These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week.
1. A Reader’s Guide to the Local Ballot Measures
From pot taxes to school bonds to the future of Mission Valley, San Diego voters have a lot of big decisions to make. Here’s a study guide. (Lisa Halverstadt)
2. A Poaching Scandal Made Waves in San Diego’s Yacht Club Community
Fish and Wildlife officials have accused two of San Diego’s top yachtsmen of poaching shellfish, an odd incident that recently sent shockwaves through their genteel world. (Ry Rivard)
3. Public Art Proposal Was the Last Straw for Environmentalists
Environmental groups rallied to kill a proposed public sculpture planned for a water purification plant set to open in a few years because it depicted a giant straw. (Kinsee Morlan)
A group of more than 300 Central Americans who’d banded together to make the journey to the U.S.-Mexico border incited the wrath of the Trump administration when they arrived in Tijuana in March. Since then, the caravan members’ paths have diverged — but many are still harnessing the voice and power the group helped them find. (Maya Srikrishnan)
5. Before Budget Crisis, Sweetwater Trustees OK’d Raises Despite a Warning From State Officials
A 2015 report warned Sweetwater Unified High School District its budget would be in trouble if it didn’t find a way to cut costs and bring in more money. District trustees went on to OK 3.75 percent raises. Now they’re scrambling to cut $19 million mid-year. (Will Hunstberry)
6. Special Podcast: All 12 State Ballot Measures, Explained
For this podcast episode, Ry Rivard and Sara Libby run down all of the statewide ballot measures, including why there are 12 propositions but only 11 you’ll actually vote on (see, you’re learning already). (Sara Libby)
7. How Ron Roberts’ Recent Blowup Explains the Battle to Replace Him
County Supervisor Ron Roberts recently lashed out at a homeless advocate who suggested the county could do more to help the crisis. To understand his reaction, it helps to understand the criticism — from both sides of the aisle — the county has faced over the past few years. (Lisa Halverstadt)
8. Opinion: Clairemont Can Be Part of the Solution to the Housing Crisis
Clairemont needs to revitalize itself and be a part of the solution to the housing crisis — offering new housing options for its residents and preserving the desire to own for folks who have lived in the community for decades. (Barbarah Torres)
9. California Is Cracking Down on Legal Scams Targeting Immigrants
The State Bar of California has been working more aggressively to investigate and prevent legal scams that target immigrants desperate to avoid deportation. Its efforts have come at a time in which the federal government, under the Trump administration, has ratcheted up its immigration enforcement activities and rhetoric. (Lyle Moran)
10. The Housing Crisis Is Obvious – but the Data Detailing Its Scope Is Not
A city report says just 33 units for middle-income units were built in seven years. The real number is actually four. The error underscores not just the desperate need for homes, but the lack of accurate data on how many of them builders are producing — numbers that could inform and guide policy solutions. (Lisa Halverstadt)