Podcast appearances and mentions of andrew keatts

A throng of VOSD Podcast nerds nestled into the Modern Times Beer + Coffee outpost in Midway this week. Our pod crew was ready to dive headfirst into big city projects, taxes and fees. But first, we brought up Voice environment reporter MacKenzie Elmer and a resident she recently profiled. During the Jan. 22 storm, Jesse Preciado dove into rising floodwaters on his Southcrest street. He stripped down and got to work unclogging a vital storm drain to prevent further damage to his neighborhood homes. Elmer and Preciado discuss the storms and the state of southeast San Diego.  Hosts Scott Lewis, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Jakob McWhinney welcomed back Voice alum (and Axios San Diego writer) Andrew Keatts to talk about stormwater infrastructure, taxes, big city projects and big city energy. Help us celebrate 19 years of journalism: https://vosd.org/happy19See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first Republican presidential primary debate is Wednesday night in Milwaukee. Fox News is moderating the event and eight candidates will hit the stage at 9 p.m. ET. But, former president Trump isn't one of them. The big picture: Trump said on his Truth Social on Sunday he will "not be doing the debates." Which begs the question – do debates even matter anymore? We take a deeper look at the answer to that question. Plus, new apartment construction on the West Coast is plummeting - what that means for housing. And, ticket sales for college football are through the roof. Guests: Axios' David Lindsey, Analis Bailey and Andrew Keatts. Credits: Axios Today was produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi, Robin Linn and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, we brought in KPBS reporter Andrew Bowen to talk about his new podcast, "Freeway Exit," dedicated to the past, present and future of freeways. This is the full unabridged version of that interview — where Bowen and host Andrew Keatts are free to unleash their unbridled passion for freeways and transportation. Here, they dig into the archival footage Bowen found to inform his series. They discussed a freeway decommissioning that's in the works in San Diego right now. And, some history: How President Dwight D. Eisenhower championed freeways and their proliferation throughout the country. They also discussed freeway revolts by local communities and a glimpse into a possible future of freeway use in the region. Keep up with everything about the podcast with our weekly newsletter: vosd.org/pod Support the show at vosd.org/podpeopleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a momentous week in San Diego sports. A Thursday press conference at Snapdragon Stadium made it official: Major League Soccer is coming to San Diego. This week, host Scott Lewis described the scene before a "resplendent" stadium, where MLS and a gaggle of bigwigs (local and international) declared that in 2025, the highest level of men's soccer would branch out to San Diego Scott and co-hosts Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Andrew Keatts review how the city arrived at this big sports moment and the players who made it happen. Plus: Workers in San Diego's urban core have learned police are slow or unresponsive for potentially violent interactions with homeless residents. And MTS is losing money on its ticketing app. Subscribe for The Morning Report at vosd.org/morning Support the podcast at vosd.org/podpeopleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a packed house at Whistle Stop Bar this week. The homey "Greater Golden Hill" establishment has long been the heart of our live podcasts and this was our first show back since the pandemic — in front of a sold out crowd. Hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Andrea Lopez Villafaña spoke with our special guests about homelessness, low riders, the Metropolitan Transit System, the Nathan Fletcher scandal — and the past, present and future of San Diego soccer. It was a great show! Enjoy. Guests:National City Councilmember and MTS Board Member Marcus BushSan Diego Loyal Soccer Club President Ricardo Campos Support the show and all our journalism at vosd.org/podpeople Get the podcast newsletter at vosd.org/podSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phillip and David spend some time with fellow podcasters David Lizerbram and Andy Keatts, hosts of the phenomenal Rock Docs podcast - recently signed to the Treble Media family of offerings.  We'll learn how they got inspired to dedicate conversations towards music documentaries, dive in to a couple of key episodes, and hear what they've got planned coming up.  Tune in, and then check out their show - subscribe and give them a rating!Rock Docs on Apple PodcastsRock Docs TwitterTreble Media website: TreblezineBioCreated in 2021 by David Lizerbram and Andrew Keatts, Rock Docs dissects music documentaries from the perspective of music fans, even if the hosts are not always specifically fans of the artist covered in each film.Each episode is dedicated to one movie. Sometimes they cover a band they know really well, and sometimes they are learning about them by watching the rock doc and discussing. Rock Docs can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, or your favorite podcasting service or app. Thank you to Carver Commodore, argonaut&wasp, and Blair Crimmins for allowing us to use their music in the show open and close. It makes everything sound so much better!If you'd like to sponsor our show or if you're a musician who'd like to come on the show, or if you have a recommendation for OUR next favorite band, hit us up on any of the social media platforms at @nextfavband, or visit our website at stereophilia.studio for more information and to contact us. Let's catch a live show together soon!#nextfavband #livemusic #music #musicinterview #musician #singer #guitar #song #newmusic #explorepage #instamusic #bestmusic #musicismylife #musicindustry #musiclife #songwriter #musiclover #musicfestival

This week, Jason Hughes — former real estate advisor to the city of San Diego  — pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor conflict-of-interest charge after agreeing to pay $9.4 million back to the city, which he received for his work on two city lease deals. In this episode, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña tell the tale (for the last time?!) of the downtown high-rise that plagued the city for the better part of a decade. After years of dogged reporting by Voice's Lisa Halverstadt, one of the most topsy-turvy, confusing and expensive recent city controversies appears complete. See the full investigation at vosd.org/101ash Support this impactful investigation (and the VOSD Podcast!) at vosd.org/podpeople Also this week: Balboa Park groups push back against a safe camping idea at Inspiration Point.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode Josh talks with the hosts of the Rock Docs podcast, Andrew Keatts and David Lizerbram. They discuss how the Rock Docs podcast came about, how the guys are able to do a podcast without missing family obligations, being parents to young boys, and, of course, music documentaries. It was a fun conversation so we hope you enjoy! (Interview recorded on July 12, 2022.)

