🧹 Padres sweep Braves

Good morning, it's Thursday. The San Diego Padres are moving on. Feel free to introduce a little swagger to your step today. We've all earned it.

Today's weather: Coast — partly sunny with highs around 78; Inland — sunny with a high in the mid-80s.

🎧 Sounds like: All of Petco Park singing "All the Small Things" during last night's Game 2 win.

Today's newsletter is 852 words — a 3.5-minute read.

More than 100 people are suing San Diego County, alleging decades of child sexual abuse by multiple staff members at the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children's Center, attorneys representing the plaintiffs announced this week.

The big picture: The series of civil lawsuits allege "pervasive abuse" stemmed from a "total lack of supervision" and an inadequate "background check and screening process" at the county-run emergency shelter for kids.

Zoom in: Plaintiffs claim they were left in "isolated and vulnerable situations where predators employed by Polinsky could abuse and harm children with impunity."

• And now, as adults, they are "still suffering from the unimaginable trauma they experienced at Polinsky."

Driving the news: The accusations are detailed in about two dozen lawsuits filed in the San Diego Superior Court over the last two years by Slater Slater Schulman LLP, a national law firm that specializes in sexual abuse cases.

• Multiple complaints allege negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
• The alleged abuse ranges from groping and molestation to repeated sexual assaults involving children ages 2 to 17 from the early 1990s through 2023. Some of the accusers are now older than 40.

Some of the plaintiffs, identified using pseudonyms John or Jane Roe followed by initials, say they faced threats of more severe and frequent abuse and physical harm if they reported the assaults or didn't submit to them.

• They were also told they would not be able to see their families or leave Polinsky, according to multiple complaints.
• No specific employees are named, but the attorney James Lewis told the Union-Tribune seven people have been identified as suspected abusers.

Context: The Polinsky Children's Center in Kearny Mesa is run by the county's Health and Human Services Agency. It temporarily houses children separated from their families for their own safety, or when parents can't care for them.

• The facility includes six residential cottages and a nursery, with the capacity to serve about 200 children.
• More than 100 kids from infants to teenagers are admitted to the center each month for up to 10 days, according to the county.

Full story

The Padres hung on for a 5-4 win in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series last night to complete a sweep of the Atlanta Braves.

State of play: San Diego erased a one-run deficit in the second inning with a solo Kyle Higashioka homer, a two-run Manny Machado double and a two-run Jackson Merrill triple.

• The Braves made it a game again with a two-run homer in the eighth inning before Robert Suarez closed the door with a scoreless ninth.

Yes, but: Starting pitcher and hometown hero Joe Musgrove was cruising in the fourth inning when he left with an elbow injury.

• His status will be closely watched heading into the National League Divisional Series showdown with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

What's next: Game 1 of the NLDS is Saturday at 5:38pm in Dodger Stadium on FS1.

• The best-of-five series starts with two games in L.A., followed by two in San Diego and the final game back in LA if the series goes that far.
• We'll have a full NLDS preview for you Friday.

🚽 Imperial Beach officials are pushing the San Diego Association of Governments to carve out toll revenue from the Otay Mesa border crossing to help deal with the ongoing cross-border sewage crisis. (Voice of San Diego)

⚡ SDG&E customers are getting a $78 credit on their October energy bill thanks to a state climate program. (City News Service)

⛺ City officials are adding over 200 new tents to the two, city-operated safe-camping sites for homeless residents as part of their response to the pending loss of hundreds of shelter beds in the coming months. (Union-Tribune)

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Four candidates are vying for two spots on the La Mesa City Council, and voters will decide on extending a tax measure for local services.

State of play: The two seats on the five-person council are open as current members Jack Shu and Colin Parent, who's running for State Assembly, are not seeking re-election.

• The top two candidates in the at-large race will fill those seats for four-year terms.

Zoom in: The San Diego County Democratic Party has endorsed family law attorney Genevieve Suzuki and Lauren Cazares, a policy advisor at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

• The Republican Party of San Diego County endorsed Kristine Alessio, a former councilmember, small business owner and attorney who previously ran for mayor.
• Shawn Townsend, a personal trainer, is also running.

The intrigue: La Mesa's tax measure on the ballot renews the current 0.75% sales tax for 20 years, generating $12 million annually for city services.

What's next: The four candidates are set to participate in a forum tonight at 7 hosted by East County Magazine.

• It will be livestreamed on Facebook and posted online.

Between the lines

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Our picks:

🎸 Andy is offering one last nudge for you to make your way to see LA LOM at the Observatory tonight.

👶🏼 Kate is excited to meet another mini bestie tomorrow.

This newsletter was edited by Ross Terrell.