Construction on the Del Mar bluffs
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, July 15th.
Construction on the Del Mar bluffs. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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San Diego County is now in the CDC’s ‘high risk level for COVID.
A spike in cases and hospitalizations has moved the county from the medium to high Covid 19 community level.
At the high virus level, the CDC recommends wearing masks indoors, staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and getting tested if you have symptoms.
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The San Diego City Attorney's Office is being awarded $1 million dollars as part of a statewide effort to expand outreach and education on the use of gun violence restraining orders.
In exchange, the city attorney’s office will train city attorney’s offices and law enforcement groups across the state on red flag laws.
The laws allow gun violence restraining orders to be issued, to temporarily remove firearms from those at risk of harming themselves or others.
Between 2016 and 2020, more than three-thousand gun violence restraining orders were issued across the state.
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Starting tomorrow, there will be a new way to reach out for help if you are experiencing a substance use or mental health crisis, including thoughts of suicide.
People will be able to call or text 9-8-8 to get help for themselves or a loved one.
They will be connected to trained counselors who can offer confidential support to callers, and connect people to services in their area.
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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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The Del Mar coastline will change as work begins on a project to shore up the crumbling bluffs.
And there's a multi-billion-dollar proposal to move the train tracks on top of the bluffs.
KPBS Environment Reporter Erik Anderson has details.
“To our south is the beginning of two miles of a railroad track that runs right along the very top of this coastal bluff.” Del Mar Council member Terry Gaasterland is taking in the sweeping view on top of the cliff that has grabbed so many headlines recently. “A big collapse could happen anywhere along this bluff at any moment in time. That’s our problem right now.” And that’s trouble for train tracks that skirt the coast along the top of the bluff. A collapse in 1941 deposited a freight train on the beach below. Recent bluff collapses present an ongoing threat to one of the nation’s busiest rail corridors. 09:02:44 (train bay-bee). The threat is serious enough that the California Coastal Commission recently approved another temporary fix. The 68 million dollar project calls for pilings to be driven deep into the bluff. That would secure the track foundation as soon to be built seawalls keep the ocean at bay. But the cost is bigger than just money. “That bluff stabilization project is going to bury 49,000 square feet of current open sandy beach. And it’s going to do it in a way, that at high tide, when the tide meets the seawalls, there’s no beach left.” Maintaining the rail line is very important to a lot of people. The Los Angeles to San Diego tracks serve some two million people a year. It is the second busiest urban rail corridor in the nation. The North County Transit District’s Chris Orlando says the train track helps reduce the region’s carbon footprint. “Our coaster line is the region’s most effective reducer of vehicle miles traveled. So, each coaster passenger is more than 26 VMT miles reduced, so, a really effective way to keep folks off the road in transit.” Orlando says the freight trains also keep 24-thousand trucks off local highways. “Those services and what they mean are critical and so anytime you have a disruption for any period of time it has an impact on our region. So, making sure the resiliency of that infrastructure remains constant is really important to the San Diego region.” That’s why another plan – moving the train tracks inland – is so appealing. But there are challenges there too. Moving the track requires a tunnel under Del Mar, a project with a price tag close to three billion dollars. “Is it a cost worth paying? And the answer is absolutely yes.” San Diego Association of Government’s CEO Hasan Ikhrata says preserving the rail corridor through Del Mar helps meet his agency’s commitment to mass transit. “It is all about making our transit a viable option for people to use. It doesn’t mean that we’re going to force people out of their car. It doesn’t mean that everybody is going to leave their car. But if you provide a decent option. Maybe 10 percent of our residents will use it and therefore will free capacity on the highway system.” 300 million dollars in the just signed state budget will help pay for crucial environmental work and design plans to move the tracks inland. . Ikhrata hopes that leads to a shovel ready project in just a couple of years. But 300 million dollars falls far short of what could be a three-billion-dollar price tag. Congressman Mike Levin says the recently passed bipartisan federal infrastructure law was designed for projects like this. “There are a couple of big buckets of money. One for resilience and another for transit. And my team is going to work very closely with all of our stakeholders at the state and federal level to make sure we are aligned and we are working towards trying to get this project done for all the residents of our region.” Levin says the eroding bluffs have already forced the rail corridor to shut down intermittently and the region has felt the impact. “Every month that you shut it down is roughly a 100-million dollar economic impact to our greater region. Because of the economic importance, each year, of that corridor.” Terry Gaasterland hopes the pressure and opportunity will make the track relocation project a reality for Del Mar. She says everyone wins. “We get double tracking on a corridor that’s poised to grow. We get safe freight and passenger conveyance along tracks that are not on a crumbling bluff anymore. So, we get security and we get solidity.” The tracks will be gone by 2030 if everything goes as planned. But if there are hiccups there is extra time because the temporary fixes will secure the bluffs for 30 years. Erik Anderson KPBS News.”
