Axios San Diego

August 22, 2025
Hey! Hiya. Hello there. It's Friday. We've got some news about the news today.
☀️ Today's weather: Coast — Mostly sunny with a high near 75; Inland — Sunny with a high near 88. This heat wave will continue into the weekend.
🎧 Sounds like: "One More Saturday Night," by Grateful Dead. (Or, one more Friday morning, as it were.)
✍🏼 Situational awareness: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two redistricting bills into law yesterday in response to Texas passing a new congressional map.
- We'll vote on California's newly-drawn congressional districts, designed to help Democrats win five more U.S. House seats, at a special election on Nov. 4.
Today's newsletter is 1,086 words — a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: Fare thee well
👋 Hi, it's Andy.
Today is my last day with Axios San Diego.
The big picture: After just over two years writing this daily newsletter, I've accepted a new job and will no longer be here to start your morning.
- You're still in great hands: My friend Kate Murphy isn't going anywhere.
Between the lines: Writing this newsletter every day has been a blast — and thank you all for patiently tolerating — maybe even enjoying? — my music recommendations, sports musings and parenting laments.
- Covering City Hall, land-use and development and local elections is still my favorite, but I loved the chance to write about everything else on my mind, too.
A reader recently told me they were impressed that we keep coming up with funny greetings every morning.
- Let me tell you, it has not been easy. I have run out of new ways to share what day of the week it is and say hello. Godspeed, Kate.
💭 Kate's thought bubble: I couldn't have asked for a better co-pilot in launching this newsletter, and I will miss Andy's story ideas, hot takes and jokes every day.
- But I'm excited for this next chapter for both of us, and eager to meet my new partner, which might even be one of you!
What's next: In a few weeks, I'll start as the GM and editor for Times of San Diego, a nonprofit news site that relaunched this year after acquiring seven community newspapers.
The bottom line: I loved writing this newsletter and will miss reading emails from all of you every morning. I hope it felt as much like a conversation to you as it did to me.
- I remain amazed by Drew C.'s ability to identify every landmark in our weekly photo contest. Drew, I confess that I initially thought you found a way to cheat. You're too good.
2. 💰 Big, beautiful tax cuts

The average San Diego County resident will see a federal tax cut of about $3,564 in 2026 thanks to the "big, beautiful bill," according to an analysis from the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group that mostly supports lower taxes.
Why it matters: That's money people can spend on other things like rent, groceries and other bills — which could be essential next year as inflation outpaces wages and tariffs threaten to push costs up further.
How it works: The spending bill Congress passed in July not only made President Trump's first-term tax cuts permanent, it added on new breaks: deductions for tips and overtime income, a cut for seniors and an expanded child-care tax cut.
- These are temporary provisions.
- The report compares the tax rate in 2026 with what it would've been had the bill not passed and the 2017 tax cuts expired.
Zoom out: There are broad geographic differences in tax benefits from the spending bill due to variations in state and local taxes, plus areas where more high-earners live, Axios' Emily Peck and Jason Lalljee report.
- In California, the average tax cut per filer will be $4,141, the data shows. The Bay Area will see the biggest cuts (around $12,000), while Imperial County will see one of the smallest ($1,810).
- Nationally, it's $3,752.
Between the lines: Business owners will get some of the biggest cuts — thanks, in part, to tax breaks being made permanent for research and development expenses and other provisions.
- Those in high-tax coastal regions will also get big breaks, from the increased cap on state and local tax deductions (known as SALT — also temporary).
Reality check: The bill also made some steep cuts to social spending on food benefits and Medicaid, but those mostly don't kick in until 2027 and 2028.
- For many lower-income Americans, those cuts will outweigh any benefits of these tax breaks.
3. The Lineup: 🔎 San Diego spy convicted
⚓ A San Diego-based Navy sailor was convicted Wednesday of spying for China in exchange for $12,000. (Axios)
⛴️ Disney Cruise Line is expanding its San Diego presence, and tourism industry officials now expect more cruise passengers in the 2026-2027 season than any year since 2009-2010. (Union-Tribune)
🚨 Federal immigration officials arrested a man near an Encinitas school Wednesday morning. School district officials confirmed his daughter was a student. (KPBS)
- It's the third instance this month of an immigration arrest near a San Diego County school.
4. 😎 Legit low-key kickbacks
It's a big soccer weekend, but if that's not your thing, here's what else is happening around town:
🇵🇭Immerse yourself in Filipino culture at SAMAFEST with live music, dances, food and art in Balboa Park on Saturday and Sunday.
🧘🏼♀️Embrace the zen of the San Diego Botanic Garden with open air yoga on Saturday in Encinitas.
📚Book lovers can check out author talks, live music and poetry performances, kids story times and other activities at the free KPBS book festival on USD's campus on Saturday.
🌊 No Surf Festival will be rockin' The Soap Factory on Saturday, and there are more great concerts this weekend.
🍷Sip wine with bites from local chefs and DJ sets at Pali Wine Co.'s annual 'Summer Sessions' Backyard Bash on Sunday.
🎶 SeaWorld closes out its electric summer concert series with the Turnt Up Tour featuring hip-hop icons Petey Pablo, Paul Wall, J-Kwon, and Bubba Sparxxx.
🎨 Enjoy the creative works of more than 100 artists, brews and live music at the family-friendly LeucadiART Walk on the 101 on Sunday.
🚲 Ride 25 miles along the Bayshore Bikeway through the city and across the Coronado Bridge in the annual Bike the Bay event on Sunday.
🥲 Andy is hoping you'll follow him on social media, or at his new gig.
🥲 Kate is thinking she'll have to start going to a lot more mid-week concerts to see Andy now that they're no longer coworkers.
This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz, who thinks Andy is a straight-up dude and a bonafide newsman. See you at Star Bar.
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