Here Comes The San Diego Sun!

The publishing landscape is littered with failed attempts at “hyperlocal” news coverage. With the introduction of the San Diego Sun, here’s to the hope that failure breeds success.

First, the bigger picture: San Diego Sun joins the ranks of FACEBOOK-Bulletin content creators. National contributors include futurist Malcolm Gladwell, sportscaster Erin Andrews, activist Malala Yousafzai, bestselling author Mitch Albom and journalist Jessica Yellin.

The Sun will focus on a local orbit. Stories are aimed at residents, the workforce and anyone interested in what happens in downtown San Diego.

At last count, more than 30,000 people were living in the 92101 ZIP Code. About 100,000 folks (pre- and likely post-pandemic) work in the San Diego urban core. Millions of visitors come for vacations or conventions.

San Diego Sun coverage will include:

- New restaurants.

- Businesses recovering from the pandemic.

- Highlights of shows, events and venues (like the new Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, where the San Diego Symphony and guest acts will perform).

- New housing developments. There is a condo shortage in the city, but several new high-rise apartment projects are underway or planned.

- Homelessness issues. San Diego is among the top five cities in the country for people experiencing homelessness. The Sun will do pieces about outreach, service providers, and political decisions that affect homelessness.

- City Hall. Any and all civic issue.

- Tourist attractions. What’s re-opening, what’s new and what's the new normal.

- Petco Park. The San Diego Padres are attempting to limp into postseason play. The stadium also hosts concert and other events.

- Comic-Con. This wildly popular, pop-culture convention brings 130,000 to town (excluding 2020). A mini-version of The Con is coming back in Nov. 2021.

My name is Ron Donoho (RonDon SD News). I'm a downtowner who walks and bikes the city nearly every day.

My resume includes a decade-long stint as executive editor at San Diego Magazine. I also served as the top editor at San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles and alt-weekly San Diego CityBeat.

My byline has appeared in the two dozen national publications and websites, including Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Maxim, Glamour, huffpost.com and popsugar.com.

Locally, I've written for The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Business Journal, Ranch & Coast, Pacific San Diego and sandiego.com.

Somewhat randomly: I taught a magazine class at Point Loma Nazarene University. Served as chief content officer for Ballotpedia.org. Currently run a travel blog called Junkets & Jaunts. Was a national runner-up in a Ron Burgundy look-alike contest.

On point, I previously started up a pair of hyperlocal news sites focusing on downtown San Diego.

One of those sites dissolved when a founding partnership went awry. The other was on its way to success when it was bought and folded into a larger entity. That entity was walloped by The Great Recession.

Please check back in on The Sun. My stories will be unvarnished, occasionally whimsical but always grounded in journalistic standards.

I want to believe that failure breeds success.

And, that third time’s a charm. SDSun

(The San Diego Sun is produced by Ron Donoho under the umbrella of the FACEBOOK-Bulletin project for independent journalists.)

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