E-bike vouchers came and went
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz. It’s Tuesday, December 31st.
A government program offered discount vouchers on e-bikes. But they went fast.
More on that next. But first, let’s do the headlines.
A conservative group sent letters to roughly 250 elected officials in so-called sanctuary jurisdictions right before the holidays.
According to reporting from the San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego County got one of those letters.
The letters warn of civil and criminal consequences for policies protecting undocumented immigrants.
They’re from a group called America First Legal Foundation. It’s headed by Stephen Miller, President-elect Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy.
San Diego’s letter came two weeks after the County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution barring cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On the last day of 2024, it’s looking like it's going to be cool, but sunny.
Mountains and coasts will be in the high 50s and low 60s. In the valleys and deserts, temperatures will be in the high 60s to low 70s.
A Santa Ana wind advisory is in effect for the mountains and valleys. Gusty winds are expected throughout the day and evening. But they should taper off on Wednesday and Thursday.
City and county offices will be closed for the New Year’s holiday.
Here are a few closures to keep in mind:
Curbside trash and waste collected by the city of San Diego will be delayed one day after the holiday.
All city libraries will be closed today (Tuesday) and New Year’s day, reopening on Thursday.
And, Balboa Park public buildings, including the Botanical Building, will be closed today and tomorrow (Wednesday).
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, CALIFORNIA LAUNCHED A PROGRAM OFFERING VOUCHERS FOR ELECTRIC BIKES. METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS THE VOUCHERS WERE EXHAUSTED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES.
The program run by the state's Air Resources Board offers up to $2,000 off the cost of an electric bike. The goal is to help California reduce car travel and greenhouse gas emissions. But the initial batch of 1,500 vouchers was dwarfed by an avalanche of applicants. On a cycling forum on Reddit, users complained about not being able to join the queue or finish the lengthy application, explained in this video. "… You will also need to provide a list of household members including spouses, registered domestic partners and any dependents or guardians, as well as income documentation to verify total household income." The Air Resources Board told KPBS more e-bike vouchers will be available, though it declined to say when. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
DRIVERS MAY WANT TO CHECK THEIR CAR INSURANCE COVERAGE BECAUSE MINIMUM COVERAGE LIMITS ARE INCREASING. REPORTER TANIA THORNE SAYS THE NEW REQUIREMENTS TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1ST.
Cost of living adjustments are rolling over to car insurance coverage. Starting January 1st, minimum liability requirements for cars are going up. “$30,000 for injury, death to one person, $60,000 for injury, slash death to more than one person, and $15,000 for damage to property.” Gianella Ghiglino is with the Auto Club of Southern California. She says the liability increases are likely tied to the rising costs of auto repairs, medical treatments and accident expenses. “Every insurance company is different. However, drivers, it's very important that they do take that responsibility and reach out to their insurance company.” Insurance carriers may have already adjusted the coverage and pricing will depend on the driver's record and vehicle. Tania Thorne, KPBS News.
LOSING A BELOVED PET CAN BE DEVASTATING. BUT A LOCAL ANIMAL RECOVERY SPECIALIST WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WHILE THEIR PET IS LOST, HOPE IS NOT.
MAYA TRABULSI EXPLAINS WHY A LOST PET MEANS YOU SHOULD CALL BABS.
