Cannabis Lounges For National City

Good Morning, I’m Annica Colbert….it’s Monday May 10th. >>>> Cannabis lounges approved in National City More on that next, just after the headlines…. ###### Nearly 60% of San Diego county’s population is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. County public health officials reported 190 new covid-19 cases on sunday, and no new deaths. The average positive testing rate continues to drop -- the latest is a rolling 14-day average of 1.3%, a record for this year. ######## Ocean beach pier will reopen soon. The news came despite a report released last month that said the pier was quote “at the end of its service life.” But city councilmember Jen Campbell says city engineers have since determined that repairs can be done to make it possible to reopen most of the pier. Campbell says talks about the pier’s long-term future will take place within the coming weeks. ######### Southern California air quality regulators approved a rule on friday that would curb diesel emissions at some 3,000 massive warehouse complexes run by Amazon and other companies.. The so-called “warehouse rule” will require distribution centers in the region to reduce emissions from trucks. Those changes could include, replacing diesel trucks and equipment with electric models, putting in rooftop solar panels or installing air filters at nearby schools or day care centers. ######### From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need. Despite local opposition, the National City Council passed a cannabis ordinance that includes the approval of cannabis lounges. To date there are no other cities in the county who have allowed lounges where customers can smoke or ingest marijuana on site. KPBS reporter Alexandra Rangel has more. Despite opposition from the community and the planning commission, the Council passed an ordinance to allow three commercial cannabis shops and three lounges in industrial zones and tourist areas west of Interstate 5. The ordinance passed in a 4 to 1 vote with councilman Ron Morrison, opposing the city venturing into marijuana lounges. Ron Morrison, National City Councilman “We went from taking it slowly to, now let's get in front of everybody to inexperienced areas.” Being at the forefront is something Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis is proud of. She says having the policy will help the city have control of the marijuna industry. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, National City Mayor “Being and dictating what we want to see in our community.” As community members express their concerns about the risk this decision can pose to the youth, Sotelo says those granted a license will have to comply with a community development agreement. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, National City Mayor “That they are also vested in our community that they’re not just absentee or business people.” In regards to the cash cannabis is expected to bring to the city…..Solis says, profit wasn’t the primary goal of the ordinance, but says it could be in the millions when compared to neighboring cities who have raked in money from cannabis. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, National City Mayor “We’re moving in a forward direction, and if we have to take a step back, we will.” The application process for a commercial cannabis business license in National City is expected to open up in the next 30 days. ########## Californians are slowly coming out of quarantine. But while many people can’t wait to get back to normal … some are nervous, as CapRadio’s Sammy Caiola reports After more than a year of mostly keeping to ourselves, the idea of being in a public space with strangers may cause panic. Therapists call it ‘reentry anxiety.’ “What we're collectively experiencing is the same feeling that we have for like the first day of school at a new place” That was UC Merced psychologist Jennifer Howell About half of Americans say they’re worried about in-person social interactions. That’s according to a recent survey from the American Psychological Association. Placer County resident Rhiannon [rhee-ahh-nen] Brentson says she’s unsure about socializing even after she’s vaccinated. And she’s considering getting help. “I could handle it on my own, but now that I’m going back out there it’s like ‘OK, adjustment. Big world adjustment. It’s probably time to get therapy.’” Howell says it’s normal to be a little afraid of the post-pandemic world. “There's a whole new set of scripts for behavior. Do I wear a mask? And so actually, you're going into what is essentially a totally new social situation that we aren’t certain about” She says you should have an exit strategy if you feel uncomfortable. You can start slow — go on a hike with a few friends or visit a quiet public space, like a library. You might need to ease into in-person work, too. Howell suggests working in person just a day or two a week. SOC ########## california’s independent system operator, which oversees the state’s electrical grid, says there’s cause for optimism that we can get through the summer without rolling blackouts. but as capradio’s mike hagerty tells us, that’s going to depend on the cooperation of the state’s residents. Rising afternoon and evening temperatures in the summer result in an increased demand for electricity. last year, there were times california’s supply couldn’t meet that demand, and people in counties throughout the state found themselves spending hours in the dark, without air conditioners