UK-Found Variant In San Diego

Good Morning, I’m Annica Colbert….it’s Thursday, December 31st. Governor Newsom reveals a plan to reopen California schools. That story next...but first... let’s do the headlines…. A San Diego man in his 30s with no travel history is the first Californian to be confirmed with the new strain of coronavirus that was first identified in the United Kingdom. He has not been hospitalized. The variant appears to be more contagious but there is no evidence it causes more severe illness. Researchers at Scripps say more data is needed from the UK to determine how vaccines will hold up against it. In the meantime, officials say you should stay home, wear masks when outside, wash your hands, and stay socially distanced...including on New Year’s Eve. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria says he’s asked the San Diego police department and city attorney to pursue enforcement actions against, quote, “public nuisances” who choose to defy public health orders. Mayor Gloria made the announcement last night, saying the order would go into effect at midnight. He did not name any particular businesses or individuals. The San Diego City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a five-month extension to the city’s franchise agreement with San Diego Gas and Electric, just weeks before the current 50-year contract is set to expire. Dozens of people voiced their opposition to the deal during the meeting, saying the city needs a full year for negotiations. From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need. Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new 2 billion dollar plan to get elementary schools reopened early next year. KPBS Education reporter Joe Hong has more on the announcement made wednesday. Under the governor’s plan, school districts that can safely reopen elementary schools by mid-February could receive an additional $450 to $750 per student in state funding. And the state would provide regular asymptomatic testing and safety equipment for districts in counties that are in the red or purple tier of COVID-19 spread. 1:06Safety and mitigation measures clearly we believe can prevent transmissions in the school setting. Transmissions among and from younger students, students to students is simply not common. But there’s a big caveat -- only districts with a 7-day average of less than 28 cases per 100,000 residents would be allowed to reopen. As of Tuesday, San Diego County’s case rate per 100,000 residents was at 38. Joe Hong KPBS News. More than nine months into the pandemic, home prices in San Diego continue to move up. KPBS reporter John Carroll explains why that’s good news for some, and terrible news for others... The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index shows home prices across the county are up by 11-point-6 percent… the highest in more than six years and the third fastest increase in the nation. USD Professor Norm Miller is an expert in real estate. He says the current market is great for both buyers and sellers because of a lack of supply and very low interest rates. But for frontline workers and others struggling during this pandemic, Miller says the first quarter of next year is likely to be very difficult with help from the government coming too late for many. “I think we’re going to have the bottom say 20% of the housing tier on price see a fair amount of distress, probably triple what we have right now in terms of foreclosure sales.” When it comes to real estate, Miller calls it a tale of two cities. JC, KPBS News. Nearly 30 horses died at Los Alamitos Race Course in Orange County this year. CapRadio’s Scott Rodd reports the owner is facing sanctions from the state and is threatening to shut down the track. Horse racing fatalities in California garnered national attention last year when Santa Anita Park near Los Angeles recorded about 50 deaths in a 12-month stretch. The safety record at Los Alamitos this year made fewer headlines...but the state Horse Racing Board has been paying attention. It gave the track only a 6-month license into the new year...which could be extended if its safety record improves. That didn’t sit well with track owner Dr. Ed Allred...who chimed in before the board’s vote. “This is not acceptable. We understand that at any time if we did something grossly wrong you can review our dates at anytime. But this condition cannot work. I can’t do it. Forget it.” After an initial split vote, the board approved the proposal. The track ran races this past weekend under the new license. SOC Thanks to some big trade deals they made this week, the Padres are projected to be one of the top teams in Major League Baseball next year. KPBS reporter Jacob Aere says the team and local businesses are hoping PETCO Park will be filled at some point next summer. In 2020, the San Diego Padres reached the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. This week the team further improved their roster by agreeing to trades for all-star pitchers Blake Snell and Yu Darvish and infielder Ha-seong (ha-song) Kim. Padres radio play-by-play broadcaster Jesse Agler says the Friars should expect a packed house when Petco Park can fully reopen. “I think everyone is optimistic that at some point this year, you’ll be able to have fans back in the ballparks all across the country. How many fans and what percentage capacity is obviously something we’ll have to wait and see.” While the Los Angeles Dodgers are still the team to beat, the Padres seem to have narrowed the gap significantly. Jacob Aere, KPBS News. Coming up.... Why you should really, really, seriously stay home for