Times of San Diego, 1855 First Avenue, Suite 201A, San Diego, CA (2026)

09/17/2026

A married couple and their teenage daughter were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds Wednesday in San Carlos.

A neighbor discovered the 56-year-old man and his 54-year-old wife dead shortly before 8:30 a.m. inside the residence in the 6800 block of Boulder Lake Avenue, near Gage Elementary, according to the San Diego Police Department.

While searching the home, officers found the body of the couple’s daughter, who was a student at Pershing Middle School. The names of the deceased were not released pending notification to other family members.

“Preliminary evidence at the scene indicates all three died from gunshot wounds,” SDPD acting Lt. Christopher Leahy said. “Investigators recovered a gun in the home.”

Homicide detectives were working to determine who fired the fatal shots, according to police.

In a note to parents, Pershing Middle’s Principal Kristy Aragon wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that I share the unexpected passing of one of our eighth-grade students due to an event in their home. We are deeply saddened by this loss, and our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with those closest to the student and family.”

Find the story on our website.

09/16/2026

The owners of Lost Cause Meadery and Oddish Wine, both headquartered in San Diego’s Bay Park neighborhood, recently closed escrow on a prized piece of vintage real estate near La Mesa Village to fulfill their next hospitality venture.

Billy Beltz and his wife, Suzanna, plan to open a 5,000-square-foot operation that puts a coffee shop, cafe, restaurant, bar, and retail wine shop under a wooden barrel-shaped ceiling that has been intact since the 1940s.

Located at 8495 La Mesa Blvd., just one block northeast of La Mesa Village, the aged building originally served as a food market and butcher shop. It eventually was turned into a secondhand children’s store, and then a bike shop, and most recently, Phillip’s Maytag Appliance Center.

“We want to keep the building as original as possible,” said Beltz, while also pointing to the storefront’s large front windows and mid-century-style awnings. “We’re keeping those as well.”

He added that the building’s interior is currently “a big open space,” which means no gutting is required.

Once city permits are secured, the couple will begin implementing the design for their yet-unnamed business. The blueprint will encompass a kitchen for preparing all-day fare, plus dining areas and a bar for serving beer, wine, mead and cider. It will also showcase a wine shop and eventually come to include an outdoor seating area.

The goal is to begin greeting customers by late 2027.

Beltz and his wife will primarily oversee the beverage program for spotlighting their small-production organic wines and assorted meads, which are crafted in Bay Park. They will also feature libations from guest producers.

The couple has earned numerous medals in international mead competitions since they started producing it nine years ago. Known otherwise as “honey wine,” mead comprises a base of fermented honey, yeast and water. Complexity is achieved with the addition of fruits, peppers and spices.

The project’s culinary component will be spearheaded by Bica, a hip cafe in San Diego’s Normal Heights neighborhood known for its European-style sandwiches and fish options.

Beltz said the partnership with Bica came naturally “because we’re friends with the owners and we like how they engage their community by hosting different events.”

With a wood-fired oven and rotisserie due to be installed, Bica’s culinary team is brainstorming over menus that will range from morning and midday fare to choices tailored for dinner. Specific dishes, however, have yet to be determined.

Beltz noted that all-day culinary hubs that seamlessly extend into evening hours are becoming increasingly popular in big cities, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York.

Many of them incorporate wine shops.

He specifically chose La Mesa for the project because “we are La Mesa residents and we want to build this into our town.” He added that “It will be the largest eating and drinking establishment in the village.”

📝: Frank Sabatini Jr.
📸: Courtesy of Luke Schmuecker

09/16/2026

The city of Poway has taken the first step toward banning artificial intelligence data centers.

On Sept. 15, city council members voted to prohibit third-party artificial intelligence companies from building standalone data centers citywide, citing the significant demands for water and energy resources. Councilmembers also expressed concern that data centers occupy land that might otherwise attract businesses that create jobs and generate revenue.

Mayor Steve Vaus and Councilmember Anita Edmondson sponsored the ordinance, citing concerns that Poway and South Poway Business Park’s remaining land should be reserved for industrial, manufacturing, and office uses that spur employment and generate revenue for the city.

During council comment, Mayor Vaus and Edmondson stressed the decision was not meant to prevent new technology from entering the city but was strictly an environmental and land use decision.

