RE:FOCUS

Union-Tribune writer John Wilkens discusses his feature story about Kenton Stacy, a Navy bomb technician grievously injured by an IED in Syria and how his family is leaning on the community and each other as they try to recover. Read the story: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2019-06-27/bomb-squad-syria-kenton-stacy

Partnering with the National Conflict Resolution Center, the San Diego Union-Tribune held a forum Wednesday night about how to confront hate. Religious leaders from communities attacked by hate — Charlottesville, Charleston, Oak Creek and Poway -- discussed how they chose to respond to hate, bigotry and ignorance.

The San Diego Union-Tribune sent reporter Sandra Dibble and photographer Nel Cepeda to Guatemala to see the next migrant caravan depart north. Listen to immigration and enterprise editor Mark Platte interview Dibble and Cepeda about their trip and what it means for San Diego. Read the story: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/migrant-caravan/sd-on-the-road-with-the-next-migrant-caravan-20190125-story.html

Since opening 30 years ago this month, the Casbah has hosted performances by everyone from St. Vincent, Nirvana, White Stripes and the Black Keys to Arcade Fire, Smashing Pumpkins, The Killers and No Doubt. The pioneering San Diego alternative rock-music venue has also showcased scores of San Diego area bands, including Rocket From The Crypt, Three Mile Pilot, Creedle, Pinback, Earthless, Little Hurricane, The Schizophonics, The Redwoods Revue and Tijuana’s Nortec Collective. Many fans proudly embrace this cozy nightclub as a local treasure that has deservedly earned a national reputation. Casbah co-founder Tim Mays says the 175-capacity venue’s intimacy is a key reason for its longevity. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/sd-et-music-casbah-rock-music-club-turns-thirty-20181212-story.html

The San Diego Union-Tribune is among many news organizations fighting back against fake news. At the San Diego Festival of Books, the U-T held a forum on the subject. To follow along with the slides, click here: http://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ut-webassets/images/our-journalism-explained/media_literacy.pdf And visit here: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sd-our-journalism-explained-htmlstory.html

The San Diego Union-Tribune has questioned odd expenses from the campaign of Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) since 2016, and on Tuesday, the congressman was indicted for misspending more than $250,000 of campaign funds. Investigative reporter Morgan Cook, Watchdog editor Ricky Young and political columnist Micheal Smolens discuss what the indictment means for Hunter, as well as for the region. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/data-watch/sd-me-hunter-overt-acts-20180823-htmlstory.html http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-hunter-legal-20180823-story.html http://www.trbas.com/media/media/acrobat/2018-08/100721818-21163454.pdf

The Union-Tribune's Daniel Wheaton sits down with Matt Hall and Adrian Vore, to discuss the reasons why the San Diego Union-Tribune decided to join the chorus of more than 350 newspapers that wrote editorials that criticized President Donald Trump's attacks on the press.

Reporter Gary Warth and public safety editor Dana Littlefield discuss laws that target homeless people. Then, political columnist Micheal Smolens discusses the failed "citizens initiative" to expand the convention center Note: A recording error affected some of the audio during the first portion of this podcast. The Union-Tribune regrets the error.

The death of a man following an interacting with National City police has sparked discussion and protests, with some saying Earl McNiel's death is National City's "Freddie Gray" moment. Also, political columnist Micheal Smolens discusses two interesting house races. Links: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-mcneil-death-20180607-story.html http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-se-mcneil-demands-20180731-story.html http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-mcneil-informant-20180725-story.html http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-mcneil-activists-20180726-story.html

Daniel Wheaton sits down with the writers of "The Conversation" — Abby Hamblin and Luis Gomez to talk about the broader issues facing San Diego and California in the coming primary election.

The San Diego Union-Tribune held its latest UT Talks: A Community Dialogue on the issue of human trafficking.

The sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times is expected to close in April. Earlier this month, the U-T's John Wilkens had the chance to sit down with the new owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. Learn more about the man who will own the biggest news outlets in Southern California. Show notes: Patrick Soon-Shiong — immigrant, doctor, billionaire, and soon, newspaper owner — starts a new era at the L.A. Times www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pa…13-htmlstory.html Tronc cuts dozens of employees, including former Times Editor Lewis D'Vorkin www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tr…180412-story.html Chicago Tribune news staffers seek to unionize www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-b…11-story.html Billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong close to deal to buy The San Diego Union-Tribune and L.A. Times www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/s…story.html Readers send thoughts to U-T's likely new owner www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/re…story.html

Pete Best has fond memories of his two years drumming with The Beatles, but is still mystified by his sudden termination from the biggest band in rock history.

