is commonly drawn for tests sent to large labs. And Truvian expects prices to be significantly lower as well. The company’s technology is still in development. While experts say Truvian is well prepared to meet accuracy and precision targets on its machines, it hasn’t proven its devices work yet.

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station's dismantling starts now | Rob Nikolewski Jan 25, 2020

Seven years after the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station officially went offline, the eight-year process of physically dismantling the plant and knocking down the domes that have loomed over the landscape of Camp Pendleton for four decades is about to begin. The plant’s operator, Southern California Edison, has mailed notices to about 12,000 residents in a five-mile radius of the plant that initial work will start no earlier than Feb. 22. The first jobs include erecting staging areas and temporary trailers in the plant’s parking lots and removing materials containing asbestos in the Units 2 and 3 domes. By the time work is complete, all that will remain will be two dry storage facilities housing canisters of used-up nuclear fuel from the days when the plant still produced electricity, a security building with personnel to look over the waste enclosed in casks, a seawall 28 to 30 feet high, a walkway connecting two beaches north and south of the plant and a switch-yard with power lines.

The CA-50 race begins to get ugly with attack ads | Michael Smolens, Charles Clark Jan 24, 2020

The March Primary is just weeks away, and the race to fill the seat vacated by former congressman Duncan Hunter is starting to heat up. This week, Darrell Issa released a campaign ad attacking Carl DeMaio for previous statements made about President Donald Trump -- it also featured newspaper clippings mentioning DeMaio’s sexual orientation. The reaction to the ads was negative among San Diego area-electeds, but in one of the most conservative parts of California -- it’s unclear how attacks like this pan out.

A decade after the McStay family murders, a death sentence for the killer | Teri Figueroa Jan 23, 2020

A 62-year-old welder convicted in the bludgeoning deaths of a Fallbrook family of four, including two young children, was sentenced Tuesday to the death penalty. Moments before learning his fate, Charles “Chase” Merritt, 62, tearfully told the judge he was innocent in the 2010 killings of business associate Joseph McStay, 40, wife Summer McStay, 43, and the couple’s two preschool sons, Gianni, 4 and Joey Jr., 3. “I don’t deserve this,” Merritt said. “I did not do this. As God as my witness, I will be back here and prove to everyone that that is true.” The sentence was handed down by San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Michael Smith, who last year presided over Merritt’s trial. The jury convicted Merritt of four counts of murder. On Tuesday, Smith said the verdict was “supported by substantial evidence.”

San Diego knew a La Jolla sea cave could collapse, but waited months to seal it | Lauryn Schroeder Jan 22, 2020

The city of San Diego waited nearly two months to plan and announce emergency construction on a La Jolla cave that geologists said could collapse at any time, city records show. City officials announced in August their plans for emergency construction to reinforce Koch’s Cave and the roadway above it — Coast Boulevard. According to the city’s statement, issued Aug. 9, geology experts had discovered a weak zone in the La Jolla sea cave and recommended that immediate action be taken. “With public safety as the top priority, the city of San Diego today will begin an emergency construction project to stabilize a cliff area and roadway in La Jolla following an analysis by geology experts,” the news release said. City officials hosted a news conference at the site and invited the media to attend.

Fewer people are being killed by cars, but "Vision Zero" remains elusive | Joshua Emerson Smith Jan 21, 2020

Laramie Logan answered the door at her Coronado home one afternoon in early December to be greeted by a chaplain with the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office. “He told me the devastating news that my brother was hit by a car and didn’t make it,” said the 40-year-old mother of three. “I just dropped to my knees and cried.” Her brother, David Henry Hill, was one of 24 pedestrians killed in traffic-related accidents in the city of San Diego last year — compared to 25 in 2016 after the city first pledged to eliminate such fatalities as part of the nationwide Vision Zero campaign. Lt. Cmdr. David Henry Hill, 37, was killed crossing India Street near West Olive Street and an off-ramp from north I-5 in Bankers Hill on Dec. 2, 2019.(Courtesy of Laramie Logan) The city has invested in a number of safety improvements in recent years, overhauling dozens of streets and crosswalks at crash-prone intersections, as well as launching a public awareness campaign. Those efforts appear to be paying off to a certain degree. In 2019, officials recorded the lowest number of traffic-related deaths and injuries, including motorists, in the last four years, according to data from the San Diego Police Department. That comes after a bloody 2018 when pedestrian deaths and injuries spiked to 127 up from 92 the previous year.

Developers look to San Diego neighborhoods for the next apartment boom | Phil Molnar Jan 18, 2020

There might be fewer construction cranes downtown, but that doesn’t mean the region’s apartment frenzy has halted. Much of 2020’s apartment construction will be in neighborhoods outside of downtown San Diego, which has made up the lion’s share of new rentals the past few years. More building is now occurring in North Park, Hillcrest, Pacific Beach and throughout the county. There are around 3,500 new apartments planned to open in 2020. That’s down from 4,500 expected at the start of last year, but early numbers show that total was likely not reached. Predicting how many apartments will open at the start of the year can be tricky because delays are frequent and one large project being postponed a few months can skew a yearly total.

Faulconer gives final State of the City address | Michael Smolens Jan 17, 2020

Solving San Diego’s housing crisis with less neighborhood backlash, partnering with the county on new homelessness efforts and reforming state law to keep drug addicts off the street are some of Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s top priorities for 2020. Faulconer used his sixth and final State of the City address on Wednesday to lay out those goals and several others for his last year, which he said would be “a year of action” before he’s forced to leave office by term limits. The mayor also reflected on his six years in office during the half-hour speech, declaring that he’s helped write a “comeback story” by making San Diego a national leader instead of a scandal-ridden city with crumbling infrastructure. “San Diego is back,” said Faulconer to several hundred spectators gathered in downtown’s Balboa Theatre. “It is recovered, reformed and revitalized. Now, San Diego is leading.”

Can this church be saved? Split on LGBTQ issues, United Methodists consider divorce | Peter Rowe Jan 16, 2020

Sexual issues lead to many divorces, including the threatened split in the United Methodist Church. Divided on same-sex marriage and the status of LGBTQ believers, the nation's third largest Christian denomination — after Catholicism and the Southern Baptist Convention — may soon break up. "No one celebrates separation. I certainly do not," said the Rev. Jonathan Park, associate pastor of the Korean United Methodist Church of San Diego, a traditionalist congregation. "But I believe it is inevitable." The Rev. Bob Rhodes, whose leadership of the progressive Pacific Beach United Methodist Church has not prevented a close friendship with Park, agreed. For years, he had hoped the church's feuding wings could co-exist. "Then a friend asked if I were counseling a couple where one was abusing the other, would I counsel them to stay together?" Rhodes said. "I think both sides feel they have been abused by the other."

State's housing mandates ruffle South Bay feathers | Gustavo Solis Jan 15, 2020

Four cities in San Diego County have launched a last-ditch effort to lower the number of new housing units they are expected to build over the next eight years through a controversial state-mandated program. If the current numbers hold up, two of those cities, Coronado and Solana Beach, fear they’ll be forced to rezone neighborhoods to make room for high-density developments. The other two cities, Lemon Grove and Imperial Beach, argue that the current housing allocation numbers perpetuate inequality by requiring cities that already have the highest concentration of low-income housing to build even more. The controversial state program is officially known as the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, or RHNA. It started in the 1960s to require cities to plan to meet the housing needs of residents. Every eight years, state officials come up with the number of housing units needed to keep up with population trends and ask regional authorities to distribute that number among individual cities.

CA-50 Poll: Issa, DeMaio tied, Campa-Najjar losing ground | Charles Clark, Michael Smolens Jan 14, 2020

On the same day that former Rep. Duncan D. Hunter officially resigned from his seat representing the 50th Congressional District, a new poll of likely voters shows the race to succeed him has tightened in his absence. In the poll Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar, with 26 percent of the vote, is leading a crowded field that has drawn ten candidates. He is closely followed by GOP opponents Darrell Issa (21 percent), Carl DeMaio (20 percent) and Brian Jones (12 percent). Fifteen percent of the likely voters surveyed were undecided.

$3B plan to replace San Diego airport’s aging Terminal 1 | Jennifer Van Grove, Lori Weisberg Jan 11, 2020

Airport Authority approves plans to add 11 gates to Terminal 1, plus a new taxiway and access road that will remove 45,000 cars a day from Harbor Drive

Rocky Long retires as Aztecs head coach, replaced by Brady Hoke | Jay Posner, Kirk Kenney Jan 10, 2020

San Diego State coach, Rocky Long, guided SDSU to nine straight bowl appearances and compiled 81-38 record with the Aztecs. Brady Hoke will be returning as the Aztecs head coach. Hoke was previously in charge of the program in 2009-10.

How San Diego military members are feeling about Iran | Andrew Dyer Jan 09, 2020

About 15 community activists and religious leaders gathered in front of Balboa Park’s Natural History Museum Wednesday to ask Congress to step in and limit President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war on Iran after a week of violence between the two countries. The speakers say they represent a coalition of groups seeking peace and an end to escalating violence that peaked with the Jan. 2 U.S. assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. On Tuesday night, Iran struck back , launching at least 15 ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq in what experts said was an attack designed to avoidcasualties. In comments Wednesday morning from the White House, Trump said the U.S. would respond to those strikes with sanctions, not more military action, saying “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”

Hunter sets resignation date, but questions remain | Charles Clark, Michael Smolens, Morgan Cook Jan 08, 2020

Rep. Duncan Hunter, the Republican from Alpine who on Dec. 3 pleaded guilty to a felony involving campaign spending, said he will officially resign this coming Monday. He notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Governor Gavin Newsom in a letter Tuesday that he will resign on Jan. 13, nearly six weeks after his guilty plea. “It has been an honor to serve the people of California’s 50th District, and I greatly appreciate the trust they have put in me over these last 11 years,” Hunter wrote. Hunter, who was elected to office in 2008, was indicted in August of 2018 on 60 federal counts based on accusations he and his wife and former campaign manager, Margaret Hunter, stole $250,000 of campaign funds, using it for family vacations, groceries, his extramarital affairs and other non-campaign uses, including airfare for a pet rabbit.

A Possible Purple Line becomes a transit hot potato | Joshua Emerson Smith Jan 07, 2020

A long-envisioned Purple Line trolley remains in limbo as transit officials work through the details over how and whether to build the rail connection between downtown Chula Vista and the city of San Diego’s Kearny Mesa neighborhood. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System now appears to be leaning away from paying for the line as part of a roughly $24 billion tax measure slated to go before voters later this year. However, the San Diego Association of Governments has signaled an eagerness to incorporate the route’s alignment into plans for a regional high-speed rail system. For months, control over the future of the region’s rail system has stoked tension between MTS and SANDAG, the region’s primary transportation and planning agency.

Judge: Operators of GirlsDoPorn required to pay models they defrauded | Pauline Repard Jan 04, 2020

Nearly two dozen women won $12.7 million in a fraud lawsuit against the owners and operators of a San Diego-based pornographic website, GirlsDoPorn, a Superior Court judge ruled Thursday. Website owners Michael James Pratt, 36, and Matthew Isaac Wolfe, 37, and porn actor Ruben Andre Garcia, 31, were sued by 22 women who claimed they were deceived and coerced into making explicit sex films without knowing the images would be posted on the Internet. San Diego Superior Court Judge Kevin Enright, who presided over a four-month-long bench trial, issued his decision in favor of all 22 plaintiffs and against a total of 13 defendants. Enright found that the individuals and various affiliated businesses had operated as a single business entity and therefore all were liable.

Border Dispatch: Inside San Diego's criminal immigration court | Kristina Davis Jan 03, 2020

ourtroom 2A looks unlike any other in the San Diego federal courthouse. In the courtroom designated to handle the flow of migrants being criminally prosecuted under the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy, a towering plexiglass divider has been erected separating the misdemeanor defendants from their attorneys and the rest of the court. The U.S. Marshals Service says the barrier is a security measure “to ensure the safety of staff, prisoners, and members of the public who attend court hearings,” while defense attorneys see the divider as a larger symbol in the clash over immigration policy. “It’s using a nonexistent problem as an excuse to build yet another wall,” said Kathryn Nester, executive director of Federal Defenders of San Diego, which provides public defender services.

San Diego International Auto Show arrives with auto industry in flux | Rob Nikolewski Jan 02, 2020

As car buffs ring in the new year with the 2020 edition of the San Diego International Auto Show with the latest makes and models, the auto industry seems to be going in multiple directions at the same time: sales of sports utility vehicles and trucks continue to surge, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in California are trending up but so is the average price of a new vehicle. "If someone told me, 'I want to be buy a car and I want to keep it for 20 years,' it's kind of difficult to answer because I don't know that we have any idea of what a car is going to look like or how it's going to perform in 20 years," said Richard Newendyke, the auto show's chairman and executive manager at Kearney Mesa Infiniti. "Automobiles are still a very personal selection." For years, sedans have dominated the California auto market. "Cars are king," was a longstanding motto among Golden State dealers but in recent years, SUVs and pickup truck (designated as light trucks in the industry) have moved into the fast lane. Nationally, registrations for SUVs and pickups surpassed car sales years ago and sedans in California managed to hang on to a slight lead. The tipping point came in the second quarter of 2018 when the New Car Dealers Association of California reported registrations of 514,470 in light trucks compared to 512,826 for the first six months of that year.

2019 was the year that San Diego's dining scene shone | Michele Parente Jan 01, 2020

Christmas came early to San Diego this year. Back in January, we made our first visits to the recently opened restaurants Jeune et Jolie in Carlsbad and Fort Oak in Mission Hills. Simply put, we were blown away. And it was apparent, just weeks into 2019, that the region was about to experience a bar-raising, watershed year for dining. And the gastronomic gift kept giving. Animae, Il Dandy/Arama, Morning Glory, Cesarina, International Smoke and Rare Society were among the dazzlingly delicious newcomers that helped make this one of the most exciting culinary years in memory. With a critical mass of first-rate eateries, San Diego is finally shedding its restaurant also-ran status and emerging as a bona fide dining destination. From strip malls to historic neighborhoods, homespun fare to boundary-pushing creations, Convoy Street to Carlsbad, Little Italy to La Jolla, North Park and beyond, nearly every opening tasted like a step forward.

A new law requires corporate boards to have at least one woman on them | Mike Freeman Dec 31, 2019

Thanks to a flurry of last-minute appointments, most of San Diego County’s publicly traded companies have complied with a California law requiring at least one woman on their boards of directors by the end of 2019. Out of approximately 90 publicly traded companies in the county, only one has yet to name a female board member based on Union-Tribune research: Biotech Tracon Pharmaceuticals. The company did not respond to Union-Tribune emails or phone calls seeking comment. Tracon still could appoint a women to its board on the final day of the year. San Diego cannabis-industry landlord Innovative Industrial Properties, for example, said it planned to announce on Dec. 31 that it has added a female director to its board. In October, the San Diego City Attorney’s office sent letters to 19 San Diego firms that hadn’t complied with the law based on data from the Secretary of State’s Office. Since then, most firms have either added women to their boards or merged with other companies based elsewhere, sometimes outside of state. “We are glad to be able to alert companies,” said Deputy City Attorney Marni Von Wilpert. “City Attorney Mara Elliott has said our city needs more women to bring their problem-solving skills and inclusive mindset to positions of leadership. This is one opportunity to do that.” The city attorney plans to check compliance again in January.

SEALs described Gallagher's war crimes to investigators as "psychotic" | Andrew Dyer Dec 27, 2019

Navy SEALs who were never called to testify in the war crimes trial of Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher told naval criminal investigators about behavior they witnessed, including the alleged stabbing of a wounded ISIS fighter that led to murder charges against Gallagher. The two SEALs were granted immunity to testify in the trial this past summer, but were never called to the stand. Their interviews with criminal investigators will be available for streaming today on Hulu, on “The Weekly” from The New York Times. It will be broadcast on FX on Sunday. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service conducted the SEAL interviews more than a year before the San Diego court-martial of Gallagher, who was charged and acquitted of several war crimes, including murder.

Pacific Beach residents call for curfew for Fanuel Park a.k.a. "Felony Park" | David Garrick Dec 27, 2019

A large group of frustrated Pacific Beach residents is lobbying for a curfew for Fanuel Park, which is frequently called “felony park” because of the drug dealing, prostitution, bicycle thefts and other crime there. Residents launched their campaign for a nighttime curfew shortly after San Diego approved curfews in March for five other city parks facing similar problems with drugs, vandalism and illegal activity. More than 500 local residents have signed a petition in support of a curfew that would be in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The parking lot adjacent to Fanuel Park is already closed from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Police say curfews can be an effective crime-reduction tool because they limit opportunities for illegal activity and provide officers with another enforcement tool.

Christmas special: One death, one life and a heart that beats for two families | Peter Rowe Dec 25, 2019

A singer, songwriter and guitarist, David Ponder knows the importance of a strong, steady beat. But this was ridiculous. “My heart now, it’s so strong,” said Ponder, 60, a Poway resident who in August 2016 underwent a successful heart transplant at Sharp Memorial Hospital. “The first night home, it was beating so hard it woke me up.” This Christmas, David Ponder is dazzled by the gifts he’s received from strangers: a life-sustaining organ and a life-enhancing relationship. He’s alive because a car wreck killed a man he’d never met, Coronado’s Juan Carlos Lopez, 26. When surgeons removed Lopez’s heart and transplanted it in Ponder’s chest, two families were stitched together in sorrow and joy. Months after the surgery, Ponder visited Lopez’s mother. The bond was instant.

She survived a fall off the Coronado bridge. Now she’ll meet the man who saved her. | John Wilkens Dec 25, 2019

Sometimes her life feels like one of those photos from the days before digital cameras, when images got bathed in trays of chemicals and came slowly into focus. Bertha Loaiza wants to see the whole picture. She has no memory of the day when she was 3 and her mother picked her up and stepped off the side of the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. She may have been asleep. She survived the 240-foot fall into the water, but her mother didn't, and as Bertha recovered from serious eye and leg injuries, she got it into her head that a car accident was to blame. Kids have active imaginations, especially when the grownups don't say otherwise, and in the grandmother's house where she grew up, nobody talked about what really happened on Aug. 4, 1985. Then, when she was 17, she came across a VHS tape with news coverage of the suicide and the "miracle" child, the first person ever to plummet into the bay and live. "That looks like me," she said of the footage showing a little girl in a hospital bed surrounded by dolls, letters and stuffed animals sent by well-wishers from as far away as Mississippi. She watched the tape over and over, 100 times maybe, and put together the pieces. Her mother, 24-year-old Angelica Gomez, parking a green Ford Pinto mid-span on the bridge. Two fishermen pulling them out of the water. Doctors speculating that she survived because her mother held on to her all the way down and took the brunt of the impact. But finding out the truth only raised more questions, none more troubling than this: "Why did she take me with her?"

Army officer returns home to see his mother before she is deported | Kate Morrissey Dec 24, 2019

The Cruz family’s home on Thursday evening could have been the scene of any family reunited for the holiday season. The grandchildren played in the yard with their uncle, an Army officer who had returned home that morning. The grandmother doted on the youngest, a toddler. The air inside her home’s newly erected wooden fence echoed their laughter. But mixed in with the joy of togetherness was the knowledge that right after the holidays, the family matriarch Rocio Rebollar Gomez, 50, will have to leave the United States. Rebollar Gomez is waiting for a miracle, her only remaining option after all legal avenues for keeping her in the United States have been exhausted. But she believes it will come before Immigration and Customs Enforcement requires her to leave the country on January 2.

How Sacramento shifted $13.5B of future wildfire costs to consumers | Jeff McDonald Dec 21, 2019

San Diego Gas & Electric executives spent 10 years seeking permission to charge customers hundreds of millions of dollars for company losses due to three backcountry wildfires started by its equipment in 2007. Lawyers for the power monopoly were thwarted at each turn — first by regulators, then by a state appellate court, the California Supreme Court and finally, in early October, when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case. The judges all concluded that SDG&E should not be able to recover $379 million in damages left over from the Witch, Guejito and Rice fires. Investigations showed that the three wildfires were the result of negligence and mismanagement committed by the utility — a finding the company never conceded. In reaching their decisions, the judges relied on what's known as the “just and reasonable” standard — the rule that utilities can only pass along to customers those costs that fairly serve consumers’ interest. It has been a cornerstone of California energy regulation for more than 100 years. Under Assembly Bill 1054, which was introduced, passed and signed into law within a matter of days over the summer, the legal standards have changed.

3 years and $18M later: Why this new city building stood vacant for so long | Jeff McDonald Dec 20, 2019

Nearly three years after Mayor Kevin Faulconer agreed to a 20-year rent-to-own arrangement to take over an office tower at 101 Ash Street, the first city workers have begun moving into the remodeled office tower in downtown San Diego. The full migration of some 1,130 city workers will be completed in mid-January, and more than 100 planning department and information technology employees began moving in on Monday and are scheduled to relocate by the end of this week. The original goal was for city workers to move into the building two years ago. Now officials say the move is keeping up with a revised plan from August 2018. “We’re on time and within budget as we begin moving city employees into the building this week,” said Johnnie Perkins, one of the city’s deputy chief operating officers, in an email Monday. “This is really a long-term investment for the city that will save tens of millions of taxpayer dollars over time, create more effective and efficient work spaces for city employees and significantly improve customer service with a new home for Development Services.”

Millions of veterans will be allowed back on military bases | Andrew Dyer Dec 19, 2019

Starting New Year’s Day, more than 3 million veterans nationwide, including tens of thousands of local veterans, will be able to shop at exchanges and commissaries on military bases and utilize their recreation facilities. A new law makes veterans who are registered with the Veterans Affairs healthcare system and who have service-connected disabilities eligible to access those facilities on military bases. Purple Heart recipients and former POWs also will have shopping privileges and access. In San Diego, almost 65,000 more veterans and caregivers are affected, the VA says. Until now only active duty military, retirees, Medal of Honor recipients and veterans who were 100 percent disabled could shop on base, which is often less costly than regular shopping because on-base shoppers don’t pay a sales tax.

Counting every San Diegan won't be easy, but someone has to do it | Peter Rowe Dec 18, 2019

The census-taker was furious. Locals, he told the San Diego Union, “are apathetic, indifferent and in many cases belligerent. And for what? Simply they could not, in their own obtuse minds, fathom what the census was being taken for.” This was in 1890, the 11th national census. The U.S. Constitution mandates that the nation’s inhabitants be counted once each decade, which sounds like a straight-forward task. As the irate census-taker discovered, it’s not and never has been. From 1791, when disputed census figures prompted President Washington’s first veto, to 2019, when the Trump administration urged a citizenship question, the census has courted controversy. While the census steers federal funds to a broad spectrum of public services, debates rage over what this exercise includes — census-takers once asked residents to count their home’s toilets — and what’s ignored. The 2020 census, for instance, will have 20 categories for race or ethnicity, including “white,” “black or African-American,” “Hispanic, Latino or Spanish,” “American Indian or Alaska Native” and 11 Asian groupings. Yet there’s no specific accounting for people of Middle Eastern or North African descent; the form suggests that “white” includes “Lebanese, Epyptian, etc.”

Letters from migrants detail conditions in custody | Gustavo Solis Dec 17, 2019

Decades from now, when historians try to make sense of how the U.S. government treated detained migrants, they will be able to hear directly from the men and women in federal immigration detention centers. At least that’s the hope of Lisa Lamont, head librarian at San Diego State University who oversees a collection of more than 1,700 letters written by migrants in detention centers. “In 20, 30 or 40 years or even longer down the road, when researchers are researching this time in U.S. history, I think these letter are going to be invaluable,” she said. The population of people in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody has grown significantly since the beginning of the Trump administration. During fiscal year 2015 there were 28,449 unauthorized immigrants in detention facilities. That number increased to 38,106 and 42,188 in the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, respectively. Projections show that number is expected to increase to 52,000 by the 2020 fiscal year, according to data from the federal government.

Is the growth of rooftop solar sustainable? | Joshua Emerson Smith Dec 14, 2019

Is the growth of rooftop solar sustainable? | Joshua Emerson Smith by San Diego Union-Tribune

San Diego's foam ban halted | David Garrick Dec 13, 2019

San Diego has halted enforcement of its new ban on polystyrene foam products in the wake of a lawsuit filed by the restaurant industry. City officials say they’ve decided to reverse course and conduct a thorough analysis of the ban’s effects on the environment, which the lawsuit contends the city was legally obligated to do before adopting the controversial law.

A deputy pleaded guilty to groping women. He faces more than 3 years in prison | Teri Figueroa Dec 12, 2019

A former sheriff’s deputy who admitted on-the-job misconduct with 16 women was sentenced Tuesday to three years and eight months in jail, plus 16 months under supervision in the community, for behavior a judge described as “abhorrent.” Richard Timothy Fischer, 33, pleaded guilty in September to seven criminal counts — none of them specifically charged as sex crimes, though sexual misconduct was at the core of several allegations. Under that deal, he faced up to five years in custody. That’s technically what he received because of California’s public safety realignment law, which allows some non-violent offenders to serve part of their sentence locally, in county jail rather than state prison, and part of the term on mandatory supervision. Fischer was taken into custody at the end of the hearing in the Vista courthouse. He must serve 22 months in jail before he is eligible for release.

