San Diego, December 12, 2025

The San Diego City Council has approved a historic $30 million settlement for the family of Konoa Wilson, the 16-year-old fatally shot by police. This decision follows a lawsuit alleging that Officer Daniel Gold did not identify himself before the unarmed Wilson was shot. With this settlement, advocacy for police accountability has intensified, and Officer Gold is currently on administrative leave pending further investigation.

San Diego, CA

City Council Approves $30 Million Settlement in Police Shooting Case

The San Diego City Council has approved a $30 million settlement for the family of Konoa Wilson, a 16-year-old fatally shot by police in January. This settlement is among the largest in U.S. history related to police actions, surpassing the $27 million awarded in the George Floyd case. Surveillance footage showed Wilson fleeing gunfire at a train station when he encountered Officer Daniel Gold, who allegedly shot him without warning. Wilson was unarmed at the time, though a gun was later found under his clothing. The lawsuit claimed Gold did not identify himself as an officer until after the shooting. The case has sparked renewed calls for police reform and accountability. Officer Gold is currently on administrative assignment pending investigation. The family’s attorney emphasized the settlement as a partial measure of accountability, urging national reflection on unjustified police violence.

San Diego Approves Continued Use of License Plate Reader Technology

The San Diego City Council has approved the continued use of automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems, such as those from Flock Safety, by the San Diego Police Department (SDPD). This decision followed an intense city hall meeting where over 100 public speakers voiced opinions on 54 surveillance technologies, including ALPRs and smart streetlights. While the police argue these tools are essential for addressing crime within an understaffed department—claiming they have aided in about 600 investigations and led to $6 million in recovered property and 400 arrests—critics, including the nonprofit coalition Trust SD, raise concerns about privacy, data misuse, and a recent data-sharing error that allowed other California agencies to access San Diego’s surveillance data. California law restricts such data sharing to in-state agencies only. Despite controversy, ALPR technology is widely used across over 6,000 agencies nationwide, including in nearby cities such as Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, National City, and Oceanside.

San Diego FC Completes Acquisition of Midfielder David Vazquez

San Diego FC has completed the full acquisition of 19-year-old midfielder David Vazquez from the Philadelphia Union. The deal includes an exchange of up to $500,000 in general allocation money, with $250,000 guaranteed and an additional $250,000 tied to performance-based metrics. Additionally, the Union will retain a percentage in any future trade or resale of the player. Vazquez, a Los Angeles native, joined San Diego on loan in July 2025 and featured in four MLS matches, starting in two. He made his league debut on June 29 with Philadelphia against the Columbus Crew. A homegrown signing by the Union in 2024, Vazquez contributed two goals and one assist in 14 starts for Union II in the MLS NEXT Pro league during the 2025 season.

San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks to Play in Mexico City

The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres will face off in a pair of regular-season MLB games in Mexico City on April 25 and 26, 2026, at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu. This event marks the continuation of the Mexico City Series, with the Padres previously playing there in 2023 and other teams like the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies participating in 2024. The Padres are returning due to their strong bi-national fan base and aim to further promote baseball internationally. The Diamondbacks, designated as the home team for these games, emphasized their longstanding involvement in international play, particularly in Mexico, where they’ve held both exhibition and regular-season games. Both franchises expressed enthusiasm about engaging with Mexican fans and growing the sport’s presence.

Hilton Gaslamp Quarter Hosts Holiday Fundraiser for Give Kids The World Village

On Thursday, December 11, from 5 – 8 p.m., the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Wild Hare Bar Garden Lounge hosted a holiday fundraiser benefiting Give Kids The World Village, a nonprofit resort that provides weeklong, cost-free wish vacations to critically ill children and their families. The event featured live music, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and a visit from Santa. Attendees also had the opportunity to shop at the Kendra Scott pop-up shop, where 20% of all sales were donated to the organization. Tickets were available for a $10 donation per person, which included a welcome drink and raffle ticket. Every dollar raised helped bring joy and hope to children and families facing unimaginable challenges.

San Diego Padres Holiday Giving Storytime at Central Library

On Thursday, December 11, at 4:30 p.m., the San Diego Padres Foundation hosted a special Holiday Storytime for youth at the Denny Sanford Children’s Library at San Diego’s Central Library downtown. The event featured a Padres special guest and included holiday and baseball-themed stories and crafts. Registration was required, and attendance was limited to youth ages 5-12 and their parents/caregivers. The Padres emphasized their commitment to providing a special holiday experience for San Diego’s youth through this event.

