Podcast appearances and mentions of sara libby

Scott Lewis, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Jakob McWhinney are cooking up the hottest beef that dropped this week. We revived a reporting series dedicated to the feuds that light up public affairs and demonstrate how the region works. We call it Beef Week. (Credit to Voice Podcast alum Sara Libby.) Let's fire 'em up: Everyone vs. Todd Gloria Pickleball vs. Tennis Palomar Health vs. Board Members San Diego Water Authority vs. Rainbow, Fallbrook Plus: The latest on San Diego City Council's new housing plan. San Diego's innovative ADU approach. Join the Voice community with a donation: vosd.org/communitySee 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.

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.

Now that the state has officially reopened, it's time to look forward. On this week's VOSD Podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Sara Libby go through several questions looming for the second half of the year. Schools will be open in the fall, but how many students will choose to stay home, and why? Every elected government agency is redrawing the lines for voters, which will have big impacts for upcoming local races. Speaking of upcoming races, how will the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom ultimately shake out? Finally, the mayor says homelessness may get more visible soon. How long are we talking? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now that the state has officially reopened, it's time to look forward. On this week's VOSD Podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Sara Libby go through several questions looming for the second half of the year. Schools will be open in the fall, but how many students will choose to stay home, and why? Every elected government agency is redrawing the lines for voters, which will have big impacts for upcoming local races. Speaking of upcoming races, how will the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom ultimately shake out? Finally, the mayor says homelessness may get more visible soon. How long are we talking? 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.

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.

Starting this week, we're dropping bonus episodes featuring some of the best conversations from Politifest 2020. In this episode: An overview of each measure on the statewide ballot, from rideshare drivers to affirmative action. VOSD editors Sara Libby and Jesse Marx will help you understand what each measure would do and who's lining up for and against them. Watch more Politifest panels at politifest.org Get Sara's weekly newsletter, The Sacramento Report: voiceofsandiego.org/newsletters We'll be back on Friday afternoon, as usual, with your weekly debrief from Scott and Sara. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting this week, we're dropping bonus episodes featuring some of the best conversations from Politifest 2020. In this episode: An overview of each measure on the statewide ballot, from rideshare drivers to affirmative action. VOSD editors Sara Libby and Jesse Marx will help you understand what each measure would do and who’s lining up for and against them. Watch more Politifest panels at politifest.org Get Sara's weekly newsletter, The Sacramento Report: voiceofsandiego.org/newsletters We'll be back on Friday afternoon, as usual, with your weekly debrief from Scott and Sara. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting this week, we're dropping episodes that feature some of the best conversations from Politifest 2020, VOSD's annual political affairs summit. In this episode: An overview of each measure on the statewide ballot, from rideshare drivers to affirmative action. VOSD editors Sara Libby and Jesse Marx will help you understand what each measure would do and who's lining up for and against them. Watch more Politifest panels at politifest.org Get Sara's weekly newsletter, the Sacramento Report: vosd.org/newsletters Get our weekly 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.

This week, we hash out San Diego's new homeless planning woes, a suspended City Council campaign and the fluidity of reality around Prop. 15. Check out some of our free Politifest panels, including Sara Libby's ballot measure crash course, at https://www.youtube.com/user/voiceofsandiego Share us with your friends! www.vosd.org/pod See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we hash out San Diego's new homeless planning woes, a suspended City Council campaign and the fluidity of reality around Prop. 15. Check out some of our free Politifest panels, including Sara Libby's ballot measure crash course, at https://www.youtube.com/user/voiceofsandiego Share us with your friends! www.vosd.org/pod See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the podcast, we're gearing up for Politifest 2020: Pick Your Future. We'll preview some of the most exciting panels, interviews and discussions to look forward to during the week-long virtual conference, including Sara Libby's ballot measure crash course and Attorney General Xavier Bacerra on policing. Plus: A couple hot stories from the 'Jesse Beat' and the Port of San Diego has to pay up. Get your tickets to Politifest at politifest.org Keep up with all our stories with the Morning Report: vosd.org/morning See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the podcast, we're gearing up for Politifest 2020: Pick Your Future. We'll preview some of the most exciting panels, interviews and discussions to look forward to during the week-long virtual conference, including Sara Libby's ballot measure crash course and Attorney General Xavier Bacerra on policing. Plus: A couple hot stories from the 'Jesse Beat' and the Port of San Diego has to pay up. Get your tickets to Politifest at politifest.org Keep up with all our stories with the Morning Report: vosd.org/morning 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.  