County voters may radically change how development works in the backcountry | J Harry Jones Dec 11, 2019

Just a day before the Dec. 11 deadline and more than a year after the original language was agreed to, county Supervisor Jim Desmond next week will ask his colleagues to change the wording of a controversial ballot measure that will be voted on countywide in March 2020 concerning future development in the unincorporated areas. Much like what happened on Nov. 19, when the board voted 3-2 to change the wording of another ballot measure having to do with a development in the North County -- the 2,135-home Newland Sierra project -- Desmond is seeking a change he says will help voters better understand what they are being asked to decide. If approved, the Save Our San Diego Countryside (SOS) measure would require countywide votes every time a General Plan Amendment was being sought to build large housing projects in areas not zoned for such density.

Border Dispatch: African migrants seeking asylum double | Gustavo Solis Dec 10, 2019

The number of African migrants heading to the U.S. through Mexico has more than doubled this year — from roughly 2,700 in 2018 to 5,800 today, according to data from the federal government. That figure has been steadily rising since 2007 — the year the Mexican government began including migrants from African countries who have contact with immigration officials in their annual migration reports — when the number was 460. And that dramatic increase has been mostly left out of U.S. immigration conversations, activists say.

Televangelist opens his $190 million Bible-themed retreat | Lori Weisberg, Jennifer Van Grove Dec 07, 2019

Welcome to Legacy International Center, a $190 million Bible-themed resort rooted in a vision that 88-year-old pentecostal preacher Morris Cerullo says was handed down by God. Widely known for his overseas crusades and worldwide ministering for the last 70 years, the longtime televangelist has relocated the headquarters of Morris Cerullo World Evangelism to the retreat. The project was built debt-free, financed with a combination of donations from thousands of Cerullo's followers and proceeds from the sale of ministry assets, including the organization's former offices on Aero Ct.

Ballast Point sold for the second time in four years | Peter Rowe, Jennifer Van Grove Dec 06, 2019

For the second time in four years, Ballast Point — a San Diego craft beer pioneer that became one of the areas’s largest breweries — has been sold. Kings & Convicts Brewing Co., a tiny Illinois firm, on Tuesday announced an agreement to buy Ballast Point from New York-based Constellations Brands, Inc. Terms of the sale were not disclosed, but includes Ballast Point’s four California brewpubs — at the main brewery in Miramar; Little Italy; Anaheim’s Downtown Disney; and Long Beach — plus one in Chicago.

SDPD, Sheriff respond to report showing racial discrepancies in stops | Lyndsay Winkley Dec 05, 2019

A recent analysis of a year’s worth of stops by San Diego police and county sheriff’s deputies found that black people across the county are searched, arrested and subjected to force at higher rates than white people. The report also states that both the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department exhibit anti-Latino bias, anti-LGBTQ bias and bias against people with disabilities in their search practices. The report was disputed by law enforcement officials, who say the findings don’t match their own data and unfairly paint the actions of officers as discriminatory. The study, commissioned by the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego & Imperial Counties at the beginning of the year, analyzed information collected under the state Racial and Identity Profiling Act. The 2015 law requires officers and deputies to gather data about the people they interact with in the field, including perceived age, perceived race, the reason for the stop and the result of the stop.

Special Episode: Duncan Hunter pleads guilty to misspending campaign finance funds Dec 04, 2019

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, admitted his guilt Tuesday in a yearslong campaign-finance scandal and now awaits his sentence. The U.S. Marine veteran all but ended his political career during a brief hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan, admitting to a single count of conspiracy to convert campaign funds to personal use. When asked how he now pleaded, he said, “Guilty.” Hunter faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced March 17, but he is likely to receive much less time behind bars. Outside the courthouse, federal prosecutors said they opened their case after reading about Hunter’s campaign spending in a story in The San Diego Union-Tribune, and they specifically named reporter Morgan Cook.

Duncan Hunter changes his plea to guilty, will resign | Morgan Cook, Jeff McDonald, Michael Smolens Dec 03, 2019

After years of denials and claims he was the target of a political witch hunt, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, is scheduled to appear in federal court Tuesday morning to plead guilty in a sweeping campaign finance investigation. The announcement was posted on the U.S. District Court docket Monday morning, then KUSI aired an interview with Hunter in which he said he will plead guilty to one of the 60 criminal charges against him. He suggested that he is likely to spend time in custody. “The plea I accepted is misuse of my own campaign funds, of which I pled guilty to only one count,” Hunter told the station. “I think it’s important that people know that I did make mistakes. I did not properly monitor or account for my campaign money. I justify my plea with the understanding that I am responsible for my own campaign and my own campaign money.”

Holiday shopping season has begun, here are some tips to staying local | Nina Garin Nov 30, 2019

Pacific Magazine editor Nina Garin discusses the latest issue which focuses on local specialties that sell great gifts for the holidays.

Foster children no more, this Escondido family celebrates its first Thanksgiving | Peter Rowe Nov 29, 2019

The holidays were the worst. That’s not because Marissa and Chris Heintschel hated Thanksgiving or Christmas — far from it. Both raised in large Catholic families, they cherish having a full house, echoing with relatives’s chatter and children’s laughter, the air scented with the rich aromas of turkey and pie. Since 2016, though, these celebrations have had a desperate undertone. Each year, Chris would tell Marissa the same thing: “This is our last holiday with them. Let’s make it their best.” Three years ago, the Escondido couple became foster parents to two sisters suffering from physical abuse, malnutrition and a host of medical issues. Annalee, then 2, was coughing and sniffling when the Heintschels took her home. Her 9-month-old sister, Valerie, needed another five days in Rady Children’s Hospital. Burning with a 105-degree fever and only 12 pounds, the infant hadn’t the strength to lift her head. When the Heintschels finally retrieved her from the hospital, the foster mother tried to hug the baby. “She went stiff as a board,” Marissa said, “like she’d never been touched before.”

Caregiver SD: Tips to ensure a successful holiday season | Juliet Hendrix, Lauren Mapp Nov 28, 2019

The holiday season is stressful enough, add on the responsibilities of caregiving, and this time of year can be stressful. Host Daniel Wheaton interviews Juliet Hendrix, editor of Caregiver SD, and Lauren Mapp, a reporter for the site about how to manage the needs of those you're providing care to with the demands of the holidays.

No Trident Review, Navy Secretary leaves, is this the end of the Gallagher saga? | Andrew Dyer Nov 27, 2019

A crisis at the top of military leadership in the handling of a high-profile war crimes case has raised questions in the San Diego military community about the military justice system and what good order and discipline looks like. President Donald Trump’s recent interventions in several military justice cases, including that of San Diego-based Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s, have military leaders debating whether the moves undermine the authority of military commanders to instill good order and discipline in the ranks. Some Navy leaders in San Diego said they are flummoxed by Trump’s interventions and their recent fallout, including the firing of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer over the weekend. “He’s hammering away at the foundation of the military — good order and discipline,” said a senior San Diego Navy official not authorized to comment. “The president essentially said he doesn’t trust one of his admirals’ judgment. Guys at my level are literally just throwing up their hands.”

In this fishing tournament, anglers gamble for massive payouts | Bryce Miller Nov 26, 2019

As the crew of the Stella June dug into plates of Asian fusion at the Chubby Noodle on sleepy Paseo del la Marina, captain Evan Salvay ran fingers through hair shaped by a day’s worth of salt water, wind, broiling sun and spiking anxiety. The 27-year-old had ridden both sides of the exhilarating and sometimes cruel waves at the Bisbee’s Black and Blue marlin tournament, the richest sportfishing chase on the planet. A year ago, a fish the part-time Point Loma and Huntington Beach resident landed translated to just over $3 million. Two years ago, a potential $1 million catch was edged by 14 pounds as the paycheck plummeted … to $7,020. In this year’s tournament, the Stella June caught a 466-pound black marlin that held up as the day’s best for hours on end. Two and a half blocks away, the only remaining fish to weigh was nearing the dock. The estimated payout for the day’s biggest catch ebbed around $1.23 million. The glazed ribs? The salt and pepper shrimp? The thought of food nauseated Salvay. “I can’t eat, dude,” he said.

Sighting of endangered vaquita gives scientists hope | Deborah Brennan Nov 23, 2019

Last month marine scientists set out in the Gulf of California looking for vaquita porpoises, fearing that they could be extinct, but instead spotted a number of them, including mothers with calves

UCSD researchers begin expedition for ancient ice | Joshua Emerson Smith Nov 22, 2019

It’s summer in Antarctica, and scientists from all around the world are flying back to research stations on the continent as part of a now years-long race to uncover world’s oldest ice and better predict planetary warming, sea level rise and more. Trapped in the ancient glaciers are tiny air bubbles — time capsules documenting changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide and ocean temperatures over hundreds of thousands of years. If a rare sample of undisturbed ice can be located and ice-core samples drilled out, the results could be a scientific timeline of climate change dating back more than a million years.

"Trident review" set for Edward Gallagher, Navy SEAL acquitted in war crime probe | Andrew Dyer Nov 21, 2019

San Diego-based Naval Special Warfare Command is initiating a so-called “trident review” of four SEALs involved in a closely-watched war crimes case that divided the tight-knit SEAL community and became a cause célèbre for conservative commentators and politicians. Among the SEALs coming under review, according to a defense officials with knowledge of the case, are Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch, Lt. Thomas MacNeil, Lt. Jacob Portier and Chief Petty Officer Edward R. Gallagher, who was restored in rank to chief by President Donald Trump on Friday.

What a tragedy in Paradise Hills tells us about domestic violence | Lyndsay Winkley Nov 20, 2019

In the months before her death, Sabrina Rosario’s estranged husband would show up at her house unannounced. He would sit in the car and watch their children play from a distance. In text messages, he said he would never leave her alone. Less than two weeks ago, he messaged her a picture of a handgun. More than half a dozen cans of beer and a bottle of alcohol were in the background of the image. “This threat really scared me and I can no longer handle his abuse and harassment,” Rosario said in court filings seeking a restraining order against Jose Valdivia, whom she was in the process of divorcing. Rosario had threatened to file a restraining order before. She wrote in court documents that her husband had told her, “A restraining order is not going to do nothing.”

Six years in and only 9 out of 77 miles of bike lanes are built | Joshua Emerson Smith Nov 19, 2019

A year behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget, an ambitious plan by regional officials to build a sophisticated network of bicycle lanes and pedestrian crossings has proven more complicated than first anticipated. Obstacles include everything from neighborhood outrage at the loss of parking spaces to the technical challenges of overhauling streets designed primarily for cars. The San Diego Association of Governments — the agency undertaking the now-$279 million project — has found itself in the crosshairs of frustrated groups on all sides of the issue, from business associations to homeowners to supporters of cycling.

Border Dispatch: The Legacy Of The Migrant Caravan, One Year Later | Wendy Fry Nov 16, 2019

The images and stories captivated the world's attention. An exhausted 4-year-old collapsed to the ground, crying, her tiny legs unable to carry her another step. Thousands of Central Americans, each with their own unique personal story, many from Honduras and fleeing gang violence, gathered at the base of a tall, yellow fence, the border with Mexico in Tecún Umán, Guatemala, ready to break it down. The crowd stretched as far down the road as anyone could see. A year later, some of those iconic images and stories cannot be forgotten, even as the caravan that arrived in Tijuana on Nov. 19, 2018 has scattered in different directions of the world: some making tentative and fragile lives in the United States; some back in Honduras; some working and living in Tijuana, still hoping for their chance at the American Dream. The notoriety of the 2018 and 2019 caravans that arrived in the region was fueled partly by the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, who tweeted regularly about it as it made its way north through Mexico ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. Trump labeled the people in the caravan "invaders," and deployed American soldiers to the border, foreshadowing a confrontation with it that brewed for weeks ahead of U.S. border agents deploying tear gas on asylum-seekers the day after Thanksgiving.

San Diego's Connections To The College Admissions Scandal | Kristina Davis Nov 15, 2019

As a driven yet financially-strapped teenager, Toby Macfarlane knew his family couldn’t afford to send him to the University of Southern California. But he was enamored with the private school and determined to make it there. He did — in that pull-oneself-up-by-the-bootstraps kind of way — through a combination of scholarships, grants, loans and part-time jobs. Decades later, Macfarlane, a successful title insurance executive living in Del Mar, wanted to ensure his children had a significantly easier path to his alma matter — one that ended up taking them through the “side door.” It cost Macfarlane $450,000 in fees and bribes at the time.

SDSU Student's Death Continues To Raise Questions | Gary Robbins, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Nov 14, 2019

The 19-year-old San Diego State University freshman who died after an event at one of the school’s fraternities was gravely injured when he fell from his bunk bed, the county Medical Examiner’s Office said Tuesday. The death has prompted swift action from the university, which, on Tuesday, announced the creation of two task forces that will focus on student behavior in fraternities and other campus organizations and the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Dylan Hernandez was found in bed, without a pulse Thursday morning. Investigators later determined that sometime after falling asleep, he fell from his top bunk, suffering unspecified injuries. A roommate helped him back into bed, where he was found, not breathing, hours later.

How These "Creep Catchers" Seek To Publicly Shame Would-Be Pedophiles | Teri Figueroa Nov 13, 2019

They call themselves the Creep Catchers Unit. For the last year, this small group of 20-somethings has run citizen stings in the region, particularly North County, posing as young teens on dating sites, and agreeing to meet with the people they suspect are trying to lure them for sex. “CC_Unit” records the meetup — more of a confrontation — then posts the video online, along with the chat logs, some of which look pretty damning. In one, a man asks the teen if he should bring a condom. The online postings are a public shaming, a digital scarlet letter.

How San Diego Serves As A Safe Harbor To Super Yachts | Peter Rowe Nov 12, 2019

If you doubt that the super-rich are a different breed, tour their superyachts. Take, for instance, Golden Shadow. Launched in 1995 by San Diego’s Campbell Shipyard, the 219-foot vessel has luxurious staterooms for 16 guests, more modest quarters for 22 crew members, a 50-square-foot dive chamber and an exterior elevator platform, powerful enough to hoist aboard a seaplane and spacious enough to set down a helicopter. Impressed? Don’t be. Golden Shadow was built as a floating garage for Golden Odyssey, a Saudi prince’s 404-foot superyacht. “These big yachts have so many helicopters and toys aboard,” said Neal Esterly, a San Diego salesman for Fraser, a premier superyacht broker. “They are building 200-foot shadow boats to carry the submarine, the helicopter, the dirt bikes.” Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/outdoors/story/2019-11-10/mega-yachts-for-the-mega-wealthy

Border Dispatch: Migrants Given False Court Dates, Wrongfully Sent Back To Mexico | Gustavo Solis Nov 09, 2019

Asylum seekers who have finished their court cases are being sent back to Mexico with documents that contain fraudulent future court dates, keeping some migrants south of the border indefinitely, records show. Under the Migrant Protection Protocols policy, asylum seekers with cases in the United States have to wait in Mexico until those cases are resolved. The Mexican government agreed to only accept migrants with future court dates scheduled. Normally, when migrants conclude their immigration court cases, they are either paroled into the United States or kept in federal custody depending on the outcome of the case. However, records obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune show that on at least 14 occasions, Customs and Border Protection agents in California and Texas gave migrants who had already concluded their court cases documents with fraudulent future court dates written on them and sent the migrants back to Mexico anyway.

The Latest On The Shooting At The Otay Mesa Church's Chicken | Lyndsay Winkley Nov 08, 2019

The woman who was killed when a shooter opened fire on a Church’s Chicken in Otay Mesa had just gotten married, family members said Thursday. Maribel Ibañez, 28, was one of three people struck by gunfire after a man who had been turned away for trying to buy a meal with counterfeit money started shooting at the restaurant on Del Sol Boulevard on Wednesday. San Diego police officers are still searching for a gunman, who was last seen driving away from the restaurant in a blue car, police said. He was described as a thin, black man in his 30s. He is about 6 feet 1 inch tall and was last seen wearing a blue Chargers beanie, basketball shorts and a light blue sweater.

Did The NCIS Go Too Far In Its Public Arrest Of 16 Marines? | Andrew Dyer Nov 07, 2019

The July mass arrest of 15 Camp Pendleton Marines in front of their 800-person battalion may have violated their rights and threatens to upend the case, attorneys for two of the accused told the Union-Tribune. On the morning of July 25, as 800 Marines stood in formation at the Camp San Mateo area of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, 24 Marines’ names were called. Fifteen were ordered to stand in a line in front of the battalion “to be recognized,” according to court filings in the case. The battalion sergeant major stood nearby, carrying a red folder that usually is associated with awards. But these men weren’t awarded. The regiment sergeant major, Sgt. Major Matthew A. Dorsey pointed to the Marines in front and said, “NCIS, arrest these Marines.”

Forget The LA Chargers, Rumormongers Are Suggesting The London Chargers | Tom Krasovic Nov 06, 2019

Chargers owner Dean Spanos is giving no thought to relocating from Los Angeles and is fully committed to the team’s L.A. venture. That was the clear, firm message Tuesday from Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani in response to a report in the The Athletic that the team would consider relocating to London. “There’s absolutely no truth to the idea that Dean Spanos would consider anything other than building his fan base in Los Angeles,” Fabiani said. “The idea that he would consider any other option is just nonsense.” The Chargers, who moved from San Diego in 2017, have a 20-year lease with the Rams on an Inglewood stadium that is to open next year. The Chargers hold two 10-year options after the lease expires that can be exercised solely at their discretion.

San Diego's Bishop Voted To Allow Married Priests In The Amazon | Peter Rowe Nov 05, 2019

The summit was in Rome, the focus was on the Amazon. But for Bishop Robert McElroy, leader of San Diego’s diocese and one of only three Americans among the 185 delegates to the Vatican’s Pan-Amazon Synod, the issues hit close to home. McElroy returned to San Diego last week to find traditionalists in an uproar. Along with most of the delegates, McElroy had backed a plan to allow married men to serve as priests in remote Amazonian villages. He also joined the majority in urging Pope Francis to consider ordaining female deacons — throughout the global church.

San Diego's Energy Grid May Soon Become Greener Thanks To A CCA | Rob Nikolewski Nov 01, 2019

San Diego’s plan to create community energy choice options is moving forward, with the possibility of having more than 700,000 new customers. Community choice energy offers the chance to purchase energy separate from an investor owned utility, which allows for quicker investment in green energy sources. Most of the county’s cities are for the plan, as well as San Diego Gas and Electric.

When San Diego Used To Have The Worlds Most Intense Haunted House | Morgan Cook Oct 31, 2019

McKamey Manor used to be a notorious terror attraction in Rancho Peñasquitos, but now the manor haunts in new locations in Tennessee and Alabama. This is a haunted house taken to extreme --- YouTube videos of tours of McKamey Manor when it was based in San Diego showed participants vomiting, weeping and bruised, a young man crying out to be released as his head is shoved under water and other unsettling imagery — much of which is “smoke and mirrors,” according to the proprietor Russ McKamey. In its new locations, McKamey Manor is still getting criticism for the tours, including a petition on Change.org to close down the attraction. McKamey has denied allegations by people who claimed that they suffered serious physical and emotional injuries during his tours, saying he captures all the experiences on video he can use to dispute false allegations. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Gaslamp Quarter Association Touts Idea Of A 5th Avenue Promenade | David Garrick Oct 30, 2019

San Diego officials and community leaders are exploring plans to create an eight-block pedestrian plaza in the Gaslamp Quarter by closing Fifth Avenue to vehicles between Broadway and L Street. Supporters say the plaza would become a magnet for tourists and locals, broadening the Gaslamp Quarter’s appeal and changing the landscape of downtown. Modeled after the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and public squares across Europe, the plaza would be dubbed the “Gaslamp Promenade” and feature street furniture, public art, trees, painted murals and possibly outdoor entertainment venues.

A SANDAG Bike Plan Is Delayed And $78M Over Budget | Joshua Emerson Smith Oct 29, 2019

San Diego’s leaders have long been pushing for safer streets and ways to get people out of their cars . . . but a plan for an interconnected bike network remains delayed and is 79 million dollars over budget. Local leaders say challenges in construction are primarily responsible for the delays.

How This Cancer Fighting Drug Survived A 13-Year Trek To FDA Approval | Bradley Fikes Oct 28, 2019

Cancer patients hold onto hope the way some people hold onto the lap bars of roller coasters: As if their lives depend on it. And then they get ready for the ups and downs. Theresa Blanda and Nancy Davidson started their rides after they were diagnosed with rare and debilitating blood cancers that enlarge the spleen and can progress to complications that are fatal. Both volunteered for a clinical trial with a drug developed by a small San Diego biotech company. Unlike the vast majority of trials, which end in disappointment, this one worked for them. The drug, fedratinib, made them better. So much better that Blanda returned to her accounting work in the defense industry. She made plans to marry. She dreamed about traveling. Davidson stopped worrying about whether she would live long enough to see her son and daughter graduate from high school and college. Then, five years into the trial, eight patients developed what appeared to be a dangerous neurological disorder that causes brain swelling and confusion. One died. Was the drug responsible?

Halloween Special: San Diego's Haunted History | Merrie Monteagudo Oct 25, 2019

The San Diego Union-Tribune's archivist Merrie Monteagudo recounts several historical ghost stories including deaths at the Whaley House, sasquatches and yetis in East County and a Ghost Ship that haunts the Salton Sea.

This Cal State San Marcos Executive's Lavish Spending Raises Questions | Jeff McDonald, Morgan Cook Oct 24, 2019

Michael Schroder, the dean who traveled first class, stayed at Ritz-Carlton hotels and bought a $110 Bruno-style bone-in filet was not the only one at Cal State San Marcos using state tax money to cover luxury expenses. So were the people responsible for approving his expense reports. Graham Oberem, former provost and most frequent signer of Schroder’s expense reports, stayed at a $639-a-night hotel in Spain in 2017 and paid $472 for Half Moon Limos to take him to and from Los Angeles International Airport for a recruiting trip to various countries in Europe in November 2018. Karen Haynes, former president of the university, stayed in the same hotel in Spain for $762 a night. She accumulated more than $9,100 in charges for chauffeured transportation from September 2017 to June this year. She billed the school for rides from her home to the university and was chauffeured to Long Beach routinely, documents show.

What We Know About California's Gasoline Mystery Surcharge | Rob Nikolewski Oct 23, 2019

Every California motorist knows that gasoline is expensive in the Golden State. Taxes and fees on the state and federal levels account for more than 80 cents per gallon at the pump. But even after stripping out all those expenses, the California Energy Commission says drivers are still paying more than they should because of “an unexplained residual price increase” that’s persisted for the last five years. Gov. Gavin Newsom thinks oil companies may be “engaging in false advertising or price fixing” and he has called on Attorney General Xavier Bacerra to open an investigation into what UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein has long called the “mystery gasoline surcharge.” In 2018, California motorists paid an average of 30 cents more per gallon at higher-priced retail outlets such as Chevron, Shell and 76 than the average American paid for gasoline in other states, the energy commission said in an analysis released last week.

Suit Over Disclosing Sexual Misconduct Records Settled | Greg Moran Oct 22, 2019

A lawsuit seeking records of accusations of sexual misconduct by employees of the San Diego District Attorney has settled, with the office turning over the records and agreeing to pay nearly $100,000 in legal fees incurred by a public records advocacy group which sought the information. The group, the First Amendment Coalition, filed suit in July 2018. The San Rafael-based group had asked under the state public records law for all records of sexual misconduct by DA employees. Instead the District Attorney’s Office had provided summaries of six cases but not the actual records.

MTS, SANDAG Hope Tax Increases Can Make A Transit-Oriented Future | Joshua Emerson Smith Oct 22, 2019

San Diego’s transit agencies are making a big bet on the future of transit. Both the San Diego Association of Governments and the Metropolitan Transit System are pushing forward separate tax measures that would improve public transit. The investments may be key if the region hopes to improve transit service and get more people out of their cars -- one of the only ways to meet climate goals.

What We Know About CBD | Peter Rowe Oct 18, 2019

While California is one of several states to legalize marijuana, demand for the plant isn’t just for getting high. Cannabidinol -- better known as CBD -- is now a popular substance that has found its way into everything from dog treats to lip balm. Claims of what CBD can do are vast, but many of them raise questions as to what’s true and what’s snakeoil.

Some Neighborhoods Are Installing Private License Plate Readers | Katy Stegall Oct 17, 2019

Several neighborhoods around San Diego County have turned to an Atlanta company to offer a new level of surveillance. Flock Safety provides private license plate readers that neighborhoods or HOAs can use to track who enters and leaves their neighborhoods. Amid the expansion of the internet of things, and 5G wireless technology, increased surveillance is becoming more common.

Border Dispatch: Remain In Mexico Remains A Problem | Gustavo Solis Oct 16, 2019

The federal government continues to send migrants back to Mexico who may not be subject to the Remain in Mexico program, according to a report published by lawyers and activists who work with asylum seekers in Mexico. The controversial program, officially known as Migrant Protection Protocols, does not have clear guidelines of who is subject to the policy, which forces asylum seekers to wait in Mexico until their court case is decided. With the absence of clear protocols, lawyer and advocates argue, some who should not be in the program are being incorrectly sent to Mexico. To date, more than 40,000 asylum seekers have been returned to Mexico under the program. This includes vulnerable populations, such as members of the LGBTQ community who face persecution in Mexico, unaccompanied children, and people with serious health issues.

San Diego County Republicans Fail To Endorse A Candidate For CA-50 | Andrew Dyer, Lauryn Schroeder Oct 15, 2019

San Diego Republicans failed Monday to back a candidate for the 50th Congressional District, including the candidate who currently holds the seat. None of the four candidates received the two-thirds majority necessary to get an endorsement from the Republican Party of San Diego County. Forty-nine members cast ballots after a forum and the results were confidential. A photo obtained by the Union-Tribune shows one of the four votes resulted in 21 delegates siding with former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio. Incumbent Rep. Duncan D. Hunter and State Sen. Brian Jones received 14 votes each. Former Congressman Darrell Issa did not receive any votes.

