These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of Oct. 12-20.
1. Roberts Confirms Fraud of NFL Offer While Dodging Bill for Homeless Needs
County Supervisor Ron Roberts’ claim that the county does not and cannot spend money on city “facilities” is only valid if you also conclude Roberts was trying to con the NFL and desperate Chargers fans two years ago. (Scott Lewis)
2. San Diego’s Been Losing a Century-Long Battle Against Poop
The hepatitis A outbreak has renewed interest in the bacteria-filled San Diego River. The county has called downtown a “fecally contaminated environment.” A congressman has sounded the alarm about local waterways. And an image problem has arisen again, like in the 1980s when there so much sewage running into Mission Bay its beaches were closed a quarter of the time. (Ry Rivard)
3. Documents Reveal How San Diego Unified Urges Struggling Students to Find New Schools
San Diego Unified spokespeople have publicly denied that students were counseled out of district schools. But documents obtained through a California Public Records Act request show that between fall 2012 and fall 2016, school staff members recommended students find a new high school on at least 238 occasions. (Mario Koran)
4. Cate’s Favor to SoccerCity Wasn’t Necessary — It Was Illegal
Eight City Council members in the exact same situation as Councilman Chris Cate did their jobs without disclosing a confidential memo. With that, Cate’s defense utterly collapses. It wasn’t necessary. (Will Moore)
5. Opinion: Vacation Rentals Worsen the Housing Crisis
It’s already hard enough to find affordable homes in San Diego. Our elected leaders should not consider a proposal that will make it harder. (Blake Herrschaft)
6. In Less Than a Year, Dems Have Scored Big Changes to How San Diego Votes
In just 11 short months, San Diego Democrats have muscled through a series of laws that could translate their voter registration advantage throughout the county into real political power. (Andrew Keatts)
7. Border Report: No One Wall to Solve it All
Why some border agents still patrol on horseback, immigrant victims are reporting fewer domestic violence crimes and the border baby says goodbye. (Mario Koran)
8. No One Is Recording What Happens in Family Law Court Anymore
San Diego Superior Court is no longer providing court reporters for family law proceedings, which means there is no verbatim, written record of the what happens in court. People involved in disputes can elect to pay for one themselves, which attorneys worry creates a two-tiered system. (Jonah Valdez)
9. San Ysidro School District Has Spent $480K Trying to Recover $291K From Ex-Superintendent
Ex San Ysidro superintendent Manuel Paul received $211,000 in severance pay when he resigned in 2013, after being indicted in a corruption case, as well as $80,000 in leave pay. If all goes well for the district, Paul will pay that back, plus damages and attorney fees. (Ashly McGlone)
10. When Border Patrol Can Pull You Over
Patrolling the area closest to the U.S.-Mexico border may be what first comes to mind when you think of Border Patrol, but it’s only one piece of the agency’s enforcement efforts. (Mario Koran)