From Chubby Checker and the Rolling Stones to obscure French pop songs, the music of Mad Men was just as iconic as the fashion. Hosts Candice Renee and Jeff Terich are joined by David Lizerbram and Andrew Keatts from the podcast Rock Docs to talk about how Mad Men used the music of the 1960s to create a soundtrack to the era that was both on-target and unexpected.

This is the second episode in a series focusing on current events related to the California Environmental Quality Act – known as CEQA - which is intended to inform government decisionmakers and the public about the potential environmental effects of proposed activities and to prevent significant, avoidable environmental damage. In this episode, we have a panel featuring Andrew Keatts, Howard Blackson, Kristin Blackson - moderated by Laurel Glass Lees. The panel offers diversity in perspectives on CEQA as it relates to the California Supreme Court ruling regarding the UC Berkeley housing case. Andrew is the Managing Editor of Voice of San Diego – he sees land use coverage as a way to make sense of the complex land-use decisions governments make while explaining how those decisions affect the daily lives of San Diegans. Howard is an urban designer, author, lecturer, and educator with over 30 years of experience. He works with AVRP Studios in San Diego managing the design and entitlement of mixed-use projects and codes for public and private clients across North America. We welcome Kristin back to join the panel - She is a Senior CEQA Project manager with Harris + Associates, a member of the California AEP State board and co-chair of the legislative committee. AEP is collecting feedback via survey on its DEI Initiative. We you to share your experiences with diversity, equity and inclusion at AEP to help us better understand our current statewide membership and how we can strengthen DEI within our organization and throughout the environmental profession. June 6 is the final day to complete the survey, we appreciate your valuable feedback to help us move forward. To show our appreciation, the AEP chapter with the highest rate of submissions will receive funds to be used towards a membership appreciation event!   Survey link Thanks for your support, and hope you enjoy this episode!

We planned this for months but it couldn't have been more timely. Voice of San Diego reporters have been digging into the biggest drivers of San Diego's high costs: housing, transportation, water, energy and more. This week on the podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts discuss the biggest findings from our new reporting series, "San Diego's Cost-of-Living Crisis." Check it out at vosd.org/cost Support this type of work at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Housing nerds unite! This week, our resident housing nerd Andrew Keatts interviews New York Times economics reporter Conor Dougherty, who covers housing and wages in California. Talking points: YIMBYS vs. NIMBYS. Housing and zoning legislation. Accessory dwelling units. Dougherty's book, "Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America," and coverage of Clairemont, "Where The Suburbs End." Support the podcast: vosd.org/give Follow all our work: vosd.org/newsletter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buckle up and grab a snack. We're hitting the road. This week, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña are taking you on a drive through the week's local news. We start at the bathroom shortage the city says it'll fix by putting one within five minutes of anyone downtown. Then, we're on the roads of SANDAG and some major hiccups the transportation agency is having to finalize its plan by year's end. And finally, we arrive at the the San Diego City Council chambers, where this week, Councilmember Jen Campbell was replaced as president by Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buckle up and grab a snack. We're hitting the road. This week, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña are taking you on a drive through the week's local news. We start at the bathroom shortage the city says it'll fix by putting one within five minutes of anyone downtown. Then, we're on the roads of SANDAG and some major hiccups the transportation agency is having to finalize its plan by year's end. And finally, we arrive at the the San Diego City Council chambers, where this week, Councilmember Jen Campbell was replaced as president by Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on a special Friendsgiving edition of the show, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña are joined by local journalists Alain Stephens and Cristina Kim to talk about happy holiday things like bathrooms, racist deeds and guns. Happy Thanksgiving! Follow Cristina @Cristinakim830 Follow Alain @AlainStephens Support the show at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on a special Friendsgiving edition of the show, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña are joined by local journalists Alain Stephens and Cristina Kim to talk about happy holiday things like bathrooms, racist deeds and guns. Happy Thanksgiving! Follow Cristina @Cristinakim830 Follow Alain @AlainStephens Support the show at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Devin is joined by Scott Lewis, CEO and Editor-In-Chief of Voice of San Diego. The two discuss recent changes at Voice of San Diego with the hiring of two new managing editors, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Andrew Keatts. They also talk about the latest hot-button issues in San Diego news, including COVID-19, protected bike lanes and more. Scott also shares insights on his journalism career, and talks about the disaster season the San Diego Padres are having right now. You can follow Scott Lewis on Twitter (@VOSDScott) and on Instagram (@scottmikelewis). He can also be reached via email at Scott.Lewis@VoiceOfSanDiego.org.

