San Diego Community Advocates Push For City-Owned Utility
The mayor's office has said it plans to move forward with brokering a multi-billion dollar energy franchise deal. But community and public advocates say they want public power instead.
Stay with us, KPBS’ Shalina Chatlani has the details of what unfolded this weekend just after the headlines.
Wildfires continue to blaze across California. Three major collections of fires have claimed at least five lives and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. Governor Gavin Newsom was at the LNU Lightning Complex Fire command post near Vacaville on Friday. He says California is casting a wide net in search of reinforcements.
"We are now engaged formally with mutual aid from ten different states. We've been on the phone with governors all throughout the United States, not just the western states, trying to reach out as far as the east coast to see if we can get resources here into the state of California."
The LNU fire has burned more than 347-thousand acres. As of last night, it was at 21-percent containment. Elsewhere, theS-C-U Fire complex near Santa Clara and Alameda is at 10 percent containment and has burned 343-thousand acres. C-Z-U complex near Santa Cruz is 8 percent contained with nearly 75-thousand acres burned.
To keep up with the latest on these fires, go to KPBS dot org.
The United Way sponsored car caravans through San Diego on Friday to raise awareness about the Census in low-responding communities. The census count will determine federal funds that flow into communities for everything from schools to low-income housing and nutritional assistance.
The US Census count happens once a decade and is nearing its final weeks. It will now end its counting efforts on September 30th, a month earlier than previously announced.
Michele Silverthorn is with the Count Me 2020 coalition and the United Way of San Diego County. She told KPBS that they are racing the clock to spread awareness and avoid an undercount.
To complete the census, go to 2020census.gov
Seaworld San Diego has been given the go-ahead to reopen large parts of its theme park. This is a big step for the venue, which has been closed since March and whose parent company showed a second-quarter revenue loss of 96 percent. Miro Copic is founder of bottom line marketing and a lecturer at San Diego State. He says there is some good news from Seaworld Parks that have reopened elsewhere.
"And what they're learning especially for the Seaworld Theme Parks, in Texas and Florida, is that they're been increasing attendance week over week. They've been able to keep people safe. Socially distanced. So they have a plan in place."
He says he expects Seaworld will try to reopen in time for the Labor Day holiday weekend.
I’m Anica Colbert On a Monday, this is San Diego News Matters from KPBS News. It’s August 24th. Stay with me for more of the local news you need to start your day.
The mayor's office says it will move forward with opening up a multibillion dollar energy franchise deal for the city to bid -- with San Diego Gas & Electric likely the leading contender. But KPBS science and technology reporter Shalina Chatlani reports...community advocates want to block any such agreement and want a new city-owned utility instead.
"Public power, public power now" Friday afternoon community and climate change advocates gathered outside 101 Ash St … the former SDG&E headquarters. City government bought it for around $300 million dollars, but found it was filled with asbestos and is unusable.
Advocates say the building is one example of a massive waste of tax payer money. And a potential energy franchise agreement with SDG&E. Sonja Robinson of the local NAACP says San Diegans pay the highest electricity rates in the state.
ROBINSON: I'm asking right now for us to say no to the highest rates and say yes to a better future with public power…. AMBI: clapping fade outs.
The city's 50 year agreement with SDG&E for it to service gas and electricity expires in january. A spokeswoman for SDG&E told KPBS that the utility has a strong track record of delivering reliable energy and plans to submit a competitive bid for the energy deal. But community leaders, like environmental advocate Cody Petterson, say they plan to block a vote on an energy agreement the mayor presents to the city council.
PETERSEN: All we need to do as a coalition is get four votes to block that and get us on a path to municipal power. Petersen says the path to municipal power won't be easy, but it's time to start now. Shalina Chatlani KPBS News
That was KPBS Science and Technology Reporter Shalina Chatlani
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A pandemic, rolling blackouts, and dozens of wildfires. The emergencies have piled on in California this week. CapRadio's politics reporter Nicole Nixon looks at how Governor Gavin Newsom is leading the state through this perilous moment.
Two former advisors to California governors agree that while it's not necessarily sexy, crisis management is one of the most important parts of the job.
