These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of Sept. 22-28.
1. Months of Emails, Then a Mad Scramble: How the Hepatitis A Crisis Unfolded Behind the Scenes
Emails show county and city officials exchanged sporadic, cordial emails about the hepatitisA outbreak for months. Even when officials did express concern about the virus, those concerns remained mostly private. (Lisa Halverstadt)
2. Tijuana Sewage Is Not Fueling the Hep A Outbreak, But the San Diego River Might Be
The hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego has brought together a volatile cocktail of rampant speculation and uncertain science. (Ry Rivard)
3. Some Poway Unified Employees Have Racked Up Several Years’ Worth of Vacation Pay
Some Poway Unified School District non-teaching employees have racked up several years’ worth of vacation time beyond what they’re allowed. The district’s internal controls over vacation time were found lacking in two different audits over the last year, and former Superintendent John Collins was fired, in part, for allegedly cashing out vacation time he wasn’t entitled to. (Ashly McGlone)
4. Vacation Rentals Are Here to Stay, and It’s Time for Reasonable Regulations
The right framework for San Diego will balance the range of objectives while remaining foremost committed to safety and security. (Chris Ward)
5. City Power Brokers Restart Talks to Fund Convention Center, Homelessness Solutions
A handful of powerful city leaders from both sides of the aisle met Friday morning, renewing negotiations for tax increases to expand the Convention Center and create new revenue sources to address the city’s homelessness and affordable housing crises. (Andrew Keatts)
6. Culture Report: Barrio Logan Artists Booted From Yet Another Venue
Problems continue at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, wire sculptures in City Heights must come down and more in our weekly digest of the region’s arts and culture news. (Kinsee Morlan)
7. Water Authority Loses Long-Running Bid Against Arch-Rival to Lower Water Costs
For years, San Diego water officials argued the region’s major supplier of water, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, charges too much to deliver water to San Diego from the Colorado River. On Wednesday, the state Supreme Court declined to take up the case, leaving a lower court ruling siding with Metropolitan in place. (Ry Rivard)
8. These Are the Incredibly Narrow Circumstances in Which You Can View Police Body Camera Footage
Even after a trial is complete, it’s nearly impossible for members of the public to access body camera footage. (Ashly McGlone)
9. San Diego Lifeguards Complained They Couldn’t Help Houston. Here’s What Really Happened.
San Diego’s lifeguard union leader accused the fire chief of risking lives by not letting them go to Houston, but it was only the latest confrontation in a long-simmering dispute between the two. (Ashly McGlone)
10. City Planners Seek Easy Fix to Old Barrio Logan Stalemate, But the Neighborhood Has Changed
City planners visited the Barrio Logan community planning group Wednesday as part of the latest attempt to separate homes from industrial businesses there. It didn’t go well. (Andrew Keatts)