Businesses impacted by border closure
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Tuesday, December 12th.
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How the temporary closure of Ped-West is impacting businesses in San Ysidro. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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An eight year ban on separating migrant families at the border, is now in effect.
A San Diego federal judge gave final approval to a settlement on Friday that bans the practice.
The lawsuit was filed in 20-18 by the A-C-L-U to block the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy, which separated undocumented parents from their children when they attempted to cross into the U-S.
The settlement also offers aid to those affected by the policy, including helping them obtain asylum, work permits, housing assistance and help in locating and reunifying separated family members.
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Single-family home sales fell by more than 17-percent last month, compared to October.
Sales of condos and townhomes were 15-percent lower too.
That’s according to data released this week by the San Diego Association of Realtors.
But even though sales were down, prices were still up.
The median price of single-family home is 980-thousand-dollars.
That’s more than 11-percent higher than a year ago.
San Diego Association of Realtors president Frank Powell said multiple factors play a role in the drop in home sales right now, but he said it’s typical for this time of year.
“So the average person looking for a house right now is really geared towards the slow down of the season, being Christmas and New Years and family coming into visit and getting ready for the kids to be off of school, those who do have children, and the combination is not unheard of that it slows down the market during November, December.”
Powell said based on previous cycles of real estate there’s more activity during the spring and summer months.
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Some of the highest tides of the year are expected to hit the county’s coastal areas starting today.
The National Weather Service says king tides will surge through Friday.
King tides can reach up to 7 feet.
The big waves are expected to return near Christmas, from December 24th through the 27th.
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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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Last weekend marked the beginning of the temporary closure of the pedestrian border crossing called Ped-West.
Reporter Matt Hoffman says businesses in San Ysidro are feeling the pinch during what is typically the busy holiday season.
Campos They close it and we can see just right away everything go down, the business Blocks away from the U-S Mexico Border Carolin Shoes owner Olivia Campos says PedWest’s closure was felt right away.. Olivia Campos, Carolin Shoes owner This saturday and sunday we are like waiting for customers and we don't see customers Customs and Border Protection officials say they needed to temporarily close PedWest to redirect staff following increasing numbers of migrant crossings.. PedWest was closed for nearly three years during the pandemic and reopened in January.. But was shuttered temporarily again this September and now — again during one of the busiest times of the year for local businesses, holiday shopping season. Campos It’s bad for everybody. Not only San Ysidro, but Chula Vista, National City -- everywhere is the same thing CBP officials say they will provide updates on the temporary closure when they can..MH KPBS News.
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Operations have been back to normal at Tri-City Medical Center for a few weeks, but it’s still feeling the effects of a cyberattack last month.
North County reporter Jacob Aere says now it appears some patient data has been posted online.
Just days ago, a cyber security expert posted on social media that an extortion operation called “INC RANSOM” announced it had-records stolen from Tri City Medical Center … and reportedly posted some on the dark web. The post included “proof” in the form of eight pages presumably taken from Tri-City during the digital attack, according to cybersecurity expert Nikolas Behar. “We're seeing them post things like patient authorization forms, financial records and they're going to contain things like name, phone number. But we’re not certain if they accessed any of the electronic medical records.” We reached out to Tri-City but they did not respond in time to a request for an interview or statement on the matter. Currently, there is no indication on the extent of the Tri-City records in the attacker’s possession. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.
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The biggest names in western water will be gathering under one roof in Las Vegas this week to discuss the future of the Colorado River.
K-U-N-C’s Alex Hager spoke with leaders from around the region to get a sense of their priorities ahead of the annual event.