In this special episode we preview the Union-Tribune's new podcast, which will follow a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Rebecca Zahau's family. Zahau was found bound and naked body was found hanging from a balcony at her boyfriend's Coronado, California mansion in 2011. Her death came just days after her boyfriend's six-year-old son was gravely injured in a fall at the same home. Zahau was the only adult home at the time. Investigators concluded she took her own life. Her family believes she was murdered.

San Diego's housing market has been on a wild ride, reaching a new peak in 2017. Hear what it means for one of San Diego's chronic problems from real estate reporter Philip Molnar. Also, two mothers whose sons were posthumously diagnosed with CTE sue a major youth football company.

After months of fighting with the Los Angeles Times, tronc agreed on a deal to sell the paper and the San Diego Union-Tribune to Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton discusses the potential sale with the paper's ombudsman, Adrian Vore, and editorial director Matt Hall.

San Diego State University is at a crossroads. Having more than exceeded its footprint on the mesa, the school needs more students, land and grant money. That task will be spearheaded by the new president, Adela de la Torre. Host Daniel Wheaton speaks with higher education writer Gary Robbins about SDSU's challenges. Also, a peek into the new San Diego Police Chief and skyrocketing water bills shock some San Diegans.

The San Diego Padres inducted another one of its own into the Baseball Hall of Fame this week. Trevor Hoffman's induction comes at a dark time for San Diego sports. Sports writers Dennis Lin and Kevin Acee discuss what it means for the city. Then, the U-T's Daniel Wheaton keeps you up to date on health issues in the county.

With the goal of preventing the spread of hepatitis A among the homeless, the city of El Cajon banned "foodsharing" in city owned property, citing the ongoing hepatitis A outbreak. Now, as the number of cases is slowing down, activists are fighting the ban, claiming that it is unnecessarily targeting a vulnerable population. The U-T's Daniel Wheaton speaks to reporters Lyndsay Winkley and Karen Peralman about the ban, what what is next for the city.

The Union-Tribune’s Daniel Wheaton speaks with Lori Weisberg about the new initiative to expand the Convention Center. Greg Moran discusses how much San Diego spent on border wall prototype protection, and reflecting on San Diego’s first year without the Chargers.

One of San Diego's most prominent Republicans announced his retirement Wednesday, potentially tipping the political scales to the left, and the investigation into Alpine Rep. Duncan Hunter's campaign finance spending issues its first subpoena. The Union-Tribune's Daniel Wheaton speaks with metro columnist Micheal Smolens about Issa, and Morgan Cook about Hunter.

While much of the attention of drugs in San Diego is on the illicit ones, many are still dying from drugs obtained by legal means. The Union-Tribune's Daniel Wheaton interviews federal courts reporter Kristina Davis on the so-called "Death Diaries" a project meant to understand how prescriptions are being abused in San Diego.

In just a few weeks, adults will be allowed to purchase recreational marijuana in the city of San Diego. The San Diego Union-Tribune's Daniel Wheaton speaks with science reporter Gary Robbins about how San Diego has taken the lead in smoothing out the marijuana supply chain, making the city able to deal with a potential green rush next month. Also, learn about some of the dubious claims made in regards to weed, as actual research into the substance is stymied by federal regulation.

The U-T's Daniel Wheaton speaks to Baja reporter Sandra Dibble about the likely extinction of the vaquita, a porpoise that only lives in the northern Gulf of California. Illegal fishing for another fish has decimated the population, leaving fewer than 30 in the wild. Also, U-T Data Watch's Lauryn Schroeder discusses her story about tourists who were sickened with hepatitis A after eating at a Pacific Beach restaurant.

In 2007, an area larger than Los Angeles went up in flames in San Diego County. Ten years later, reporters at the San Diego Union-Tribune speak with host Daniel Wheaton about covering the event, as well as discuss what steps San Diego took to be better prepared for the next firestorm.

San Diego is in the middle of the biggest hepatitis A outbreak in years, with 444 confirmed cases and 16 deaths as of mid-September. The San Diego Union-Tribune's Daniel Wheaton speaks to reporters covering this outbreak.