More obstacles for Seguro Battery Storage Project
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, June SIXTH.
Why Palomar is opposed to a battery storage facility being built near its medical center
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
San Diego County residents have an opportunity today (Thursday) to speak their mind about the county’s proposed budget.
The public hearing will start at FIVE-THIRTY at the County Administration Center.
The more than EIGHT billion dollar budget is nearly FOUR percent more than the previous year’s budget.
San Diego County deserts are still under an excessive heat warning.
Today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) are expected to be the hottest days this week.
The excessive heat warning expires Friday night.
Cool Zones are officially open for the hot weather season.
They’re places like libraries and community centers where you can rest in AC cooled rooms for free.
You can find a map of all Cool Zones on KPBS dot ORG.
A San Diego born restaurant chain has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Rubio’s Coastal Grill made the announcement yesterday (Wednesday), citing the high cost of doing business in California.
The chain also closed FORTY-EIGHT of its stores in California … THIRTEEN of those in San Diego.
Another 86 locations in California, Arizona and Nevada will continue operations.
Rubio’s said it plans to sell the business to an entity formed and controlled by its current lender.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
The Otay Mesa battery storage fire was fully extinguished last week … but the fallout continues.
Some residents in North County say the fire highlights their concerns about a proposed battery storage facility in their neighborhood.
North County reporter Alexander Nguyen talks to an expert about those concerns and how a recent news development could derail the project.
“So you have the hospital right there just a quarter of a mile away. The site would extend all the way down this direction, past that house.” Joe Rowley is a former vice president of project development at Sempra US Gas and Power. He has developed large-scale energy facilities for the company, including battery storage. He says large-scale energy storage facilities should be in an industrial area. The proposed Seguro Battery Storage project is 22-and-a-half acres at the site of a former horse ranch in Eden Valley. It is also near Palomar Medical Center Escondido. “The larger the facility, the more likely fires will occur and the more frequently fires will occur. So to put a facility like this just a quarter of a mile directly upwind of a major medical facility and right next to residences on all four sides, is just really a bad idea.” Palomar Health recently announced that it would not approve an easement for the project. The Seguro project needs the easement to connect transmission lines to the nearby SDG&E substation. The easiest way is to go through part of Palomar’s property. In a statement to KPBS … Corinne Lytle (lite-tel) Bonine (Boh-nine) … A-E-S permitting director for the Seguro project, says it is evaluating all viable options. AN/KPBS
PLANS FOR A NEW FIRE STATION IN SAN DIEGO ARE COMING UNDER SCRUTINY BY ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS. METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS THE DISPUTE IS OVER THE STATION'S LOCATION.
City officials want to build their next fire station at the corner of Fairmount Avenue and 47th Street in the Webster neighborhood. The land is undeveloped and sits atop the edge of a canyon, where the city also has plans for a regional park. Peter Andersen of the Sierra Club San Diego says the neighborhood needs a new fire station — but it belongs on land that's already developed and easier to build on. We think if they analyze other sites this one will die and a cheaper better alternative will prevail. (applause) The city says it's working on an environmental impact report for the fire station. The first draft is due sometime early next year. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
WHEN A PAIR OF LOCAL SAILORS WANTED TO BRING THEIR IDEA TO LIFE THEY FOUND EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED IN ONE PLACE – THE SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY. MILITARY AND VETERANS REPORTER ANDREW DYER HAS THE STORY.
AT THE SAN DIEGO CENTRAL LIBRARY DOWNTOWN, A LASER CUTTER CARVES A PRE-PROGRAMMED SHAPE OUT OF A SCRAP PIECE OF WOOD. THIS IS THE DEVICE A PAIR OF SAILORS CREDIT FOR MAKING THEIR IDEA REAL. MATT SEMPLE AND ANDY CAMP WERE SURFACE WARFARE OFFICERS ON THE USS JASON DUNHAM, A GUIDED-MISSILE DESTROYER. SEMPLE SAYS IT WAS DIFFICULT SHARING A STATEROOM WITH THEIR DIFFERENT WATCH SCHEDULES, “I REMEMBER I’D BE ASLEEP, I'D WAKE UP TO ANDY, LITERALLY BANGING ON THE SINK TO TRY TO GET HIS RAZOR CLEAN.” SAILORS ARE REQUIRED TO SHAVE EVERY DAY. IT’S SOMETHING CAMP SAYS THEY’RE INDOCTRINATED WITH FROM THE FIRST DAYS OF TRAINING AND THEREFORE IS SOMETHING THEY THINK A LOT ABOUT. HE STARTED THINKING ABOUT JUST HOW ANNOYING THAT WAS. “SO IT'S REALLY BEING ON A SHIP HIGHLIGHTING. ISSUES WITH SHAVING BECAUSE EVERYTHING ABOUT SHAVINGS WORSE ON A SHIP RIGHT? THE BATHROOM'S TINY OR THE WATER PRESSURE IS WORSE. THE LIGHTING'S WORSE, WHATEVER. “ THE PAIR HAD AN IDEA – WHAT IF RAZOR CARTRIDGES COULD BE CLEANED WITHOUT