Last winter brought a LOT of snow to the Rockies. When it all melted, it was a big boost to the Colorado River’s main reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. It was ALSO a temporary weight off the shoulders of the decision makers going to this year’s conference. JB Hamby I think where we are heading into this one is fortunately, not much to really get too excitable about, which is a nice thing JB Hamby is California’s top water negotiator. The past few years, he and other policymakers have had to work quickly on short-term deals that kept water in those reservoirs. Now, they’ve got the space to focus on something BIGGER… long-term rules for sharing the river when the CURRENT guidelines expire in a few years. JB Hamby Now we have an open runway to figure out post 2026. And with a much lower temperature and clearer heads. The conference also gives a chance for native tribes to make their voices heard in those negotiations. After a long history of exclusion, they’re STARTING to have more say in conversations about water management. Lorelei Cloud, acting chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, says that needs to go further. Lorelei Cloud we want our participation to be institutionalized, that is going to be key. Cloud says she wants more formalized seats at the table for tribes going forward… seats that last through changes in administration. She’ll be using the Vegas conference to push for that, and to share the stories of people from her tribe who struggle to access water… Lorelei Cloud If I can take those with me and help other people to understand what our people go through to get water in their home, or to have water on a daily basis. That's my duty as a tribal leader, to make those personal connections. The seven STATES that use the river… they’ll ALSO be trying to win over hearts and minds… and make their case that the new set of river management rules shouldn’t cut too hard into THEIR share of water. Becky Mitchell is COLORADO’s top water negotiator. Becky Mitchell It seems like my constant challenge is making sure that we're understood in the upper basin. Mitchell says Colorado and its Upper Basin partners…Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico… they feel the sting FIRST when the Colorado River goes through a dry year. And she wants to tell the stories of farmers and ranchers who feel it the most. Becky Mitchell my next week is going to be spent figuring out how do I tell these stories so that they resonate beyond Colorado? While leaders across the basin work to garner good press and get closer to a long-term deal, the state of the nation’s largest reservoirs is still pretty dire. Jack Schmidt directs the center for Colorado River studies at Utah State University. Jack Schmidt We have to be saving water at a much higher rate than we are now. Last spring, when snow started to melt, the word on everyone’s lips… was SQUANDER. As in, “don’t squander” the snowy boost from Mother Nature. So… how are the region’s water leaders DOING when it comes to that goal? Schmidt says… not great! Jack Schmidt As we listen to the agreements, you would think that our rate of consumption was significantly less than it had ever been after any other wet year. If you want to say we're really making remarkable progress. And that is not the case. How EXACTLY to make long-term cuts to water use will be at the CENTER of the upcoming talks in Las Vegas. Vineetha Kartha is with the Central Arizona Project. Vineetha we are all at the cusp of potentially new ideas, innovative ideas going forward. Kartha says that could mean NEW WAYS of measuring how much water is in the river, or distributing cutbacks. Whatever ideas shape the next set of river guidelines, she says, it’ll take EVERYONE pitching in. Vineetha I always tell my kids many hands make light work. That's the same thing here. Even in the middle of contentious talks with no clear solution, Kartha says she’s optimistic. Because pretty much everyone agrees on the scale of the PROBLEM. Climate change is shrinking supply, and the people in charge need to cut back on DEMAND. I’m Alex Hager.
TAG: This story is part of ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, produced by K-U-N-C, and supported by the Walton Family Foundation.
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Coming up.... We learn about a unique place called Brick N Barn set among the rolling hills of Valley Center.
“A lot of people that have never been here before just can’t believe that they’ve never heard about it before.”
What makes this place so special, including a connection to Betty Crocker, and more, just after the break.
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A holiday gift drive at the La Jolla Country Day School is bringing hope to a season shadowed by war and religious conflict in the Middle East.
Education reporter M.G. Perez has more on the lesson offered by the annual tradition.
“we always celebrate Hanukkah …we always celebrate Christmas.” 16 year old Jack Tobal is a junior at La Jolla Country Day School…he is also a volunteer, this week, for Country Day’s annual Giving Tree project.. “lip balm …insulated water bottle..” There is a lesson of compassion happening over the next couple of days on campus…as gifts are donated and wrapped by staff, students and their families for delivery to children in foster care and low-income communities. Jack I think right now it's just a good idea to think about what you have in such a privileged life a billion people in this world go without having electricity and safe drinkable water. By Wednesday the Giving Tree project expects to have gifts for more than 400 children from infants to teenagers. MGP KPBS News.
