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San Diego News Now

San Diego news; when you want it, where you want it. Get local stories on politics, education, health, environment, the border and more. New episodes are ready weekday mornings. Hosted by Debbie Cruz and produced by KPBS, San Diego and the Imperial County's NPR and PBS station.

  • The city of San Diego is launching a program to fast-track housing permits for projects that are part of a program that prioritizes development near public transit. Then, the Department of Veteran Affairs aims to place at least 851 veterans experiencing homelessness into permanent housing in 2024. Plus, SDG&E bills are going up. The utility company is raising rates a month after reporting profits.
  • State Farm has the green light to raise the rates it charges California homeowners by 20-percent. Then, Surf Sports Park in Del Mar is caught up in controversy, and a lawsuit, for events happening on its fields. Plus, researchers from San Diego State University and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance are using new technology to study snakes.
  • San Diego Gas and Electric and the group advocating for a municipal utility system are sparring over the value of the city’s electrical grid. In other news, Sepsis is a disease that's quite deadly and still somewhat a mystery. At UC San Diego, doctors and med-tech engineers are trying to crack the code with new diagnostic techniques and artificial intelligence. Plus, dozens of San Diego high school students can see a little bit better today, thanks to free eye exams and a new pair of glasses.
  • San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria discusses how the city is trying to address the high cost of housing. In other news, San Diego County is developing an affordable housing complex in Chollas View. Plus, San Diego and National City have been selected for a state grant to help reconnect communities that were divided by freeways.
  • For more than 50 years, the California Coastal Commission has been tasked with protecting the state's coastline from unchecked development, but critics say the commission has gotten too powerful and is working against the state's housing and climate goals. In other news, a running club by and for women of color has taken off in south San Diego. Plus, the Clippers minor league is coming to San Diego.
  • Many victims of the January flooding lost their homes and possessions, including medical items that keep them alive and healthy. Now, a local nonprofit is helping victims replace them. In other news, a KPBS investigation found that Frontwave Credit Union in Oceanside systematically enrolls Marine recruits when they come through boot camp in San Diego. The company then profits when the Marines run out of money. Plus, San Diego just finished a pilot program giving low-income families monthly cash with no strings attached. We learn about its impact on families.
  • UC San Diego’s student government group has passed a resolution calling on the university to divest from Israel. In other news, community advocates rallied Thursday in front of the Vista Detention Facility to protest the latest in-custody death that happened last weekend. Plus, a San Diego Restaurant Week spokesperson joins the podcast to talk about restaurants participating in the event and the deals you can snag this weekend.
  • A huge crowd gathered at UC San Diego Wednesday afternoon to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. In other news, the federal government is tightening the standards for acceptable amounts of soot pollution in the air, and the rules could push San Diego out of compliance with clean air laws. Plus, San Diego State University had a special ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, to officially open its new River Park in Mission Valley.
  • We bring you unofficial results from some of the local, state and national races in the 2024 primary election.
  • A new shelter has just opened to help the homeless in North County. In other news, a new Rapid bus line in the South Bay has survived a campaign to get rid of it. Plus, a generation ago, Congress passed the so-called Motor Voter law to reduce barriers to voting, but fast forward to today, voter registration has steadily increased, but turnout remains uneven. We learn more about the law.
Debbie Cruz is the local anchor for All Things Considered and the host of the San Diego News Now podcast. Debbie has over 20 years of experience in the news industry. She joined KPBS in 2020.
Emilyn Mohebbi produces the San Diego News Now podcast. She started at KPBS in 2020 as the Gloria Penner Fellow. She has her bachelor’s in journalism from SDSU.