Daily Business Report: Wednesday, July 16 2025
San Diego County’s Schools Have 27,000 Fewer Students Than a Decade Ago. It Will Get Worse.
By Jakob McWhinney | Voice of San Diego
When Sarah Hillard first started teaching at Millennial Tech Middle a decade ago, she always rounded up enrollment to 500 students. Now, though, she usually rounds up to 400.
Like many schools across the county, Millennial Tech has far fewer students walking through the halls. Over the past decade, enrollment has dropped by about 19 percent.
“It’s definitely a big, noticeable difference,” Hillard said.
Mayor: Nah, I Won’t Be Laying Staff Off
By Mariana Martínez Barba| Voice of San Diego
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and his office are making clear none of their employees are on the chopping block.
As part of the new fiscal budget this year, the City Council made the unprecedented move of cutting specific jobs from the mayor’s staff to help address the looming $350 million deficit. The Council specifically cut two employees from the communications department, two deputy chief operating officers, and two management roles in the police and compliance departments.
After a tense back and forth that included a mayoral veto, the Council managed to include the final staff cuts in the budget approved on July 1.
Sorry, Dave Jones, Californians Can’t Afford Your Climate Crusade
By Hector Barajas| California Globe
Apparently, former California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones missed the memo: Californians are broke, burned out, and done footing the bill for elite climate fantasies that only make life more expensive.
In his latest appearance in the New York Times and Mercury News as California’s self-appointed “climate oracle,” Jones argues that oil and gas companies should be sued to pay for the state’s insurance crisis. Because obviously, what struggling Californians need right now is more lawsuits, longer court battles, and even higher energy prices.
Mr. Jones is the director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the University of California, Berkeley, was California’s insurance commissioner from 2011 through 2018.
SHREK THE MUSICAL COMES TO CARLSBAD COMMUNITY THEATER JULY 25-27
By Carlsbad Community Theatre
“Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek….” Now, you can see his journey unfold in the stage production of Shrek the Musical. Carlsbad Community Theatre (CCT) is making the Broadway award-winning musical as the first show of their season. Shrek and his friends will call San Diego their new home – or swamp in the case of Shrek – July 25 – 27!
Yes, your favorite ogre is back in the hilarious stage spectacle based on the DreamWorks Oscar®-winning, smash hit, animated film. It is a new kind of love emphasizing the importance of loving ourselves and one another. And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue.
MAKING THE MAGIC:
The show brings three amazing talents together to this incredible production.
Shrek is directed by Mark Scott, who is noted to have directed over 100 productions and came out of retirement to lead the Shrek the Musical team. A beloved drama professor at Rancho Buena Vista High School for over 30 years, Scott is celebrated for the quality of his productions and his lasting impact on thousands of students. His work has earned top honors from state and regional theatre organizations and was inducted into the California Educational Theatre Hall of Fame.
Another notable head of the Shrek creative team is choreographer Dewey Decking, a highly sought-after talent in San Diego and beyond. He grew up performing in regional theatres across San Diego County, including Moonlight Amphitheatre and Carlsbad Community Theatre. Dewey trained at Dance Arts and later majored in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance at the Boston Conservatory. One interesting note – Dewey’s grandfather was Carlsbad’s first mayor and namesake of the local airport.
The music director for Shrek is the notable Lyndon Pugeda, recently honored for his work at La Jolla Playhouse on The Ballad of Johnny and Juliet. Widely respected across Southern California, his credits include The Old Globe, Moonlight Stage Productions, and Riverside City College. Pugeda has earned multiple honors, including a Craig Noel Award nomination and three National Youth Arts Awards.
The main stars in the Carlsbad Community Theatre’s Shrek production include Shrek (Greg Bailey – from Temecula), Fiona (Kaylen Lash – from Carlsbad), Donkey (TJ Rodriguez – from Carlsbad) and Lord Farquaad (Brian Imoto – from El Cajon).
There are 60 talented performers who make up the illustrious cast and hail from all parts of San Diego County as well as Temecula/Riverside County. They are comprised of adult and children/youth performers making up all your beloved characters as well as the fun Fairytale Creatures who you love from the DreamWorks Animation smash hit movie. A full cast list can be found at https://www.carlsbadcommunitytheatre.com/shrek. When on Broadway Shrek the Musical won twelve Drama Desk Award and eight Tony Award nominations including best musical.
SHOW TIMES:
· Friday, July 25 at 7:00 pm.
· Saturday, July 26 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm.
· Sunday, July 27 at 5:00 pm.
TICKETS:
https://www.carlsbadcommunitytheatre.com/shrek
$25.00 (adults) & $18.00 (children).
Discount codes are available. Follow Carlsbad Community Theatre on Facebook.
WHERE:
Performing Arts Center at Sage Creek High School, 3900 Bobcat Blvd, Carlsbad, CA 92010.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Interviews with the cast and production team are available. Plus, we have images and broll.
Press Contact – Joice Truban Curry
c3 Communications, Inc. / PR Agency for Shrek the Musical
619-540-6611 (cell) / joice@c3publicrelations.com
ABOUT CARLSBAD COMMUNITY THEATRE
Carlsbad Community Theatre (CCT) has been creating memorable theatre for 42 Years. CCT (Patrons of the Arts Foundation) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company in North County San Diego and strives to provide educational programming and excellence in performing arts. For more information on CCT, please email, info@carlsbadcommunitytheatre.com