New Rules Shaping Scooter Use In San Diego | John Wilkens, Peter Rowe Oct 15, 2019

Three months after new city regulations went into effect, two companies, Jump and Skip, have left town. Another, Lime, may lose its permit because of repeated operating infractions. Almost 500 riders received traffic tickets, more than half of them for riding on sidewalks. The city impounded more than 3,700 scooters for parking violations. It’s too soon to say how effective or long-lasting the crackdown will be, or what it means to the future of dockless scooters here. Depending on the time and place, this can still look like a town that’s been overrun. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/story/2019-10-14/new-rules-shaping-scooter-use-in-san-diego

The Politics And Policy Of The Housing Crunch | Michael Smolens Oct 11, 2019

California’s housing market continues to become more expensive, but political leaders are seeing glimpses of a sea change coming. On a statewide level, there’s a renewed push to do more for middle-income housing, and in some cities like San Diego, new policies have been enacted to boost density without completely changing neighborhood character.

This Desert Town Could Be Yours | Phil Molnar Oct 10, 2019

If you ever wanted to be the owner of a desert town -- now’s your chance. The town of Campo is for sale, although the price hasn’t been announced and the seller is only accepting bids. The hamlet is about 10 miles north of the border along the 94, and is home to about 100 people. Not much has changed since the town was primarily built for the military during World War II-- and that’s part of its charm.

Why SDSU West Is Taking So Long To Start | Jennifer Van Grove Oct 09, 2019

Almost a year ago, San Diego voters approved Measure G, allowing for the sale of the former Qualcomm stadium site to San Diego State University. Plans for an expanded campus are underway, but the sale of the land to the university hasn’t been completed yet. The City and the University have several disagreements on the site, something that could delay the project.

Why Ocean Beach's Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey Is In Legal Crosshairs | Kristina Davis Oct 08, 2019

Exuding the bohemian irreverence of its Ocean Beach roots, Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey comes with its own warning: “a night with Skrewball is bound to get a little nutty.” The same could be said for the legal battle being waged over ownership of the locally crafted spirit. Created by husband-and-wife team Steve and Brittany Yeng, Skrewball is based on a signature peanut butter-and-whiskey shot that Steve concocted after opening his first restaurant, OB Noodle House. The shot was so popular that the couple decided to bottle it. But three people — including former Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher David “Boomer” Wells and local television host Noah Tafolla — have filed lawsuits in San Diego Superior Court alleging they were all promised a stake in the venture. The Yengs, in turn, have filed a cross-complaint of their own against Tafolla, calling him a “parasitic individual” who exploited his relationship with the couple to enrich himself. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2019-10-06/skrewball-whiskey-lawsuits-yeng-wells-tafolla

Border Dispatch: How Fixers Help Make Tijuana News Happen | Gustavo Solis Oct 07, 2019

Whenever the foreign press drops in to cover a big international story — be it a natural disaster in Southeast Asia, a civil war in Africa, or a humanitarian crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border — they rely on local guides to show them around town, arrange interviews, scout locations, serve as translators, and sometimes even negotiate interview terms with local cartel bosses. These local guides are referred to as “fixers.” Whenever the BBC, CNN, New York Times, or pretty much any big news organization comes to Tijuana, they call local fixers.

Why Downtown San Diego's Public Restrooms Are Bleak | Peter Rowe Oct 04, 2019

n life, the only certainties are death, taxes and the fact that — often at an inconvenient, gut-clenching moment — everyone needs a place to do their business. "Sir, relax," Herbert Bridges told a pedestrian racing to a public restroom outside San Diego City Hall. The security guard unlocked a steel door, revealing a cinder block chamber with a stainless steel commode, urinal and sink. Brown stains marked the walls, litter and dark patches the floor. "Everybody's panicked," Bridges commented, "but I got it under control. "When it comes to public restrooms, critics insist, San Diego cannot say the same. In 2005 and again in 2015, San Diego County's grand jury urged more public bathrooms downtown. Similar pleas came from the East Village Redevelopment Homeless Advisory Committee (2001), the San Diego Partnership's Clean & Safe Program (2005) and the Girls Think Tank (2009). This shortage was cited as a factor behind 2017's hepatitis A epidemic. During that crisis, the city installed dozens of portable restrooms and outdoor washing stations. Yet relief was only temporary.

Poll: Republicans Split On Who To Support In CA-50 Michael Smolens Oct 03, 2019

A new poll of likely voters in the crowded and widely watched 50th Congressional District race shows indicted incumbent Duncan Hunter facing an uphill climb to re-election, trailing three candidates. In the poll, Hunter, with 11 percent of the vote, is trailing GOP opponents Carl DeMaio (20 percent) and Darrell Issa (16 percent) while lone Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar, who narrowly lost to Hunter a year ago, leads with 31 percent. State Sen. Brian Jones polled at 4 percent. Then came two independents, Helen Horvath and David Edick Jr., with 2 percent and 1 percent respectively. Fifteen percent of the voters were undecided.

CalFire Begins Fight Against Invasive Grasses | Joshua Emerson Smith Oct 02, 2019

Highly flammable nonnative plants have increasingly played a major role in Southern California’s struggles with wildfire — providing kindling along roadsides and around homes that turn sparks into menacing backcountry blazes. San Diego firefighting officials plan to dramatically ramp up efforts to rip out vegetation, both native and invasive, surrounding remote communities as part of a statewide campaign to prevent tragedies such as the Camp Fire in Paradise. However, environmental groups and scientists are now warning that brush-removal projects may actually exacerbate the risk of fire by inadvertently helping to spread invasive grasses, such as black mustard, star thistle and ripgut bromus. San Diego County’s ambitious goal is to clear 5,000 acres a year around the county using prescribed burns and chainsaws, while also ramping up maintenance of trails and remote roads accessed by firetrucks. Critics say the plan is ill-conceived and seeks to bypass environmental reviews that could force authorities to address the spread of invasive plants. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/story/2019-09-28/will-cal-fires-plan-to-rip-out-vegetation-in-san-diego-lead-to-an-explosion-in-flammable-invasive-grasses

Border Dispatch: 25 Years Later, How Operation Gatekeeper Changed The Border | Kristina Davis Oct 01, 2019

Operation Gatekeeper was unveiled on Oct. 1, 1994. The strategy was to deter migrants from illegally crossing in the first place — and, for those who remained undeterred, to encourage them to cross in more isolated wilderness areas to the east, where they could be more easily captured. Twenty-five years later, Operation Gatekeeper is still viewed as a major turning point in the effort to control the border. It is considered both a success and a failure, depending on whom you ask. One thing is certain: Operation Gatekeeper set in motion a process that significantly altered the landscape of the U.S.-Mexico border and transformed San Diego into one of the most heavily fortified international boundaries in the nation. It also came with a human toll, as migration shifted to the east.

Border Dispatch: This Veteran Is Trying to Unite A Separated Family | Gustavo Solis, Hafsa Fathima Sep 30, 2019

There was something odd about the Kentucky woman who sat next to a young Honduran mother asking for asylum in San Diego’s immigration court last week. Judge Philip Law had never seen her before. The woman wasn’t an immigration lawyer. She wasn’t even related to the single mother, Keyla. So, the judge asked, who was she and what was she doing there? “I’m Vonnette Monteith,” she said. “I know the family and I’m here to help.”

Lack Of School Bus Service Causes Controversy In Oceanside Neighborhood | Deborah Brennan Sep 27, 2019

When their neighborhood school closed down more than a decade ago, parents from Oceanside’s Crown Heights neighborhood were desperate to maintain a bus route that kept their children from walking miles on streets marked by gang violence and dangerous traffic. So they agreed to pay a monthly fee to help fund the service. What they didn’t expect was a demand that they also sweep streets, attend mandatory community meetings and clean offices and bathrooms to earn discounts on those fees.

San Diego Has Its Own Mini Version Of Fox News - One America News Network | Kristina Davis Sep 26, 2019

In a television studio tucked into a Bay Ho business park, Graham Ledger looks into a camera and opens with his signature line: “Stand by. The doors to the newsroom are locked and the PC police are not getting in.” He then spends the next hour eviscerating liberal politics. The Democratic presidential hopefuls are “buffoons” and “socialists,” and all this talk of climate change reform is actually “a massive plan to redistribute wealth.” In the same episode he slams California’s sex education curriculum as “sexual indoctrination” from “fascist left radical ideology” and points to “this gender nonsense going on.” Later, he congratulates the United States for being “the least racist nation.”

Vaping Illnesses Spark Discussions On Regulations | Karen Pearlman Sep 25, 2019

As the number of vaping-related deaths and illnesses mount, health officials nationwide are warning of severe consequences, but so far they have stopped short of declaring an emergency. State health officials on Tuesday implored people to immediately stop using the vaping devices, which they said posed an "imminent public health risk," and the governor issued an executive order directing his staff to draft strict rules for the sale of the electronic cigarettes. San Diego County and a growing number of the region's cities are heeding that sense of urgency. “I fully support the California Department of Public Health’s recommendation for people to refrain from vaping, no matter the substance or source, in light of ongoing investigations into cases of severe breathing problems and lung damage among individuals who have a history of vaping," said Wilma Wooten, of the county's Health and Human Services.

Changes Are Coming To Your Electric Bill | Rob Nikolewski Sep 24, 2019

Changes are coming to your electric bill -- again. San Diego Gas and Electric is asking for the California Public Utilities Commission to make a series of changes that affect rate payers. They’re looking to end seasonal pricing, as well as setting the rate for the next several years. Both of these moves set the framework for how your energy bill is calculated each month.

What The Firing Of Andy Green Means For The Padres | Jay Posner Sep 24, 2019

There will be a new manager when the Padres are wearing their new brown uniforms next season. Andy Green was fired Saturday morning, two years before his contract was due to expire and after four seasons with a 274-366 record. Bench coach Rod Barajas was named interim manager and served in that role Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

San Diego Grand Central Terminal Moves Closer To Reality | Jenn Van Grove Lori Weisberg Sep 21, 2019

A theoretical airport transit hub, sometimes called “San Diego Grand Central Station,” became more tangible with the head of the Department of the Navy visiting San Diego on Thursday to give the federal government’s go-ahead on planning efforts to redevelop one of its most recognizable properties. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer joined Mayor Kevin Faulconer and the San Diego Association of Governments’ Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata at a media event where they signed an agreement that lays the foundation to remake the Naval Base Point Loma, Old Town Complex. The contract, which supersedes a prior memorandum of understanding, means SANDAG and the Navy can move forward with parallel planning and environmental review efforts of the 70-acre site.

U-T Watchdog Investigation: Dying Behind Bars | Kelly Davis, Jeff McDonald Sep 20, 2019

In San Diego County jails, more than 130 people have died in the past ten years. That’s an average higher than one inmate per month, every month, since 2009 --- which is the year that Sheriff Bill Gore took office. The circumstances vary: suicide, heart disease, complications from diabetes and murder -- but collectively, they bring into question how the county is safeguarding those who are wards of the state. Story will be live Friday morning at uniontrib.com/jaildeaths

President Donald Trump's San Diego Afternoon | Phil Molnar, Michael Smolens Sep 19, 2019

President Donald Trump arrived in San Diego today, kicking off an hours-long visit that began with a downtown fundraiser and will end with a quick tour of the border. The trip is his second to the city in 18 months and follows an April visit to the border city of Calexico.

Border Dispatch: Where Changes To Asylum Stand Now | Kate Morrissey, Gustavo Solis Sep 18, 2019

Get up to speed about recent Supreme Court rulings, new immigration policies and the challenges asylum seekers face.

Racial Slurs At H.S. Football Game Spark Investigations | Kristen Taketa, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Sep 17, 2019

San Diego activists on Monday called for San Clemente High in Orange County to apologize for racial slurs they say were targeted at Lincoln High students at a football game Friday night. Both the Capistrano Unified School District and Lincoln High School said they each are conducting investigations into the allegations. Capistrano Unified spokesman Ryan Burris said Monday his district is reviewing about eight hours of video footage from the stadium, culling social media posts about the event and interviewing students. He expects that will take until about Wednesday or Thursday to complete, he said. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2019-09-16/activists-want-san-clemente-high-to-apologize-after-alleged-racial-slurs-against-lincoln-students

Gun Lock Law Takes Effect, Was Passed Without The Mayor | Michael Smolens Sep 14, 2019

Amid increasing public sentiment for gun control legislation, Mayor Kevin Faulconer withheld his support from a citywide firearms safety measure. The San Diego Safe Storage of Firearms Ordinance was approved by the City Council in July and took effect Thursday. The measure requires guns in homes to be stored in a locked container or disabled by a trigger lock unless they are being carried by or are under the control of the owner or authorized user. It became law without the mayor’s signature. City Attorney Mara Elliott proposed the ordinance, saying it would guard against accidental shootings and keep guns out of the hands of children, people not allowed to have them and “individuals going through personal crises.” Column: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2019-09-12/column-why-faulconer-laid-low-on-san-diegos-gun-storage-law

Rent Cap Bill Awaits Newsom's Signature | Phillip Molnar Sep 13, 2019

San Diego County is one step away from a form of rent control for the first time in its history. A statewide measure that would limit yearly rent increases to 5 percent, plus inflation, passed the state Assembly on Wednesday and the state Senate earlier this week. It now goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk where he is expected to sign it into law. While the law is a big deal for all of California — becoming only the second state to have a statewide rent cap — it also could be a seismic change for San Diego. America’s Finest City is one of the few large cities in the state not to have any form of rent control, and the county also has no laws for stopping skyrocketing rents. If signed by Newsom, the law would go into effect Jan. 1. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/story/2019-09-11/statewide-rent-cap-appears-likely-to-become-law-would-be-a-first-for-san-diego

Mission Valley Might Be A Live-Work Paradise If This Plan Works | Jennifer Van Grove Sep 12, 2019

City leaders have set in motion a 30-year plan for Mission Valley that flips the region’s focus from its roads to the San Diego River and the trolley system. It simultaneously creates room for 50,000 additional residents and 7 million more square feet of commercial development. Tuesday, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Mission Valley Community Plan Update and certify the associated environmental impact report. The approval is the last needed in a process that dates to 2015, when city planners first teamed with community members to come up with a new framework for Mission Valley. The land-use and policy document also cleared without a hiccup the city’s Land Use & Housing Committee and the Planning Commission earlier in the summer.

Rep. Susan Davis' Retirement Leaves Big Shoes To Fill Michael Smolens, Charles Clark Sep 11, 2019

Rep. Susan Davis' retirement in the 53rd District came as a surprise last week, but her friends and political foes agree-- she was a beacon of civility who got things done for San Diego. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2019-09-07/susan-davis-retiring-career-retrospective

Grocery Worker Strike Averted As Union Members Vote On Contract | Phillip Molnar Brittany Meiling Sep 10, 2019

The looming threat of a grocery store strike throughout Southern California was dissolving Monday as workers began voting on a new employment contract that appears to appease all parties. Clerks and other grocery staff from Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons are casting votes Monday through Wednesday on the new deal brokered over the weekend between the stores and the workers’ union, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Roughly 47,000 members of seven union chapters across Southern California and parts of Central California are eligible to vote on the new three-year contract. Worker sentiment appears strongly positive on the deal, which secured a bump in wages, healthcare benefits and pension contributions.

Poll: Todd Gloria Leading In Mayor's Race, Many Undecided | David Garrick Sep 07, 2019

Assemblyman Todd Gloria leads Councilwoman Barbara Bry by more than a two-to-one margin among likely voters in the race to become San Diego’s next mayor, according to a Union-Tribune/10 News poll released Friday. Gloria leads Bry by a margin of 31 percent to 15 percent, with community activist Tasha Williamson receiving 8 percent support. The three candidates – all Democrats – are seeking to replace Republican Mayor Kevin Faulconer next year. With six months until the March 2020 primary, 46 percent of likely voters are undecided. That’s partly because 39 percent of those polled say they have no opinion yet of Bry, and 23 percent don’t yet have an opinion of Gloria.

San Diego Wants To Hire 200 Firefighters In 5 Years | John Wilkens, Karen Kucher, Sam Hodgson Sep 06, 2019

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department has a chronic understaffing problem. Now it has a plan of attack: It aims to add more than 200 firefighters over the next five years. The idea is to offset employees retiring or otherwise leaving the department and to create a relief pool of workers who can fill in for firefighters who call in sick or go on vacation, in an effort to trim skyrocketing overtime costs. But will the hiring spree solve the staffing shortage?

Union Jack Raises Questions On How Far HOA Regulations Can Go | John Wilkens Sep 05, 2019

Shannon Glover came from England to San Diego almost 30 years ago for a uniquely American reason: She fell in love with Tom Cruise and “Top Gun.” Now she’s in a dispute that pits the country of her birth against the one she calls home. Her homeowner’s association in Carmel Valley has ordered her to stop flying the British flag, the Union Jack, outside her house. “Only the American flag is permitted,” the Notice of Violation says.

Gang Crimes Spike In San Diego | Greg Moran, Lyndsay Winkley Sep 04, 2019

After a year of declines, gang-related crime in San Diego has spiked in recent months with the city logging twice as many homicides as the same time last year and 20 percent more gang-related crimes overall. A spate of shootings, retaliation attacks and other crimes has put the raw number of gang-related crimes this year far ahead of the number through July 2018. Police statistics show there were 463 gang-related crimes committed through June, up from 385 during the same period last year. That increase of 78 crimes is reflected in nearly all categories. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2019-09-02/gang-crimes-spike-in-san-diego

Is Your Paycheck Keeping Up With San Diego's Inflation? | Phillip Molnar, Brittany Meiling Aug 31, 2019

If you have been working in San Diego County for the last decade and feel like you are in worse financial shape now, there might be a reason for that. Sluggish wage growth, exacerbated by rising housing costs, have eroded workers' buying power.Taking into account yearly inflation — which considers the cost of such things as housing, gasoline and food — overall wages in the county have increased just 2 percent from 2008 to 2018. That's according to an analysis by the San Diego Union-Tribune of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read more: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com//business/economy/story/2019-08-30/san-diego-restaurant-workers-see-wages-climb

Warner Bros Is Opening A New Carlsbad Mobile Game Studio | Brittany Meiling Aug 30, 2019

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has opened a new gaming studio in Carlsbad, joining a bubbling hub of developers in the region working on mobile titles. WB Games is best known for its DC and Harry Potter games, including the recent augmented reality title Wizards Unite. Game of Thrones: Conquest is one of the studio’s bigger hits, grossing $214 million in revenue as of May. The new studio, which is making free-to-play mobile games, is hiring new workers across “all disciplines,” from art and design to business and engineering, said Tom Casey, the vice president and studio head at WB Games in Boston. Casey will also be leading the San Diego team. The studio has 15 job openings listed on its website. Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/story/2019-08-27/warner-bros-opens-ncarlsbad-game-studio

State Insurance Commissioner Took Political Donations From Companies He Regulates | Jeff McDonald Aug 29, 2019

A new Union-Tribune analysis of public disclosures related to Ricardo Lara’s successful campaign for state insurance commissioner shows that he accepted more donations from interested parties than was previously known. Lara collected at least $270,000 from 56 different people and companies with ties to the department he now oversees, according to a recent, more thorough examination of contributions reported to the Secretary of State. In some cases, the money came directly from insurers like Aflac or Blue Shield of California. In others, donations came from bail agents regulated by the department.

Can The Port Force These Private Piers Into Public Land? | Jennifer VanGrove Aug 28, 2019

In the wealthy La Playa enclave of Shelter Island a handful of small piers dot the secluded coastline, relics of a different World War II-era bay. They have offered their upland homeowners, generation after generation, an uncommon San Diego privilege: Backyard parking for their boats. Now the Port of San Diego, which technically owns the piers because they are on public tidelands, is threatening to strip the benefit away as part of its Port Master Plan Update. The piers that start near the Talbot Street entrance to the La Playa Trail and end near Kellogg Beach must be made entirely public or torn down, the document states. Right now, people can walk out on the piers until they reach gates that restrict access to the private floating docks at the end. Only one, the La Playa Yacht Club Pier, can remain as is, meaning partially open to passersby but otherwise restricted to permitted users. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-08-24/la-playa-docks-dredging-up-big-controversy-in-remote-shelter-island-area

Scam Diego: How New Scams Are Tricking You | Peter Rowe Aug 27, 2019

Welcome to the golden age of scams. Scouring social media accounts and hacked databases for personal information, criminals have created new tools to attack the unwary. While investigators still see phishing attacks, the scattershot come-ons often vaguely addressed to “Dear Sir/Madam,” an increasing number of fraudsters favor “spear phishing,” scams that target individuals with frightening precision.

Wet Hop Beer Season Is Coming | Peter Rowe Aug 24, 2019

This month, farmers are reaping San Diego County’s 2019 hop harvest, thousands of pounds of Cascade, Chinook, Cashmere and other varietals. The entire crop is sold out and customers eagerly await shipments of the fragrant conical hop flowers, which look like leafy green cotton balls. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/story/2019-08-17/experts-say-san-diego-county-is-not-hop-country-tell-that-to-local-hop-farmers

Border Disptach: Trump Administration Aims To Keep Detained Children Indefinitely | Kate Morrissey Aug 23, 2019

The Trump Administration is planning on ending limits on child detention of migrants caught at the border. The Flores agreement is a 1997 court settlement that sets rules for how the government must provide a minimum standard of care for children in custody, and prevents the government from keeping them indefinitely. The Trump Administration's new rules will be formally published Friday, and will be challenged in court.

County Dems Endorse Todd Gloria For San Diego Mayor | David Garrick, Michael Smolens Aug 22, 2019

County Democrats have made their decision on an endorsement in the 2020 Mayoral Race: It’s Assemblyman Todd Gloria. The move was key, as it is likely the next San Diego mayor will be a Democrat, and that party has a significant registration advantage. Gloria is expected to face off against fellow Democrat Barbara Bry in the 2020 general election. As of now, there’s no Republican candidate.

The 30th Street Bike Lane Controversy, Explained | Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Aug 21, 2019

A plan to put a protected bike lane in North Park has drawn criticism from the community. The plan would remove street parking from the popular corridor, and remove 420 parking spaces. Among the detractors are a group of disability advocates who say they’ve been left out of the conversation about how to alter mobility options for a greener future.

County May Pay $12M For Injuries Suffered By A Man In Jail | Jeff McDonald Aug 20, 2019

Long before a San Diego County jury in July awarded David Collins more than $12 million for brain damage he suffered in Sheriff’s Department custody, a mediator recommended that his civil lawsuit be settled for $3 million, his attorney said. The Board of Supervisors, acting in closed session on advice from county attorneys, rejected the mediator’s suggestion, according to Collins’ lawyer, Robert Vaage. Instead they approved a counter offer their lawyers said was more in line with Collins’ injuries: $500,000, Vaage said. The plaintiff’s attorney considered that a lowball offer and opted to take chances with a jury, which last month returned a verdict worth $12.6 million. Now supervisors are confronting their largest civil judgment in decades, potentially adding to the $167 million in jury awards, settlements and claims San Diego County has paid out over the last 30 years.

First Campaign Filings Show San Diego County's 2020 Frontrunners | Lauryn Schroeder, Charles Clark Aug 17, 2019

The Union-Tribune analyzed available campaign data, which shows that San Diego County residents have donated more than $1M to more than 20 candidates.

Legoland Announces New Movie-Based "Land" | Lori Weisberg Aug 15, 2019

Legoland, in its biggest expansion yet of the Carlsbad theme park, announced Thursday that it will open next year a brand new land devoted entirely to the popular Lego movies — complete with a new 4D-style ride. The Lego Movie World, as it’s being called, will encompass a little more than two acres of the park, occupying the former Lego Friends Heartlake City area. Located in the far west side of the park, the area will be entirely reimagined to give park visitors the sense of being immersed within Lego’s cinematic universe — more specifically, The Lego Movie and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. Key to that will be its signature ride, Masters of Flight, which will transport its passengers to the Lego movies’ memorable lands, aboard title character Emmet’s triple decker flying couch — or at least that’s what it will feel like.

Rep. Duncan Hunter's Trial Delayed | Morgan Cook, Jeff McDonald, Charles Clark, Micheal Smolens Aug 15, 2019

A new date has been set for the criminal trial of Rep. Duncan Hunter; he will now face trial starting on Jan. 14 instead of Sept. 10, based on a court decision Tuesday. U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan changed the date after lawyers requested a delay. It will allow time for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to consider Hunter’s appeal of Whelan’s refusal in July to throw out the indictment. Hunter’s lawyers plan to ask the appeals court to dismiss charges that he spent more than $250,000 in campaign donations on girlfriends, family vacations, tuition for his children and other personal expenses. Hunter’s defense attorney, Gregory Vega, filed a similar motion with Whelan in June arguing that some of the evidence prosecutors gathered about Hunter’s allegedly criminal conduct was protected by the “speech or debate” clause of the U.S. Constitution. Whelan rejected the argument, ruling that it was “wholly without merit.”

