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Despite school ban, San Diego students keep trying YouTube 

San Diego Unified restricted streaming sites on student Chromebooks this year.

Education

San Diego Unified students don&#x27;t seem to be taking the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new ban on YouTube" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/08/05/san-diego-schools-chromebooks-tk-digital-limits" data-vars-content-id="8bb9f0b6-8e05-4d06-aedd-d73366edd78e" data-vars-headline="Despite school ban, San Diego students keep trying YouTube " data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/08/05/san-diego-schools-chromebooks-tk-digital-limits" target="_self">new ban on YouTube</a> lying down.The big picture: YouTube and other streaming websites were <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="blocked" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/06/24/san-diego-unified-youtube-gaming-ai-restrictions-student-devices" data-vars-content-id="8bb9f0b6-8e05-4d06-aedd-d73366edd78e" data-vars-headline="Despite school ban, San Diego students keep trying YouTube " data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/06/24/san-diego-unified-youtube-gaming-ai-restrictions-student-devices" target="_self">blocked</a> from students&#x27; school Chromebooks when school started two weeks ago. But that didn&#x27;t stop students from trying to get their streaming fix.

San Diego apartments shrinking as rents keep rising

New San Diego apartments lost 84 square feet on average over a decade as rents rose roughly 70%.

Real Estate

New apartments in San Diego are getting smaller, according to a new survey from RentCafe.Why it matters: They might be smaller, but they aren&#x27;t cheaper.

What it's like to ride in a driverless Waymo

Early rides will avoid highways, limiting longer trips while making shorter city hops more practical.

Transit

I got a brief preview of the not-too-distant future, when driverless Waymo cars will soon roam our streets.The big picture: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Waymo" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/07/22/san-diego-waymo-reader-reactions-driverless-cars-autonomous-vehicles-opinions" data-vars-content-id="75682279-38fe-45f6-a3dc-27b31b23a593" data-vars-headline="What it&#x27;s like to ride in a driverless Waymo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/07/22/san-diego-waymo-reader-reactions-driverless-cars-autonomous-vehicles-opinions" target="_self">Waymo</a> received its final approval last week to roll out autonomous cars in San Diego and plans to launch in stages soon, spokesperson Sandy Karp told Axios.<ul><li>Last week, I went on a driverless ride.</li></ul>

Inside the art of photographing Padres games at Petco Park

Jean Fruth showed us where photographers shoot at Petco Park — and how they work around its obstacles.

Sports

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Petco Park" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/06/10/remote-work-san-diego-padres-game-petco-park" data-vars-content-id="4fef9546-8318-415b-8d8e-5ed3baf1a44e" data-vars-headline="Inside the art of photographing Padres games at Petco Park" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/06/10/remote-work-san-diego-padres-game-petco-park" target="_self">Petco Park</a> sure is pretty, but it can be challenging for the sports photographers who shoot games there.The big picture: I got this insider knowledge from famous sports photographer <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jean Fruth" data-vars-click-url="https://www.jeanfruthimages.com/" data-vars-content-id="4fef9546-8318-415b-8d8e-5ed3baf1a44e" data-vars-headline="Inside the art of photographing Padres games at Petco Park" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.jeanfruthimages.com/" target="_blank">Jean Fruth</a>, who recently showed a group of reporters and photographers what it&#x27;s like to capture Padres games with Sony cameras.<ul><li>&quot;It&#x27;s a fan-friendly ballpark,&quot; Fruth told Axios, &quot;but for photographers, there are some challenges.&quot;</li></ul>

San Diego braces for dangerous heat through Friday

Temperatures could hit 110 in Ramona and 115 in Borrego Springs as dangerous heat builds this week.

Public Safety

It&#x27;s about to get even hotter.The big picture: There&#x27;s a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="heat advisory" data-vars-click-url="https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=sgx&amp;wwa=all" data-vars-content-id="dbfb8780-a841-468b-8196-6417710b4ce2" data-vars-headline="San Diego braces for dangerous heat through Friday" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=sgx&amp;wwa=all" target="_blank">heat advisory</a> from 10 am Tuesday to 8 pm Friday along the coast and an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="extreme heat warning" data-vars-click-url="https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=sgx&amp;wwa=all" data-vars-content-id="dbfb8780-a841-468b-8196-6417710b4ce2" data-vars-headline="San Diego braces for dangerous heat through Friday" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=sgx&amp;wwa=all" target="_blank">extreme heat warning</a> in the valleys, including San Marcos, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Poway and Escondido.

