The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to weigh whether cities can keep homeless people from camping in public spaces.
Background: Several years ago, three homeless people sued the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, in an attempt to overturn the city’s camping ban. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals eventually ruled that the city could not enforce its ban. It based its decision on an earlier ruling that enforcing such bans without shelter was cruel and unusual punishment to deny unhoused residents a place to sleep.
Grants Pass turned to the top court.
This could have huge implications locally and across the state: San Diego signed on in support of the city of Grants Pass. Officials will be closely watching. The LA Times reports that the court will hear arguments in April.
The Sacramento Report Is Back!
Our weekly coverage of San Diego politics and representatives at the state Capitol is back! This week we are relaunching the Sacramento Report.
Meet our new reporter: We’ve hired longtime San Diego journalist Deborah Sullivan Brennan to write the Sacramento Report. She previously covered politics, environment and education for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Deborah traveled to Sacramento last week to meet with San Diego representatives and she’s full of story ideas. You won’t want to miss her first newsletter this Friday, so subscribe here.
VOSD Podcast: ‘Stronger Every Day’
On the latest VOSD Podcast episode, hosts Scott Lewis, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Jakob McWhinney pulled apart some of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s State of the City talking points.
Our hosts break down his “tough on crime” approach to retail theft and his take on why Prop 47 should be reformed. They also get into some of his big promises for the next year and take on how the city is getting “stronger every day.”
Also on the show: Lincoln High School saw its test scores drop while graduation rates went up. What gives? McWhinney breaks down the dueling data and what school leaders are saying about that dichotomy at one of its most-watched schools.
It’s a good show. Listen to the full episode here.
What Happens When a Neighborhood Loses a Grocery Store
Walmart announced on Wednesday, Jan. 10 that it would close two stores in the county next month. One is in El Cajon and the other is the one on Imperial Avenue in Logan Heights.
Our professional chismosa checked in on how one community is responding to the closure. Walmart wasn’t welcomed with open arms when it moved to Logan Heights, but it has since become some neighbors’ local store.
Many residents are now wondering what’s going to happen when the retailer moves out. Will the building sit empty? Read Cup of Chisme here.
In Other News
- inewsource reports from Jacumba Hot Springs where migrants are crossing into the U.S. Once they cross, migrants wait for days in large encampments for Border Patrol agents to process and release them into San Diego County.
- The Union-Tribune has the latest on the city of San Diego’s lawsuit against SeaWorld. The city wants the theme park to pay millions in back rent.
- Apple is closing its San Diego office and relocating the jobs to Texas. Employees who choose not to relocate or apply to other positions will be laid off, Bloomberg reports. The company employs 121 in San Diego.
- KPBS reports on new data that shows that child care providers are still struggling to get by.
- The U.S. Navy has recovered a helicopter that crashed into the San Diego Bay. (NBC 7)
- More than 70 museums will offer half-off admission next month. (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña. It was edited by Scott Lewis.
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