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Family raises questions about ICE detention center conditions after father dies in custody

 January 19, 2026 at 5:00 AM PST

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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson…it’s MONDAY, JANUARY 19TH>>>> FOUR PEOPLE THIS YEAR HAVE DIED WHILE IN ICE CUSTODYMore on ONE OF THOSE DEATHS  next. But first... the headlines…#######

THE MTS BOARD VOTED LATE LAST WEEK TO OPPOSE WAYMO’S EXPANSION INTO SAN DIEGO.

THE BOARD IS LOOKING FOR MORE LOCAL OVERSIGHT AND REGULATION OF THE DRIVERLESS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY 

M-T-S BOARD MEMBER AND SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCILMEMBER SEAN ELO-RIVERA PROPOSED THE RESOLUTION  

HE’S CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT WAYMO COULD HAVE ON JOBS AND PUBLIC SAFETY

WAYMOVOTE 2A (:11)

“What it is, is blanket opposition to no guard rails. That's what we're opposed to– saying there's no rules, you can do whatever you want and the city has no say – that's the issue here.”

THE SAN DIEGO SENIORS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OPPOSES THE MTS VOTE, SAYING THE TECHNOLOGY COULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR SENIORS IN THE REGION.

KPBS REACHED OUT TO WAYMO ABOUT THE RESOLUTION. THEY HAD NO COMMENT. 

WAYMO HAS SAID IT PLANS TO LAUNCH SERVICE IN SAN DIEGO SOMETIME THIS YEAR .

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THE SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK AND MEALS ON WHEELS ARE JOINING

FORCES TO LAUNCH A PILOT PROGRAM 

'GROCERIES ON THE GO' WILL PROVIDE GROCERIES TO SENIORS THAT HAVE LIMITED MOBILITY AND ARE HOMEBOUND

MEALS ON WHEELS  CURRENTLY DELIVERS  PREPARED MEALS

THE PILOT PROGRAM WILL ADD  

GROCERY ITEMS TO THOSE DELIVERIES 

ACCORDING TO BOTH NONPROFITS, THE NEW  PROGRAM WILL

DELIVER GROCERIES FOR UP TO 5 HUNDRED HOUSEHOLDS A 

MONTH ACROSS THE COUNTY

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TODAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY 

DR KING DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO THE  ENDURING MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE, JUSTICE AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY

WORLDBEAT CULTURAL CENTER IS CELEBRATING 

HIS LIFE AND LEGACY WITH EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY

STARTING AT 10 AM IS A MINDFUL WALKING MEDITATION

GOING THROUGH BALBOA PARK THAT WILL FOCUS ON AWARENESS, 

UNITY AND PEACEFUL ACTION

FROM  11 AM TO 5 PM WORLDBEAT IS HOSTING  A COMMUNITY MARKET   FEATURING OFFERINGS FROM LOCAL ARTISANS

AND AT NOON, THEIR MAIN CELEBRATION WILL KICK OFF 

ORGANIZERS SAY THE EVENT IS ROOTED IN CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND UNITY

AND WILL FEATURE DRUM AND DANCE PERFORMANCES FROM MEMBERS OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN, AZTEC AND AFRICAN COMMUNITIES ALONGSIDE A LINEUP OF GUEST SPEAKERS AND LIVE MUSIC

YOU CAN VISIT EVENTBRITE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT

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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A HONDURAN MAN WHO WAS HELD AT A DETENTION CENTER IN CALEXICO DIED THIS MONTH AFTER A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. 

AS TAMMY MURGA REPORTS… ICE  SAYS HIS DEATH IS AMONG FOUR IN THE U.S. SO FAR THIS YEAR.

IVDEATH 1 trt 53 soq

Family, friends and a community of day laborers knew Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz as lively and healthy.

So, it was devastating to learn the 68-year-old man died of heart-related issues while in the custody of U.S. immigration officials.

IVEDEATH 1 00:06

“After arriving to in Calexico, California, he started reporting symptoms of stomach pain.”

Natalie Cisneros is a family friend. She says many are raising questions about the care he received while in custody and whether his death could have been prevented.

IVDEATH 1 00:06

“These spaces are often stressful and have very, very difficult living conditions.”

A private company runs the facility for ICE. A spokesperson said Yanez-Cruz was treated promptly before being sent to a hospital.

ICE announced he was evaluated for chest pain at the Imperial Regional Detention Facility. He died in a hospital on January 6.

Tammy Murga, KPBS News

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THE GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED NEW GUIDELINES ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ON THURSDAY .

REPORTER ELAINE ALFARO SAYS THE CLOSE VOTE FOLLOWS MONTHS OF HEATED DISCUSSIONS AMONG BOARD MEMBERS

GUHIMMIGRATION 1 (1:10) SOC (SS)

The policy now affirms every school will be a “safe and welcoming place for all students and their families irrespective of their citizenship or immigration status.”

Clarissa McLaughlin graduated from West Hills High School. She spoke at the meeting and expressed support for the new guidelines.

