I’m not the kind of guest who brings delicious side dishes to holiday gatherings.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t dish.
My contribution to such events is bringing the chisme. Our reporters have been on fire lately. So, I’ve rounded up the stories you can serve up this week (no stretchy pants required).
Grab some cafecito.
The Latest on Our Investigation
Two months ago, senior investigative reporter Will Huntsberry uncovered that a nonprofit group staffing concession stands at Petco Park didn’t exist. (If you didn’t read it, catch up here.)
What kind of person volunteers to staff concession stand for a nonprofit that doesn’t exist you might wonder … the kind that gets paid. Last week he revealed that at least three nonprofit groups staffing stadium concession stands under the guise of volunteering are actually providing cheap, off-the-books labor.
The latest: One man tried to blow the whistle on this practice.
Huntsberry found that a source informed North Island Credit Union Amphitheater’s concessions company that a group was paying supposed volunteers under the table. A representative with the concessions company, Legends Hospitality, responded that they would investigate. That was in 2020.
The group continued to operate. Read our investigation here.
The Story of Two Neighbors
This week, we told the story of two women who are facing eviction. Mishele Stead and Pamela Peterson have been neighbors for 10 years. They share a duplex in Golden Hill.
Voice of San Diego contributor Kathryn Gray revealed that the two women, who have dedicated their professional careers to keeping people from falling into homelessness, in a terrible twist of irony, are being forced out of their homes. The owner of the building they rent wants to build a 108-unit complex. It would include some mandated affordable units.
But there was something we discovered that actually offered the women some protection. It’s something that they didn’t know — and few advocates and city leaders were aware of until we asked.
It’s a story about how laws and policies impact people in our community. Read the story here.
Build Affordable Somewhere Else
Will Huntsberry this week also wrote about a push to allow developers to build affordable housing in poorer neighborhoods.
Catch up: Mayor Todd Gloria proposed a set of housing reforms, but two details in his Housing Action Package 2.0 became controversial in recent weeks. The City Council on Monday voted down the reforms.
It was a spicy meeting. Some Councilmembers couldn’t get behind the reforms. Others were hesitant to make changes to the policy on the fly. Here’s what went down.
VOSD Podcast: If you’re interested in learning more about the housing package and why it was a hot meeting, listen to the latest episode of the VOSD Podcast. We break down all the deets. Listen here.
Demographic Changes at San Diego Schools
Education reporter Jakob McWhinney reports that San Diego County schools have 15,000 fewer Black students than they did 15 years ago.
One school in a neighborhood that has long been a center of the region’s Black population has seen a significant change. McWhinney reports that Lincoln High School in the 2007-2008 school year had 917 Black students. Last year it had 272.
McWhinney writes about the decline and possible reasons.
Inside Voice
Just a couple notes from me. We are all going to spend time with our families this week. There won’t be a Morning Report on Thursday or Friday. And I’m going to skip next Sunday’s Cup of Chisme as I recover from the food coma I will undoubtedly experience next week.
But don’t be sad. We’ve got some cool stuff lined up. We are writing about all the local “beefs” that we have been watching unfold in the last year. We aren’t talking meat here we’re talking drama, chisme, fights, disputes … beef. Get ready for Beef Week.
Subscribe to the Morning Report, if you haven’t already, so you don’t miss it.
Have a nice holiday.
terima kasih infonya keren bgt
That’s just awful about those two ladies who were helping homeless people and others. Now, they might end up without a home of their own! The whole thing is crazy. They were doing good work to help people in need, and this is how they get repaid? What a sad story.