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Accusations against Dem Party chairman

 July 21, 2022 at 5:00 AM PDT

Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, July 21st.

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Accusations against the Democratic Party chairman.More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….

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The January 6th committee is returning to primetime today, to continue investigating the deadly insurrection at the U-S Capitol in 2021.

Today’s hearing is the committee's last planned public hearing.

They plan to focus on Trump’s response as rioters breached the Capitol on January 6th.

You can watch and listen to the live hearings at KPBS-DOT-ORG starting at 5 p.m..

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About 600 workers at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront began striking yesterday, after they couldn't reach what they considered a fair agreement with hotel management.

UNITE HERE Local 30 President Brigette Browning says the hotel’s average 20-dollar-per-hour wage isn’t enough to survive anymore in San Diego.

The union originally sought a six-dollars an hour wage increase over two years, but in formal talks Tuesday they came down to four-dollars an hour.

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San Diego Comic-Con is officially here!

The streets around the convention center are flooded with fans who are here for the year’s biggest pop culture get-together.

Christian Ramos from Texas has been attending Comic-Con for years.

He says he can’t wait to step inside the convention center and take everything in.

“i’m just getting goosebumps even thinking about how amazing this place is and how special this little section of San Diego is to all of us.”

Masks, proof of vaccination, or a negative covid test within 72 hours will be required.

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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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It's been two months since Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, took a leave of absence following allegations of sexual assault — allegations he denies.

Now, court and police records obtained by KPBS show Rodriguez-Kennedy was in a relationship 10 years ago that included mutual accusations of abuse.

KPBS metro reporter Andrew Bowen spoke with KPBS’s Maureen Cavanaugh about the story.

That was KPBS metro reporter Andrew Bowen speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host Maureen Cavanaugh.

You can read more about this story at KPBS-dot-org.

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Customs and Border Protection say a record number of migrants have been injured while trying to cross the border illegally into San Diego County.

KPBS Border reporter Gustavo Solis says most of these injuries are being attributed to Trump’s border wall.

Mexican officials say Donald Trump’s border wall is killing migrants in San Diego County. Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez is the Consul General of Mexico here in San Diego. He says 80 percent of all migrant injuries happened when people fell off the 30-footwall. Nearly 250 Mexican nationals were injured while trying to cross the border in fiscal year 2021. This compares to just under 200 the year before. “I am convinced that the decision to raise the wall up to 30 feet did not stop migration flows. Nor did it deviate them. But it certainly increased the number of people who were seriously injured in their attempt to cross.” The Border Patrol’s Acting Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel blames smugglers for trying to profit from desperate migrants. “I can tell you that whether it’s a wall, whether it’s the ocean, whether it’s the desert terrain or whether it’s the mountains where frigid temperatures can drop and people can get hypothermia, smugglers will continue to push their commodities through without any disregard with the health and safety of those they push through into our communities.” Gustavo Solis, KPBS News

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San Diego Congresswoman Sara Jacobs was one of 17 members of Congress arrested Tuesday during a demonstration for abortion rights outside the Supreme Court.

KPBS spoke to Jacobs about her participation in the protest.

"This is not a hypothetical question for me, just like it's not a hypothetical question for millions of Americans across this country. This is radical justices on the Supreme Court saying that they know more about my body and my healthcare decisions than I do."

Tuesday’s protest was one of many that have taken place in Washington since the Supreme court struck down Roe v Wade last month

Supporters say the action is part of a larger effort to secure reproductive rights through legislation.

“These are very real things for me like they’re very real things for many young people across this country, and that’s why I feel such a sense of urgency and feel really strongly that we need to be doing everything we can in congress to protect people right now, because people are being harmed right now.”

Two Women’s health bills were approved by the House last week…but they are unlikely to make it through the Senate.

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Coming up.... A new school year and a new start time. We’ll have that story and more, next, just after the break.

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The first day of school for thousands of South Bay students …began with a late start, yesterday morning (Wednesday).

KPBS Education reporter M.G. Perez has more on the new state law now in effect to help students be better learners.

Research shows students do better in school when they get a good night’s sleep and arrive for class rested and ready to learn. California lawmakers considered that when they passed a new law that says middle schools can not begin before 8-am…and high schools can’t start before 8:30 a.m….more than an hour later than prior to the COVID pandemic.. Daryl Davis is a parent in the Sweetwater Union High School District..happy to drop off his son for the first day of school at the new time. “if you’re rushed …you get to school…you’re tired…you don’t feel like doing anything…late start is the business…this is what we should have been doing a long time ago. They should have put everybody on banker’s hours.” Other parents we spoke with said a later start leaves them scrambling to get to work on time and to make arrangements for childcare. “it’s going to be a little bit harder for me… to be honest. (why?) Because I have another kid in elementary …it’s going to mess up their schedule…and my work as well.”

That was parent Vanessa Gomez.

KPBS’s MG Perez brought us that update.

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Depending on where you live in San Diego County, you could say it’s been a hot summer so far, or that it’s been relatively mild.

KPBS reporter John Carroll talked to an expert about the reason behind the big difference in temperatures.

When it comes to this year’s summer weather… so far it’s been a tale of two climates. Along the coastal plain… basically west of Interstate 15, nothing too unusual. National Weather Service Meteorologist Alex Tardy. “Our coastal areas, a lot like last summer are being kept cool by water temperatures that are either average or slightly below average.” What’s unusual this year is happening well to the east. “We’re in a situation where the weather pattern has just been stuck over Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and that’s the high pressure dome.” Tardy says if the dome starts shifting west, coastal areas can say goodbye to the cooler weather. JC, 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. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great day.

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Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, took a leave of absence following allegations of sexual assault — allegations he denies. Now, another accusation has surfaced. Meanwhile, a record number of migrants have been injured while trying to cross the border illegally. Plus, thousands of South Bay students are back to school, with a new later start time.