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Anti-Suicide Spikes In Place On Coronado Bridge | John Wilkens Mar 23, 2019

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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