CA GOP Leader On Party Future

Good Morning, I’m Annica Colbert….it’s Friday, January 8th. A California GOP leader talks about the future for the party…. But first... let’s do the headlines…. San Diego county public health officials reported more than 3800 new covid-19 infections and 47 deaths on thursday. Thursday’s new case count was the third highest single-day total reported. Officials say there are only 40 staffed ICU beds left in the county and otherwise almost 80% of all hospitals beds are occupied. California has been issuing waivers allowing hospitals to temporarily bypass strict nurse-to-patient ratios rules amid a massive surge in Coronavirus cases. But nurses say having to take on more patients is causing burn out and it’s affecting patient care. 250 out of about 400 hospitals in California have been granted the waivers, which are valid for 60-days. The waivers allow ICU nurses to care for three instead of two ICU patients, and six instead of three emergency room patients. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria says the city will host several public forums in the coming month to give residents an opportunity to give feedback on the city’s electricity and gas franchise agreements with SDG&E. The first virtual meetings will be hosted by the city council’’s Environment Committee on January 28th and February 25h. From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need. The nation is still grappling with the aftermath of the violence on Wednesday when supporters of president donald trump raided the u.s. capitol. Cap radio’s politics reporter nicole nixon spoke with former executive director of the california republican party, cynthia bryant, about her reaction to the event and what it means for the future of the party... That was Cynthia Bryant, who recently left the California republican party as its executive director, speaking with capradio’s nicole nixon. President Trump has now said that there will be an orderly transition of power. But that’s not enough to stop the calls for Trump to step down or be removed from office before Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20th. Politicians, editorial boards and former allies of the President say it’s time for him to go….but that’s not a simple proposition. Glenn Smith is professor of law at California Western school of law, and he spoke with KPBS Midday Edition Host Maureen Kavanaugh about the situation. Here’s that interview. That was Glenn Smith, professor of law at California Western School of Law, speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host Maureen Kavanaugh. A San Diego woman has been identified as the person shot by police wednesday as she stormed the nation’s capitol. KPBS reporter Steve Walsh says the air force veteran was a vocal follower of alt right conspiracies. Capitol police confirm 35 year old Ashli Babbitt was killed by their officer as she pushed through the Capitol with several others involved in the insurrection. Video shows her climbing through a broken window leading to Congressional offices when the officer fires. Witness John Sullivan describes the scene to CNN. “The second she climbed through the window, she got shot in the neck area and fell backwards..I just remember the sense of shock.“ Babbitt spent four years in the Air Force and another two years in the reserves, before ending her career in 2016, as a security officer in the DC Air National Guard. Her service record shows she deployed to Iraq. Babbit was an ardent Trump supporter. In 2018, she ranted on Twitter. “So Pelosi and Schumer get in the office and they don’t want the media there. Of course they don’t because that would require transparency and honesty and we all know they’re not on that program.” She retweeted prominent supporters of the shadowy Qanon and the widely discredited Pizzagate conspiracy. Babbitt remarried in 2019 and ran Fowler's Pool Service and Supply in Spring Valley with her husband Aaron. The capitol police officer who fired his weapon has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation. Steve Walsh KPBS News. Coming up....School superintendents are push back against the Governor’s plan to re-open schools this year. That story next, just after this break. San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten is among seven superintendents from large urban districts criticizing the governor’s new plan to reopen elementary schools. KPBS education reporter joe hong has more. Under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Safe Schools for All” plan, a district can receive up to millions in additional funding if it’s able to begin in-person instruction at elementary schools. But only districts in counties with a seven-day average of fewer than 28 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents qualify for this funding. In a letter sent to Newsom Wednesday, Marten and the other superintendents say as it stands, the plan disproportionally benefits wealthier districts with lower case counts. Tax dollars are going to the schools that need it the least, and that’s not good. The letter from the superintendents also states that the Governor needs a more detailed statewide plan for COVID-19 testing before bringing students back to campus. Joe Hong KPBS News. The county board of supervisors are set to consider a proposal to make the county governance more transparent. KPBS’ Jacob Aere reports. Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Joel Anderson say they want county records to be more transparent - so San Diegans can feel at ease with their leaders in charge. Some of the things they want to improve include the Public Records Act portal, email retention policies, the annual county budget and board meetings… and Fletcher says they want to form a new transparency committee to handle it. “The group that we’re forming can look at anything. And they can go out and get public input about what would you like to see changed in your county government?” The Board of Supervisors will vote on the policy during next Tuesday’s meeting of the Board. Jacob Aere, KPBS News. Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to unveil his budget proposal today. It marks the start of a six-month process where state leaders decide how to spend California taxpayers’ money. CapRadio’s Nicole Nixon reports. Newsom has already dropped some hints about what to expect. He’s called for billions of dollars to support economic relief and school reopenings during the pandemic. There’s also wildfire and other public health-related costs, but it’s unclear how much Newsom will want to spend. Last year, the state dealt with a record-breaking deficit. Thanks to strong economic recovery among wealthier Californians, state fiscal analysts expect a windfall between 15 and 26 billion dollars. But Newsom and state lawmakers may have different ideas for how to spend that money. The governor’s January budget is just a wishlist. He’ll spend the next six months negotiating with legislative leaders on a final budget. A lawsuit has been filed against the Stockton Police Department in the beating of a black teenager. John Burris, who once defended Rodney King, announced the lawsuit at Stockton City Hall earlier this week. He unveiled large photos of 17-year-old Devin Carter with severe bruising on his face and back…some showed shoe prints on his body. The incident happened December 31ST after Carter was stopped for speeding and evading. Burris says officers dragged him out of the car and began beating him as he lay on the ground. “They were like a pack of wolves who had ascended on a piece of meat and they each want to take a bite out of him. These officers took him down. The worst thing you can do to someone is to kick or to stomp them because then you’re showing them you have no respect for them as a human being.” Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones said in a statement that an investigation is underway and that four officers have been placed on administrative leave. Political demonstrations in D.C. and in California this week — on top of the pandemic — could be causing high levels of stress for families. Child health advocate Donna Sneeringer says for young children, parents should try to limit their exposure to the news and political conversations to lessen their anxiety. “Because they are always listening, they sense our discomfort.” Sneeringer says older children are a different story. The news can be a teaching moment. “My own daughter is a teenager and it really is an opportunity to talk about the importance of the pillars and foundations of our government and civic participation and why it's important to pay attention to this all the time, not just when there's a crisis.” Sneeringer says it’s normal for kids to act out when the world around them is changing. 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. Thanks for listening and have a great day.