If you listened last week, you were set up for the big news this week. The mayor is flexing his muscles. 

 

We’ll explain the difference between eliminating a position and firing someone and what happened to the now former top bureaucrat at the city. 

 

And the parents guide is coming out. Jakob and Andrea here have been working hard on it. We’ll talk.

SHOW NOTES

INTRO 00:00:00

Intro

What our supporters have to say.

 

SEGMENT 1 00:03:00

The Reader and Alt Weeklies

 

KPBS: San Diego Reader ends print edition after 52 years

The Union-Tribune: A cultural shift you can’t deny’: San Diego Reader ceases printing and goes fully digital

The Times of San Diego: San Diego Reader Ends 52-Year Print Run, But Will Keep the Alt-Press Faith Online

The Reader Instagram account: Not ended, but changed. The San Diego Reader is now SanDiegoReader.com!

SEGMENT 2 00:13:15

The Chula Vista School Board Drama

 

VOSD: Why a Chula Vista School Board Member Ran for a Seat He Already Held

Chula Vista Elementary School District trustees Francisco Tamayo and Lucy Ugarte allegedly ‘conspired’ to take control of the district’s school board by ousting a Democratic board member they disliked and replacing her with an ally. The maneuver resulted in a Republican being appointed to the board. Now, Tamayo and Ugarte face a possible censure from their political party. 

by Jim Hinch

SEGMENT 3 00:19:12

Strong Mayor Gloria

 

YouTube: Mayor Gloria to Announce Operational Efficiencies, Reductions for City Budget 2/18/2025

 

VOSD:Mayor Gloria Tries to Save the Strong Mayor 

by Scott Lewis

 

VOSD: Mayor Dismisses Embattled COO and Takes Reins of City Management

Chief Operating Officer Eric Dargan is out and department executives will now report directly to the mayor. by Will Huntsberry

 

YouTube: “Bueller?” 

SEGMENT 4 00:40:09

The 2025 edition of A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools (7th Edition)

 

VOSD: The Learning Curve: The Schools Guide Has Arrived

The 2025 edition of A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools comes packed with all of the data you’ve come to rely on, plus two new exclusive metrics to help parents make sense of local schools.

 

VOSD: A Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools 

(download or order a hardcopy)

 

Voice of San Diego’s 2025 Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools helps families make informed decisions for their child’s education.

 

The Guide explains school choice opportunities and enrollment deadlines, what’s available for after-school care, school performance data in an easy-to-use format and much more. 

 

The Guide is generously supported by The Girard Foundation, David and Annie Malcolm, Girl Scouts San Diego, Nordson Corporation, Brian Connelly & Associates, Carmel Valley Test Prep, and all of our members.

 

TRT 00:50:57

 

Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego.

Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor

Bella Ross, social media producer

Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer.

Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer

Journalism is integral to a healthy democracy: Support independent, investigative journalism in San Diego County.

Become a Member: Voice Member Benefits
Join today and receive insider access.

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It’s the 20th anniversary of the launch of Voice of San Diego, the greatest nonprofit news organization go live in 2005. We launched before YouTube. We’ll reminisce a bit with a sort of special guest. 

The city of San Diego’s budget deficit has provoked some tense conversations. A City Council budget committee hearing last week had some great clips.

And where are the kids? San Diego Unified School District is going to have to deal with another drop in enrollment.

 

SHOW NOTES

INTRO 00:00:00

Intro

SEGMENT 1 00:00:00

“Dear VOSD” Jim from University Heights - When it comes to parking, why is La Jolla an exception?

Parking and RIP Donald Shoup

Donald Shoup, distinguished professor emeritus whose decades of teaching and scholarship at UCLA greatly influenced the field of land-use planning as well as generations of scholars, students and urban planners, died Feb. 6, 2025, at age 86. Shoup was a titan in the fields of urban planning and specifically parking reform, and his landmark book, “The High Cost of Free Parking,” resulted in the adoption of many of his parking reform ideas in cities around the nation and world.