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.

This week, we had to take a moment just to try to process what has happened over the last week and how dramatically it has changed our lives and local public affairs. We talked about that and a couple of the moments that have really jarred us. This was the first podcast we have ever recorded remotely. Scott Lewis was in our studio, Andy Keatts and Sara Libby came in remotely from their homes. Please let us know what you want to hear in coming episodes as we adjust to a new regimen. You can find all of our coverage on the coronavirus in San Diego at vosd.org/corona. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we had to take a moment just to try to process what has happened over the last week and how dramatically it has changed our lives and local public affairs. We talked about that and a couple of the moments that have really jarred us. This was the first podcast we have ever recorded remotely. Scott Lewis was in our studio, Andy Keatts and Sara Libby came in remotely from their homes. Please let us know what you want to hear in coming episodes as we adjust to a new regimen. You can find all of our coverage on the coronavirus in San Diego at vosd.org/corona.

The March 3 primary is coming up quickly. If you're still not sure about the measures on your ballot, we've got good news for you: There are far fewer of them to learn about than many of the most recent elections. (The November ballot, however, will be a different story.) In our first episode of our San Diego Decides 2020, Sara Libby and Jesse Marx run down what you need to know about that state proposition, plus the four measures that you'll decide on if you live in the city of San Diego — two countywide measures, and two city measures. If you live elsewhere within the county, you might be voting on school bonds, tax measures or other issues as well. Keep up with all our election coverage at vosd.org/newsletters Find us on your favorite social media @voiceofsandiego

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 unpack a week's worth of political news that spans from a Supervisor race in North County, the San Diego mayor's race and the latest in Rep. Duncan Hunter's saga in Congress. Plus, Sara Libby takes aim at CityBeat's latest Holiday Gift Guide. We're in the middle of our year-end campaign! If you like the show and want to join VOSD, head to

This week we unpack a week's worth of political news that spans from a Supervisor race in North County, the San Diego mayor's race and the latest in Rep. Duncan Hunter's saga in Congress. Plus, Sara Libby takes aim at CityBeat's latest Holiday Gift Guide. We're in the middle of our year-end campaign! If you like the show and want to join VOSD, head to See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  

Hosts Andrew Keatts, Sara Libby and Adriana Heldiz review this year’s ‘billsplosion’ at the state capital and consider San Diego’s impact. Andy mentions Politifest in the show. 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, we review the geographically challenging 50th District race, an investigation of a Southwest College professor and how big that big SANDAG vote really was. Have you subscribed to Sara Libby's newsletter yet? Get "What We Learned This Week" every Sunday at

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

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, 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 on the podcast, Scott Lewis and Sara Libby discuss a symbolic dissenting vote at the San Diego Unified board. Reporter Ry Rivard unveils the latest in negotiations between the city of San Diego and SDSU. And an interview with City Council President Georgette Gómez. Share the show with your friends! Just send them to vosd.org/pod. 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, host Sara Libby and Voice environment reporter Ry Rivard have taken the podcast helm.   The race for the 50th Congressional District is shaping up. The latest on the Pure Water case. And San Diego’s great housing debate inspired a high-profile op-ed.   See you at our next live show! Get your tickets now at voiceofsandiego.org/events. 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.

The Washington Post's Wesley Lowery sat down with VOSD editor Sara Libby to talk about how Assemblywoman Shirley Weber's police shooting bill fits into a national context. Subscribe to Sara Libby’s newsletter at

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.

The city’s was big news in San Diego this week. The point-in-time count released Monday on its face suggests there’s been a modest improvement in the city’s effort to shrink its homeless population, but because the methods guiding the count changed, it's not an apples-to-apples comparison to last year's numbers. Hosts Scott Lewis and Sara Libby sat down with Fran Butler-Cohen, CEO of Family Health Centers of San Diego. Butler-Cohen is at the center of many debates surrounding homelessness. The interview with Butler-Cohen starts at 22:30. Also, a new story from the People’s Reporter about what happens to the stuff you put in your recycling bin. Subscribe to our daily newsletter at vosd.org/morningreport. Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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, we took over Whistle Stop Bar for a live recording of the show. Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andy Keatts sat down with Hasan Ikhrata of SANDAG and Nicole Capretz of the Climate Action Campaign. They played some games with the audience and talked about a realistic future for San Diego transit. Subscribe to the VOSD podcast newsletter at vosd.org/pod. We want to learn more about you! If you could fill out this brief two-minute survey that'd help a lot. It's at vosd.org/podsurvey Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Scott Lewis, Andy Keatts and Sara Libby tore in to this week. SB 615, by Sen. Ben Hueso and City Attorney Mara Elliott, and would make it harder for the public to hold government officials accountable for violating the Public Records Act. What ensues on this podcast is a high-decibel discussion by our hosts. We also called local reporter Mari Payton to talk about a big story she broke this week about the U.S. government tracking journalists and immigration advocates. We want to learn more about you! If you could fill out this brief two-minute survey that would help us a lot. It's at vosd.org/podsurvey 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.

