Voice of San Diego Podcast Voice of San Diego

Senior investigative reporter Lisa Halverstadt has been watching the city of San Diego's real estate deals for years.

101 Ash St. was a notorious real estate endeavor in which the the city entered a lease-to-own deal for a downtown high rise. The deal was quickly engulfed in scandal and asbestos. After years of lawsuits and a criminal investigation, taxpayers paid more than $200 million dollars and the building remains vacant.

So, when Mayor Todd Gloria unveiled a big new deal for a big new building to be a new homeless mega shelter, Halverstadt dug in.

This week, Halverstadt discussed how this building came to the attention of city staff and the motivations of the man trying to sell it.

Plus: A new softball scandal. What "fire SDG&E" really means. Goodbye to Nate.

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It wouldn’t be a presidential election year without a massive list of ballot measures. But a big one that would have stuck it to San Diego Gas & Electric's power supremacy was stalled — in large part because of a labor union.

This week, we discuss a feud between SDG&E and public power proponents that played out in front of a San Diego City Council committee.

Plus: The forgotten history of Midway. Students walk out of Logan Memorial. Our fight for public records.

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There was always a theory that if we were going to legalize cannabis, the people who used to get in trouble for selling it should get a chance to sell it again.

The city of San Diego secured a grant to give people like that a leg up. But now it looks like they'll have to send the grant money back.

This week, host Andrea Lopez-Villafaña shares an update to the city's Cannabis Social Equity program.

Plus: The uncanny valley of education. Big questions and budget woes decelerate Mayor Todd Gloria's homeless shelter deal.

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It was a big week for things that used to be things.

The Republican Party of San Diego County, once a local political juggernaut, lost its chairwoman after an internal battle over Carl DeMaio, who is running for state Assembly against Andrew Hayes.

Despite DeMaio’s efforts to drag a Democrat to the runoff, he will face Hayes, a fellow Republican.

This week, we discuss the endorsement battle that threatened to splinter an already weak political faction — and ultimately led to the emergence of a new party leader.

Plus: Students learning online are performing way worse than their in-person peers. SDSU isn't interested in a Mission Valley arena.

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Tiara Gray was bright. She was artsy, well-written — an old soul in a young body, people said.

She was from the Appalachian region of Maryland, a small place with few prospects for what many consider "good careers."

Gray scored high on an aptitude test that caught the attention of the U.S. Navy. For Gray, like many people across the country, the military offered rare opportunities. So, she joined.

Through her recruitment process, Gray reportedly withheld information about her mental health. Lying is apparently common, and encouraged, during military recruitments.

This week, senior investigative reporter Will Huntsberry tells Gray's story — and explains what happened after Gray was recruited, as she managed her fragile mental health while stuck in the machine of the U.S. Navy.

Listener warning: This discussion happens in the final segment of the show (after the ad break) and contains discussion of self harm and suicide.

If you or someone you know might be considering suicide, there is help. Call or text 988, the Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline.

Plus: Mayor Todd Gloria announces plans for a 1,000-bed shelter. And the most affordable housing projects in San Diego.
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For a long time, Voice has followed the tale of school in Logan Heights.

The school has changed names and faces in recent years. It’s got an impressive new building. It used to be called Logan Memorial Prep, now it’s Logan Memorial Educational Campus.

Logan Memorial has served generations of residents. And through that time it has modified its educational offerings and appearance. But as host Jakob McWhinney explains this week, throughout all these changes one thing remained the same: its bad reputation. It’s still one of the most avoided schools in the district.

This week, we talk about what the school can do to turn things around.

Plus: New theme music. Baseball and Petco Park. An update to the Fletcher saga.

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