1. No, the Hilton Bayfront Pool Is Not Open to the Public
The urban myth that the Hilton Bayfront agreed to open its pool to the public as part of a land use deal is so pervasive that even some hotel staffers believe it. It’s not true. But there are some public access points along the waterfront that many San Diegans might not know about. (Kinsee Morlan)
2. DA Drops Felony Charges Against Lawyer Who Defended Marijuana Businessman
Attorney Jessica McElfresh, whose prosecution attracted national attention, will not face felony charges if she complies with an agreement signed Monday to stay out of trouble for one year. (Jesse Marx)
3. This Case Could Throw a Major Wrench in the Government’s Zero-Tolerance Prosecutions
Prosecutors routinely leave out whether a defendant charged with illegally entering the country has asked for asylum — a fact that could fundamentally impact a case. The government claims it leaves asylum requests out of documents for privacy reasons, but one attorney challenging the omissions says the real goal is criminalizing asylum under cover of darkness. (Maya Srikrishnan)
4. Six Schools Flagged for Dangerous Lead Were Promised New Plumbing; New Bond Promises it Again
Safe drinking water has become a centerpiece of San Diego Unified’s pitch for a new $3.5 billion school bond on the November ballot. A majority of the 11 schools flagged in 2017 and 2018 for dangerous lead levels were explicitly promised new or improved plumbing twice in the last decade under previous bonds, but haven’t yet received it. (Ashly McGlone)
5. City Building List of Affordable Housing ‘Time Bombs’
Councilwoman Georgette Gomez is spearheading an effort to create an inventory of the soon-to-expire affordable housing in the city. Advocates have been pushing the idea, too. But some city leaders say a list wouldn’t be very useful, and that instead focus should be on acquiring funding to build new affordable housing projects. (Kinsee Morlan)
6. Politics Report: Three Ways Republicans Can Kill the Measure to Change County Elections
A major change to how the county elects officials has a conservative gauntlet to get through to get on the November ballot. Plus: Why did Councilman Chris Ward flip on vacation rentals, and SDSU football may have a place to play next year. (Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts)
7. The State Might Give Marijuana Customers a Way Around Local Bans
California officials say new marijuana regulations should be seen as technical tweaks, but at least one provision is a potential a game-changer for the industry. (Jesse Marx)
8. New Plan Would Add Density, Jobs to Midway District – if it Can Clear One More Hurdle
A new community plan for the Midway-Pacific Highway area would greenlight lots of dense housing near jobs and transit. But the plan was delayed in May because of Councilwoman Lorie Zapf’s concerns about how it handles traffic in the area. (Andrew Keatts)
9. Chris Ward’s Incredible Transformation on Vacation Rentals
Councilman Chris Ward had been steadfast in his support of accommodating vacation rentals and providing a regulatory system with ample resources for enforcement of nuisances and violations. Then he suddenly changed his mind. (Scott Lewis)
10. Affordable Housing Bond Advocates Agree to Stand Down Until 2020
The San Diego Housing Federation, an affordable housing lobbying group, said Monday that recent polling, an increasingly crowded November ballot and a tight fundraising timeline persuaded them to postpone their measure until 2020. (Lisa Halverstadt)