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San Diego, CA

Criticized for restricting public comment, city council vows to respect the Brown Act

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Criticized for restricting public comment, city council vows to respect the Brown Act


At a San Diego City Council meeting this summer, the chamber was a sea of navy blue from the early morning hours. Swaths of the city’s police force had arrived en masse. Even Mayor Todd Gloria showed up.

The day was meant to be ceremonial, or at the very least symbolic. Fronting the council agenda on June 4 was a proclamation declaring the date Police Chief David Nisleit Day. After 36 years with the force, his last six as police chief, Nisleit would be donning his navy blue uniform one last time that week.

One by one, city officials from Councilmember Marni von Wilpert to Gloria took turns speaking on Nisleit’s legacy. And the outgoing chief himself gave a few but lasting words to wrap up his tenure: “I will continue to love this city, but I will be on the sidelines rooting for all of you.”

But on the sideline elsewhere, an undercurrent of frustration began to brew.

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Unlike for other items on the agenda, public testimony was not permitted before or during the presentation of the proclamation.

That drew the ire of a group of community members who suggested the council was violating the Brown Act, California’s open meetings law. Former state Assemblymember Lori Saldaña, one of those barred from commenting, later threatened to sue the city.

In a resolution passed Tuesday evening, the city reiterated its “unconditional commitment to cease, desist from, and not repeat any act preventing public testimony on items presenting proclamations appearing on the council’s agenda as required by the Brown Act.”

When presenting the resolution, Assistant City Attorney Leslie FitzGerald said that the motion was intended “to avoid unnecessary litigation” without admitting any violation of the Brown Act by the city. No lawsuit has yet been filed, she added.

Out of the attendees, few seemed swayed.

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“It’s a total disregard for the public’s right to simply express dissent or support,” Saldaña said. “It’s as hollow and empty as (the city’s) commitment for our right to speak.”

Nearing the end of the day, only a few people remained in the queue for public comment. But among those left, one message was consistently brought forth:

“I hope that you truly do have an unconditional commitment to California law and the Brown Act,” said Susan Baldwin, a retired San Diego Association of Governments planner.

The City Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the city’s decision to propose the resolution.

It’s not the first time the city has faced accusations of violating public transparency laws.

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In 2017, the Center for Local Government Accountability sued the city for not allowing public comment on non-agenda items, including ceremonial proclamations. The city would ultimately pay the center $70,000 to settle the lawsuit.

The city is now fighting another lawsuit, filed in 2022, by a group that says it “suffered interference or reprisal” by officials during public comment sessions. Among those represented by the plaintiff was Saldaña.

An email obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune shows that ahead of the June meeting, staff from Council President Sean Elo-Rivera’s office had stipulated that there would be no public comment on the “ceremonial items” on the agenda that day.

Coming up soon at the council may be a proposal to eliminate public comments by phone and Zoom during council meetings. The item was postponed from a recent committee hearing.

Elo-Rivera said it would streamline meetings and noted that other cities and public agencies have made similar moves, after adopting virtual public comment earlier in the pandemic.

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But his effort has already been met with steady backlash from critics who call it an intentional effort to curb public comment. Elo-Rivera pushed Wednesday’s hearing on the proposal with the council’s Rules Committee to September so that more time can be given to discuss the item through the next meeting.

During public comment on Tuesday, Baldwin suggested that the city should reconsider any such proposal before being cut off and told to stick to the pertinent agenda item.

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San Diego, CA

$50K Reward Offered In Unsolved Murder Of San Diego Barber

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K Reward Offered In Unsolved Murder Of San Diego Barber


SAN DIEGO, CA — A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in a 2018 killing of a man in San Diego, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Monday.

Arthur Jordan, 28, was fatally shot July 19, 2018, by an unknown assailant while sitting in a car in the 3000 block of Martin Avenue. At the time of his death, Jordan was a barber working in his family’s barber shop.

San Diego Police Department investigators have interviewed witnesses and potential suspects, but have exhausted all leads.

“We are very thankful for the governor’s support in our efforts to find justice for Jordan and his family,” said SDPD detective Chris Murray.

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Under California law, law enforcement agencies may ask the governor to issue rewards in specific unsolved cases where they have exhausted all investigative leads, to encourage individuals with information about the crimes to come forward. Public assistance is vital to law enforcement, and rewards may encourage public cooperation needed to apprehend those who have committed serious offenses.

