Relaxing COVID precautions
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, August 18th.
Are COVID precautions being rolled back too soon? More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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San Diego County is getting nearly 14 million dollars for mental health services.
The board of supervisors voted this week to accept two grants.
The first grant will fund the construction of a new 12-bed acute psychiatric unit in an existing nursing facility in Santee.
The second grant will go towards suicide prevention programs for young people.
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County supervisors also voted 4-to-1 this week…in favor of a resolution supporting federal legislation aimed at protecting the privacy of reproductive health data.
The bill was introduced by Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, who represents a large portion of San Diego County in the House.
If passed by Congress, the bill would limit the personal reproductive and sexual health data that can be collected, used or disclosed, to only what is needed for a service.
It would also allow people to hold regulated entities accountable for violations.
Supervisor Joel Anderson voted against the resolution.
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More San Diegans may soon have to pay a monthly fee for trash pickup… that’s if city voters approve the measure on the November ballot.
That’s according to reporting by the San Diego Union-Tribune.
A report from the city’s independent budget analyst found that single-family homeowners in San Diego would have to pay between 23 and 29-dollars per month for trash service.
The analysis does not account for free trash bins and more frequent pickups.
So the monthly bill could be even more.
San Diego is the only city in the country that provides free trash pickup to single-family homes.
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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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The C-D-C has relaxed Covid guidelines, San Diego Unified isn’t requiring masks at its schools and San Diego County is now in a lower COVID risk level.
Does this mean we can be less worried about COVID?
Dr. Eric Topol is the director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla.
He spoke with KPBS’s Maureen Cavanaugh to discuss this and more.
So last week the CDC said people who’ve been exposed to Covid, even if they’re not up to date on vaccinations, no longer need to quarantine, they should instead wear a mask and get tested. Also, the six-foot standard of social distancing is being dropped in most instances. Is it about time for this, or do you think it’s too soon?
As the new school year begins, the CDC says masks are not a requirement…and it’s left a lot of Covid guidance up to individual school districts. San Diego Unified is dropping its mask requirement for most schools. That’s got some parents nervous….what do you think?
Why do you think there’s been such a lag in parents getting their kids vaccinated?
Over the past week, we’ve gotten some new research into long Covid. Do we now have a better idea of what percentage of people infected with the virus actually come down with long Covid?
Are we expecting a new wave in the fall?
That was Dr. Eric Topol with Scripps Research Translational Institute speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host Maureen Cavanaugh.
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THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT REPORTS ANOTHER INMATE HAS DIED IN CUSTODY.
THE INMATE HASN’T T BEEN IDENTIFIED YET… BUT IT’S THE 16TH DEATH IN COUNTY JAILS THIS YEAR.
THE NEWS COMES RIGHT AFTER ACTION BY COUNTY SUPERVISORS AIMED AT STOPPING THOSE DEATHS.
KPBS REPORTER KITTY ALVARADO SAYS PART OF THE PLAN IS TO HIRE HUNDREDS MORE DEPUTIES BY OFFERING HIRING INCENTIVES.
Some of the incentives include: A 10 percent raise for jail nursing staff… Five percent premium pay for deputies on the night shift… And a 20-thousand-dollar signing bonus for officers who transfer to the department with at least one year experience. And if they’re from out of the area… they’ll get a 15 thousand dollar relocation allowance. San Diego County Sheriff Anthony Ray says bringing on experienced officers is priceless… and says while that 20-thousand dollar bonus sounds high… it’s actually a huge savings over hiring new recruits..So, if you’re putting ten people into the academy that would be $1 million for every ten folks we’re trying to hire The incentives are among a set of emergency actions taken by the board because of the recent increase in jail deaths… many because of drug overdoses. Ray says they’re looking to hire about 300 sworn deputies and 125 medical staff. The supervisors still need to take a second vote on the incentives and other measures… If they’re approved, staff will start seeing the incentives as soon as next month Kitty Alvarado KPBS News
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Mexican repair crews are making progress fixing two broken pipes that spilled millions of gallons of sewage that crossed the U-S Mexico border and is fouling the ocean.
KPBS Environment reporter Erik Anderson has details.
August is turning into a brutal month for Imperial Beach, Coronado and the rest of the south county shoreline. “The beach closures have been devastating for our community.” Imperial Beach city councilmember Paloma Aguirre says water contact at the city's premier beach was off limits for the last nine weeks. A massive sewer line collapse in Tijuana is to blame. The International Boundary and Water Commission’s Morgan Rogers says One pipe is almost fixed. “We’ll still have the discharge into the ocean, but we would rather have the discharge south of Tijuana where it has more time to dilute in the ocean before it drifts up north.” The other pipe might not be repaired for another month. Erik Anderson KPBS News
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Coming up.... Two San Diego legend’s homes are on the market. We’ll have that story and more, next, just after the break.
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The fall semester is underway…as more North County schools opened yesterday.
KPBS Education reporter M.G. Perez has more from Poway Unified…the County’s third largest district.
There are more than 35-thousand students in the Poway Unified School district. Many of them started the fall semester at least an hour later than in past years. High school and Middle school students across the state are adjusting to California’s new late-start law. Ari Knik is a senior at Rancho Bernardo High School. “I think the late start is a very good idea …because we have so much of a course load …we’re very pressured.” Also new this year… more counselors, thanks to additional state funding for student mental health. On the Rancho Bernardo campus…the staff now includes 2-new psychologists and a full-time social worker. MGP KPBS News
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Two San Diego legends. Two masters of their craft. Two Teds … with both of their former homes for sale.
KPBS reporter Jacob Aere takes a look at the very different homes of baseball great Ted Williams and La Jolla’s Ted Giesel … better known by his pen name… Dr. Seuss.
The late Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams is best known for his time playing on the Boston Red Sox and as a military veteran. But all of his greatness began in San Diego, where he grew up. His childhood home in North Park is now up for sale according to former San Diego Padres broadcaster Bob Chandler. “And at one time the major league Padres had thought about maybe buying that house and turning it into a baseball shrine. You know, like a Hall Of Fame and so forth, but obviously it didn't happen.” At the same time that Williams' childhood home is on the market, so is the house once owned by world-famous children’s book author Ted Giesel … better known as Dr. Suess. While the baseball legend’s former home is a humble, one story bungalow, Giesel’s home is an expansive, hilltop mansion in La Jolla. Jason Barry is part of the team selling the home. “You look at the front door where you have the etched glass of the hat of the “Cat in the hat”. And as I was mentioning the pool in here too you've got the bowtie of the “cat in the hat.” The Williams home sale is currently “pending” for 925,000 dollars. Meanwhile Dr.Seuss' mansion is listed at nearly $19 million dollars for the house and surrounding property. Jacob Aere, KPBS News
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Alana Quintana Albertson has written 30 novels, all in the romance and mystery genres.
Her latest, "Ramón and Julieta" — subtitled "love and tacos" —was selected as one of N-P-R's Best Books of 20-22.
It will be featured at Saturday's San Diego Union-Tribune Festival of Books.
It's a Latinx spin on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, set in San Diego's Barrio Logan, with two feuding families, a taco chain, and star-crossed lovers.
Alana Quintana-Albertson spoke with KPBS Arts producer and editor Julia Dixon Evans about the book.
Tell us about the decision to make this story a retelling, of sorts, of Shakespeare?
What made you want to set this story in San Diego, particularly in Barrio Logan.
Because of Barrio Logan's history of fighting gentrification, this is so much more than a mom-and-pop corner shop vs. major chain. What's on the line for these characters?
That was author Alana Quintana Albertson, speaking with KPBS’s Julia Dixon Evans.
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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 day.