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.

This week, the San Diego County Democratic Party elected its new chairman, Will Rodriguez-Kennedy. He joined the pod to talk about what his election means for the party and where he thinks county Democrats are headed. This interview starts a bit after minute 23 The Ocean Beach Pier is still closed after big waves and crazy tides tore it up. City officials say they have no timeline for when it may be repaired. Thus, there is no timeline for when the hole in Scott Lewis' heart may be repaired. And VOSD chief snack correspondent Sara Libby, leads the team discussion on the absolute best Super Bowl snacks. This week, the People’s Reporter team addressed a series of questions essentially asking: When will the city get around to repairing my street? That segment starts at minute 52. Check out repairs at streets.sandiego.gov and the "Get It Done" app at sandiego.gov.

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 this episode, Scott Lewis, Andy Keatts, and Sara Libby push to keep Voice of San Diego's lights on. Scott gets a pie in the face. Scott, Andy and Sara discuss the future of Republican and business relations in San Diego. Plus, we sit down with Sean Elo fresh off his election to the San Diego Community College Board of Trustees. Voice now 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 .

San Diego is close to entering the power business. Back in October, the city’s plans to form its own electric utility to provide green power. The city believes it can provide cleaner and cheaper electricity than the region’s long-time energy monopoly, San Diego Gas & Electric. If the City Council approves the mayor’s proposal, San Diego would become a  In other words, the city will have its own government-run power agency. And like most agencies, the city will have to figure out who will run it. That would include a board, likely made up of elected officials and then run by staff, who would lean on outside consultants. On this week’s podcast, hosts Sara Libby and Scott Lewis are joined by Voice of San Diego reporter Ry Rivard, who explains . Meanwhile, SDG&E, which would still provide the power lines to run the city’s electricity, is trying to . Also on the podcast, the crew discusses the push to make it easier to build housing, which includes for new housing near transit. Hero of the Week Departing County Supervisor Ron Roberts got our hero of the week. While he has left a lot of work for his predecessors to do to make a dent in the mental health and homeless crises, he does have one legacy we'll be able to see for a long time: the Waterfront Park downtown. As he ends his long career in public service, we decided to recognize that achievement. Goat of the Week The San Diego Police Department and officials at Montgomery High School get the goat this week after they  as cover so police officers could arrest four students who allegedly committed serious crimes off campus. 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.

This week, Sara Libby and I start preparing for the weighty decisions we’ll all be asked to make in this fall’s election. These are weighty not only because they’re important decisions, but because there are a lot of them. When you get the state’s Official Voter Information Guide in the mail this fall, you’ll see it’s a voluminous document, the size of some cities’ telephone books. The guide takes voters through the pros and cons of at least 17 different statewide ballot measures. We go through the guide, how you can use it and offer some first impressions about the layout, writing and fun facts scattered throughout. We suggest starting a book club soon if you want to get through the whole thing by Election Day. The guide doesn’t even include the numerous city and county ballot measures that you’ll also be asked to decide in November. We also list our favorite things of the week. My favorite thing is a rhetorical tic that Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, has: He repeats himself for emphasis, something I’ve found that I do too. Sara’s favorite thing this week is the new HBO series “The Night Of.”

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.

