Conditions at migrant camps haven’t improved

Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Tuesday, October 24th.

>>>>

Humanitarian workers say the conditions at migrant camps haven’t improved.

More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….

######

Earlier this month the county approved 3-million-dollars in spending to help migrants and asylum seekers with various services, including help with transportation to their sponsors.

This week, we learned that South Bay Community Services was awarded the contract to provide those services.

Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer says the organization will act as the umbrella organization to distribute the funds where they’re needed.

“They're not doing all the work. you know, there's a lot of groups out there — immigrant defenders. there's just so many of them doing amazing work. and we imagine they're all gonna continue to be partners in providing these services.” 

According to county officials, South Bay Community Services was awarded the contract because of its experience handling the unaccompanied minors shelter at the convention center in 20-21.

Local nonprofits told KPBS they’re still working out the details on how the 3-million dollars will be distributed.

########

The value of San Diego County's 20-22 growing season increased by 24- million dollars over the previous year, the seventh year of growth in the last decade.

That's according to the county's annual crop report that was released this week.

It saw a 1-point-4 percent increase over 20-21, rising to 1 point 8 billion dollars.

Nursery and cut flowers remain the county’s top crop in terms of acreage and value.

#########

BLINK-182 will make a stop at Petco Park next year as part of its t “One More Time Tour'' The band has been touring the nation and Europe, since reuniting earlier this year at Coachella.

The tour is named after the Poway band's newly released album. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10 a-m on Friday.

Pre-sales for the band's fan club members will open at 7 this morning.

The concert at Petco Park will be on June 30th.

#########

From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

##########

It’s been nearly two weeks since a woman died in one of Customs and Border Protection’s makeshift migrant camps, and humanitarian workers on the ground tell border reporter, Gustavo Solis, that conditions haven’t improved.

Earlier this month, a 29-year-old woman arrived at the San Ysidro camp. Which is outside and has no protection from the sun. Border Patrols agents say they noticed she was winded but she declined medical aid. Within 30 minutes, she was unresponsive and had no pulse. She was declared dead at Scripps Mercy Chula Vista later that morning. Still, Border Patrol continues to tell people to wait in these camps so they can be processed to enter the country. “I really believe that another person will die unless there is a substantial change to these conditions.” Erika Pinheiro is the executive director of Al Otro Lado. “But the open air-detention sites in Jacumba have continued to grow. We have not seen Border Patrol regularly hand out water, we’ve still had to call 911 multiple times a day for very serious medical emergencies. And so , again, nothing has changed. Humanitarian workers like Pinheiro are frustrated by the lack of local leadership on this issue. They haven’t seen any elected officials pressure CBP to improve conditions. Gustavo Solis, KPBS News.

##########

California is the first state to create an ebony alert system to help find missing black teens and young adults.

Katie Hyson has more.

Hasanni Campbell, Dwight Stallings, Daphane Webbe. Those are the names of a few of the missing Black children in the state. The new ebony alert system is like the amber alert but specifically for Black youth between 12 and 25 years old, who are more likely to go missing than white children. They’re often mislabeled as runaways instead of as abducted, or as juvenile sex workers instead of trafficking victims, says Senator Steven Bradford, who wrote the ebony alert legislation. I hate to say it, but it’s racism. If you can do it for folks that don’t look like us, what else can you attribute it to? That mislabeling lessens the urgency to look for these children, he says. Missing Black children’s cases tend to be open longer than those of white children. Bradford hopes the ebony alert will bring attention to these disparities. It will be put into action January 1st. Katie Hyson, KPBS News

##########

The federal government just gave California more than a billion dollars to improve hydrogen fuel facilities.

Sci-tech reporter Thomas Fudge has more on this important tool in the long-term fight against climate change.

