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A little-known company is quietly buying up massive amounts of land in the Imperial Valley.
VOSD’s Ry Rivard reported this week that Los Angeles-based Renewable Resources Group has already helped sell 33,000 acres to California’s most powerful water agency, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. But new documents he’s obtained raise fresh questions about those deals – and about what the company is seeking to do in Imperial.
Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts sat down with Rivard on the podcast to break down the company’s motives and explain why it matters.
“A lot of people have talked for years about how water is going to be the next oil. It’s going to become a commodity, if it isn’t already. And this company is flying under the radar,” said Rivard.
The discussion with Rivard starts at minute 4.
Gaspar Running for Re-election
County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar told us in a bonus podcast interview last week that she’s running for re-election in North County. It’s no secret that Gaspar had flirted with the idea of again running for Congress. She gave us some insight behind her decision to run in the 2018 election. Her decision means the District 3 supervisor race will be one of the biggest contests on the ballot.
“I love my job. I love my community. I grew up here, my roots are here, my family’s business is here, my family’s here,” said Gaspar. “But it was really challenging the early days on the Board of Supervisors recognizing that we’re a pass-through agency for state and federal programs and their dollars.”
This week, we revisit that conversation to talk about how county supervisors grapple with a lack of decision-making power, Gaspar’s views on transportation spending and whether she has pulled back on her public support of President Donald Trump now that she’s running a local campaign.
Catch up on the full interview with Gaspar here.
News of the Week
Mark Kersey has left the Republican Party, and Lewis shares some reaction from local politicians. There’s word Kersey is still considering a run in the mayor’s race, but it’s unclear whether being an independent would help in that effort.
Also on the podcast, we sat down with Councilwoman Vivian Moreno, who has been heavily involved in housing and land use issues in San Diego. We asked Moreno for her thoughts on inclusionary housing fees and more.
The interview with Moreno starts at minute 30.
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