San Diego Unified is trying to address a backlog of AC repairs

Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, October 10th, 2024.

Air conditioning malfunctioned at several San Diego Unified schools during last month’s heatwave.

More on how leaders are addressing the issue, next. But first... let’s do the headlines….######

County Supervisor Terra Lawson Remer wants to ask the E-P-A to run tests in the Tijuana-River Valley to see if it could be considered a "superfund" site.

If approved, funds from the state and federal government would be allocated to help de-contaminate the area.

Lawson-Remer proposed to petition the E-P-A at Tuesday's board of supervisors meeting saying we don't know if the substances in the sediment would impact the community.

Anyone who has seen how superfund sites clean ups operate, it's just kind of extraordinary.  Sometimes they'll remove soil, sometimes they'll seal soil that might be full of contaminants so it can't leach into the water."

The board voted to hold off on the petition to give them time to look into it further..

Lawson-Remer's team says she plans to move ahead with the process anyway.

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The American Red Cross is warning about a critical need for blood donors in the wake of Hurricane Helene in the southeastern U.S.

They’re holding events throughout the county all month long.

One will be held at The Lodge at Lake San Marcos from 10 this morning to 4.

Donors will receive a 10 dollar Amazon Gift Card.

They will also be automatically entered for a chance to win one of three, 5-thousand dollar gift cards.

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Despite warmer temperatures, you may have noticed thick, come-and-go fog in parts of the county recently.

Usually this time of year, Santa Ana winds push the marine layer offshore.

But, the National Weather Service told the Union Tribune, the unusual trend now is being caused by a chain-reaction, starting with dipping ocean temperatures.

This is causing cool, moist air from off the coast to collide with a heat dome over the land.

The fog is expected to last for several more days.

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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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San Diego Unified school district leaders are looking for ways to address a backlog of air conditioner repairs.

Reporter Katie Anastas says it comes after hundreds of classrooms had problems during last month’s heatwave.

Representatives from the district’s maintenance departments say about 480 classrooms had air conditioning problems between mid August and mid September.

They say there were a range of factors, including air conditioners running for long periods, aging systems and supply chain issues delaying the arrival of needed parts. 

Operations director John Hensley says they can’t keep up with demand for repairs.

Overall, we are completing roughly 83% of HVAC work orders received each year, so our backlog continues to grow. [9s]

Hensley says last year’s maintenance budget was $77 million. Just under 20% funds HVAC systems.

Board president Shana Hazan says increasing that percentage would require cuts in other areas.

I think really engaging the board in that conversation through the budget planning process and upcoming budget workshops, so that we're really aware and that the community is really aware of the choices that we need to make here. [10s]

Staff say they’re also reviewing how they manage workloads, increasing preventative maintenance and looking for additional grant funding.

Katie Anastas, KPBS News.

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San Diego City Mayor Todd Gloria was elected in 2020 on promises of making the region less dependent on cars.

Metro reporter Andrew Bowen says when the city debates transportation policy, Gloria is often absent.

Much of the county's transportation policy is set at SANDAG, which manages local, state and federal transportation dollars. At a mayoral debate in 2019, Gloria pledged to take the lead at SANDAG. And he touted his support for a set of reforms that would give him more voting power at the agency's board of directors.

"It gives the mayor of San Diego the opportunity to sit in the driver's seat at both SANDAG and MTS in building a new transportation vision for our future. Our current mayor does not elect to use that authority. This mayor will.

But since taking office, Gloria has missed 50% of SANDAG board meetings. His attendance at MTS, which operates the city's bus and trolley system, is even worse. In nearly four years of MTS board meetings, Gloria has attended only one.

"If I'm not there, my alternate is there. And we have a very capable councilmember who goes on my behalf…"

When asked about his attendance record at a KPBS mayoral debate last week, Gloria said even if he's not in the room at public meetings, he's still advocating for San Diego's transportation needs.

"It isn't to say I'm not actively engaged in this — I am. I have staff that look at this all the time. I'm briefed on it constantly. I meet regularly with the CEO of SANDAG. We are active in that conversation. And you see that in the dollars that are coming to San Diego.

Gloria is up for re-election next month. He said if his behind-the-scenes work is no longer effective in a second term, he'll change his approach. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.

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It's time for our next “Why it Matters” segment with our Public Matters partner, Voice of San Diego.

Editor Scott Lewis explains why there are so many sales taxes on the ballot this year.

This November, voters in the city of San Diego will weigh in on Measure E – it would put a 1 percent sales tax on top of the tax buyers pay within the city. 

It came up in our mayoral debate last week. Here was Larry Turner, who is running against incumbent Mayor Todd Gloria. 

If someone did leave San Diego to find a lower sales tax, they’d have to go pretty far. 

Right now, the city of San Diego has the lowest rate possible in San Diego County. 

The 1 percent increase would put San Diego on par with the cities with the highest rate in San Diego County. But several others want to join them. 

The reason all these cities want sales tax increases is the state and county takes so much of the sales tax. When cities vote to raise their own on top of the state’s 7.25 rate, they keep it.  

Crucially, neither the mayor nor other supporters of the tax can promise exactly where the money would go. If they did, it would require two thirds support of voters. By saying it’s just going to go to the general fund, they only need a simple majority. 

I'm Scott Lewis. And that's why understanding it all matters.

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Voters in east county will soon choose a new assembly member to represent their region in the state legislature.

Scott Rodd reports it’s down to two republican candidates in the general election.

Republicans Carl DeMaio and Andrew Hayes are facing off to represent Assembly District 75.

The district encompasses most of east San Diego county…including a 50 mile stretch of the southern border west of Jacumba Hot Springs.

DeMaio is a familiar figure in the San Diego political scene. He previously served on San Diego’s City Council…and has since run unsuccessful campaigns for San Diego mayor and two Congressional seats.