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This week the FDA approved the nation’s fourth coronavirus vaccine.
Unlike other previously available mRNA shots, Novavax is a protein-based vaccine… giving people another option to bolster their immunity.
Dr. William Seng, with Kaiser Permanente San Diego, joined KPBS’ Jade Hindmon with more on the vaccine and case rates in our county.
Here’s that conversation.
How is the BA.5 variant impacting San Diego County’s coronavirus case rate?
The FDA authorized Novavax which is a protein based vaccine. Do you see this as a promising step toward leveling off the current rise in cases?
How does Novavax work differently than previous messenger RNA vaccines and is it just as effective?
It seems we are in a gray area when it comes to staying protected against COVID. What should people be doing despite mandates being lifted?
That was Dr. William Seng, with Kaiser Permanente San Diego, speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host, Jade Hindmon.
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Coming up.... Pride celebrations are back this weekend. We’ll have details on that and more, next, just after the break.
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Chula Vista City leaders broke ground yesterday (Thursday) on what will be the first homeless shelter in the city’s history.
The project will include sixty-five private housing units and two multi-purpose rooms at a city-owned lot in southern Chula Vista.
Brad Fieldhouse is the president and executive director of the non-profit organization overseeing the upcoming bridge shelter, which will include wrap-around services.
“So it's a reservation only system. So it's not a walk up shelter. Even though it will be low-barrier and we’re going to try and get as many people as possible, the more vulnerable, the more we want to make that work. We’re looking for community ties. We want to make sure there’s connectivity to this city.”
This will not be a congregate shelter, meaning people will be housed in private rooms or tiny houses.
Construction is planned to be finished late this fall.
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Outdoor patios helped many businesses survive the pandemic, but now cities are having to decide whether to keep them.
KPBS North County reporter Tania Thorne has this update.
The city of Solana Beach has extended temporary outdoor patio permits until January. Solana Beach mayor Lisa Heebner says city staff need more time to review the impact the outdoor patios are having on the surrounding areas. “we have to evaluate the impact on the Public right away because sidewalks which is public right away, are now being used for tables and chairs on private parking lots which are now being used for. tables and chairs and are they having any impact on neighboring businesses and on residential neighborhoods. Business owners with temporary outdoor patios are grateful for the short extension. Something not all cities are offering. Temporary outdoor permits in the city of San Diego have expired and businesses will now need to apply and pay fees in order to obtain a permanent patio permit if they wish to keep the patio. TT KPBS News
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San Diego PRIDE is back…
Fernando López, the executive director of San Diego PRIDE, joined KPBS’ Jade Hindmon to talk about this weekend’s Pride festival.
How does it feel to return to a fully in-person PRIDE festival after what I imagine has been a challenging couple of years?
Can you talk about the history of San Diego Pride. How far back does it go?
Now this Saturday marks the return of the Pride Parade and festival. What can we expect from that this year?
Pride includes far more than just this weekend’s parade. What are some other events that are a part of festivities this year.. And even year round?
That was Fernando López, executive director of San Diego PRIDE, speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon.
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We also have a few weekend arts events to share with you, compliments of KPBS arts producer Julia Dixon Evans.
First, there’s a new exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Balboa Park.
It’s a selection of works from artists graduating from regional art programs.
It opens at 6:30 tonight and is free.
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And if you’re in the mood to see a performance this weekend, check out, 'Strings That Bind.'
It’s a Pride event and is about the idea of being seen as "puppets of the system."
The play will combine puppet-style movements, poetry, music, art and dance, and will be performed by nine teens.
The two performances will be today (Friday) at 3 p.m., and tomorrow (Saturday) at 4 p.m., at the Diversionary Theater in University Heights.
It’s free, but a reservation is required.
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And you can put on your dancing shoes tomorrow (Saturday) for the 2022 San Diego International Mariachi Summit Gala Concert.
Performers include the San Diego Binational Symphony Orchestra, soloists and more.
The concert starts at seven tomorrow (Saturday) night, at the San Diego Civic Theater in downtown.
You can find details about these and more arts events, and sign up for the weekly KPBS Arts newsletter, by visiting KPBS dot ORG slash ARTS.
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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is produced by KPBS Senior Radio Producer Brooke Ruth and Producer Emilyn Mohebbi. 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.
