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Yellow cab drivers in Tijuana have historically been among the first to greet people right as they walk cross the U.S.-Mexico border. For decades, yellow taxis had first dibs on tourists, and they had little in the way of competition. But the rise of ride-sharing companies like Uber has disrupted the taxi industry there, and the yellow cabs aren't happy about it. On this week’s podcast, Andrew Keatts and Kinsee Morlan sit down with Derrik Chinn and Alejandro Torres from the tour company Turista Libre to discuss the Tijuana taxi cab turf war and how it connects to Tijuana politics. Early this month, a video surfaced that showed a flock of cab drivers harassing and possibly physically assaulting a man for opting to take an Uber instead of a taxi. This kind of harassment has been happening for months, say Chinn and Torres, but the yellow cab company's political power stopped city officials from doing anything about it. City leaders did finally step in when the video started getting lots of views and publicity and removed the cabs from their spot at the border, but the situation is still far from settled. Torres said when tourists have more options, they often get to see a better side of Tijuana, a city that's long struggled with a reputation for being dirty and dangerous. “For the longest time, the cab drivers in Tijuana were the original and first wave tour guides, and I think in a lot of ways that has led to this misunderstanding of what tourism in Tijuana is really about,” Torres said. “They're taking you to mediocre places ... so of course Tijuana has this image problem because look who's promoting it.” Also on the podcast, Keatts talks with Montgomery Monica, a candidate for the San Diego City Council's District 4. They discuss her background as a criminal justice advocate and what she hopes to accomplish if she gets the job. Hero of the Week This week's hero goes to San Diego County Board of Supervisors who decided to invest more than $1.1 million for body cameras for San Diego County Sheriff's officers. Goat of the Week Interim District Attorney Summer Stephan gets the goat this week. Recently, Stephan has tried to distance herself from the role she played as a prosecutor in the gruesome murder case of 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe. Our very own Ashly McGlone spoke with key players in the case and found Stephan was no bystander.

From its factory in Spring Valley, Deering Banjo Company has made more than 100,000 banjos since the business launched in 1975. In the debut episode of , a podcast illuminating the stories behind the region's businesses and entrepreneurs, I...

The short-term rental war is still raging, at least in some parts of San Diego where they're most concentrated. Ocean Beach residents complained about them to City Attorney Mara Elliott at a town hall meeting back in March. Elliott later declared short-term vacation rentals illegal in the city of San Diego, but Mayor Kevin Faulconer said there are no plans to step up enforcement against them – yet. Airbnb has been trying to put out similar fires in cities across the country by assuring residents that the company complies and works alongside city governments to ensure the needs of local residents are being met. On this week's podcast, Scott Lewis sits down with Chris Lehane, head of global and policy affairs at short-term rental giant Airbnb, to discuss some of the concerns from local residents. He says the company has already found successful agreements with other cities in the U.S. "If you look at what has gone on in all of these other cities, once you actually put in place a regulatory structure that makes sense for that particular city, the issue disappears," Lehane said. Also on the podcast, Andrew Keatts explains his latest SANDAG revelation. It turns out that the agency knew TransNet — the 2004 tax increase passed by voters to pay for transit projects — knew for a full year before the election that the measure wouldn't raise $14 billion, but it put that number on the ballot anyway. And finally, does San Diego have an official beer now? Candice Eley, PR director for the Tourism Authority, joins the show this week to explain. Hero of the Week Our hero goes to the founder and CEO of Modern Times, Jacob McKean. He decided to give his employees 30 percent stock ownership of his company last week. Goat of the Week SANDAG gets this week's goat. Three times now, the regional transportation agency either knowingly overstated how much money it could collect to pay for transportation projects, or understated how much projects would cost.

In the first half of the show, hosts Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts talk about the undying Chargers saga, give a quick Mara Elliott and SoccerCity update and discuss potential SANDAG reform.   In the second half, Keatts is joined by David Graham, deputy COO of neighborhood services for the city of San Diego, to discuss the mayor's new housing plan.