or even fans. Elliot mainzer is iso’s ceo. He says lessons have been learned and steps taken to try to avoid a repeat. [Mainzer: “we’re going to have between three thousand and three thousand five hundred megawatts of additional generation capacity on the system. And about two thousand megawatts of that is going to be battery storage, which is going to be able to re-inject power into the grid after sunset, which is the time of the day we got into trouble last year.” (:18) ] But that extra capacity still won’t be enough judging by last year’s shortage. so mainzer says the real fail-safe will be californians themselves, and how well they cooperate with flex-alerts...calls to conserve electricity at critical times of hot days. [Mainzer: “those things can make a real difference. and so, we’re gonna try to provide good advance warning, great information and hopefully they’ll be great partners for us as we work through this really important environmental transition.” (:12) The iso issued five flex alerts, calling on users to conserve, last summer. all were in the same week of august---with four of the five on consecutive days. In sacramento, i’m mike hagerty. ########## Coming up. The physics behind the mesmerizing flight of pelicans, riding the waves. “This wave is beginning to break so its getting steeper and steeper. And once it breaks you see all the birds gain elevation and they’re able to soar back down to the next wave.” San Diego researchers explain the number. U-C San Diego researchers have spelled out the math that explains how pelicans can fly for miles along the coast while barely flapping their wings. KPBS environment Reporter Erik Anderson says the information has implications for understanding the warming climate. The top of the bluff just south of the Torrey Pines golf course is a special place for those looking to take a leap off a cliff to fly. 01:00:54 – 01:01:09 “Inland heats up and all that cool ocean breeze goes east. Vito Michelangelo is the flight director at Torrey Pines glider port. “And that’s what creates the magic here for us. Soaring. As paragliding pilots. And the birds. Sometimes we’ll sit around and wait for the birds to come and fly to see exactly how good it is.” The grassy field is a launching pad for hang gliders and model planes anything that can ride a stiff ocean breeze that’s climbing the cliff face. 01:01:55 – 01:02:03 “It’s a classic. Everybody’s seen a bird just circling up in a lift and that’s typically what we do when we’re flying.” And while the para gliders take their cues from birds climbing high above the cliffs, pelicans are using some of the same techniques to gracefully glide along the breaking waves. The Pelicans caught the eye of UC San Diego doctoral student Ian Stokes when he used to surf near Santa Barbara. (tv) He noticed how the birds use the wind created by the waves. (radio) he points to a video of the birds gliding above a breaking wave. 00:16:54 – 00:17:09 “So here the wave breaks and they send it up to higher elevation. And they soar back down to the next crest. And there they go.” 00:18:45 – 00:19:05 “{ ERIK: now they’re coming off the wave and they’re tracking in} IAN: right so they’re all banking back up and getting off the back. And they’re swooping into the next wave. (00:18:54) Then they take off again and start their ride once again.” Pelicans take advantage of the same forces at play along the glider port cliff. There, surface wind hits the cliffs and goes up. That creates ideal conditions for paragliders. On the ocean, waves act like the cliff and move air up as they roll toward the shore. 00:19:00 – 00:19:05 “here comes another showing wave, wave breaks and they come off the back.” The pelican’s flight highlights a delicate interplay between the ocean and the atmosphere. 00:07:54 – 00:08:04 “That exchange of energy between the ocean and the atmosphere is a very prominent driving force in the way that our climate responds to different environmental signals.” 00:03:59 – 00:04:08 “Scripps Oceanography has a long history of research around the idea of ocean waves and the atmosphere interacting.” U-C San Diego engineer Drew Lucas worked with Stokes to refine an algorithm that explains mathematically how the system works. 00:10:10 – 00:10:29 “an equation that relates the form of the ocean waves, its speed and size and its length, which we call its period or wavelength, to the amount of wind that is created in the atmosphere and it’s an equation.” Lucas says the birds tap into this interplay. They harness the energy created when the waves rise and then crest near the shore. He says the ocean and atmosphere are coupled systems that researchers have been studying for years. 00:06:44 00 00:07:06 “We’re in the business of trying to predict the future of the earth’s climate and the ocean atmosphere system. And those are problems related to how the ocean and atmosphere are communicating information, energy and properties.” Lucas says Understanding even small mechanisms like the interplay between wind and water helps scientists understand more about the planet. It could also provide input into what might be happening as the oceans and the climate changes. Erik Anderson KPBS News That’s it for the podcast today. Be sure to catch KPBS Midday Edition At Noon on KPBS radio, or check out the Midday podcast. You can also watch KPBS Evening Edition at 5 O’clock on KPBS Television, and as always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Annica Colbert. Thanks for listening and have a great day.