Veterans Affairs’ nurses unions rally at VA San Diego against the planned layoff of 80,000 VA workers. Then, South Bay leaders are again appealing to the federal government for help with sewage pollution. Voice of San Diego’s Scott Lewis is back talking trash again as San Diego city leaders rile homeowners with their proposed garbage collection fee. And a new KPBS Explores Hidden San Diego takes you to Balboa Park to find medicinal trees.
VA San Diego nurses protest Trump’s planned layoffs
April 17, 2025 at 5:00 AM PDT
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, April 17.
Nurses at VA San Diego are protesting planned layoffs.
More on that next. But first... the headlines….
Two Camp Pendleton Marines deployed to the U.S.- Mexico border were killed Tuesday in a vehicle crash in New Mexico.
Officials say a third Marine was injured in the crash.
Details weren’t released, but the Washington Post reported the vehicle rolled over.
The names of the Marines hadn’t been made public as of late yesterday (Wednesday).
They are the first known military deaths of President Donald Trump’s border mission.
San Diego is banning grocery stores from offering digital-only coupon deals.
The second reading of the ordinance passed unanimously this week.
The law is intended to help people who don’t have access or knowledge of the lower prices available on digital apps.
Stores can continue offering deals online, but must post notices and make them available in-store for everyone.
The law will go into effect in 90 days.
Two local credit unions are merging.
San Diego County Credit Union and California Coast Credit Union announced the plan last week.
The combined credit union will operate under the California Coast Credit Union name and, if approved, become the state’s fourth largest.
Regulators still must approve the deal and Cal Coast members will vote.
According to an S-D-C-C-U news release, the credit unions won’t be fully integrated until 2027.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
PENDING JOB CUTS AT THE V-A HAVE ALREADY SPARKED PROTESTS AMONG VETERANS AND THEIR ADVOCATES. YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY), IT WAS THEIR NURSES. MILITARY AND VETERANS REPORTER ANDREW DYER WAS AT VA SAN DIEGO AND HAS MORE.
Just outside the VA Medical Center in La Jolla nurses and government labor groups protest impending layoffs in the department.
VA Secretary Doug Collins says he’s looking to cut as many as 80,000 workers from the agency as part of President Donald Trump’s broader austerity efforts throughout the federal government.
Collins insists the layoffs won’t affect staff handling benefit claims or patient care.
IRMA WESTMORELAND is the national chair for National Nurses United VA, which represents thousands of VA nurses.
She says firing support staff will affect patient care.
when you cut housekeepers, when you cut respiratory therapists, when you cut people who are touching the patients and in support of us, the dietitians, the social workers, all of that work still has to be done. Who's going to do it? The people that are left.
At a Florida town hall this week, Collins told veterans the layoffs are needed to make the agency more efficient, saying quote “you can do more with less. But you also have to have the right motivation and understanding to do it.”
Andrew Dyer, KPBS News
IMPERIAL BEACH LEADERS ARE CALLING FOR A NEW LOCAL EMERGENCY TO ADDRESS THE CROSS-BORDER SEWAGE CRISIS. REPORTER MELISSA MAE SAYS THE RESOLUTION WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO SEND LETTERS TO STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS ASKING FOR HELP.
At the south end of Saturn Boulevard in Nestor, polluted foam clouds float on top of the Tijuana River… and there is a distinct smell of rotten eggs in the air…that’s hydrogen sulfide, a gas produced by sewage. MM: Imperial Beach Councilman Mitch McKay says fixing the problem is a matter of political will. “we're again appealing to the highest level in our land, to the executive branch to say, “Hey, you guys have the power. Through executive order, through enforcement of current treaties or agreements, minutes, as they call them, to, to make these things happen.’” The resolution comes after a week of increased levels of hydrogen sulfide in the south bay. An estimated 5 million gallons of wastewater has been flowing into the Tijuana River each day since April 9th. Melissa Mae KPBS News.
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO HAS BEEN TALKING A LOT OF TRASH RECENTLY. NOT INSULTS…BUT HOW TO PAY FOR TRASH PICKUP. FOR OUR WHY IT MATTERS SEGMENT, VOICE OF SAN DIEGO’S CEO SCOTT LEWIS EXPLAINS HOW WE GOT HERE.