 

SEGMENT 2 00:11:47

San Diego’s Budget Deficit

City of San Diego Budget and Government Efficiency Committee

Michael Zucchet, San Diego Municipal Employees Association General Manager critiques San Diego’s budget handling.

1:03:31 - 1:03:55

1:04:00 - 1:04:13

1:08:06 - 1:08:10

1:09:25 - 1:10:02

Council Member Mike Lee 

1:39:35 - 1:39:45

“Bueller?” YouTube clip

 

SEGMENT 3 00:33:32

San Diego City Unnecessary Travel

Mayor has much still to reveal about his secret trip to the Philippines

San Diego Union Tribune

San Diego Unified Has Lost Nearly 12,000 Students in Past Decade

VOSD

 

SEGMENT 4 00:43:04

20 Years! of VOSD

20 Years of Impactful Journalism

20 Years of Voice Impact: The Investigation into SEDC

Our investigation into the Southeastern Economic Development Corp. put us on the map and taught us invaluable lessons.

Lessons After 20 Years of Voice of San Diego

 

TRT 01:13:16

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Coming up on the show today, a special interview with San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez. She is ready to talk about deaths in county jails, local law enforcement’s relationship with federal immigration agents and more. 

 

SHOW NOTES

2017 California Senate Bill 54, commonly referred to as "SB 54" and also known as the "California Values Act" is a 2017 California state law that prevents state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources on behalf of federal immigration enforcement agencies

AG Says Sheriff Must Find Solution to Jail Deaths – Or Face Consequences
If death rates in San Diego jails don’t come down, Attorney General Rob Bonta said he could pursue multiple legal remedies.
by Will Huntsberry
October 10, 2023

Border Report: Understanding San Diego’s Stricter ‘Sanctuary’ Policy 
by Kate Morrissey
January 6, 2025

Proposition 36 Has Already Led to Hundreds of Arrests in San Diego
by Jakob McWhinney
February 5, 2025

 

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Is it the end of San Diego’s decidedly pro-housing majority? There was an earthquake at City Hall this week about ADUs 

At the same time, Poway City Council has reached a telenovela level of drama, we’ll break it down.

 

SHOW NOTES

 

00:00:00 Opening 

00:04:15 Controversial Encanto ADU Policy

From KPBS

San Diego City Council repeals controversial footnote targeting Southeastern neighborhoods

 

Encanto neighbors say their infrastructure can’t support the ‘granny towers’ coming to backyards

 

Gloria 'exploring options' after surprise City Council vote seeking repeal of landmark housing program

 

San Diego City Council Meeting

Cue to: 3:51:00 - 3:55:00

 

00:29:22 Poway Telenovela

Poway City Attorney Accuses Councilmember of Harassment, Intimidation

Poway City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher accused Councilmember Tony Blain during a contentious City Council meeting of harassment, intimidation, bullying and retaliation. 

 

https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/01/22/poway-city-attorney-accuses-councilmember-of-harassment-intimidation/

 

Poway council member threatened recall effort against colleague based on how he voted

Councilmember Tony Blain was accused of trying to bribe and extort his colleague Peter De Hoff in emails.

 

Poway City Council Meeting where drama unfolded

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Our annual Parents Guide to San Diego Schools is almost done. We have added a new metric this year and it reveals how well schools recovered, or didn’t, from COVID. 

Jakob here took it and turned it into a story. It’s a bit of a downer. 

Another local government is promising to protect people from Trump’s immigration action. We’ll review the supposed protections.

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San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria gave his state of the city speech. If last year was the everything is awesome speech, this year was the everything is definitely not awesome speech.

This was the tough conversations speech. The we can do hard things speech. 

The dynamic PowerPoint that went with included such rousing lists like refocus, reimagine, revisit and re-evaluate…

 

SHOW NOTES

00:00:00 Opening 

January 28th Event:

Meet the Beat: South County

January 28 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Free

Have you met our newest journalist Jim Hinch yet? Have refreshments and get to know the face behind Voice’s South County Report. This event is open to the public.

