Crisis pregnancy centers
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, March second.
How San Diego’s crisis pregnancy centers are controversial. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
The man who shot and killed Robert F. Kennedy in 19-68 was denied parole, again, yesterday.
Sirhan Sirhan is housed at the Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
Though a different board approved Sirhan’s release the last time, yesterday’s board denied him parole on his 16th try.
Sirhan’s lawyer, Angela Berry, told the A-P, that she thinks the current parole board is influenced by Governor Newsom… who overturned Sirhan’s approved parole last time around.
At that time, the governor said among other things, that Sirhan had not taken full responsibility for killing Kennedy.
Sirhan will be eligible for parole again in three years.
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After a couple days of stormy weather, the county’s skies are expected to be clear and sunny today.
But don’t let that fool you… because temps will still be chilly.
According to the National Weather Service, temps will be in the 50s.
A Frost Advisory is also in effect until 8 this morning in San Diego’s coastal areas.
During the advisory, temperatures as low as 34 degrees will form into frost.
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The final two games of the UC-SD men's basketball season have been canceled because of COVID-related health and safety protocols.
The Tritons' final two games were scheduled for today and Saturday.
No extra details were shared regarding what led to the cancellations.
The games will not be rescheduled, and will be declared no contests.
UC-SD announced ticket refund information would be emailed to anyone affected.
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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
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California has long been a bastion of reproductive rights, even more so, since the demise of Roe V Wade last year.
But anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers still outnumber abortion clinics in the state and county..
Investigative reporter Amita Sharma has more.
PREGNANCYCENTERS (AS) SOQ: 3:58
“If you want to keep your baby, if you want to be a mom, I would encourage you to do so. There is a community of people who want to see you succeed.” 11 secs This is the voice of a Latina in a video on the Pregnancy Care Clinic website. The clinic is one of 16 crisis pregnancy centers in San Diego County. Similar centers operate nationwide and advocates and regulators say some perpetuate confusion regarding the services they provide. “First and foremost, they don't provide abortions. They don't even provide abortion referrals. They don't provide contraception.” California Attorney General Rob Bonta says scores of crisis pregnancy centers across California misrepresent themselves. And they manipulate women. “Their main goal is to counsel. They provide you counseling to not get an abortion.” The Alliance, a statewide womens’ rights and gender equality group, found nearly 180 of these centers operating in California. These centers outnumber abortion clinics in San Diego and throughout the state. The single mom in the Pregnancy Care Clinic video describes her ordeal. She’s grappling with finishing her education and trying to pull her family out of poverty. She says her loved ones were clear about what she should do. “They wanted me to get an abortion and it was devastating.” She says she canceled two abortion appointments. After scheduling a third, she phoned a friend at Pregnancy Care. The friend first urged her to come in for an ultrasound to see her unborn child, who she named Zion. “I was amazed, as soon as I saw Zion, he was waving, he’s like, `Hi, I’m right here. Can you look at me? I’m right here. I was crying because I was feeling ashamed of myself for wanting to get an abortion.” Christine Henneberg is a family physician based in Northern California who performs abortions. She says ultrasounds are a key tool of many crisis pregnancy centers. “I’ve had women say to me, `You’re not going to make me look at the ultrasound are you? Or, they tell me, the last place I went, they made me look at the ultrasound even though I didn't want to see it.” San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has harsh words for the industry. They're really preying on women at a vulnerable moment and offering often misleading information that limits our choices and our reproductive freedom as women to make informed decisions.” “....There is nothing deceptive about what we do.” The woman you just heard operates a center in San Diego. She did not want to reveal her name or that of her facility out of fear she would be targeted. She says when a pregnant woman enters her center, the staff provides her with “evidenced-based information” from the CDC. The goal is to confirm her condition, determine how far along she is and make sure the pregnancy is viable. “Everything is done by her wishes and what she desires because she is our primary focus. She is respected and treated with dignity. That is what we do.” She says her staff educate women on the different forms of abortion, what they should ask their doctors and the after effects of a pregnancy termination. But she says her facility is NOT a crisis pregnancy center. “A crisis pregnancy center is a very antiquated term, and now it's a derogatory term.” Her place does not offer abortions or abortion referrals because she says they are not within “its scope.” “Isn’t that then really the definition of a crisis pregnancy center.” Retired San Diego ob-gyn Neysa Whiteman says the centers have been around for decades “In the best of all worlds, they shouldn’t exist. “ A 2015 California law required the centers to disclose if they aren’t a licensed medical provider. But the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down in 2018, saying it violates free speech rights. Amita Sharma, KPBS News.
