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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.

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  • The mayors of California's largest cities, including San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, are asking Governor Gavin Newsom for more consistent funding for homelessness. In other news, thousands of victims of the January flooding have been approved for federal assistance through FEMA. Plus, the city of Vista is backing up its climate action goals with its first environmental commission.
  • A case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court Monday could have implications for how San Diego and every other city in the country deals with its homeless population. In other news, we hear from a former Caltrans executive on what her firing says about the state's commitment to climate action. Plus, street art often carries a negative connotation and it's rare when street artists can work with city officials and law enforcement, but that was the case for murals that now surround Oceanside’s little league fields.
  • Each year families have to prove eligibility for Medi-Cal or risk losing coverage. A San Diego assembly member wants to take that burden away from families. Then, some advocates fear Proposition 1 could divert funding from mental health support for kids. And, a group of academics and community leaders are now addressing food deserts by re-imagining the local food industry.
  • Governor Newsom Thursday announced nearly $192 million in grant funding to help clear homeless encampments and move people into housing. Oceanside is the only city in the county that will receive the funding. In other news, supporters of the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act say they have enough signatures to get the measure on the November ballot. Plus, the chairman of the Chicano Park Steering Committee joins the podcast to talk about Chicano Park Day.
  • The latest report from the Regional Task Force on Homelessness once again shows more people became homeless last month than got out of it. In other news, a North County group says the sudden departure of the Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board’s executive officer is a wake-up call for the county. Plus, we hear about special education for young kids in part of the special KPBS series "Where's My Village."
  • Democrats on the California Senate Public Safety Committee shot down a bill banning homeless encampments Tuesday. In other news, an Arizona supreme court ruling last week has nearly banned access to abortion, some experts worry about what the ruling means for access to reproductive care in the Imperial Valley. Plus, mayor Todd Gloria has proposed cuts to racial and economic equity programs and advocates are pushing back.
  • The San Diego region is set to receive $39 million in federal funding for the care of migrants who cross the border, and advocates are calling this a huge victory. In other news, a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a former nurse at the Otay Mesa Detention Center claims chronic understaffing is resulting in poor medical treatment for immigrants, and lawyers are saying some of these problems have existed for years. Plus, just 10 days into its deployment, the USS boxer returned to San Diego for repairs.
  • San Diego mayor Todd Gloria Friday announced his proposed budget for the next fiscal year, and it includes cuts to the city's efforts to tackle climate change. In other news, former San Diego County supervisor Nathan Fletcher is using money from his abandoned state senate campaign to pay for legal defense bills. Plus, one San Diego chef currently cooks above the rest. We hear why she's achieved something no other San Diego chef has done before.
  • The rate of inflation may be slowing in San Diego County, but food prices are still going up. Feeding San Diego's response is to expand the number of people they can feed. In other news, some people who suffered losses from the floods in January have been eligible for financial assistance from FEMA, but that’s not the only type of help the federal agency is providing. Plus, the mayor of Chula Vista joins the podcast to talk about Saturday’s South Bay Earth Day event.
  • The California state auditor this week released a deep dive report on San Diego's homelessness spending and it puts homeless service providers under the microscope. In other news, a federal judge in San Diego has banned the use of “excited delirium” in an upcoming police misconduct trial. Plus, San Diego’s Arab Film Festival is here and filled with stories created from around the world. This year, many of the films have a special focus on the conflict in Gaza.
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.