New Year’s eve. That story next, just after this break. The stay at home orders for Southern California will be in effect through New Year’s. And we may need some extra-vigilance if New Year’s eve brings the typical parties and celebrations. The fear is that New Year’s get togethers may produce the surge, over the surge, over the surge as described by Governor Gavin Newsom ...and swamp California hospitals that are already overwhelmed and over capacity. Dr. Rebecca Fielding-Miller is an assistant professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health at UC San Diego and the Division of Infectious Disease and global public health. She spoke with KPBS Midday Edition Host Maureen Kavanaugh about why you should be extra careful this weekend. That was Dr. Rebecca Fielding-Miller, assistant professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health at UC San Diego and the Division of Infectious Disease and global public health . You heard her speaking with KPBS Midday Edition Host Maureen Kavanaugh. Climate change continues to be top-of-mind for many people in 2020. And while San Diego scrapped and started again on a climate action plan...the City of Stockton has made some headway on tackling climate change. CapRadio’s Ezra David Romero has more about a new city initiative meant to help the most vulnerable San Joaquin residents adapt. [AMBI BEGIN] sound of freeway in the distance continues under this section. A few blocks away from downtown Stockton, there’s an urban forest of about 40 trees. Sammy Nunez’ nonprofit Fathers and Families of San Joaquin planted it … He says, an investment in the environment, is an investment in people. [NUNEZ 1] “The way we treat the land and disregard for the land is the way we treat families and children here in this community. And because of it, the land is hard and the people are hardened.” Nunez says urban forests like this will be a big part of an 11 million dollar state grant that Stockton received to combat climate change. He was part of a community process that helped map out the new initiative. He says this particular green space was created to remember victims of gun violence. Now, it serves two purposes, cooling this neighborhood's heat island, and paying homage to fallen family members. [NUNEZ 2] “This is about creating an opportunity for folks to heal and connect to the natural world and understand the value of these trees.” [AMBI BEGIN and other] - keep freeway noise under this The hope is that there will be many more green spaces like this under the new Stockton climate initiative. The money will be used to make the city more walkable, less reliant on fossil fuels, and create more green space in vulnerable neighborhoods. Nunez wants the initiative to have long term impacts. [NUNEZ 3] “We know that the design of a community in and of itself can actually be a deterrent to crime and violence. We know the more trees you have, the less crime you have in the neighborhood. We know that.” Nunez walked me through downtown to show me how the grant may transform the cityscape. [AMBI DOWNTOWN] “This is census track 4.02 and 1….” The paved streets here may soon have bike lanes, and tree lined sidewalks. The grant will also help create more green jobs, and increase household solar energy. Schools will have urban farming classes. [NUNEZ 4] “Climate change, the social political climate has collided to create the perfect opportunity for us to really reimagine what it means to be a person of color in Stockton nowadays.” Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs says the purpose of the grant is to ensure that all city residents benefit from climate change mitigation. Even though his term ends in January he wants to see the city become an oasis while it’s climbing out of bankruptcy and still grappling with gun violence. [TUBBS] “I want Stockton to be the community that shows what a Green New Deal looks like in terms of tangible benefits.” Stockton-based environmental advocate Barbara Barragan-Parilla says planting trees in parts of the city where there are few will tangibly change residents’ lives during heat waves. [BARRAGAN-PARILLA] “It's already 10 to 12 degrees warmer in south Stockton every year than in north Stockton.” However, she says the grant is just the beginning and doesn’t address all the threats of climate change here. Algae in the delta can harm humans and animals. Sea level rise would threaten community members who live behind levees. [TRUCK SOUND] ambig for this section Back in the healing garden, a block away from the freeway … the sound of cars and big rigs pervade the air. [BIG RIG SOUND] I’m wrapping up the interview with Nunez, not because there’s nothing left to talk about; it’s just so hot. But before we go, Nunez has one more thing to say. [NUNEZ 5] “We represent every single demographic and market in the world here — if it works here it could work anywhere. That's the good news. The bad news is the same could be said about the opposite. If it doesn't work here, it's not gonna work anywhere.” Nunez could’ve left Stockton for a city with fewer problems. But they both love this place. When they look at Stockton they see all the bad, but then what comes into view is hope. In Stockton, I'm Ezra David Romero. ….That’s it for the podcast today. Be sure to catch KPBS Midday Edition At Noon on KPBS radio, or watch KPBS Evening Edition at 5 O’clock on KPBS Television. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Annica Colbert. We’ll be off tomorrow for the holiday but we’ll be back on Monday, bright and early. Thanks for listening and have a safe and socially distanced New Years eve.