How a Cold Email Turned into a Mega Shelter Pitch
It all started with an email. Real estate investor and developer Douglas Hamm had been in escrow for about a year to buy a 65,000-square foot warehouse near the airport when his expected tenant’s business plans changed. Soon after that, as Hamm describes it, a light bulb went…
Morning report
Morning Report: The Story Behind the Mega Shelter Pitch
Nearly a month ago, Mayor Todd Gloria unveiled a plan to transform a Middletown warehouse into the city’s largest-ever permanent homeless shelter. The proposal instantly generated an avalanche of questions about how the deal came together, the warehouse’s owner and…
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Editor picks
VOSD Podcast: The Cannabis Equity Program Got Smoked
There was always a theory that if we were going to legalize cannabis, the people who used to get in trouble for selling it should get a chance to sell…
Escondido Arts Center Could Be Getting New Management
The Escondido City Council is considering searching for a more ‘cost-effective’ manager for the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.
Sacramento Report: Efforts Are Afoot to Rewrite LGBTQ Laws
One ballot measure asks voters to codify same sex marriage; another potential initiative would cut options for transgender students. Also, an update on key legislation.
recent POSTS
The Learning Curve: A Crash Course on the ‘Science of Reading’
The science of reading isn’t a curriculum, it’s a body of research that gives us insight into how kids learn to read.
VOSD Podcast: Power Struggles
This week, students walked out of the most expensive school San Diego Unified has ever built: the Logan Memorial Educational Campus. Despite their beautiful campus, Logan students aren’t happy with…
The Progress Report: How 4 Schools Are Teaching Kids to Read – and Seeing Success
Over the years, schools have embraced different methods to teach kids to read. But one group helping four schools in southeastern San Diego has embraced research backed methods, and it’s…
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Education
Logan Memorial Students Stage Walk Out to Protest Layoffs
Hundreds of middle and high school students at the sprawling campus walked out of classes Wednesday to protest layoffs of teachers.
A Court Says Agencies Can Delay Records Responses Indefinitely and We Must Fight It
We must appeal and ask a higher court to clarify that this is not true – an agency cannot indefinitely delay distribution of records or fail to distribute at all…
The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified Takes First Step Toward Affordable Housing on its Land
When San Diego pitched its latest bond measure it specifically allocated funds to build housing on unused district lands. Exactly what a district-built project could look like still isn’t clear, but the…
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ENVIRONMENT
What We Know About the Pollution Below Mayor Gloria’s Mega-Shelter Site
The city will have to deal with cancer-causing gases leaking through the soil from a neighboring industrial facility and other unknowns.
City Ballot Picks: Stormwater In, Public Power Out
An effort to raise taxes to fix San Diego’s crumbling and clogged stormwater system took a step toward the November ballot Thursday. The city of San Diego’s Rules Committee unanimously…
Environment Report: Mayor’s Budget Pulls Money from Communities on Front Lines of Climate Change
Mayor Todd Gloria’s FY25 budget diverts $8.5 million meant for climate equity programs to city’s general pot of unrestricted cash.
NORTH COUNTY
North County Report: Cash to Clear Encampments Comes with Strings Attached
The state awarded Oceanside and Carlsbad $11.4 million to move homeless people from encampments into shelter and housing. The money comes with increased reporting requirements as the state tries to…
Del Mar Council Censures Councilmember Dan Quirk for Second Time
An independent investigation found that Councilmember Dan Quirk violated multiple city policies and public meeting rules and had a pattern of misconduct.
Escondido’s Inspiration for New Homelessness Policy? Huntington Beach
When drafting their new homelessness policy, Escondido leaders turned to Huntington Beach for inspiration. Huntington Beach’s previous strategies received praise from city officials but haven’t gone without some criticism.
opinion and commentary
San Diego Needs Affordable Housing Where it Does the Most Good
As we work to solve our housing shortage, let’s do so intelligently.
The January Storms Prove We Can’t Put Off Funding Stormwater Infrastructure Anymore
Sean Elo-Rivera is right to push stormwater infrastructure funding.
Rodeo Is a Showcase of Tradition and Heritage, San Diego Should Scrap Ban Efforts
Josh Muse is vice chairman of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. Raymond J. Welch is chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. John Christman is chairman of…
POLITICS
What the ‘Historical Significance’ Review of the Sports Arena Misses
The city’s Historical Resources Board report glosses over the deeper history of the land.
Unions Busted Public Power, Stormwater Fix is Nigh
The ongoing war between public power proponents and San Diego Gas & Electric looked more like a battle between the municipalization advocates and union labor Thursday.
County Won’t Interview Labor’s Preferred Staff Leader
Look familiar? We pulled this from the Politics Report, a Voice of San Diego member exclusive newsletter. Become a member and subscribe to the newsletter here. Labor leaders have taken…
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News and issues in northern San Diego county. (Every other Wednesday)
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Weekly updates from the state Capitol. (Fridays)