“This is a land use decision, not an anti-technology decision,” Mayor Steve Vaus said. “We’re not banning AI, and we’re not telling Poway businesses what technology they can use.”

Added Councilmember Edmondson, “The limited land we have in the business park, the economic and employment engine of Poway, must be prioritized for businesses that bring significant and sustained employment and economic growth to Poway.”

Others on the council agreed.

Councilmember Chris Pikus said a large data center could occupy 11 or 12 acres that otherwise might accommodate numerous smaller employers. He said the business park should remain available to a wide range of businesses rather than becoming “a mausoleum for data storage.”

Deputy Mayor Jenny Maeda questioned whether a permanent ban was warranted at this stage and suggested the city consider a five-year moratorium instead. Her motion failed to gain any support.

The council voted 5-0 to introduce the ordinance and waive further reading. Final adoption is set for Oct. 6.

Find the story on our website

09/15/2026

Federal prosecutors in San Diego have charged 12 residents for running what prosecutors say was an elaborate daycare scheme that generated more than $10 million in proceeds from child care subsidy programs.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies teamed up to close down what they allege were sham daycare facilities.

Prosecutors say the 12 people, aged 22-years-old to 63 years old with daycare facilities in San Diego and El Cajon, obtained home child care licenses and registered with Child Development Associates and the YMCA. The defendants, prosecutors say, submitted falsified attendance records to collect money from government subsidies.

The government alleges Child Development Associates and the YMCA relied on the records and issued payments using federal funds designated for eligible child care services.

The defendants, who all reside in either San Diego or El Cajon, were arrested last Thursday for allegedly falsifying monthly attendance records required to receive federal funds to pay for childcare.

Prosecutors say surveillance footage and other documentation showed that the defendants said they were caring for children when they were not, and in some cases were not even in the country at the time.

In one example, a man claimed to care for as many as 25 children every day for two straight months, though surveillance recordings showed children at the daycare just one of the days.

In other instances, prosecutors say defendants were caring for far fewer children than they claimed in the attendance records.

“Today is a bad day for home daycare fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “These are the first charges alleging this type of fraud since the formation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. These fraudsters may have criminally gamed the system before. But today, the game is over.”

Find the story here: https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2026/09/15/federal-prosecutors-accuse-12-of-operating-sham-daycare-network-in-san-diego-county/

09/15/2026

Join us Thursday, Sept. 17, at 6:30 p.m. at 1855 First Ave. Suite 201A for an event with CalMatters where we'll discuss the measures that will be on your ballot this November.

P.S. We'll be serving pizza.

We hope to see you there, San Diego!

Comment if you plan on showing up.

09/15/2026

An auto-theft and DUI suspect fleeing from police in a stolen Tesla drove it onto the Pacific Beach boardwalk Monday, causing serious injuries to a pedestrian.

The suspect ditching the vehicle, then tried to escape on foot before witnesses caught up to him.

The chase began at about 12:30 p.m., when the unidentified suspect failed to yield to officers who tried to pull him over on Mission Boulevard, the San Diego Police Department said in a news release.

The stolen Tesla struck an electrical transformer, after which the suspect steered it onto the boardwalk from Pacific Beach Drive, according to SDPD. While continuing to flee to the north at high speed, the car hit a pedestrian, at which point the suspect abandoned the Tesla and ran off.

Witnesses responded by chasing down and capturing the fleeing driver, then holding the suspect captive until officers arrived.

Paramedics, meanwhile, took the victim to a hospital for treatment of serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect is believed to have been intoxicated during the pursuit, according to police.

Find the story at timesofsandiego. com

09/15/2026

Summer’s end means the precipitation we could see from this year’s potentially record-breaking “Super” El Niño is just around the bend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center released its September El Niño update Thursday, saying there is a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event in the Northern Hemisphere during this fall and winter.

Chandler Price, a meteorologist at the San Diego office of the National Weather Service, said just because an El Niño is evident, it doesn’t automatically mean an unusually wet winter. Price says he and other researchers need to see a weather pattern develop before they can provide a forecast.

If the El Niño brings increased rain to the coast, Price said the region could begin to see winter storms as early as late September and they could last through April.

While the amount of rain San Diego will get this year is still up in the air, high tides and large ocean swells will hit the coastline. In preparation, the city of San Diego began its annual installation of sand berms on City beaches and the Mission Bay shoreline Thursday to help protect against flooding. They will take several weeks to install and are expected to be completed by early November.

