During the pandemic, small parklets - including outdoor dining areas - helped San Diego restaurants by providing outdoor dining space. Now these outdoor spaces must be brought up to city code, which includes permits and removing permanent roofs. Meanwhile, amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in the navy, the USS Carl Vinson left San Diego on Monday. Plus, the importance of conservation of the Colorado River system along the US Mexico border.

The San Diego Convention Center held its first convention this weekend. Meanwhile, a teen from Encinitas is preparing to represent the US at the Paralympics in Tokyo. Plus, violence between an obscure right-wing group and counter-protesters broke out at a recent pro-Israel rally in El Cajon.

A bonus episode of San Diego News Now featuring the KPBS Summer Music Series: Jelani Aryeh.

The Dark Horse Battalion, a marine unit based at Camp Pendleton, suffered the highest percentage of casualties of any unit in the war in Afghanistan. Now, as the U.S. prepares to leave, they reflect on their legacy. Meanwhile, hemp farms are booming in San Diego County, but some neighbors are unhappy. Plus, Tiki Oasis celebrates its 20th year at a new location.

The child care providers that survived the pandemic are struggling to stay afloat with smaller class sizes and more rigorous precautions against illness. Meanwhile, a San Diego County school official says masks are absolutely required when schools reopen – and schools do not have the choice about whether or not to enforce that mandate. Plus, lenders behind the city’s Civic Center Plaza lease are officially trying to evict the city and hundreds of employees from their downtown office space.

The San Diego-based Conrad Prebys Foundation sold nearly 6,000 apartment units to the private equity group Blackstone. Housing advocates fear the deal will be a blow to local affordable housing. Meanwhile, a group of parents and advocates gathered in front of the Coronado Unified School District offices on Tuesday to apologize for a recent racist incident at the high school. Plus, Los Angeles Times Op-Ed Columnist Jean Guerrero talks about her recent column that discussed San Diego's history with white extremism and the local right wing news outlet, One America News.

Councilmembers are set to vote on whether to keep using a system that detects and tracks when gunshots are fired. Advocates want to delay the vote - saying the technology is flawed and increases community distrust. Meanwhile, a new hospital opens up in North County specializing in rehabilitation for patients with strokes, amputations and spinal cord damage. Plus, veterans who served in Afghanistan say that the situation on the ground there is hard to understand if you haven’t been there.

A lawyer who spent nearly 2 decades in the finance industry claims he was treated with racist behavior at a local bank. He went into the bank hoping to cash an insurance settlement check. He said the bank’s assistant manager not only refused to cash the check, but also accused him of stealing. And, from the KPBS Investigates podcast, the story of Aaron Harvey: a San Diego native who spent seven months in jail, charged with conspiracy for belonging to the same gang as others who carried out a series of gang shootings. A judge eventually dismissed the charges against him and he is now graduating from UC Berkeley.

Federal money has been set aside to fix the cross border sewage flows fouling local beaches, but that solution remains a long way off. And, fact checking on claims by San Diego’s Former Mayor Kevin Faulconer now Republican Recall Election Candidate. Plus, a preview of this weekend’s local arts events.

Oceanside will soon have its first year-round homeless shelter. Meanwhile, state windfall money is giving a major boost to San Diego’s budget. Plus, the median home price here hits a record $750,000.