San Diego News Fix

Union-Tribune managing editor Lora Cicalo, arts and entertainment editor Michael James Rocha, and community guides and Pacific San Diego editor Abby Hamblin discuss what it’s like to cover Comic-Con during the pandemic.

If you've ever heard of San Diego Comic-Con, you've also probably heard of cosplay. Cosplay is a portmanteau of "costume" and "play," and it's when people dress up as characters from video games, anime, TV, film and more. At Comic-Con on opening day, cosplayers were out in full force.

The San Diego City Council moved forward this week on an ordinance that will govern how surveillance technology is used in the city. But not all residents are happy with the proposal. Here to talk about it is public safety reporter David Hernandez.

San Diego police response times were worst they’ve been in more than a decade. Police are getting to emergencies like deadly shootings in minutes, but all other types of calls have much longer wait times. Union-Tribune reporter Lyndsay Winkley explains.

You may have noticed, but gas prices in San Diego have fallen slightly. The average price for regular-grade gas is now less than $6 per gallon in San Diego. But can it last? Here to discuss is Union-Tribune energy reporter Rob Nikolewski.

Dr. Bradley Bond is chair and associate professor of communication studies at University of San Diego. Dr. Bond studies parasocial relationships, our relationships with fictional characters, celebrities and other people we don't know. His research looks at how these one-sided relationships shape our identities, choices and even sexuality.

Max Disposti, executive director of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, joined Union-Tribune health care reporter Paul Sisson, topics editor Tarcy Connors, managing editor Lora Cicalo, and editor and publisher Jeff Light to discuss how a public health story has the potential to stigmatize an entire community without the proper context.

First the first time ever, Little Blue Penguins are on view on the West Coast. Little Blues are the smallest penguins on Earth, about the size of a California burrito. The new habitat is biggest addition to the Birch Aquarium in 30 years. Aquarist Laura Reid joins me to talk about it.

After a two year hiatus, San Diego Pride is back in full swing this year. Festivities kicked off July 7 and continues through the 19th. Fernando Z. López is the executive director of San Diego Pride.

San Diego Comic-Con is back, in person, for the first time since the pandemic began. It kicks off Thursday, July 21st, through Sunday, July 24th, at the San Diego Convention Center. U-T columnist Karla Peterson and super fan Jerry McCormick have been attending for more than 20 years.

Friendship Park at the U.S.-Mexico border has been closed since the pandemic began. But now, with the Biden Administration set to replace the border wall with a taller structure, advocates are worried it might close forever. Kate Morrissey is the immigration reporter at the U-T.

The City of San Diego has established its first-ever Office of Immigrant Affairs. The goal of the office is to welcome immigrants to San Diego, and help them get established in their new lives.

Jeni Smith is from San Diego and grew up knowing she wanted to work with animals at SeaWorld, and she made her dream come true! Today she's the supervisor of SeaWorld's rescue team, which helps all kinds of marine animals in distress, including Freeway, the sea lion who has traveled inland a few times in the past couple of years.

The San Diego Union-Tribune, along with our sister paper, The Los Angeles Times, is launching a peer support program. The program was developed by clinicians who specialize in working with journalists and it's a confidential network to provide support to colleagues facing difficult times. Jeff Light, Lora Cicalo, Radvile Rinkeviciute and Kate Morrissey discuss the program.

Local hospitalizations related to the coronavirus have continued to rise in San Diego County. It's not happening quickly enough to push the region into the highest tier, but some are wondering if the future might hold another mask mandate. Union-Tribune health reporter Paul Sisson has more.

San Diego tourism is ramping up, but is it back to normal? What's going on with Terminal 1 at the San Diego international airport? U-T business reporter Lori Weisberg has more.

Police officers in the city of San Diego are leaving their jobs. In fiscal year 2022, which ended June 30th, more than 230 San Diego police officers left the department — a 52 percent increase compared to the previous year.

If you're priced out of buying a home in San Diego, there's more bad news: Rents on single-family homes are going up, too. In the past year, rents have risen 10 percent, and the median for a three-bedroom house in San Diego is $3,400 a month. Union-Tribune real estate reporter Phillip Molnar has more.

SDG&E rates are on the rise, and soon the California state auditor will be looking into reasons why. Union-Tribune energy reporter Rob Nikolewski has more.

In 1947, slavery was commonly thought of as a Southern thing, and futhermore, a thing of the past. Then, Alfred and Elizabeth Ingalls were arrested in Coronado.The couple, in their 60s, had recently moved from Boston and were charged with keeping their Black maid, Dora Jones, in involuntary servitude. Writer John Wilkens discusses the story with editors Kristina Davis, Lora Cicalo and Jeff Light. Today I'm joined by Union-Tribune writer John Wilkens, his editor Kristina Davis as well as managing editor Lora Cicalo and editor and publisher Jeff Light.