Another figure NOAA released is a 75% chance this El Niño will exceed the strength of previously recorded events dating back to the 1950s when the agency began collecting data on El Niño weather patterns. Price said that’s actually a good chance of breaking the historical record.

There have been six strong El Niños on record. But strength and precipitation don’t go hand in hand, something scientists are making clear to the public.

Price pointed out that the strong events with the highest precipitation as well as those events with the lowest precipitation both had similar scores on the index used to classify them.

Looking at the past data, there is an 83% chance that this El Niño, if it comes in among the strongest on record, will result in more precipitation than we would typically see, Price said.

So, should we sound the alarm?

In spite of the 1972 tune “It Never Rains in Southern California,” Price says San Diegans should stay vigilant for flooding every winter, not just during an El Niño.

“The good thing about this is that it is encouraging new conversations about how you prepare for this on a personal or structural level,” he said.

While widespread flooding is still not a guarantee, Price says he has a lot of confidence in the fact that Southern California will see coastal erosion and coastal flooding. Daniel Swain, an associate researcher at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and a research partner at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, agrees.

“There will be significant coastal flooding that will get worse from here… How bad it gets will depend [on] whether we get alignment of the king tides, the peak of a coastally trapped Kelvin wave and a big storm event, Swain said.”

“It could happen, and it could get pretty darn bad. That would paralyze a lot of the low-lying infrastructure.”

The Kelvin waves Swain mentioned are just extremely large, slow-moving waves that do not break. They’re important to note because they bring higher water levels than we would typically see.

📝: Tessa Balc
📸: Thomas Murphy
Continue reading here: https://timesofsandiego.com/weather/2026/09/12/theres-a-good-chance-this-years-el-nino-will-break-records-were-about-to-find-out-what-that-means/

09/14/2026

La Mesa’s newly appointed city treasurer, Emmett Stewart, is the youngest officeholder in San Diego County, and likely far beyond county limits.

During a Sept. 8 meeting, the majority of city council members voted to appoint the UCLA college student, 20, as the city’s next treasurer, over the only other applicant, longtime financial analyst Bill Exeter. The pair are also going head-to-head in November for a full four-year term as treasurer.

When the La Mesa City Council received former treasurer Matt Strabone’s resignation in July, they voted to appoint someone to the position rather than hold an expensive special election so close to the midterms.

As the November race heats up, Stewart will have the advantage of being an incumbent in the role, although that won’t be reflected on the ballot, which has already been finalized to describe him as a “Financial Analyst.”

Stewart faces Bill Exeter, with four decades more experience, who is listed as “Treasurer/CFO/CEO” on the ballot. Exeter, a Republican, lost to Strabone in 2022.

By appointing Stewart to the role, the council unleashed a conversation on ageism. To some, his youth was a boon.

“I bring a fresh set of young eyes and ears to our local government,” Stewart said.

Stewart became the youngest officeholder in the city’s history, beating out Councilmember Lauren Cazares. She was elected to the council at age 24 and said she was told many times she was unqualified or under-qualified.

“I’m hearing that a lot tonight,” Cazares said.

Cazares argued Stewart’s youth was a boon because he had a new perspective and made sure young people in the city had representation. In her questions, Cazares described the role as having a “limited scope” and being for less than 90 days.

“All of us learned on the job as council members overseeing this budget,” she said.

Republican Councilmember Laura Lothian voted against Stewart’s appointment, stating he lacked experience and knowledge for the role.

“Do you know the amount of money that you would be overseeing?” Lothian asked.

“A lot of money,” Stewart said.

“How much?”

“I do not know the direct number.”

She also questioned what portfolios Stewart had managed, which he acknowledged was only his personal portfolio, not outside clients or companies.

The La Mesa treasurer manages the city’s $70 million portfolio. Treasurers are paid $1,100 per month in the part-time role.

While in office and later, Strabone advocated for the city’s finance department to take over the elected treasurer role, with public and council oversight. Strabone said asking the small city to find qualified and willing candidates was a challenge. He also worried some would take on the role “to pursue ideological pet projects that have nothing to do with the scope of the job.”

Despite his concerns about the role, Strabone improved La Mesa’s finances while in office, according to Lothian, with record-breaking returns.

“I feel like this position is very important,” Lothian said. “I understand we have an accounting/financial department, but there’s a reason there’s a treasurer.”

