Voice of San Diego Podcast

Voice of San Diego Podcast


Latest Episodes

The Cannabis Equity Program Got Smoked
April 19, 2024

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

Happy Hour: Guns, Fat Leonard and ‘Selling Sunset’
August 09, 2023

Few joys in life match a breezy summer night gossiping with good friends over cold drinks. And in this first-ever Happy Hour special episode, thats what weve got for you.Hosts Scott Lewis and Andrea Lopez-Villafaa chat with guests Alain Stephens, re

Week One of the New Camping Ban
August 04, 2023

Monday was the first day San Diego police could enforce the homeless camping ban made to crack down on specific areas of the city where street camping has proliferated.Voice reporter Lisa Halverstadt has been following this ban since its inception. Thi

City of San Diego is The Region's Real Homekey Player
July 28, 2023

A few weeks ago, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria asked a question daring reporters to find out, "What other jurisdictions are applying for Homekey dollars?""Homekey" is a state project doling out big money for new housing. Local municipalities can apply fo

The Art of Political Mailers
July 21, 2023

"Mailers are like the core concentrate of local politics. If you boil down politics, you're left with mailer content."This week, our hosts discuss political mailers. While mailers are objectively annoying inbox filler that most people throw, they are cr

The Union-Tribune Sold Again
July 14, 2023

Los Angeles' richest man, Patrick Soon-Shiong, sold the San Diego Union-Tribune and the LA Times to MediaNews Group, owned by Alden Global Capital.The U-T has had six owners since 2009. Soon-Shiong at the start of his tenure promised "stability." Now it

Camp Sites, Wealthy Landowners and Those Caught in the Middle
July 07, 2023

This week, we've got updates from the highly anticipated safe camping site put in place by the city of San Diego.The city opened the site to provide unhoused residents a safe place to camp, made to be more attractive than sidewalks. The first of two such

The First Big Safe Camping Lot Is Open
June 30, 2023

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other city leaders announced the opening of a safe camping site for homeless residents. It's first of two in the coming months along with a new ban on camping, which narrowly passed the City Council last week. The ban exp

'It's Gonna Blow'
June 23, 2023

This week's co-host, Jakob McWhinney, shared in this episode a framework he often uses to consider San Diego's present state and future: "It's gonna blow."The Padres are going to acquire huge stars and take off. San Diego's going to be a hot new music sc

The Controversial Camping Ban Is Here
June 16, 2023

After hours of public discussion and debate, the San Diego City Council narrowly approved a law that would ban camping on public land.The ban would bar homeless camps in public spaces at all times when shelter is available. And when shelter isn't availa