Today’s newsletter is presented by YMCA San Diego.
Good morning, San Diego ☀️
Here’s what we have for you today:
- Most evacuation orders have been lifted in Tusil Fire.
- Grief, sadness, resolve as San Diegans continue to grieve three killed in the mosque shooting attack.
Brooke Binkowski
News editor
Top story
City slashes trash fees, ends paid parking in Balboa Park to avoid trial and ballot measures
An observer called paid parking at Balboa Park “ill-conceived and poorly implemented.” He wasn’t alone in thinking that, and there’s also the critics who condemned the voter-approved trash fee for single-family homes that came in higher than originally projected.
The city of San Diego backed down on both issues Wednesday, settling a lawsuit over the trash fees by agreeing to reduce them, while also setting aside the controversial Balboa Park parking fees almost entirely. Opponents of both agreed to withdraw their ballot challenge as part of the agreement.
The deal almost certainly will lead to budget consequences, but it has political implications for the embattled mayor and council too. Our Dorian Hargrove and Drew Sitton have more.
In a not-unrelated story, a political theorist years ago set out to confront the contradictions inherent in local life. San Diego-based academic Mike Davis contended that the great beauty of the region was met by a multitude of contradictions – raging inequality, racism and redlining, environmental degradation and more.
The unprepossessing author died in 2022, and his most enduring work, “Under the Perfect Sun,” published 20 years ago, is about to get a new life. It was out of print for years, but it returns May 26 with new essays and interviews.
Local reporter Jesse Marx offers a look at the bracing, scathing book.
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Stories you should know about
📜 Family files lawsuit over toddler’s death at La Mesa military housing complex : The 13-month-old boy leaned against a large living room window and fell two stories almost a year ago.
📚 The go-to guide for organizers and journalists trying to understand the alienation they sensed at the core of America’s Finest City is back: After being out of print for years, the book returns on May 26.
🗳️ Voters to decide county charter reforms in fall: The proposed reforms include a provision allowing supervisors to run for a third term. A divided board on Wednesday agreed to place them on the ballot.
🥎 Palomar College softball wins state championship: The team was ailing, but that didn’t stop them. They took the crown in a commanding 13-0 win.
What else we’re reading
🩺 The 2024 flood victims in Shelltown are facing a range of health issues, including breathing problems and skin infections. (Voice of San Diego)
⚖️ The man accused of killing missing wife Maya “May” Millete complains that he’s not getting a fair trial, days after testimony began. (NBC7 San Diego)
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Locals Only
☕️ What’s the best coffee spot in Mission Beach/Pacific Beach? Let us know and we’ll shoutout you and your recommendations tomorrow.
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