It has been quite a week for the San Diego County sheriff. Sheriff Bill Gore and his team are getting backlash from across the country after they shared a video of a deputy they claimed overdosed from fentanyl simply by encountering it. The thing is, toxicologists say that's impossible. That's not the only reason the agency is experiencing blowback. The sheriff told San Diego police last month they could resume booking people accused of misdemeanors into local jails, but they wouldn't tell us what crimes can get you booked into jail. And finally, this all comes out after the sheriff announced he wouldn't be running for re-election and a bunch of prominent Democrats pounced on the chance to endorse his chosen successor. Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts explain why that happened and more on this week's VOSD Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been quite a week for the San Diego County sheriff. Sheriff Bill Gore and his team are getting backlash from across the country after they shared a video of a deputy they claimed overdosed from fentanyl simply by encountering it. The thing is, toxicologists say that's impossible. That's not the only reason the agency is experiencing blowback. The sheriff told San Diego police last month they could resume booking people accused of misdemeanors into local jails, but they wouldn't tell us what crimes can get you booked into jail. And finally, this all comes out after the sheriff announced he wouldn't be running for re-election and a bunch of prominent Democrats pounced on the chance to endorse his chosen successor. Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts explain why that happened and more on this week's VOSD Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's podcast, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby ran down three items in the news that were pushing their buttons. First: Several local Republican politicians seized on a local agency's call for teachers to volunteer to conduct some lessons for the migrant girls being temporarily housed at the Convention Center to try and stoke resentment and anger toward the girls. In doing so, they also publicized some outright falsehoods. Meanwhile, as vaccinations continue and life starts inching back toward normal, scooters are making a comeback. We recalled how, pre-pandemic, this was an issue that many San Diego civic leaders actually took seriously. And finally, VOSD's Will Huntsberry reported this week that Lincoln High's leadership team is being shaken up once again. The district responded to the story by doubling down on the narrative that everything is great at Lincoln and that suggesting otherwise demonstrates something sinister, a kind of gaslighting that benefits no one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's podcast, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby ran down three items in the news that were pushing their buttons. First: Several local Republican politicians seized on a local agency's call for teachers to volunteer to conduct some lessons for the migrant girls being temporarily housed at the Convention Center to try and stoke resentment and anger toward the girls. In doing so, they also publicized some outright falsehoods. Meanwhile, as vaccinations continue and life starts inching back toward normal, scooters are making a comeback. We recalled how, pre-pandemic, this was an issue that many San Diego civic leaders actually took seriously. And finally, VOSD's Will Huntsberry reported this week that Lincoln High's leadership team is being shaken up once again. The district responded to the story by doubling down on the narrative that everything is great at Lincoln and that suggesting otherwise demonstrates something sinister, a kind of gaslighting that benefits no one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The current migration from Central America to the U.S. is one of the biggest national stories right now — often referred to as a "surge." In this podcast, Tom Wong, UC San Diego professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center, is going to explain what’s really happening and how it all fits within longstanding patterns. Wong and host Andrew Keatts are going to get into the data, how it's captured and how pent-up demand from the 2020 pandemic is catching up to us. Keep up with immigration news with The Border Report: vosd.org/border Support local journalism: vosd.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The current migration from Central America to the U.S. is one of the biggest national stories right now — often referred to as a "surge." In this podcast, Tom Wong, UC San Diego professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center, is going to explain what's really happening and how it all fits within longstanding patterns. Wong and host Andrew Keatts are going to get into the data, how it's captured and how pent-up demand from the 2020 pandemic is catching up to us. Keep up with immigration news with The Border Report: vosd.org/border Support local journalism: vosd.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following our statewide ballot measure crash course, VOSD editors Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts unpack the local measures for the city of San Diego. Measures A through E cover police, schools and more. Listen now and get ready to vote. Get our podcast newsletter: vosd.org/newsletters Subscribe to our local news show, the Voice of San Diego Podcast, wherever you're listening now. Or go to vosd.org/pod See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even by the standards of this new, weird world in which the pandemic and President Donald Trump combine for seemingly a hundred major news items a week, it was a big news week. VOSD alone had major stories about MTS's draconian fare policies, an explosive account from a Sheriff's employee of what she says really happened leading up to a suicide in the Vista jail, two possible ethics violations by Council candidate Kelvin Barrios and more. In this episode of the VOSD Podcast, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and I ran down several of these big developments. (And in a shocking twist, Scott talked about schools.) One programming note: Perhaps bigger than all of these big stories is the drama that unfolded after NBC San Diego published a new story on the 101 Ash St. scandal. That piece broke as we were recording, and the ensuing fallout happened afterward. For more on that, check out this week's Politics Report. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Even by the standards of this new, weird world in which the pandemic and President Donald Trump combine for seemingly a hundred major news items a week, it was a big news week. VOSD alone had major stories about MTS's draconian fare policies, an explosive account from a Sheriff's employee of what she says really happened leading up to a suicide in the Vista jail, two possible ethics violations by Council candidate Kelvin Barrios and more. In this episode of the VOSD Podcast, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and I ran down several of these big developments. (And in a shocking twist, Scott talked about schools.) One programming note: Perhaps bigger than all of these big stories is the drama that unfolded after NBC San Diego published a new story on the 101 Ash St. scandal. That piece broke as we were recording, and the ensuing fallout happened afterward. For more on that, check out this week's Politics Report. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In San Diego, single-family zoning reigns supreme. So supreme, in fact, that in a whopping 70 percent of the land where it's legal to build housing, only single-family housing is allowed. That jaw-dropper and how we got to it was the subject of a deep dive into the origins of San Diego's single-family zoning laws by Andrew Keatts this week. On the podcast, he gave a rundown of how San Diego's original single-family zoning law came to be and how it's defined life in San Diego ever since. KPBS, VOSD Join Forces in COVID Lawsuit Speaking of how life in San Diego is being defined, we have new updates on our effort to force San Diego County officials to provide more detailed information about coronavirus outbreaks locally. KPBS has joined our lawsuit to compel the county to provide records under the California Public Records Act. County Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten drove home the importance of that effort when she was pressed for details about how the county addresses community outbreaks. She said only, confusingly, that the county would "monitor and continue doing the same thing we've always been doing" to address them. Drama in D9 Also on the podcast this week, we broke down the scandal that bubbled up this week involving Kelvin Barrios, a City Council candidate hoping to replace his former boss, Council President Georgette Gómez, in District 9. Barrios is the subject of a criminal investigation through the DA's office and previously paid a fine levied by the state Fair Political Practices Commission related to his spending of campaign funds. Gómez told us this week she's "pausing" her endorsement of Barrios' campaign, which is a tier of endorsement that's new to us. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

