COVID-19 Wrongful Death Claim
Eighteen people have died at Donovan State Prison in Otay Mesa as a result of COVID-19, and now the family of one of those inmates is filing the first local wrongful death claim. This is one of several cases across California where dangerous conditions inside prisons and jails during the pandemic have been well documented and reported. inewsource talked with the inmate’s family about the conditions he dealt with, and the hoops they had to jump through just to get information on what was happening with him.
RELATED: Tracking COVID-19 Inmate Deaths In California Proves Challenging
Financial Scandals At Volunteers of America, San Diego Housing Commission
The San Diego Housing Commission is dealing with a conflict of interest scandal in which a real estate broker hired by the commission to purchase hotels is accused of not disclosing financial ties. In an unrelated case, the local Volunteers of America chapter is now being run by the national organization after whistleblower claims of financial mismanagement. Voice of San Diego broke both of these stories and CEO/Editor-in-Chief Scott Lewis joins us with some of the details.
RELATED: Housing Needs Report Reveals Depths Of Affordable Housing Shortage
Reclaiming Public Names And Spaces
A couple of moves this week mark the progress San Diego is making in reconsidering the names used in our common spaces. Clairemont's Lindbergh-Schweitzer Elementary School is being renamed due to racist views held by the school’s namesakes. In Chula Vista, a decision to temporarily remove a statue of Christopher Columbus is now permanent. This is part of an ongoing push toward inclusion and equity, even among everyday things that had been taken for granted for decades. KPBS race and equity reporter Cristina Kim joins us for a conversation on how these recent actions fit into the larger movement.
RELATED: Social Justice Advocates Demand Removal Of Pete Wilson Statue