On Monday the San Diego City Council set a date in June for an important hearing. The hearing will decide exactly how much the city will charge people to pick up their trash. Already they are dealing with a bunch of outraged homeowners. Two years ago the city told voters trash pickup would cost about $25 a month. Then city officials said the fee was going to be $53 a month. After the blowback from residents, they lowered it.To $47 per month. Still just about double. Why is it so much more than the city thought? Every time city leaders are asked this, they say it’s because residents wanted more services. They especially wanted recycling more often and they wanted bulk items pickup. And that’s true. However, the city will not be offering those extra services until 2027 – two years after the fee starts. And then, the fee will be even more. One final point: Last week the city dealt with a literal garbage fire when someone threw away a lithium battery. This happens every few weeks. With the new fee, the city will put special RFID chips into each container to ensure they were picked up. But also, city officials will be able to find you if you throw something away that causes a problem like that. There’s only one issue with all this: The city council needs six votes to pass the new fee. And one of the councilmembers who voted yes on Monday said he won’t support it unless the fee is reduced. I’m Scott Lewis for Voice of San Diego and that’s why it matters
HIDDEN SAN DIEGO HAS BEEN HELPING THE CURIOUS AND THE COURAGEOUS FIND INTERESTING PLACES AROUND TOWN FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS. IN OUR NEXT KPBS EXPLORES HIDDEN SAN DIEGO, JESSICA JOHNSON TAKES EVENING EDITION ANCHOR MAYA TRABULSI TO ANOTHER HIDDEN BALBOA PARK LOCATION…WHERE THEY END UP ON THE HUNT FOR AN ELUSIVE SPICE TREE.
JESSICA: It's just one of those things where you wouldn't even realize what it is. And unless you stop and take the time to pay attention you may not know what it is
JESSICA: My name is Jessica Johnson. I run the popular brand Hidden San Diego
JESSICA: that's the official sign. And then it says starts here. Well, the five flavors walk
MAYA: the first sign says you start here for signs one through seven - five flavors walk. Did you know that the flavor of a plant tells you its healing function?
JESSICA: So I'm sure Balboa Park lovers have probably or possibly walked this many times like I had growing up without really realizing what it is. These are all a lot of really rare medicinal trees from all over the world. And they have plaques explaining what they are. you can learn about a lot of different things that you probably never realized.
JESSICA: So this area right here, this is the bitter flavors. Okay. And it's talking about mugwort and coffee being the fringe tree bark, which was that.
MAYA: Taste tells you to use the herb in small amounts, is astringent and tightens tissues, stimulates immune function, production of stomach acids and enzymes, detoxification by the liver and colon. That's bitter.
JESSICA: although I do think it's funny because they also have poisonous plants, like the lantana in the angel trumpet tree, which are definitely, well, maybe they're medicinal, but you don't want to accidentally try them. (tighten if need be)
MAYA: One man's medicine is another man's poison, right?
MAYA: How many acres is this?
JESSICA: Three and a half acres. Over 70 medicinal trees and shrubs. And it's the kind of place that you should keep returning to throughout the year, because different things will be fruiting, different things will be blooming.
MAYA: Do you think this draws a lot of people?
JESSICA: every time I post about it on social media it always gets a lot of attention. People are really surprised and excited to learn about it. I don't know if it's one of those places that they just stopped by once, or kind of save it to their notes to know it exists, but I think it should become more popular.
JESSICA:I wonder where the cinnamon tree is
JESSICA: I have seen people from all over the world come in here to appreciate. I came here with some of my friends who are from Afghanistan, and they were so excited to see the mulberry bush, which they said was from their hometown.
JESSICA: So I like how they're teaching us, that food is medicine because I feel like we've really gotten detached from that with all the processed foods. Everyone's getting so sick all the time. Diseases are on the rise. But really, if we go back to the basics of working with the whole food, the whole plant, and realizing that it is medicine, I think we would all be a lot healthier.
JESSICA: I'm looking for that cinnamon tree. I know I've seen it. I would not have written about it otherwise.
JESSICA: Here's a pecan tree. And the nasturtiums growing below which make a great pesto.
JESSICA: You don't usually see people around here but you'll hear birds chirping. We have rosemary.
JESSICA: Cinnamon. There it is!
JESSICA: So this to me was one of the more exciting ones to see a cinnamon tree because I'd never seen one before. And it's exciting to realize that we can grow that out here. First of all, I like that they educate us on what it's used for historically and medicinally
JESSICA: When you have such a diversity of plants, it's going to attract a diversity of animals. So there could be birds that come here that wouldn't usually come to this are
JESSICA: Those who love hiking, they probably come across stinging nettle. It's a really vicious plant. If you touch it, it's got needles. Very painful. But if you dissolve it in boiling water, the needles dissolve within seconds. And then it makes a great tea. Really good in soups, very high in minerals. It’s Medicine.
JESSICA: So this is Ginkgo biloba, which is the oldest living tree species. It's an ancient tree. And here it is. Right here. So it's great for improving circulation to the brain. And it helps improve your memory.
JESSICA: I t’s very special to connect with plants. I always feel really happy when I come here
TAG: That was Hidden San Diego’s Jessica Johnson and Evening Edition anchor Maya Trabulsi.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. For your next listen, check out today’s Midday Edition podcast to hear from Kumeyaay artists about this Saturday’s Indigenous Culture and Art Festival in Escondido ….. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great day.