He casts himself as a political maverick who isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers on the right and the left.

I think that what we need is more transparency on what's going on behind closed doors in the state Capitol. Our state Legislature does not operate in an open manner with transparency. And the special interests dominate all the decisions. The voice of the people is rarely heard.”

DeMaio says his top issues include addressing the high cost of living in the region, reducing crime and passing laws that support small businesses.

Hayes is currently president of the Lakeside Unified School Board. He previously served as district director for state Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones. 

He says his experience taught him how to get things done, even when he’s in the minority.

 “I want to find you issues that have common ground. that's going to take me working the pavement when I first get elected and going and introducing myself to all of my colleague who are not Republican and saying, ‘Hey, where do we agree?’ And that'll help my district on numerous issues.”

Hayes says his top issues include addressing the high cost of living in the region, improving fire insurance options for homeowners and reducing the placement of sexually violent predators in east San Diego County after they’re released from prison.

The winner will replace Republican Assemblymember Marie Waldron, who is set to term out.

Scott Rodd, KPBS News

Be sure to check out the KPBS Voter Hub.

There you can find all of our election coverage.

Just go to KPBS dot org slash Voter Hub.

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There's a renewed debate over youth football safety, after two players died from head injuries just as the school year started.

North County reporter Alexander Nguyen looks into the issue.

“something about talking through”

Diane Luth is explaining how her son Scott Eveland communicates after suffering a traumatic head injury. It’s a slow process. 

He depends on caregivers 24/7 to eat, bathe and communicate.

17 years ago, Eveland collapsed on the field at Mission Hills High School after sustaining a head injury. It was his second head injury within a week… and he had asked to sit out the game.

“The trainers said you don’t have to play but the coach overruled him and put him in … and that was the last of the Scott that we knew.”

Head injuries continue to plague youth football. So far this school year, - a middle school player in West Virginia and a high school football player in Alabama have died from head injuries. 

An effort to ban tackling in high school football … has been met with strong resistance. 

A state bill to ban children under 12 from playing was scrapped earlier this year after Governor Gavin Newsom said he would veto it.. 

There have been some changes made in recent years - to keep student athletes safe… including limits on practice time. 

And Coaches are now better trained to look for signs of head injuries. 

Jon Goodman is the head football coach at Escondido Charter High School. He played high school football-about 30 years ago.

 “I don’t think back then people knew what’s going on and we just kinda played.”

Now, he says the game is much faster, thanks to- technology like sideline replays-… so the chances of kids getting hurt are  greater. 

“They know it's happening faster. So it's even more paramount today that you educate the youngsters on what the proper technique, what the proper angles are.”

But technology is also making the sport safer. 

Goodman has used Guardian caps during practice for the past 10 years. 

This is technology the NFL - started using this year. They are soft-shell helmet covers.

He’s also using what’s known as “Riddell Insite.”

“There's, a censor in the helmets that tell a reader how much the kids have impacted it. And then that reader tells my my athletic trainer, ‘Hey, you need to look at this. I'm sure he's sustained that head collision.’”

Escondido Charter High parent Brian Fonseca … used to coach pop-warner football. He says the sport is safer than ever.

“We have a professional trainer on practice. They're waiting for things happening. If any kid gets hurt, nobody gets back on that field without the trainer giving the thumbs up.”

“In order for these young  athletes to benefit from sports, they need to survive them.”

Daniel Melara is an athletic trainer from Cal State San Marcos. He says there is a growing consensus that children should start contact sports later.

“We're still in the infancy of what that looks like as far as research. I think, at this moment in time, most, brain science, if you will, will have a recommendation to start contact sports, or blows to the head, around 14.” 

But Melara says that’s a conversation parents need to have with the coaches and staff. He says a coach’s attitude influences how a team approaches injuries.

Scott Eveland says his coach was to blame for his injury, ending his dream of medical school. It also makes communication a slow process, with his mother reading his words that say coaches need to do a better job of listening.

“Make sure that parents know this.”

Luth says if she had to do it over again … she would still let her son play football. The sport was not the problem, she says –. The coach was.

“Who's watching your children? It's really it. The crux of it is who's — because there's great coaches out there. I wish Scott had that coach.”

Eveland’s family sued San Marcos Unified, and settled in 2016 for nearly four-point-four million dollars. 

Alexander Nguyen, KPBS news

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The 23rd Ocean Beach Oktoberfest is happening tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday.

The festival is for those 21 and up.

Heather Hudson is O-B Oktoberfest's director of partnerships.

She says this year’s event will be bigger than previous years.

“This year we’re very excited because we have about doubled our footprint. So you’ve got about double the beach view and access. This allows us to now have two stages. So we’ll have our jagermeister main stage, where we have a full line up of live bands and musical acts, contests, games. But then also this year, we have an electronica stage. So that’s a stage where we’ve got an excellent lineup of DJs.”

Hudson says some of the proceeds from the event will go back to the community.

“This is a community event, so we have a couple of benefactors and partners that help us produce this event, specifically the Ocean Beach Main Street Association and the Peninsula Alliance, which are two groups in Ocean Beach. So, in collaboration with them we are able to give back about $50,000 each year. And to date, we’ve given back over $750,000. So, this is definitely an event to come have fun, enjoy yourself, but you can feel good that you are helping give back to the community as well.”

Some things to know ahead of the event… General Admission tickets will be available at the gate for 15-dollars, and there are also V-I-P ticket options available to purchase online, at O-B-Oktoberfest-dot-com.

The fest runs from 4 P-M to 11-30 at night tomorrow (Friday), and noon to 11-30 P-M Saturday.

That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Join us again tomorrow for the day’s top stories. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great day.