SDSU President Sets "Political Litmus Test" On Leaders Outgoing Dean Says | Gary Robbins Aug 13, 2019

San Diego State University President Adela de la Torre has been accused by one of her former deans of saying that education leaders in California cannot obtain or keep top jobs unless they pass a left-leaning “political litmus test.” The accusation, which de La Torre denies, was made by Lance Nail, who stepped down as dean of SDSU’s Fowler College of Business in May, less than two years after his high profile recruitment from Texas Tech University, where he was an innovation expert. Nail said Monday that de la Torre made the political claim when he told her he was leaving for a deanship at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. At the time, he was willing to consider staying at SDSU, which hoped that he would make the most of a $25 million donation the campus received to improve the business school. Nail claims that de la Torre said, “If you’re not a Democrat and you don’t support unions there will be no place for you in education in California.”

Look Up! Your Streetlamp Is Watching You | Joshua Emerson Smith Aug 13, 2019

San Diego has installed thousands of microphones and cameras in so-called smart streetlamps in recent years as part of a program to assess traffic and parking patterns throughout the city. However, the technology over the last year caught the attention of law enforcement. When police officers picked up Hernandez last summer, they had never used a streetlamp camera in an investigation. Today, such video has been viewed in connection with more than 140 police investigations. Officers have increasingly turned to the footage to help crack cases, as frequently as 20 times a month. Police department officials have said that the video footage has been crucial in roughly 40 percent of these cases.

Following Mass Shootings, Living Anxiously Becomes Commonplace | Peter Rowe Aug 10, 2019

Last weekend’s mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton accentuated a painful fact of 21st century life: the lurking fear that a lethal threat could erupt at any public gathering. Anxiety is soaring among the faithful (domestic terrorists have attacked houses of worship), shoppers (malls have been shot up), Hispanics (targeted in El Paso), concertgoers (remember the Las Vegas massacre?), parents and teachers (school shootings have come a long, lethal way since Columbine in 1999). Everywhere, it seems, there are signs of a society under siege.

Border Dispatch: Mexicali Shelters Lack Accountability, Oversight | Gustavo Solis Aug 09, 2019

Migrants say they've become targets for abuse. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2019-08-06/asylum-seekers-report-theft-exploitation-in-mexicalis-migrant-shelters

SDSU West's Traffic Impacts Likely To Be Bigger Than Expected | Jennifer Van Grove Aug 08, 2019

At build out in 2037, San Diego State University’s Mission Valley campus will create 45,174 new car trips per weekday on area roads, according to the latest traffic analysis. As many as 19,099 more vehicle trips could be added to the mix when the university’s 35,000-person stadium reaches maximum capacity for sporting events or concerts. The new transportation figures were included in the university’s draft environmental impact report, which was published Monday. The study, required by state law, considers the effects of the university’s proposed development plan for the 132 acres of land it plans to purchase from the city of San Diego. The report is being circulated for a 60-day public review and comment period that ends on Oct. 3.

5 Democratic Candidates Came To San Diego To Make Their Pitch To Latinos | Charles Clark Aug 07, 2019

Five Democratic presidential candidates who visited San Diego on Monday honed in on gun safety, healthcare, immigration reform and hateful rhetoric as key topics during the annual UnidosUS conference. Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Kamala Harris of California and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro took turns on stage at the annual event, which drew thousands of people to promote the Latino community. The candidates all expressed frustration with the lack of Senate Republican action on proposed gun control legislation and the growing problems of white nationalist violence and domestic terrorism on display last weekend. “We cannot fix a problem if we refuse to name a problem,” Biden said. “This is white nationalism, this is white supremacy, this is about hate.... Mr. President, it is long past time you stood up it. This is hatred, pure and simple, and it is being fueled by rhetoric so divisive that it is causing people to die.”

Border Dispatch: El Paso Shooting Rattles The Region | Wendy Fry Aug 06, 2019

The massacre of 20 people Saturday by a man who traveled 650 miles to a Walmart in El Paso, reportedly with the intention of shooting “as many Mexicans as possible,” marks what appears to be one of the deadliest hate crimes ever against Latinos.

Fallout From The Gallagher Case Continues | Andrew Dyer Aug 03, 2019

Even though the war crimes trial of Edward Gallager is over, and he has been cleared of nearly all charges, the trial still looms over the Navy. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump rescinded the medals of the servicemen who were on the prosecution against Gallagher and the top admiral dismissed all charges of another SEAL tied to the case.

Oceanside Sinkholes Relocate Elementary Students | Deborah Brennan Aug 02, 2019

Students and staff at Garrison Elementary School in Oceanside will be relocated to San Luis Rey School when school starts in August because of sinkholes that appeared on campus earlier this year, the Oceanside Unified School District Board voted unanimously Wednesday. Preschoolers will be moved to either Del Rio or Libby Elementary Schools, and families who don’t want to move their students can request school of choice transfers to other campuses in the district. The board decided to move the students as it investigates what is causing the sinkholes, and determines whether they can repair the damage and renovate the site. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/story/2019-07-31/oceanside-school-students-to-be-relocated-because-of-sinkholes-garrison-elementary

City Council OK's Plan To Build More Middle And Low-Income Housing | David Garrick Aug 01, 2019

San Diego approved two much-anticipated pieces of housing legislation Tuesday: the city’s first incentive focused on housing for moderate-income residents, and new regulations that aim to boost construction of units for low-income residents. The City Council unanimously approved the new law focused on moderate-income residents, defined by the city as families making 80 percent to 120 percent of the region’s median income of $86,300 for a family of four. The measure would allow developers to build larger projects with more units if they agree to reserve some of the units for moderate-income workers like nurses, teachers and firefighters. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/san-diego/story/2019-07-30/new-san-diego-laws-aim-to-spur-housing-for-low-income-moderate-income-residents

Room 20: How Joanne Fayron Found The Identity Of A Patient Who Has Been Unconscious Since ‘99 Jul 31, 2019

In a new podcast series from The Los Angeles Times Studios, join along in the journey of how San Diego journalist Joanne Fayron found the identity of an unknown man who has been in a vegetative state since 1999. Learn more and subscribe here: https://www.latimes.com/projects/room-20-podcast/

Everyone Wants To Relocate San Onofre's Nuclear Waste, No One Agrees On Where | Rob Nikolewski Jul 30, 2019

Earlier this month, Southern California Edison — the operators of the now-shuttered San Onofre nuclear power plant — resumed transferring heavy canisters filled with spent fuel assemblies from wet storage pools to a newly constructed dry storage facility on the plant’s premises. Putting aside the criticism from some advocacy groups about restarting transfers at all, the move brings up a larger question: Where will the waste at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, known as SONGS for short, eventually go? Some of the options are fairly well-known, such as reviving a controversial site in Nevada, while others are more obscure, such as a proposal to send the waste down deep boreholes.

Symphony's Permanent Bayside Home Could Be Ready By 2020 | Jennifer Van Grove Jul 27, 2019

If all goes according to plan, patrons of the San Diego Symphony’s annual outdoor concert series will next summer find that the usual pop-up venue has been replaced with an ultramodern, permanent structure. Wednesday, Port of San Diego commissioners unanimously approved a long-term ground lease with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association for operation of a 3.68-acre venue on the 10.8-acre Embarcadero Marina Park South site. The action follows the board’s December approval of a coastal permit, and clears the way for construction of the $45 million project, which includes around $3 million in improvements to the surrounding waterside park. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-07-24/symphonys-permanent-home-on-the-bay-could-be-ready-for-2020-summer-pops

Marines Arrested For Human Trafficking, San Diego SEALs Sent Home From Iraq | Andrew Dyer Jul 26, 2019

Sixteen Marines were arrested at Camp Pendleton Thursday morning during battalion formation for various illegal activities ranging from human smuggling to drug-related offenses, the 1st Marine Division said in a statement. The Marine Corps said information from a previous human smuggling investigation led to the arrests. On July 3, two Marines — Byron Darnell Law II and David Javier Salazar-Quintero — were arrested for allegedly transporting unauthorized immigrants as part of a smuggling operation. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2019-07-25/16-camp-pendleton-marines-arrested-on-human-smuggling-drug-related-activities SEALs: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2019-07-24/san-diego-based-seal-team-7-platoon-sent-home-from-iraq-for-deterioration-of-good-order-and-discipline

Mayor Kevin Faulconer Wins National Praise On Homelessness | Michael Smolens Jul 25, 2019

Mayor Kevin Faulconer has appeared recently in conservative news outlets and on pop-culture radio shows where he is being lauded for something that would have been unimaginable just two years ago: progress on combating homelessness. The mayor was a rising political star after his 2014 election and was considered a leading Republican candidate for governor a couple of years later, but that changed dramatically when San Diego was thrown into crisis by the 2017 hepatitis A outbreak linked to homelessness that killed 20 people and sickened nearly 600 across the region. At least on the air, it seems like a new day for Faulconer. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2019-07-23/nearly-sunk-by-homeless-hepatitis-crisis-faulconer-now-sought-for-advice

Is This Developer Creating San Diego's First "Poor Door"? | Phil Molnar Jul 24, 2019

The developer of an East Village highrise apartment building wants to house its poorer renters in a separate building next door. Even as affordable housing advocates are praising the developer for building much-needed low-income housing, there are some who suggest the proposal sounds like segregation. Canadian developer Pinnacle International's plans envision a separate entrance for low-income renters at the proposed Pinnacle Pacific Heights complex that would not allow them access to amenities like a roof deck and pool for wealthier renters. If approved, the project would mark the first time a downtown developer has put low-income units in a different building as opposed to incorporating them into the same complex. The proposed market-rate tower, between A and B streets on 11th Avenue, is 32 stories and includes 387 housing units. A smaller, eight-story building would have 58 low-income apartments and be adjacent to the main tower.

New Seaport Tower Would Redefine San Diego's Skyline | Jennifer Van Grove Jul 23, 2019

A proposed observation tower at the edge of Pacific Highway is a polarizing symbol of change that could make or break the larger, $2.4 billion redevelopment effort planned for downtown’s Central Embarcadero. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-07-19/seaport-san-diego-tower-is-like-nothing-else-on-californias-coast-thats-the-problem

Comic Book Fans, Dealers Keep In The "Comic" In Comic-Con | Peter Rowe Jul 20, 2019

If you’re under the impression that San Diego Comic-Con has sold its soul, ditching comic books in favor of Hollywood, video games and “Comic-Con exclusive” toys, listen to Bob Bretall. “There are more comics at this Con than any other four conventions put together,” said Bretall, 57, a Mission Viejo resident who holds the Guinness World Record for most unique volumes (103,000). “The people who say the Con isn’t about comics any more, they don’t know what they are talking about.” Comic-Con, which ends its 50th run Sunday, is actually 10 or 12 different pop culture shows occurring simultaneously. Hall H, the San Diego Convention Center’s cavernous ballroom, is dominated by A-List actors and directors. Ballroom 20 is Ground Zero for TV premieres. In a galaxy far, far away — the exhibit hall’s north end — there’s a hive of buying and selling, the New York Stock Exchange trading floor for candy-colored publications that once sold for 10 cents. Kids’ stuff? If you’re a comics collector here, you’ll need a huge allowance.

Two Horses Die At Del Mar | Bryce Miller Jul 19, 2019

Two horses died Thursday morning in a freak training accident at Del Mar, track officials confirmed. Mac McBride, director of media for Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, said one of the horses, Carson Valley, was an unraced 3-year-old trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. The other horse, a 2-year-old named Charge a Bunch, was trained by Carla Gaines. Jockey Assael Espinoza — who was riding Carson Valley — was transported to a local hospital, Del Mar said in a statement. “He’s OK, he got lucky,” said Brian Beach, Espinoza’s agent. “It’s just a mild sprain of the back. He wasn’t riding [Thursday], so he will rest up and hopefully be able to ride this weekend.” Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/horse-racing/story/2019-07-18/del-mar-horses-die-freak-training-accident

Border Dispatch: New Asylum Policy Sill Has Unknowns | Wendy Fry, Gustavo Solis Jul 18, 2019

Confusion and uncertainty loomed over the first day of the Trump administration’s new policy that limits the number of asylum seekers allowed to enter the United States through the southern border. The Trump administration announced the new asylum policy on Monday afternoon. By Tuesday morning, hundreds of migrants — mostly from Honduras, Guatemala, Ghana, Cameroon and Mexico — anxiously waited in line to see if their names would be called from an ever-growing wait-list of those ready to enter the U.S. Mexican immigration officials transported 12 people — including those from Venezuela and Haiti — to the United States about 8:40 a.m. at the San Ysidro port of entry. Under the new set of restrictions, asylum seekers who pass through another country first would be deemed ineligible for asylum at the U.S. southern border. That includes most of the thousands of migrants who have been waiting to cross into the U.S. in Tijuana for as many as six months.

New Bike Lanes Create Downtown Confusion | Lyndsay Winkley Jul 17, 2019

A trio of downtown San Diego streets recently got new paint jobs — exciting bicyclists and other car-free travelers, but confusing some motorists. The changes, which include painted islands, green crosswalks and plastic bollards, are Phase 1 of the city’s ambitious plan to create miles of protected bicycle lanes across downtown — an effort that aims to boost safety and fight climate change. The 30-year plan, approved by the City Council in 2016, will transform dozens of vehicle lanes and some on-street parking into miles of protected cycling lanes and pedestrian promenades. But the changes being implemented now focus on three roadways: J Street, Beech Street and Sixth Avenue. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2019-07-14/downtown-san-diego-streets-make-way-for-protected-bike-lanes-causing-excitement-confusion

SPECIAL CROSSOVER EPISODE: San Diego Comic-Con At 50 Jul 16, 2019

Soon San Diego will hog the pop culture spotlight as the 50th Comic Con International begins. From humble beginnings celebrating the golden age of comics, to today’s star-studded extravaganza, San Diego Comic-Con is now a celebration of entertainment in nearly every form: Movies, TV, video games and of course comic books. This week, we at the San Diego Union-Tribune will give you an inside look into all things pop culture— and teaming up with the U-T's other podcast The Conversation First up, reporters Phil Molnar and Charlie Clark discuss survival tips and coverage plans for Comic-Con with Daniel Wheaton and Abby Hamblin. Then, at 22:50 Peter Rowe discusses the history of Comic-Con. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/story/2019-07-11/50-shades-of-comic-con-what-weve-gained-and-lost-in-five-decades-of-pop-culture-celebrations

Appeals Court Ruling Gives Officer Involved Shooting Case A Second Chance | Greg Moran Jul 13, 2019

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the suit filed by family of Fridoon Nehad should not have been dismissed because of questions over whether the shooting was justified. The ruling also opens the way to explore how SDPD handles reviews of police shootings. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2019-07-11/appeals-court-revices-lawsuit-over-controversial-2015-sdpd-shooting-in-midway

Border Dispatch: Immigrant Communities Brace For Sunday's ICE Raids | Wendy Fry Jul 12, 2019

This weekend, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's raids will begin. This stems from a presidential tweet last month when President Donald Trump said he wanted to quote “deport millions” of undocumented immigrants. Now that the organization has had time to prepare, the raids are said to have a broader scope that originally planned.

Border Dispatch: Tijuana's Asylum Line Grows To More Than 9,000 | Kate Morrissey Jul 11, 2019

The wait list for migrants in Tijuana to request asylum in the United States has grown to the longest it has ever been, even longer than the line that grew right after a large caravan arrived in November. About 9,150 names are pending on the list, according to data documented by volunteers with Al Otro Lado, a legal services nonprofit that supports migrants in Tijuana. The people to whom those names belong have been waiting upwards of three months in many cases for their turn to ask the U.S. for protection at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2019-07-09/tijuana-asylum-notebook-reaches-highest-count-on-record-migrants-in-line-protest-long-waits

Months After Shooting At Chabad Of Poway, The Congregation And Its Rabbi Heal | Peter Rowe Jul 10, 2019

The bullets were meant to kill Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein. Instead, they gave him new life. “I’m a new person,” the rabbi said, his hands mangled from injuries suffered April 27, when an anti-Semitic gunman attacked Chabad of Poway. One worshipper, Lori Gilbert-Kaye, was killed. Three others were wounded, including Goldstein. His right index finger was shot off and the bones in his left index finger were shattered. Those wounds are obvious, thanks to the blue bandages wrapped around his hands. Less evident, at least at first glance, are the changes that occurred inside. “I’ve been a rabbi 33 years,” Goldstein said. “I’m human, I’ve made mistakes. But I’m a different person now. I’m more patient, more understanding, more appreciative.” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/story/2019-07-05/rabbi-goldstein-the-making-of-a-religious-superstar

Education Roundup: Racism at Southwestern and Charter School Pay | Kristen Taketa Jul 08, 2019

San Diego Union-Tribune Education Reporter Kristen Taketa discusses her latestet stories on racism at Southwestern Community College and why charter school executives make so much money. Stories: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2019-07-08/southwestern-college-confronts-anti-blackness-racial-tensions-on-campus https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2019-07-06/some-charter-school-leaders-made-more-money-than-san-diego-unifieds-superintendent https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/south-county/story/2019-07-08/things-are-looking-brighter-san-ysidro-school-district-made-strides-under-new-leader

What We Can Learn From The July 4th Quake | Gary Robbins Jul 06, 2019

Southern California, Nevada and northern Mexico were jolted Thursday by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that erupted near Ridgecrest, a small desert city northeast of Los Angeles, the US Geological Survey said. Seismologists warned that a 5.0 or larger aftershock is possible over the next 24 to 48 hours.

USC To Pay UCSD $50M And Apologize For Raiding Alzheimer's Program | Gary Robbins, Bradley Fikes Jul 04, 2019

The University of Southern California has agreed to pay UC San Diego $50 million and to publicly apologize to the school for the way it wrested control of its prestigious Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study in 2015 during a raid that led to a highly contentious lawsuit. The penalty and apology have resulted in the settlement of a lawsuit the UCSD and the UC Board of Regents brought against USC in San Diego County Superior Court. The move also represents an extraordinary turnaround from four years ago, when USC took control of the program’s data, contracts worth tens of millions of dollars, and gave jobs to the program’s star researcher, Paul Aisen, and some of his staff. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/science/story/2019-07-02/usc-apologizes-to-uc-san-diego-for-wresting-control-of-its-renowned-alzheimers-research-program

Court Martial: Gallagher Found Not Guilty Of War Crimes Jul 03, 2019

Navy SEAL Chief Edward Gallagher was acquitted Tuesday on all murder charges, witness intimidation charges, and assault charges related to a 2017 deployment in Iraq. “I’m happy. I’m thankful. Thank God for freedom,” Gallagher said in a press conference after the verdict. A seven member jury panel, made up of Marines and two sailors, acquitted Gallagher on all but one count in one of the most closely watched military trials in the country. The jury convicted Gallagher on a single count related to Gallagher taking pictures alongside an Iraqi fighter’s corpse, which is the kind of charge that carries a maximum punishment of four months, court observers said. The jury is still deliberating punishment for that charge, which could potentially result in a loss of rank. Sentencing in the case resumes Wednesday morning. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2019-07-02/navy-seal-chief-edward-gallagher-was-acquitted-on-most-charges-in-crimes-murder-trial

Court Martial: Jury Deliberations Begin In Gallagher Case Jul 02, 2019

Prosecutors and defense attorneys in a nationally watched war crimes trial at Naval Base San Diego made final arguments Monday, and now the fate of a decorated Navy SEAL is in the hands of seven senior military jurors. San Diego-based Navy SEAL Chief Edward R. Gallagher was arrested on Sept. 11 based on the accounts of several members of his platoon from their deployment in Iraq in 2017. Gallagher, 40, is charged with premeditated murder in the alleged stabbing death of a wounded teenage Islamic State fighter brought to the SEAL compound near Mosul in May 2017. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2019-07-01/jury-is-deliberating-in-navy-seal-murder-trial

Retiring Asst. DA Had Launched Secret Investigation Into His Daughter's Ex | Greg Moran Jul 02, 2019

Late last year just weeks before he retired, former San Diego County Assistant District Attorney Jesse Rodriguez ordered a secret investigation — using district attorney staff — into the ex-boyfriend of his daughter, who was locked in a contentious custody dispute over their infant son. The inquiry began in early November and appears to have lasted until the week before Christmas, according to internal documents obtained from the District Attorney’s Office under the state Public Records Act that outline the probe. The records show that Chief Deputy Dominic Dugo directed the investigation using a senior investigator, Tony Giralamo. The probe focused on finding evidence through the state Employment Development Department for a charge of fraud or perjury related to an unemployment claim filed in early 2017 by the former boyfriend, 44-year-old Nathaniel Moore, who was referred to in one of the emails as “our target.” Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2019-06-25/former-no-2-in-da-office-conducted-secret-probe-into-daughters-ex-boyfriend-records-show

Border Dispatch: Desperate Migrants Offering To Buy Children To Aid In Crossing Border | Wendy Fry Jun 29, 2019

Some migrants in Tijuana are trying to purchase children from vulnerable single mothers in local shelters so they can more easily cross into the United States, according to shelter directors, migrants and Tijuana law enforcement authorities. Migrants in Tijuana shelters said they are alarmed after reports of single mothers being approached by groups of men who have offered to buy children to improve their chances of safely crossing into the United States. A decades-old legal document, known as the Flores agreement, says migrant children should only be held briefly in U.S. border custody, which often means they are released, along with the parent or guardian with whom they crossed while they wait for their asylum cases to make their way through clogged immigration courts.

Court Martial: Gallagher Trial, Friday, June 28 Jun 28, 2019

The defense had a star witness testify in favor of Edward Gallagher yesterday in the ongoing war crimes trial of a San Diego Based Navy SEAL. Edward R Gallagher stands accused of killing a wounded ISIS fighter in Iraq by stabbing him in the neck, as well as shooting at civilians multiple times. He has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty. Giorgio Kiryolo says that several SEALs are liars, and that Gallager never stabbed the fighter or shot at civilians. As the defense wraps up its case, the jury will have to decide through hearsay who is telling the truth.

Planned East County Development Raises Fire, Climate Concerns Joshua Emerson Smith Jun 28, 2019

County leaders gave their blessing on Wednesday to a hotly contested development east of Chula Vista that critics said would place people into the path of dangerous wildfires. After three hours of discussion, the Board of Supervisors voted three to two to approve the upscale 1,119-home project, known as Adara at Otay Ranch. Supporters repeatedly stressed the region’s desperate need for housing. Supervisor Greg Cox led the push for approval after engaging in a lengthy dialogue with Cal Fire San Diego Unit Chief Tony Mecham, whose agency reviewed and approved the wildfire evacuation plan for the development. “There’s no guarantee that I can give anybody that any community is going to be perfectly safe,” Mecham said, “but I feel today they have taken every appropriate measure that they can to address the fire safety concerns.” Schedule: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-06-26/san-diego-supervisors-approve-otay-ranch-development-over-wildfire-climate-concerns

Court Martial: The Gallagher Trial, Thursday, June 27 Jun 27, 2019

The defense continues to lay out its case in the war crimes trial of a San Diego-based Navy SEAL. Edward R Gallagher stands accused of killing a wounded ISIS fighter in Iraq by stabbing him in the neck, as well as shooting at civilians multiple times. He has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty. Yesterday, the Navy Announced that Corey Scott -- the man who says he killed the ISIS fighter by asphyxiation after the stabbing -- may be charged with perjury. And today, more witnesses offer different stories as to what happened in the Mosul sniper towers.

Grocery Workers Threaten A Strike | Lori Weisberg Jun 27, 2019

San Diego County grocery workers, along with thousands of others across Southern California and parts of Central California, have voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing their union leadership to call a strike should contract talks with major supermarket chains stall in the coming weeks. The United Food and Commercial Workers announced Wednesday morning the outcome of a strike authorization vote conducted at multiple locations on Monday and Tuesday. Some 46,000 unionized workers, from north of Santa Maria all the way to the U.S.- Mexico border, are covered by the vote. Employees with Ralph’s and Albertsons Companies, which owns Vons and Pavilions, are still working under a three-year contract that expired March 3.

Gallagher Trial, Wednesday, June 26 Jun 26, 2019

The war crimes trial of San Diego-based Navy SEAL Edward R Gallager is ongoing, with the prosecution wrapping up its case this morning. He stands accused of killing a wounded ISIS fighter in Iraq, as well as shooting at civilians multiple times. He has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty. Yesterday, we heard from forensics exports that provided more context about the stabbing of the fighter, and today the defense begins its case.

Rep. Duncan Hunter Accused Of Using Campaign Funds To Pay For 5 Affairs | Jeff McDonald Jun 25, 2019

Rep. Duncan Hunter began living with a woman other than his wife early in his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, one of a series of personal intimate relationships prosecutors say he began with three lobbyists and two congressional staffers during his elected service. One of the women Hunter allegedly took up with was on his own staff; another worked in the office of a member of the House of Representatives leadership, new court records state. In a sweeping series of court filings this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego accuses the six-term Republican from East County of engaging in a litany of extramarital affairs and paying for some of them with campaign funds while serving in Congress. Prosecutors outlined the behavior in a filing aimed at convincing the judge that the spending was not for campaign purposes, one of the presumed arguments that may be put forward by Hunter’s criminal defense attorney. Full story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2019-06-25/hunter-moved-into-washington-d-c-area-home-of-lobbyist-early-into-his-political-career-prosecutors-say

Gallagher Update, Tuesday, June 25 Jun 25, 2019

Hear the latest in the ongoing war crimes trial of Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher. Andrew Dyer tells us about forensics experts who provided additonal testimony on the events before and after the stabbing of the Iraqi fighter, and the first phase of a cross-examination of a NCIS investigator.

