Axios San Diego

September 24, 2026
It's Thursday, have you checked your property tax bill? Details below.
π€οΈToday's weather: Coast β Cloudy, then sunny, high 75; Inland β Cloudy, then sunny, high 84
π§ Sounds like: "Hollywood Dreams" by Bon Jovi
Todayβs newsletter is 1,106 words β a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: Hollywood dreams delayed
The push to make Chula Vista the next Hollywood has hit a snag.
The big picture: A plan to build a Chula Vista Entertainment Center has been in the works for two years, but has been tripped up over fundraising and a vetting process, CEO Aaron Roberts told Axios.
Driving the news: The project "mutually parted ways" with a $15 million investor and is still working to close its initial $5 million fundraising round, Roberts said.
- It also has no firm start date.
Catch up quick: The goal of making local studio space for Hollywood movies is meant to be built in two phases.
- The first one involves converting the top two floors of Chula Vista's Millenia Library into a space for coworking, podcast recording, photography and self-taping.
- The second phase is more ambitious β creating 130,000 square feet of space that can be used for big production films.
The snags come from a due diligence process with the city. Chula Vista hired consultants HR&A Advisors to do a deep dive into Roberts's company, and staff will present their findings to the City Council by the end of the year before the city decides to move forward with the project, according to the Union-Tribune.
- As of now, there's no formal agreement with Roberts, Chula Vista's Economic Development Director David Graham told the UT.
- "You can say (we're) deciding whether we're going to date or not," he said.
Between the lines: Once ground is broken, Roberts told Axios the studio space could be up and running in 18 months.
- "The start date is the fluid part," he said.
In the meantime, Roberts said he's working to raise $150 million through a mix of debt and equity that would allow him to start the bigger studio project.
The bottom line: Roberts said delays are part of the game for startups.
- "If I could have raised $150 million within six to 12 months, that would have been awesome," he said. "It's not that that wasn't the plan, but history is filled with startups that take 12, 18, 24 plus months to raise funds."
2. ποΈ Check your trash bill
Potentially thousands 0f San Diego residents were overcharged for trash pickup on their most recent property tax bill, according to the city.
The big picture: The city is still figuring out the scope of the problem and says everyone overcharged will get refunds.
- In the meantime, you can check yourself.
Here are the steps:
ποΈ Check the city portal: Log into San Diego's Waste Portal and find "Amount Billed to Tax Bill" under "Fiscal Year 2027." If you don't have an account, you'll need to create one.
π Check your property tax bill: Look up your 2026-27 property tax bill on the county Treasurer-Tax Collector website and find the "SD Solid Waste Mgmt Fee" line.
π Compare the two: The city says the amount in its Waste Portal is correct. If the numbers don't match, you may have been overcharged.
π¬ If your fee appears higher: You don't need to file a dispute. The city says it will contact affected customers and correct the error or arrange a refund.
- But if you believe the amount in the City Portal is also incorrect, you should submit a Fee Dispute Form.
This happened because of a data glitch that city officials own as their fault, according to a statement from Mayor Todd Gloria.
π Claire's thought bubble: I followed these very steps and found our fee was $100 over!
3. The Current: π₯ New Whole Foods on the block
π Downtown's new Whole Foods opened yesterday at 201 W. A St., bringing a 45,400-square-foot market, coffee and juice bar. (Whole Foods Market)
ποΈ Two Imperial Beach stretches reopened at the end of Seacoast Drive and Cortez Avenue after water quality improved. The shoreline from the border to three-quarters of a mile north of the Tijuana River Outlet remains closed. (KPBS)
β¨ University Heights is glowing again after the city spent about $24,000 replacing the neighborhood sign's neon following months of outages.
- Residents have raised more than $56,000 toward an $80,000 overhaul to tackle rust, fading and peeling decals. (ABC 10News)
4. π€ We are bad tippers

Californians are once again among the worst tippers in the country, according to new Toast data shared first with Axios.
Why it matters: So-called "tip fatigue" is fueling a broader rethink of tipping culture, even as average tips haven't changed much over the past two years.
- Some U.S. restaurants are now ditching gratuities altogether in favor of higher menu prices and wages, the BBC reports.
By the numbers: California diners tipped 17% on average across all restaurant types in Q2 of this year, per Toast's latest tipping trends report.
- Nationwide, it was 19%.
Winners: Delaware, West Virginia and New Hampshire, with diners leaving around 21% on average.
Losers: California, Washington, D.C., and Washington state, where averages run under 18%.
5. π Kenza Dali's stadium style
Kenza Dali knows how to make an entrance.
The big picture: The San Diego Wave FC midfielder rocks amazing pregame outfits as she enters the stadium.
- As part of our ongoing feature on San Diego fashion, we asked the soccer star about her style.
Q: How do you choose what clothes to wear to a game?
Dali: Truly, I decide the day before, or even sometimes on game day, what I'm going to wear. So it really depends on my mood and what's available.
Q: How do you describe your style?
Dali: I wear what I want, with clean lines, good proportion. I like oversize style, and I like being comfortable with strong pieces.
Q: What's your go-to San Diego outfit?
Dali: Long shorts with a tank and a good pair of shoes.
Q: Has your style changed since you came to San Diego (in January 2025)?
Dali: No, it's just obviously different because I was living in England. So in England, often you have a jacket, and I don't really wear jackets here. But in terms of how I dress, obviously, you adapt to the weather. But my style hasn't changed. I always really dressed this way.
Who else should we ask about their fashion? Hit reply or email us.
π» Claire caved and put up her Halloween decorations.
π©π»βπΌ Kate is on parental leave.
This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz.
Editor's note: A story in yesterday's newsletter was corrected to reflect that an art exhibit is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
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