A call for UCSD’s chancellor to resign
Good Morning, I’m Emilyn Mohebbi, in for Debbie Cruz….it’s Wednesday, May 8th.
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There’s a call for UC-SD’s chancellor to resign, as protests continue. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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Most of the Oceanside Pier is expected to reopen Friday, after a fire damaged parts of it.
Oceanside officials say about 80-percent of the pier will be available for public use once again.
A vacant restaurant and snack bar at the end of the pier caught on fire nearly two weeks ago.
It is still unknown what started the fire, but arson has been ruled out.
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Nearly 300 flood victims are taking a major step toward suing the city of San Diego.
A local lawyer filed paperwork for the lawsuit yesterday (Tuesday).
Residents say the city knew Chollas Creek was too clogged to drain properly, but the city kept delaying its cleanup.
They say the cycle continued as the problem became more and more expensive to fix, resulting in January's disastrous flood.
Greg Montoya is a flood victim who spoke with our media partner 10 News.
"They didn't get the message the first time we sued them. This is not the first time. This has been an ongoing problem for years and years. I have the documentation to prove it."
The residents plan to ask for 100-million-dollars in damages from the city.
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One of San Diego's best known philanthropists has died.
Joan Jacobs died Monday of heart failure at the age of 91.
She and her husband gave away much of their fortune to many San Diego organizations, including KPBS.
Her husband Irwin was the founder of Qualcomm.
The SALK Institute’s former chief scientist, Martin Hetzer, called their donation to SALK, transformative.
“Fifty years from now people will look at this moment and will recognize this as a significant moment in our history. This is a long lasting legacy and we are eternally grateful.”
SALK received a pledge of 100-million-dollars from the Jacobs.
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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
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Protests are continuing on the UC-SD campus, in the aftermath of the student encampment being cleared there on Monday.
And education reporter M.G. Perez has more on a call for the chancellor’s resignation.
Police moved quickly in their riot gear Monday morning to dismantle the GAZA Solidarity encampment created by student protestors supporting Palestine… which led to more than 60 arrests and confrontations with officers. A group of faculty led by the U-C-S-D Ethnic Studies department is condemning the university’s response…saying Chancellor Pradeep Khosla endangered students by calling for aggressive police action. They are demanding he resign…offer amnesty to all students arrested …and remove non-campus officers immediately. Diane Dinh is a junior who supported the encampment protesters. “It’s not the solution…but it will get us closer to the solution…yes. Getting educated about both sides of the conflict are definitely important.” There’s been no comment from the Chancellor’s office on the call for his resignation. MGP KPBS News.
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The U-S Department of Education announced a multi-million-dollar grant program this week (Monday), to help students apply for federal financial aid.
Reporter Katie Anastas spoke to a college advisor who says the most urgent need is fixing technical problems with the new form.
The FAFSA underwent major changes last year to make it easier to fill out and expand access to Pell grants that don’t need to be repaid. But the launch of the new form was plagued with problems and delays. It opened months later than usual, pushing back the college admissions process for schools and students. The new funding is meant to support school districts and nonprofits working with students to fill out the form. But Julian Villalvazo, a college and career specialist with the Barrio Logan College Institute, says technical assistance from the education department is what they need most. If their issues are resolved on their end, the technical issues that have been happening, which are a lot. And they are providing this additional funding, and I think I think that'll be great. But there’s nothing we can do when we have to wait on them. The department said in a news release it's made significant progress to address known issues with the new form.The University of California and California State University systems extended their decision deadlines from May 1 to May 15 because of problems with the FAFSA. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
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The San Diego Symphony just announced its fall season program, which will be performed in its newly renovated hall.
That hall was supposed to be open last year.
Reporter John Carroll talked exclusively with the Symphony’s music director and C-E-O about the delay… they told him it will be worth the wait.