PSA Cofounder: PSA-182's Crew Was Not To Blame In Historic Crash | Peter Rowe Jun 25, 2019

From the day of the catastrophe, Sept. 25, 1978, there’s been speculation over the precise cause of the deadly collision between a PSA jet and a Cessna over North Park. To Leo Leonard, though, there’s no question where the blame lies. “Air traffic control,” he said. “Air traffic control cleared PSA to land, knowing there was an aircraft it had on the radar in the landing pattern.” A co-founder of Pacific Southwest Airlines, Leonard is 99 years old. The Del Cerro resident says he’ll devote the rest of his days to clearing the reputation of the men and women of PSA Flight 182.

Gallagher Trial, Monday, June 24 Jun 24, 2019

Two Navy SEAL snipers testified Friday that their chief, Edward R. Gallagher, shot at civilians on at least two occasions during their 2017 deployment to Iraq. Gallagher, a chief special warfare operator, is charged with killing a wounded ISIS prisoner by stabbing him in the neck while providing medical treatment. He’s also charged with shooting civilians and, on other occasions, shooting indiscriminately at Iraqi non-combatants.

Border Dispatch: Faulconer Says He Did Not Thank Trump For The Wall | Michael Smolens Jun 22, 2019

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer is disputing President Donald Trump’s comments that Faulconer thanked Trump for his efforts on the border wall during a Tuesday meeting between the two men at the White House. Trump said on Fox News Wednesday night that Faulconer expressed gratitude for local upgrades to the wall and declared that they had been highly effective. “The mayor was just up in my office - great guy,” Trump told Sean Hannity. “He came up to thank me for having done the wall because it’s made such a difference. He said it’s like day and night. He said people were flowing across and now nobody can come in.” Faulconer’s spokesman Craig Gustafson said the president’s recollection of the meeting is flat wrong.

Gallagher Update Friday, June 21 Jun 21, 2019

Hear the latest on the ongoing war crimes trial of Edward Gallagher.

Report Says Building Sea Walls Would Cost San Diego County $1B | Deborah Brennan Jun 21, 2019

Defending San Diego County against rising seas would cost about $1 billion, according to a new study that estimated that the cost of coastal armoring would be at least $22 billion for California, and more than $400 billion for the United States as a whole. And that’s just a “minimum down payment for short-term defense against rising seas in California,” says the study released today by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Climate Integrity and the environmental engineering firm Resilient Analytics. Titled “High Tide Tax; The Price to Protect Coastal Communities from Rising Seas,” the study illustrates the expense of coastal protection by calculating the cost of seawall construction in areas threatened by inundation. For San Diego County, that could total $984 million. The city of San Diego, the report estimates, faces a $357 million price tag for those defenses, the highest for any city in California. Imperial Beach would need $212 million to armor its coastline, leaving the city of 27,000 people with the eighth-largest potential bill in the state. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/story/2019-06-19/paying-the-toll-of-sea-level-rise-tax-seawall-coastal-armoring-climate-change

SPECIAL EPISODE: Navy SEAL Testifies He Killed The Wounded ISIS Fighter, Not Gallagher | Andrew Dyer Jun 20, 2019

A key witness in the Navy SEAL court-martial trial said he, not Chief Edward Gallagher, killed a wounded Isis fighter in Iraq in 2017, testimony which appears to up-end the prosecution’s main claim in a nationally-watched murder and attempted murder case. Corey Scott, a first class petty officer, testified that he was there and saw Gallagher stab the wounded ISIS fighter in the neck but, he said, he killed the fighter afterward. Scott said he used his thumb to cover the breathing tube that had been inserted to help the fighter breathe and he watched the man die. He said he did it to spare the fighter from being tortured later by members of the Iraqi Emergency Response Division, who also were fighting ISIS.

Border Dispatch: Trump Wants To Deport 1 Million Unauthorized Immigrants | Kate Morrissey Jun 19, 2019

San Diego’s immigrant communities are bracing for another round of ramped-up enforcement after President Donald Trump promised action as soon as next week. Trump wrote in a tweet Monday night that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would “begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States.” “They will be removed as fast as they come in,” Trump said, praising Mexico for taking actions to enforce its southern border. Immigration officials have been developing a plan aimed at sweeping up and deporting thousands of migrant family members in U.S. cities who were ordered to leave the country after their cases were evaluated by immigration judges. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2019-06-18/san-diego-immigrant-communities-preparing-for-increased-enforcement-after-trump-tweet

Why This Railroad Crossing Near Petco Park Costs More Than $20M | Jennifer Van Grove Jun 19, 2019

A long-delayed effort to let motorists cross the railroad tracks separating Park Boulevard from Harbor Drive just south of downtown San Diego’s Petco Park stadium will be fully funded thanks to the state of California, which is directing $21 million to the project. Friday, State Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) announced the major financial commitment to the Park Boulevard at-grade vehicle crossing project alongside other one-time budgetary allocations for the region, including nearly $9 million for Balboa Park projects and $6.1 million to help stabilize Del Mar bluffs. The bonus checks are included in the state’s $214.8 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, which was passed by the California Legislature last week and includes a $21.5 billion surplus. The state’s $21 million infrastructure investment represents a tangible path forward for the $23 million railroad crossing project that has become exponentially more expensive over time.

How Home Charter Schools Can Operate With Little Oversight | Kristen Taketa Jun 17, 2019

In California, there’s a way parents can use money from the government to buy multi-day Disneyland Park Hopper passes, San Diego Zoo family memberships, tickets to Medieval Times and dolphin encounters at SeaWorld. Parents can enroll their children in a “home school charter.” There are a handful of charter schools that give students’ families as much as $2,800 to $3,200 — tax dollars sent to the charter schools — every year to spend on anything they want from a list of thousands of home school vendors approved by the charters, according to the schools’ websites. Some home school vendors offer tutoring, curriculum, books and other traditionally educational services. Other vendors sell tickets to theme parks that are billed as field trips, or extracurricular activities that are billed as P.E., including parkour classes, acting classes, ice skating lessons, horseback riding lessons and more. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2019-06-15/home-school-charters-let-families-use-state-dollars-to-buy-disneyland-tickets-private-lessons-and-more

SDSU Failed To Award $20M In Scholarships This Decade | Gary Robbins Jun 15, 2019

San Diego State University failed to award $20 million in available scholarships over the past decade due to a variety of problems, preventing money from flowing to thousands of students who were trying to cope with rising education costs. Campus officials said SDSU has been hobbled by an outdated scholarship management system that can make it difficult for students to find and apply for the awards. The university also says it needs to convince more donors to make their scholarships open to a larger number of students. Since 2008, SDSU allotted slightly more than $63 million for scholarships and made roughly 24,000 awards, helping about 18,700 students. But university documents show that only $42.9 million — or 68 percent — of the money was spent. Full story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2019-06-10/sdsu-on

Margaret Hunter Pleads Guilty To Misspending Campaign Finance Funds | Morgan Cook, Jeff McDonald Jun 14, 2019

Years of cavalier spending of her husband’s political contributions culminated in a guilty plea Thursday for Margaret Hunter, the wife of Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter who was co-indicted last year in a sweeping campaign-finance investigation. During a change-of-plea hearing in the federal courthouse in San Diego, Margaret Hunter formally admitted that she illegally used thousands of dollars in campaign donations for her personal expenses. Specifically, Margaret Hunter pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy. She faces up to five years in federal custody and a $250,000 fine when she is sentenced Sept. 1. She also could receive up to three years of supervised probation following her release from prison.

California Theatre To Be Transformed Into Downtown's Biggest Residential Tower | Phil Molnar Jun 13, 2019

There may be new life for the nearly 100-year-old California Theatre on C Street. Preservationists have struck a deal with a developer that intends to construct a multi-million dollar 41-story condominium tower on the site of the historic theater. The compromise will preserve more of the building’s exterior and lobby, as well as use original ornamentation. A dispute between preservation group Save Our Heritage Organisation, or SOHO, and the developer halted the demolition in March 2018. The new plan still calls for tearing down the heavily dilapidated building, but more of its exterior will be saved and a stronger effort will be made to faithfully reconstruct the building. The California Theatre, made up of a 2,200-seat theater and nine-story office building, closed in 1990.

Kellen Winslow II Found Guilty Of Rape, But Mistrial Declared On 8 Other Counts | Teri Figueroa Jun 12, 2019

A Vista judge declared a mistrial on eight counts in the case of ex-NFL player Kellen Winslow II, who was accused of committing several sex crimes against women in North County last year, including rape. Although the Superior Court jury was split, it leaned in favor of convicting Winslow on all remaining charges. The District Attorney’s Office likely will announce Friday whether they plan to retry Winslow on any or all of the deadlocked charges.

Eddie Gallagher's War Crimes Trial Divides The Military Community | Andrew Dyer, Kate Mannion Jun 11, 2019

The war crimes charges against a San Diego-based Navy SEAL will stand, a Navy judge ruled Friday. However, the SEAL and his defense team will benefit from other decisions the judge made. Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward R. Gallagher is facing charges that he killed a wounded teenage ISIS fighter brought to the SEAL's Mosul, Iraq compound for medical treatment in 2017. Gallagher also is accused of shooting at civilians, posing for photos with a corpse, and holding his reenlistment ceremony next to the body, according to court documents and prosecutor statements. Gallagher has denied all the charges and pleaded not guilty. On Thursday the judge, Navy Capt. Aaron Rugh, moved Gallagher's trial date from June 10 to June 17 at defense lawyers’ request. Rugh's ruling Friday contained details about how the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and former lead prosecutor, Cmdr. Chris Czaplak, sent emails containing a hidden tracking link to defense attorneys and a Navy Times reporter in May. The link allowed them to see when the emails were opened and forwarded. The tracking was supposed to help detect leaks. Navy prosecutors said the link, which they called an "audit tool," did not meet the legal threshold of a wire tap and so did not require a search warrant. Defense attorneys called it prosecutorial misconduct and filed four motions with the court last week, including motions to get the prosecutor disqualified and to have Gallagher's charges dismissed. Rugh granted some of their requests.

New Crime Data Shows Community Crime Hot Spots | Lyndsay Winkley, Greg Moran Jun 08, 2019

From 2014 through 2018, violent crime has doubled — or more — in about 17 percent of all census block groups in the city. That’s an increase from the previous five-year period examined in the first “Crime Counts” story published in March, which showed 13 percent of census block groups had violent crime go up by 100 percent or more from 2013 to 2017. The updated analysis includes data from 2018, and shows the average number of violent crimes among city census blocks was 27. The San Diego Union-Tribune examined neighborhoods with violent crimes at or above that average and calculated a percent change from 2014 through 2018 to focus on areas with a sharp increase or a large raw number of crimes. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2019-06-05/more-city-neighborhoods-see-increase-in-violent-crimes-new-data-analysis-shows

Learning How to Confront Hate From Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein | Kristina Davis, Mark Platte Jun 07, 2019

When asked to reflect on the tragedy that forever changed Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein 39 days ago, he thinks back to advice he received from a spiritual leader as a 17-year-old student of the Jewish faith: the way to push away darkness was with light. That advice has never been more significant than now, as Goldstein heals from physical wounds to his hands as a result of the shooting at the Poway synagogue he founded, and as he rises to meet a call to action. “I chose to react in a very specific way,” Goldstein told a packed auditorium at the University of San Diego on Wednesday night. Rather than leave him paralyzed, the trauma that left him without an index finger, killed a congregant and wounded two others has transformed him. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/story/2019-06-05/chabad-poway-hate-forum-usd

This 97-Year-Old WWII Veteran Jumped Out Of A Plane To Commerate D-Day | John Wilkens Jun 06, 2019

Re-enacting a parachute jump he made 75 years ago in the early hours of D-Day, retired Coronado school teacher Tom Rice, 97, invaded Normandy again Wednesday. The tandem jump, strapped to the chest of a younger parachutist, came as world leaders and thousands of spectators gathered in England and France to commemorate the June 6, 1944 assault that was a key turning point in World War II. “It went perfect,” Rice told reporters after landing in a field of flowers near Carentan, not far from where he landed the first time. “I feel great. I’d go up and do it all again.”

Addison Nets San Diego's First Michelin Star | Michele Parente Jun 05, 2019

San Diego joined the world’s dining elite Monday, when the city’s first Michelin star was awarded to the luxurious Carmel Valley restaurant Addison. At a ceremony for the inaugural Michelin Guide California in Huntington Beach, which was attended by a who’s who of the state’s top chefs and restaurateurs, Addison executive chef and San Diego native William Bradley accepted the illustrious award for the 13-year-old bastion of fine dining at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. “We’re just so happy and so honored to be part of such a prestigious guide representing San Diego and Addison. It’s just amazing,” Bradley said after the awards were given out. “It was surreal. To be standing on that stage with that backdrop and with all those amazing chefs. It’s a dream.” Among the celebrated chefs in attendance were José Andrés, Michael Cimarusti, Michael Mina, Niki Nakayama, and Ludo Lefebvre. A total of 90 California restaurants were awarded stars at Monday’s reveal event, 69 with one star (for “High quality cooking, worth a stop”), 14 with two stars (“Excellent cuisine, worth a detour”) and seven with three stars (“Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”). Among the three-star recipients, all were repeat winners; no new three-star designations were given. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/dining-and-drinking/story/2019-06-03/san-diego-joins-dining-elite-as-first-michelin-star-goes-to-addison

Border Dispatch: Asylum Court Cases Overwhelming San Diego's Court | Kate Morrissey Jun 04, 2019

Local judges are pushing back on what they see as potential due process violations in the implementation of the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols. Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2019-05-31/san-diego-immigration-court-overwhelmed-by-remain-in-mexico-cases

Border Dispatch: Trump's Tariff Threat Scares The Region | Lori Weisberg, Rob Nikolewski, Wendy Fry May 31, 2019

Exasperated by reports of a flood of illegal border crossings, President Donald Trump summoned his top immigration advisers to demand action. Responding to his mounting concern, including his extreme threats to entirely close the U.S.-Mexico border, they prepared an alternative but still-inflammatory plan to levy escalating tariffs on all Mexican imports to the United States. Thursday night’s surprise announcement of the plan by Trump, threatening to upend ratification chances for his own revised North American free trade pact, demonstrated the lengths to which the risk-taking president is willing to go to crack down on illegal immigration, even in the face of bipartisan criticism, legal challenges and polarized public feelings. He’s setting the tricky politics of immigration and trade — the two issues that defined his candidacy and bedevil his presidency — on a collision course and injecting new tensions into his relations with political allies as he struggles to show results in his campaign for a second term.

How A Charter School Scheme Allegedly Siphoned $50M In Taxpayer Money | Kristen Taketa, Morgan Cook May 31, 2019

Two charter school leaders illegally pocketed more than $50 million of state funds by siphoning the money through a network of 19 online charter schools across California which falsely enrolled thousands of students, prosecutors alleged Wednesday. The schools include three that were authorized to operate by the Dehesa Elementary School District in San Diego County: Valiant Academy of Southern California, California Academy of Sports Science and University Prep. Dehesa’s superintendent also is facing charges and has pleaded not guilty. San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan said that leaders of the charter schools enrolled thousands of students into their schools, often without their knowledge, and collected millions of dollars in state funds. Many students were already enrolled in private schools or in youth athletic groups, and the charter school leaders bought their information to claim them as their students, Stephan said.

The McStay Case - The Murder Of A Family Of Four - Nears Its End | Teri Figueroa May 30, 2019

It’s been more than nine years since a Fallbrook family of four disappeared, leaving authorities stumped. The discovery of the family’s SUV near the U.S.-Mexico border led many — including law enforcement — to suspect they left the country. Nearly four years would pass before the remains of the McStays — Joseph, 40, Summer, 43, and sons Gianni, 4, and Joey Jr., 3 — were found, their bodies buried in shallow graves outside Victorville, more than 100 miles from their home, in November 2013. A year later, authorities arrested Charles “Chase” Merritt, a business associate of Joseph McStay. Merritt was charged with four counts of murder. He pleaded not guilty. Joseph McStay sold indoor water features and fountains, and often hired Merritt, a welder, to craft them. Prosecutors say Merritt had been dipping into McStay’s business account. Merritt’s attorneys pointed the finger at another McStay associate.

Alpine Rep. Duncan Hunter Admits To Taking A Photo With A Dead Combatant | Greg Moran, Andrew Dyer May 29, 2019

At a forum in Ramona on Saturday, Rep. Duncan Hunter also addressed the pending court martial case against San Diego-based Navy SEAL chief Edward Gallagher and Army Capt. Mathew L. Golsteyn. Both are charged with committing war crimes during their service — Gallagher in Iraq and Golsteyn in Afghanistan. Gallagher is charged with several crimes including killing a teenage Islamic State fighter who was brought to his unit for medical treatment. He’s accused of stabbing the fighter in the neck. Prosecutors also said he texted a photograph of himself next to the dead fighter and wrote he “got him with my hunting knife.” As he recounted the allegation of Gallagher posing next to a dead body for a photograph, Hunter, also a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said “a lot of us have done the exact same thing.” He said he, too, had a photo taken of himself next to a dead combatant, but said he did not text it or post to social media. Hunter called the military justice system “corrupt,” run by lawyers and bureaucrats intent on pursuing “war fighters.” He said he would support a pardon of the two men from Trump, who has indicated he was considering doing so. Hunter also said the civilian justice system was as bad as the military, saying ambitious prosecutors were simply out to get “wins” under their belts.

San Diego's Burger Scene Is Having A Moment | Michele Parente May 28, 2019

Forget fish tacos. In these polarized times, perhaps the one thing San Diegans of all stripes can agree on is that this town has ascended to burger heaven. Whether they’re pressed on a flat top, diner-style, grilled at a gourmet restaurant or made to replicate a fast-food classic, San Diego’s burger-sphere is sizzling. No casual joint nor serious eatery worth its ketchup — no mustard! — would dare to not have an expertly crafted burger on its menu.

UCSD Seeks To Revamp Its Image With Its New "Front Door" | Gary Robbins May 25, 2019

In one of the biggest physical and social changes in school history, UC San Diego will create its first "front door," a grand entrance meant to appeal as much to the public as students and ease crowding on a campus where enrollment could hit 40,000 this fall. Plans are being drafted for a gateway that will blend art, culture, entertainment, dining, education and research — the same mix that helps funnel people from Westwood Village to UCLA. UCSD will exploit public transit, placing everything from an outdoor theater to an art-filled plaza to a consumer-oriented design building next to the Blue Line trolley station that's being built on campus, near Geisel Library. The school also will add a massive student center nearby, and. in a bit of whimsy, it is proposing to hang 20 play swings on cables attached to the bottom of the depot. "Anybody who comes to San Diego should have this campus as a destination in addition to Balboa Park or the Gaslamp district," said UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla.

6 High-Level Departures In 6 Months, What's Going On At SDSU? | Gary Robbins May 24, 2019

Six San Diego State University executives have announced that they are leaving for other schools, jobs or retiring, including a dean who says she grew tired of the turnover and leadership issues the school has experienced over the past two years. All of the changes have occurred in the past six months, and mark a high degree of turnover during Adela de la Torre’s first year as president. The departures include two deans, an acting associate dean, the director of the School of Accountancy, the university’s chief fundraiser, and SDSU’s enrollment director. It is not clear whether de la Torre asked one or more people to leave, or whether the executives sought change.

Qualcomm Loses An Antitrust Lawsuit, Putting Its Business Model At Risk | Mike Freeman May 23, 2019

A federal Judge has ruled that Qualcomm violated antitrust laws by using its top position in smartphone chips to extract excessive patent license fees for its cellular inventions, striking a major blow to the San Diego company’s business model. After four months of deliberations, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh found against Qualcomm in an antitrust lawsuit brought two years ago by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/story/2019-05-22/federal-judge-rules-qualcomm-violated-antitrust-laws

Horton Remodel OK-ed, And California's Auto Sales Slip | Jennifer Van Grove, Rob Nikolewski May 22, 2019

Reporter Jennfier Van Grove gives an update on the planned redevelopment of Horton Plaza; and Rob Nikolewski explains why slipping automotive sales could be the first indicator of an economic recession.

Would You Eat Fish Grown From Stem Cells In A Lab? | Brittney Meilling May 21, 2019

In a small laboratory in Sorrento Valley, scientists at BlueNalu are growing fish parts — just the muscle and fat — from cells. The tissue will one day be stacked into familiar shapes like freshly caught Mahi-mahi fillets, red snapper or flaked tuna using something akin to a 3D printer. Instead of printing plastic, the scientists are using ink made of cells. The startup’s experimental food is a far cry from the plant-based meat products that keep popping up in headlines and are designed to look like something they’re not. BlueNalu’s “alternative seafood” will be made of real fish cells — they’re just grown outside the fish’s body. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/story/2019-05-18/would-you-eat-lab-created-fish-this-san-diego-startup-is-carving-new-path-in-alt-meat-industry

Waiting In The Willows— What Human Remains Are Doing In The Museum Of Man | Peter Rowe May 18, 2019

Inside the San Diego Museum of Man, the dead wait in a locked, climate-controlled room. Known as The Willows, this chamber contains 16,000 bone fragments, skeletons and mummies, the remains of at least 5,000 human beings. For more than a century, these relics were excavated from caves, burial grounds , battlefields and construction sites in Egypt, Peru, Vietnam, India and throughout San Diego County. Inside the museum, they were studied by scientists and gawked at by visitors. Or so they were in the past. Today, The Willows is off-limits to casual observers and researchers alike. Instead, the dead wait while the museum tries to deliver them to their final resting place, home with their ancestors.

Horton Plaza's Future To Be Decided Monday | Jennifer Van Grove May 17, 2019

The real estate developers who wish to permanently change the purpose of San Diego’s once-celebrated Horton Plaza mall are just days away from getting what they need to move forward — so long as city leaders sign off on their plan. Monday, City Council members will be asked to decide whether the center’s new owner, Stockdale Capital Partners, can remake the 900,000 square-foot mall into a mixed-use office campus meant for elite tech firms. Their buy in is needed because of an existing land-use restriction that dates to 1981. The contract stipulates that the site must maintain a minimum of 600,000 square feet of retail shops through August 2036. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-05-15/will-city-ok-horton-plazas-275m-makeover-as-a-tech-campus

Living In Your Car Is Now Illegal In San Diego | David Garrick, Gary Warth May 16, 2019

San Diego restored its ability Tuesday to prohibit homeless people from living in cars on city streets with a new law that local police say they plan to use only as a last resort. Supporters of the law say a crackdown is necessary because San Diego’s beach communities have been flooded with homeless people living in cars since a federal judge ruled a previous version of the law was too vague last summer. Citations can’t be written under the new law unless people living in cars refuse to move to one of several “safe” parking lots in the city, and police say they will issue warnings for first offenses and carefully evaluate each situation before writing a ticket. Critics say the new law will unnecessarily criminalize homelessness, punish people already struggling to turn their lives around and further deepen the local cycle of poverty. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/san-diego/story/2019-05-14/san-diego-approves-law-prohibiting-homeless-from-sleeping-in-vehicles

What Reformed Skinheads Tell Us About The Nature Of Hate | Kristina Davis May 15, 2019

In the weeks since the shooting at a Poway Synagogue, leaders have tried to grapple with the task of combating hate. For two former skinheads, leaving the mindset of hate was a choice they were able to make. Tim Zaal and TM Garret are speaking about how they have learned to stop hating other people. Men like these serve as a sign of hope, and that there is life after hate. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2019-05-11/cure-for-hate-former-skinheads

How will San Diego face it's growing traffic problem? May 13, 2019

Gary Robbins discusses the possibility of a 100MPH commuter rail and congestion pricing with the San Diego Union-Tribune's transportation reporter, Joshua Emerson Smith. New details of a controversial plan to prioritize rail over widening freeways are starting to emerge — from laying hundreds of miles of high-speed commuter rail to charging drivers to use many of the most congested freeways. Officials with the San Diego Association of Governments told the Union-Tribune last week that the agency plans to run trains along highway corridors that travel as fast as 100 miles an hour. The most current plan calls for no further expansion of the trolley system, which only goes about 35 miles an hour on average. At the same time, SANDAG plans to roll out so-called congestion pricing on those stretches of freeway, which would charge drivers a fluctuating toll based on traffic conditions. Experts say this ambitious, multi-billion-dollar proposal could be the first of its kind in the country. This story: http://bit.ly/30h9co6 Other news: http://bit.ly/2Vhr52h

Border Dispatch: Trump Immigration Plan Fails To Include DACA Fix | Michael Smolens May 11, 2019

There's one idea in the battle over immigration policy that has near-universal support among the key players: finding a way to give permanent legal status to young people here temporarily under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Democratic and Republican leaders have said they want to find a solution. So has President Donald Trump, even though his actions have made the future uncertain for people in the DACA clearance. With such common ground, a DACA fix would seem comparatively simple amid fights over Trump's border wall, the asylum process and visa policy.

