The Morning Report
Get the news and information you need to take on the day.
These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of Mar. 26-Apr. 1.
1. Inside an Elaborate Mission Valley Homeless Camp With a Kitchen, Shelves, Rooms and a Master Suite
For months, Mac Oson and as many as a dozen others have lived under the Friars Road bridge. (Lisa Halverstadt)
2. Assembling the Properties for a Downtown Convadium Not Nearly the Obstacle It Seemed
Over the past year, a steady stream of voices has reminded San Diegans how hard it would be to assemble the property needed to build a massive convadium in East Village. Many of those perceived issues have either been solved or are less impossible to solve as they once seemed. (Andrew Keatts)
3. San Diego Politicos Pan Chargers’ Convadium Plan
Things seemed to be falling into a place for a downtown convadium. Then the Chargers released their funding plan, and local politicos didn’t have a kind word to say about it. (Lisa Halverstadt and Andrew Keatts)
4. Developer Tries to Make Escondido Bigger to Accommodate 550 Luxury Homes
Concordia Communities LLC is proposing a 550-luxury home development, called Safari Highlands Ranch, north of the San Diego Safari Zoo Park. Previous proposals for the same property have failed. (Maya Srikrishnan)
5. The Elephant in the Room on Balboa Park Funding
The San Diego Zoo has long been the beneficiary of a property tax that’s pulled in more than $10 million annually in recent years. The zoo has managed to hold onto that pot of money despite proposals that would spread the wealth around other portions of Balboa Park. (Lisa Halverstadt)
6. Just Don’t Call Him ‘Prince Stahlman’
George Stahlman III talks about how bail bonds work, the shady side of the business and the warning he’ll give his kids about relying on dear old dad if they ever get in trouble. (Randy Dotinga)
7. San Diego’s Film Commission Is Getting a Reboot
San Diego’s Film Commission closed in 2013 when it unexpectedly lost its funding. Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced last year his plans to recreate a regional film office. County Supervisor Dave Roberts has pledged $125,000 in grant money to make it happen. (Kinsee Morlan)
8. San Diego Reps Weigh in on State Wage Hike
San Diego representatives loomed large Thursday as California legislators approved a bill to raise the minimum wage to a highest-in-the-nation $15 an hour by 2022. (Anita Chabria)
9. The Chargers Are Readying Their Own Convadium Tax Hike — But the Mayor’s Not on Board
The Chargers have spent the week furiously trying to put together an initiative that would raise the hotel-room tax to fund construction of a new convention center and stadium. A big wrench has come into play: a bombshell court decision that would lower the bar for stadium measures to a simple majority vote. (Scott Lewis)
10. Everything We Thought We Knew About the Two-Thirds Voter Requirement Could Change if New Ruling Holds
If a new court ruling stands, it will fundamentally change the conversation about major projects like stadiums and convention centers. That’s not all: It may pave the way for more taxes to support teachers, police, other business interests or whatever a person or group with enough money might want to put on the ballot. (Scott Lewis)