These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of Nov. 7-Nov. 13.
1. The Refugee Who Built a Towing Empire and a Record of Crime and Lies
Nash Habib arrived in the U.S. the day he turned 18. Since then, he’s worked, fought and schemed his way to the top of the region’s towing business. (Liam Dillon)
2. The Architectural Marvel That Is … Qualcomm Stadium?
Qualcomm Stadium is considered an architectural gem in certain circles. (Kinsee Morlan)
3. The Genius of – and the Problem With – the Briggs Hotel-Tax Overhaul
A new measure being pushed by Cory Briggs and Donna Frye would remake downtown and the city’s hotel-room tax system unlike any proposal in the last decade. (Scott Lewis)
4. Building a Hotel Won’t Be Smooth Sailing for SeaWorld
SeaWorld’s plans to get into the San Diego hotel business will have to clear lots of roadblocks. (Lisa Halverstadt)
5. Students and Patients Benefit the Most From San Diego’s Biggest Nonprofits
Health care facilities and private universities dominate San Diego’s list of largest nonprofit employers. (Lisa Halverstadt)
6. What We Know – and Want to Know – About San Diego’s Nonprofit Landscape
Nonprofits treat us when we’re sick, serve the poor, run our kids’ soccer leagues and employ thousands. (Lisa Halverstadt)
7. All the Times Local Governments Missed Red Flags About San Diego’s Towing King
Multiple government agencies had opportunities to catch problems with Nash Habib. (Liam Dillon)
8. North County Report: All the Money Spent on the Luxury Carlsbad Mall Campaign
Oceanside puts its controversial charter school deal on hold, Vista reaches a deal with mobile home parks and more in our weekly roundup of North County news. (Jeremy Ogul)
9. What it Would Take to Make Coastal Housing More Affordable
Even if cities like Encinitas were to individually allow for denser housing, it wouldn’t make much of a dent in coastal housing affordability. (Maya Srikrishnan)
10. No, San Diego Unified Isn’t Killing School Choice
Yes, San Diego Unified wants to keep students in neighborhood schools. But officials say there’s no truth to the idea that they’re phasing out choice. (Mario Koran)