Video Shows San Diego Officers Repeatedly Punching A Man During Arrest | Lyndsay Winkley May 10, 2019

A 12-second video showing officers repeatedly punching a 20-year-old man during a Tuesday arrest has sparked controversy, but police leaders said Wednesday the footage lacked important context, and released footage of their own. San Diego police Chief David Nisleit said police had Trenelle Cannon under surveillance in Chula Vista in connection with two felony warrants — one for a robbery, the other for possessing a firearm — when detectives attempted to arrest him about 6:30 p.m. Cannon ran, and officers chased him, Nisleit said. At one point, officers lost sight of Cannon, but recovered a loaded handgun they believe belonged to him. Detectives found Cannon again near Fourth Avenue and Naples Street where he was seen getting into a car that drove onto Interstate 5, police said. Officers pulled over the vehicle and an officer ran to the passenger-side door just as Cannon was emerging. This story: https://bit.ly/2E0yYn3 Other news: https://bit.ly/2H81hAI

Rent Control Bill Advances, And New Bathrooms May Come To Balboa Park | Phil Molnar, Jen Van Grove May 09, 2019

There might be a limit on how much a landlord can raise your rent if new legislation is signed by the governor. An Assembly bill from a San Francisco Democrat would stop landlords from raising rent more than 5 to 10 percent in a year. It’s not exactly the type of rent control that many activists want, but it may stop some of the more extreme rent hikes endured by many San Diegans https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/story/2019-05-07/rent-cap-could-be-coming-to-san-diego None of the 23 city-owned and -operated restrooms in Balboa Park are in acceptable condition, according to a newly released study that’s being used as a tool by park groups to persuade the mayor to spend on immediate renovations. The study, which was authored by volunteer and park advocate René Smith, graded each of the public toilets in the park using available city data. Smith’s findings, presented to the city’s Balboa Park Committee last week, paint a disturbing portrait of facilities that are more befitting of a third-world country than a major U.S. metropolis. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-05-08/balboa-park-bathrooms-are-gross-but-this-report-could-change-that History book: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/local-history/story/2019-05-08/second-san-diego-memories-photo-book-in-the-works

SeaWorld's Revenues Continue Upward Trajectory, Here's Why | Lori Weisberg May 08, 2019

Attendance at SeaWorld Entertainment parks continued its more than year-long upward streak, with visitation growing to more than 3.3 million during the first quarter of 2019 — an increase of nearly 4 percent over the same time period a year earlier, the company reported Tuesday. While the growth rate was significantly less than the 15 percent jump in visitation recorded during the first quarter of 2018, it marks the fifth consecutive quarter of attendance gains for the Orlando-based theme park company. Likewise, revenue was also up, increasing 1.6 percent to $220.6 million. The gains came despite unfavorable weather that dampened visitation at some SeaWorld parks and an earlier spring break in some of its markets.

What's Next For The Horse That Got Disqualified From The Kentucky Derby | Bryce Miller May 07, 2019

Maximum Security won the Derby on Saturday, only to be stunningly disqualified by track stewards. No previous Kentucky Derby winner has been disqualified before being draped with the signature garland of roses https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sports-columnists/story/2019-05-04/kentucky-derby-winner-disqualified-maximum-security-gary-mary-west-rancho-santa-fe

Religious leaders offer prayers of ‘faith, tolerance’ for Poway, as services begin | Sam Hodgson May 03, 2019

It's been nearly a week since a gunman killed a woman and injured three others at a Poway synagogue. The response from San Diego's interfaith community was strong and clear: We will not let hate win. As weekend services begin, U-T photojournalist Sam Hodgson interviewed religious leaders about how they plan to address the attack during the weekend.

A Short History Of San Diego's Jewish People | Peter Rowe May 03, 2019

For Jews, San Diego County can seem to be one of the Promised Land’s happier suburbs. In 1850, a German immigrant named Louis Rose became the area’s first known Jewish settler. His long resume is full of honorary appointments and political posts: grand jury member, Old Town postmaster, county supervisor, president of the board of trustees, the latter a 19th century precursor to the San Diego city council. “He was elected to all these public offices,” said Don Harrison, co-publisher of San Diego Jewish World and Rose’s biographer. “Clearly, there wasn’t any organized opposition to him.” Nearly 170 years later, the region still welcomes adherents to this ancient faith. “It’s a good place to be Jewish,” said Rabbi Devorah Marcus, senior rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Del Cerro. “It’s wonderful here.” Except, as Marcus and others note, when it’s not. The region’s history also includes campaigns to exclude Jews and other minorities from exclusive neighborhoods; anti-Semitic white supremacist groups; and a large number of hate crimes, including last weekend’s attack on Chabad of Poway, which left one dead and three wounded.

SDSU Religion Class Studies Evil | Gary Robbins May 02, 2019

She wants her course to be timely. But Angela Feres had a pained look Wednesday when she stepped before her students at San Diego State University to talk about the nature of evil. “This is another sad day,” said Feres, a religious studies professor. “There have been so many lately.” She was alluding to Saturday’s terrorist attack at a synagogue in Poway, which killed one person and wounded three others, and Tuesday’s shooting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where two students were killed and four people were injured. The campus was already a bit on edge from earlier attacks nationally and globally. Police have been urging the school’s 35,000 students to take an online tutorial on active campus shooters.

Anti-Semetic Hate Crimes Are On The Rise | Lauryn Schroeder May 01, 2019

There were more than 1,500 hate crimes reported in the United States in 2017, according to the FBI, and anti-Semitic crimes like Saturday’s synagogue shooting in Poway made up nearly two-thirds of that total — more than any other religion-based hate crime. The FBI was charged with tracking such crime statistics in 1990 when Congress passed the Hate Crime Statistics Act, which requires the attorney general to collect data about “crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.”

Chabad Poway Says Farewell To Lori Kaye | Pam Kragen Apr 30, 2019

Two days after a mass shooting at Chabad Poway, the congregation said farewell to the woman who was killed. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein believes Lori Kaye saved his life. Features reporter Pam Kragen attended the funeral, and discusses how the community is healing after this act of hate.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Everything We Know About The Chabad Shooting In Poway Apr 29, 2019

The worshippers at Chabad of Poway were nearing the end of Passover, a sacred Jewish celebration steeped in ancient freedom, when a modern terror walked in the door. A man armed with an assault-type rifle opened fire Saturday, killing one woman and injuring three other people, including an 8-year-old girl, in what authorities described as a hate crime. The alleged shooter, John T. Earnest of Rancho Penasquitos, 19, was arrested after fleeing the synagogue amid a hail of bullets from a security guard. Earnest is the apparent author of a long, anti-Semitic “open letter” detailing his “disgust” for Jews and his admiration for the perpetrators of other mass shootings, including the gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue six months ago to the day. Our full coverage: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2019-04-27/reports-of-several-people-shot-at-poway-synagogue https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/california/la-me-ln-rabbi-poway-california-synagogue-shooting-20190428-story.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/religion/story/2019-04-27/poway-shooting-comes-amid-rise-in-anti-semitic-hate-crimes https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/religion/story/2019-04-27/interfaith-vigil-grapples-with-disheartening-devastating-event-yearns-for-peace https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2019-04-27/who-is-john-earnest-the-suspect-in-the-poway-synagogue-shooting https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/california/la-me-john-earnest-poway-synagogue-shooting-20190428-story.html

As "Say Anything" Turns 30, "Almost Famous" Gets A Musical | Karla Peterson Apr 27, 2019

Crowe’s directorial debut, the 1989 romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Ione Skye, gets a gala screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York next week

Encinitas Lawmaker Introduces Short Term Rental Legislation | Lori Weisberg Apr 26, 2019

Amid the increasingly pitched battle over who can and cannot rent out homes for short-term stays, a state legislator from Encinitas is wading in with a plan she believes will settle the debate — and in the process help ease California's worsening housing crisis. Her first test case is San Diego County, where coastal cities from Carlsbad to Coronado already have taken widely varying approaches, from permissive policies with few limitations on how often homes can be used as vacation rentals to outright bans. On Monday, a committee in Sacramento will weigh in on Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath's pitch for regulating the burgeoning home sharing industry in the county's coastal communities. She's authored a bill that would effectively outlaw the short-term rental of second homes and investor properties listed on home-sharing sites while also placing sharp limits on how many days out of the year an online platform like Airbnb can make available whole-home rentals when the primary resident is away.

San Diego Drafts First Regulations For Scooters | Joshua Emerson Smith Apr 25, 2019

The San Diego City Council approved on Tuesday long-awaited rules for governing the app-rented bike and scooter companies that over the last year have flooded city streets with the motorized vehicles. Following several hours of heated testimony from community members, the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that establishes a permitting process for operators, limits speeds in designated areas and requires all devices to scan a valid driver’s license before they can be used. The new rules go into effect in June, after the council takes its final vote. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2019-04-23/san-diego-approvals-rules-for-dockless-scooters-as-angry-residents-crowd-city-hall

San Diego County Begins Rethinking Its Child Welfare System | Morgan Cook Apr 24, 2019

San Diego County is starting to take a more detailed look into how its child welfare system can better serve children in need. For several months, U-T Watchdog reporter Morgan Cook has been questioning the efficacy of the region’s child welfare system, writing stories about abuse and neglect in the foster care and voluntary services program. The Board of Supervisors’ report raised more concerns, primarily on how more social workers are needed to handle complicated family problems.

San Diego County's Inmate Welfare Fund Called Into Question | Jeff McDonald Apr 23, 2019

San Diego County inmates and their families spend millions of dollars a year on telephone calls and merchandise from jail commissaries. Breakfast gift packs are $14.99. A See’s Candies peanut butter egg goes for $6.99. A 15-minute phone call runs almost $5. Last year more than $6 million in profit was raised through these phone calls and commissary sales at the county’s seven detention centers. The profits go into a special “inmate welfare” fund created to improve the quality of life behind bars, help rehabilitate inmates and keep them from returning to jail after release. Records show that millions of those dollars also pay for county staff and jail operations, and millions more is saved in a reserve fund that has grown to almost double the amount raised from inmates each year. When an audit recommended changes to how the inmate welfare fund is implemented, the sheriff’s office balked at a suggestion meant to increase public input. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2019-04-21/money-meant-for-inmate-welfare-spent-on-staff-sheriffs-expenses

Police Are Not Allowed To Enforce The Speed Limit By Radar On Certain Streets | Joshua Emerson Smith Apr 20, 2019

San Diegans can drive with little fear of getting a speeding ticket on scores of streets throughout the city. The situation is the result of a little known state law that’s vexing cities across California. It says that in many cases officials must raise speed limits or give up handing out tickets using radar or other electronic devices. Of the 656 streets that the city is responsible for setting speeds on, 103 had stretches where police are not allowed to enforce the speed limit by radar, according to data obtained by the Union-Tribune through a public records request. It all comes down to the state’s vehicle code, which requires local governments to update their speed limits every five to 10 years according to what’s called the 85th percentile. To get that number, traffic engineers clock how fast cars are traveling on a given section of road. The fastest speed at which the bottom 85 percent of vehicles travel — rounded to the nearest multiple of five — constitutes the new state-mandated speed limit.

What San Diegans Need To Know About The Mueller Report | Michael Smolens, Charlie Clark Apr 19, 2019

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III explicitly did not exonerate President Trump of allegations that he tried to obstruct the Russia investigation, and found that his 2016 campaign “expected it would benefit” from Russian effort to influence the election. “If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state,” Mueller wrote in his report, which the Justice Department released in redacted form on Thursday. “Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgment,” the report said. Mueller did not conclude that the president committed a crime. Instead, in its 448 pages of legal analysis and supporting evidence, his report detailed “multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations.”

What's Next For Apple And Qualcomm | Mike Freeman Apr 18, 2019

Qualcomm and Apple have settled their bitter two-year legal war, signing a new patent license agreement on Tuesday just as their lawyers wrapped up opening statements in the jury trial in San Diego Federal Court. The dramatic deal brings to an end a fierce fight over the way Qualcomm charges smartphone makers for use of its cellular inventions. Billions in damages were at stake. Few financial details of the settlement were available, but the agreement includes a six-year patent license deal between the two companies effective April 1, with an option to extend for another two years. It also involves a multi-year agreement for Qualcomm to supply smartphone chips for iPhones that will ramp up over time.

Voters To Decide On Hotel Tax Hike In March 2020 | David Garrick, Michael Smolens Apr 17, 2019

San Diego voters will decide next March whether to raise hotel taxes to expand the waterfront convention center and provide many millions for local homelessness programs and street repair. The City Council voted 5-4 Monday to hold a citywide vote on raising hotel taxes eight months earlier than previously anticipated – the March 2020 primary instead of the November 2020 general election. Supporters said holding the election earlier will increase the chances the measure is approved, because the November 2020 ballot is expected to include other tax increases that could compete for voter support.

San Diego's Indian Tribes Warily Participate In The City's 250th Anniversary | Peter Rowe Apr 16, 2019

On April 11, 1769, the Spaniards did not look like conquerors. Entering San Diego Bay aboard the San Carlos and its sister ship, the San Antonio, they were weary, hungry and sick. “When the ships pulled in, that’s what our ancestors saw -- just other humans, humans who were suffering from hunger and thirst,” said Erica Pinto, the Jamul Indian Village’s tribal chairwoman. “We welcomed them and we fed them. “After that, everything started to go downhill for us.” On Thursday, San Diego’s 250th anniversary commemorations began with ceremonies near the historic landing site, at the present-day Embarcadero Marina Park North. While many hail these long-ago soldiers, missionaries and settlers as the founders of California’s first permanent city, the region’s Indians have a different view.

New Evidence Suggests A Navy SEAL Accused Of War Crimes Also Threatened Other SEALs | Andrew Dyer Apr 13, 2019

A recently-obtained judge’s ruling reveals that three Navy SEALs claimed to have seen Navy SEAL Chief Edward Gallagher stab a non-combative, wounded ISIS fighter in the neck after the fighter had been brought to him for medical treatment during a 2017 deployment to Iraq

The Future For The Mighty 1090 Remains Unknown | Jay Posner Apr 12, 2019

The Mighty 1090, the highest-rated sports talk station in San Diego and a fixture in the market for the last 16 years, went off the air just before noon Wednesday. The president of the company that operates the station said officials were trying to remedy the problem, but a program host said “there’s not a lot of optimism about our future as a sports radio station.” “We have lost our connection in Mexico and are working to get this resolved,” said Mike Glickenhaus of JMI-owned Broadcast Companies of America, which operates 1090-AM. “As you can imagine, this has my full attention, and there is nothing more to say at this time.” Glickenhaus said the station was available via its website and mobile app, although ESPN Radio programming was airing Wednesday instead of the usual local shows. However, it was announced late in the day that the station’s morning show will be back online and on the app Thursday. Whether the station’s two afternoon shows will follow was not known. (Update: Both shows were scheduled to follow what the morning show did.)

This Jail Didn't Fix Broken Surveillance Cameras. During Those Days An Inmate Died | Jeff McDonald Apr 11, 2019

Closed-circuit TV cameras at the George Bailey Detention Facility were non-operational for at least six days in 2017, including the day an inmate choked to death on food, findings by the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board show. The citizens’ review board, which investigates in-custody deaths, issued a finding of misconduct over the incident but did not blame any specific jail employee. In studying the circumstances surrounding the death, the review board noted that the sheriff’s department did not follow its own rules calling for daily inspections of the jail surveillance equipment. “It is the responsibility of all security personnel to report any discovered deficiencies to supervisors,” the report said. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2019-04-09/surveillance-cameras-inside-george-bailey-detention-facility-were-broken-for-six-days

Julian's Fire Department Is No More, But The Volunteers Won't Leave | J Harry Jones Apr 10, 2019

Lawsuits, locked doors and a police presence disrupted what was hoped to be a smooth transition in Julian as the county’s last volunteer fire department officially became a professional force. On Monday morning, the county legally took control of the 87-square-mile Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District even as legal challenges mount and ill will simmers in the tourist-friendly mountain community in northeast San Diego County. By Monday afternoon, a county transition team comprising a locksmith, a facilities manager and an information technologist were denied access to the main Julian volunteer fire station off state Route 79 by a group of volunteers and supporters who locked themselves inside the building.

San Diego County Struggles To Fund Special Education | Kristen Taketa, Deborah Brennan Apr 09, 2019

Special education — which serves students with a wide range of issues, from learning disabilities to autism to hyperactivity disorder to blindness — is driving some San Diego-area districts to spend beyond their means. The number of students needing special education services and the costs of those services have climbed faster than the federal or state money that pays for them, county district data show. Though the services are guaranteed by law, neither the federal government nor the state of California provide enough to pay for them. That squeezes already tight school budgets, so administrators have to make do with fewer dollars for other student programs. “It’s got to come out of somewhere else,” said Paul Warren, an education research associate with the Public Policy Institute of California. “What they’re saying is, ‘We don’t have enough money to pay for everything.’” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/focus/story/2019-04-05/districts-struggle-with-rising-special-ed-costs

Border Dispatch: Trump Visits Calexico, Says U.S. Is "Full" | Kate Morrissey, Kristina Davis Apr 06, 2019

President Donald Trump met with law enforcement during a visit to Calexico Friday, emphasizing the “absolute emergency” on the border and warning that the asylum system drawing a surge of migrants was full. “We can’t take anymore, folks,” Trump told an audience of Border Patrol agents, federal officials and reporters gathered at the Border Patrol station. Agents who were invited to speak at the roundtable thanked the president for building two miles of replacement fencing in the desert town — repeatedly stressing how walls work — but pleaded for more resources, including manpower and technology. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2019-04-05/trump-enroute-to-calexico-to-push-for-hardened-border

This Hospital Recorded Women Getting Surgery, Now They're Suing | Paul Sisson Apr 05, 2019

Sharp Grossmont Hospital faces growing outrage over video recordings inadvertently made during sensitive surgeries inside its women’s center in 2012 and 2013. A new lawsuit, filed late last week, claims that operating room recordings were made without the consent of many patients who, in various stages of undress, underwent a wide range of procedures from Caesarean sections to hysterectomies. Eighty women have already joined the suit and, after a weekend of publicity, attorney Allison Goddard said more are in the queue. “We will probably be adding another 50 plaintiffs this week or next,” Goddard said. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2019-04-03/sharp-womens-center-video-monitoring-program-shut-down-since-2013-draws-fresh-round-of-furor-lawsuits

San Diego Loses Another Football Team | Tom Krasovic Apr 04, 2019

Of late, San Diego is having rotten luck with pro football. Not even two years since the NFL team’s relocation from Mission Valley was complete, the new San Diego Fleet got grounded Tuesday when the Alliance of American Football suspended league operations. The Fleet led the eight-team league in merchandise sales and was third in attendance. But the trend continued of American football leagues imploding or withering, not long after their launch. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/story/2019-04-02/san-diego-fleet-allliance-american-football-folding-nfl-nflpa

Border Dispatch: Both Sides Of The Border Brace For Possible Shutdown | Wendy Fry, Michael Smolens Apr 03, 2019

With President Donald Trump visiting Calexico on Friday, both sides of the border brace for a possible shutdown.

"The Conrad" Brings In A New Era for The Music Scene | George Varga, Michael James Rocha Apr 02, 2019

The new performing arts center, also known as The Conrad, caps an ambitious and unprecedented effort to build a permanent home for the La Jolla Music Society and, in the process, reinvent the 51-year-old arts organization https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/story/2019-03-31/la-jolla-music-societys-conrad-prebys-performing-arts-center-opens-with-a-splash-and-an-82-million-price-tag

Vernal Pools House Strange Creatures For A Fleeting Season | Deborah Breannan Mar 30, 2019

Alongside auto wrecking yards and shipping centers off state Route 905, a pop-up world has emerged with some of the strangest creatures to swim in six inches of water. Here aquatic plants grow next to cacti, and animals that have waited for decades in the dust come to life. In this Otay Mesa preserve are some of San Diego’s vernal pools, fleeting water bodies that appear and vanish over the course of a season. They don’t fill up every year; just in wet ones, when San Diego’s ubiquitous hard-pan soil turns shallow depressions into temporary holding ponds. This season, rainfall is 36 percent above average, and the Otay Mesa site is a water world of ephemeral pools. With them come a host of rare and endangered species: San Diego and Riverside fairy shrimp, spadefoot toads, and numerous plants that occur only in or near San Diego. Pacific tree frogs, small crustaceans, dragonfly larvae and beetles also dwell in these miniature ecosystems.

How The U-T Found Neighborhoods Disproportionately Affected By Crime | Crime Counts Team Mar 29, 2019

For most of the past decade, officials in San Diego have witnessed a remarkable development — the steady decrease in crime in the city, down to levels as low as they have been in more than a generation. The city consistently logs the lowest murder and crime numbers among all large cities in the country. And in 2017, San Diego reached another milestone: It had the lowest violent crime rate among the country’s 10 largest cities, making it by one measure the safest big city in the country. From San Ysidro to Pacific Beach and north to Rancho Bernardo, it is clear that violent crime is down overall in San Diego. But not everywhere. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/story/2019-03-28/crime-counts-as-crime-falls-to-record-lows-some-neighborhoods-are-left-behind

El Cajon's most brash councilman, Ben Kalasho, Resigns | Karen Pearlman Mar 28, 2019

Embattled El Cajon City Councilman Ben Kalasho has resigned. Kalasho has been plagued by a litany of legal problems, from constituents suing him in federal court for blocking them posting comments on Kalasho’s official Facebook page in violation of free speech, to his fellow City Council members suing him for using city resources as part of his re-election campaign in violation of state law. In a March 25 letter to City Manager Graham Mitchell, Kalasho said he was resigning immediately. “Although my time on the council has been educational, I felt I was constantly battling my colleagues on agenda items and the general direction that my colleagues wanted for the city,” Kalasho wrote. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/story/2019-03-26/el-cajon-city-councilman-ben-kalasho-resigns

Border Dispatch: What Could A "Smart Wall" Do To Prevent Illegal Border Crossings? | Kristina Davis Mar 27, 2019

Deep in the Otay Mountain Wilderness, there is no wall. The only boundary between the U.S. and Mexico is a section of barbed wire fence in a pastoral valley. And miles and miles of treacherous terrain. It’s a territory criss-crossed with steep trails that disappear into tunnels of thick brush, a place looped by violently rutted roads that Border Patrol agents negotiate daily. Land such as this is not a likely candidate for President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful wall.” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-virtual-wall-201903-story.html

San Diego's Pandas Are Going Home To China Next Month | Phillip Molnar Mar 26, 2019

It’s the end of an era at the San Diego Zoo as the last two giant pandas will soon leave for China. In an announcement Monday, zoo officials said the pandas, Bai Yun, 28 — a fixture at the zoo for 23 years — and her son, Xiao Liwu, 6, must leave San Diego because a multi-year agreement with the Chinese to keep them here has ended. Zoo officials say sending the pandas back was always planned for April and was not prompted by any sudden request from the Chinese government. The iconic black and white bamboo eaters have had a consistent presence at the zoo since 1996. The last day pandas can be viewed by the public is expected to be April 27. With their impending departure, it is unknown if or when new pandas might inhabit the zoo again. Zoo officials are unable to say whether the wait is a matter of months or years. “We have high hopes for pandas returning but I don’t know that we have any set date when they might return,” said Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer for the San Diego Zoo. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/tourism/sd-sdi-fi-zoo-pandas-20190325-story.html

Anti-Suicide Spikes In Place On Coronado Bridge | John Wilkens Mar 23, 2019

The San Diego-Coronado Bridge, the 200-foot-tall span over the San Diego Bay, has spectacular views and a sad history. Since it opened 50 years ago, the bridge has been the site of more than 400 suicides. To prevent such tragedies, 4-inch metal bird spikes were installed were installed on the outside walls. 24 hours after the installation, three people took their lives there. These recent tragedies underscore the need to reconsider whether this beautiful bridge, a local landmark, can be prevented from becoming a beacon to the self-destructive.

Lamont Smith Identified As USD Coach In Bribery Scheme | Mark Zeigler Mar 22, 2019

When allegations of a massive college admissions corruption scandal broke wide open last week, richly detailed court documents conspicuously left out one important detail: the identity of the unnamed coach at the University of San Diego accused of accepting bribes. Speculation ended Wednesday with the identification of Lamont Smith, the head coach of the Toreros men’s basketball team for nearly three seasons from 2015 to 2018. The news helps complete one more piece of an elaborate puzzle in a case that spans elite schools across the country and a network of wealthy families, athletic departments and the college admissions industry, although many questions remain. www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-sp-usd-college-bribes-lamont-smith-basketball-coach-20190320-story.html In other news: www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-beiser-board-resign-20190320-story.html

Here's What $250K Can Buy In The San Diego Housing Market | Phillip Molnar Mar 21, 2019

At $250,000, the price tag for a National City home is hard to beat. But it’s about the size of a studio apartment and falling apart. Listed for sale on L Avenue is a 500-square-foot lot, with a 94-year-old house occupying 98 percent of it. Depending on how you look at it, it is either the last gasp of a market that has overheated or a screaming deal in a region that has largely stopped building single-family homes. www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/sd-fi-l-avenue-20190319-story.html In other news - www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-ballpark-village-petco-park-development-20190319-story.html

Border Dispatch: Concertina Wire Stolen From Border Fence And Used For Home Security | Wendy Fry Mar 20, 2019

Last November, concertina wire — or razor wire — was installed to address fears that large crowds of Central American migrants would force their way into the country. Thieves are now stealing that same material at night and using it in their homes or selling the razor wire to Tijuana residents who are using it as an extra layer of home security around their residence. The city of Tijuana grapples with a surge in crime and in 2018, was the most violent city in the world, according a new report by the Citizens' Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice. 15 to 20 arrests have already been made and as of Monday, contractors were seen at a border fence on the U.S. side of Tijuana, replacing some of the stolen wire. www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-concertina-wire-tj-20190318-story.html In other border news: www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-border-economic-plan-20190318-story.html

Cities Scrambling To Clean Up Curbside Recycling In Wake Of China Ban | Joshua Emerson Smith Mar 19, 2019

Municipalities throughout the country, including in the San Diego region, are trying to salvage their recycling programs in the wake of China’s ban on certain plastics and papers. Officials have urged residents to fill their blue bins with only locally approved materials as city contractors scramble to find new markets and meet tightening standards for the purity of recyclable waste. While most cities have so far been able to endure the rising cost of recycling, linked to falling commodity prices for mixed paper and plastics, some small towns have gone so far as to dramatically scale back or completely shut down their operations — dumping otherwise reusable materials into landfills. This story: www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-recycling-revenues-fall-20190317-story.html In other news: www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/california/la-me-super-bloom-poppy-fields-lake-elsinore-20190317-story.html

Border Dispatch: Dozens Of Migrants Breach Border Fence At Pacific Ocean | Tom Franklin Mar 16, 2019

On Wednesday, photojournalist Tom Franklin captured video of two migrants slipping through the porous border fence in Playas, where a section of the lattice fencing had been pulled back. Franklin went back to the fence Thursday to see if it had been repaired. A group of migrants who breached the U.S. border fence by the Pacific Ocean at Playas de Tijuana were detained Thursday by Border Patrol agents in Border Field State Park. The group of about 35 people included women and children who said they were mostly from Honduras and came to Tijuana in a caravan. Video shot from the Mexican side shows the group climbing through a broken piece of fencing and running down the beach. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/migrant-caravan/sd-me-border-breach-20190314-story.html In other news - https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-veto-congress-national-emergency-order-20190315-story.html

Beach Community Parking Lots Become Shelter For Homeless People With Vehicles | Peter Rowe Mar 15, 2019

Homeless people may now sleep in their vehicles, a legal change that has caused some frustration in San Diego's beach communities.