With the 2024 - 25 season a few months away - San Diego Symphony Music Director Rafael Payare’s enthusiasm for what will be the Symphony’s new home… is boundless. “It’s just going to be phenomenal.” There is still plenty of work to do before Symphony Hall - the Jacobs Music Center - is ready to welcome back audiences.. But - new audience seating is now in place. Restoration of the intricate craftsmanship of the walls and ceiling of what was once the grand Fox Theater has come a long way. Still - a lot of what you can’t see is what will make the difference in the newly renovated hall. Over the years of this restoration, Symphony CEO Martha Gilmer has become intimately familiar with all of it. Martha Gilmer San Diego Symphony CEO “The latest technology for sound, lighting, acoustics, the grid room at the top, where all these incredible mechanical engineering takes place so that you can effortlessly see sound panels float above the stage or sophisticated lighting fixtures.” A choral terrace is being added to the back of the stage to accommodate pieces that feature a chorale… and when it’s not being used for singers, the terrace will provide unique seating for the audience… as it’s situated above and behind the orchestra. Several rows of seating at the back of the theater have been removed… a change that Payare loves. Rafael Payare San Diego Symphony Music Director “It’s not a small hall, I mean, it’s still a big, big hall, but now somehow everything feels more connected, and there’s not a space. Now, we’re part of this wonderful thing that we could have synergy in between when we are actually doing music which is very important for us when we are going to be on stage.” “The hall is flexible. There are draperies hidden behind walls that an event, a film, spoken word, amplified musicians can also be at home on that stage when it needs to be less reverberant.” We’re able to tune the hall and adjust it in such a way to make an excellent concert hall for that as well.” So, why the delay? Why is the newly renovated hall opening nearly a year after its first announced opening date? It’s worth remembering that what is now the highrise called Symphony Towers… is built above and around the 93-year old Fox Theater. When you take on an extensive renovation of a nearly 100-year old building, there are going to be unexpected challenges. “Renovation of an old building is always more challenging than building a new building, because you have to deal with the surprises and the design that reveals itself from the original building along the way. And there were certainly things that we discovered that then we had to be really creative.” When it reopens this September, the hall will, for now, be known simply as the Jacobs Music Center. It had been Copley Symphony Hall at the Jacobs Music Center. But the Copley Foundation has agreed to surrender the name… allowing the Symphony to offer it to another philanthropist… and while the Symphony enjoys broad support from the public, it is major philanthropy that makes the big things possible… something that neither Rafael Payare or Martha Gilmer take for granted. “It is always inspiring to me to see the passion that they have and the commitment, knowing that they’ve been fortunate and wanting to share that fortune.” “We have our wonderful, wonderful benefactors that have been giving us the opportunity to have wings and fly and not to kind of have any kind of limits, but actually it just leaves us to dream and try to achieve higher and higher, higher artistic standard, which is phenomenal.” Or, put another way, it will be worth all those millions, all the extra time the process has taken - when the grand reopening happens in September. That point was driven home when I asked Payare where the new hall will rank in the great symphony halls of the world…“It will be easily a top five… And I mean, this is San Diego. Come on. This is a beautiful, wonderful city. Now we’re going to have this amazing wonderful hall that deserves the orchestra because the orchestra is already very world class that we needed to have a wonderful instrument to have and we are achieving it. So, I could not be more excited.” Combined with the Symphony’s spectacular outdoor venue, the Rady Shell, there are, and will be endless reasons for San Diegans to be excited… and proud for generations to come. JC, KPBS News.
TAG: We want to note that the San Diego Symphony and the Jacobs family are supporters of KPBS.
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With Mother’s Day in the U-S and Mexico, just around the corner, reporter Melissa Mae tells us how a San Ysidro nonprofit is showing its appreciation for mothers in the community.
MM: At Our Lady of Mount Carmel in San Ysidro hundreds of community members gather for the monthly Hearts and Hands Working Together food distribution. MM: Volunteer Consuelo Delgadillo says she wanted to do something for the moms. CD “I made these little presents. I feel so grateful to see the people happy when they take just a little something.” MM: Delgadillo handmade over 400 unique Mother’s Day gifts from picture frames, earrings and flower bouquets… all marked with a special Mother’s Day message. MM: Eight year old Camila Jimenez Garcia was happy her mom received a gift. CJG “Because she gave me life” MM: She says because she gave me life. Melissa Mae KPBS News.
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That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Join us again tomorrow for the day’s top stories. I’m Emilyn Mohebbi. Thanks for listening, and I hope you have a great Wednesday.
