Let’s face it, the number of people who attend neighborhood council and planning group meetings leaves something to be desired. Yet, those meetings are often the best sources of information for what’s happening locally, right in your backyard. Linda Vista residents Steve and Betty Rodriguez wanted to bring what they learned at those meetings directly to their community to keep them informed, so Steve came up with an idea.
“I’d attended Linda Vista Town Council and Linda Vista Planning Group meetings, and I was disappointed that so few people went to meetings,” said Steve. “I was concerned [people] weren’t informed about what was going on in the community, so I thought a good way to get that information across to everybody was to start a newsletter.”
The Linda Vista Update newsletter is born
In August of 2021, Steve and Betty officially launched The Linda Vista Update, a free weekly email newsletter that focuses on issues affecting the Linda Vista community, such as the proliferation of ADUs (accessory dwelling units), but also highlights the people and places that make Linda Vista special.
Each week, Steve and Betty take you along with them as they try a new restaurant, sharing the details with you as if you’re their next-door neighbor. Since Linda Vista doesn’t have endless restaurants, they’ll often venture to culinary haunts in nearby neighborhoods like Clairemont, Bay Park, or Mission Valley.
They also share unique sightings across Linda Vista—things that might go unnoticed by others but not by the eagle eyes of Steve and Betty. They like to capture the beauty in the ordinary, driving around the neighborhood to let it tell them a story.
The writing trajectory of Steve and Betty Rodriguez
For Steve, writing comes naturally. He’s long written poetry and stories—a juxtaposition to his image as a United States Marine. Steve was stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, but worked in administration, so putting pen to paper wasn’t completely off-base. After the military, he taught English, primarily at Olympian High School in Chula Vista.
Steve and Betty split up their writing duties for the newsletter, with Betty primarily taking the lead on the restaurant reviews, while Steve covers the local meetings. Since Linda Vista doesn’t have its own “official” local news source, and the San Diego Union-Tribune is often too broad for what directly impacts the neighborhood, the Linda Vista Update provides a sustainable alternative as a hyperlocal news source.
For example, Steve and Betty have forged a relationship with District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo, and there is open communication between them so they can help relay information about district issues through their newsletter that goes out to thousands of readers.
“Around the same time we started [our newsletter], Raul Campillo got elected to City Council, and he’s been very receptive to us,” said Steve. “He enjoys getting the word out via various outlets and we’re happy to sit down with him and get the word out. Not being partisan, but just being a communicator for the community.”
Threads of the Linda Vista community
Steve and Betty bought a home in Linda Vista while Steve was stationed at MCRD. He’s originally from the city of Ontario, a two-hour drive north, while Betty hails from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Now, they are staples of the local community, giving back to it as it gives to them. Through the Linda Vista Update, Steve and Betty were able to shine a light on the issue of a neighborhood playground that had potentially dangerous equipment—an issue the city had been ignoring. With the help of the newsletter publicizing the issue, the city took notice and has started looking into fixing the problems.
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It’s things like this that matter to Steve and Betty. And every so often they get love from their neighbors when they find out they are the faces behind the newsletter (they don’t show their actual faces anywhere in the newsletter).
“It’s nice when somebody recognizes us out in the community and thanks us for doing it.”
Steve also likes to acknowledge staples of the community that he thinks don’t get enough credit. The first is Bayside Community Center.
“I think they are a wonderful contribution to the community, and they don’t brag enough about themselves,” said Steve. “They help out seniors and young kids. They provide a weekly food drive. They’ve been working on growing vegetables at the Linda Vista Community Garden.”
The second is the Linda Vista Park and Recreation Center, which he says plays a big role in providing the community an outlet for youth sports, and programs like Parks After Dark.
If you’d like to subscribe to the Linda Vista Update’s free weekly newsletter, sign up here.