San Diego Families, Colleges Linked To The College Admissions Scandal | Gary Robbins Mar 14, 2019

A massive investigation into a college admissions bribery scheme for the wealthy has ensnared a former University of San Diego sports coach who allegedly took kickbacks and parents of two local families accused of paying $875,000 total to get sons and daughters into elite universities. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-cheating-scandal-20190312-story.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-actresses-coaches-ceos-and-many-more-here-s-everyone-who-was-charged-in-the-college-admissions-cheat-20190312-story.html

Scripps Backs Law Increasing Penalties For People Who Assault Health Care Workers | Paul Sisson Mar 13, 2019

On Jan. 31, state Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez, D-Pomona, introduced Assembly Bill 329. The legislation mandates up to one year of jail time and up to $2,000 in fines for anyone who assaults or batters a health care worker inside a hospital. Current law extends those penalties only to doctors and nurses working outside hospitals in emergency situations. Though the bill has not yet had its first independent state analysis, Scripps Health is already planning to testify on behalf of the legislation in Sacramento as it moves through the hearing process. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps’ chief executive officer, said Prehoden’s incident is just one example of a rising tide of violence in hospitals that requires action. “We see violence escalating,” Van Gorder said. “I think we need to increase the penalties to protect our people.” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/sd-no-healthcare-violence-bill-20190306-story.html

What Last Year's Homicides Tell Us About San Diego | Teri Figueroa Mar 12, 2019

Every year, the San Diego Union-Tribune totals the number of homicides in the county. Last year, there were 86 deaths, which is a 13 percent increase from last year. Shootings were the most common cause of death, followed by domestic violence.

Documents Show Attorneys, Journalists And Advocates Monitored By Border Officials | Kate Morrissey Mar 09, 2019

Documents published Wednesday indicate that the federal government has monitored a group of journalists, attorneys, advocates and activists who interacted with a migrant caravan that arrived in Tijuana late last year. NBC7 in San Diego published leaked documents Wednesday indicating that the U.S. government has kept dossiers on a group of 59 advocates, activists, attorneys and journalists it is investigating in relation to the migrant caravan that arrived in Tijuana in November. Many of those in the dossier appeared in previous articles by The San Diego Union-Tribune, the Los Angeles Times and The Intercept talking of frequent interrogations at the border or being denied entry to Mexico. The published documents indicate that officials placed alerts on some of the people in the group and canceled visas or SENTRI passes for others. Read the full story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-border-crossing-20190301-story.html In other news: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-rockcoons-plea-20190308-story.htmlp

San Diego Scientists Believe They've Discovered A New Species Of Killer Whales | Gary Robbins Mar 08, 2019

San Diego scientist who led an expedition into dangerous waters off Chile collected tissue samples that could prove the existence of a graceful new species of killer whale, ending decades of mystery. Robert Pitman of NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SFSC) in La Jolla gathered the samples in January from three of the animals, which some researchers believe are the largest scientifically unidentified animals on Earth. The samples will be brought to SFSC so scientists can genetically determine if the rarely seen whales, known as Type D, are different from other orcas. The Type D are also believed to be smaller than other types of killer whales, although that fact has yet to be confirmed. Read the full story: www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/science/sd-me-killer-whales-20190306-story.html In other news: www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/energy-green/sd-fi-sdge-ev-credit-20190307-story.html

How Freedom Of Information Laws Keep Governments Accountable | Lauryn Schroeder Mar 07, 2019

The San Diego Union-Tribune is one of the many news organizations that participates in Sunshine Week, which will begin next week. Here's a preview of what is coming.

Squatters? In My Neighborhood? It's More Common Than You Think | Peter Rowe Mar 06, 2019

After two years working and living in Germany, Carrie and Scott Packard were itching to move back into their four-bed, two-bath Carlsbad home. They just couldn’t wait. But they had to. Their tenants, a young professional couple, had trashed the house. Dogs had ripped carpeting and urinated on floors. Garbage was strewn inside and outside. The yard had gone to seed. Although the tenants had signed a lease and passed a credit check, their payments were late, then partial and then, for the last six months, nonexistent. Worse, they were still living in the Packards’ home and entitled to stay there, unless the Packards could get a court judgment against them. “We didn’t actually have the legal right to our own home,” Carrie Packard said. “If we moved in, they could sue us for unlawful eviction.” Squatters made headlines earlier this year, when it was reported that an unauthorized person had quietly moved into a vacant Poway home that was in foreclosure. The story captured attention in large part because the house had been owned by the family of Tony Gwynn, the late Padres outfielder and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. Yet people live in homes without the owner’s permission all the time. Happens so often, one courtroom in the San Diego Superior Court — Department 60 — is devoted almost exclusively to these cases. “We deal with true squatters at a crazy rate,” said Rachael Callahan, a lawyer and owner of San Diego Evictions, a law firm that specializes in representing landlords. “Department 60 will have a morning calendar and an afternoon calendar with 30 to 60 cases, and that’s daily.” Some cases are settled in the hallway outside the courtroom, often with a quick exchange lawyers have dubbed “cash for keys.” Carrie Packard’s lawyer, for instance, suggested she write a $1,500 check to ensure her tenants’ departure. “I’m not going to pay them,” she said. “They owe me money.” The whole process rankled Packard. “There’s no other crime where you could steal this amount of money from people,” she said, “and just walk away.” Read the full story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/sd-me-squatters-living-high-life-20190303-story.html In other news: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/sd-fi-rent-increases-20190305-story.html

Federal Firearms Agents Target Jeweler And Sheriff's Captain In Raids | Jeff McDonald Mar 05, 2019

The affidavits filed by federal agents to secure search warrants for San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel and others have been sealed by a judge, along with any inventory of what was seized earlier this month. But court records show that Hamel and his former wife stored many firearms at their Jamul estate. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sd-me-hamel-gun-collection-20190226-story.html

SDSU West Is Starting To Take Shape | Jennifer Van Grove Mar 02, 2019

The city of San Diego and San Diego State University have signaled that they are serious about making a deal on the Mission Valley property where the university plans to build a new football stadium and a satellite campus. Friday, the city and the university published for the first time the extensive roster of professionals who will be going to bat for each side when negotiating the price of 132 acres of prime, city-owned real estate. The parties also said they were prepared to sign off on what’s called a memorandum of agreement, or a legally binding document that will dictate the terms of land sale talks going forward. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-sdsu-mission-valley-land-sale-negotiations-20190301-story.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-sdsu-mission-valley-stadium-clark-construction-20190228-story.html

Border Dispatch: Funding The Wall Could Cut San Diego’s Military Funds | Andrew Dyer & Charles Clark Mar 01, 2019

While the president’s former attorney Michael Cohen made headlines testifying before Congress Wednesday, a few senior defense officials were grilled in the same building at another Congressional hearing on military issues that could affect San Diego County. A House Appropriations subcommittee called a hearing on the impact that President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall project may have on military readiness, now that he has declared a state of emergency. Trump has said he wants to divert up to $8.1 billion toward the border wall, including $3.6 billion of “unobligated” funds in the military construction budget. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/sd-me-trump-military-projects-20190227-story.html

Border Dispatch: A Tijuana Woman Was Found Buried In Her Own Backyard | Wendy Fry Feb 28, 2019

Already, three terrible long weeks had passed without answers and the family of Fernanda González Serrano could not let another day go by without the truth. González, 32, who grew up in San Diego and Tijuana, was dedicated to her family and would never ignore them or willfully take off, they insisted. She was missing without any clues as to her whereabouts. That’s why, on Sunday, her father disregarded the advice of police and brought a pick ax and a shovel to his daughter’s Tijuana home to begin digging holes in the yard. He eventually found her body buried in the courtyard — a Volkswagen Beetle had been parked on top of her makeshift grave. Family members reported González missing to Tijuana authorities in early February. She stopped responding to WhatsApp messages on Feb. 3, said Erika Serrano González, the victim’s sister who lives in Chula Vista. “My sister never turns her phone off. She always answers,” said Erika González, about how she knew something was wrong. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-missing-girl-20190226-story.html

Once Convicted Of Murder, A Carlsbad Man Is Now Free And A Millionaire | Pam Kragen Feb 27, 2019

On Nov. 11, 1978, Simi Valley police arrested restaurant manager Craig Coley for the murder of his girlfriend and her 4-year-old son. Despite a solid alibi, no criminal record, questionable evidence and a public outcry over his innocence, Coley was convicted of the crimes. He spent 38 years and 10 months in prison before Governor Jerry Brown, citing DNA and other evidence, exonerated him on Thanksgiving Eve in 2017. Regaining his freedom was one form of justice for Coley, who is now 71 and lives in Carlsbad. Another came on Saturday when the city of Simi Valley announced a $21 million settlement with Coley over a civil rights case he filed last year. Coley’s award is the highest individual civil rights case payout to an exoneree in California history and the fifth highest in the U.S. since record-keeping began in 1989, according to Jeffrey S. Gutman, co-director of the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics at George Washington University School of Law in Washington, D.C. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-coley-settlement-20190225-story.html

Judge Rules That Selective Service Is Unconstitutional For Not Including Women | Andrew Dyer Feb 26, 2019

A federal judge has ruled that a men-only draft is unconstitutional, but he stopped short of ordering the Selective Service System to register women for military service. The Houston judge sided with a San Diego men’s advocacy group that challenged the government’s practice of having only men sign up for the draft, citing sex discrimination in violation of the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection clause. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-military-draft-women-lawsuit-20190223-story.html

What’s Being Done To Prevent Trains From Falling Off Of The Del Mar Bluffs | Phil Diehl Feb 23, 2019

The beautiful view taking the Coaster north from San Diego through Del Mar hides a scary truth: the ground underneath the train tracks is slowly eroding. A combination of ocean waves, erosion from precipitation and from people walking near the tracks has caused a series of bluff collapses, so local agencies have been working on a plan to move the tracks safely inland.

Your Energy Bill Is Going To Change This Year. Here’s How | Rob Nikolewski Feb 22, 2019

Time is money. And for San Diego Gas & Electric customers, the time of day and night you use electricity will soon cost — or save — you money. As per directives from the Legislature and the California Public Utilities Commission, SDG&E will become the first of the state’s three investor-owned power companies to move customers from a tiered billing system to a “time of use” format.

Padres Stunningly Reshape Expectations With Historic Manny Machado Deal | Bryce Miller / Peter Rowe Feb 21, 2019

The Padres did far more than change the narrative for a team and a city when news leaked about the drying contract ink on infielder Manny Machado’s reported $300 million deal. The 26-year-old Machado agreed to that deal Tuesday and Wednesday in San Diego was to meet Fowler and Seidler for the first time and undergo a physical. His signing, which has not been officially acknowledged by the Padres, is expected to be announced Friday. https://goo.gl/ShWQhR

Tribe Opens A Dispensary In Santa Ysabel, Exposing Legal Loophole | J. Harry Jones Feb 20, 2019

The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel last month opened a marijuana dispensary inside what once was the tribe’s casino off state Route 79 south of Lake Henshaw. It was the first tribe in the county to enter the lucrative marijuana business. Other local tribes are expected to follow suit, potentially setting up a confrontation with county officials, who have banned the operations in the unincorporated areas, though they have no control over the reservations. And the tribes have reached out to the state asking to join the larger licensed cannabis network, but so far have been rebuffed. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-ysabel-marijuana-20190214-story.html

Dream House Raffle Commits To Actually Give Away Scripps Ranch House | Phillip Molnar Feb 19, 2019

The Dream House Raffle will actually give away a dream house this year. Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego’s annual contest guarantees that the winner will receive a Scripps Ranch mansion, or a cash prize instead, unlike past years in which no one actually won the house. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/real-estate/sd-fi-dream-house-20190218-story.html

Sempra's Big Bet On This New Form Of Energy | Rob Nikolewski Feb 16, 2019

Through a technology that is more than 50 years old, natural gas is cooled to minus-260 degrees Fahrenheit. The liquefied gas looks like mineral water and its volume is reduced by about 600 percent. LNG experts use an analogy that the same amount of natural gas that would fill a beach ball can, after being liquefied, fit into a golf ball. The LNG goes into large storage tanks and then can be loaded directly onto what are called “membrane cargo tanks” on double-hull ships that can the send the LNG to import facilities around the world. Once at its destination, the LNG is warmed and regasified so it can be used just like existing natural gas. For years, the LNG export market has been dominated by Australia and the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar. But about 10 years ago, what’s called the shale revolution upended the oil and gas industry in the U.S.

North County Heals, Reflects On The Kidnapping And Murder Of Amber Dubois | Teri Figueroa Feb 15, 2019

Every February for years, Carrie Cave — formerly Carrie McGonigle — would drive to a remote spot north of Escondido, where her daughter Amber Dubois died, to decorate a large tree with ribbons and lights. This year, a decade after Amber disappeared — which shook Escondido, then gripped the region a year later with the discovery she had been murdered by a stranger— Cave said she will do something different. She plans to visit a friend in the hospital and decorate there, a quiet celebration of her daughter’s memory. Cave, 50, said she has forgiven the killer so she can move forward. But she never forgets Amber, who would be 24 now. She and Amber’s father, Maurice “Moe” Dubois — they divorced several years before Amber was taken — each say they are finding peace. Wednesday marks 10 years since the 14-year-old freshman vanished while walking to Escondido High School on Feb. 13, 2009. The man who abducted her, registered sex offender John Albert Gardner III, cornered Amber on a quiet street and forced her into his car. He drove the girl to a secluded spot, raped and stabbed her. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-amber-anniversary-20190211-story.html

Plan For Paid Parking, Development At Balboa Park Killed | Jennifer Van Grove Feb 14, 2019

With fundraising efforts officially suspended, the city of San Diego’s years-long — and hotly contested — effort to replace roads in Balboa Park with pedestrian-friendly parkland is now a no-go. The Plaza de Panama project, as it’s called, sought to divert car traffic from the Cabrillo Bridge and create an underground parking garage with a landscaped rooftop. But project leaders in recent weeks decided to pause all forward progress after millions in construction cost overruns made it financially untenable. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-plaza-de-panama-no-money-20190212-story.html

Border Dispatch: Secondary Screening And New Caravans | Kate Morrissey & Sandra Dibble Feb 13, 2019

A group of activists, volunteers and journalists have had a hard time crossing into Mexico recently. Many have found their passports flagged, and are sent to secondary screening, where many have been interrogated about what is going on with the members of the migrant caravan that still remain. Also, more caravans of migrants are coming north, although it’s unclear where they will end up traveling, as now more people have chosen the eastern route to Piedras Negras, on the Texas border. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-secondary-searches-migrant-caravan-20190211-story.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/migrant-caravan/sd-me-caravan-trend-20190209-story.html

How International Students Are Helping UCSD Pay The Bills | Gary Robbins Feb 12, 2019

In the past decade, the number of international students has soared by almost 7,200 and now accounts for almost 25 percent of the school’s enrollment. The figure was 6 percent in 2008. Reeling from reduced state funding, UC San Diego decided to heavily recruit international students, primarily because they pay at least twice as much as California residents in tuition and fees. The university says the money helps subsidize the cost of educating Californians, bolsters research and eases the need for tuition increases. The influx of foreign students also broadens everyone’s cultural experience. UC San Diego also has added more California residents. But their overall share of the student body has dropped by 20 percent in 10 years. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-ucsd-foreignstudents-20190207-story.html

Poway Offers To Help Homeowners Build Granny Flats | J Harry Jones Feb 09, 2019

Poway’s leadership has decided to explore a concept proposed by its mayor that could lead to the city building and paying for granny flats in the backyards of residents. Under the proposal, offered as a small solution to the affordable housing crisis, homeowners who agree to have a stand-alone structure put in their yards would also agree to rent the granny flat, through a third party, to qualified low-income tenants for a set amount of time. Mayor Steve Vaus came up with the idea — he calls it HOMES (Homes On My Extra Space) — and the City Council agreed Tuesday to move the process forward. They directed city staff to come up with a plan and agreed to form a subcommittee to explore all the pitfalls that could arise. They said they hoped a plan could be ready later this year.

Stunning End To Zahau Case As Family Settles, Wipes Out Jury Finding | Greg Moran Feb 08, 2019

In a surprise move, the $5.1 million judgment and jury finding that blamed Adam Shacknai for the death of Rebecca Zahau in a Coronado mansion eight years ago was wiped out and the entire case dismissed after the family of the deceased woman reached a settlement with Shacknai’s insurance company. The announcement by lawyer C. Keith Greer came at the start of a scheduled hearing to argue post-trial motions. It took Shacknai by surprise, as well as his lawyer — and added yet another twist to the controversial death of Zahau, which has now been investigated twice by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and was the subject of a captivating civil trial last year. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-zahau-trial-settlement-20190206-story.html Listen to our podcast series about last year's trial: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/podcasts/sd-under-the-gavel-zahau-20180315-htmlstory.html

San Diegans Can Now Live In Their Cars, Which Is A Big Win For The Homeless | David Garrick Feb 07, 2019

San Diego City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to repeal a 35-year-old law that has made it illegal for people to live inside vehicles. Supporters of the repeal say they hope it will be a key step toward ending the local criminalization of homelessness. “It’s in line with a number of other policy objectives we’ve been trying to move through our legislative pipeline,” said Councilman Chris Ward, referring to safe parking lots, storage facilities and temporary shelters the city has created recently for the homeless. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-homeless-parking-law-20190205-story.html

California Released A List Of Low-Performing Schools, Here's Why | Kristen Taketa Feb 06, 2019

California for the first time released a list of its lowest-performing 8 percent of public schools in the state, but some experts are skeptical that education leaders will use this new information and related funding to effectively improve those schools. The state’s list includes 58 San Diego County schools, including 14 district schools and 5 charter schools within the San Diego Unified School District. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-worst-performing-schools-20190204-story.html

More Questionable Spending From Alpine Rep. Duncan Hunter | Morgan Cook Feb 05, 2019

It’s been a rough few months for Alpine Congressman Duncan Hunter. Last year, he was indicted on 60 of counts of misspending campaign funds, charges he and his wife Margaret have pleaded not guilty to. He’s says prosecutors are on a witch hunt. In the meantime, in the latest mandated reporting for campaign finance funds, more questionable spending has emerged.

There's another Donald Trump Jr. -- Tijuana's Mayor | Wendy Fry Feb 02, 2019

He's called migrants criminals. He's worn a MTGA hat (Make Tijauna Great Again). And he's running for reelection. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton interviews reporter Wendy Fry about Juan Manuel Gastelúm.

Border Dispatch: How Meth Is Staining Tijuana In Blood | Gary Coronado & Kate Linthicum Feb 01, 2019

It seemed like everyone in Christian Castillo’s life was getting killed or running from death. Two neighbors on his block were gunned down, along with the taco vendor at the end of the street. Then came a childhood friend of Castillo’s mother who had started selling drugs and was shot dead with her husband. Soon their son was executed, too. Castillo, who until a few years ago held a good job at a Tijuana insurance company, didn’t attend any of the funerals. He was too busy getting high and trying not to be killed next. “It felt like death was following me,” he said. Tijuana, a city of 1.8 million that not long ago was celebrating a major reduction in violence, is in the grip of an unprecedented homicide crisis. A record 2,518 people were killed here in 2018 — nearly seven times the total in 2012. With 140 killings per 100,000 people, Tijuana is now one of the deadliest cities in the world. Across the border in San Diego, there were 34 homicides last year, or just over 2 killings per 100,000 people. Read the story: https://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-mexico-tijuana-drug-violence-20190130-htmlstory.html Check out Sandra Dibble's previous reporting: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-tijuana-killings-20170809-htmlstory.html

Businesses Get Their Revenge On Dockless Bikes And Scooters With This Startup Jan 31, 2019

As scooters continue to colonize San Diego’s streets — blocking parking garages, walkways and encroaching onto private property — locals are beginning to fight back. While some residents have resorted to vandalism (tossing scooters into dumpsters and lakes), two businessmen in Pacific Beach are offering an alternative way to get rid of errant scooters. They pick them up for free and charge scooter companies — Bird, Lime, Jump and Lyft — to get their property back. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/sd-fi-scoot-scoop-tow-scooters-20190129-story.html

Remembering San Diego's First School Shooting 40 Years Ago Jan 30, 2019

In 1979, Brenda Spencer shot into a group of schoolchildren attending the Cleveland Elementary School in San Carlos. She fired 36 rounds. Eleven hit their mark — eight children and three adults. Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-brenda-spencer-school-shooting-20190129-story.html

San Diego renews investment in public libraries Jan 29, 2019

There's plenty of fun you can have with a library card -- and it's not just books. Public libraries have become more like community centers, and San Diego will have two new libraries by the end of the year. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton interviews Peter Rowe about what libraries stand for in 2019. Story: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-libraries-refuse-to-die-20190107-story.html

The annual homeless census happened early this morning, here's what's new Jan 26, 2019

A small army of volunteers surveyed homeless people in San Diego County in the early morning hours. Reporters Gary Warth and Paul Sission discuss what they saw during the annual point-in-time count.

The Farmers Insurance Open Started Today, Here's What You Need To Know Jan 25, 2019

Golf legend Tiger Woods became the star of the show again as the Farmers Insurance Open started Thursday morning. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton speaks with Tod Leonard about the tournament and who we should look out for as it continues through the weekend.

Is The Chancellor Of UC San Diego A Bully? Jan 24, 2019

He's overseen $2.5 billion in new buildings in the past five years. Another $4 billion or so are in the works. Private donations are at an all-time high. So is enrollment, which hit nearly 39,000 last fall. "Pradeep Khosla is the best chancellor UC San Diego has ever had," said Rajesh Gupta, one of the school's computer scientists. "The. Best." Many agree. But midway through his seventh year in office, questions are being raised about Khosla’s management style. Nine current and former employees told the Union-Tribune that a University of California Office of the President (UCOP) investigator asked them in recent months whether Khosla or senior staff had exhibited bullying behavior toward campus employees. Seven of those told the investigator that Khosla can be insulting, demeaning, rude or threatening. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-khosla-bullying-20190107-story.html

Border Dispatch: Is Tijuana Prepared For The Next Caravan? Jan 23, 2019

With a new caravan on the way, Tijuana government officials have not given much thought to avoiding the chaos that arrived in November with 6,000 Central American migrants. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/migrant-caravan/sd-me-caravan-lessons-20190122-story.html

National crackdown on opioids has a side effect: harming legitimate chronic pain patients Jan 22, 2019

An estimated 25 million Americans live with chronic pain, and those on opioids have become a liability that many doctors would rather not deal with altogether. Doctors are being scrutinized more than ever for their prescribing practices. There is criticism that one watchdog campaign by the California Medical Board has gone too far. Many primary care physicians, too nervous to manage long-term treatments and not willing to take the extra time required of these high-maintenance patients, are passing them off onto overburdened pain specialists. Reporter Kristina Davis discusses the tricky reality of opioid prescriptions. --- For more: Read the main story: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/sd-me-pain-patients-opiods-20190120-story.html Fentanyl has taken over America's drug market. Where is it coming from? https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-fentanyl-pipeline-20180617-story.html 'Death Diaries' reveal lessons about prescription drug epidemic https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-death-diaries-20170106-story.html https://soundcloud.com/user-120978215/the-death-diaries

When Storefronts Are Shelter: How San Diego's Homeless Have Been Dealing With The Rain Jan 19, 2019

San Diego's wet weather has been hard on homeless people, and many have sought shelter in storefronts overnight. Reporter Peter Rowe spoke to the homeless that slept in storefronts this week, and the business owners as well. -------- Check out this video of coastal flooding: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/112634456-132.html

Pedestrian deaths spiked in 2018. Here's what San Diego is doing about it. Jan 18, 2019

Mayor Kevin Faulconer surprised pedestrian safety advocates Tuesday when he announced plans to improve hundreds of dangerous intersections throughout the city in the next few years. “Seniors, students and pedestrians should be able to use a crosswalk without having to dodge oncoming traffic,” Faulconer told a crowd gathered for the State of the City speech at the Balboa Theatre downtown. So this year, we’ll begin work on nearly 300 more safe intersection projects throughout the city,” he added. Officials said the city would start installing pedestrian countdown timers and high-visibility crosswalks at crash-prone intersections in the summer of 2020. The first 50 intersections are expected to be completed before Faulconer leaves office, with the remaining upgrades slated to finish by 2022, according to city officials.

