A unique type of adoption comes to North County
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2ND
>>>> [A NEW TYPE OF ADOPTION TAKING PLACE IN THE COUNTY]More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS PAUSING ALL ASYLUM DECISIONS AND PUTTING ISSUING VISAS FOR THOSE WITH AFGHAN PASSPORTS ON HOLD.
THIS FOLLOWS THE SHOOTING OF TWO NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE ON WEDNESDAY. ONE WAS KILLED AND ANOTHER CRITICALLY INJURED.
AN AFGHAN NATIONAL IS SUSPECTED IN THE SHOOTING. AUTHORITIES SAY THE MAN HAS SAN DIEGO CONNECTIONS.
SHAWN VANDIVER WITH THE LOCAL NONPROFIT AFGHAN EVAC SAID QUOTE "THIS INDIVIDUALS CASE APPEARS TO BE A TRAGIC OUTLIER -- NOT A PATTERN"
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THE FORMER MISSION HILLS LIBRARY BRANCH IS FINDING NEW LIFE AS AN INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
‘THE LIBRARY SHOP’ MISSION HILLS OPENED ITS DOORS YESTERDAY
IT’S BEING OPERATED BY THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION SD!
THE FOUNDATION SAYS THE SHOP WILL CARRY BOOKS BY LOCAL AUTHORS, AS WELL AS PRODUCTS MADE BY SAN DIEGO ARTISTS
IT WILL ALSO FEATURE SOME BANNED BOOKS, A REFLECTION OF THE FOUNDATION'S EFFORT TO COMBAT CENSORSHIP
THERE’S ALSO A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE FOR EVENTS
FOR THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS OF THEIR GRAND OPENING, THERE WILL BE AUTHOR EVENTS, GAMES AND EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE
THE FOUNDATION’S FIRST SHOP IS LOCATED AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY DOWNTOWN AND HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE 2013
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YOUR SAN DIEGO FC CLUB'S INAUGURAL SEASON HAS COME TO A HISTORIC CLOSE
ON SATURDAY NIGHT, THEY FELL TO THE VANCOUVER WHITECAPS IN THE M-L-S WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
HEAD COACH MIKEY VARAS [VAR-ISS] IN A POSTGAME INTERVIEW SAID QUOTE" THEY MADE A CITY DREAM, THEY MADE THE WHOLE REGION DREAM."
SD-FC SET A RECORD FOR HAVING THE MOST POINTS BY AN M-L-S EXPANSION TEAM IN THEIR INAUGURAL SEASON
AND THEY ARE THE SECOND EXPANSION TEAM IN MLS HISTORY TO ADVANCE TO A CONFERENCE FINAL
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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SAN DIEGO COUNTY IS ONE OF THE TOP AVOCADO GROWERS IN CALIFORNIA. YET STILL, PRODUCTION HAS BEEN STEADILY SHRINKING.
ENVIRONMENT REPORTER TAMMY MURGA SAYS A NORTH COUNTY FARM IS PILOTING A WAY TO HELP STRUGGLING GROWERS.
AVOCADOS 1 trt: 1:12 SOQ
Rows and rows of avocado trees adorn the hills of Heal the Earth’s organic farm in Bonsall.
It’s where Chuck Samuelson is testing out a model where anyone can adopt a tree and get the avocados it grows.
“It’s a yearly subscription where you’ll subscribe to a certain yield of avocados for your tree.”
Samuelson is a former chef and restaurateur. He’s thought a lot about how avocado imports affect growers who bear higher production costs. And the quality of food consumers end up getting.
So, he founded Heal the Earth…
“...to address some of those challenges we have in the food system.”
Avocado tree acreage in San Diego County has dropped by nearly half since 2009. That’s largely because of rising water costs and imports flooding the market.
“Cost of water, labor is expensive and scarce right now. The control of the system by multinational corporations makes everything difficult for farmers.”
Samuelson says the tree adoption model can get farmers more money than they would if they sold to a distributor and connect consumers directly to the source.
The nonprofit is working on building a regional network of growers. The goal is to bring more family-owned farms into the adoption program. Tammy Murga, KPBS News
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THE HEAD OF A MAJOR SAN DIEGO ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS AND OTHER CHRONIC DISEASES, IS SOUNDING THE ALARM ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS.
REPORTER JOHN CARROLL TALKED TO THE C-E-O OF MAMA’S KITCHEN ABOUT WHAT SHE SAYS IS A DIRE SITUATION.
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WORLDAIDS 1 :57 SOQ
EVA MATTHEWS SAYS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION NOT TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE WORLD AIDS DAY THIS YEAR IS PAR FOR THE COURSE. SHE SAYS THE ORGANIZATION IS ALREADY DEALING WITH DEVASTATING FUNDING CUTS, AND SHE FEARS MORE COULD BE ON THE WAY. SHE SAYS FEDERAL CUTS TO HEALTH CARE ARE VERY SERIOUS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND OTHER CHRONIC DISEASES.