 

00:06:14 State of the City Part I

2025 State of the City Livestream

Mayor: Steep Budget Cuts Are Coming San Diego

by Will Huntsberry and Lisa Halverstadt

 

00:16:43 State of the City Part II

2024 State of the City Livestream

 

00:32:45 State of the City Part III

Morning Report: Deep Cuts Coming to City

 

00:37:48 County Update

San Diego Is Less Blue

 

Public Matters

Public Matters is led by KPBS, inewsource and Voice of San Diego. These three independent, nonprofit news organizations are partnering to share content, conversation, and events that ensure all San Diegans understand their opportunity to participate in the democratic process and that it means more than voting in an election. The initiative provides news stories on politics and governance including the areas of housing affordability, public safety, neighborhood improvements and social justice; facilitated, in-person discussions around important issues that often divide us; and resources to help you make a difference in your community. At its core, it is about reminding us that we have a shared humanity, and together we are empowered to make positive change.

Become a Member

 

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We are going to go through some updates to stories but we’ve got a special co-host today, San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo.

We’ve got some questions for him and he said he’s come up with a contribution to our hot takes segment at the end. 

 

SHOW NOTES

Segment 1 

00:02:15 Updates 

00:06:28 Fletcher Nathan Fletcher’s Accuser Drops Sexual Assault Claim — for Now

00:08:13 Vargas South County Report: Supervisor Race Takes Shape

 

Segment 2 

00:11:17 She Said What? 

County Supervisor Candidates Have No Love for New Immigration Policy

New San Diego Council President Wants to End SeaWorld Fireworks

00:23:55 Padres

Matthew Seidler denies allegations of wrongdoing from wife of late Padres owner Peter Seidler (Associated Press)

 

Matt Seidler responds to Sheel Seidler’s lawsuit, says Padres not going anywhere (Union Tribune)

 

Segment 3 

00:30:27 Raul Campillo Interview

00:55:21 Do you want to run for mayor?

 

Segment 4

01:00:57 Hot Takes

Andrea: The County’s Sanctuary City Statement

Raul: The Future of Balboa Park

Scott: SDGE’s Fire Safety Policy

Jakob: No hot take (!?)

January 28th Event:

Meet the Beat: South County

January 28 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Free

Have you met our newest journalist Jim Hinch yet? Have refreshments and get to know the face behind Voice’s South County Report. This event is open to the public.

 

Become a Member

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is our first show of 2025 and it is already starting with some huge news: We finally will discuss the incredible news that County Supervisor Nora Vargas will not be taking the oath of office for her re-election. 

 

The balance of power in the county is once again up for grabs, right as the county braces for thousands more people being forced into treatment. 

 

What’s going to happen? Who’s going to run?

 

We’ll get into everything plus an update about stunning news from the San Diego Housing Commission: It has decided it no longer has the resources to dole out vouchers to specific low-income housing projects. IT’s a move that could have major implications for the Sports Arena project and other efforts to provide housing.

 

 

 

 

SHOW NOTES

 

Segment 1 

0:05:21 - 0:11:28

 

The Libby App  (app that Scott uses to read books)

The Power Broker (book)

Segment 2

0:11:33 - 0:19:26

 

Politics Report: Another County Supe Down

by Scott Lewis, December 21, 2024

 

Locate Your District (San Diego County site)

Segment 3

0:19:39 - 0:40:56

 

Morning Report: Another Scandal Ends in a Resignation

by Voice of San Diego, April 5, 2023

Segment 4

0:41:01 - 1:05:12

 

In 2025, San Diego Can’t Look Away from the Screaming

by Scott Lewis, January 1, 2025

City’s Housing Agency Won’t Issue Vouchers for New Housing Projects

The San Diego Housing Commission has decided it no longer has the resources to dole out vouchers to specific low-income housing projects, a move expected to slow the pace of new homeless housing. 

by Lisa Halverstadt, January 2, 2025

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the last episode of 2024 and we have a super mega roundtable for you. 