In San Diego, single-family zoning reigns supreme. So supreme, in fact, that in a whopping 70 percent of the land where it's legal to build housing, only single-family housing is allowed. That jaw-dropper and how we got to it was the subject of a deep dive into the origins of San Diego's single-family zoning laws by Andrew Keatts this week. On the podcast, he gave a rundown of how San Diego's original single-family zoning law came to be and how it's defined life in San Diego ever since. KPBS, VOSD Join Forces in COVID Lawsuit Speaking of how life in San Diego is being defined, we have new updates on our effort to force San Diego County officials to provide more detailed information about coronavirus outbreaks locally. KPBS has joined our lawsuit to compel the county to provide records under the California Public Records Act. County Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten drove home the importance of that effort when she was pressed for details about how the county addresses community outbreaks. She said only, confusingly, that the county would "monitor and continue doing the same thing we've always been doing" to address them. Drama in D9 Also on the podcast this week, we broke down the scandal that bubbled up this week involving Kelvin Barrios, a City Council candidate hoping to replace his former boss, Council President Georgette Gómez, in District 9. Barrios is the subject of a criminal investigation through the DA's office and previously paid a fine levied by the state Fair Political Practices Commission related to his spending of campaign funds. Gómez told us this week she's "pausing" her endorsement of Barrios' campaign, which is a tier of endorsement that's new to us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's VOSD Podcast, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby break down the confusing fight that played out this week over whether candidates should be allowed to tout the Union-Tribune's endorsement in their ballot statements, and what those endorsements actually mean. The crew also details why it's such a reversal that Republicans are suddenly warning of the dangers of mail voting. Not only have high-profile Republicans, like San Diego GOP Chairman Tony Krvaric, consistently utilized mail voting themselves, the party as a whole has pioneered outreach efforts to those voters and relies on party members who take part in mail voting. We also hosted a town hall event this week laying out the issues involved with the new crop of private schooling options that have come up in the absence of physical schools. The conversation was great, and we've included a snippet of it during the second half of the show. To listen to the entire town hall event, go to vosd.org/schoolsyoutube.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s VOSD Podcast, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby break down the confusing fight that played out this week over whether candidates should be allowed to tout the Union-Tribune’s endorsement in their ballot statements, and what those endorsements actually mean. The crew also details why it’s such a reversal that Republicans are suddenly warning of the dangers of mail voting. Not only have high-profile Republicans, like San Diego GOP Chairman Tony Krvaric, consistently utilized mail voting themselves, the party as a whole has pioneered outreach efforts to those voters and relies on party members who take part in mail voting. We also hosted a town hall event this week laying out the issues involved with the new crop of private schooling options that have come up in the absence of physical schools. The conversation was great, and we’ve included a snippet of it during the second half of the show. To listen to the entire town hall event, go to vosd.org/schoolsyoutube.  

San Diego City Councilwoman Monica Montgomery spoke with VOSD's Andrew Keatts about the recent police brutality protests, the death that sparked them and how two of her longstanding priorities may now become reality. This bonus episode is dropping along with our weekly newsletter, The Politics Report: an insider's guide to politics and policy for San Diego. Get it at vosd.org/politics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we discuss how November's big ballot is stacking up and SDSU's land deal drama. On the second half of the show, host Andrew Keatts talks with urban planner Howard Blackson about an idea he's floated to turn streets into plazas to save local business. Follow Scott, Andy and Sara's weekly newsletters at vosd.org/newsletters FInd us on your favorite social media app. We're @voiceofsandiego See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we discuss how November's big ballot is stacking up and SDSU's land deal drama. On the second half of the show, host Andrew Keatts talks with urban planner Howard Blackson about an idea he's floated to turn streets into plazas to save local business. Follow Scott, Andy and Sara's weekly newsletters at vosd.org/newsletters FInd us on your favorite social media app. We're @voiceofsandiego

