When Chula Vista and Port of San Diego officials pitched the sprawling Gaylord Hotel to residents, they promised vast riches. At the Gaylord’s grand opening last year, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann promised the resort would make the area “a world-class people’s bayfront… creating $475 million of economic impact annually.”
That predicted bounty was why they authorized – and issued – nearly $400 million in bonds to subsidize the construction of the resort, the final price tag of which was $1.3 billion. When the bond passed, city leaders estimated it would cost residents about $870 million to repay.
But nearly two years after the resort’s flashy opening, and just before a planned refinancing of the bonds, officials say economic forces beyond their control – especially rising interest rates – will almost certainly increase the final price tag to pay off the bonds.
“The total cost of the debt,” one city finance official said, “will be higher than what was estimated.”
Ex-Deputy Convicted of Assaulting Women Out at Christian Group
On Friday, Voice of San Diego reporter Jakob McWhinney revealed that an ex-sheriff’s deputy convicted of assaulting women had a new role as a chaplain counseling cops in crisis for a Christian nonprofit. Just days later, the organization announced it had cut ties with the man.
More than twenty women accused the ex-deputy, Ricky Fischer, of a range of abuses. They included stalking and groping and even forcing a woman who called the Sheriff’s Office for help after receiving domestic violence threats to perform oral sex on him. Fischer ultimately pleaded guilty to a half dozen offenses related to his assaults. San Diego County taxpayers footed the bill for the about $10 million paid out to victims in a civil settlement.
Even given that sordid background, the Christian Law Enforcement Fellowship, whose mission is to provide mentorship and counseling to police officers, decided to bring him on as a chaplain. On Tuesday, Jerry Hara, the organization’s president, released a statement apologizing for the decision and announcing Fischer was no longer affiliated with the nonprofit.
“In retrospect, we were overzealous in our desire to help him through his redemption journey. Regrettably, we did not give sufficient consideration for the unintentional damage we caused the victims, law enforcement agencies in the county, as well as the taxpayers,” Hara wrote in a statement.
Islamic Center Shooter Went Missing Night Before Attack
A lawsuit obtained by Times of San Diego reveals one of the shooters from the Islamic Center attack went missing from a mental health facility in Normal Heights the night before the shooting.
In the lawsuit, the parents of Caleb Vazquez said officials at the facility failed to keep their son and the public safe by not monitoring him.
Additionally, the FBI contacted Vazquez’s mother to tell her that he had been school shootings on the internet. The mother told his therapist, Times reported.
Empty Carapace of a Once-Great Electronics Empire
An urban explorer (the preferred term for folks who sneak into abandoned spaces just to catch a vibe) went inside the old Fry’s Electronics in Mission Valley before it was torn down a couple of years ago and posted photos to Reddit this week. Their photos are fascinating; cavernous, empty spaces with just the hint of the electronics wonderland that existed before.
Check out the comments for some bonus footage – including a makeshift shrine to some of the former employees.
Also, selfish pitch here: if you do stuff like this, please invite me. Seriously. Here’s my cell.
<3 Jakob
Don’t Miss This Politifest Deal!
Politifest early bird pricing ends Sept 7, so now is a perfect time to grab your tickets.
Politifest is happening on Oct. 3, with two satellite events in North and South County on Oct. 2. We’ve invited candidates for public office and will host debates on local measures. See the lineup here.
Get your tickets now and save.
In Other News
- County supervisors voted Tuesday to kick off a planning effort to help address the Tijuana River sewage crisis, setting the stage for the county to own the costly potential solution to the gnarly years-long debacle. (Union Tribune, Voice)
- You can now get a ride from a driverless car. Waymo has officially kicked off passenger pick up on Tuesday and Amazon’s Zoox is also testing its cars starting in September. (Union-Tribune)
- Oceanside residents are struggling to get in and out of their neighborhood because of traffic caused by Camp Pendleton. Traffic has blocked the only entrance into the Capistrano neighborhood next to the military base on at least three occasions this year. (inewsource)
- We could be in for a rainy Labor Day weekend. Scientists are monitoring a storm developing off southwest Mexico to see if it will hit San Diego County with heavy rains and big waves. (Union-Tribune)
- San Diego City Council repealed a section of city code set during the HIV/AIDS crisis that city leaders said was outdated and homophobic. (CBS 8 San Diego)
- Orca sightings! Passengers on a whale watch boat were treated to sights of at least a dozen killer whales spotted off the coastline. (Fox 5 San Diego)
The Morning Report was written by Jakob McWhinney and Mariana Martínez Barba. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.