Gas Prices in San Diego Drop Nearly 30 Cents Over the Past Month

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County dropped for the 27th consecutive day, decreasing a half-cent to $4.654. The average price has dropped 29 cents over the past 27 days, including 1.6 cents on Saturday. This marks a significant decrease from the record $6.434 on October 5, 2022. The decline is attributed to the typical drop in gasoline demand during December, leading to lower pump prices. Nationally, the gas price average dropped below $3 a gallon this week for the first time since 2021.

Record Heat in San Diego on December 11, 2025

San Diego experienced record-breaking heat on December 11, 2025. Daily record highs were set in Escondido (86°), Borrego Springs (85°), and Lake Cuyamaca (71°), while Ramona tied their record high of 82°. The San Pasqual Valley saw a 50° temperature swing, warming from 36° in the morning to 86° in the afternoon. The mountains and deserts remained warm, while coastal and valley areas experienced cooler temperatures due to the strengthening sea breeze and returning patchy low clouds and fog. Despite the slight cooling, temperatures remained well above average, with highs in the upper 60s to mid-70s at the coast and mid-70s to low-80s inland. The marine layer returned by Friday morning, bringing patchy dense fog, especially near the coast, which may impact the Friday morning commute.

San Diego Superior Court Announces Planned Web Applications Outage

The San Diego Superior Court’s web-based applications will be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance on Saturday, December 13, from 2-7 p.m. During this period, all applications, including Registers of Actions, Exhibit Upload Applications, Scheduling Applications, and Payment Portals, will be inaccessible. The Court’s website will remain active, but users should plan accordingly for the outage.

December Nights Returns to Balboa Park

Now in its 48th year, December Nights transformed Balboa Park into a sparkling wonderland with holiday decor and lighting, music and cultural entertainment, hundreds of food and retail offerings, and free holiday fun for all ages. The event was held over two days on Friday, December 5, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday, December 6, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Attracting an estimated 350,000 over two days, the event has become the largest free holiday festival in California. It has welcomed millions to Balboa Park over the years.

San Diego Wave FC Wins Second World Sevens Football Championship

San Diego Wave FC secured the championship in the second World Sevens Football tournament, held for the first time in North America, by defeating Tigres 3-0 in the final at Beyond Bancard Field. The tournament featured 16 matches and a total of 60 goals, highlighting its high level of competitiveness. San Diego Wave completed a perfect campaign with five victories, with goals from Makenzy Robbe and a double from Adriana Leon in the final. In the semifinals, San Diego overcame Flamengo, and Tigres narrowly defeated Club América. Individual awards recognized talent in the tournament: María Sánchez (Tigres) received the Golden Boot with six goals and was named Player of the Tournament, while DiDi Haračić (San Diego) won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper. Sarah Cummins, CEO of the tournament, celebrated the event’s success, noting that the World Sevens Football is not just a tournament but a movement that elevates women’s football to new levels.

San Diego Housing Commission Proposes Changes to Rental Assistance Program

The San Diego Housing Commission is slated to vote on a plan that could impact more than 14,000 San Diegans who rely on housing vouchers. SDHC officials stated that rent prices are rising faster than the current program can afford, and federal funding has not kept up as rent across San Diego continues to climb. The Housing Commission receives a pool of funds from the federal government, with that money going into the voucher program that helps pay part of a recipient’s rent. The average subsidy the Housing Commission pays per family has gone up from about $900 to nearly $1,600 in just five years. Without changes, the Housing Commission warns the voucher program could start running out of money. Under the proposal, working families could be required to pay 30%-40% of their income towards rent. The Commission said that means most families in the program will be paying $300-$600 more per month than they currently pay. Seniors and disabled residents could see their share rise from 28.5% to 32%. If the Commission does not raise those contributions, they said the alternative is much more severe—thousands of people losing assistance altogether.

San Diegans React to Parking Fees for December Nights

During the final night of December Nights at Balboa Park, thousands of San Diegans attended the event. However, many had to deal with paying for parking in places they didn’t have to before. Some took advantage of free parking at multiple parking lots at City College, others used public transportation, and many who wanted to park closer to December Nights had to pay. The parking situation was different from previous years, leading to mixed reactions among attendees.

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Author: STAFF HERE SAN DIEGO WRITER

The SAN DIEGO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERESanDiego.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in San Diego, San Diego County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Comic-Con International, San Diego County Fair, and San Diego Pride Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and United Way of San Diego County, plus leading businesses in biotechnology, healthcare, and technology that power the local economy such as Qualcomm, Illumina, and Scripps Health. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HEREBeverlyHills.com, HERECostaMesa.com, HERECoronado.com, HEREHollywood.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERELongBeach.com, HERELosAngeles.com, HEREMissionViejo.com, and HERESantaAna.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into California's dynamic landscape.