California is one of seven hydrogen hubs nationwide. The U.S. Department of Energy is expecting the hubs to create hydrogen fuel production and distribution networks. Hydrogen is seen as a crucial part of any zero emission energy plan. The only emission that comes from burning hydrogen is water. Tyson Eckerle is one of the state officials who will administer the program.He says California must build an ecosystem that makes hydrogen more plentiful and easy to distribute. The key to launching a hydrogen market is really getting to scale. So the more we can scale across sectors the stronger this ecosystem will be.  In its application for federal funds, California focused on so-called hard-to-decarbonize sectors, including heavy-duty vehicles, power plants and ports. But hydro-powered cars will also be part of the picture. SOQ. 

##########

Coming up.... A new program to secure long-term treatment for people with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders is up and running in San Diego County.. how one father and daughter hope it can help their family.

“I feel that the care court is going to give her that routine back and give her that hope that she may not have at this time.”

We’ll have that story, just after the break.

##########

A new program to secure long-term treatment for individuals with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders is up and running in San Diego County.

Health reporter Matt Hoffman spoke to a father and daughter who are hoping Care Court will help her get her life back.

On a recent weekday at a park in San Ysidro, Na’Kia Lavender describes what parts of the last decade of her life have been like. Losing my family, losing my stability, being homeless, losing my mind Lavender says she was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 28 years old.. She believes it was triggered by substance abuse. Na’Kia Lavender, Southeast San Diego resident I was using cocaine -- and they said it was cocaine and fentanyl when I went into the hospital -- and I think it was the fentanyl that broke the dam The last nine years or so haven’t been easy.. Periodic drug use means she hasn’t always been taking medication meant to treat her symptoms. You go in, you get on the medicine and feeling better and you’re like oh I don’t have to take as much medicine and start dwindling down and it starts creeping back up She describes living with untreated schizophrenia as walking dementia. Until you get the right hormones, the right nutrients in your body that makes you function correctly -- you’re not. It’s hallucinating, it’s seeing things, hearing things -- it’s really bad. And you cant function on your day to day like eating, hydrating, stuff that’s going to keep you alive Na’Kia recently spent a month in jail and was able to get sober.. Something her dad Timothee says was a blessing. Timothee Lavender, Na’Kia’s dad I think that began to change her thought process, change her feeling that she’s needs some help and she can’t do it her own and can’t keep going down the same path Timothee lives in Northern California.. But he’s been with Na’Kia through the ups and downs, something he calls a revolving door, especially when trying to help an adult child. And it leaves you as a parent very frustrated because there’s not much you can do The biggest battle is get nakia to buy into the fact that she needs help Timothee believes a long-term treatment program like Care Court will help his daughter change her life. Care Court has a narrow focus of eligibility.. The treatment program that could be up to two years long is meant for San Diegans living with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. County behavioral health leaders say it’s designed to break the crisis treatment cycle.. I feel that the care court is going to give her that routine back and give her that hope that she may not have at this time County officials say in the first week of the program six petitions for care were filed.. And they expect 1,000 over the next year. Family members, treatment providers, and first responders are among those who can petition the court for someone to have a treatment plan. The plans are unique and will vary from person to person. They could include housing, something Nakia is hoping to get. Now 37, she says she’s ready for long-term care. I need to get myself back together so I can get back into my kids lives so we can get back to normal. Like going to disneyland, six flags. I miss all those things, but if I can’t function I can’t be a part of it… And then when you’re in your mental you run from people, you hide. Because you don’t know what’s going with you so you definitely are ashamed -- it comes with a lot of shame The county says once a petition for CARE Court is submitted a judge will do an initial review within two weeks.. In the meantime Nakia is making tough decisions to cut certain people or triggers from her life that have resulted in substance abuse. It’s like i have another chance and I don’t want to lose it I’m ready to go I’m ready to jump feet first lets go (laughs) Take me in and wash me clean. It’s going to be my baptism Her dad Timothee says there’s been times when he would say he’s done.. But his faith and love for his only daughter is what keeps him invested. With my daughter I couldn’t give up on her because I know she’s going to do some great things one day, she’s going to live a good life and she’s going to take care of those four grandkids i have He’s planning to submit a petition soon. MH KPBS News.

##########

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 Tuesday.