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It was once the home of Agnes White who portrayed Betty Crocker –
But reporter John Carroll tells us… that’s only part of why a nine-acre property in the rolling hills of Valley Center is so special.
It's a busy scene off miller road in valley center. holiday music and the sound of food truck generators fill the air. hundreds of people have come from all over southern california, and beyond to experience brick n barn. what is brick n barn? here’s how co-owner marlise kast-myers describes the place… taking into account its previous resident, betty crocker. marlise kast-myers brick n barn co-owner “some people were like, you should call it the betty crocker estate, you should call it something with betty crocker, and we wanted to have a whole identity separate from agnes or betty crocker. it’s a bonus, but once you come here you’re finding like an experience, a community.” when kast-myers and her husband benjamin bought this place five years ago… it was in bad shape.“everything was dead, we hauled away over 20 tons of garbage, a lot of green waste. the pool was broken, the barn was leaking, we had a rat infestation. //cut to there was just a lot of love that the place needed.” and a lot of love, is what it got… in the form of money spent and sweat equity invested. fortunately, benjamin is one of those people who can build, fix and improve all sorts of things. gardens, chicken coops, repairing roofs, putting in sprinkler lines, the whole front yard, he did all the landscaping on that, which we call central park. he built all the stalls for the vendors that come once a month.” and that brings us to what exactly is going on here… at the outdoor stalls, you find all sorts of arts and crafts, there’s an apothecary, and plenty of temptations for the tummy… homemade jams and jellies… fresh-baked bread and other baked goodies. “a lot of people that have never been here before just can’t believe that they’ve never heard about it before.” that’s harold cook. he’s managed brick n barn since the beginning.harold cook/brick n barn manager “i think it’s really like community. people love to come and hang out. we have customers that come every month, and they’ll come early, get a coffee, shop a little, they’ll come out front, they’ll sit and chat and then they’ll eat lunch and then they’ll shop some more.” much of that shopping happens inside the barn. the theme was christmas when we were there. people were packed in… strolling the aisles…occasionally bumping into the windchimes… discovering all sorts of seasonal delights, things you probably wouldn’t see anywhere else… next month, all the holiday merchandise will be gone. all the vendors spend the three weeks in between the one weekend a month they’re open… searching for all new treasures. and that’s what keeps brick n barn fresh… “if everything looked exactly the same with a few new things in it, the motivation to come would not be the same. it’s funny. a lot of our customers think we have 3 weeks off, or 4 weeks off, and we’re here every week putting it together for them.” a lot of birds call this their home. the peacocks wander down to see what’s going on with all the humans… but most, like the resident flock of guinea hens, along with two curious turkeys and various other fowl… stick closer to the house… the house where the first betty crocker, agnes white lived. “let’s go inside.” kast-myers invites us in to the two-story brick home… constructed in the late 1800’s.“you’re gonna love it. i know i will.” marlise and benjamin have, as she says, restored - not renovated the place. carpet was ripped up… on the stairs they found a drawer built into the staircase that no one had seen for decades. but the main thing here, at least from the betty crocker years, is the kitchen. “so this spot right here is where agnes white did her cooking show on the air.” a period photo shows white in front of a huge microphone of that era, talking about recipes, answering listeners questions. it’s a culinary trip back in time! the house is not open to the public… it is after all where marlise and benjamin live. but there is so much to see and experience here… a place of warmth… of community… we’ve put a link on our website with everything you need to know about this special, historical place… set among the rolling hills of valley center. 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. Join us again tomorrow for the day’s top stories, plus a look at how the city of San Diego is spending the money you put in parking meters. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great Tuesday.
