More injured at border wall
Good Morning, I’m Annica Colbert….it’s Tuesday May, 3rd>>>>
More injuries at the border
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….######
Civil rights lawyers and the ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial County filed motions yesterday asking the court to require the San Diego County sheriff’s department to take immediate steps to address dangerous and deadly conditions in their jails.
A scathing state audit released in February concluded that the sheriff’s department had failed to adequately prevent and respond to the deaths of those in its custody.
in 20-21, 18 people died while in county jails. There have been eight deaths so far this year.
########
San Diego has seen a decrease in population for the first time in over a decade. There were more than 11,000 fewer people living in the region in July 2021, when compared to the year before. The decline represents only a fraction of a percent of the population, but could still have major impacts on the region. Statewide, California lost more than 115-thousand people in 2021. It made for an overall decrease in the population for the 2nd year in a row.
#########
The San Diego humane society and the CDC announced a partnership Monday, with the goal of helping Ukrainian refugees crossing the U.S.-mexico border to bring their pets with them. The humane society transported the first dog from Ukraine across the border at the San Ysidro point of entry this weekend. humane officers are available to transfer more dogs as needed.
#########
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
Doctors around the region are seeing an increase in the number of people injured when attempting to go over the border wall. Since 20-19 there’s been a five time increase in the number of people severely injured at the wall. That’s according to data analyzed by The San Diego Union-Tribune. Dr. Vishal Bansal, Director of Trauma Surgery at Scripps Mercy Hospital, spoke to Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon about the increase.
That was Dr. Vishal Bansal with Scripps Mercy Hospital speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon.
##########
On May 1, undocumented Californians 50 and older became eligible for Medi-Cal. As many as 235-thousand people throughout the state may now be eligible for health insurance.
KPBS border reporter Gustavo Solis has more.
People who now qualify for Medi-Cal are covered for dental, vision, mental health, and preventative care, among many other services.
Ana Melgoza is Vice President of External Affairs for San Ysidro Health. She says this Medi-Cal expansion will benefit people who need it the most.
“We know that 50 and above is important because of the chronic illnesses many people live with, like diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma. And if they go unattended, the quality of life and the life span of that person get shortened drastically.
The organization is ready to help undocumented Californians sign up for Medi-Cal. They can talk to multilingual staff at 619 600 3000 to register online.
Gustavo Solis, KPBS News
###########
San Diego Unified is facing a renewed challenge to its vaccination mandate that begins in the summer session. KPBS Health Reporter Matt Hoffman spoke with a law professor about the suit.
Starting this summer, San Diego Unified students 16 and over will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.. The district is mandating it where there’s full FDA authorization which right now is ages 16 and over.
Joanna Sax is a pressor at California Western School of Law who specializes in Health law.. She reviewed the complaint which now includes four San Diego Unified students.
One of their arguments is that these teenages have all gotten covid-19 so they have natural immunity and they can’t get it and they can’t spread it to other people but that’s not true because one of them has had it multiple times.
Sax doesn’t see the lawsuit prevailing, especially since California doesn’t allow for religious or personal exemptions when it comes to vaccinating kids in schools..
Attorneys representing the families say they are confident they will win this case not just for their clients but all students with religious exemptions.
##########
Military leaders say they're conducting research to learn more about "Long COVID" –That's cases of COVID-19 where the symptoms continue for months. Preliminary studies suggest millions of Americans are suffering from Long COVID, and service members who have it say it’s threatened or ended their military careers.
Andy Hirshfeld reports for the American Homefront Project.
This story was produced by the American Homefront Project, a public media collaboration that reports on American military life and veterans. Funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
#########
The state’s longer wildfire season is leading to mandatory overtime for its firefighters. During wildfire season … that could mean firefighters are working 40 or more days nonstop.
That’s why Republican state Senator Brian Jones … representing a wide swath of rural East County … co-authored a bill that would add more than eleven hundred (1,100) firefighters to CAL Fire. His district is one of the most fire-prone areas in the county.
“So we need to prioritize this expenditure and get these fire Department staffs restaff back up and then expand their staffing so that we're ready for these fires when they happen again.”
CALFIRE’s union supports the bill. It is currently moving forward in committee … pending the governor’s May budget revision.
If passed … it would go into effect next year.
#########
A settlement has been reached over a controversial proposal for an apartment complex in Encinitas. The city has come under fire from Attorney General Rob Bonta for turning down an affordable housing development. KPBS North County reporter Tania has more.
The Encinitas Boulevard Apartment project sits near the busy intersection of Encinitas Blvd and Rancho Santa Fe Road.
Dan Vaughn is with Encinitas Residents for Responsible Development…he opposes the plan.
“What he's proposed is what they call a wrap design, so this is 06:24 apartment buildings wrapped around a six story parking garage so the project is literally a car centric project.
And Vaughn says residents living in the rural community of Olivenhain are concerned over traffic jams in case of fire.
The city denied the permit in November and residents thought the project was blocked but then the developer sued.
Last week, the city and developers reached an agreement- revised plans for the project to the city council on June 8th.
TT KPBS News
##########
Coming up.... Filipino folklore, 7th grade bad luck, and San Diego come together in a new book that comes out today. We’ll have more on that next, just after the break.
San Diego author Tracy Badua's debut middle-grade novel, "Freddie vs. the Family Curse" comes out today.
It follows Freddie Ruiz a cursed seventh grader who is resigned to a life of bad luck… until a rediscovered family heirloom gives him a little hope.
KPBS/Arts editor and producer Julia Dixon Evans spoke with Tracy Badua about the book. Here's their conversation.
That was KPBS/Arts editor and producer Julia Dixon Evans speaking with Tracy Badua, author of the new middle-grade novel "Freddie vs. the Family Curse." The book comes out today, and Tracy Badua is celebrating with a book signing at Mysterious Galaxy at 6 o'clock tonight
That’s it for the podcast today. 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.
