Alaska Airlines attendants consider striking
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Wednesday, December 20th.
Alaska Airlines flight attendants are considering a strike.
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
######
The San Diego Foundation and Environmental Health Coalition plan to invest nearly 50- million dollars into San Diego’s historic barrios.
Almost half the money comes from a state grant awarded this week.
It will fund climate resilience projects like improving public transit stops, installing solar panels, and building a new park to buffer the I-5 freeway.
The majority-minority neighborhoods, including Logan, Stockton, and Grant Hill, are considered most vulnerable to climate impacts.
########
Scripps Clinical Medical Group has agreed to pay almost seven million dollars to settle allegations, that it imposed a mandatory retirement age on its physicians.
The claims were filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Their investigation concluded there was quote, reasonable cause, to believe Scripps committed age and disability discrimination.
Scripps rescinded the retirement age policy.
It will pay the money to those it impacted.
But has not admitted liability.
########
The storm expected to bring inches of rain to the county is approaching slower than anticipated.
The National Weather Service said it won’t bring significant rains until late Wednesday.
They warned it could also bring widespread thunder, lightning and street flooding.
Drivers on I-5 and I-8 should prepare for possible strong winds on Thursday.
#########
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
######
Alaska Airlines flight attendants rallied at the airport yesterday in an effort to get better pay.
Reporter Matt Hoffman says it could come to a strike.
“Beep beep alaska air is mighty cheap!” “Is Alaska hearing our voices? Im confident they’re going to hear it now” “Alaska pay us what we need!” Alaska Airlines flight attendants crowded Terminal two as local union leaders say negotiations on a new contract have basically fallen apart.. James Bozanich is a flight attendant and contract negotiator. “We’re not backing down at this point. We’re taking this the entire way, the only way its going to stop is if we get a contract that’s economically feasible.” The flight attendants union is announcing members will vote next month on whether to authorize a strike against Alaska air… Alaska airlines officials say they’ve made an offer that would put flight attendant pay at or near the top of the industry with an immediate 15% increase. The airline says they are open to more proposals and are actively negotiating with more meetings set for early next year..Matt Hoffman KPBS News.
##########
California regulators voted unanimously yesterday to let water agencies recycle highly purified sewage water and put it directly into the drinking water supply.
Reporter Jacob Aere says the decision may impact the county, which has several water purification projects in various stages.
California has been using recycled wastewater for decades … But it hasn't before been used directly for drinking water. Lindsay Leahy is the Water Utilities Director with the City of Oceanside. She says the new rules could influence the future of Pure Water Oceanside, which currently treats wastewater through indirect potable reuse methods that involve an ‘environmental buffer.’ “From beginning to end it'll be a lot faster but it may be a little more expensive with direct potable reuse.” California is just the second state to allow direct potable reuse, following Colorado. The state’s Office of Administrative Law needs to approve the new wastewater rules, which could happen sometime in 2024. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.
##########
San Diego voters approved a new civilian police oversight board in 2020. It took years for the city council to finally seat the commission…and now, Scott Rodd reports the board is trying to find a new executive director.
The city’s Commission on Police Practices is tasked with reviewing officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths and complaints against San Diego police officers. It also suggests policy changes to the department. Eventually, the volunteer board will have the power to subpoena witnesses and independently investigate serious cases of alleged officer misconduct. But first, it needs to find a new leader. Sharmaine Moselely…who led the city’s civilian police oversight efforts for more than 8 years…left several weeks ago for a job in Los Angeles County. That puts the commission in a tough spot. “Getting the executive director in quickly is important, because we’re building a foundation.” Gloria Tran is chair of the Commission on Police Practices. She says she hopes they can find a new executive director in the next three months, but… “I know the bureaucracy probably won’t allow that. But we’re trying to expedite it as much as we can, legally allowed.” There are also four unexpected commissioner vacancies the City Council has to fill. A KPBS investigation earlier this year found dozens of complaints against officers expired without independent civilian review…as the City Council took years to stand up the new commission. The oversight board has now restarted their review of alleged misconduct cases. Scott Rodd, KPBS News
##########
Coming up.... If you’re low-income, Latino and living in Chula Vista, you’re less likely to have access to a public park. We’ll have that story and more, just after the break.