This week we explore races full of lawyers: the race for city attorney and two San Diego Superior Court judge races. The first race is full of intrigue, campaign ads, sniping among candidates and has a lot of people’s attention. Sara Libby and I talk with Andy Keatts, who has been covering the race. Recently, he's explored the client lists of Robert Hickey and Rafael Castellanos and looked at how frequent city foe Cory Briggs’ endorsement is affecting Gil Cabrera’s campaign. The judges’ races, though – you’d be hard pressed to find much out about either of them. Forty-three of the San Diego Superior Court’s 128 sitting judges are up for election this year. Only two are actually in races, though: The rest are running unopposed, so will be elected automatically. We talk with Johanna Schiavoni, a local appellate lawyer who worked on judicial endorsements when she was head of the Lawyers Club of San Diego. She tells us how judges races work and how voters can get more information on these important but unheralded contests. Crazy Ballot Initiatives This ballot measure is actually on the ballot in June, so it may not be that crazy: Proposition 50, which would prevent state legislators from receiving pay while they are suspended. In 2014, three state senators were suspended for various and separate allegations of wrongdoing, but each kept getting their Senate salary. That seemed sorta odd, so this proposition aims to change things. Sen. Joel Anderson of San Diego is a major opponent of the ballot initiative, though. Rather than strengthening ethics in Sacramento, Anderson argues the constitutional amendment here would weaken it: “Prop. 50 is designed to make you feel like the Sacramento political class actually wants to take a tough position to root out corruption. What they are really doing is hiding from you the fact that they would not make the tough decision to expel a convicted felon—their buddy,” he writes in the official state voter guide. The Legislature already has the power to expel lawmakers. An expelled lawmaker’s seat becomes empty, so someone else takes their place. Because of this, Anderson argues, relying on suspensions rather than expulsion is the wrong path, because a suspended lawmaker is allowed to keep occupying the office while the lawmaker’s district does not have an active representative. Favorite Things My favorite thing is the language political journalists use when they are out and about in rural America. Usually, these are folksy-sounding words and phrases that real people don’t really use – towns and people are “hardscrabble” and when people eat they are said have “tucked into hearty meals,” whatever that means. Sara Libby’s favorite thing is the Twitter account @PhotosOfTV, which archives the most interesting chyrons (those bits of text at the bottom of the screen). Lately, PhotosOfTV has noticed a man whose title is simply “Tired of Birds”; a segment on the “Cankle Criss” striking America and a Northern Virginia woman who is apparently a “’Notable Tree’ Owner.’”

In the political arena, underdogs are candidates who don't get many endorsements, they raise little money compared to competitors and they don't have much name recognition. People think underdogs are long-shots who won't likely win, but sometimes they pull out a surprise. Lori Saldaña is a self-admitted political underdog who joins podcast co-hosts Ry Rivard and Sara Libby this week to talk about her underdog status in the mayoral race, and her surprise win in a past race for state Assembly. Saldaña was a major underdog when she ran for Assembly. She said she won, in part, because the Democrats she was up against were too busy slinging mud at each other. "People said it was a circular firing squad of Democrats in that primary and I ducked," she said. Also on the podcast this week, Kevin Melton, a Republican candidate for the 78th District Assembly seat. Melton is running against City Councilman Todd Gloria — someone who's well known, has racked up endorsements and raised far more money — but Melton said he doesn't consider himself an underdog at all. "I'm able to relate with all sides and all people," he said. "So those people who need to come over who are fiscally conservative, socially moderate – they will vote my way." Melton said on the podcast that he has a slate of high-profile endorsements but that they'll stay secret for the time being. He also said that though he hasn't reported much money on campaign fundraising disclosures, that will soon change. After the podcast taping, Melton emailed a new list of endorsements: "Supervisor Bill Horn, Assemblyman Brian Jones, Councilman Scott Sherman, Coronado Councilman Richard Baily, the entire Republican Party Central Committee 78th Assembly District, Republican Federation of Women Coronado, Point Loma, La Jolla, Del Mar, Solano Beach." But he also said he has the endorsements of four "major people in the city" that he still can't share. VOSD's Lisa Halverstadt also makes an appearance on the podcast this week to shed some light on the race to fill Gloria's District 3 City Council seat. Candidates Chris Ward and Anthony Bernal are similar in a lot of ways. They've both said no to public funding for a new stadium for the Chargers and yes to a dedicated funding stream to fix the estimated $300 million of infrastructure needs in Balboa Park. The two have also invoked Gloria's image in their campaigns, even though neither candidate has gotten his official endorsement yet. Crazy Ballot Initiatives The Secret Ballot Voting in State Legislature Initiative is also a bit of an underdog to make the November ballot. The proposed measure wants legislators to be required to vote by secret ballot, thereby eliminating voting records and any method of understanding how our elected officials are doing their job. Favorite Things • Rivard's favorite thing is the California Public Records Act. During the Saldaña interview, the candidate brought up her complaint that someone with political motivations has requested her personnel records. Rivard said he likes the fact that anyone can file a public records request, and it shouldn't matter what the motivations are behind each filing, because the public deserves access to public files. The public, after all, is paying for them. • Libby's a USC alum, so her fave thing this week is the school's recent hire of Lynn Swann, a former professional football player, as athletic director.

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