Last year, we revived a beloved reporting project to dig deep into some of the biggest fights in the region. From tennis court disputes to warring water districts, we had it all.
Voice of San Diego readers can expect another Beef Week later this year, but some possible storylines are forming, so here’s a little primer to some fights we’re watching.
Grab your cafecito. Here’s what you need to know to start your week.
County Boss Search Just Got Weirder
Our resident politics nerd Scott Lewis has been following a fight over who should be the county’s next boss. That is the county’s new chief administration officer.
Lewis spoke in-depth on the latest episode of the VOSD Podcast about the county’s history with its leaders and how the county’s labor groups saw this new hiring round as an opportunity to get someone in that position who would break a mold.
Labor leaders were rallying hard for Cindy Chavez, a Santa Clara County supervisor and former labor leader. But she didn’t get an interview, and labor leaders figured it was Board Chair Nora Vargas who was standing in the way.
A fight has since broken out between those who are mad at Vargas and those who support her. The fight got extra messy last week when the head of the San Diego Imperial Counties Labor Council questioned if Vargas really is a “chingona” (a term used to describe a strong, badass Latina woman) and started a chant using there Spanish slang, “no mames, Nora.”
Is San Diego Going to Ban Rodeos?
Late last week, Voice intern Juan Estrada wrote a story about a group of charros in San Ysidro advocating against a proposal to ban rodeos within city limits.
Charrería is traditional Mexican rodeo. There are competitive events and the contestants dress in traditional colorful wardrobes and sombreros. When I was at the Union-Tribune, I featured the group and the ranch where they practice and host competitions and community events. You can read that story here.
Councilmember Kent Lee proposed the ban after Petco Park hosted its first rodeo. Animal welfare groups protested the event and raised concerns after a horse was injured during a performance.
We ran two op-eds from both sides in March. One group argued that culture didn’t justify animal cruelty and another made the case for why San Diego should drop the ban.
We reached out to his office about the proposal, but we didn’t hear back. So, it’s still TBD if the ban would affect the charros in San Ysidro. Read the full story here.
Bidding War for a Vista Ranch
Early last week, we learned that the county Board of Supervisors voted to enter into negotiations for a property in Vista.
Their plan, if everything works out, is to buy 110 acres of the Green Oak Ranch, a property that has a sort of secluded feel to it but is close to main roads and state Route 78, and use it as mental health and substance abuse treatment campus.
Why the county wants it: They need to make this happen. As our Lisa Halverstadt has reported, the county’s supply of withdrawal management beds, recovery centers and care facilities isn’t enough to meet the demand. Swiftly accessing a detox bed is like winning the lottery. There are also a couple of legislative changes officials expect could put a greater strain on the system.
The bid war: The county isn’t the only one with its eye on that site. A nonprofit told our Tigist Layne that they are also in negotiations with the owners. Solutions for Change wants the property to double the number of clients they serve. The nonprofit requires sobriety from it’s clients — a philosophy that’s different from the county and that has cost Solutions for Change thousands of dollars in government homeless dollars.
One county supervisor told Layne it’s not surprising others are eyeing the property, and that at this time the county isn’t considering other potential sites.
Quick Fact-Check
When reviewing the county’s agenda item for the Vista property vote, I noticed a data point that didn’t seem right.
The statement: “Homelessness, mental health, and addiction are some of the most pressing issues facing our region. Despite great strides taken to address these issues, we are a far cry from meeting the long-term needs of San Diego County’s homeless population. According to the 2023 Point in Time Count, homelessness increased by 22%. A study conducted by UC San Francisco found that 82% of our homeless population has mental illness and/or substance use disorder.”
The study that statement is referring is to the largest study of homeless individuals across the state. It’s sort of written to imply that “our” is San Diego, but it’s pretty vague.
It’s also doesn’t specify that the 82 percent refers to the number of people who “reported a period in their life where they experienced a serious mental health condition.”
That number does not include those who reported using illicit drugs, or heavy alcohol use during a period of their lives.
The study’s leader spoke to Halverstadt about the findings during a Voice event. You can listen to them discuss the findings here.
Something I’ve Been Wondering
Last week, while looking to treat myself to a fancy lipstick at the Macy’s makeup counter in Fashion Valley, I witnessed an attempted robbery. I was speaking to the sales associate when a security guard dressed in plain clothes ran past us and grabbed a young boy.
Moments later, that same guard ran after a woman. He asked her if she was proud of herself for stealing something now that he was going to call the police.
It was shocking to watch it all unfold. The sales associate shrugged it off and said it happens all the time. She said some people have stolen the sample lipsticks from her makeup counter. She went on to tell me there’s nothing they can do if the burglars stay below a certain amount.
What she was talking about was a threshold established by Proposition 47, which says that to prosecute shoplifting as a felony, the amount stolen needs to be at least $950.
It’s still a crime to steal something below that, but it’s a misdemeanor — District Attorney Summer Stephan told the U-T that police officers have little incentive to arrest. That’s wild and worth looking into.
If you work retail, I’d love to hear from you about what you’ve experienced and how your store handles these situations. You can email me at andrea.lopez@voiceofsandiego.org.
I love how engaging and informative your content always is. Can’t wait for the next post!