Four candidates battling to represent South County on the Board of Supervisors debated housing, homelessness and the Tijuana River sewage crisis during a Thursday election forum.
Several South County organizations, including Albondigas South County and the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, hosted the two-hour event at a Chula Vista library. Carolina Chavez, Chula Vista council member; Paloma Aguirre, Imperial Beach mayor; Vivian Moreno, San Diego council member; and Louis Fuentes, a small-business owner, participated. John McCann, Chula Vista mayor; Lincoln Pickard, a former political candidate; and Elizabeth Efird, an affordable energy consultant, did not attend.
The District 1 seat became vacant after former county Supervisor Nora Vargas announced in December she would not serve her second term. The winner will represent the cities of Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach, the San Diego neighborhoods of Nestor, San Ysidro and Barrio Logan, and the unincorporated areas of Bonita and Spring Valley.
Candidates discussed housing, economic development, the cross-border sewage crisis, homelessness, crime and immigration. Here’s how the hopefuls said they would tackle some of those issues.
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Homelessness
Aguirre said the county must beef up its follow-up case work to ensure that people are receiving the support they need to get out of homelessness. That could look like “multiple touch points with the same people” who need an identification card, behavioral health services or a permanent address. The county should seek more state funding to cover costs, she added.
Chavez said that while many, including her city, have built some bridge housing and other accommodations for the homeless, she wants to see more resources for mental health.
Similarly, Moreno said the county has not done enough to address its overall shortage of substance abuse services.
“The county only has 78 beds for three million people,” she said. “That, to me, is ridiculous.”
Fuentes said it’s time to try different approaches.
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“We have to focus on one group, right now, to have the greatest impact because money is not unlimited,” he said. “Even if it’s 100 people, focus on the 100 people and not just have them on a list.”
Housing
To support the development of more housing, Fuentes said the county can start by reducing costs for permitting, rezoning and annexing. That “should reduce the costs for the construction side, which should reduce the cost (to) either sell it or rent it,” he added.
Moreno said the city of San Diego has “taken the red tape away” to be able to build over 200,000 housing units in her district. She wants that at the county level, too. Additionally, she said the county’s Fire Safe and Vehicle Miles Traveled Efficient smart growth alternative “needs to be looked at.” The alternative aims to push development away from areas at high risk for wildfires and closer to urban areas with public facilities.
Aguirre said housing production needs to be diversified so that people of all incomes can afford what’s being built. “We need to make sure we continue housing production where it makes sense in urbanized areas, in infill areas and not just in wildfire prone areas.” She and Chavez said they support facilitating the production of more accessible dwelling units (ADUs).
Sewage crisis
Cross-border pollution has worsened in recent years, making it one of the most pressing environmental issues for South County communities. For decades, sewage and toxic chemicals have plagued local shorelines and neighborhoods, impacting people’s health, the local economy and military training.
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Aguirre said the county “needs to put skin in the game” and that the city of San Diego could also do more to address the crisis, despite it largely being a federal problem. She suggested the creation of a joint powers authority between the county and city to strategize how to better handle Tijuana River sewage flows.
Chavez said both nations’ federal governments are “very far from the border.” She wants better coordination between all levels of government and from both sides of the border. Chavez said she envisions a task force composed of representatives from the local, state and federal governments.
Moreno said funding is key to fixing Tijuana’s leaky system. She wants to see the federal government invest far more funding in the South Bay wastewater treatment plant, beyond the more than $600 million Congress has approved to fix and expand the facility.
Fuentes said that although much progress has been accomplished in recent years, he doesn’t see the current administration freeing up more money “for an area they don’t even know.” But, he added, “they can work diplomatically to force the root of where that sewage is coming from, which is from Mexico.”
Oceanside Harbor Beach. (File photo courtesy of @CityofOceanside via X)
A man apparent drowned in the waters near the Oceanside Pier Saturday morning, despite efforts by lifeguards and paramedics to revive him.