This is our second week recording the podcast from "coronavirusland." And the news hasn't stopped. It is the opposite of stopped. As the economy — and work at large — slowed to stem the spread of coronavirus, a lot of confusion and mixed messages bounced across the internet and local government. Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts break down a few of the biggest stories that sprung up this week. We want to hear how your business is working through this crisis. Send your story to megan@vosd.org Find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @voiceofsandiego See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is our second week recording the podcast from "coronavirusland." And the news hasn't stopped. It is the opposite of stopped. As the economy — and work at large — slowed to stem the spread of coronavirus, a lot of confusion and mixed messages bounced across the internet and local government. Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts break down a few of the biggest stories that sprung up this week. We want to hear how your business is working through this crisis. Send your story to megan@vosd.org Find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @voiceofsandiego

The District 2 Board of Supervisors' race is wide open as incumbent Dianne Jacob is terming out. Kenya Taylor is a Democrat from Rancho San Diego who's never run for elected office before. She's a marriage and family therapist. This is Taylor's interview with VOSD's Andrew Keatts. We've explained all your ballot measures, too. Listen to "San Diego Decides" wherever you're hearing this show. Or go to vosd.org/sddecides Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @voiceofsandiego See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In March, city of San Diego residents will once again vote on a hotel room tax hike. Measure C, which is supported by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, unions and hotels, aims to raise the hotel room tax and fund a Convention Center expansion, homeless services and roads. This week, Voice of San Diego's Lisa Halverstadt detailed the two major contentions that have emerged over the homelessness funding: . Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts also discuss one man's fight to kill the initiative. Homeless advocate Michael McConnell has so far spent more than $236,000 on mailers and ads against the measure. why he would spend so much of his own money fighting Measure C, he said it was “advocacy for a better city.” In the second half of the show, Lewis talked to VOSD's Ashly McGlone about . The district is asking voters for $448 million to renovate schools. It will cost just $650 million to repay. We say "just" because if you’ve been a Voice of San Diego reader for a while now, you’ll remember that back in 2011, Poway Unified got voters to approve a $105 million bond for construction projects. That bond will cost an astonishing $1 billion to pay back. Our investigation led to a new state law that stopped districts from doing deals like that one.

In March, city of San Diego residents will once again vote on a hotel room tax hike. Measure C, which is supported by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, unions and hotels, aims to raise the hotel room tax and fund a Convention Center expansion, homeless services and roads. This week, Voice of San Diego's Lisa Halverstadt detailed the two major contentions that have emerged over the homelessness funding: . Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts also discuss one man's fight to kill the initiative. Homeless advocate Michael McConnell has so far spent more than $236,000 on mailers and ads against the measure. why he would spend so much of his own money fighting Measure C, he said it was “advocacy for a better city.” In the second half of the show, Lewis talked to VOSD's Ashly McGlone about . The district is asking voters for $448 million to renovate schools. It will cost just $650 million to repay. We say "just" because if you've been a Voice of San Diego reader for a while now, you'll remember that back in 2011, Poway Unified got voters to approve a $105 million bond for construction projects. That bond will cost an astonishing $1 billion to pay back. Our investigation led to a new state law that stopped districts from doing deals like that one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's podcast, Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts sit down with VOSD's Jesse Marx to discuss the ongoing controversy behind the smart streetlight program. When the program was brought to the City Council for approval in 2016, it was presented as a way to save on energy costs and collect environmental and transportation data. Police are now accessing the cameras to aid criminal investigations. There's little oversight, which led the city's public safety committee on Wednesday to recommend a wider surveillance policy. That segment starts at minute 22. Also on the podcast, the crew discusses Councilwoman Barbara Bry shift on a housing bond measure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's podcast, Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts sit down with VOSD's Jesse Marx to discuss the ongoing controversy behind the smart streetlight program. When the program was brought to the City Council for approval in 2016, it was presented as a way to save on energy costs and collect environmental and transportation data. Police are now accessing the cameras to aid criminal investigations. There's little oversight, which led the city's public safety committee on Wednesday to recommend a wider surveillance policy. That segment starts at minute 22. Also on the podcast, the crew discusses Councilwoman Barbara Bry shift on a housing bond measure.  

This week, we break down the latest land development endorsement by the Democratic party — and what that could mean for competing land use ballot measures in 2020. Plus, Andrew Keatts' latest story about mayoral candidates Barbara Bry and Todd Gloria examines how their actual voting history differs from their campaign narratives. Join VOSD and support the podcast today at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voice of San Diego’s Andrew Keatts sat down with some of the county’s most prominent transportation leaders at Politifest 2019 to discuss how we can improve transit in the west.  Catch the latest episode of Good Schools for All at vosd.org/schoolspodTalk to us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby dive in to the program for Politifest 2019: The Housing and Transportation Summit. See this year’s lineup and get tickets tickets at politifest.org Catch the latest episode of Good Schools for All at vosd.org/schoolspod Talk to us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.  

This week, Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts unpack the news of the week, including Trump’s visit to San Diego and a new investigation on SDPD’s handling of rape kits. Plus: a wide-ranging interview with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez following the end of a wild legislative session. Love politics? Subscribe to the Politics Report at vosd.org/politics Talk to us on  and

Voice of San Diego education reporter Will Huntsberry joined Andrew Keatts to discuss San Diego Unified Trustee John Lee Evans' decision to not seek re-election. Huntsberry also gave us some background on his reporting about a group of San Diego Unified high school principals who sent a series of memos calling out district leaders for not providing enough resources to run their programs.  In the second half of the show, Voice’s Adriana Heldiz discusses her recent photo essay about slashed bus routes in the San Ysidro School District.        

