Voice of San Diego Podcast

Campaign season is getting strange in San Diego.  This week, Scott Lewis, Bella Ross and Jakob McWhinney started with a run of new signs in Ocean Beach that tie a San Diego City Council candidate to Mayor Todd Gloria and why that is a bad thing.  Data Center Madness Reporter MacKenzie Elmer broke some news on a project at the Navy’s NAVWAR site near the airport. She found that the developer asked San Diego Community Power what it would cost to run a 400-megawatt data center there. The mayor has since signed an executive order calling for a moratorium on data centers. But the Navy controls the land, so the city’s options to stop the project are limited. McWhinney also covered a City Council committee’s unanimous vote to advance a plan to cancel the city’s Flock license plate reader contract and tighten its surveillance ordinance. A veto-proof majority needs six votes, and supporters currently have five. Last, a late amendment to the Midway Rising plan could change how much new affordable housing the project actually delivers. Also: We’re recording a live show at Soda Bar on Nov. 10. Details are at voiceofsandiego.org/events.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of the VOSD Podcast, we were joined by state Assemblymember Chris Ward to discuss a host of issues we are facing today. Also, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced this week that he is hiring a chief operating officer. His choice is Bethany Bezak, the city’s chief of analytics and performance. The decision reverses months of insistence that he would run city operations himself.  A Conversation with Chris Ward  Midway Rising, the proposed redevelopment of 50 acres of city land at the sports arena site, seems to be one step closer to reality. Assemblymember Ward explained why he supported state legislation shielding the project’s environmental review from lawsuits, which he said could otherwise delay it by years.  The episode also covered a story that broke the morning of the recording. Public records show a development firm floated a 400-megawatt data center on the Navy’s NAVWAR property near Midway. It would be the largest in California. Ward also discussed his surveillance pricing bill, which he plans to reintroduce in December, and a renewed push for the City Council to cancel the city’s Flock license plate reader contract amid privacy concerns. Ward also outlined the challenge of regulating artificial intelligence at the state level, and he highlighted a new journalism tax credit he helped pass.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

San Diego City Council District 2 candidates Nicole Crosby and Richard Bailey debate at Politifest 2026, moderated by Voice of San Diego's Scott Lewis. Each opens with a presentation on housing, homelessness, infrastructure and the city budget. They then take on short-term rentals, where to build, Midway Rising, the Ocean Beach Pier, trash collection and pensions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton joins Voice of San Diego's Scott Lewis, Jakob McWhinney and Bella Ross at Politifest 2026 for a wide-ranging conversation. Topics include his path to winning, immigration enforcement, housing, environmental review, energy and climate, and AI policy. The session ends with audience and student questions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of the VOSD Podcast, our hosts explain why the mayor's support may be unwelcome assistance to one City Council candidate. Plus, a recap of Politifest. First up! We revealed that Mayor Todd Gloria is working behind the scenes to make sure that Councilmember Henry Foster does not get re-elected. As our editors wrote in the Politics report, the mayor "has described Foster’s downfall to them as his No. 1 political priority." Our podcasts hosts explain why that support may not be something candidate Martha Abraham wants. She's running against Foster as an outsider who is fighting the establishment forces. Behind voice: Our managing editor takes some time on the show to explain how Voice of San Diego reporters and editors handle anonymous sourcing and corrections. Finally, our hosts pull clips from Politifest and breakdown some of the most interesting discussions from our annual event.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.