Daily Business Report: July 15, 2026
By Lisa Halverstadt | Voice of San Diego
Months after prosecutors filed felony charges against the ex-COO of a former county contractor for allegedly misappropriating public money, an outside review of county contracting practices found that the county needs to do a better job overseeing and vetting high-risk contracts.
The report doesn’t directly address the elephant in the room: how a former leader of the Harm Reduction of San Diego managed to allegedly embezzle public funds – or how insufficient county oversight may have allowed it.
What it does is highlight the county’s shortcomings when it comes to overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts with outside organizations it hires to deliver services. The review called for the county to provide more training for county staff, better documentation to allow for more accountability and a system that allows county staff to rapidly escalate contract issues to county leadership.
San Diego Workforce Partnership announces $4.22 million in grants for community organizations
by Staff & Wire Reports | Times of San Diego
The San Diego Workforce Partnership announced $4.22 million in grants Monday for community organizations across the county providing paid work experience, job training and career exploration.
The grants come through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which supports young people ages 14-24 who face barriers to education and employment — including youth experiencing homelessness, foster youth, English language learners, youth with disabilities, justice-involved youth and pregnant or parenting youth, a statement from the organization said.
“Talent is everywhere in San Diego County, but opportunity isn’t. Every young person deserves access to pursue a career they care about, regardless of where they live or the challenges they’ve faced,” said Rachel Bereza, president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
Sewage Pollution Is Keeping Kids Out of the Water in Imperial Beach
by Deborah Brennan | CalMatters
At YMCA Camp Surf in Imperial Beach last week, a group of middle schoolers spent their morning skateboarding, scaling a climbing tower and practicing archery.
Then at noon, campers boarded a bus for a 40-minute drive up the coast to Mission Beach, where they jumped in the waves for the camp’s namesake activity: surfing.
Founded in 1969, Camp Surf has catered to generations of South San Diego kids, introducing them to water sports and outdoor activities. With its seaside location and surf hut motif, it’s the picture of Southern California beach life.
