
Midday Edition uplifts voices in San Diego with fearless conversations about intriguing issues. Host, Jade Hindmon, cuts through the noise with questions that give listeners a deeper understanding of themselves, people and the community they live in. Guests share diverse perspectives from their expertise and lived experience. In a city and world that's rapidly changing, Jade’s interviews inspire, inform and make you think. Midday Edition airs Monday - Thursday 12pm - 1pm and again from 8pm - 9pm. You can also catch the show anytime on all podcast apps.
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On Monday, schools in the Julian Union, Spencer Valley, and Warner Unified school districts were closed by the winter storm lingering over the county. Then, while some of the striking University of California academic workers ratified a new contract over the weekend thousands remain on strike across the state. We hear from some of them who say they will not give up what they consider a fight for their lives. Next, why California indigenous tribes are getting involved with the state’s planned wind turbine projects. Then, a new report finds Balboa Park needs nearly half a billion dollars to be brought up to modern standards. And, Lincoln High School’s football players are state champions. The Hornet’s victory on Friday was clinched by a record four touchdowns by star running back, Roderick Robinson Jr. We hear about the game from his proud father. Then, writer and illustrator Trung Le Nguyen, also known as Trungles joins us to talk about his novel, “The Magic Fish,” about a second generation Vietnamese American teenager who uses fairy tales to help his mother learn English. It’s this year’s KPBS One Book, One San Diego selection for teens. Finally, we share details on some of the most popular light displays around the county.
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It may look like there’s a lot of construction underway in San Diego, but the city is way below the estimated 13,500 new housing units a year needed to keep up with the population. Then, the Pentagon is finishing a review of its policies regarding suicide. Though the number of military suicides declined slightly last year, it remains a major problem. Military leaders are trying to address it in a number of new ways. And finally, for our weekend preview, we have music made with machines, new visual art and an indie band celebrating two great albums.
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No charges will be filed against any of the SDSU football players accused of a gang rape on campus last year. And, for the fourth month in a row, the number of homeless people in downtown San Diego has reached a new record high. Plus, Zillow says the average price for a home in Escondido is $800-thousand dollars. So it’s not surprising that hundreds of families have signed up for a chance at a home costing less than half that. Also, San Diego Unified has a new school board, and two new members in Shana Hazan and Cody Petterson. Finally, a new children’s book by San Diego author Matt De La Peña explores self-discovery and curiosity in children.
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COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising dramatically across the nation. How deadly will this surge be? And what can we do to protect ourselves and our loved ones over the holidays? Next, when you think of San Diego’s Mira Mesa neighborhood you might think of car-dependent strip malls and vast open spaces. But a recently approved blueprint could bring big changes to the neighborhood. Then, as Russia’s war on Ukraine continues to rage, we bring you the story of a North County family torn apart by the war and U.S. immigration policy. Then, most commercial and residential property owners in North Park belong to a business district that pays for upkeep of the high-traffic neighborhood. Starting next month, they will pay an extra tax to pay for landscaping, sanitation cleanup, and hiring private security. Next, at this point, it’s not clear if Elon Musk’s $44 billion Twitter purchase will be able to make a go of it in the long run. But the buy-out has gotten a lot of people thinking about whether the world’s social media platforms should remain in the hands of just a few billionaires. Finally, Warwick’s head book buyer of 34 years shares some thoughts on the industry.
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San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria is in Washington DC today , speaking at the National Housing conference and meeting with the head of Homeland Security. He’ll also have meetings about his new executive order to crack down on fentanyl use. Then, the San Diego City Council bids farewell to its sole Republican representative - Chris Cate. Then, at the Salk Institute, there is one researcher who is able to see himself in the genetic science he does. Plus, LGBTQ+ activist Nicole Murrary Ramirez was recognized by the City of San Diego, last Saturday, with a portion of Harvey Milk Street in Hillcrest designated as “Honorary Nicole Murray Ramirez Way.” And, a new mystery novel, "A History of Fear," tells the story of a convicted murderer - a young postgrad in Scotland who claims he worked at the behest of the devil. Finally, motion capture artist Jay Huerto shares the latest of some of his big name projects.
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The San Diego Unified School District has been hit by a cybersecurity threat. Also, city officials face a dilemma on how city towing policies should handle people living in vehicles. Next, Chula Vista representatives claim a new policy bans the sale of data picked up by police surveillance tools. But privacy advocates warn most personal information could still lawfully be sold. And, the authors of a new book talk about running and their book “Born To Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide.” Finally, Charles Ludlum’s 1984 play “The Mystery of Irma Vep” serves up ridiculous fun for the holidays at Diversionary Theatre.
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This week, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria signed an executive order responding to the fentanyl crisis in San Diego. It directs the San Diego police department to focus more of its efforts on disrupting sales of the drug. Later, Santa takes on a group of mercenaries who hold a family captive on Christmas Eve in the new R-rated action comedy film Violent Night. David Harbour plays the put upon St. Nick who serves up a different kind of holiday cheer. And finally, For our weekend arts preview, we have the Broadway production of "To Kill a Mockingbird," a young violin sensation returns to his hometown and some visual art.
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It’s the third week of the academic workers strike at UC San Diego, and students are feeling it. Then, the eruption of Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano has shut down a research project that’s measured carbon dioxide in the air since 1958. And, earlier this year San Diego passed a new law that would tighten regulations on street vendors throughout the city. Enforcement of these new rules, however, hasn’t been consistent. Next, a new book by a local scholar on China looks at what changes in that country mean for the rest of the world. And, the U.S. Department of Education is asking local school systems to better meet the needs of military children with disabilities. Finally, pandemic grief inspires new composition premiering at the La Jolla Symphony this weekend.
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Concerns about the condition of the Lake Hodges dam prompted officials to release water from the lake this week. Water is flowing into the San Dieguito river to bring the lake’s level down to 275 feet. Then, the U.S. Men’s national soccer team reached the final round of 16 of the World Cup after a dramatic 1-0 win against Iran on Tuesday. San Diego Wave FC’s President Jill Ellis, reflects on the game and the next matchup against the Netherlands on Saturday. Later, Mexico has deployed hundreds of National Guard troops in Tijuana to combat violent crime, but data shows that crime hasn’t decreased. Next, we travel to the Gulf of California where Mangrove trees that live in saltwater estuaries are disappearing. In response, an Indigenous conservation group is working to protect them. Plus, the Nazis murdered millions of Jewish people in death camps during World War II. And, in many cases, those people arrived at their final and tragic destination by train. A new book by a local author looks at the various roles the French National Railway played in the Holocaust: perpetrator, victim and hero. Finally, Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro is touring in support of his newest album, which pairs him with some of the biggest names in pop, reggae and country music.
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The U.S. Supreme Court today heard a case that could upend immigration enforcement for the Biden administration. Then, concerns have long been growing that a tripledemic of COVID, RSV and flu cases could have a major impact on health systems around the nation. Next, a new lineup of county leaders at the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) may make a new vision for San Diego transit harder to achieve. And, a new study from the UC San Diego Rady School of Management found when it comes to politics, Americans would rather hurt the cause they believe in than support the one they don’t. Next, after wildfire season ends in the Western U.S., those who lost their homes begin sifting through what's left to recover as much as they can. And, for something completely different, the art of clowning isn’t what it used to be. Students of all ages are now pursuing a form of comedy that left the circus behind. FInally, from our archive, San Diego author Tracy Badua's talks about her middle-grade novel "Freddie vs. the Family Curse." The book tells the story of a seventh-grader who is resigned to a life of bad luck until a rediscovered family heirloom gives him a little hope.
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Midday Edition Team