And when you put all of that together for people living with HIV who are facing financial instability, this time is really challenging their ability to meet even basic daily needs. And that is a catastrophe in and of itself.”
MATTHEWS SAYS IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO GET INVOLVED AND SPREAD AWARENESS OF THE ISSUE. SHE SAYS DONATIONS TO MAMA’S KITCHEN AND OTHER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALSO CRITICAL DURING THIS TIME OF BUDGET CUTS. JC, KPBS NEWS.
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A KPBS INVESTIGATION EARLIER THIS YEAR REVEALED A SKYROCKETING EUTHANASIA RATE AT COUNTY-RUN ANIMAL SHELTERS.
REPORTER ELAINE ALFARO SAYS THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES IS NOW BEING AUDITED.
DASAUDIT 1 (1:08)
Among other things, the audit appears to be focusing on the department's policies regarding euthanasias and record keeping at its shelters. This is according to an email KPBS obtained through a public records act request.
A KPBS investigation in July found that the dog euthanasia rate at county-run shelters had more than doubled in recent years. Our reporting also revealed poor record-keeping and communication breakdowns when it comes to dog euthanasias.
Venus Samayoa-Ramirez is a former employee at the county’s Carlsbad shelter. She says she saw those issues firsthand.
“I think there should be an audit, because looking into those things, they were not followed correctly.
Samayoa-Ramirez remembers multiple instances when staff and leadership did not enforce or follow the shelter policy.
“I was like, so what is the specific behavioral protocol when we're examining animals for euthanasia? And she's like, well, there is none. I was like, but in the… in the protocol... she's like, ‘yeah, it's outdated.’”
A department spokesperson confirmed that the audit is ongoing, but would not answer specific questions.
Elaine Alfaro, KPBS News.
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UC SAN DIEGO IS TRYING TO SOLVE A MATH PROBLEM …
THE UNIVERSITY SAYS A GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS ARE STARTING THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR LACKING HIGH SCHOOL MATH PROFICIENCY.
REPORTER JACOB AERE SAYS FINDING THE SOLUTION IS COMPLICATED …
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MATH trt 4:30 soq
The need for remedial math education at UC San Diego has soared over the last five years.
SOT 3094
Akos Rona-Tas | UC San Diego Senate
14:37:09 - 37:25 (:14)
“The number of students who are not able to perform at high school level increased, and even the number of students who can't perform at middle school level increased enormously.”
Akos Rona-Tas (AH-kowsh RONA-tosh) is co-chair of the school’s Senate Administration Workgroup on Admissions.
This month they published a report showing the scope of the problem.
In 2020 university data show one in 200 incoming students needed remedial math. This year … that number is about one in eight.
SOT 3094
Akos Rona-Tas | UC San Diego Senate
14:37:53 - 14:38:01 (:08)
“One of those causes is COVID which had a detrimental effect on K-12 education.”
The report also cites the elimination of SAT and ACT requirements, high school grade inflation and changes to the admissions process as some reasons for the increase.
Rona-Tas says the school isn't designed to help so many students catch up to university standards.
SOT 3094
Akos Rona-Tas | UC San Diego Senate
14:41:06 - 14:41:18 (:12)
“We are basically setting them up for failure. And that's very unfortunate because many of these students would have been much better off going to say community college and taking the transfer route…”
The university says in 2024 more than half of its students were pursuing degrees in Science, Technology Engineering and Math.
STEM majors require mathematics as part of earning a degree.
William Simpson is UC San Diego’s student body president. He says the pandemic impacted his own learning.
SOT 2870
William Simpson | UC San Diego Student Body President
17:25:18 - 17:25:33 (:15)
“I think that impacted a lot of people's foundations of learning math and algebra and then obviously you had increases in AI. So you starting to be dependent when you see a question – you're more likely to ask AI oh can you help me answer it?’”
He’s working toward a degree in economics… and that requires math.
He didn't take a remedial math course, but he did retake precalculus his freshman year.
SOT 2870
William Simpson | UC San Diego Student Body President
17:26:11 - 17:26:25 (:14)
“I realized I needed to relearn a lot of the basics and fundamentals of math right. So I took the precalculus course. It actually wasn't as easy as it sounds – it was actually much harder than the precalculus I took in high school.”
Since then Simpson says he’s found success in multiple calculus courses. He wants other students to know it’s possible.
SOT 2870
William Simpson | UC San Diego Student Body President
17:32:22 - 17:32:28 (:06)
“I really don’t want our incoming students to feel like they didn't deserve to get in, to have that imposter syndrome.”
