Tijuana preparing shelter for deportees

Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Tuesday, January>>>>

Tijuana is preparing to accept people deported by the Trump administration. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….

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The El Cajon City Council is discussing immigration enforcement this afternoon.

In December, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and a member of the city council directed city staff to get clarification from the state on discrepancies between federal law and state sanctuary policies.

Today the council is weighing two options: wait and do nothing until the differences are worked out — or seek additional clarification from state and federal officials on the matter, while stating El Cajon's intent to follow federal law.

Wells has voiced his support for President Trump’s plans for mass deportations on TV and social media.

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Due to increased bacteria levels from recent rain, a general beach advisory for all San Diego County beaches was issued by the county.

Beachgoers were warned that rain can cause runoff which raises bacteria levels in ocean and bay waters, according to the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality.

Swimming, surfing and diving should be avoided during rain and for 72 hours afterward, the department said.

For more information go to S-D Beach Info dot org.

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And the wet weather is staying in San Diego County, at least till tomorrow.

According to the National Weather Service, decreasing showers will linger today (Tuesday) and possibly tomorrow (Wednesday).

By the end of the week and into the weekend we’ll see drier, warmer weather.

On Sunday temperatures near the coast will be slightly above average and in the mountains temps will be 10 to 15 degrees above average.

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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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Mexican authorities are preparing for potential mass deportations by opening shelters. One of them is in Tijuana.

Video journalist Matthew Bowler got a tour.

Here along Mexico1, or the free road from Tijuana to Rosarito, a building that used to host things like quinceaneras and wedding receptions called Flamingos Eventos is now a temporary shelter for deportees. It is part of a network of shelters along the Mexican and United States border, part of a national program in Mexico called Mexico Embrasa, or Mexico Embraces You. Media was allowed access to one section of the shelter showing the dining hall, kitchen, newly constructed rooms with bunk beds, medical offices, and government offices. We know that there is a lot of expectation of when and how many people are coming. Monica Juliana Vega Aguerre is Baja, California Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development, she represented the Baja government to English speaking media. So in this first center we're gonna we're ready to receive 2600 people, men, women, families,, young people. On this day, no deportees are at the shelter. Nonetheless, the governments of Tijuana, Baja California and Mexico say they are ready to welcome them home. In Tijuana, Matthew Bowler, KPBS News.

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San Diego is moving forward with a plan to increase parking meter rates.

Metro reporter Andrew Bowen says it's an effort to ease the impact of upcoming budget cuts.

Most parking meters in San Diego charge $1.25 per hour — well below the rate at private lots and garages, and meter rates in other cities. The new rate of $2.50 is expected to bring in about $10 million per year to pay for transportation improvements around parking meters. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said those costs would otherwise be borne by the general fund, which is facing a massive deficit. And by collecting additional revenue, we're alleviating that pressure from the general fund, therefore allowing those dollars to be used for the firefighters, police officers, rec centers, all the things that our residents want and deserve. The city is also exploring ways to expand parking meters into more neighborhoods. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.

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If you live in the Paradise Hills neighborhood of Southeast San Diego, you might remember this legendary art wall from the 90s.

For almost 30 years now, it's been vacant. But late last year, South Bay reporter Kori Suzuki says, three high school friends reunited to bring it back to life.

