It has been quite a week for the San Diego County sheriff. Sheriff Bill Gore and his team are getting backlash from across the country after they shared a video of a deputy they claimed overdosed from fentanyl simply by encountering it. The thing is, toxicologists say that’s impossible. That's not the only reason the agency is experiencing blowback. The sheriff told San Diego police last month they could resume booking people accused of misdemeanors into local jails, but they wouldn’t tell us what crimes can get you booked into jail. And finally, this all comes out after the sheriff announced he wouldn’t be running for re-election and a bunch of prominent Democrats pounced on the chance to endorse his chosen successor. Hosts Scott Lewis, Sara Libby and Andrew Keatts explain why that happened and more on this week's VOSD Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voice of San Diego Podcast

The Sheriff Department's Crazy Week

Episode 2 of VOSD's new series Warning: This episode mentions suicide and contains graphic descriptions of killings by police officers. In light of several highly-publicized killings by police officers in recent years, more and more people have started demanding change to how law enforcement do their job and how they interact with society. Cops have the ability and authority to take life. So, who keeps them accountable? We'll explain that and what you need to know now about the state of law enforcement and police reform. Learn more at sd101.org Support SD101 at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SD101: Who Polices the Police

Four years ago, former mayor Kevin Faulconer signed a lease for the city to take over a warehouse in Kearny Mesa where crews could repair fire trucks. No fire trucks have been repaired there ever. And now, the city wants to spend $15 million to rebuild the facility it may never own. This week, we discuss all we know that's gone wrong so far. Plus: Redistricting drama is heating up. One commissioner resigned abruptly this week as the once-a-decade process to draw political maps is upon us. Register for Politifest at vosd.org/politifest Hang out with your new favorite podcast at vosd.org/101podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another City Real Estate Deal Doesn't Measure Up

There was a major development this week in one of the most dramatic stories VOSD has followed the last couple years. Say it with me: 101 Ash St. On Tuesday, VOSD’s Lisa Halverstadt broke the news that district attorney investigators were raiding the offices of Hughes Marino, Cisterra Development and the home of Jason Hughes. Halverstadt joins the podcast to recap all the steps that led us to this week — and where things may go next. Plus: San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s quest to kill the People’s Ordinance.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a Raid

We're excited to share our newest show we think you'll really like: San Diego 101. We adapted our popular video series by the same name for podcast feeds. These stories are all new and each episode is made to teach something new about how the San Diego region works. Episode 1. Your Role In Local Government Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts: vosd.org/101podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Podcast Alert!

This week, VOSD's Adriana Heldiz saw a large-scale operation by the city of San Diego to clean a homeless camp that had been growing for months in the Midway District; it recently grew so large it was spilling into the street, according to the city. Staff loaded tents and tons of belongings into a trash truck to try and sort out the area. Officers offered shelter to the people living there and cited those who rejected the offers. It put a spotlight on a lot of the issues at play for one of the region's biggest problems: homelessness. This week, we talk with Heldiz and VOSD's Lisa Halverstadt about what's going on with homelessness right now. Plus: The video that got Mayor Todd Gloria in trouble this week. Subscribe to our new San Diego 101 podcast! The trailer is out now. Subscribe to "San Diego 101" wherever you listen. And tell your friends. vosd.org/101podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homelessness in San Diego Is Like a Rubik’s Cube

It's expensive to live in San Diego. You know this already. But it's about to get worse. As housing prices balloon, another basic need is getting costly: water. This week, we reported that the San Diego County Water Authority predicts the cost of water could swell up to 10 percent starting in 2023. Scott and Andy review everything you need to know about San Diego water and these rate hikes. And in the second half of the show, the latest San Diego Housing Commission drama and why it matters for the local housing crisis. Sign up our upcoming events (Cannabis Equity and Politifest) at vosd.org/events Check out San Diego 101: How We Get Our Water vosd.org/sd101 Support VOSD and our future at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Water (Rate) Is Rising

Buckle up, folks. There's another major revelation in the 101 Ash St. saga this week. (That segment starts around minute 30 in the episode if you're antsy.) It turns out the city's real estate adviser, Jason Hughes, got paid about $9.5 million dollars (as a volunteer) for the deals he facilitated. The scoop this week by VOSD's Lisa Halverstadt was that Hughes made an agreement with Cisterra Development (the city's eventual landlord) to earn a profit off the deals or be held financially accountable if they fell apart. Also this week: Some cops refuse to get vaccinated. A vaccine expert gets real about the Delta variant. And a local hotelier makes a splash at the Elizabeth Holmes trial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 101 Ash St. Dumpster Fire Just Got Hotter

