Morning Report: Another Concession Charity Booted from Stadium
EM - News Moderator 
This post has been updated.
The Padres’ concession management company threw out another charity owner that runs concessions stands inside Petco Park.
Greek Life Aid served an unclear charitable purpose, Voice of San Diego’s Will Huntsberry reported in 2024. At the time, Delaware North, the concession management company, stood behind the charity, allowing the leaders to keep running stands at Petco Park.
But just before Monday night’s game between the Padres and the San Francisco Giants, the company disowned Greek Life Aid after learning the California attorney general was bringing civil charges against its leader.
“At the time, I asked all the public colleges and universities in the county if they had ever heard of Greek Life Aid. No Financial Aid Office had any record of Greek Life Aid ever providing a scholarship,” Huntsberry writes.
Huntsberry’s investigation began in 2023 when he revealed that the leaders of two fake non-profits were paying volunteers below minimum wage under the table, and keeping millions of dollars that was supposed to go to charity for themselves. The nonprofit operators pleaded guilty to fraud this month.
After the pleading, the Padres and Delaware North said they have since strengthened and safeguarded the oversight of its concession programs.
County Officials Share Voice Story on Contractor Probe
Last month, our Lisa Halverstadt wrote about an internal county review of its contracts with the now-scandal plagued Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego. A top county health official read that March 9 story spotlighting county oversight issues and directed managers to share the story with their staff that same day.
Voice obtained county managers’ emails reflecting on the story and the issues with the two county contracts after a records request.
The backstory: The county kicked off an internal review of its two contracts with the Harm Reduction Coalition last summer. Within a few weeks, the county cancelled its contracts. The District Attorney’s Office then started investigating and ultimately charged ex-COO Amy Knox with multiple felony counts for allegedly misappropriating at least $210,000 in public funds.
Worth noting: County leaders initially refused to release the internal probe, claiming that the document was protected by attorney-client privilege. They relented after Voice threatened to sue over that claim.
Imperial Beach Businesses to Feds: Help!
Welcome a new player to the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis.
Top-ranking officials from the federal Small Business Administration met with business owners and local leaders in Imperial Beach on Tuesday with promises to help businesses impacted by closed beaches, vanishing tourists and declining real estate values.
S.B.A. Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs said he was there “to listen to the concerns and come back with solutions.” Local S.B.A. officials said the department was considering using disaster-relief tools, such as low-cost loans, to help struggling businesses.
Business owners ranging from hairdressers to a 7-Eleven franchisee told of revenue losses and flagging hope. “We used to be a great surf town,” said brewery owner Mike Hess. “People are not coming.”
The economic focus marks a new turn in the sewage saga, which until now has presented mostly as an environmental issue. Local S.B.A. administrator Luci Montgomery said the voices of local businesspeople would be heard in Washington.
“The key to the environmental issue is the business community speaking up,” she said.
Are Cops Ticketing E-Bikers on the Boardwalk?
A dazed and confused surfer, an elderly man, a couple out on a joyride – albeit electronically.
It appears the San Diego Police Department and park rangers are now stopping anyone on the boardwalk riding an electric bicycle – and potentially writing them up, according to a video posted Tuesday on Mission Beach SD’s Instagram page. To the officers’ credit, signs banning e-bicycles and motor-driven cycles are now posted at the beachfront tourist hotspot.
E-bikes have been banned from the boardwalk since 2020, according to reporting from NBC 7 San Diego. In November of 2025, San Diego Police said they planned to educate before enforce the ban. The plan then was to stop and document.
San Diego Police did not respond to questions Tuesday about the latest video and whether police are now issuing tickets beyond just simple warnings.
In Other News
- Correction: Yesterday’s Morning report included some incorrect details about a meeting of the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees. The board will hold its meeting at 4 p.m. on Monday to discuss the renaming of its Cesar Chavez campus.
- When the San Diego City Council stripped back its ambitious ADU program, councilmembers pointed to one person – Christian Spicer. His supersized ADU developments, some of which included more than 100 units, soured many on the city’s uniquely permissive program. Now, investors in his projects and lenders have sued Spicer for more than $13 million, alleging he misled them on timelines for their construction. (Union-Tribune)
- Federal prosecutors have charged a former Camp Pendleton Marine with theft and embezzlement, alleging he stole thousands of rounds of ammo, a Javelin missile sytem and more to sell on the black market. (AP)
- FYI: Local animal rights groups say buying live bunnies or chicks as Easter gifts is a no-no. (City News Service)
- Hotel no more. The six-story former Consulate Hotel, the highest building in Point Loma, has been converted into apartments. (Times of San Diego)
The Morning Report was written by MacKenzie Elmer, Lisa Halverstadt, Jakob McWhinney and Jim Hinch. It was edited by Scott Lewis.
Correction: This post previously misstated the date of a San Diego Community College District meeting.
The post Morning Report: Another Concession Charity Booted from Stadium appeared first on Voice of San Diego.
