Today’s newsletter is presented by Kaiser Permanente.
Good morning, San Diego ☀️
Here’s what we have for you today:
- Keep those fans going today — it’s a hot one.
- Starcrawler, Tower of Power and Ambrosia land in San Diego this week.
- The former IHOP in Pacific Beach was sold and will be redeveloped into a multifamily development.
- The East Harbor Island redevelopment, which includes a Topgolf and Waterfront Park Project, is open for public comment through Aug. 24
Tessa Balc
Audience engagement producer
Top story
California quietly killed an online educational program for K-12 students
A seemingly simple redirect of $5.5 million in funding away from one education program has sent librarians and educators into a tizzy, asking why the decision was made.
The California Online Media Program for Access and Student Success, better known as COMPASS, provides online educational content like Encyclopedia Britannica, TeachingBooks and the PBS Video Library at no cost to public schools, districts or local libraries.
Any K-12 student in the state of California, has access to this program.
Starting July 1, 2027 it looks like that will no longer be the case.
Funds that would have gone toward the program won’t entirely disappear from the education system. Instead the California Legislature redirected the funding to pay for a dyslexia screener and a repository of other educational resources for California teachers.
Regardless, librarians are caught off guard.
For years, educators and librarians alike had worked to get the state to provide online resources to every kid. The California State Library administers this specific program, and Greg Lucas, the State Librarian, told our intern, Nicole Abrams, he was not given a reason as to why the budget was shifted around.
“There was no public hearing. There was no policy discussion,” Lucas said.
A key piece of the puzzle as to why educators are upset about a sudden drop-off in funding for this program is its accessibility. Either schools will have to pick up the slack from no longer having these resources, or students will have to go without them altogether.
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Stories you should know about
🅿️ Parking permit options pitched to planning group amid housing growth: Existing permit districts charge $11.50 for an annual permit, and the option to implement one was recently presented to the Navajo Planning Group.
🚘 Pacific Beach leaders are looking to close a stretch of Ocean Boulevard to car traffic, but not everyone is on-board: Some want to maintain the parking, and others want to see the area safer for foot traffic.
🔥 A toddler stepped on hot coal and ash at Kellogg Park. A new lawsuit says the city is to blame: The suit alleges that despite knowing the danger, the city failed to put designated fire and coal disposal receptacles around pedestrian areas.
🔎 California allocates $116 million in funding over three years to identify and support homeless students: Nearly 300,000 California students were identified as unhoused in 2024-25, but advocates believe that is an undercount.
💵 California lawmakers target price gouging at ICE detention facilities: Detainees say they are provided with enough food or essential supplies, forcing them to rely on the commissary while on a $1 per day work program pay.
🤝 Opinion: A civic partnership can provide the stewardship Mission Bay deserves
What else we’re reading
🔋 The San Diego County Planning Commission unanimously voted to approve a solar and battery storage project in Boulevard, to much pushback. Community members made the hour-plus drive to share their concerns about the environmental impacts, and especially, the fire hazards associated with the project. (KPBS)
📚 After setting up shop inside Mershops North County mall for more than a year, the Escondido Public Library is moving back to its main location, which will open seven days a week on Aug. 3. (KPBS)
Times of San Diego thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.
Mid-Week News Quiz
Have you kept up with Times of San Diego this week? Let’s see!
🏘️ How many temporary tiny homes for unsheltered people were built at the Christ Lutheran Church parking lot in Pacific Beach?
A) Seven homes
B) Four homes
C) Three homes
D) Six homes
Reply first with the correct answer to earn a shoutout in tomorrow’s newsletter.