“I’m best known for Call Babs. When somebody says ‘I’ve lost a pet,’ everybody says call Babs.” She is Babs Fry, Pet Recovery Specialist. “A lot of people like to call me Pet detective, but that's Ace Ventura, and that is not me.” While a pet detective she is not, to many she is an unsung hero. “Ultimately, what I do is I help people recover their lost pets. And as a byproduct of that, also support the community and animal control agencies in capturing dogs at large that nobody can recover.” And she says to catch a dog-at-large is nothing like the old cartoons of chasing it down with a net. “You know, you've got to collaborate sightings.You've got to track common behaviors, patterns. You know, I have cellular cameras I put in the field. I solicit the support of private parties to let me put traps on their property.” Recovering dogs for more than 10 years, she facilitates multiple reunions per week. And like a recipe, she says the ingredients (aka her instructions) are specifically selected for each individual situation. “I mean, my phone rings 24 seven, and they're not short phone calls. So I won't keep answering.” “This is Babs.” Like this call she got during our interview. “We've been driving around for over three hours looking for her.” “I need to let you know that the very first thing I'm going to do is tell you what you don't want to hear, but you need to stop looking for that dog. And that's very, very, very important.” She cuts through the emotion, with the sole purpose of setting up a successful recovery plan. “Okay. So in the meantime, take one of your dirty socks, turn it inside out and get it in a tree in front of your house.” It’s all about identifying odors, the higher the personal item is placed the more the wind will carry the scent, like an isolated GPS marker. “You can take poop from one of the dogs that she gets most excited to see. And smear that on a tree.” And while she does her best to reassure desperate callers… “That dog will not starve. The minute she left your care, she went to raw, instinctual responses. 18 days in the canyons in del mar, they make it guys, they sruvive”…She says she’s not known for her people skills,”You either love or you hate me. I'm not here to make you feel better. And I’m not emotionless. I cry a lot about these dogs.” She strives, instead, to be effective by educating people about their mistakes. “I really would be okay to not have to interact with people. I do this for the dogs.” And dogs are her world. While catching them is what she is known for, she also runs a rescue that is almost 3 times beyond its capacity. “And rescues, shelters here are beyond capacity doesn't begin to describe it. And I think that's a direct result of a lot of things. I think Covid started it. It provided people an opportunity to get dogs when they wouldn't have otherwise.” She says she is catching more dogs now that know commands like sit and stay. “I have a lot of dogs in my rescue that I thoroughly believe had owners who truly cared for and loved them, but didn't know what to do and thought they were just going to find a new home for cutting them loose.” Her home in Jamul has been transformed into a crate-based kennel. “The never ending laundry.” The would-be living room is lined with crates where the dogs thrive on consistency and routine. These dogs are the lucky ones, they have the option to live out their days here. But, she says, not all dogs can or should be saved. “Sometimes euthanasia is okay. I'll be straight up.” She says euthanasia is a topic that needs to be revisited, not for space-saving reasons, but as a humane alternative for unmanageable situations. “You know, in the trapping world, with me and strays. Do you know how many times I've had to drink my own poison as I say it? But sometimes dying humane euthanasia is a better alternative than getting hit by a car and sitting on the side of the road, suffering of a broken back in the bush until you die.” While her first priority is the dogs in her care, catching dogs will always be her gift. Her kennel is funded through donations, and she provides her dog recovery service completely free of charge. Still, she wishes those that use her experience would donate more often than they do. “Of the six dogs in the last two weeks that I have been directly involved in helping reunite, one has made a donation.” At least, she says, a donation toward the rotisserie chicken she uses in her traps and the cost of gas would make a difference as she offers her priceless expertise in what she calls a dance. “And I’m the dance instructor and until the dog starts dancing, we don't know which way we're going. And there are a lot of dogs out there that are going to go from the waltz to the tango.” Whichever dance the dog chooses, Babs never promises it will be caught. But, by managing people to not get in their own way, she can set her sights, and traps, on the hope of a successful outcome. “She don’t quit, don’t give up. Trust the process.” Maya Trabulsi, KPBS News.
IT’S NEW YEAR’S EVE, AND SEVERAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FREE TONIGHT. REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS OFFICIALS ARE REMINDING SAN DIEGANS NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE.
"Every incident that involves DUI is preventable." Captain Reggie Williams is the commander of the San Diego area for the California Highway Patrol. He says the CHP will begin what’s called a “maximum enforcement period” at 6. "That basically includes additional officers out on patrol. And we're doing the normal stuff, enforcing all traffic laws with the emphasis on speeding, distracted driving, not wearing your seatbelt, things of that nature, as well as we will be aggressively seeking out and removing impaired drivers from the roadway." To help people get home safely, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and the North County Transit District are offering free bus and trolley rides starting at 6 p.m. Service will extend later into the night on all trolley lines. The last green line trolley will leave the Gaslamp around 2 a.m. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
As 2024 draws to a close, we're looking back on some of this year's most popular stories at KPBS.
While a lot happened in the news, viewers online gravitated to stories about the high costs of living, the primary and general elections and homeless shelters. To check out our roundup of the year, visit KPBS dot org.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online. Our podcast team will be ringing in the new year this week. We will be back with your next episode on Friday, the third.
I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a safe and happy new year!