I am in studio with the core four – Lopez, Jakob, Bella – and we have one open seat so we’re going to bring in one reporter at a time. We’ll ask them each what’s going to happen. What’s one thing they want to know "What’s going to happen?" 

I think that’s the core compelling ingredient of media of all kinds. If a piece of content makes you wonder “What’s going to happen?” you’re hooked. So prepare to be hooked.

 

Show Outline and Notes

You can show your support for our podcast today by going to vosd.org/podpeople.

00:00:00 Intro

00:06:56 Segment 1

What’s Going to Happen to TikTok? 
Bella Ross - Social Media Producer

Pew Research on TikTok

Book: Infinite Just

What’s Going to Happen to Forces of Gentrification on the South Bay?
Jim Hinch - South County Reporter

Gentrification Is Coming for South San Diego County

South County leaders have made it a goal to catch up to wealthier North County cities. But the race to the top risks leaving some residents behind.

Port of San Diego: Chula Vista Bayfront

Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center

00:29:12 Segment 2

What’s Going to Happen to Nathan Fletcher and His Accuser? 
Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, Managing Editor, Daily News

Who Is Nathan Fletcher? San Diego Explained

Fletcher Resigns as MTS Chair as Former Agency Employee Accuses Him of Sexual Harassment and Assault in Lawsuit

Morning Report: MTS to Release Fletcher Investigation

What’s Going to Happen to Del Mar Housing? 
Tigist Layne - North County Reporter

Morning Report: The Builder’s Remedy Prevailed in an LA Court. Will the Same Happen in Del Mar?

00:36:46 Segment 3

What’s Going to Happen to AI in San Diego Schools? 
Jakob McWhinney - Education Reporter

The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified’s AI Future Is Now

San Diego Unified paid $83,000 to integrate its high school English curriculum into an online platform and got access to an AI tool as well. Now, some teachers are using it to grade student work.

The Progress Report: AI Is in Use at San Diego Unified – But the District Doesn’t Have its Own Plan

The rise of AI-supported education technology caught San Diego Unified without a policy. Now, as teachers and students within the district have begun to use AI products in the classroom, district leaders are creating one.

What’s Going to Happen to Federal Funding and the Impact on Environmental Projects?
MacKenzie Elmer - Environment Reporter

Officials Fear Nightmare Flooding from New Tijuana River Border Wall

A lifting gate structure could impede the Tijuana River’s flow if it fails to rise during heavy rains like San Diego just experienced.

Time to Evacuate the Tijuana River Valley?

County officials said the pollution problem is far from triggering a mandatory mass exodus from South Bay, but it’s not totally outside the realm of possibilities.

00:50:43 Segment 4

What’s Going to Happen to the City of San Diego in an “Era of Austerity”? 
Scott Lewis - Editor in Chief

County Supe Slams San Diego Mayor’s Budget

City Council budget hearings will begin next week. The City Council has until June 30 to approve the budget.

Cup of Chisme: Cuts Hit Different

What’s Going to Happen to the Mega Shelter? 
Lisa Halverstadt - Homelessness

What We Know About the Mayor’s Mega Shelter Pitch

Mayor Todd Gloria unveiled a plan to convert a large warehouse near downtown into a 1,000-bed homeless shelter.

Four Big Disputes Dogging the City’s Quest to Open Its Biggest Shelter Yet

The City Council is set to vote Monday on a proposed 1,000-bed shelter and there are lots of questions and disagreements over the city’s plans.

Morning Report: Mega-Shelter Monday July 22, 2024

The 30-year lease agreement for the Middletown warehouse the city wants to turn into the city’s largest long-term homeless campus – and the concept itself – have spawned major questions: What’s the value of the building? Can the city count on the site and its potential landlord? Should the city open a big shelter and pull from housing funds to pay for it? Is it sustainable?

