There was always a theory that if we were going to legalize cannabis, the people who used to get in trouble for selling it should get a chance to sell it again. The city of San Diego secured a grant to give people like that a leg up. But now it looks like they'll have to send the grant money back. This week, host Andrea Lopez-Villafaña shares an update to the city's Cannabis Social Equity program. Plus: The uncanny valley of education. Big questions and budget woes decelerate Mayor Todd Gloria's homeless shelter deal. Get the environment report to avoid swimming in poop water: vosd.org/environ ..read more

It was a big week for things that used to be things. The Republican Party of San Diego County, once a local political juggernaut, lost its chairwoman after an internal battle over Carl DeMaio, who is running for state Assembly against Andrew Hayes. Despite DeMaio’s efforts to drag a Democrat to the runoff, he will face Hayes, a fellow Republican. This week, we discuss the endorsement battle that threatened to splinter an already weak political faction — and ultimately led to the emergence of a new party leader. Plus: Students learning online are performing way worse than their in-person peers ..read more

Tiara Gray was bright. She was artsy, well-written — an old soul in a young body, people said. She was from the Appalachian region of Maryland, a small place with few prospects for what many consider "good careers." Gray scored high on an aptitude test that caught the attention of the U.S. Navy. For Gray, like many people across the country, the military offered rare opportunities. So, she joined. Through her recruitment process, Gray reportedly withheld information about her mental health. Lying is apparently common, and encouraged, during military recruitments. This week, senior investigativ ..read more

For a long time, Voice has followed the tale of school in Logan Heights. The school has changed names and faces in recent years. It’s got an impressive new building. It used to be called Logan Memorial Prep, now it’s Logan Memorial Educational Campus. Logan Memorial has served generations of residents. And through that time it has modified its educational offerings and appearance. But as host Jakob McWhinney explains this week, throughout all these changes one thing remained the same: its bad reputation. It’s still one of the most avoided schools in the district. This week, we talk about what ..read more

Three propositions on the November ballot could change everything across the state of California. This week, we discuss three props that are having direct conversations with each other. They're all about taxes — and how hard it should be for voters to pass them. The outcome of these props also impacts local measures that are moving forward to boost city revenue, fund stormwater systems and roads. Plus: Baseball gloves. A new police chief. The broken border sewage plant. Support the show and get your gift matched! Support us at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information ..read more

The March Primary seemed like a boring lemon but we’re going to squeeze some juice out of it. The VOSD Podcast is not the place for your Biden-Trump angst or opinions of how "feisty" the State of the Union was. This is the place for commentary on the city attorney "vibes vote," and to drill down Council districts and mayoral candidates. This week, we discuss the Primary results. Note: This podcast was recorded on Thursday afternoon. See vosd.org for the latest election info. Plus: A city auditor's report shows how much the city overpaid for a hotel during the pandemic — and why. See omnystudio ..read more

Gird your loins! It's Primary time.  This week, on the last podcast before the March 5 election, we run through the ballot — from U.S. Senate to City Council. The electorate seems unenthused. Politico reports this election is on track for record-low turnout. And it kind of makes sense. California voters aren't tipping the scales on the Presidential election. Even the California Senate race (despite shattering spending records) is a surefire Dem win that won't affect party control in Congress. But our crew suggests you think of your vote like this: Who do you want in second place? This wee ..read more

Last week, senior investigative reporter Will Huntsberry reported that some residents in southeastern San Diego have lost trust in local government. Staff at the San Diego mayor’s office called that reporting “dangerous.”  This week, we discuss the original story, how residents felt about the city's neglect during the January floods, and responses by the mayor's communication staff. Plus: City Council District 4 candidate Chida Warren Darby talks trust and allegiance. School layoffs are coming. And our school performance metric captures success and accounts for income. Get your copy of th ..read more

It’s Mailer Season! And we are reaching novel levels of creativity. This week, we perform high-level media criticism — LOL — on recent political mailers and materials that employed new, subversive strategies. From County Supervisor to the San Diego Mayor's race, we have a new evolution of local politics playing out by mail. And billboard. And lawn sign. Plus: A preview of local races ahead of the March election. And southeast residents have lost trust in local government. Send your political mailers to Scott: scott@vosd.org The 2024 Schools Guide is here! Get your copy: vosd.org/schools See om ..read more

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 Le ..read more