Daily Business Report: Friday, January 16
Disappointment Follows Gloria Into Sixth Year
by Wil Huntsberry | Voice of San Diego
In early 2020, the future was bright for Todd Gloria. Gloria hadn’t been elected yet, but his campaign was cooking and it seemed he held all the cards to become San Diego’s next mayor.
He convened a kitchen cabinet — an unofficial group of advisers — at a political consultant’s office downtown. Gloria sat at the head of the table and the group had heady discussions about his future.
At the time, he was San Diego’s shining son. Affable, polished and able to work a room like few other politicians. Child of a gardener and a hotel maid. First-generation college graduate. And soon he would be the first openly queer, non-White person elected mayor. Gloria had an amazing story to tell – and the assembled team was there to decide how to tell it.
Kaiser Permanente to pay $556 million in record Medicare Advantage fraud settlement
By Fred Schulte | KFF Health News
In the largest Medicare Advantage fraud settlement to date, Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $556 million to settle Justice Department allegations that it billed the government for medical conditions patients didn’t have.
The settlement, announced Jan. 14, resolves whistleblower lawsuits that accused the giant health insurer of mounting a years-long scheme in which it overstated how sick patients were to illegally boost revenues.
North County Report: Election Races We’re Watching This Year
By Tigist Layne | Voice of San Diego
2026 will be a pivotal year for politics, not just nationally, but also locally.
Key seats on the County Board of Supervisors, the 48th Congressional District and the 40th Senate District are up for grabs, and several North County elected officials have thrown their hats in the ring.
That also means vacancies for a few mayoral and City Council seats that will need to be filled.
