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A Mexican cartel shut down Tijuana over the weekend by setting vehicles on fire throughout Baja California. The cartel seemed to be sending a message to the Mexican government for jailing some of its members. Union-Tribune reporter Wendy Fry has been covering this story.

My guest this week is Dr. Krishnan Chakravarthy. Dr. Chakravarthy is an anesthesiologist who specializes in pain management. He was trained at Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins, and today he teaches at UC San Diego, works at the VA Hospital in La Jolla and also runs his own laboratory.

U-T community engagement specialist Bella Ross, Pacific and community guides editor Abby Hamblin, government and Watchdog editor Sam Schulz, managing editor Lora Cicalo, and editor and publisher Jeff Light discuss the ethics around story digital analytics and whether journalists should worry about subscription conversions.

The San Diego Festival of Books kicks off Saturday, August 20th. The event is in-person this year at the University of San Diego, and there will also be virtual events. Fiona Leung is the director of events and sponsorship at the Union-Tribune.

A new program in San Diego offers free solar installations to customers who qualify. It's called the San Diego Solar Equity Program, and it's a partnership between the city of San Diego, SDG&E and the Center for Sustainable Energy. Union-Tribune energy reporter Rob Nikolewski has more.

Since March 2020, there have been more than 11,000 hate incidents against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States. A stunning 40 percent of those incidents have happened in California, and many of those incidents take place on public transit. To address this, State Sen. Dave Min introduced Senate Bill 1161.

The narrowly passed $369 billion climate package approved by the Senate on Sunday could bring money to San Diego. That funding could be used on rooftop solar, zero-emissions vehicles and more. Nationally, it's expected to reduce emissions by 40 percent over 2005 levels. Union-Tribune reporter Deborah Sullivan Brennan has more.

Taylor McCabe is an artist with an upcoming project at the children's museum, a vintage clothing pro who works at La Loupe Vintage and a degree-holder in relgious studies with an emphasis on cults.

Immigration reporter Kate Morrissey, Baja California reporter Wendy Fry, lead video journalist Alejandro Tamayo, managing editor Lora Cicalo, and editor and publisher Jeff Light discuss the award-winning work from Union-Tribune journalists.

Old Town has long been a tourist destination, but that could be changing. Since the Old Town Urban Market opened nine months ago, even locals are flocking to the outdoor food hall. Located at Congress and Twiggs streets, the market is home to eight local Latino-owned businesses. U-T food writer Pam Kragen visited the space recently.

Last October, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by five San Diego State University football players at an off-campus party. San Diego Police Department said Thursday it has concluded its criminal investigation and will submit its findings to the District Attorney. The university, however, is just starting its own investigation, nine months after the incident.

Monkeypox has now reached a state of emergency in California. The state has seen about 800 cases so far, with about 40 so far in San Diego County, which declared its own state of emergency on Monday. You can find more information about vaccines and how to protect yourself at sandiegocounty.gov. Fernando Z. López, executive director of San Diego Pride, has been helping to inform the community.

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board spoke with executives from the San Diego County Water Authority on Tuesday. They discussed rate increases, what's needed to secure Southern California's water future, and why we can't conserve our way out of the drought. Here's an excerpt from the conversation.

The Wu family, who owns Mongolian Hot Pot restaurant in Clairemont, came to the United States from Inner Mongolia, China, in 1995. The parents, Gary and Mindy Wu, left their home and jobs as artists and architects to come to the United States and start restaurants. It was a struggle at first, but soon after the family found success, opening a Rice King restaurant, then many others. Their sons Mike and Peter join me today to talk about the journey.

The San Diego Union-Tribune has always been a great way to learn about San Diego, and it just got even better. The U-T has launched a guides new initiative to help readers get to know the city by sharing things to do, places to go and more. Abby Hamblin is the editor of Community Guides and Pacific Magazine.

A new border wall is going up at Friendship Park. The binational park at the U.S.-Mexico beach border has been closed since the pandemic began. With plans to add two 30-foot border walls through the park, some fear it will never reopen. Reporters Kate Morrissey and Wendy Fry explain.

Part of the 101 Ash Street saga is settled, and the city of San Diego will take ownership of the building. The San Diego City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday to settle the city’s lawsuits over leases for 101 Ash St. and Civic Center Plaza. Watchdog reporter Jeff McDonald explains.

In the city of San Diego, single family homeowners do not pay a fee for trash pickup, while businesses and condo owners do. The law is 103 years old, and known as the People's Ordinance. This November, voters will have a change to repeal it. David Garrick covers the city for the Union-Tribune.

Seaport Village might be a step closer to its long-awaited makeover. Last week, the Port of San Diego Commissioners reviewed a new proposal from 1HWY1, which would add hotels, retail space, offices, parks, piers and more. Business reporter Jennifer Van Grove joins me to talk about the project.