Shane Crotty and his team at the La Jolla Institute of Immunology have been studying viruses for a long time. We wanted to talk to him again. He first joined our podcast in March when vaccines were first becoming available and we knew a lot less. Now, after a few months and a few major variants of the virus, we have new questions. Like, why is Delta so much worse? Is it OK to go to concerts and ball games? What’s the deal with booster shots? Crotty and host Scott Lewis get into it. The post from March: voiceofsandiego.org/topics/news/bonus-podcast-its-all-a-race-interview-with-an-immunologist Keep up with the region's most important news at vosd.org/newsletters See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: ‘You’re Either Vaccinated or You’re Going to Catch Delta’

This is our last podcast before the recall election on Sept. 14. So let's review the candidate we know most about: former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer. On the show, Scott and Andy review Faulconer's trajectory over the last few months and how that squares with his mayoral tenure. Also, we discuss his weird ballot title. Plus: The city and county struggle with COVID-19 testing for homeless residents. Check out our recap of the Faulconer Administration here: voiceofsandiego.org/faulconer Register for our upcoming event about cannabis equity here: voiceofsandiego.org/cannabis See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Total Recall

This week, San Diego Unified — the largest school district in the region — opened up for in-person classes. Also back this week is our Parent's Guide to San Diego Schools. It's a tool we furnish every year to help parents make informed decisions for their kids' education. In this episode we preview an uncertain school year and highlight the biggest stories from the guide. Check out the guide at vosd.org/schools And the drama keeps coming for the county Board of Supervisors. This week, there was tension involving the locally beloved Bitchin' Sauce and a vote to declare misinformation a public health crisis. See our podcast on the local company here: voiceofsandiego.org/topics/economy/i-made-it-in-san-diego-the-battle-behind-a-familys-secret-sauce Support the Parent's Guide and all our work at vosd.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

School Is Back! And so Is the Schools Guide

A couple years ago, then-Assemblyman Todd Gloria wrote an op-ed for VOSD. In it, he coined the term "San Diego Special." We immediately became obsessed. Its definition is rough but essentially aims to label a persistent problem in local government that should be solvable but has stuck around due to lack of vision or leadership. Think vacation rentals, the Convention Center expansion or scooters. Now, as mayor, Gloria joins the podcast to discuss these very regionally-specific obstacles. He came prepped with a list of his top-five San Diego Specials to compare to our own. Read all about San Diego Specials at vosd.org/specials Thank you to everyone who's joined our fundraising campaign this week! If you haven't donated yet, now's your chance. Support this show and all our reporting at vosd.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mayor's List of San Diego Specials

This week, we're giving you a comprehensive look at the years-long case of Fridoon Nehad, the man who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2015. Since the start, this case has been marked by secrecy and misinformation. Now, we think we have the full story. Plus: Public comments got wild at a Board of Supervisors meeting and schools are already scrambling to keep up with COVID-19 cases. Scott wrote something about Sara this week. Here it is. Find all our newsletters at vosd.org/newsletters See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police and Public Health Falsehoods

Not long ago, we were all obsessing over the state-mandated tier system. If were were still in the days of tiers, San Diego would be in the most restrictive purple tier, which mainly allowed only outdoor activities. Oh, how far we've come. And also kind of not. This week, we discuss the state of COVID in the region, our case for county data and new mandates for vaccines.  Plus: San Diego Housing Commission Cliffs Notes and a ballot measure for parks and libraries. Follow all our stories and takes on local news with The Morning Report: vosd.org/newsletters See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID Cases — and Mandates — Are Climbing

Standardized testing has long been derided as an imperfect way to measure a school’s performance. But it’s a metric that’s easy to access and easy to understand. This week, education reporter Will Huntsberry explains a new metric for understanding and evaluating test scores. It takes into account poverty levels, a crucial factor that heavily influences a school’s test scores. Plus: Climate change, local vaccination requirements and city real estate problems can't stop, won't stop. Find Will's newsletter, The Learning Curve at vosd.org/newsletters See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Better Way to View Test Scores

The Voice of San Diego Podcast is a spitfire roundup of San Diego's news in brief, followed by an exclusive interview with prominent experts and figures. Hosts Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts highlight the week's VOSD stories, round up interesting outside news and interview high-profile local figures.