Jade Hindmon
Host
Jade Hindmon is the host of KPBS Midday Edition. She connects San Diego through fearless conversations that inform, inspire and make you think. Prior to Midday Edition Jade was a reporter and fill-in anchor in the KPBS newsroom covering everything from politics to policing and the economy. Her award winning work spans network affiliates across the southeast and midwest. As a very proud Rattler, Jade studied broadcast journalism and political science at Florida A&M University. She takes a special interest in topics about democracy, accountability, racial justice, science and wellness.

Brooke Ruth
Senior Producer
Brooke Ruth is the senior producer for KPBS Radio News. She previously served as a producer for KPBS Midday Edition and a web producer. Before joining KPBS, Brooke was a web editor for four newspapers and a local television station. She began her career in news at the Imperial Valley Press. She has also been part of the web teams at the Napa Valley Register, North County Times, and U-T San Diego. While pursuing her undergraduate degree at UCLA in psychology, she worked on the student newspaper, the Daily Bruin.

Andrew Bracken
Producer
Andrew Bracken, KPBS Midday Edition and Roundtable producer & host of podcasts "My First Day" & "San Diego Conversations," made "Facing North," a docu-web series on San Diego-Tijuana ties, released on PBS in 2017. He's a San Diego Foundation Creative Catalyst fellow & a San Diego Film Award winner. He drums in his spare time.

Ashley Rusch
Producer
Ashley Rusch is a producer for KPBS Midday Edition. Before joining KPBS, she was an associate producer at LAist 89.3, where she worked on AirTalk with Larry Mantle, Weekend Edition and All Things Considered. At UC Santa Barbara, Ashley led KCSB-FM’s news coverage through the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also a news intern at KCBX in San Luis Obispo. Ashley grew up in South Pasadena, California.

Julianna Domingo
Producer
Julianna Domingo is a producer for KPBS Midday Edition. Before joining the station, Julianna worked at CalMatters as a College Journalism Network Fellow where she reported on higher education across the state. She got her start in journalism at The Triton, an independent student newspaper at UC San Diego. Julianna graduated from UC San Diego with a major in political science and a minor in communications.

Brandon Truffa
Media Production Specialist
Prior to joining the KPBS Midday team in 2024, Brandon worked as a board operator and producer with The Mighty 1090 in San Diego, and executive producer and sound editor at FOX Sports Radio in Los Angeles. He's a San Diego native and graduate of San Diego State University. In his spare time he enjoys watching sports, going to comedy shows and hanging out with his cats and dogs.

Ben Redlawsk
Media Production Specialist
Ben Redlawsk is a media production specialist for KPBS radio. He provides technical direction for KPBS “Morning Edition” and assists with “KPBS Midday Edition” and “KPBS Roundtable” through audio editing and recording. He got his start in radio as head audio engineer at KSDT, UC San Diego’s student-run radio station. Ben graduated from UC San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary computing and the arts with an emphasis in music technology.