These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of Feb. 18-Feb. 24.
1. Neither San Diego – Nor California – Is a Sanctuary for the Undocumented
In fiscal year 2016, the San Diego Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed 23,729 people from the United States. More than 12,8oo of them had no criminal convictions at all. (Scott Lewis)
2. A Reader’s Guide to the SANDAG Scandal
The saga involving the San Diego Association of Governments can get convoluted pretty quickly. First, there’s the fact that SANDAG is not too familiar to many people. Then there’s the fact that the scandal centers on some complex stuff, namely economic forecasts and what goes into them. The fundamental issue at hand, though, is not complex: A powerful government agency knowingly misled the public. And that’s worth understanding. (Sara Libby)
3. Jacobs Center, Southeastern San Diego Landholder, Sheds Key Staff in Upheaval
The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, which promised years ago to develop 60 acres in southeastern San Diego, has been forced to fundamentally change its development vision and to significantly pare down operations. (Lisa Halverstadt)
4. There’s a Major Flaw in SANDAG’s Explanation of Its Scandal
SANDAG is claiming it did not know a forecasting error staffers discovered in 2015 would ultimately lead to voters being offered a false promise in 2016. But the agency’s own staffers made clear to SANDAG executives the two went hand in hand. (Andrew Keatts)
5. San Diego’s Art Scene Can’t Stop Asking Itself: ‘What’s Wrong With Me?’
For years, folks have been organizing panels and discussions on why San Diego doesn’t have a more vibrant arts scene. Here are 10 points that continually resurface in the arts world’s neverending soul-searching quest. (Kinsee Morlan)
6. SANDAG Board Members Call for Investigation Into Measure A Debacle
Seven board members say they weren’t told SANDAG’s Measure A sales tax estimates were wrong – an error that led to voters being sold a false promise – and are calling for an independent review. (Andrew Keatts and Lynn Walsh)
7. North County Report: Issa’s No-Win Situation
More on Rep. Darrell Issa’s plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, North County leaders largely silent on SANDAG debacle and more in our weekly roundup of news from North County. (Ruarri Serpa)
8. San Diego Explained: San Diego’s Craft Coffee Explosion
The local craft coffee boom, explained. (Kinsee Morlan)
9. Struggling Students Moved to Online Charters, Boosting District’s Record Grad Rate
Data provided by five charter schools offers a window into the way San Diego Unified benefited from a system that allows it to unload its lowest-performing students and maintain a graduation rate above 90 percent. (Mario Koran)
10. SDPD Finds a Way Around State Law Limiting DNA Collection From Juveniles
Last year, police stopped a group of boys in Logan Heights for wearing blue and walking in a public park. They collected DNA swabs from all of them, despite a state law that would seemingly prevent them from doing so. A new lawsuit from the family of one of the boys is challenging department policy. (Kelly Davis)