Rona-Tos says the problem at UCSD is a warning for other universities.
SOT 3095
Akos Rona-Tas | Co-Chair UCSD Senate Administration Workgroup on Admissions
14:53:29 - 14:53:34 (:05)
“UCSD is in some ways the canary in the coal mine.”
The Nations report card shows 8th and 12th grade math scores have slightly declined for the past decade.
SDSU professor Daniel Reinholz studies math education.
SOT 2435
Daniel Reinholz | San Diego State University Professor of Mathematics
1:33:05 -1:33:11 (:06)
"The point of math is it's a tool that everyone can use to think and make sense of the world."
Reinholz says a lack of math proficiency can create long term problems for students.
SOT 2435
Daniel Reinholz | San Diego State University Professor of Mathematics
1:09:16 - 1:09:25 (:09)
“There's a lot of research showing when students start in remedial math, their chances of getting through successfully attaining a STEM career are much, much, much lower.”
**b-roll of ucsd, students, classrooms, math, report**
Reinholz says this isn't a situation where students forgot how to do math overnight.
SOT 2435
Daniel Reinholz | SDSU Professor of Mathematics
1:32:01 - 1:32:17 (:16)
"There's been constraints and strains with funding, the pandemic, social media, technology … all of these things have been building over a long period of time. And I think we're seeing in this particular place how all of that stuff is coming together to create a perfect storm.”
**b-roll of ucsd, students, classrooms, math, report**
Some ways to combat declines in math skills … he says…are by better supporting K-12 teachers and making the subject less intimidating at a younger age.
But those aren't simple fixes.
SOT 2435
Daniel Reinholz | SDSU Professor of Mathematics
1:22:19 - 1:22:36 (:17)
“We know students learn better when they have really meaningful , engaging, exciting content – not just drill and practice day after day after day. Things that build on problem solving, things that connect to everyday lives”
**b-roll of ucsd, students, classrooms, math, report**
Reinholz and Rona-Tos agree fixing this problem is urgent, because math is critically important to learning.
SOT 3095
Akos Rona-Tas | UC San Diego Senate
14:45:48 - 14:45:56 (:08)
“Teaching math is not just teaching numbers. It's not just teaching how to manipulate numbers. It is also teaching how to think.”
As for how UCSD can prepare for future students… the Senate report has recommendations.
They include changes to assessing math preparedness in admissions, revisiting math requirements for certain majors, and conducting the math placement exam in early summer.
Rona-Tos hopes to see those recommendations implemented early next year. JA, KPBS News.
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MIGUEL MARQUEZ SAN JUAN, A BELOVED TIJUANA BOOKSTORE OWNER HAS DIED.
TO HIS FRIENDS HE WAS KNOWN AS DON MIGUEL.
LAST YEAR VIDEO JOURNALIST MATTHEW BOWLER SPENT SOME TIME WITH DON MIGUEL. HERE'S THAT REPORT FROM THE KPBS ARCHIVES.
TJBOOKSTORE 1 TRT (1:02) SOQ
NATS WALKING DOWN THE STREET TURNING INTO ALLEY
Miguel Márquez San Juan moved to Tijuana in 1984, and in 2009 he opened his dream business: a bookstore called Libros, Café y Jazz.
Stacked floor to ceiling with books, the tiny shop aims to bring literature and music to Tijuanenses at accessible prices.
00;07;03;07 - 00;07;29;17
Miguel Márquez San Juan | Libro, Cafe y Jazz
estaban las librerías grandes, las clásicas de aquí, pero el libro económico no había.
There were the big bookstores, the classic ones here, but there were no affordable books.
Márquez explains that while large bookstores in the city sell new books, few offer used ones.
If you visit Libros, Café y Jazz, you might find Señor Márquez in his usual spot — doing what he loves: reading “Los Amorosos” by Jaime Sabines, a poem close to his heart, while listening to music and sipping coffee.
00;02;12;02 - 00;02;40;19
Los amorosos se ponen a cantar entre labios una canción no aprendida y se van llorando, llorando. La hermosa vida.
and the lovers begin to sing between pursed lips
a song never learned.
And they go on crying, crying for
this beautiful life.
NATS BLUE NOTE RECORD FINISHING AND THAT END OF RECORD SOUND.
Matthew Bowler KPBS News.
OPTIONAL TAG: MIGUEL MÁRQUEZ SAN JUAN WAS 67. HIS BOOKSTORE REMAINS OPEN, NOW RUN BY HIS DAUGHTERS.
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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. I’m Lawrence K. Jackson. Thanks for listening and subscribing by doing so you are supporting public media and I thank you for that. Have a great day!