This summer, Stewart’s LinkedIn showed him interning at Expeditor, a Fortune 500 logistics company. At UCLA, he is majoring in math and economics while serving as the spikeball club’s safety officer and as a self-employed tutor. Last year, he worked as a resident assistant.

Meanwhile, Exeter, 64, has four decades of experience as a financial adviser. He is the CEO of the Exeter Group, a family of financial advisory companies specializing in managing the funds and assets of real estate investors, according to his LinkedIn.

Exeter said he sought the treasurer role as a way to give back to his community. Stewart shared a similar sentiment about the home in which he was born and raised.

“My motivation for seeking the office of the city treasurer is rooted strictly in public service, not political ambition,” Stewart said. “I run simply because I care about this city and want to serve the town that shaped who I am.”

📝: Drew Sitton

Find the story on our website

09/14/2026

The Department of the Interior last month announced Colorado River supply cuts affecting the basin states of Arizona, Nevada and California, leaving many communities bracing for reduced water access. San Diego, though, says decades of costly investments — some criticized for driving up water bills — have positioned the region to avoid the pain other Southwest communities now face.

For decades county water agencies have invested in water resources and procurement — securing independence from a cut from any one source, sometimes at a steep price.

“Over the last 30 plus years, we have been developing and investing in new and alternative water supplies and rights for the San Diego region,” said Jeremy Crutchfield, the water resources manager for San Diego County Water Authority. “We are at a point now where we have abundant water supply and we can meet the demands of this region even during dry drought periods, even extended drought periods. We have access to enough water to meet our demands, so we’re in a very unique spot compared to the rest of California, Southern California and the Southwest in general.”

The plan, by the Department of the Interior, sets operating guidelines for how water is released from Lake Powell and how Colorado River water is shared for the next two years.

The guidelines require the lower basin states — Arizona, Nevada and California — reduce their Colorado River water consumption by a total of 1.25 million acre-feet per year — one acre-foot of water is enough to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot.

California will reduce its use by 440,000 acre-feet, an amount roughly equivalent to the annual water needs of 1.5 million households.

But Crutchfield said San Diego water customers won’t notice a difference, despite the cuts.

“The way that our agreements are structured, we do have a senior right to the water,” he said. “So, we aren’t part of the first cuts of California. One of our investments in the region was increasing our reservoir storage … if we were to see those cutbacks, that would just be mitigated through our reserve water supply that we have in storage.”

The river water cuts are intended to keep Lake Powell and Lake Mead’s water levels high enough to ensure the Glen Canyon Dam and the Hoover Dam can continue to operate regularly.

Jennifer Pitt, the director of the Colorado River Program at the National Audubon Society, said the adopted management framework provided some relief and forward-looking optimism.

“Climate change is water change,” she said. “We cannot know exactly what is needed for the future, but it’s really important that we have rules in place that prepare us for a shift to a much drier hydrology on the Colorado River.”

Crutchfield said the plant now produces enough water for 400,000 San Diegans’ yearly supply.

“We’ve been advocates in San Diego for really improving our water use efficiency and investing in programs to use our water more wisely in the region,” he said. “Those are some of the main reasons that we have diversified our portfolio.”

The San Diego County Water Authority faced years of backlash as it invested in costly new projects and water procurement methods.

Last year, San Diego councilmembers alleged the water authority wasn’t doing enough to keep costs down after the price of water was double what the agency had previously forecast.

“The County Water Authority has been a bad actor. It’s time they get called out,” said Councilmember Jen Campbell at a January 2025 city council meeting.

The city has also battled the ongoing costs of Pure Water San Diego, a $1.14 billion water recycling program approved in 2021. The project is set to finish in 2035 and provide nearly half of San Diego’s water supply, but the costs over the coming years are expected to cost ratepayers millions.

San Diego continues to grapple with the costs of securing its own water future, but its investments have shielded it from the outcomes of other Colorado River communities that are vulnerable to shortages. That’s created an opportunity for San Diego to sell its water to those communities — such as a deal it made with Riverside, netting $100 million in the first five years.

San Diego County Water Authority general manager Dan Denham said in a statement after announcement of the framework that the county will work with fellow lower basin communities to ensure water supplies are maintained beyond the county.

“The San Diego County Water Authority stands ready to work with Basin partners on water exchanges and transfers across state lines, along with other cooperative solutions that improve flexibility and support the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River system,” he said.

