This week, Voice journalists Jesse Marx and Will Huntsberry unleash an authoritative account of Covid: Year Two.

Two years ago, we had to sue the county to gain access to county death records that mentioned Covid as a cause. Marx and Huntsberry led a team to analyze those records to grasp the toll of Covid in various communities and demographics in the county.

Their recent slate of stories revealed how the vaccine changed things in the second year of the pandemic. About half as many San Diego residents died in the second year, compared to the first. Further, Marx and Huntsberry reveal how localized public health initiatives, anti-vaxx sentiment and misinformation molded San Diegans' behavior, and ultimately, their lives.

See the series at vosd.org/yeartwo

Also this week: Why San Diego still doesn't have a safe campground for unhoused Downtown residents.

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In this in-depth interview, CEO of the San Diego Association of Governments Hasan Ikhrata explained why he's standing by a plan to charge drivers for every mile they drive — even after his board abandoned it.

We also discuss whether it's time for him to leave his job (hint: maybe), the dysfunction of the SANDAG board and the future of the region.

Note: Our weekly news wrap-up episode will drop Friday afternoon, as usual.

Support interviews like this and everything we do at VOSD at vosd.org/podpeople

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The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the American West. 

But its flow is inconstant and undependable — especially as climate change propels us into a dry abyss. Now the river's use needs to be rethought.

This week, we discuss environment reporter MacKenzie Elmer's story on the new way of (Colorado River) water — and a how one group agreed to give up some of its water rights: Imperial Valley farmers.

Plus: The San Diego District Attorney decided not to file criminal charges in the high-profile rape case involving SDSU football players. And there are more homeless people Downtown than ever recorded.

Join our year-end campaign and support the podcast at vosd.org/podpeople

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One of the most famous charter schools in the region, and perhaps the country, is High Tech High. Its project-based learning model and innovative approach to education stands out in San Diego — as does its inexperienced teaching staff.

Last year, HTH educators decided to unionize. And now they've hit a wall. Voice education reporter Jakob McWhinney joins the show to explain.

Plus: SANDAG's leader signals a leave. The problem of towing is ongoing. And we love our members.

Join our year-end fundraiser and write us a note at: vosd.org/podpeople

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This week we're joined by local author, educator and curator of the AwkwardSD blog, Ryan Bradford for our annual Friendsgiving episode.

There’s a lot to be thankful for — and skeptical of — this year. So our table of friends each brought one topic to dish on and sprinkled thanks throughout.

Talking points: The historic peaks and current pitfalls of Twitter. How Taylor Swift’s rabid fanbase may finally bring justice to the concert behemoth Ticketmaster. The current state of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and how it disrupts residents navigating life. The Great San Diego Bike Debate.

Grab a beer and hide from your relatives. It's Friendsgiving!

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More election results are in.

It’s been a long wait for some races — as expected. And now, we have a bit more clarity on who won and how San Diego feels about key ballot initiatives. We discuss the historic moment as San Diegans finally shirked the People’s Ordinance. Other big updates include a local State Senate seat, the closely watched 49th Congressional District and the three-way race for National City.

Plus: City towing hurts San Diego’s most vulnerable residents. Child care gets more complicated.

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Happy election week! Let's take a breather.

This podcast was recorded on Thursday afternoon, a few hours before another dump of results from the registrar. But with a couple more days' worth of votes counted from our Election Night special, we have more clarity on what actually happened this election and what a midterm electorate wants for the region.

Some races have gotten tighter. Some are more decisive. One flipped! We have more insights and arguments from the 2022 election ready for you.

Keep up with all our coverage with the Morning Report: vosd.org/morning

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Late on Election Night, Scott, Andy and Andrea harnessed their last vestiges of energy and freshest election results to bring you San Diego Election Night takes.
 
As of this recording, our editors had a solid handle of a few key races they’d been watching this year: County Sheriff, Chula Vista mayor, National City mayor, San Diego City Council District 6. We review what we know, what's yet to be decided and what it all means for the region.

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Every two years, something amazing happens. Perhaps more important than newly elected leaders, passed initiatives, updated ordinances and a collective national exercise to uphold our republic ... is the Voice of San Diego Podcast Election Draft!

As ever, the week before an election is a chance for us to hop on the mic and lay down our picks. Each host had two draft picks: These are local contests for which we are most excited to see results. In this episode, we pick the contests, explain our reasoning and discuss what the results could mean for San Diego politics.

This is our last show before our election special, which will drop the morning after Election Day. Stay subscribed to catch our vibe.

Plus: Political mailers. The Padres Goose. Football coaches.

Get our texts directly to your mobile telephone for election updates. Check that out here.

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There’s a moment when high-minded, well intentioned policy meets the inertia of the real world: a collision of two realities.
 
These are the moments “real people” (i.e., not policy wonks or politicos) have a chance to see what’s coming their way and react. Often, residents don’t know about the next big thing until change is imminent — years after some state law or band of policy professionals and advocates concluded the best ways to advance the region.

And as discussed in this week’s podcast, these are often the moments that kill or cripple policies — the moments when leaders falter. In this episode, we examine this idea.

Plus: New homelessness numbers.

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