This election is bringing together two of my great loves: celebrities and politics.
First, there was this gem.
My husband once was on a flight with Jason Mraz and, as Mraz brought his guitar down from the overhead compartment, a woman asked whether he was a musician. Jason Mraz offered the most Jason Mraz response possible: I make songs about the natural world, he told her.
So it makes sense that Mraz is speaking up to protect the natural world against the “overdevelopment without a whole-minded approach” he says Lilac Hills Ranch and Measure B represent.
Then there’s another quintessential San Diego bro, Tony Hawk. He makes an awesome appearance in this Bill Simmons segment skewering Measure C and the convadium.
And unsurprisingly, the Chargers have trotted out Phil Rivers and Dan Fouts for some of their pro-C efforts.
I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see what the next political stand by a San Diego celeb will be. Instead of waiting to find out, though, I’ve taken matters into my own hands and come up with three guesses:
Invigorated by Ashly McGlone’s report noting that Prop. 51 could be used to build high school football stadiums up and down the state, former Helix High star Reggie Bush joins Mayor Kevin Faulconer in the Yes on 51 camp.
San Diego’s Phil Mickelson once publicly contemplated leaving California altogether because he doesn’t like paying so much in taxes. So Mickelson coming out against Prop. 55, which would extend an income tax hike on the wealthy, seems like a natural fit.
I’m not sure how I think Encinitas resident Richard Dreyfuss would land on that city’s Measure T, which would bring Encinitas into compliance with state law requiring a plan for building more affordable housing. On one hand, density is greener than sprawl, and Dreyfuss cares about the environment. On the other hand, he also told the Union-Tribune in 2009 that he was building a new home in which he could live “off the grid,” which means he might not be into the idea of new neighbors.
Regardless, I think we can safely bet that he’s a fan of the statewide Prop. 67, which would ban plastic bags.
What VOSD Learned
In order for the city’s general fund to stay protected in the event Measure C passes, the Chargers’ calculations have to hold up, and the team has to keep its promises.
Meanwhile, the fallout is still coming from Chargers adviser Fred Maass’ intense rebuttal from architect Rob Quigley. And speaking of fallout, the word convadium got a national skewering this week, and Scott Lewis and Andy Keatts reflect on the podcast about having unleashed the word upon the world.
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Two Syrian refugees being held at Otay Mesa as they await asylum hearings told us the crazy story of their journey through 11 countries to arrive in the U.S.
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Mayor Kevin Faulconer is one of the statewide chairs of the campaign against Prop. 57, a statewide sentencing reform measure. Kelly Davis looked into Faulconer’s role so far, and examined the No on 57 side’s claims about what exactly counts as a “nonviolent” crime.
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South Bay politics is never boring.
This week, Maya Srikrishnan pulled back the curtain on how a routine decision like whether a National City grocer should be allowed an alcohol permit devolved into a petty political drama.
And Andrew Keatts tried to figure out why, exactly, Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas is on TV urging voters to approve Measure B – the Lilac Hills Ranch development – when that project is about an hour away from the Chula Vista residents she suggests it would help. Salas wouldn’t speak with us to clear things up.
What I’m Reading
• This is a thoughtful piece on the discussion surrounding Colin Kaepernick, framed by his first start of the season last week. (Sports Illustrated’s MM QB)
• You had me at “women’s meat camp.” (Wall Street Journal)
• A good reminder that it’s near impossible for even well-intentioned wealthy cities to follow through on building more affordable housing. (Politico Magazine)
• A great read on the very distinct types of feminism represented by Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Hillary Clinton. (Marie Claire)
• The so-called stunt girl reporters of the late 1800s get their dues. (Smithsonian)
• Only a writer as good as D.J. Waldie could turn houses tented for termite spraying into a poignant piece on life in Southern California. (Paris Review)
Line of the Week
“Doing nothing is harder than it looks.” – From a delightful story about the manager of Nevada’s public pension fund, who has secured good returns by doing as little as possible.