Meet San Diego's volunteers who wrangle snakes for free

The Snake Wranglers answer thousands of calls a year and relocate snakes rather than kill them.

Environment

Snake wrangling is such a busy job <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="around here" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/05/sdsu-rattlesnake-research-mission-trails-pipeline-habitat-study-san-diego" data-vars-content-id="8b26434b-c902-4445-83bb-9f3f1f164f33" data-vars-headline="Meet San Diego&#x27;s volunteers who wrangle snakes for free" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/05/sdsu-rattlesnake-research-mission-trails-pipeline-habitat-study-san-diego" target="_self">around here</a> that Bruce Ireland could only talk on his way to pick up a snake.The big picture: Ireland runs <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Snake Wranglers" data-vars-click-url="https://snake-wranglers.com/" data-vars-content-id="8b26434b-c902-4445-83bb-9f3f1f164f33" data-vars-headline="Meet San Diego&#x27;s volunteers who wrangle snakes for free" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://snake-wranglers.com/" target="_blank">The Snake Wranglers</a>, a group of volunteers who come to your house and catch that intrusive snake free of charge.

Why San Diego has so many mosquitoes this summer

Hot, humid weather and high tides are helping mosquitoes multiply across parts of the county.

Health

It&#x27;s not just you — there are likely more mosquitoes biting this summer.The big picture: The hot and humid weather led to a mosquito boom, plus high tides created more marsh space for the buggers to breed, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="according to Fox 5" data-vars-click-url="https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-mosquito-surge-vector-control/" data-vars-content-id="578e7140-6faf-4e8a-8f7e-1c188d0ac94e" data-vars-headline="Why San Diego has so many mosquitoes this summer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-mosquito-surge-vector-control/" target="_blank">according to Fox 5</a>.

Two popular San Diego-area trails close for August heat

Hikers could face $5,000 fines as officials try to keep rescue helicopters available for fires.

Two popular hiking trails in Cleveland National Forest are now closed during August because of the heat.The big picture: San Diego River Gorge and Three Sisters hiking trails are closed, and anyone who goes on them can be fined $5,000, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="according to the U.S. Forest Service" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/cleveland/alerts/three-sisters-closure-area" data-vars-content-id="91c19ed5-e8d7-4474-a4b8-9bf0bad9a928" data-vars-headline="Two popular San Diego-area trails close for August heat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/cleveland/alerts/three-sisters-closure-area" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Forest Service</a>.

Why San Diego could have a sharkier summer this year

Warmer water may bring great whites, hammerheads, bull sharks and tiger sharks closer to shore.

It&#x27;s going to be a sharky summer.Why it matters: Warmer water from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="El Niño" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/26/super-el-nino-cooler-wetter-winter" data-vars-content-id="3167062a-cced-410b-92c2-bdd1e5467b55" data-vars-headline="Why San Diego could have a sharkier summer this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/26/super-el-nino-cooler-wetter-winter" target="_self">El Niño</a> is expected to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="push sharks north" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/07/08/swim-snorkel-leopard-sharks-la-jolla-summer-fall-guided-tour" data-vars-content-id="3167062a-cced-410b-92c2-bdd1e5467b55" data-vars-headline="Why San Diego could have a sharkier summer this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/07/08/swim-snorkel-leopard-sharks-la-jolla-summer-fall-guided-tour" target="_self">push sharks north</a> from Mexico, which means San Diego could see the return of great white sharks, plus hammerhead sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks.

Where to join San Diego beach cleanups after July 4

It's busiest beach day of the year, which means our coastlines get trashed.

July Fourth festivities can really trash San Diego&#x27;s beaches, so local organizations are hosting cleanup events on Sunday to help them recover.🏖️ The Surfrider Foundation&#x27;s 20th annual <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Morning After Mess" data-vars-click-url="https://sandiego.surfrider.org/mam" data-vars-content-id="0b85f72f-1d22-4dd6-9f73-efa4dfc1f341" data-vars-headline="Where to join San Diego beach cleanups after July 4" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://sandiego.surfrider.org/mam" target="_blank">Morning After Mess</a> has five events across the county from 9 to 11am.