TAG: This story was completed with information from the Reveal Reporting Network.
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A former San Diego resident is now suspected by police in an antisemitic incident that took place at the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, last month.
inewsource investigative reporter Jill Castellano has the story.
ANNEFRANKHOUSE 1 (inews) 1:14 SOQ
"CASTELLANO: In February, an antisemitic message appeared on the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, alleging her diary was a hoax. That prompted citizen sleuths to get involved. MARY: “It isn’t a joke, this is serious what they’re doing.” That’s Mary, a resident of the Netherlands who tracks down right-wing extremists. We agreed not to use her last name to protect her safety. Mary said she found the original video of the incident, which was posted online by… MARY: “His nickname was Aryan Bacon.” Aryan Bacon. That’s the online name used by 41-year-old Robert Wilson. Wilson was facing hate crime charges in San Diego County, but he escaped to Poland last year. Mary said she traced the route Wilson took from Poland to Amsterdam in the days before the incident. When she gave her research to the police, an officer told her they had ended up with the same suspect, van and route as her. MARY: “It’s very very encouraging of course.” The police recently told a Dutch newspaper that they believe the suspect in the case is not residing in the Netherlands, and, quote, ‘If he shows up within our borders, we will arrest him.’ For KPBS, I’m inewsource investigative reporter Jill Castellano."
TAG: inewsource is an independently funded, nonprofit partner of KPBS.
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Coming up.... We have details on the San Diego Arab Film Festival. We’ll have that and more, just after the break.
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Academic workers at UC-SD say the university isn't enforcing their new contracts.
Education reporter M.G. Perez was at a protest yesterday.
UCRALLY 1 trt :53 SOQ
The latest rally by UC San Diego unionized academic workers was in support of two post doctoral scientists who claim they are victims of academic bullying.Union members ratified new contracts in December that guarantee them a respectful work environment. Dr. Ra-ha-TU-llah Razan claims his professor denied him appropriate parental leave and considerations. “She increased my experimental load in such a way that I had to go home at midnight most days…since my wife is pregnant…I couldn’t care for her and do the household chores. It made my life horrible.” Razan’s supervising professor did not respond to our request for comment. The union workers say they will continue to call out violations by UC professors until their contracts are fully implemented. MGP KPBS News.
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The planned update of the University City community plan continues to cause controversy.
Reporter Claire Strong met with residents with differing views.
UTCZONE 1 (cs) :56 SOQ
“Adding that many housing units to our tiny little 7 square mile is pretty crazy, it’s unreasonable”. Bonnie Kutch moved to south University Towne Center in 2016, but is considering moving because of the University City Community Plan Update. She thinks adding thousands of high density residences will cause traffic chaos, and is now helping organize a rally on March 11th. But UC San Diego student, Aidan Lin, doesn’t think the plan - which also aims to utilize the Blue Line Trolley Extension, and create more walking and biking paths to reduce greenhouse gasses - goes far enough. Aidan Lin, student “There is a large section, thousands of students that want to stay in San Diego, they’ve made San Diego their home. But they may or may not have the opportunity to do so after they graduate,depending on whether they can find housing, a good paying job. All of the above”. If approved, the plan would be a guide for development over the next 30 years. Claire Strong, KPBS News.
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The San Diego Arab Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, with in-person screenings and food at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.
The festival is put on by the non-profit organization, Karama [kaw-raw-maw], and run by volunteers.
My colleague Beth Accomando previews the festival with committee chairman Larry Christian and member Maha Gebara [MA-haa GEE-bar-uh].
ARABFEST (Midday) 5:21 “...pick a range.”
TAG: That was Larry Christian and Maha Gebara [MA-haa GEE-bar-uh], speaking with arts reporter Beth Accomando.
The San Diego Arab Film Festival begins tomorrow, and runs this weekend and next, at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.
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That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great Thursday.
