Who’s in San Diego City council district 2
Good Morning, I’m Annica Colbert….it’s Friday, May 20th
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One of San Diego’s most competitive election races
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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The number of homeless people in San Diego County is up… 10-percent from January of 2020.
The numbers come from the latest “point in time” count done in February.
It found the demographics of who’s unsheltered are changing. The number of families without their own place to live is up 56%. And the number of older people is going up, says Tamera Kohler with the San Diego Regional Task Force On Homelessness
We also are seeing an aging population with greater physical disabilities that they identified. So, I think we’re seeing things just more challenging on the street.”
The count found more than 84-hundred people are experiencing homelessness in the county - more than half of them are in shelters.
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Covid-19 cases continue to rise in San Diego. The county reported more than 7-thousand cases over the past week, that's up nearly 40% as compared to the week before. And that’s only cases reported to the county or at hospital sites. With more at-home testing available, it’s likely the actual number is higher.
CDC Advisers say children 5 to 11 should get a booster shot of Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine.
The hope is the extra shot will shore up protection for little kids as infections are once again on the rise.
San Diego county health and human services said Thursday that, pending approval from the Western States committee, booster doses may soon be available for San Diego children 5 to 11.
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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.
One of the most competitive races in San Diego's June 7 primary election– is the race for City Council District 2. Incumbent Jen Cam-bell faces five challengers in the district, which covers Clairemont, Mission Beach and Point Loma.
KPBS metro reporter Andrew Bowen takes a closer look at some of those candidates and their priorities.
AB: City Councilmember Jen Campbell assembled her supporters this week to tout one of her proudest accomplishments since taking office: A system to legalize and regulate short-term home rentals popularized by AirBnb. The issue had been at a stalemate for years, with hardliners on both sides. Campbell says she brokered the compromise.
JC: We will close the chapter on the unregulated market that has vexed our city, our residents and the good faith hosts who wanted a clear set of guidelines to follow.
AB: The rules limit the number of full-time vacation rentals to 1% of the city's housing stock.
JC: Which will allow thousands of homes to come back onto our housing market and bring stability and normalcy and peace and quiet to our neighborhoods.
AB: While Campbell is proud of the ordinance, her opponents in the race see it as a betrayal.
MH: I'm just tired of not having responsive government or transparent government.
AB: Mandy Havlik is an activist and member of the Peninsula Community Planning Board, where she's been a skeptic of growth and denser housing.
MH: A lot of my background is in customer service, and I feel like that's something that's missing in the office. A lot of the issues with our current incumbent is hey, I call, I have issues and I'm not getting a response. I'm not getting a call back. And ultimately we all want to feel seen and heard.
AB: KPBS spoke with Havlik and three other candidates at a debate this week, which Campbell said she couldn't attend because of a scheduling conflict.
JD: What kind of city are we giving my kids is the reason why I'm running.
AB: Joel Day is a UCSD lecturer and former staffer in the mayor's office. He bills himself as the most detail-oriented candidate with a short, medium and long-term plan to tackle his top priority: homelessness.
JD: We need safe encampment sites so that people get into the continuum of care and off of stoops and off of the streets. We need block leasing or master leasing so that the city can directly put people into units without security deposits, without credit checks, which are huge barriers to entry to rapidly rehouse people. And then finally, we need to build deeply affordable units.
LL: I will show up, and the community will be heard at City Hall.
AB: Linda Lukacs is a dentist, professor of dental hygiene and a realtor. Among her top priorities is fixing San Diego's crumbling infrastructure — though she doesn't want to pay for those repairs with higher taxes.
LL: A lot of us are being taxed out of the state. I don't know how much more of a burden we can handle. So my goal is to look for alternative funding measures, seek the maximum we can from the state and from our federal governments and only if we've exhausted all other resources, then we can talk about raising taxes.
AB: Lori Saldaña is a former state assembly member and retired community college professor. What sets her apart in the crowded field of candidates?