Along with offering support to other communities impacted by the Colorado River supply cuts, the water authority boasted its securing of San Diego’s water future, no matter how the Colorado River looks in coming years.

“San Diego County communities can rest assured that the Water Authority is well positioned to maintain our economy and quality of life,” Denham’s statement said. “Decades of local and regional investments have created one of the nation’s most resilient and diversified water portfolios, providing stability and flexibility even in times of uncertainty.”

One of San Diego’s key water wins was the landmark 2003 “quantification settlement agreement.” The agreement secured the county over 200,000 acre-feet of water for the region by two different components: transfer from the Imperial Irrigation District and relining canals with concrete that bring the Colorado River water into California, reducing seepage into the groundwater.

Carlsbad is also home to the country’s largest saltwater desalination plant — which was a point of contention for its cost and potential environmental damage.

📝: Alysa Horton

Find the story on our website.

09/12/2026

San Diego transit agencies unveiled a new reduced-fare program Thursday just ahead of the general fare increase that kicks in Oct. 1.

The program, called Pronto Life, “essentially freezes” current fare prices for tens of thousands of people enrolled in state assistance programs – CalFresh, MediCal or CalWORK.

“Eligible riders will pay just $2.50 for a one-way trip, with a $6 daily pass and a $72 monthly pass,” said San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, also an MTS board member, during a press conference rolling out Pronto Life. “It will essentially freeze the past prices of today for riders who need our help the most.”

Starting in three weeks, the Metropolitan Transit System and North County Transit – San Diego Railroad will increase one-way passes from $2.50 to $3, daily passes from $6 to $7, and monthly passes from $72 to $85.

Next October, fares will increase again to $3.25 daily and $95 for a monthly pass.

To avoid that fare increase, eligible riders can apply online or in person for a Pronto Life pass with documents that verify their state program enrollment.

The transit agencies estimate there are approximately 34,000 current transit pass holders who will qualify for Pronto Life, but many more countywide who could qualify.

One young rider praised Pronto Life for helping young people maintain access to school, appointments and the library.

“I am very thankful to have this opportunity to save money, especially since I’m currently in a shelter,” said a youth identified only as Olie M.A.C.. “Having access to transportation is a key to getting out of homelessness.”

In total, about 365,000 San Diegans are enrolled in CalFresh and will qualify for the passes. However, that is a decrease from previous years, after the passage of H.R. 1 in 2025. Known as “The Big Beautiful Bill,” the act cut federal food assistance programs, including for nearly all legal immigrants, while also adding work requirements this summer.

“When fares are increasing, we want to do everything we can to lessen that burden,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who chairs the MTS board.

Existing reduced fare programs, like the Youth Opportunity Pass for those under age 18 to ride free, remain in place. Dual enrollment in multiple reduced-fare programs is not allowed.

One MTS program, known as SDM, for seniors, people with disabilities and those enrolled in Medicare, also includes a fare increase in October, but will still cost less than Pronto Life. Currently, there are 74,919 SDM riders. An additional 73,000 use Youth Opportunity Passes.

SDM riders’ fares change from $1.25 to $1.50 per one-way ride, from $3 to $3.50 for a day pass, and from $23 to $28 for a monthly pass. Most of those fares will remain flat in 2027, except for the monthly pass which will rise a second time to $30.

Transit teams will check Pronto Life applications to make sure applicants do not qualify for a lower fare program, MTS spokesperson Hector Zermeno said.

Neither MTS nor North County Transit have had a fare increase since 2009. In the interim, the agencies faced funding hits from ridership dropping during the pandemic and lower-than-expected diesel tax revenue. Local sales tax revenue, another funding mechanism, also has stayed flat while bus and rail operator wages have risen 40% since 2019.

MTS is headed towards a financial cliff that the fare increases are meant to stave off until the legislature passes new funding options. Fare box recovery on its own will not be enough – in 2023, fares and fees accounted for less than 10% of transit systems’ funding in California.

“Keeping our transit system strong does require resources,” said San Diego County Supervisor and MTS board member Monica Montgomery-Steppe. “But when fares rise, we also have a responsibility to protect people who can least afford to absorb the increase.”

📝: Drew Sitton
Find the article here: https://timesofsandiego.com/transportation/2026/09/10/mts-nctd-fare-increase-program-low-income/

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