The Oceanside Fire Department’s Lifeguard Division and the Oceanside Police Department responded to a report of a missing man at about 4:30 a.m.. Officials said the man was last seen swimming in the ocean about a half-hour earlier.
Lifeguards and police immediately initiated a coordinated search effort using pier vantage points, surveillance cameras and watercraft, but the search was suspended at approximately 5:30 a.m. after no one was found, fire officials said.
“At approximately 10:50 a.m., lifeguards discovered an unresponsive adult male, matching the earlier description, in the water near Lifeguard Tower 12, at Oceanside Harbor Beach,” Division Chief Blake Dorse said in a statement. “The individual was removed from the water, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was immediately initiated.”
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Fire and rescue personnel continued efforts to resuscitate the man on the way to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He is believed to be the one who was reported missing near the pier.
Authorities did not release the man’s name.
“The Oceanside Lifeguard Division reminds the public to exercise caution when entering the ocean, especially during early morning hours or when lifeguards are not actively monitoring the water,” Dorse said. “Always swim near an open lifeguard tower and avoid entering the water alone.”
A decade of unforgettable meals calls for a proper celebration. This April, Herb & Wood marks its 10-year anniversary, honoring ten years of shaping San Diego’s culinary identity from its stylish home in Little Italy.
Since opening in 2016, the restaurant has played a defining role in modern San Diego dining, ushering in a more ingredient-driven, chef-forward era while setting the standard for design, hospitality, and overall experience.
A Month of Throwback Favorites and Celebratory Surprises
To commemorate the milestone, Herb & Wood is celebrating all month long by bringing back a selection of OG favorites alongside the signature dishes that have remained staples over the years.
Order from the anniversary lineup and receive a scratcher ticket for a chance to win prizes like a whole Jamón Ibérico ham leg, a custom Johnny Lane painting, and a coveted “lifetime” branzino card. It’s a fun and fitting way to toast one of San Diego’s most influential restaurants.
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A Collaborative Anniversary Dinner
The celebration concludes with a special four-course anniversary dinner featuring standout chefs from the Puffer Malarkey Collective. Brian Malarkey, Aidan Owens, Tara Monsod, and Kylie Cablayan will come together for an unforgettable evening that highlights their creativity and culinary artistry.
The celebratory menu includes:
Course One
Parker House Rolls with honey herb butter
Oyster & Beef Tartare with smoked oyster mayo, caramelized onion, and beef fat snow
Course Two
Lechon Kawali with grilled strawberries, pickled mustard seeds, pickled Tokyo negi, mustard frill, and strawberry sarsa
Course Three
Woodfired Tenderloin & Charred Prawns with garlic and chili, fennel oil, celery root, and whipped tallow butter
Course Four
Funfetti Cake with blueberry jam, lemon curd, and Swiss meringue buttercream
This one-night-only collaboration is a delicious tribute to Herb & Wood’s legacy and a memorable way to toast ten remarkable years in Little Italy.
A Defining Force in San Diego Dining
Over the past decade, Herb & Wood has become a cornerstone of Little Italy’s vibrant dining scene. Known for its warm ambiance and thoughtfully crafted menu, it continues to set the tone for modern dining in San Diego.
Whether revisiting longtime favorites or discovering something new, this anniversary celebration is the perfect excuse to gather around the table and raise a glass to ten remarkable years.
See you there!
We’ll be celebrating in Little Italy with throwback bites, celebratory pours, and plenty of toasts to ten iconic years at Herb & Wood.
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📆 April 3 – 29, 2026 | Culmination celebration April 30 📍 2210 Kettner Blvd, San Diego 🎟️ Book your table here ℹ️ Click here for updates
The San Diego Wave and their fans deserved every second of the festive Friday morning that played out at Snapdragon Stadium.