LS: Most experienced, only other besides the incumbent who's represented these people in elected office.
AB: Saldaña ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2012, mayor in 2016 and county supervisor in 2018. She says her record in the legislature shows she was ahead of the curve in supporting same-sex marriage and the ban on the open carrying of firearms.
LS: So I think as the state changed, I really pushed pushed pushed on those issues, if not for me to get them through with my name on them, for others in future sessions to get them through.
AB: District 2 is at the center of some hot debates in city politics. Like how to redevelop the city-owned Sports Arena property in the Midway District. And how to update the Clairemont Community Plan, which will change height and density limits in that neighborhood. The two candidates with the most votes in the primary will compete in a runoff on November 8. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
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Community members rallied outside the San Dieguito Union High School District headquarters Thursday ahead of a school board meeting.
The community is divided about how to respond to recent comments by Superintendent Cheryl James-Ward which led to her being placed on administrative leave.
KPBS North County reporter Tania Thorne has more.
Superintendent Cheryl James Ward was put on leave several weeks ago after she made remarks about Asian students during a district training.
She has publicly apologized over the comments.
James-Ward has retained an attorney, who told local media outlets that Ward believes her suspension is retaliation stemming from a formal investigation she launched involving board member Michael Allman.
He is accused of bullying, racist and sexist behavior… accusations Allman denies.
Mali Woods-Drake is the president of Encinitas for Equality, which organized the rally.
She wants Allman to resign and Ward to be reinstated.
"Intent really matters. She recognized that she made a mistake, she owned up to it and then came out with ‘heres solutions to move forward.
Several community members who gathered at the rally say Ward should be removed, while some want to see her stay.
Attorneys representing James-Ward say they are ready to take legal action against the district if she is fired.
TT KPBS News
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Lowrider cruising will continue in National City next month... but organizers may face a hefty bill to keep it going.
KPBS reporter Jacob Aere explains.
A 30 year ban was lifted on lowrider cruising in National City earlier this month as part of a temporary six-month trial period.
After the event, city officials gave the United Lowrider Coalition organizers a post-event assessment and eight recommendations…. Including one to have a police sergeant and six officers at each event… at a cost of $7,813 each time.
“We're not charging anybody to cruise down Highland Avenue, we're not making any money. We don't have that kind of money to pay per cruise.”
United Lowrider Coalition member Jovita Arellano says she’s unsure if the extra police are needed and where their organization will get that kind of money.
Lowrider cruise nights are planned for the first Friday of every month until October under a trial basis. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.
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Coming up.... The carlsbad 5000 returns this weekend. We’ll have that story and more, next, just after the break.
After three years, the Carlsbad 5000 is finally back this Sunday. The running race through downtown Carlsbad is known as the world’s fastest 5-K because of the world records set there. KPBS reporter Claire Trageser has more.
The Carlsbad 5000 is the last major road race in the U.S. to return after the pandemic. All together, about 6-thousand runners are expected to turn out. Different age groups run throughout the day on Sunday, ending with races for elite men and women.
Olympian and San Diegan Meb Keflezighi is a co-owner of the race, and says he’ll be out running, too.
“I’m recreationally running, not competing like I have in the past, I’ll be there running on Sunday, and looking forward to running alongside my fellow runners.”
In the past, Meb ran the course at around a 4-minute mile. Now he says a “recreational pace” for him will be double that—so a still speedy 8-minute mile.
CT KPBS News
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The San Diego International Fringe Festival returns in June to celebrate its 10th year. Like many arts events the festival has been on break for two years due to the pandemic.
KPBS Arts reporter Beth accomando spoke with Founder and executive director Kevin Charles Patterson.
That was Beth Accomando speaking with Kevin Charles Patterson. San Diego International Fringe returns June 2 through 12 in Balboa Park.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. This podcast is produced by kpbs senior radio producer Brooke Ruth, and me, Annica Colbert. Thanks for listening and have a great day.
