San Diego News Fix

10 Episodes
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By: San Diego Union-Tribune

Get the story behind the story every weekday. Host Kristy Totten interviews Union-Tribune reporters about what matters in San Diego.

Moscow
01/11/2024

Reporting dire news out of America and at home, Russian news anchor Viktor Antonov attempts to guide his audience through what may be the beginning of the end. Everywhere is a battlefield. ‘SIGN OFF’ is a branded podcast from LA Times Studios paid for by Bleecker Street and LD Entertainment in support of the film ‘I.S.S.’ only in theaters January 19th.


Minot
01/11/2024

Following a wave of cyber attacks against the U.S., news anchor Maria Mason finds herself at the center of an escalating crisis where the International Space Station emerges as a strategic foothold. ‘SIGN OFF’ is a scripted, branded podcast from LA Times Studios paid for by Bleecker Street and LD Entertainment in support of the film ‘I.S.S.’ only in theaters January 19th.


The Backstory: The reasons why prosecutors opted not to file criminal charges in SDSU rape case
05/07/2023

Rarely, if ever, is the public made aware of the reasoning behind a District Attorney’s Office’s decision not to file charges in a case. The Union-Tribune obtained an audio recording of a meeting between the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and the 18-year-old woman who said she was raped by three now-former San Diego State University football players. The recording provides insight into why the DA’s Office decided not to file criminal charges. Union-Tribune public safety editor Dana Littlefield, public safety reporter Teri Figueroa, public safety reporter and Saturday editor Lyndsay Winkley, managing editor Lora Cicalo...


The Backstory: The Poway case being heard by the Supreme Court
04/30/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it will take up a case from Poway Unified School District that tackles a contentious area of social media — when, and if, public officials can block people from their Facebook, Twitter or other social media accounts. The case concerns a former Poway school district trustee, T.J. Zane, and a current member, Michelle O’Connor-Ratcliff, and their Facebook and Twitter pages. At issue: whether public officials with social media pages where they discuss public business can block individuals, or if doing so violates the First Amendment. Union-Tribune criminal justice and legal affairs reporter Greg...


The Backstory: The Union-Tribune’s Community Voices Project
04/23/2023

The Union-Tribune’s Community Voices Project is an online platform for civil discourse about news of the day and matters of the community. It brings dozens of thought leaders together with the goal of sharing diverse points of view to move toward a stronger, more inclusive San Diego region. Union-Tribune editorial and opinion director Matthew T. Hall, deputy editorial and opinion editor Laura Castañeda, managing editor Lora Cicalo and publisher and editor Jeff Light discuss the origins and goals of the Community Voices Project.


The Backstory: Behind the Union-Tribune’s 72 Hours project
04/16/2023

San Diego County, like many places nationwide, faces a mental health crisis. For three days last year, nearly two dozen journalists with The San Diego Union-Tribune followed patients, police, clinicians, dispatchers and a host of others struggling for help to create a minute-by-minute account of our overwhelmed system. Union-Tribune public safety editor Dana Littlefield, communities editor Tarcy Connors, managing editor Lora Cicalo, and publisher and editor Jeff Light discuss this in-depth multi-media special report.


The Backstory: Customers are steamed over SDG&E’s rate-hike proposal
03/19/2023

San Diego Gas & Electric is making a case before the California Public Utilities Commission to increase rates starting next year. SDG&E says it needs money for critical projects, like wildfire safety and pursuing clean energy goals. But many San Diegans are frustrated with rising gas and electric bills. The average price for electricity in the San Diego metropolitan area is currently higher than anywhere else in the country. Given that tension, could asking for higher rates right now backfire? Union-Tribune money reporter Roxana Popescu, topic editor Dan Beucke, managing editor Lora Cicalo, and publisher and editor Jeff Light discuss...


The Backstory: The San Diego Union-Tribune stops running ‘Dilbert’
03/01/2023

Hundreds of newspapers across the country – including The San Diego Union-Tribune – have either stopped or will stop running the “Dilbert” comic strip after its creator made racist comments during a YouTube livestream Feb. 22. Angela deJoseph, founder of Women of Color Roar, a nonpartisan multimedia organization that supports, nurtures and encourages Black women to seek careers in public service and run for political office; Michael Cavna, visual artists and comic art writer at The Washington Post; Union-Tribune managing editor Lora Cicalo; and publisher and editor Jeff Light discuss the offensive remarks and the decision to stop running the “Dilbert” comic strip.


The Backstory: What determines where a story runs in the newspaper?
02/26/2023

In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at a couple of recent stories that had a lot of people talking. First, allegations that Padres beat writer Kevin Acee misquoted Padres pitcher Nick Martinez in one of his stories. (Spoiler alert: Acee did not misquote Martinez). The other story involves a longtime Del Mar Union school board member who resigned after officials announced he had been arrested in Florida on suspicion of soliciting prostitution. Union-Tribune sports editor Ryan Finley, managing editor Lora Cicalo and publisher and editor Jeff Light discuss the the flap over the Nick Martinez story and wh...


The Backstory: How the deaths of three sisters affected those making humanitarian water and supply drops in San Diego County
02/19/2023

The number of migrants who have died or gone missing trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border has sharply increased in recent year from an estimated 371 in 2020, to nearly 600 in 2021, to more than that last year. Humanitarian water and supply drops along the border have taken on a new urgency in the wake of the spike. Union-Tribune federal courts and law enforcement reporter Alex Riggins, enterprise editor Kristina Davis, managing editor Lora Cicalo, and publisher and editor Jeff Light discuss how the deaths of three sisters in particular has affected the efforts of border aid groups.