This week, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby put their punditry prowess to the test following retirement news from Rep. Susan Davis. They spoke to Davis about her decision and speculated who will be running for what in the political scramble likely to follow. Love politics? Get the Politics Report at vosd.org/politics Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week, Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts review the latest talking points for San Diego mayoral candidates, dig into a bit of history with a new show segment and sit down with National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis. If you love the show, help us keep making it! Pledge at vosd.org/donate Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week, Andrew Keatts and Jesse Marx reviewed the latest in local Democratic endorsements for 2020. And they sat down to talk about red flag law with Alain Stephens, who reports on guns for The Trace. See Stephens' full story on voiceofsandiego.org. Direct link here. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby discuss a unionization effort at Gompers Prep school, new housing on Morena Boulevard, the 50th Congressional District race and campaign fundraising. In the show we mentioned the most recent Politics Report. Get it at vosd.org/politics Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby discuss the beef between Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and actor Rob Schneider, how corporations are responding to a state law requiring them to have women on their boards and what the next chapter may look like at SANDAG. Share us with your friends! Send them to vosd.org/pod. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby had a live podcast. Sort of. The audio didn't quite make it out in the most pristine state. So this week, a highlight from that event.   Plus: A Grand Central press conference. San Diego's lesser-known earthquake risk. And how problem teachers quietly retire.   Love the podcast? Love the newsletter.vosd.org/newsletters Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week on the podcast, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby tackle a fire insurance conundrum, Rep. Duncan Hunter's text message history and a new hot button in the San Diego mayor's race. VOSD reporter Ry Rivard joins the show to talk about his story series on fire insurance at 23:50 See you at our next live show! You can get your tickets now at voiceofsandiego.org/events. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week on the podcast, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby sat down with Voice of San Diego immigration reporter Maya Srikrishnan, who just returned from Honduras, where she spent time speaking with deportees and reporting on what's driving migration from Honduras to the United States. The interview with Maya starts at 22:40 Subscribe to Maya's newsletter, The Border Report, at vosd.org/border. Other talking points: A charter school scam. Lincoln High sees more leadership turnover. Rep. Duncan Hunter's wife has flipped. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

A little-known company is quietly buying up massive amounts of land in the Imperial Valley. VOSD’s Ry Rivard reported this week that Los Angeles-based Renewable Resources Group has already helped sell 33,000 acres to California’s most powerful water agency, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. But new documents he’s obtained raise fresh questions about those deals – and about what the company is seeking to do in Imperial. Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts sat down with Rivard to break down the company’s motives and explain why it matters. Also, we brought in Councilwoman Vivian Moreno, who has been heavily involved in housing and land use issues in San Diego. We asked Moreno for her thoughts on inclusionary housing fees and more. The interview with Moreno starts at minute 30. Subscribe to our daily newsletter at vosd.org/morningreport. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This podcast was sponsored in part by Mingei International Museum. A story featuring Mingei's latest exhibit is at the end of the show at 44:30.

Bonus Episode: San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar announced she will be seeking re-election 2020. Gaspar sat down with Voice of San Diego's Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts to discuss border issues, the future of Republicans in San Diego and the County's recent tension with the San Diego Association of Governments.

This week, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby take on Balboa Park developments (or, lack of developments), the return of Kevin Beiser and SANDAG's big Avengers-style meeting. And in the second half of the show, County Supervisor Jim Desmond joins us to talk about his first 100 days in office. The interview with Desmond starts at 26:50. Subscribe to our daily newsletter at vosd.org/morningreport. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and

This week, hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts sat down with . Gant is a former La Jolla High student who told school officials in 2003 that her physics teacher had touched her inappropriately. That teacher, Martin Teachworth, was the central figure in that showed the extent of his predatory behavior — and how much San Diego Unified knew about his actions while allowing him to stay in the classroom. That interview starts at 8:00. Also on the show, there's a big San Diego City Council vote on Monday. At 29:30. And a People's Reporter feature on how the public gets access to police bodycam footage. At 36:00. Subscribe to our daily newsletter at vosd.org/morningreport. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The day we recorded this week’s podcast, the Airport Authority agreed to start negotiating a union-friendly labor deal for its $3 billion plan to rebuild Terminal 1. Hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby got right in to that. Also, this week: A problem principal gets paid to leave a San Diego Unified school, mayoral candidates on pensions, and Scott Lewis sits down with Councilman Chris Ward to talk about a wrench he's throwing in to the Mayor's Convention Center plans. The interview with Ward starts at 23:40. Subscribe to our daily newsletter at vosd.org/morningreport. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In this week's show, Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts try to convince Sara Libby that baseball is worth her time and the Padres her attention. (We recorded the day before Opening Day.) Their opening arguments start at 35:30 in the episode. Don't worry! We talked about news, too. The team discussed recent developments in the Kevin Beiser investigation, a new law to crack down on vaccine exemptions, and the latest chapter in San Diego's pension saga. Your San Diego pension mini-lecture starts at 26:30. We have a new People's Reporter feature on a long-standing project to put utility lines in the ground. That starts at minute 50. Subscribe to the VOSD podcast newsletter at vosd.org/pod. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This week, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby hashed out some confusing environmental news, and highlighted a troubling bill that could make public records even harder to get. And in the second half of the show, local investigative reporter Claire Trageser talks about her podcast series on a gang murder that happened over a decade ago that still affects a southeastern San Diego neighborhood. Don’t forget! We have a live taping of the podcast on March 20. It will be at Whistle Stop Bar, and you can get tickets here. Follow Scott and Andy’s weekly political coverage with the Politics Report. Sara’s weekly newsletter is What We Learned This Week. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Assemblyman Brian Maienschein announced this week he is leaving the GOP. VOSD's Will Huntsberry joins us to talk about a disturbing accusation from an Escondido middle school. (Starts at minute 23. Warning: frank language and disturbing scenes.) And a new edition of The People's Reporter (starts at minute 39). And here's the transit priority map Andrew Keatts wants you to see:  Join our texting club. Text “podcast” to 619-202-9051. Talk to Scott, Sara and Andy in our Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/VOSDPodcast

