Axios San Diego

February 26, 2025
☀️ Welcome back. We hope you're enjoying this late February sun as much as we are.
Today's weather: Coast — Sunny, high in the low 60s; Inland — Sunny with a high in the high 70s.
🎧 Sounds like: "Scooter Blues," by Sturgill Simpson.
🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios San Diego member Gretchen Newsom!
Situational awareness: Thousands of UC San Diego workers are planning to strike at medical centers on campus in La Jolla and in Hillcrest today. The two unions have raised concerns about understaffing and are demanding higher wages.
Today's newsletter is 916 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Schools lose money for DEI programs
San Diego County school districts lost nearly $1 million in federal grant funding for teacher training programs because they promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
Why it matters: The Department of Education's action shows the local impact of its crackdown on DEI policies and threats to cut funding.
Driving the news: The Tulare County Office of Education received a letter from the Education Department cutting the $10 million Teacher Quality Preparation Program grant it runs in collaboration with the San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego State University and other education agencies around the state.
- The notification letter said the grant is terminated, in part, because it "provides funding for programs that promote or take part in DEI initiatives."
- The money was to "develop and support a continuum of highly-qualified, diverse teachers and leaders that will serve in high need rural and urban" public schools, per the project description.
Zoom in: The SD County Office of Education was set to receive $900,000 to distribute, but was notified by Tulare of the funding cut on Feb. 18.
- San Diego Unified, Cajon Valley Union and Escondido Union Elementary school districts were each expecting $50,000 per year for four years for their teacher residency programs.
Between the lines: SD Unified's program started this school year and is designed to bring in more diverse educators to better reflect the student population.
- It will continue through at least next year, but won't receive that money earmarked for professional learning experiences, mentorship and support for schools hosting residents.
The big picture: The Education Department announced last week it cut more than $600 million in grants to train teachers on "divisive ideologies" like critical race theory, "anti-racism," social justice activism and white privilege.
- Many affected grants included "teacher and staff recruiting strategies implicitly and explicitly based on race," per the department.
What we're watching: SD Unified set up a webpage tracking how federal policies and funding cuts impact its budget and operations.
2. 📉 Violent crime tumbles
Preliminary data shows San Diego homicides plummeted 22% in 2024 from the previous year, outpacing a steep 16% decline across the nation's largest cities.
Why it matters: Crime stats compiled by the Major Cities Chiefs Association suggest the COVID-era crime wave all but disappeared last year.
By the numbers: San Diego homicides have now fallen 38% since 2020, an Axios analysis of the MCCA data found. There were 56 homicides in 2020, and 35 in 2024.
Zoom in: Every category of violent crime tracked by the MCCA survey fell in San Diego.
- Rapes decreased 10% from 2023, with 349 reported last year, while robbery fell by 11% to 1,080 during the same period.
- Yes, but: Aggravated assaults decreased at a much lower rate, slipping just 1% to 4,502.
Between the lines: The numbers reflect a yearslong decline for San Diego — one of the safest big cities in America.
The big picture: Violent crime, especially homicides, rose during former President Biden's first two years before dropping dramatically over the next two, the MCCA data show.
- An Axios analysis of the 2024 nationwide preliminary crime data from 69 self-reporting large police departments found that violent crimes decreased overall by 6%.
Zoom out: San Diego's decline in homicides was consistent with the declines in California's other large cities, including San Francisco (31%), San Jose (23%) and Los Angeles (14%).
3. The Lineup: ✈️ Next stop Panama
⏪ County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has pulled her proposal for the county to hire consultants to pursue a tax increase on a future ballot, her office told Axios, after she proposed it earlier this month.
🛑 The Trump administration's cuts to medical research are bringing ongoing studies to a halt across the country, including a UCSD researcher on drug overdoses who was forced to freeze a study into HIV infections. (New York Times)
✈️ Copa Airlines is launching nonstop service from San Diego to Panama City, beginning June 25, giving San Diego International a long-desired direct flight to Latin America. (Union-Tribune)
4. 🎶 This week's setlist
If this week's stunning weather has you feeling good and looking to get out, check out these shows around town this week.
🎷 RIVA is playing a free jazz night presented by Future is Color at Quartyard tomorrow night.
🧙Witchface, a self-described "beach party punk" band, is playing a record release show at Whistle Stop on Friday night.
🎸 Fantastic Negrito, a three time Grammy-winning blues artist, is touring his new album with a stop at Lou Lou's on Friday night.
👾 Spacehall Sound Machine is a local psychedelic dance band that's headlining a night of music with six bands on two stages at Casbah on Saturday.
5. 🐟 Mitch's Seafood is so San Diego
We're swimming in seafood restaurants, but Mitch's stands out as a local staple with its daily fresh catch from local fisherman.
Dig in: The casual waterfront eatery gives visitors a quintessential San Diego experience, especially sitting at the outdoor countertop overlooking the Point Loma Marina.
How it works: Pick a daily fish option and how you want it served: grilled on a sandwich, taco, salad or plate with sides.
What we ordered: The juicy Wahoo sandwich comes on a torta bun with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce.
- The hefty fish tacos — swordfish, tuna (cooked pretty rare), and wahoo — are served on corn tortillas with cabbage, salsa and a lime crema drizzled on top.
- The clam chowder is also a treat.
Fun fact: Last year, Mitch's was the runner up for best seafood restaurant and best fish tacos in San Diego Magazine's annual list.
Our picks:
🏀 Andy is cautiously optimistic that Magoon Gwath is playing for the Aztecs again this year.
⚽ Kate is excited to see the USWNT play Japan at Snapdragon tonight.
This newsletter was edited by Ross Terrell.
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