Steven Maviglio worked for Gov. Gray Davis — whose 2003 recall was partly over sudden power blackouts like the ones some Californians experienced over the weekend.
MAVIGLIO: The lessons we learned from the energy crisis 20 years ago is that Californians expect when they flip a switch, that the lights come on. They don't want to hear the excuses."
Maviglio says Newsom did the right thing by taking responsibility for the blackouts. He also credits Newsom for investing in CalOES early in his tenure to help manage all these emergencies.
The governor gives his frequent coronavirus updates from the agency's operation center near Sacramento.
But Newsom's delivery can make those briefings hard to parse through, says Rob Stutzman, a former advisor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Stutzman also says missteps can undermine confidence in government when they're not addressed directly and immediately. He cited a coronavirus data glitch a couple weeks ago that led to the resignation of the state's public health director.
STUTZMAN: Of late, there's been a lot of that uneven type of communication where it's not really clear what he's trying to say, which leads people to conclude: is it really clear that he has a firm grasp on all these crises that are occurring? <<:13>>
And now, as California braces for what promises to be another tough fire year, Stutzman says the best way for a governor to communicate action is by showing action. Meaning Newsom should get out of the Sacramento bubble and visit a fire line or evacuation center — even if a pandemic complicates that visit.
Cap Radio’s Nicole Nixon
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is preparing for big cuts.
They’re the agency in charge of approving green cards and naturalizing new citizens….
It could furlough more than 60% of its workforce at the end of the month.
The agency says it's because of a decrease in revenue from processing fees during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nadine Toppozada directs immigrant and refugee services for Catholic Charities of San Diego. She says this will make it even harder for immigrants to navigate an already complicated system.
"I think it's a very challenging time overall. Furloughing of 67% of USCIS, the hurdles are very difficult to navigate through. Very difficult to navigate through."
A bipartisan group of legislators sent a letter to USCIS on Friday, claiming that the agency was solvent and that there was no need to make serious cuts to its workforce at this time.
A Navy SEAL was in court friday, accused of sexual assault. KPBS Military Reporter Steve Walsh says it's one of a number of incidents that led to their platoon being abruptly recalled from Iraq last July.
The SEAL is charged with sexually assaulting a female sailor attached to their unit. This happened after a party July 4, 2019 in Iraq. The SEAL appeared in court at a San Diego Naval Base for a Friday hearing.
Because he has also made charges of sexual assault, news organizations refrained from naming either the SEAL or the female sailor. .
Troops are not allowed to consume alcohol in Iraq, and it was served at the party. The commander of Naval Special Warfare, Admiral Collin Green pulled the unit from the field, where they had been fighting ISIS. Green ultimately removed the top leadership of San Diego-based SEAL Team 7 and said the SEALs have a problem.
These events came around the same time as the partial acquittal of SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who made national news when the president intervened repeatedly in his case.
That was Steve Walsh, KPBS military reporter.
While many businesses are struggling during this pandemic, some are thriving.At Adams Avenue Bicycles, owner Chuck Cofer says business has gone through the roof. But, He says bicycle repairs that used to take a week at most are now taking up to five weeks. Cofer says part of the reason for the delay is difficulty getting parts.
Certain parts haven't been available and we've had to delay a repair for weeks and a few over a month or two."
Cofer says sales of new bikes are also way up. He says pre-pandemic, he'd typically have about 100 bikes in his inventory. That's now dropped to less than 10. But he says he is expecting a shipment of new bikes sometime next month.
Southern California got a taste, last week, of the explosive wildfires that are possible this time of year. Hot and windy conditions can turn a spark into a firestorm, putting homes and lives at risk. The situation isn’t any easier when there’s also a global pandemic to contend with.
KPBS’ Erik Anderson reports….
The Apple fire in Riverside County roared through rugged backcountry earlier this month blackening more than 33-thousand acres over two weeks. Nearly eight thousand people were evacuated. Just two weeks later a second major fire hit the region in the Angeles National Forest. California Governor Gavin Newsom says this is a much more active fire season.