This week, Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts reflect on 2018 with our first-annual naughty and nice list. Plus: Voices of the Year. And the latest drama at Sweetwater. Voice has a podcast texting club for listeners. Text: “podcast” to 619-202-9051. We’ll send you links to new episodes weekly and solicit questions and ideas for future podcasts. Be sure to join us in the .  If you like what we do, please consider donating at .

In the past couple of weeks,  due to the recent influx of Central American migrants who are seeking asylum in the United States. President Donald Trump deployed troops to the border to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Local residents in Tijuana have . And Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum has spoken out against them. At the same time, the migrants themselves have grown desperate as the process of requesting asylum has become more difficult in recent weeks. All that tension reached a fever pitch on Sunday, when  after hundreds of migrants rushed toward the border. In this week’s podcast, host Scott Lewis sits down with Voice of San Diego reporter Maya Srikrishnan to discuss what exactly led up to that moment. Also on the podcast, Lewis and Andrew Keatts go over the fiery trash talk that’s been happening at City Hall. Plus, Lisa Halverstadt answers  submitted by our readers in a new  segment. One last thing: Don’t forget to check out . Lewis sat down with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and County Supervisor-elect Nathan Fletcher, two of San Diego’s most influential politicians, and talked about a wide range of issues. Hero of the Week This week’s hero is Superior Court Judge Ronald Frazier, who’s  an Encinitas law giving locals final say over major land-use changes. Goat of the Week The Carlton Gallery in La Jolla gets the goat. San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott  for allegedly trafficking in ivory, which is illegal under state law. Voice now has a podcast texting club for listeners. To join, text the word “podcast” to 619-202-9051. We’ll send you links to new episodes weekly and solicit questions and ideas for future podcasts.

There are a lot of things that need to get done in San Diego. The city still needs to figure out how it will tackle the , how it's going to get the money to and what type of regulations it will impose on . But there's been progress on at least one issue.  After months of arguing over Airport Authority’s vision for an expanded Terminal 1, region leaders met earlier this week to  will bring the trolley to the airport once and for all. Before the summit took place, Assemblyman Todd Gloria wrote an stressing that local leaders "cannot let this be another 'San Diego special' where obvious solutions to long-running problems die for the lack of vision, leadership and action." That got us thinking: What exactly defines a "San Diego special?" In the latest podcast episode, hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts unravel the issues that have politically paralyzed local leaders over the last couple of years. Also on the podcast, plotting with two of his associates to kidnap and murder a business partner in Mexico. VOSD’S Jesse Marx joins the crew to explain how that incident affects the image of the marijuana industry after the passage of Proposition 64. Hero of the Week In honor of Thanksgiving, our hosts unveil what they are thankful for. Answers include dog infrastructure in San Diego, Ariana Grande and Michael Jordan. Voice now has a podcast texting club for listeners. To join, text the word “podcast” to 619-202-9051. We’ll send you links to new episodes weekly and solicit questions and ideas for future podcasts.

Even when Election Day is over, it’s not really over. The San Diego County Registrar's Office can sometimes spend weeks counting all the ballots that continue to trickle in from across the region. As of Friday morning, . More often than not, the initial results can help us identify the winners and loser of each race. Others are too close to call. Several we didn't see coming this year. On this week’s podcast, hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts talk about some of the surprises that have unfolded as new vote totals roll in. Also on the podcast, Lewis sits down with Brigette Browning, president of , a labor union that represents hotel and food service workers, to talk about their  at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp hotel, a potential special election to fund a Convention Center expansion and more. Hero of the Week Our hero this week is Gene Cubbison. The longtime NBC 7 reporter  on the job. We wish the dean of San Diego political journalism well! Goat of the Week  His race against Joel Anderson for a seat on the Board of Equalization shows how there can be a downside for parties that win wave elections. Voice now has a podcast texting club for listeners. To join, text the word “podcast” to 619-202-9051. We’ll send you links to new episodes weekly and solicit questions and ideas for future podcasts.