“The culture of the district was basically based on retaliation, intimidation. Those are the two words that I can think of,” said former Sweetwater school board member Bertha Lopez. Exactly six years have passed since Sweetwater schools superintendent Jesus Gandara was terminated at 2 a.m. on June 21, 2011 following seven hours of closed-door meetings. A raucous crowd of 500 people gathered in a high school gymnasium the evening before to attend the Sweetwater Union High School District board meeting, many to demand better from their school district leaders. Some hoped Gandara’s departure would close a dark chapter in the district’s history dominated by stories of malfeasance. But what was supposed to be the end was only the beginning for leaders of California’s largest secondary public school district, which spans from the city of San Diego to the U.S.-Mexico border. An investigation of Gandara’s activities, as well as the Sweetwater school board and contractors by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office would last a few years and end in various criminal charges, including felony bribery and conspiracy. A couple Sweetwater leaders landed behind bars. Much has been written about the DA’s case, the outcome and the troubling decision-making that occurred on Gandara’s watch. But there is a story behind all those stories that has yet to be told, about the six individuals who set the whole thing in motion by demanding accountability from their local school leaders and going to the district attorney for help. “I felt like if we didn't do it, nobody else would, and these folks would continue to get away with crimes,” said parent Stewart Payne. “The public has more power than they think that they do,” said parent Maty Adato. “Did I think justice was served? No. Not only no, but hell no,” said grandparent Kathleen Cheers. Payne, Adato and Cheers were part of a group of mostly parents and concerned community members who spent years faithfully attending public school board meetings, scouring documents and sounding the alarm when students were shortchanged by district leaders. To mark the six-year anniversary of Gandara’s termination, we put together a special podcast to allow them to share their story, their motivations, challenges and the sacrifices made along the way. They also have advice for others who want to see change at their local government agency

Things got tense at City Hall this week. Earlier this week when four San Diego City Council members asked Council President Myrtle Cole to docket a discussion about declaring the land under and around Qualcomm Stadium “surplus” land. FS Investors, the group behind the SoccerCity initiative, then released a statement quoting a memo from San Diego’s City Attorney, Mara Elliot which warned city leaders not to campaign against the measure using city resources. City Attorney Mara Elliot did not take that well and even accused whoever leaked the document of committing a crime. On this week’s podcast, cohosts Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts breakdown the City Hall showdown over the continued SoccerCity initiative debate. Also on the podcast, a fact check of San Diego Unified Board member Sharon Whitehurst-Payne’s claim the district increased staffing even though enrollment was going down. (She was right). Hero of the Week San Diego Unified's Board of Education who did not accept the district plan of deleting emails after just six months. They also decided to create a committee to evaluate the district’s progress with graduation rates. Voice of San Diego has tried to understand what went into an especially impressive rate last year. Goat of the Week San Diego Association of Governments whose bet on interest rates swaps backfired and now taxpayers face a big potential liability.

“The culture of the district was basically based on retaliation, intimidation. Those are the two words that I can think of,” said former Sweetwater school board member Bertha Lopez. Exactly six years have passed since Sweetwater schools...

Entering the real world is difficult for many young adults, but for some that transition often leaves them stuck in limbo. The term "opportunity youth" is now being used to describe the growing number of 16- to 24-year-olds who don't...

The City Council might have voted against holding a special election in 2017, but SoccerCity isn't dead. Instead of outright approving the proposal to redevelop the Qualcomm Stadium site, the City Council chose this week to put the plan on the 2018 November ballot. FS Investors, the private investment group behind the initiative, aggressively pushed for a November 2017 special election, saying it was the only sure way San Diego could be awarded a Major League Soccer expansion team. But now that the proposal is set to go in front of voters in 2018, many wonder whether MLS will be willing to wait another year after all. The MLS timeline isn't the only thing standing in SoccerCity's way; supporters of the plan will also have to overcome opposition from labor unions, San Diego State University and other big local developers who've joined forces to oppose it. On this week's podcast, co-hosts Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts discuss all the hurdles standing in SoccerCity's way. Also on the podcast, our weeklong series on the South Bay's hidden homelessness crisis continues with a special episode by Gabriel Ellison-Scowcroft, who reports on the role schools play helping students and their families who struggle with homelessness. Deborah Morris, coordinator of integrated services for the Sweetwater Union High School District, says students see school as much more than just a place to learn. "It's more of a relief than it is a place of learning," she said. "I think they see the value in school, but there's so much more going on at home that school is the escape from the stress of their daily lives. It's awful." Hero of the Week This week's hat tip goes to South Bay educators and employees like Mirinda Quillopo, Veronica Medina, Molly Ravenscroft and Pamela Reichert-Montiel who helped with our investigation and who are also stepping up to the plate to help students and their families. Goat of the Week A big ol' goat goes to San Diego Padres fans who demanded retaliation after Cubs player Anthony Rizzo roughly collided with Padres catcher Austin Hedges at last Monday night's game. Tradition or not, violence is never the answer, folks.

In the first half of the show, Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts discuss urban design in Germany, the power change and struggle in San Diego politics and the seemingly ominous fate for SoccerCity. In the second half, Lewis and Keatts are joined by Michael Zucchet, new to the Port Commission, about the FBI raid and court trial, the rebuilding process, and his goals for his new job.