Wave personnel and fans erupted in cheers as Catarina Macario, a star striker with San Diego roots who agreed to a record-setting contract, displayed a Wave No. 20 jersey at an introductory news conference.
Macario, 26, has taken injury detours, but stands indisputably as one of the world’s better goal-scorers among women.
The Torrey Pines High School and San Diego Surf alum’s local pedigree may also boost the fifth-year Wave, who through no fault of the club’s current leaders, lost considerable star power in recent years, contributing to an attendance decline.
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At a reported $8 million, the five-year deal is reportedly the most for a women’s soccer player.
Macario, smiling often, labeled her new reality “unreal,” while seated next to Wave sporting director Camille Ashton.
She was 12 when family members, seeking better opportunities, brought her from Brazil to live in San Diego after first visiting Dallas.
“I never would have imagined, I guess, that 12-year-old Cat, not knowing how to speak English, being super scared, would one day come back and get to represent her hometown team,” Macario said. “It’s very special. It’s something I’m very proud of. It will just mean that much more, once I step on the field.”
Catarina Macario, right, holds up her jersey with Camille Ashton, Sporting Director and General Manager, at a news conference held to announce
her signing with the San Diego Wave FC March 27, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
Ashton called it “a monumental signing.”
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Ashton, formerly Camille Levin, won a national championship with Stanford as a player. She said Macario, who came to Stanford after Ashton turned pro, fits well into the possession-driven, uptempo style the Wave have developed in a season-plus under coach Jonas Eidevall.
“Cat is a world-class player of exceptional quality, intelligence and character,” Ashton said. “Her technical ability, vision and goal-scoring instinct make her one of the most exciting talents in the game today. Just as importantly, she brings a professionalism and competitive drive that will both complement and elevate the high standards already established within our squad.”
Turmoil marked the 2024 season, the franchise’s final one under team president Jill Ellis and coach Casey Stoney.
Ellis fired Stoney, the franchise’s coach since its inception, before midseason. The team’s offense was tedious, leading to a ninth-place finish and the franchise missing the playoff cut for the first time. Ellis, amid reports of a harsh work environment, moved on.
In the first full year under Ashton and Eidevall, the Wave’s offense improved and the team made the playoffs, but was bounced in one game.
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Macario will give the Wave a better chance to rebound at the gate and on the pitch from the exodus of popular stars Alex Morgan (retirement in 2024), midfielder Jaedyn Shaw (traded at her request in January 2025) and defender Naomi Girma (who was transferred to Chelsea later that month for $1.1 million).
The Macario signing comes 16 months after Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine, founders of a private equity firm in Los Angeles, completed a $120-million purchase of the Wave.
The record contract “just shows how serious they are about me, and getting the club to succeed even more,” Macario said.
NWSL leaders facilitated the deal as well. Ashton said the league’s adoption four months ago of the High Impact Player Rule, allowing an exception to the salary cap, “came at an incredibly good time.”
Macario said she knows several Wave players and played with versatile fullback Perle Morroni on France’s top club team, Lyon.
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Given that Macario has scored goals at an extraordinary pace throughout her career — with the Surf, Torrey Pines, Stanford, Lyon and Chelsea — there’s only one major concern about how her Wave career will play out:
Health.
A left ACL injury suffered in the final game of her season with Lyon four years ago cost her a full season.
An irritation in her right knee cost her a spot on the U.S. team that won gold at the 2024 Olympics in France.
She was sidelined in recent months at Chelsea, creating uncertainty about her Wave debut.
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“We’re confident her best years are ahead,” Ashton said.
Macario offered no details Friday about when she’ll be ready to play for the Wave, who’ll face Chicago in a home game today.
Smiling, she suggested being in San Diego will improve her health.
“Maybe the skies were a little too gray for me,” she quipped about health setbacks in England and France. “The sunshine will help me heal a little bit quicker.”
For a franchise that was enveloped by clouds in 2024, the forecast grew much brighter Friday.
