Good morning, San Diego ☀️

Here’s what we have for you today:

  • A new mural at Liberty Station showcases the border region through tattoo art.
  • Are you familiar with the terror of la chancla? Many people know that fear — and it needs to change, says at least one educator.
  • And shoutout to reader Sunny Contreras, who correctly guessed the answer to yesterday’s news quiz. 😊

Brooke Binkowski

News editor

Jennifer Vigil

News editor


Top story

Volleyball players win point in dispute over South Mission Beach early start time

Letter of law. Spirit of law. It’s a constant battle over what’s fair versus what is written in black and white.

You could say the space between the letter and the spirit is what folks can get away with. And for many years, decades even, dozens of volleyball players did just that, as they got their workouts in around 6 a.m. at South Mission Beach.

Until April that is, when someone noticed their digs, spikes and blocks and complained that the San Diego municipal code is only supposed to allow play after 8 a.m.

So a park ranger issued the players a warning and a battle began, one that spawned a change.org petition and ultimately reached the mayor’s office.

It’s a uniquely San Diego story, involving an iconic beach, a sport inextricably tied to the sand, fitness fans and even occupants of short-term rentals. Rather than being the targets of complaints, as has so often been the case, this time short-term renters evidently were the source.

The city, by the way, relented, allowing the 6 a.m. start time, and Mission Beach players aren’t the only ones who will benefit. The early start will apply to other beach courts as well.

But the win isn’t set in stone. There’s a catch. We’ll let contributor Karen Pearlman set the scene.


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Stories you should know about

📜 Group threatens to sue San Diego over withholding records of fatal police shooting of teen: In a letter sent Wednesday, the First Amendment Coalition demanded the release of records related to Konoa Wilson, 16, who was shot to death by a police officer in 2025. The city settled a suit filed by his family late last year for $30 million.

📦 Amazon said it ‘screwed up,’ but video of workers at a park raises questions for councilman, residents and labor groups: Sean Elo-Rivera took aim at Amazon Wednesday after a video circulated showing the online retailer using a local park as a distribution hub. An Amazon spokesman called that situation a mistake, but Elo-Rivera is skeptical and called attention to recent access issues for residents.

🚊 San Diego accused of misinterpreting state housing law that allows projects near transit: Two housing groups say San Diego officials ran afoul of the law in their interpretation of SB 79, signed by Gov. Newsom last fall. The bill allows more housing to be built for projects near major transit stops.

🌆 Opinion: The San Diego-Tijuana region is helping re-define 21st century America: For decades, writes John Eger, we have thought of San Diego as simply another large American city. But it has evolved into something much more significant: a globally connected metropolitan region.


What else we’re reading

🚧 If you’re a San Diego motorist you’ve been dodging construction everywhere. Now add this project: road widening near San Diego International Airport, starting on Pacific Highway. It’s intended to increase capacity. (KPBS)

🥎 Point Loma High’s softball team had two outstanding years. Yet the head coach, an alum, is out of a job and some members of the community are wondering why. School officials aren’t saying. (Union-Tribune)


Locals Only

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