 

 

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This week we have a special episode for you. This coming year is going to be a difficult one for leaders of San Diego Unified School District. They are facing a massive budget deficit, ongoing stagnation in enrollment. They’re grappling with the aftermath of scandals involving sexual misconduct allegations that got the attention of the federal government and brought down the district’s superintendent.

Cody Petterson was just named the new school board president. He’ll guide the five member Board of Education for the District. 

He’s taking over that role from his colleague, trustee Shana Hazan. 

Both of them came into the studio to talk about all these issues and more. It was a frank and interesting exchange on some very touchy topics in education.

 

Show Notes

You can show your support for our podcast today by going to vosd.org/podpeople

 

Links

San Diego Unified School District Board of Education 

About

Shana Hazan Board President - District B Term Expires: December 2026

Cody Petterson Board Vice President - District C Term Expires: December 2026

 

Selected Recent VOSD Stories: San Diego Unified School District 

 

Oct 14, 2024

San Diego Student Test Scores Haven’t Made Up Pandemic Losses

The slow recovery from pandemic performance drop offs coupled with growing budget woes may spell trouble for districts like San Diego Unified.

 

Sep 12, 2024

Billions of Dollars Later, Some San Diego Unified Students Still Dealing with Hot Classrooms

Taxpayers have voted to give San Diego Unified School District $11.5 billion over the last 16 years with the express purpose of bringing working air...

 

Sep 5, 2024

New San Diego Schools Superintendent Didn’t Mention Misconduct or Victims in Speech to Principals

Over multiple district communications since Lamont Jackson's firing, there's been a group of people conspicuously missing.

 

Sep 3, 2024

Lamont Jackson Is Out as San Diego Unified Supe. What’s Next?

Fabiola Bagula, who was elevated to acting superintendent from her deputy superintendent role after Jackson's firing, seems poised to keep that role.

 

Aug 29, 2024

Investigation Into San Diego Unified Superintendent Substantiates Allegations of Misconduct Involving Staff

The allegations against Superintendent Lamont Jackson were levied by former San Diego Unified School District staff.

 

Aug 19, 2024

Feds Slam San Diego Unified’s Handling of Sexual Misconduct

A new report from the U.S. Department of Education skewers how San Diego Unified for years handled sexual misconduct complaints.

 

Aug 12, 2024

School Is Back in Session: 4 Education Stories to Follow

Believe it or not, most schools in San Diego County are back in session. If the new school year snuck up on you, that's likely because start dates have been…

 

Jun 12, 2024

The Learning Curve: San Diego Unified’s AI Future Is Now

San Diego Unified paid $83,000 to integrate its high school English curriculum into an online platform and got access to an AI tool as well.

 

Jun 11, 2024

San Diego Unified High Schoolers: Getting Great Grades But Troubling Test Scores

An analysis of thousands of letter grades from San Diego Unified high schoolers shows that far more students pass classes in subjects like English, math and...

 

May 20, 2024

San Diego Unified Investigating Superintendent Lamont Jackson

Though a district official has confirmed an investigation is occurring, no one will say what prompted it.

 

May 17, 2024

San Diego Unified Is Slowly Embracing Science of Reading

The district has long relied on an approach to teaching kids to read that's not back by science. Now, officials are working to change that – but it hasn't...

 

May 16, 2024

San Diego Unified Walks Back Majority of Teacher Layoffs

District officials announced Thursday that they had rescinded 96 percent of the layoff notices issued in March.

 

Feb 26, 2024

‘I Can’t Wait Until You’re 18’: Despite Years of Sexual Harassment Allegations, San Diego Unified Allowed Teacher to Quietly Retire

For years, students and faculty at Roosevelt Middle filed complaints against a middle school math teacher. Students alleged he'd grabbed their butts,...

 

Feb 21, 2024

San Diego Unified Board Member: Teacher Layoffs Are Coming

In June, San Diego Unified officials announced the district was projecting big deficits in the coming years. The expiration of hundreds of millions of...

 

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