BANGING THEM ON A SINK? CAMP BEGAN SKETCHING DESIGNS AND WHAT EMERGED WAS AN EARLY VERSION OF THE “RAZOR RINSER.” IT’S A SMALL PLASTIC DEVICE THAT PUSHES WATER THROUGH DISPOSABLE RAZOR CARTRIDGES – KEEPING THE BLADES FRESH AND THE HAIR OUT OF THE SINKS. I THINK BY THE TIME WE LEFT THAT DEPLOYMENT, WE HAD THE GENERAL SHAPE OF IT, WHICH IS BASICALLY JUST A PUMP THAT SPRAYS WATER THROUGH YOUR RAZOR BLADE AND THEN RECYCLES IT THROUGH FILTERS. THE PAIR SEPARATELY TRANSFERRED TO SAN DIEGO UNITS AND THE FIRST THING CAMP DID WAS LOOK FOR MAKER SPACES. “I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE PREDOMINANT ONE IN SAN DIEGO IS AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, AND IT'S ALSO FREE.” THAT’S THE IDEA LAB ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. WE HAVE A DIE CUT MACHINE, WE HAVE SEWING MACHINES, EMBROIDERY MACHINES SERGERS DYE SUBLIMATION. WE HAVE A SMALL CNC MACHINE CATHERINE HOANG (“HONG”) IS THE PUBLIC TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LIBRARIAN AT THE SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY. SHE’S SHOWING ME AROUND THE LAB. IT HAS EQUIPMENT ANYONE MIGHT NEED TO BRING AN IDEA TO LIFE. AND THE LIBRARY STAFF CAN SHOW ANYONE HOW TO USE THEM. SO WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN WITH AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THEM SIT DOWN, SKETCH IT OUT ON PAPER, KIND OF HAVE THEM TALK IT THROUGH. SEMPLE SAYS THE LIBRARY ALSO PLAYED A PART PATENTING THEIR INVENTION. HOANG CONNECTED THEM WITH SARAH HENDY-JACKSON, WHO RUNS THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK RESOURCE CENTER. “WHAT I DO IS I TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS. AND HOW TO PURSUE ONE.” PART OF HER JOB IS TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THE TRADEMARK PROCESS, WHICH CAN BE DAUNTING. BUT SHE SAYS ANYONE CAN DO IT EVEN IF THEY’RE STRAPPED FOR CASH. THAT'S MY FAVORITE. UM PART ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING. IT'S ENTIRELY FREE. AFTER A LOT OF TRIAL AND ERROR, CAMP DEMONSTRATES THEIR INVENTION. SO WHEN YOU PUSH DOWN THE WATER, GETS ACCELERATED THROUGH THE SLOTS AND THROUGH YOUR RAZOR BLADE. THIS SHAPE, BECAUSE OF THE GASKET AROUND THE OUTSIDE FORCES WATER BETWEEN THE BLADES, SO IT ACTUALLY FLUSHES THE HAIR AND GUNK OUT. BOTH SAILORS HAVE JUST SEPARATED FROM THE NAVY. THE PAIR HOPED TO RAISE $10,000 IN STARTUP FUNDS ON KICKSTARTER. WHEN THEIR CAMPAIGN ENDED LAST MONTH, THEY’D RAISED ALMOST $70,000 FROM MORE THAN 13 HUNDRED BACKERS. WE ENDED UP JUST GETTING REALLY LUCKY BEING IN SAN DIEGO WHERE WE COULD COME INTO A SPACE LIKE THIS TO WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY TAKE THAT IDEA AND START TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL PRODUCT.
THE IDEA LAB ISN’T JUST FOR INVENTORS. THERE’S TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE CONVERT ANALOG MEDIA TO DIGITAL. “YOU CAN CONVERT SLIDES NEGATIVES AND PHOTOS, HIGH EIGHT DEVIATE, SUPER 8, 8 MILLIMETER…(FADES UNDER VOICE)” HOANG SAYS THE STAFF IS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP. “FOR SURE, YOU KNOW, WE’RE THE LIBRARY, WE’RE A FOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE.” HENDY-JACKSON HOPES CAMP AND SEMPLE’S STORY HELPS OTHER SAN DIEGO INVENTORS. TO BE ABLE TO SAY MATT, AND ANDY DID IT. THIS IS HOW THEY DID IT. THESE ARE THE STEPS THAT THEY DID, AND YOU CAN DO IT TOO, AND YOU CAN DO IT HERE FOR FREE. THAT'S REALLY, JUST INCREDIBLE. ANDREW DYER, KPBS NEWS
Coming up.... The 100-year anniversary of the Caesar salad. We’ll have that story and more, just after the break.
THIS YEAR MARKS THE 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CAESAR SALAD – FIRST INVENTED IN TIJUANA IN 1924. REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS (a-NASS-tis) TELLS US HOW CHEFS ARE CELEBRATING.
It’s a dish you can find in restaurants across the world: romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons and citrusy, garlicky dressing. Caesar Cardini invented the salad in Tijuana during Prohibition. Chef Javier Plascencia and his family now run that restaurant. We make about 2,500 salads a week, each one made tableside. Chefs from around the region are joining Plascencia to celebrate the salad in Tijuana next month. Chef Claudette Zepeda says she’s proud that Mexico is the birthplace of a globally beloved dish. It’s beautiful for people to know not only does the Caesar salad come from Mexico, from Tijuana, Baja California, but it comes from the people that made Mexico home. July’s festivities include two gala dinners, a festival and the launch of a cookbook. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
THE COUNTY LIBRARY’S SUMMER LEARNING CHALLENGE IS NOW IN FULL SWING.
THIS SUMMER’S “READ, LEARN, CREATE” READING CHALLENGE RUNS THROUGH AUGUST 31ST.
IT’S OPEN TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BUT ITS MAIN GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE KIDS AND TEENS TO READ DURING THEIR SUMMER VACATIONS.
YOU CAN REGISTER ON-LINE OR AT ANY OF THE 33 LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY.
IF YOU READ BOOKS AND PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES, YOU CAN EARN PRIZES, INCLUDING BOOKS AND LIBRARY TOTE BAGS.
ACTIVITIES AND BOOKS ARE OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
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 day.