Why San Diego's allergy season is getting worse

More high-pollen days and weaker coastal winds are keeping allergens in the air longer.

News

It&#x27;s going to be a sniffly summer: San Diego now ranks as one of the worst places for pollen allergies, a recent report shows.Why it matters: More pollen is sticking around town, floating in the air, coating our cars and making many of our lives miserable.

1 in 4 San Diego County homes don't have AC

Air-conditioning can feel like a much-needed luxury here with heat waves and high electricity costs.

About a quarter of San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have air-conditioning, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new census data" data-vars-click-url="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/2023-lace.html" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/2023-lace.html" target="_blank">new census data</a> shows. Why it matters: AC can feel like a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="much-needed" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/08/06/most-san-diego-students-in-extreme-urban-heat-zones" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/08/06/most-san-diego-students-in-extreme-urban-heat-zones" target="_self">much-needed</a> luxury here, with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rising electricity costs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" target="_self">rising electricity costs</a> and record-setting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="heat waves" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2026/03/13/record-setting-heat-wave-grips-sd-county-socal" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2026/03/13/record-setting-heat-wave-grips-sd-county-socal" target="_blank">heat waves</a> in the winter.The big picture: Nationally, just 6.9% of U.S. households lacked AC in 2023.<ul><li>It was most uncommon in San Francisco, where 65% of homes lacked AC. </li><li>And Los Angeles County had the highest overall number of homes without AC at nearly 702,000.</li></ul>Between the lines: AC is part cultural and part economic.<ul><li>Some places don&#x27;t get hot often enough to warrant AC installations, which could be an argument for San Diego&#x27;s coastal neighborhoods.</li><li>In other places, pumping cool air through the house is too costly because of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high energy rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" target="_self">high energy rates</a>. </li></ul>What&#x27;s next: As climate change makes heat waves more common and more intense, more people may install AC to stay cool and healthy.

Mission Trails bridge still stalled after runner died

Five years after Max LeNail drowned, a proposed bridge remains tangled in city delays.

When 21-year-old Max LeNail died trying to cross the river in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mission Trails Park" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/08/whats-happening-mission-trails-projects-pipeline-construction-visitor-center-renovation" data-vars-content-id="7f5934b2-9944-4b7d-b573-e28a4550c634" data-vars-headline="Mission Trails bridge still stalled after runner died" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/08/whats-happening-mission-trails-projects-pipeline-construction-visitor-center-renovation" target="_self">Mission Trails Park</a> in 2021, his parents set about building a bridge in his honor.The big picture: But today, those bridge plans remain up in the air, stymied by bureaucracy despite them securing a state grant to pay for it.<ul><li>And his parents are losing hope that there&#x27;s a way forward.</li></ul>

The life of a San Diego rattlesnake tracker

Using radio tags and AI, a San Diego researcher tracks how rattlesnakes react to habitat disruption.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Indiana Jones" data-vars-click-url="https://youtu.be/e2K-WA6NQC0?si=KdrG2pZXT7u5Q3Wv&amp;t=25" data-vars-content-id="f580eade-fc9a-43e2-a110-a910849fa198" data-vars-headline="The life of a San Diego rattlesnake tracker" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://youtu.be/e2K-WA6NQC0?si=KdrG2pZXT7u5Q3Wv&amp;t=25" target="_blank">Indiana Jones</a> would not want Vincent Marcantonio&#x27;s job. The SDSU graduate student spends his days in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mission Trails" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/08/whats-happening-mission-trails-projects-pipeline-construction-visitor-center-renovation" data-vars-content-id="f580eade-fc9a-43e2-a110-a910849fa198" data-vars-headline="The life of a San Diego rattlesnake tracker" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/08/whats-happening-mission-trails-projects-pipeline-construction-visitor-center-renovation" target="_self">Mission Trails</a> tracking rattlesnakes.The big picture: Marcantonio implants snakes with small radio transmitters so he can study how they spend their days.<ul><li>That will tell him how the snakes respond to places with lots of hikers and big construction projects, including the nearby pipe replacement in Mission Trails.</li></ul>

Environment

San Diego braces for dangerous heat through Friday

Meet San Diego's volunteers who wrangle snakes for free

Why San Diego has so many mosquitoes this summer

Where to go whale watching in San Diego and what you might see

Two popular San Diego-area trails close for August heat