Racial covenants shaped San Diego housing for decades. Our partners at inewsource bring us the story of one Chinese-American family that managed to purchase a home in 1947 despite racial restrictions. Meanwhile, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency was in Mexico this week discussing how the two countries will stop the cross-border sewage flows that are increasingly polluting south bay beaches. Plus, Comic-Con returns for in-person events with Comic-Con Special Edition this weekend.

Foreign citizens who are vaccinated can now cross the US-Mexico border. But asylum seekers still cannot cross, even if they are vaccinated, because a controversial Trump-era public health order remains in place. Meanwhile, students at UCSD are hoping the latest City Council redistricting proposal will be changed. It would split the school’s east and west campuses into two separate districts. Plus, in 2025, Universal preschool will begin across the state of California but some believe it would do more harm than good.

The Blue Line trolley extension is now open -- it could be a lifeline for UCSD students and others who already live and work near a trolley stop. But many of the new stations remain difficult to access by foot, wheelchair, or bike. Meanwhile, The Airport Authority says the palm trees in Ocean beach are, or will soon be, a hazard to aviation and must come down. Homeowners in the area say the airport isn't giving them adequate information as to how the decision was reached. Plus, a deputy director at the California Department of public health explains concerns about vaccine equity ahead of the holiday season.

Some San Diegans are choosing to remove racially restrictive covenants from their deeds; others are preserving the language so that racist history is never forgotten. A California statute has eased the process to change deeds and is opening up conversations about the past. Meanwhile, nearly 20% of city staff are still unvaccinated and risk losing their jobs if they miss a December 1 deadline to get the shots. Also, is herd immunity still a possibility?

In part two of our KPBS series on racial housing covenants in San Diego: Rancho Santa Fe. Meanwhile, the university teachers union has reached what it is calling a historic agreement with the University of California. Plus, lightening San Diego’s carbon footprint -- Urban planners and academicians have drawn up an initial plan for the region to significantly cut back on emissions by 2045.

Buried in the deeds of homes and subdivisions across San Diego County are racially restrictive covenants that serve as stark reminders of the region’s racist past. Meanwhile, Parents are suing the California Department of Education to allow distance learning to support their medically fragile children. Plus, Broadway San Diego returned to live performances last night with a production of Hairspray.

In this special bonus episode of San Diego News Now: Chuck Marohn is president of the nonprofit Strong Towns and author of the new book "Confessions of a Recovering Engineer," in which he picks apart everything that he sees wrong with his profession. Too often, he says, streets are designed to accommodate as many cars as possible at the fastest speed possible. Pedestrian and bike safety are often an afterthought. KPBS metro reporter Andrew Bowen spoke with Marohn ahead of his planned talk on Thursday, Nov. 18 at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park.

A self-professed recovering engineer critiques the design of modern roads. Meanwhile, it’s National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. Father Joe's Villages and Mission Federal Credit Union are partnering to bring awareness to these pressing issues in San Diego. Plus, with the COP26 climate conference finished, global leaders now have the task of following up on ambitious promises made to help fight climate change.

Rising prices have forced restaurants and even food suppliers to get creative. Meanwhile, a first draft of a new congressional map was released last week with the approval of California’s independent redistricting commission. Plus, the latest episode in a series of veterans stories told in their own voices.

Fire departments around the state are struggling with staffing shortages. COVID-19 is one reason, but San Diego's Fire Chief says there are a lot of other complicating factors hurting the firefighting workforce. Meanwhile, a father and son were reunited in San Ysidro on Veteran’s Day after being separated for nearly two decades. Plus, when COVID-19 hit, funding plummeted for Arts For Learning San Diego.