Clariss McLaughlin SOT

“It's important for the community to be involved in the schools and to make sure that students have their best chance at success. And part of that comes with knowing that they are safe and protected.”

The updated policy lays out clear steps for teachers and staff if ICE agents show up at schools. Staff will direct ICE officers to an administrator…who is then required to review the officers’ ID.

And it clarifies the district will not share student or family information with ICE agents without a warrant.

Trustees Jim Kelly and Gary Woods voted no. Here’s Kelly.

Jim Kelly SOT

“This is anarchy and this is insurrection. And I cannot support it.”

The other three trustees Scott Eckert, Robert Shield and Chris Fite approved the measure.

The district plans to provide staff training on responding to potential immigration enforcement moving forward.

Elaine Alfaro, KPBS News.

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SHUDDER DOESN’T JUST STREAM HORROR MOVIES, IT ALSO SUPPORTS INDIE FILMMAKERS. ON FRIDAY, IT DEBUTS THE LATEST ADAMS FAMILY FILM, “MOTHER OF FLIES.” 

CINEMA JUNKIE BETH ACCOMANDO SAYS IT SERVES UP A SUPERNATURAL TYPE OF HORROR

MOTHERFLIES (ba) 1:19 SOQ

They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky but this Adams Family spells its name with just one ‘D’ and makes horror films completely outside the studio system. Their latest, Mother of Flies, not only draws on the allure of the wilderness around them in upstate New York but also on personal battles with cancer. The story follows a young woman who wants to fight a terminal cancer diagnosis.

CLIP I want to do this, I know it sounds like a scam, I doubt it will even work. But I gotta try.

So her father takes her into the woods to meet a mysterious woman named Solveig.

CLIP Solveig the witch? Sure, everybody does, she can trick death.

But is she also tricking a desperate woman? Mother of Flies is about faith, magic and science – where they intersect and where they conflict. It’s also a visceral body horror. It’s written and directed by the husband and wife team of John Adams and Toby Poser along with their daughter Zelda. All three star in the film with family member Lulu Adams taking the lead role. They also take on all other production duties to once again deliver a compelling and unique horror tale. This feels the most personal and looks the most gorgeously saturated.

Beth Accomando, KPBS News.

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(0:00) Season two of The Finest Podcast just premiered. (0:03) It's one of our other podcast offerings here (0:05) under the umbrella of KPBS. (0:07) So joining me this week to set off that season two (0:10) is Finest host Julia Dixon-Evans (0:12) and producer Anthony Wallace.

(0:14) Hey, how y'all doing? (0:15) Hey, Lawrence, thanks for having us. (0:17) No problem, I'm so excited. (0:19) Our podcast family is becoming one.

(0:21) We are joining in together. (0:23) Thank you, thank you for saying hi, Anthony. (0:25) Our podcast family is becoming one.

(0:27) How do we feel about this? (0:28) Season two is coming up, how are we feeling, Julia? (0:30) Great, I mean, I'm so excited to have it out. (0:33) This has been, it felt like a really short break, (0:35) but we're back. (0:37) Season two of The Finest, Anthony, (0:39) give me like one word to describe how you're feeling (0:41) as we approach its release.

(0:43) Yeah, wild. (0:44) Wild, okay. (0:45) What's your favorite word on a podcast? (0:46) I can live with wild, I can live with wild.

(0:48) We're only allowed to say it once per episode. (0:50) Okay. (0:51) You're so tempted.

(0:52) One quick personal question for you both (0:54) before we jump into this new season. (0:56) Was there a moment in your life, (0:57) and we'll start with you, Julia, (0:58) during your life's journey that you felt led you (1:01) to the arts or the overall idea of being a creative? (1:06) I mean, this is hard. (1:08) I ask this question of other people all the time, right? (1:11) Like weekly, I've never had it asked of me.

(1:14) Thanks, Lawrence, for making me work. (1:16) I have always been a musician, like from a very young age. (1:20) I think I learned to read music (1:21) around the same time that I learned to read.

(1:24) And so for me, it's just probably been more a question (1:28) of like, when did you realize that this could be work? (1:33) Or when did you realize that this is something (1:35) that you also wanted to make a career out of? (1:39) And that came much, much later. (1:42) Like I had had other careers. (1:44) I'd had kids and turned to writing instead of music.

(1:49) And so writing is what led me (1:50) into the arts scene in San Diego. (1:52) And that led me in this like two-way street, I guess, (1:56) into arts journalism. (1:58) I love that, I love that.

(1:59) What about you, Anthony? (2:00) Yeah, I think like Julia, my arts origin is music. (2:04) I don't know, I've always loved it. (2:06) And for a while, like in college and right out of college, (2:10) I was in a band and that was like the main thing (2:12) that I was doing, touring, making music.

(2:15) And yeah, that's a very difficult thing (2:18) to make a living doing, which we've explored in the podcast. (2:22) And I think around the same time, (2:24) like I started hearing podcasts. (2:26) That was around the kind of first explosion (2:29) of podcasts in 2014.