SDPD has requested that a reward be offered to encourage anyone with information about this murder, urging them to contact Sgt. Joel Tien at 619-531- 2323. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to San Diego Crime Stoppers at 888- 580-8477.



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Christmas Eve storm could hit San Diego County with 4 inches of rain and 40 mph winds

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Christmas Eve storm could hit San Diego County with 4 inches of rain and 40 mph winds


The souped-up Pacific storm that will hit San Diego County on Christmas Eve could drop 3 to 4 inches of rain over a short period, making travel dicey and raising the risk of flooding, the National Weather Service said.

San Diego averages less than 2 inches of rain in December and hasn’t had a drop this month.

The region will catch the tail of a storm that tapped into copious amounts of subtropical moisture, causing it to grow and become more explosive. The Pineapple Express, as some call it, will affect the entire state. The first big urban hit comes Monday when the system is expected to slam the San Francisco Bay Area. It’ll then sink toward Southern California.

The storm, which also is packing strong winds, could slow or disrupt traffic on Interstate 5 and U.S. Highway 101, prime routes between San Diego and San Francisco.

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Forecasters say the system will push into Orange and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire late Tuesday night and unleash heavy rain, and possibly lightning, on Wednesday. The wind could gust as high as 40 mph in spots from San Diego to Julian, forecasters said.

The most intense rain is expected to fall from mid-morning until late-afternoon Wednesday, when last-minute Christmas shoppers will be crowding freeways. Downpours could close some parking areas at the Fashion Valley Mall in Mission Valley, which often floods in heavy rain. Showers will last into Thursday, Christmas Day, and forecasters say a second storm could hit over the weekend.

A flash flood watch will be in effect countywide from 4 a.m. Wednesday to 1 a.m. Thursday.

The forecast has turned worrisome over the past couple of days.

The weather service earlier thought the storm could produce about 1.5 inches of rain in San Diego, and roughly twice as much across inland valleys and mountains.

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On Sunday, they said San Diego could get 2.5 to 4 inches of precipitation. And there was deeper confidence that some areas east of Interstate 15 would be seeing 3 to 4 inches of rain.

Snow isn’t expected, though. The storm is comparatively warm due to its connections with the subtropics.



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Longtime San Diego bike shop hit again by thieves ahead of holidays

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Longtime San Diego bike shop hit again by thieves ahead of holidays


A longtime San Diego bike shop is struggling to recover after its latest burglary — a break-in the owner says cost thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise and damages just days before the holiday shopping rush. The shop, “San Diego Bike Shop,” is located at 619 C Street.

The shop’s owner Moe Karimi says this is not the first time thieves have targeted his business, despite repeated efforts to improve security.

The small business has installed surveillance cameras, reinforced doors and even upgraded to shatter-resistant windows. Still, the owner says it hasn’t been enough to stop criminals from breaking in.

“It’s a very upsetting thing that you wake up at four o’clock in the morning and come up here and face the broken door and window,” said Karimi. “You walk in and see half the store is empty.”

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Karimi says repeated burglaries have taken a growing toll on his business over the years.

“It has always progressively gotten worse and worse,” he said.

Surveillance footage from the most recent break-in shows multiple suspects inside the shop. Karimi says dozens of bikes were stolen — many of them high-end models with hefty price tags.

“It’s not just the money that was lost — the physical money,” Karimi explained. “I lost a lot of money because of not selling.”

The timing, he says, couldn’t be worse.

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“During the holiday season, when there’s so much product taken out of your store, your sales drop because you don’t have the products,” he said. “And it takes time to replace that.”

Karimi opened the bike shop in 1999 and says he’s made it a priority to stay proactive when it comes to security.

“Every year I add some kind of security feature. I reinforce the doors and gates,” he said. “But still, if they want to get in, nothing stops them.”

Now, the repeated break-ins have left him feeling uncertain about the future.

“I feel very insecure in my business — that every day something can happen,” Karimi said. “It seems to me that nobody cares at the street level what happens in San Diego. It’s terrible.”

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The San Diego Police Department says it is still investigating the burglary.

In a statement, police said in part:

“Shortly after 4:00 a.m., multiple suspects forcibly entered the business and stole property before fleeing the area. No injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made at this time.

The business owner reported an estimated loss of approximately $15,000 in stolen property. The exact inventory and total loss remain under review.

Detectives are actively reviewing surveillance footage and working with partner agencies as part of the ongoing investigation.

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Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
Detectives are actively reviewing surveillance footage and working with partner agencies as part of the ongoing investigation.”





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