Faulconer calls for aggressive development to fight homelessness and create affordable housing Jan 17, 2019

Solving San Diego’s housing crisis with an overhaul of city bureaucracy, expanding efforts to reduce homelessness and making the city a national leader on the environment are among Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s priorities for 2019. Faulconer used his annual State of the City address on Tuesday to lay out those goals and several others, including efforts to ensure the city’s contractors reflect San Diego’s diversity and upgrading 300 dangerous intersections. The boldest proposals in the mayor’s speech focused on housing, as he wants to eliminate building height limits in many neighborhoods, wipe out parking requirements and make it more profitable to build low-income housing. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-faulconer-speech-20190115-story.html

Why The San Diego Safari Park Euthanized A Baby Giraffe Jan 16, 2019

A 5-month-old male giraffe born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park was euthanized near the end of December after being gored in the stomach, likely by an antelope, said zoo spokeswoman Christina Simmons. The giraffe, named Kumi, was born Aug. 6, 2018. He was in good health until he was discovered the morning of Dec. 29 with the gore wound. A veterinary assessment found that the wound couldn’t be treated, Simmons said, so animal care staff made the decision to put him down. Story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/zoo/sd-me-kumi-giraffe-euthanized-safari-park-20190114-story.html In other news: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-sdsu-housing-20190114-story.html

Border Dispatch: Breaking Down Facts On The Border Wall Jan 15, 2019

In President Donald Trump’s public push for $5.7 billion to extend existing border fencing by 215 miles, he has painted a dire picture filled with deadly drugs, violent criminals and bloodshed. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats argue the border crisis Trump is referring to either doesn’t exist or was manufactured for political reasons. Besides, they contend, a wall wouldn’t solve many of the problems Trump has identified. It is a debate filled with facts — facts offered by each side that tend to support their own perspectives and agendas. The truth — as it often does — lies somewhere in between. It doesn’t help that immigration is an incredibly complex issue, one that Congress has struggled to agree on and failed to comprehensively reform for decades. Here is what the data, research and expert analysis show. --- Read the story: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-border-wall-primer-20190113-story.html

Navy Base Eyed For New Airport Transit Center Jan 12, 2019

Doubling down on a mission to connect public transportation to the airport, San Diego’s mayor and the county’s transit chief have landed on a 71-acre, airport- and freeway-adjacent site that they see as the region’s utopian transit hub of tomorrow. Friday, Hasan Ikhrata, the newly installed executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments, will tell his board at their regular monthly meeting that he wants to move swiftly to try and secure the Naval Base Point Loma, Old Town Complex — more commonly recognized as the SPAWAR property — as part of an ambitious plan to create a Grand Central Station that also includes housing and commercial space.

Stealing Home? Tony Gwynn's Former Poway Home Occupied by Someone Squatting in Style Jan 11, 2019

Members of an upscale Poway neighborhood have been keeping a close eye on the former home of the late San Diego Padres great, Tony Gwynn. For several months, a man has been living the 6-bedroom home, even though the house is owned by an out-of-state bank. This mysterious squatter has apparently left town, but raises the question: How does this happen? Subscribe to our new daily news briefing: Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0PvlIjQBrJd…w3RhaWB_z8ubdi2Q iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-s…d1448514626?mt=2 Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen#/sulp Alexa Skill: alexa.amazon.com/spa/index.html#s…1&qid=1546887131

Border Dispatch: The Politics of the Wall, the Border and the Shutdown Jan 10, 2019

President Donald Trump addressed the nation in a primetime address Tuesday night, calling for immediate construction of a border wall. The speech came amid an ongoing government shutdown, with Congressional Democrats opposing any funding that includes appropriations for the border wall. ----- Subscribe to our new daily news briefing: Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0PvlIjQBrJd…w3RhaWB_z8ubdi2Q iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-s…d1448514626?mt=2 Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen#/sulp Alexa Skill: alexa.amazon.com/spa/index.html#s…1&qid=1546887131

Border Dispatch: Can Trump make the military build the wall? The answer is maybe. Jan 09, 2019

As the government shutdown enters its third week, President Donald Trump has changed his strategy for getting funding for the border wall. The administration has been arguing that the crisis at the border is a national emergency and he could use military funding to start construction on the wall. On a number of grounds, advocacy groups opposed to a wall say they would sue almost immediately to stop that approach. ----- Subscribe to our new daily news briefing: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0PvlIjQBrJdiGyIkDgYZwU?si=S1S2Nww3RhaWB_z8ubdi2Q iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-san-diego-union-tribune/id1448514626?mt=2 Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/sulp Alexa Skill: https://alexa.amazon.com/spa/index.html#skills/dp/B07MFDDPMM/?ref=skill_dsk_skb_sr_1&qid=1546887131

More Problems At The San Onofre Nuclear Plant Jan 08, 2019

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will question representatives of Holtec International on Jan. 9 about canisters the New Jersey-based company manfactured to store spent nuclear fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The conference — which will take place at NRC headquarters in Maryland and will be open to the public — centers on a change Holtec made in the design of aluminum shims that help center the waste in a “fuel basket” inside the canisters and whether the company should have notified the NRC before making the alterations.

Border Dispatch: New Mexican President, New "Free Zone" at Border Jan 07, 2019

Mexico’s new, left-wing populist president is ringing in the new year with a dramatic economic plan for border communities aimed at attracting new investments and creating jobs that could potentially curb the influx of migrants into the United States. Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced last Saturday what is called the Tax Incentive Decree for the Northern Border Region that will create a “free zone” along the border with the U.S that is 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) wide. It encompasses nearly 2,000 miles, all the way from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific coast. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/economy/sd-fi-mexico-freezone-20181231-story.html

Law Requires Police To Record People's Demographics Without Asking Jan 04, 2019

For months, San Diego Police Department and other large law enforcement agencies have been making assumptions about sexual orientation, gender and other characteristics of the people they stop as part of a state-wide, legally-mandated data collection effort to combat racial and identity profiling. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-sexual-orientation-profiling-20181228-story.html

Trump's Trade War Contributes To Commercial Boom For Tijuana Jan 03, 2019

Trump's trade war contributes to commercial boom for Tijuana, as companies seek to leave China and its rising tariffs. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/south-county/sd-me-tijuana-business-20181026-story.html

Here's What To Look Forward To In The Arts This Year Jan 02, 2019

Anew year is a time for new beginnings, and this year, there’s a whole lot of “new” headed our way. Our hometown orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, is welcoming its new music director, Rafael Payare. Best-selling author Don Winslow has a new book, “The Border.” And the long-awaited Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, the La Jolla Music Society’s new home, is expected to open this year, too. Here’s to the new year and to all things new in 2019 — 19 things we are looking forward to this year. Cheers!

19 Things To Look Out For In 2019 Dec 28, 2018

Every new year is an unfolding drama, and like most plays, sometimes what happens we see coming, and sometimes we don’t. The issues, events and people that seem destined for center stage during the next 12 months will shape how San Diego County looks, how it’s governed, and what it feels like — and what it costs — to live and work here. Some are perennially thorny dilemmas, such as homelessness and immigration. Others speak to the time we’re in: climate change, scooters, short-term vacation rentals and more: rentals.http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-2019-yearahead-20181230-story.html

Looking Back At The San Diego Union - Tribune's 150th Year Dec 27, 2018

2018 has been a special year for the San Diego Union-Tribune -- On October eighteenth 1868, the San Diego Union published its first edition. Since then, the Union, and the Evening Tribune, chronicled the history of San Diego. In celebration of the paper’s one hundred and fiftieth year , Merrie Monteagudo, the U-T’s librarian, has been reprinting one front page of the paper per day in the local section, showing the history of San Diego as it happened. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/150-years/

Longtime Hotel del Coronado elevator operator likes taking guests for a ride Dec 26, 2018

Everyone has ups and downs at work. Andrew Lounsbury’s are intentional. For 39 years, he’s been an elevator operator at the Hotel del Coronado, a throwback job in a throwback place. The hotel dates to 1888, and so does the elevator. The technology was so new that the hotel included it among the advertised amenities, boasting that the elevator was “rendering the climbing of stairs unnecessary.” Back then, a human was required to open the metal gates and operate the handle that told the elevator where to go and when to stop. Over time, the technology improved, and now almost all of the 900,000 elevators in the United States are automated. Human operators have gone the way of buggy whips and horse carriages, seen mostly in period TV shows and movies. The average American living or working in a multi-story building rides an elevator four times a day and hardly pays the conveyance any mind, unless it breaks down. Such is modern life. The Hotel Del, though, is modern in moderation. It sits proudly in earlier times, and the gilded, caged elevator in the lobby is considered part of the ambiance. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/sd-me-elevator-operator-20181218-story.html

Border Dispatch: Life Inside El Barretal Dec 24, 2018

It's been nearly a month since the migrant caravan landed in Tijuana, and now migrants have forged their own community in the second shelter, El Barretal.

Border Dispatch: Chef José Andrés Leads Effort To Feed Central American Migrants In Tijuana Dec 21, 2018

Chef José Andrés and his team of volunteers from World Central Kitchen are in Tijuana feeding members of the Central American caravan. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/migrant-caravan/sd-me-caravan-world-central-kitchen-20181217-story.html

Border Dispatch: What The Central American Migrants Want Dec 20, 2018

Today, about 170 families make up the nearly 2,500 migrants who occupy the El Barretal shelter. A dozen parents living there shared their stories of traveling north and what they hope their journey will mean for their children’s future. https://go.sandiegouniontribune.com/p/1

Sweetwater Union High School District to be audited over potential fraud Dec 19, 2018

The San Diego County Office of Education will order an audit of the Sweetwater Union High School District to find out whether the district committed financial fraud or misappropriation of funds. The county office announced the action less than an hour after state officials gave a scathing report on the district’s financial management at a special board meeting Monday night. The officials said the district has for years misrepresented its finances and spent more money than it has. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-sweetwater-financial-crisis-20181217-story.html

Border Dispatch: This San Diegan Found Two Deaf Women In The Caravan, Now She's Their Advocate Dec 18, 2018

Amy Tillman wanted to help members of the migrant caravan, but happenstance brought her to two deaf Hondurans —Paola Martinez and Iris Hernandez. While American Sign Language isn't the same as Honduran Sign Language, there's enough crossover that Tillman has been able to become their advocates. Hear from Tillman and immigration reporter Kate Morrissey about their lucky meeting.

Border Disptach: The Politics of the Caravan and the Wall Dec 17, 2018

As the migrant caravan has gained national attention, President Donald Trump has claimed that terrorists are crossing the border — aiming to bolster support for a border wall. The Union-Tribune's Daniel Wheaton interviews political columnist Micheal Smolens about the politics of the wall, and the possibility of a government shut down next week.

Border Dispatch: Meet Alfonso Guerrero Ulloa, Who Wants The U.S. To Pay For Hondurans To Return Home Dec 14, 2018

Alfonso Guerrero Ulloa, the unofficial spokesperson of a group of Honduran migrants who caused an uproar by suggesting the U.S. pay $50,000 to each person who returns home, hasn’t set foot in Honduras in more than three decades. He left his birthplace in 1987, after being accused of planting a bomb in a Chinese restaurant that injured six U.S. soldiers in Honduras. Guerrero claimed the charges were false and, despite protests from the U.S. government, Mexico offered him political asylum. Guerrero, 54, has spent the last 31 years living a quiet life in Mexico City. Until recently, he earned a living selling bracelets, earrings and necklaces. But it hasn’t amounted to much. Guerrero says he has $10 to his name and does not have a bank account. His quiet life changed on Nov. 4, when he joined a caravan of Central Americans migrants heading north to the United States. He caught up with the group in Córdoba, about 180 miles southeast of Mexico City. “It’s a joy to be able to serve my country again,” Guerrero said from the El Barretal migrant shelter in Tijuana. “Sleeping here in the cold, eating what everyone else is eating, brings me joy.” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-ulloa-profile-12132018-story.html

Border Dispatch: For Americans Commuting from Tijuana, it Takes Patience, Ingenuity Dec 13, 2018

Thousands of Americans live cross-border lives, where they live in Mexico but work in the United States. Reporter Phil Molnar discusses the trends, as well as how current events have affected the lives of these binational Americans.

Border Dispatch: 32 Faith Leaders Arrested in Border Demonstration Dec 12, 2018

More than 30 people, mostly faith leaders, were arrested Monday as part of a peaceful demonstration in which some participants purposefully resisted officials' orders to move away from the border barrier. Between 300 and 400 people, many faith and community leaders from across the country, marched down the beach to the southwest corner of the U.S. in Border Field State Park to call for protection for migrants and the right to seek asylum.

Border Dispatch: San Diego, Mexico Work To Avert Health Crisis At Migrant Camps Dec 11, 2018

As the caravan of asylum seekers approached the border, many in Mexico and the United States worried that such a large group would increase the odds of a public health crisis. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/sd-no-border-health-20181207-story.html

A Decade Later, A San Diego Neighborhood Is Still Reeling From A Tragic Plane Crash Dec 10, 2018

A troubled engine downed a plane over a residential San Diego neighborhood in 2008, forcing the military to reevaluate how it keeps pilots and civilians safe. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-fa18-crash-10-years-later-20181208-story.html

Border Dispatch: Turmoil At The Border Concerns Families Whose Children Cross Daily For School Dec 07, 2018

Border Dispatch: Convinced that an American education in English is key to a prosperous future, many children who are U.S. citizens and living in Mexico cross the border daily to go to public and private schools in San Diego County. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-border-students-20181206-story.html

Border Dispatch: Teenage Caravan Members Traveled Fled Gangs, Abusive Families Dec 06, 2018

Border Dispatch: Teenage caravan members tell of threats from gang members, abusive families, preferred taking to the road than staying in their countries.

Border Dispatch: Some Residents In Tijuana Neighborhood Wary Of Migrant Newcomers Dec 05, 2018

Border Dispatch: Residents of a working-class neighborhood in the outskirts of Tijuana are wary of their new neighbors – a group of 2,300 Central American migrants sleeping in a makeshift shelter. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/migrant-caravan/sd-me-rough-neighborhood-12042018-story.html

Family Seeking Return Of Nazi-looted Masterpiece Gets New Day In Court Dec 04, 2018

The Cassirers have been trying for almost 20 years to get back a Pissarro painting that even the museum holding it admits was taken by the Nazis in 1939. A trial next week will explore what the museum knew, and when. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-painting-nazi-20181127-story.html

Border Dispatch: Americans Canceling Visits To Baja Tourist Spots Amid Migrant Crisis Dec 03, 2018

Tourist destinations in Baja California, from hotels and restaurants to medical and dental offices, complain of lost business since the arrival of Central American asylum-seekers. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/tourism/sd-fi-baja-tourism-migrants-20181201-story.html

Border Dispatch: Who's Leading The Caravan? Dec 01, 2018

A "Border Dispatch" edition of San Diego News Fix: Many of the migrants came to the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum, but not everyone knows how. Getting accurate and useful information to a group of more than 5,000 people can be challenging, and the caravan’s nebulous leadership structure only adds to the difficulty. Now, caravan members are in Tijuana facing squalid conditions, hunger and illness, with no end in sight. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-caravan-leaders-20181128-story.html

What San Diegans Can Do To Help Migrants Stuck In Tijuana Nov 29, 2018

A slow moving humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Tijuana, as shelters are full and thousands of migrants are sleeping on the streets. San Diegans have been stepping into help. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton interviews Peter Rowe about who is helping, and what you can do to help.

The Migrant Caravan Clashes With Border Officials Nov 28, 2018

This weekend saw clashes between members of the migrant caravan and border officials, as some tried to storm the border in order to claim asylum in the U.S. As the migrant caravan settles in Tijuana, many questions remain. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton interviews Wendy Fry about what she saw at the border.

California's Fiery Future Nov 27, 2018

Reporter Joshua Emerson Smith continues his conversation about the realities facing California as climate change creates more potential for blazes.

Can California Log Its Way Out Of Wildfires? Nov 26, 2018

After the Camp Fire obliterated the town of Paradise this month in California’s most horrific wildfire to date, everyone from President Trump to Gov. Jerry Brown raised concerns about the state’s overgrown and drought-stricken forests. Both administrations called for a significant increase in logging on federal and private lands earlier this year to thin timberland characterized as tinderboxes ready to explode. However, according to research scientists and ecologists, wildfire’s increasing toll on life and property in recent years has been overwhelmingly driven by global warming and patterns of development — not the state’s most densely wooded areas. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-wildfire-logging-climate-change-20181125-story.html

The Next Line Of Defense Against Package Thieves? Doorbell Cameras Nov 23, 2018

he video is crystal clear: A woman hops off her bicycle, runs up to the house and grabs the box off the porch. In a flash, she dashes back to the sidewalk, tosses the package into the front basket of her accomplice’s bicycle and they pedal off. Making a clean getaway. Well, not really. The doorbell security camera on the Oceanside home captured every detail of the Nov. 5 theft, in color. Later, when the couple living in the home reviewed the video, they decided to share it through the Ring Neighbors app to let others know there were package thieves in the area. Turns out, Oceanside police were able to use her video to identify the two suspects. They are now seeking arrest warrants and “arrests are imminent,” said Oceanside police Sgt. John McKean, who oversees property and financial crime investigations. The Oceanside Police Department is only the second police agency in California to partner with Ring’s Neighbors app. The first was the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Ring spokesman Morgan Culbertson said.

What San Diego's Homeless Have To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving Nov 22, 2018

Since last year's hepatitis A outbreak, San Diego has been more aggressive in tackling the region's homeless problem. Gary Warth, who covers homelessness for the Union-Tribune, speaks about what has changed over the past year, and how Thanksgiving is transformative for many of the region's homeless. -- https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-me-ray-chavez-20181121-story.html

No Black Friday chaos? No problem for top malls Nov 21, 2018

A number of shopping trends are converging to create quite the holiday oxymoron: Retail optimism despite major store closings and noticeably thinner crowds at malls on historically high foot-traffic days. For the holiday shopping season between November and January, Deloitte, which puts out an annual retail forecast, expects total sales, excluding motor vehicles and gasoline, to exceed $1.1 trillion. That amounts to growth of more than 5 percent over last year’s purse. What’s more, 78 percent of consumers, encouraged by the economy, plan to spend as much as, or more than, they did a year ago, with the average holiday spend per person growing from $1,226 in 2017 to $1,536 in 2018. --- The drone survey is here: https://sdredc.typeform.com/to/mH8sqT https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-drone-survey-20181119-story.html

Crisis In The Pews: San Diego Catholics Shaken By Revelations Of Abuse, Cover-ups Nov 20, 2018

When San Diego’s Catholic Bishop held a series of “listening sessions” at parishes around the diocese, he knew he’d hear from Catholics who were upset about the ongoing revelations of priestly sexual abuse. Still, Bishop McElroy was probably unprepared for the level of fury and disgust he encountered. One of our enterprise reporters, Peter Rowe, attended one of those sessions and then spoke with many of the faithful. He has reported a crisis in the pews. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/religion/sd-me-crisis-pew-20181118-story.html

Some Giraffe Populations Critically Endangered, While Others Recover Nov 19, 2018

Giraffes, once plentiful throughout Africa, have plummeted close to extinction in some regions. In others, populations of the graceful treetop browsers actually have grown through conservation efforts. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/zoo/sd-me-some-giraffes-critically-endangered-20181114-story.html

Tijuana Braces For The Migrant Caravan Nov 16, 2018

Carrying blankets and backpacks, a group of 356 Central American migrants arrived in Tijuana this week, joining dozens of other arrivals from a large caravan that has been making its way to the U.S. border. But even as authorities scrambled to find bed space for them in the city’s migrant shelters, Baja California officials reported that yet another group numbering about 200 was aboard buses traveling through the neighboring state of Sonora and expected to arrive in Tijuana within hours. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-caravan-tijuana-20181113-story.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-tijuana-shelter-20181114-story.html

Climate contrarian uncovers scientific error, upends major ocean warming study Nov 15, 2018

Researchers with UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Princeton University recently walked back scientific findings published last month that showed oceans have been heating up dramatically faster than previously thought as a result of climate change. In a paper published Oct. 31 in the journal Nature, researchers found that ocean temperatures had warmed 60 percent more than outlined by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-climate-study-error-20181113-story.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-scripps-warming-ocean-20181029-story.html

Trump claims wildfires are caused by bad forest management, but the truth is more complicated Nov 14, 2018

California’s recent spate of devastating conflagrations have little, if anything, to do with overgrown forests — and everything to do with climate change, drought and harsh weather conditions, according to forestry experts. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-wildfire-logging-trump-20181112-story.html

Petco promises to pull food with artificial ingredients from shelves Nov 13, 2018

San Diego-based pet retailer Petco pledged Tuesday to stop selling all dog and cat food items containing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives by May, throwing out millions in annual sales in the process. The decision, spearheaded by new CEO Ron Coughlin, is indicative of a broader commitment to pet health, and is meant to push the privately held business back in front of pet owners who treat — and feed — their animals as members of the family. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/economy/sd-fi-petco-pet-food-20181113-story.html

Bitcointopia: The Tech Utopia That Never Was Nov 12, 2018

barren stretch of high desert in the northeast corner of Nevada is where Bitcointopia would rise. Residents would live in homes built by 3D printers, or in shipping containers. A police force would be aided by R2D2-like drones. Driverless buses would replace the need for cars. The city would be powered by Tesla and watered by the North Fork Humboldt River that cuts through middle of the land, a scene framed by the snowcapped Ruby Mountains in the distance. Here, above all else, bitcoin would rule. Morgan Rockcoons, 31, envisioned a new kind of community, one not dependent on the U.S. dollar, an experiment based on artificial intelligence and automation and technology. He has likened it to the futuristic city Walt Disney dreamed up as Epcot — Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow — decades ago in Florida. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-bitcointopia-20181104-story.html

Coronado remembers Justin Meek, who died at the Thousand Oaks shooting Nov 09, 2018

When a gunman shot up a Thousand Oaks bar packed with college students late Wednesday night, 23-year-old Justin Meek was among those killed. He died trying to save others, a family member said. Meek, a 2014 graduate of Coronado High School, was at the bar with his younger sister, both working as promoters, when the shooting started, according to his mother, Laura Meek. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-coronado-shooting-victim-20181108-story.html -- Also reporter Kristen Taketa discusses the budgetary issues at the Sweetwater school district: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-sweetwater-budget-20181108-story.html

San Diego's City Races: A Democratic Supermajority in the City Council and Measure YY Nov 08, 2018

San Diegans elected a Democratic supermajority to the City Council, and approved a billion dollar school bond to San Diego Unified School District. The UT's Daniel Wheaton speaks with reporters David Garrick and Kristen Taketa about what's next after the election.

What San Diegans Should Take Away From The Midterms Nov 07, 2018

The 2018 midterm elections are set to begin a new phase in the Trump presidency, with a Democrat-controlled House of Representatives. San Diegans elected Mike Levin to replace Darrell Issa. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton interviews reporters Lori Weisberg and Jennifer Van Grove on the results of Measures G and E, and then speaks to Abby Hamblin and Luis Gomez about the broader election.

What you need to know about today's election Nov 06, 2018

San Diego County voters may play a role in determining the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton interviews political columnist Michael Smolens about what's at stake during Tuesday's election.

Big Changes Coming To Seaport Village Nov 05, 2018

San Diegans would be forgiven, perhaps even applauded, for avoiding Seaport Village. Aside from the view, the 38 year-old waterfront property’s best pitch to consumers involves chain restaurants and trinket shops, seemingly only securing the approbation of cruise ship patrons and out-of-towners. However, a grandiose plan to turn the prime real estate into a world-class destination lauded by locals and foreigners alike is currently underway. Called Seaport San Diego, the $1.6 billion project, backed in part by San Diego’s famed Jacobs family, was selected by the Port of San Diego in November 2016 to redevelop 70 acres — 39 land acres and 31 water acres — and is still in the beginning stages. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-seaport-sandiego-20181104-story.html

As The Midterms Near, The Union-Tribune Asks, Who Are San Diego's Voters? Nov 02, 2018

As the midterm elections near, reporters and editors at the Union-Tribune have been asking this questions: Who are we as voters? San Diego County has usually been a political anomaly. There are way more Democrats than Republicans, yet the city boasts a Republican Mayor and the County Board of Supervisors is all red. Our demographics play unique roles as well: military families, first generation Americans, a large latino base and an urban and rural divide. With the help of our data reporters, reporter John Wilkens and his editor Mark Platte have tried to answer that question of who we are. This story will go live on Sunday, Nov. 4.

Ammar Campa-Najjar's Complex Family History Spans Continents And Generations Of Middle East Strife Nov 01, 2018

Over the past month, caught in the most competitive race of his political career and with his family dynasty hanging in the balance, Rep. Duncan Hunter embraced a campaign strategy that has been viewed as controversial to say the least. In addition to going after his opponent along traditional political lines in a district that has long been a Republican stronghold, Hunter has opted for a series of attacks labeling his Democratic challenger, Ammar Campa-Najjar, a “national security risk,” citing his Palestinian roots. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-najjar-family-history-20181030-story.html

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