(2:31) And I kind of, I became obsessed with them (2:35) and kind of realized that podcasts are a way (2:38) to make musical stories and use my musical background (2:43) to tell stories and do journalism. (2:45) Absolutely, and I love some of the stories (2:46) that you all have been telling. (2:48) Julia, for someone who might be checking out (2:50) The Finest podcast for the first time, (2:52) talk to our audience about some of the things (2:54) that they would encounter upon clicking play on The Finest.

(2:58) Well, we're an arts and culture podcast (3:00) and I often say that there's a big emphasis (3:03) on that and culture. (3:05) So it's not just like painters, (3:06) although we do talk to visual artists. (3:10) But we're really looking at like this broad scope (3:13) of what culture and creativity is in a place like San Diego, (3:19) the border region.

(3:20) And we do that by telling stories about people, right? (3:25) This is, you know, it's not necessarily about an event (3:29) or an exhibition or something. (3:33) It's about the people behind it. (3:34) It's like what drives them to create, (3:38) whether it's their business selling tea (3:41) or a restaurant or a musician, but it's like their story.

(3:45) And so I think what people can get from this podcast (3:48) is like real people in San Diego (3:51) who are doing creative things. (3:54) Anthony, The Finest covers all things culture. (3:56) Talk to me about some of the cultural findings (3:58) people would be able to discover in this second season.

(4:01) Resograph printing and like really dive deep (4:04) into the history and a lot of fun facts about this thing (4:08) that you probably didn't know before. (4:10) Chocolate, we talked to a local person (4:14) that makes chocolate in their home. (4:15) So that gets into the intricacies of making chocolate, (4:18) but also having a home kitchen (4:19) and kind of like the legal sides of that (4:23) and how that's changed.

(4:24) Also, a lot of outdoors stuff. (4:26) I'm excited about one that we have coming up (4:28) about basically people who like have discovered new plants (4:32) just like by themselves with their phone. (4:35) These are just regular people that aren't scientists (4:37) that use apps to like take pictures of plants (4:40) and scientists go and look at their profile on these apps (4:44) and find out this is a new species.

(4:46) Have you heard of iNaturalist? (4:48) I have not. (4:49) Tell me more. (4:50) Is that the app? (4:50) It's an app, yeah.

(4:51) Okay, tell me more about it, Julia. (4:53) Well, I mean, these people, the citizen scientists, right? (4:57) They will go and they'll use like their phone (4:59) and hold it up to a plant or a bird or anything (5:03) and it will sort of like create a record in that location (5:07) and yeah, we talked to some people (5:09) who are now cited in scientific papers based on, (5:14) and they're just like regular people. (5:16) Wow, that's really cool (5:17) and as I learned in John Carroll's piece (5:19) about the San Diego Botanic Gardens, (5:21) San Diego County is the most plant biodiverse county (5:24) in the United States (5:25) so it's almost like paying Pokemon Go for new plants, right? (5:30) Like I'm out here just discovering new plants with my app.

(5:34) That's really, really cool (5:34) and speaking of Pokemon, (5:36) there is a story regarding in this upcoming season (5:38) regarding Pokemon. (5:40) Could either one of you take that (5:41) and maybe just give our audience just a little bit? (5:42) I love Pokemon. (5:43) Just tell me a little something, a little something.

(5:44) Yeah, well, we have a new member of our team (5:46) for this season, Audie McAfee. (5:48) We're really excited about working with her (5:50) and she's really passionate about Pokemon (5:52) and so she's looking into kind of, (5:55) you know, and this is another kind of category (5:57) of a lot of our episodes. (5:58) It's just something that's really kind of blown up recently (6:02) like some of the other stuff that we've done.

(6:04) Pokemon is something that used to be big (6:06) and kind of had a cultural lull (6:08) and is like having a resurgence to the point now (6:10) where and we're in the early stages of this episode (6:13) so we'll know more later. (6:14) Point now where it's like, (6:16) can be like unaffordable to buy the cards (6:18) because they're so popular (6:19) and there's this like robust resale value for them (6:22) and it's kind of like a trend (6:23) with trading cards of all kinds. (6:26) I love that.

(6:27) I love that so much, man. (6:27) A little bit of music, a little bit of history. (6:30) You got human voices in there.

(6:32) All these things that fall under this huge umbrella (6:34) that is culture. (6:36) So I thank you both for that. (6:37) Once again, Julia Dixon Evans and Anthony Wallace.

(6:40) Together they make up the finest crew (6:42) which you can visit on our KPBS site (6:44) to check out season two of The Finest. (6:46) Thank you both. (6:47) Thank you, Lawrence.

<<<SHOW CLOSE>>>

That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Lawrence K. Jackson. Thanks for listening and subscribing; by doing so you are supporting public media and I really want to thank you for that. Have a great day!

First, a Honduran man held at a Calexico Detention Center died after a medical emergency. Then, the Grossmont Union High School District board has updated its guidelines on immigration enforcement. Also, our resident Cinema Junkie says you should check out a supernatural form of horror content this week. Plus, this week’s installment of The Pod Behind the Package features another KPBS podcast.