######
A new analysis shows the extent of Chula Vista’s parkland divide. Reporter Kori Suzuki spoke with the South Bay researcher who analyzed parks and census data.
Jacob Helfman has spent a lot of time at parks over the years. That’s partly because he helps take care of his dad, who has dementia. “One thing that's recommended by doctors for people with dementia is to be more active in their life, including taking walks. And being exposed to green space.” But this year, there’s been a big debate over parks in Chula Vista. And how residents’ access to parkland depends largely on where they live. Helfman specializes in GIS, a kind of research that combines computer science and digital mapping. Last month, he decided to do his own analysis of the city’s parks – using regional, state and federal data. Helfman found he and his parents, and other residents living on the city’s Westside, have access to less than a third of the park space as Eastside residents. He also found that Westside households were more likely to be poorer, identify as Latino, and live near sources of pollution. “I believe that this is a really big environmental justice issue because parks bring so many benefits. They build a sense of community, and they address the big environmental and health challenges that we have.” Helfman says he knows that closing this divide will be a long process. He hopes his maps will help bring that change a little faster. Kori Suzuki, KPBS News.
##########
The holiday season is a time for hope and healing...
Earlier this year, both of those were exemplified by two San Diego students... and a vintage upright piano.
Education reporter MG Perez told us about the project earlier this year.
“Here comes the sun…here comes the sun…and I say it’s alright…” 14 year old Makena Stumpo and his life-long friend, 14 year old Liam (Ket) have a creative connection…that they most recently used in a collaboration to revive an aging Ivers and Pond upright piano… “This piano is significantly older. It's lived about three lifetimes.” Makena is an accomplished piano player and singer. Liam plays the electric guitar… Together, they make music and create art…which brings us to the piano project they started last October to earn community service hours at school. The piano was headed for the junk yard …but the boys were sure it still had value and a reason to play on… That’s when they reached out to the national SING FOR HOPE organization…a New York City-based non-profit that uses artists everywhere to bring hope, healing, and inspiration through art to people who need it most…starting with restored pianos… “someone paints a piano…It's put in the public for about three weeks that's where we are right now, is in the public display section, and then it's donated to a forever home such as a hospital a school, a community center, even some place like this.” Since July…the piano has lived in this corridor at the corner of Dewey Road and Historic Decatur Road in Liberty Station…its keyboard available to anyone passing by. “here are lots of my signature style doodles, and there's skateboards. There's waves all over the piano.” Liam is also a talented artist who uses acrylic paint and markers to draw. The piano became his canvas…honoring his beloved Ocean Beach community… “It's a sun..with rays shooting out like this one, from the sun and a large-scale Ocean Beach pier with a bunch of waves breaking.” For Makena there is a deeper message in his music…inspired by the legendary Piano Man… “Come down here. You'll see little kids tinking around on the piano and who knows? Maybe that could inspire someone to take lessons and become the next Billy Joel.” “slow down you crazy child…take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile.” …last year…the incoming high school freshman…was named one of San Diego County’s Most Remarkable Teenagers for his commitment to community fundraising …and for his Billy Joel-like talent, too… “it's just him and his piano, which is what I do. I don't have a backing track or any backing vocals. It's just me and my piano and music. He inspires me, I mean I really like his like all of his songs. I can't think of a Billy Joel song I don't like.” “come on…come on…” Makena also helps save lives as a junior lifeguard along San Diego’s beaches. Here he uses a surfboard and his training to make a difference…but with the sound of the waves …you can also hear the passion of his musical talent and how he uses it to help others… “They could have been having thoughts of suicide or whatever and they walked by a piano like this or they heard someone playing or they sat down and played it and that prevented them from doing whatever they were going to do. “Just connecting through the Arts, I think is the most important part of this project.” We talked with Camille Zamora Co-founder of Sing For Hope in New York City about Makena and Liam’s piano project…she gives them an A-plus on the message they’ve created through their music… “It expands our minds, it breaks down those barriers, and I think that connection with that spark of innovation is something that we all need.” For now, Liberty Station will allow the boy’s piano to stay until they can find its forever home… M.G. Perez…KPBS News…
That refurbished upright piano later found a home at San Diego's Marcy High School …an alternative learning community for students with social and emotional special needs.
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 Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great Wednesday.