Unlike presidential debates that are watched by millions, local political debates are rarely televised, yet they offer some of the only chances for voters to hear city and county candidates who will have direct say over so much of their lives. This week we talk about those debates. Local debates happen more than you’d think. Podcast co-host Sara Libby, for instance, moderated a city attorney debate last Monday between Mara Elliott and Robert Hickey. Then Hickey and Elliott met again two days later for another candidate forum in City Heights. As a result, there’s a debate circuit that forms, as our colleague and frequent debate host Andrew Keatts explains. Opposing candidates who see each other night after night become familiar with each other’s talking points and maintain collegial bonds. Unless they don’t: Keatts talks about one of the wilder local debates he’s hosted, our Politifest debate over a ballot measure that will change city election law. We also talk about the U.S. Senate “dabate” between state Attorney General Kamela Harris and Rep. Loretta Sanchez, and share other observations about the history of debating in San Diego. Favorite Things Andy’s favorite thing is the new HBO series “Westworld.” My favorite thing is normal people who far outnumber reporters even though reporters often end up fetishizing working-class Americans, like Ken Bone, the accidental star of the recent presidential debate. Sara’s is Sutter Brown, California’s first dog, as well as a touching Sacramento Bee editorial on mortality and our pets.

The primary is right around the corner, so co-hosts Sara Libby and Ry Rivard tackle some of the biggest local races and issues that'll be on the ballot. VOSD staffers join the podcast this week to help break things down and give listeners useful information in advance of the June 7 vote. Andrew Keatts talks about a few of the San Diego City Council races and the five-way city attorney race. He also shares some important background and details about Rebuild San Diego, the measure put forward by San Diego City Councilman Mark Kersey that promises to finally deal with the city’s large infrastructure funding dilemma. "Somewhere along the line someone dropped the ball or somebody lost their nerve," Keatts said of the measure, which the city's independent budget analyst has said lacks a new source of revenue to actually make a dent in the city's crumbling infrastructure problem. "One thing or another happened, but the plan that was sketched out never happened and instead what we have is Proposition H." Also on the podcast, VOSD's Ashly McGlone shares some insight about the city's raging debate over vacation rentals and what the candidates for City Council District 1 are saying the city should do to regulate them, education reporter Mario Koran discusses the unusually exciting race for the San Diego County Board of Education, Scott Lewis explains the lackluster mayoral race and other staffers discuss more races and measures. Favorite Things • Ry Rivard's favorite thing this week is "All the Way," an HBO movie based on the life of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his work on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Rivard says the series takes a good look a a politician who decided to do something bold with his time in office. • Sara Libby's favorite thing this week is San Diego's growing love of cold brew coffee. She specifically names Barrio Logan cafe Por Vida's horchata cold brew and North Park's Holsem Coffee's  banana bread cold brew.

San Diego Decides is Voice of San Diego’s elections podcast. Hosts Sara Libby and Ry Rivard break down individual races and ballot measures San Diegans will weigh in on this year, as well bigger issues like the mechanics of voting, state-level drama and more. ♦♦♦ In this week's episode, hosts Sara Libby and Ry Rivard talked about three big races this week: the race for mayor, the race for city attorney and the race for the District 9 City Council seat. Sara and Andrew Keatts interviewed mayoral candidate Ed Harris, and share some excerpts of that conversation. Harris addresses why he decided to get in the race, and what separates him from Mayor Kevin Faulconer even though they seemingly have a lot in common. Next up: the race for city attorney saw some verbal sparring between Rafael Castellanos and Gil Cabrera, as Voice of San Diego’s Andrew Keats wrote about recently. Both candidates have been preparing to run for several years, so they both have a lot invested in winning. A third candidate, Mara Elliott, has not received as much attention or money, but she may have a built-in advantage with her title, “chief deputy city attorney.” The race for City Council's District 9 is also starting to heat up, with three main candidates contending for the position: Ricardo Flores, chief of staff for outgoing Councilwoman Marti Emerald, Georgette Gomez, associate director at the Environmental Health Coalition, and Sarah Saez, program director for the United Taxi Workers. KPBS reporter Megan Burks, who's covered City Heights and surrounding communities for years, stopped by to talk about the unusual dynamics at work in D9. Two neighborhoods separated essentially by just a roadway are actually a world apart: Kensington has a 60-70 percent voter turnout and its median income is about $90K a year. By contrast, City Heights’ voter turnout can be as low as 14 percent, its median income is $21K a year. Crazy Ballot Initiatives Sara plans to highlight a few of the strangest measures vying to make the November ballot in each episode. First up: A measure that would require candidates and lawmakers to take regular lie detector tests, and another that would restrict any speech that has to do with Holocaust denial. Our Favorite Things This Week Sara: Acting as VOSD's pop culture ambassador, Sara selected Rihanna's new album, Anti. Ry: Bruce Lightner, who's running to replace his wife, Sherri Lightner, as the City Council rep for District 1, compared their combined power to one of the great American political dynasties. Asked if he'll get a name-recognition boost, he told the Union-Tribune:  “It won’t be the first time. Look at the Kennedy dynasty.” Megan: A city in New York has created a Hamsterdam to address the heroin epidemic: a part of town where you can use safely and freely. Former KPBS reporter Tarryn Mento pointed out that this is basically "The Wire" come to life.   Show Notes Page  

A special two-part episode highlights two recent Urban Edge articles. First, Andrew Keatts explores why the bicycling community often fails to pay attention to its most vulnerable members. Then, Ryan Holeywell discusses his recent trip inside Houston's Astrodome, which has sat vacant for 16 years.