The wall is at the top of Division Street. Right where it curves upwards, away from the freeway, and down into the neighborhood of Paradise Hills. It’s kind of tucked away behind a big concrete phone pole. Across the street from a church. For decades, it’s been blank and a dusty grey. If you’re not from the neighborhood, you might not even see it. But if you grew up here at the right time … you might remember something different. Back in the day we would do, you know, graffiti hip hop 90s, New York, Stock graffiti and that's what we would paint out here. Ron Recaido is an artist from Paradise Hills. Cars drive by as he points to the wall, where he and his friends used to paint graffiti murals. In the 90s, when Recaido was going to high school just down the street. The neighborhood was different, it was crazy little bit crazy here. Like, you know, there was, you know, the upstart of like gangs and and drugs. Paradise Hills was a redlined neighborhood – a Black and Brown community, that was systematically disinvested in. It was home to a big Filipino community, which Recaido and his friends were part of. Recaido says their immigrant parents weren’t thinking about enrolling them in soccer or other activities. Instead, he and his friends turned to art. The New York style, subway graffiti, it was all brand new. So being a kid. Being a kid and seeing that it was fresh, you know? It was fresh and was like, oh man, like I want to do that. Recaido and his friends started looking for spots to paint. In Paradise Hills, there were only a few. There were some places towards Spring Valley. There was the side of the old Circle K liquor store. And then, there was the wall at the top of Division Street. This wall was like, kind of at the center of everything. Romali Licudan. He’s like a cousin to Recaido. This is like one of the main streets off of the main freeways that and to get into Paradise Hills.. So, everybody was coming in and out of this like passageway right here in seeing this wall, every day that they would go to work, go to school and all that. They gave themselves a crew name: JVC. Almost every month, they would put up a new mural on Division Street. They painted cartoon characters, messages and portraits of friends who had passed away. When rival crews didn’t approve, they would come and paint over their work. This was almost like our social media back in the days Junior Inocencio was the third member of their crew. He says their work was starting to get attention in the neighborhood. Where we were able to broadcast our post, but through artwork. To the community and a lot of the fellow writers out there at the time. They would take notice. But others were taking notice too. Including the cops. In 1993, they launched a major sting operation targeting graffiti artists across San Diego County. Officers posed as Hollywood producers working on a documentary. Eventually, they arrested 37 people, including Inocencio, who had just graduated from high school. Recaido and Licudan tried to keep painting after that. But soon, they graduated too. Licudan went to art school in Valencia and San Francisco. Inocencio had to go to court and do community service, and eventually became an art teacher. And back on Division Street, the wall was empty. Recaido went to college in Long Beach and joined the Navy. Even on duty, he kept drawing. Making sketches on printer paper and scanning them onto a computer whenever he got a chance. Finally, after decades away from home, he got orders back to San Diego. Of course, you know, I'm heading up the old crew and we're talking about the Glory Days [...] and we're talking about like that we should one day come back to this. This. The wall on Division Street. Last year, Recaido, Licudan and Inocencio got together with some old friends and began planning something new. In early October, the three of them started painting. Now, for the first time in almost 30 years, there’s a new mural on Division Street. But it’s different from the kind of scenes they used to paint. This mural is more mature. It’s focused on honoring the history of Filipino culture in the neighborhood. It shows traditional fruits and vegetables like calamansi and ampalaya [UM-pah-lay-yah]. And the crimson flag of the United Farm Workers union, an homage to the farmworkers strikes of the 1960s. At the center is a saying in Tagalog: Isang Bagsak. Isang Bagsak, which literally translates to one down. Meaning if one of us is down, that means that we're all down. And if one of us is up, that means all of us are representing a real communal spirit. Recaido says they didn’t sign it. They wanted the focus to be on the message, not themselves. But in the bottom right corner, they did stencil the letters of their old crew – JVC. Can I ask, does that stand for something? Well, JVC, we're back in the day when we were younger. It was the juvenile Vandal crew. Right. I don't know what it stands for now. A lot has changed here since the 90s. The crew. The neighborhood. But some things are still the same. Like an old brick wall. Like a group of childhood friends, still trying to make the neighborhood a little more beautiful. One mural at a time. Kori Suzuki, KPBS News.

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Hair salons are known for helping people with their outer beauty.

Reporter Melissa Mae explains how stylists at a salon in Coronado are trained to help their clients feel better on the inside as well.

Salon On First in Coronado might look like your average hair salon… stylists can be seen washing, cutting, coloring and drying client’s hair. But there’s something unique about this salon. Owner Marilyn Klisser says she’s proud to be the first official Certified Community Care Salon in the country. “A salon that is not only interested in the outer physical beauty and the hair, but also taking care of the community and making sure that we connect on certain levels with each client when they come into the salon, so that they leave feeling better than they ever could have before they walk in.” This certification is a grassroots effort of combating the loneliness epidemic.  In order to earn the certification stylists are trained in active listening skills, the salon must create a directory of community resources and plan at least one free social event at their salon a month. Melissa Mae KPBS News.

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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.