Daily Business Report: June 26, 2026
The fight over free yoga in San Diego parks and beaches intensifies
By Dorian Hargrove | Times of San Diego
The public fight over yoga in San Diego city parks and at popular beaches is far from entering the final stretch.
As the city and yoga teacher Steve Hubbard, known by his moniker NamaSteve, and teacher Amy Baack, are embroiled in two public court battles over whether free yoga classes should be considered a First Amendment right, Yoga instructor Hubbard has thrown yet another proverbial punch.
Meanwhile, the city of San Diego is digging in its heels on the previously filed federal and state lawsuits and attempting to subpoena the financial information of the yoga practitioners who donated to Hubbard and fellow yoga instructors, in hopes of proving that the students were paying a fee for the yoga classes.
‘Follow the Money’ proposal advances in San Diego City Council meeting
By Brooke Binkowski | Times of San Diego
An ethics reform proposal advanced in the San Diego City Council Wednesday, with staff directed to begin drawing the package.
The San Diego City Council voted unanimously for Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s “Follow the Money” ordinance, which is intended to increase transparency on lobbying efforts that could influence City Hall decisions.
Current disclosure rules “do not fully capture modern influence campaigns, including paid mailers, texts, digital ads, mass communications, and other outside spending designed to shape public opinion and pressure elected officials on city decisions,” Elo-Rivera’s office said in a statement.
SDG&E’s Questionable Case Against Balcony Solar
by Chris Brewster | Voice of San Diego
Voice of San Diego reports that SDG&E and other investor-owned utilities are lobbying hard against “balcony solar” — devices that allow people to reduce electricity costs by plugging small solar panels into their home outlets — arguing this could put electrical workers at risk. Meanwhile, three states have already approved it, and legislation is pending in other states.
The irony of SDG&E’s stance is stark. For years they have lobbied heavily and successfully to stanch the adoption of rooftop solar by homeowners by reducing incentives and adding fees, arguing in part that it is unfair that those who own a house can reduce their electric expenses through solar installations, while renters and condo owners cannot, and that some homeowners lack the financial wherewithal to install solar systems. Now, a low-cost system allows most of those same people access to solar, but SDG&E seeks to deny them as well.