“While last year we experienced the acuity of fire, the Kincaid Fire the Getty fire and some others in Southern California, the total number of fires last year was substantially lower than the activity we’re experiencing this year.”
Since January there have been more than 67-hundred fires in the state, up from just over four thousand the year before. With the hottest months of the year just ahead safety is a key priority.
“We get a fire and you’re tired and that fatigue sometimes makes up a little woosy or confused.”
CalFire Captain Danny Ramirez is huddled with about a dozen firefighters under a shade tree near the Jamul fire Station. It’s the safety briefing before a midday hike in 100 degree heat. The big lessons today, be safe, stay hydrated and communicate.
“When it heats up in the middle of the day at 2 oclock, 3oclock that those triggers are in the back of their minds. Hey that’s what we talked about this morning. The heat, the probability of ignition.”
And then there’s the threat of COVID 19. Everyone on the crew is wearing a face mask in an effort to keep from spreading the infection. Ramirez says firefighters are taking the advice of public health officials because they can’t afford to lose anyone.
“Wearing our masks, taking our temperatures every morning, double checking with everybody is probably the best thing we can do.
But Ramirez concedes that staying safe at the firehouse or during training is much easier than when a crew is battling flames in the midst of a wildfire. And he says firefighting is their first priority.
“Saving a structure or saving a life. Sometimes CODID takes a back seat to that. When we regroup and we have to remember that COVID we’ll use the precautions again.”
The Apple Fire was the first major fire incident where CalFire also dealt with the pandemic.
“Being up there in Riverside at the base camp, things were different. It was a different experience.”
CalFire’s Thomas Shoots says there were actually two base camps so firefighters didn’t congregate in one area. Food service was prepacked and crews that came together fought the fire together and stayed together. Fire officials want to keep the virus out of their ranks. And that’s tough because some local firefighters have already been infected.
“We’re really lucky down here in San Diego County. With CalFire and San Diego County Fire we have a lot of folks to draw on. We have 40 stations. So even these small little blimps where we have folks go out, it’s not devastating to us. We’re able to work through it.”
What CalFire officials want to avoid is creating a super spreader event during a battle against a major wildfire. The agency can’t afford to lose lots of firefighters just as the wildfire season heats up.
“We all good? Going right. Keep your time. Move it. (going right) keep your time)
Juan Ramirez and his hand crew are hiking through the east county near Jamul on this day. He’s carrying plenty of water and a heavy hand tool.
“so we’ll use it to strike vegetation and tear.”
The idea is to cut through the fuel that might feed a wildfire and scrape the ground bare. The fast-paced hike is designed to physically prepare the crew for line work in dry hot conditions. But Ramirez knows a wildfire will make it worse.
“It’s a little hotter. A little dryer. And you’ve got that smoke and low visibility and everybody is on high alert with their head on a swivel and working hard.
“The wind and the heat are already issues in the back-country, especially when there’s a fire as part of the equation. COVID 19, now, exacerbates that situation. Erik Anderson KPBS News”
That was KPBS Environment Reporter Erik Anderson
Images of the San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric once appeared in an animated video showing a bobbing Hitler, along with Nazi salutes and symbols.
"I believe he owes everyone an explanation."
That story is next, after this break…..
An old animated video has surfaced that includes a photo of Hitler bobbing above the head of a young Tony Krvaric. Krvaric is the current chairman of The San Diego County Republican Party. In a joint project with independent investigative producer J.W. August, KPBS Investigative Reporter Amita Sharma explores the impact of the video.
Hours before this story began to air over the weekend, Krvaric issued a statement on G-O-P letterhead that said in part, "We ask San Diego Democrats to join us in rejecting extremists like communists, Marxists, anarchists, Antifa, supremacists and racists."
Last week in a series of stories from KQED, we've been talking about the threat of wildfire to elderly care homes. But the fact is, most older people aren't in care homes. Still we know when a wildfire hits, they suffer the most.
In the North Bay fires and the Camp Fire, three quarters of the people who died were over the age of 65.
In the conclusion of a KQED investigation called Older and Overlooked, reporters Molly Peterson and April Dembosky
