Axios San Diego

March 25, 2026
Hey, it's Wednesday, which means we're halfway there.
🌤️ Today's weather: Coast — Mostly sunny, high of 69; Inland — Morning fog then sunny, high of 83
🎧 Sounds like: "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan, who just added The Rady Shell to his summer tour.
Situational awareness: Taping "The Axios Show" in Sacramento yesterday, Gov. Newsom praised Elon Musk as this generation's Thomas Edison — then accused the Tesla CEO of surrendering the EV market to China. See the first clip ... Subscribe on YouTube.
We still want your feedback! What should Axios San Diego do more of — or less of? Tell us in this short survey.
Today's newsletter is 1,026 words — a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: 😒 Get It Done app isn't getting it done
If you file a report through San Diego's Get It Done app, you may be waiting a while to get results, according to an Axios analysis of city data.
Why it matters: The city takes many complaints — from off-leash dogs to cars parked on the street for too long — through the app, but San Diego had almost 85,000 open cases in its queue as of last week, making filing a complaint feel fruitless to some residents.
- In some cases, complaints have languished for up to a decade.
When it comes to certain kinds of complaints, like cars parking longer than 72 hours, police say the backlog is due in part to understaffing.
Case in point: Pacific Beach resident Wendy Eichenbaum has tried over and over to use the app to report cars violating the 72-hour parking limit on her street.
- But it takes police 14 days on average to close a 72-hour complaint in her neighborhood, according to city data.
- "It feels like playing Whack-a-Mole," she told Axios.
And Pacific Beach has one of the faster average response times.
- In Del Mar Mesa, Torrey Highlands and Carmel Mountain, it takes on average 125 days to close a parking case.
- Overall, it's taking the city longer to close such cases — 46 days in 2026 versus 43 in 2025.
Data also shows richer neighborhoods get more of their complaints serviced, even if it still takes several weeks.
Zoom out: Other issues like sidewalk repair and street light maintenance each have more than 12,000 open cases, and 61 cases have been open for more than 10 years.
While there are almost 4,000 72-hour parking complaints still open, the police department has closed almost 12,000 this year, city spokesperson Leslie Wolf Branscomb told Axios.
- To Eichenbaum, that wait time defeats the purpose of the reports, especially because cars will move once a month to avoid a street sweeping ticket, skirting the Get It Done report.
2. 🏀 SDSU still making March Madness money
San Diego State didn't make March Madness, but the Aztecs' home court still made it to college sports' biggest stage as a host this past weekend.
Why it matters: Hosting early March Madness games generates revenue for the university and local businesses, and boosts national exposure for the SDSU brand at a time when students are applying to colleges.
Zoom in: There was palpable energy on campus even though SDSU teams weren't playing.
- More than 34,000 fans packed Viejas Arena over the weekend to watch No. 1-seed Arizona's dominance and St. John's buzzer-beater to top Kansas.
By the numbers: SDSU's athletic department expects to bring in more than $200,000 from hosting the event, athletic director JD Wicker told Axios.
- That doesn't include additional money from concessions and parking.
- The NCAA pays schools an "honorarium" as a financial thank-you for hosting, but typically keeps the money from ticket sales, he said.
Games also create brand exposure for the city and the university, with SDSU logos around the court and media reporting they're at Viejas Arena in San Diego.
- "It's a built-in commercial," Wicker said.
The intrigue: SDSU has typically made money during March Madness through NCAA payouts to the Mountain West conference.
- So the Aztecs missing the tournament this year meant lost revenue for the conference, but SDSU wouldn't have seen that money anyway since it's moving to the Pac-12, per Wicker.
3. The Current: ♻️ Blue bins roll out
🥫 City residents will see new light blue recycling bins getting dropped off in driveways starting today, but the replacement rollout will take months. (City of San Diego)
🏫 The San Diego Unified board is considering changing the name of César Chávez Elementary School after recent child sex abuse allegations emerged against the labor leader. (City News Service)
🚫 The California governor's debate scheduled for tonight was canceled over criticism that candidates of color were excluded from the event. (LA Times)
🏛️ San Diego's stricter hiring rules have left about 150 city jobs unfilled, resulting in service cuts to restroom cleaning at city beaches, road maintenance and library youth programs. (Union-Tribune)
4. 👯♀️ Why Gen Z wants more office work
Gen Z workers are chasing more time in the office.
Why it matters: The generation with a reputation for preferring fully remote work is actually the least likely to want it — reflecting deeper worries about connection and growth, recent Gallup polling shows.
By the numbers: Fewer than a quarter (23%) of remote-capable Gen Z employees say they'd prefer fully remote work, compared with 35% among each older generation, according to Gallup's 2025 survey.
- And Gen Z is the most likely to want employees in the office more often.
State of play: Many say they've had enough of working from home, as loneliness and career advancement are driving the shift back to the office.
5. 🚀 Luxury movie night
On a hot summer (or winter) evening, dinner and a movie at The Lot is definitely one way to treat yo self.
With "Project Hail Mary" shattering expectations at the box office, many of us are heading to the theaters, and luxury experiences like The Lot are ready to cash in.
- The Lot's two locations, in Liberty Station and La Jolla, let you recline in leather armchairs and indulge in a full menu of cocktails, dinners and desserts.
It's not a cheap date, with tickets running $23 and menu items on the pricey side.
- But members can get a big discount on Wednesdays.
💁🏻♀️ Kate is no longer able to sit through a movie without a cushioned recliner.
👽 Claire will stop talking about "Project Hail Mary" now.
This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz.
Sign up for Axios San Diego








