When San Diegans elected Bob Filner mayor, the head of the local labor movement crowed that the “San Diego 20” — the power brokers who supposedly run the city — will transform into the “San Diego 200.”
Also, a labor spokesman accused the 20 of being “arrogant.”
So who are these people? Our Scott Lewis tried to find out.
He didn’t get much specifics from labor. The San Diego 20 are wealthy and not fresh-faced whippersnappers. Apparently, many of the 20 went to San Diego State too. Sorry, UCSD alums. (I guess I’ll never make the list. Darn it all!)
• The San Diego 20 or 200 or 35,885 or whatever didn’t get a shout-out in the mayor’s State of the City speech. Check out what did in our word cloud of what Bob Filner had to say. No surprise: neighborhoods get lots of verbal ink.
• Also, Filner referenced his hope to link the airport to the trolley system. It is not going to be easy to realize, the U-T reports.
New Port Commissioners May Be Bounced
Steve Cushman, the apparent king of the San Diego 20, did not get a fourth term on the Unified Port of San Diego commission. Two others did.
But maybe not. Mayor Filner told the Port Tenants Association Wednesday that he was going to veto the two appointments the City Council made recently to the port.
Democrat Todd Gloria and the four Republicans on the City Council compromised to select Democrat Rafael Castellanos and Republican Marshall Merrifield for the highly coveted port seats.
But labor and other liberal leaders were not pleased. They preferred to wait until voters filled the District 4 City Council seat with a likely Democrat. Then they wouldn’t need Republican votes to get two Democrats on the port commission.
The port law says the City Council gets to appoint the port commissioners but City Attorney Jan Goldsmith believes any act the City Council passes can be vetoed.
If Filner vetoes the Council’s port picks, he’ll have to do it by Jan. 23. Then it’s not clear what will happen.
Hope Floats in Education Budget Meeting
Our Will Carless provides “Notes from a Day of School Budget Wonkery” with details of a meeting of education money types about the financial future of the state’s schools. Things are messy, complicated and uncertain, although there’s hope out there.
Where the Homeless Can Find Help
We’ve compiled a list of places where the homeless can seek medical care in San Diego.
For more about the health challenges facing people who live on the streets and in shelters, read my 2011 interview with a local physician who works in a mobile clinic and treats the homeless at locations across San Diego and South Bay.
“There are people who’ve seen our clinic multiple times. Sometimes it takes seven or eight times before they’re ready to make an appointment…,” he said. “For every one I see, I know there are countless others who don’t have it together enough or trust enough to come in or don’t identify that they have a problem.”
Personal Cost of Hospice’s Major Woes
Yesterday, we told you about the financial crisis that’s forced San Diego Hospice to slash its staff and cut services for hundreds of severely ill patients. Click here to read the story if you missed it.
The hospice says it continues to accept patients who are eligible for hospice care. But it’s now firmly following regulations about not treating those who aren’t thought to be within six months of death.
A reader writes with the heart-wrenching story of her mother, who’s under the hospice’s care at home and has lingered for a year. Even though she weighs around 60 pounds and is clearly near death, the reader says the hospice has let the family know that her hospice care may be cut off due to the ongoing crackdown.
Tri-City Hospital Never Ceases to Amuse
A new development at Tri-City Medical Center has U-T columnist Logan Jenkins positively frothing with inappropriate joy. I’ll let him explain: “George Coulter, a former board member of Tri-City Healthcare District, has filed a lawsuit against recently elected Trustee Wayne Lingenfelter over an ethical lapse that Coulter believes disqualifies Lingenfelter from the board. Oh, my goodness. This is the crock-of-dung pot calling the kettle black.”
Turns out, Jenkins writes, that Coulter fooled voters about a degree he supposedly had. And that’s not all.
Kreep Gets a Court to Call His Own
Gary Kreep, the prominent birther and high-profile attorney for conservative causes, is now a judge. He was elected in a race that drew national attention last June, and he took office earlier this month.
He didn’t get his preference of a family court position, however. Instead, CityBeat reports, he’s in charge of a low-level court that handles misdemeanors, such as cases of drunkenness in public and illegal lodging.
For more about Kreep’s eventful past, check CityBeat’s investigations here and here.
Quick News Hits
• The number of local deaths from the flu has reached six. They all had pre-existing medical conditions. (LA Times)
• As prosecutions in the massive South Bay corruption scandal continue, the board that runs the tiny San Ysidro school district is considering whether to cough up $200,000 to pay legal fees for its superintendent and a board member. (NBC San Diego)
• The long-closed South Bay Power Plant, a longtime eyesore in Chula Vista, is going to implode (on purpose) on Feb. 2. (patch.com)
• There’s talk that a “Real Housewives of San Diego” TV show may be in the works, a Rancho Santa Fe news blog reports. A production company is apparently focusing on recruiting “outgoing, exciting, strong, focused women” from RSF and La Jolla.
It’s important to consider how the “Real Housewives” shows tinker with reality. Are the stars “housewives”? Not really. Are they “real”? That’s questionable.
What else is fake? If the San Diego show ever airs, please watch and let me know.
Correction: An earlier version of the Morning Report misstated the deadline for Mayor Bob Filner to veto Unified Port of San Diego appointments.
Please contact Randy Dotinga directly at randydotinga@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/rdotinga.
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