A new UC San Diego study finds harmful chemicals in the air. And insurance claims after last week’s plane crash could get complicated. Then, a conversation about the impacts of broad government austerity on communities. Also, Voice of San Diego’s Scott Lewis says the city’s budget fight could be setting up a serious show-down between the city council and mayor. Finally, San Diego Unified is looking for student and family feedback on a proposed policy that would further limit students’ access to their cell phones at school.
Harmful chemicals from Tijuana River pollution are airborne
May 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM PDT
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, May 29th.
A new study finds harmful chemicals in Tijuana River pollution are airborne.
More on that next. But first... the headlines….
The county public health department says people who’ve had contact with two area homeless shelters could have been exposed to T-B.
This includes residents, employees and volunteers at Father Joe’s Villages Paul Mirabile Center and the San Diego Rescue Mission’s South County Lighthouse.
The possible exposures at the Paul Mirabile center would have been from February 14th to March 18th and from April 6th to May 7th.
Possible exposures at the South County Lighthouse would have been from March 28th to April 11th.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY HAS RECORDED A 28-PERCENT DECREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS OVER THE PAST YEAR. HEALTH OFFICIALS ATTRIBUTE THE DROP IN PART TO EXPANDED ACCESS TO MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT.
HERE’S DR. SAYONE THIHALOLIPAVAN – THE COUNTY’S NEW PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER
“These medications are as effective as blood pressure medications, but we’re not always using them. And there’s a stigma sometimes for people to say ‘Hey I don't want to replace one drug with another drug,’ but you would not say that around hypertension or diabetes or anything like that. ”
THE COUNTY HAS EXPANDED ACCESS TO FDA-APPROVED TREATMENTS LIKE METHADONE.
New bike lanes are coming to University Heights.
Last week, SANDAG awarded a nearly-$27-million-dollar contract for the project.
The bike lanes will stretch almost three miles on University Avenue between Estrella Avenue and 69th Street.
Bike advocates say this stretch is one of the most dangerous in the city for pedestrians and cyclists.
According to the Union-Tribune, construction could begin as soon as this summer.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
A NEW STUDY FROM U-C SAN DIEGO SAYS SEWAGE FROM THE TIJUANA RIVER IS SENDING CHEMICALS INTO THE AIR ALONG THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY COAST.
REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN HAS MORE ON WHAT THE RESEARCHERS FOUND.
The study found that when sewage reaches the ocean … it becomes airborne … carrying harmful particles with them.
“It’s this complicated soup of thousands of chemical compounds, bacteria, viruses all at the same time.”
Adam Cooper is the lead author of the paper. He says some of the compounds include cocaine … methamphetamine … and octinoxate – a compound used in sunscreen.”
And Long-term exposure to these compounds can be detrimental to your health.
“My sinuses are worse than they’ve ever been.”
Dorian Edge has lived in Imperial Beach for 35 years. She says breathing in the toxic air is the cause of her numerous health issues.
“It’s important that people know exactly what they’re breathing. We know there’s something wrong. We just didn’t know what it was.”
The study authors say more research is needed to determine the health effects from long-term exposure to these compounds.
Alexander Nguyen, KPBS News.
THE PLANE CRASH IN TIERRASANTA LAST WEEK THAT KILLED 6 PEOPLE AND INJURED 8 ON THE GROUND… ALSO DAMAGED AND DESTROYED HOMES AND VEHICLES.
REPORTER JACOB AERE SPOKE WITH AN ATTORNEY ABOUT THE INSURANCE OPTIONS FOR THOSE AFFECTED.
The crash left dozens of people in vulnerable situations … without a home to return to… or a vehicle to drive. Now some are left to navigate car insurance claims. Rory Pendergast is a personal injury attorney at Rory Law in San Diego.“If you do have comprehensive insurance the best thing to do is call your broker if you have a broker or just call the insurance company directly and let them know what happened – they should send someone out immediately.”But he says not all insurance policies are adequate for a situation like this.“Unfortunately if you don't have comprehensive the auto policy isn't going to pay you immediately so your only recourse is going after the responsible parties.”The California Department of Insurance said in a statement that they are available to “assist anyone who suffered damage to their vehicle as a result of this terrible accident.” Jacob Aere KPBS News.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM - FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO - PROGRAMS THAT FEED PEOPLE, HELP THEM STAY HEALTHY, FIND JOBS AND ENRICH THEM ARE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. THE PUBLIC IS TAKING AN UNPRECEDENTED HIT. NOAH YEE YICK, OF THE CENTER ON POLICY INITIATIVES, SPOKE TO REPORTER AMITA SHARMA ON WHERE WE MIGHT BE HEADED.
Noah, the House just passed legislation that includes $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.14 million people could lose health coverage, 3 million food stamps.At the same time, the plan headed to the Senate would make permanent trillions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthy.It's called the largest wealth transfer from the poor to the rich in this country's history.How damaging is this level of inequality?
I mean, so what's really important to remember is that budgets are moral documents.They are a statement of our values.With these kinds of budgets, our nation is making it clear—the federal administration is making it clear—what they value, who they value, what their priorities are, and who they're willing to leave behind.The largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich is exactly a reflection of this administration's priorities and where this nation is headed.
It is cutting away from programs and services like food assistance, SNAP, health insurance, education—right?—that are the foundation of a healthy, thriving nation, a healthy, thriving city. And instead putting the priority on profits, on the wealthy and well-connected, over working-class communities, over low-income communities and communities of color.
Meanwhile, California is grappling with a multi-billion dollar deficit and may cut long-term care for the poor and elderly, freeze state workers’ salaries.The city of San Diego is planning to cut library hours, park hours, and public bathrooms.Lake Murray might only be open on the weekends.
Talk to me about what these cuts—federal, state, local, all at the same time—do to a society’s psyche.
I mean, so these budgets of austerity, of chronic disinvestment in people—right?—in these public infrastructures that people rely on to not just thrive, to merely survive, are going to hollow out our city, our state, our nation’s ability to properly respond to crises and are going to leave people further behind.
When we're cutting those things, we're not just cutting hours and closing restrooms and reducing programming—we're losing trust, we are losing community, we're losing care, we're losing belonging, and the sense that what we're building truly belongs to all of us.
I want to pry that a little bit deeper. Libraries, parks, Lake Murray with its natural glory—what role do these places play in binding communities? And when you reduce access, how do residents maintain their sense of community?
It can be really difficult. These cuts will disproportionately impact youth, our seniors, working-class communities, low-income communities, communities of color who have fewer alternatives to these spaces—these options that bring people together.
Libraries, parks and recs, places like Lake Murray, are some of the only—the very few—accessible public spaces that bring people that sense of belonging, that bring people joy, that bring people together and really make it feel like this city is a place that everyone can truly call home.
So when we cut away from that, we're also telling these communities, hey, you don’t matter as much.
So what options do they have to still meet someplace and maintain those community ties?
It’s not about—you know, what ends up happening when those spaces are cut—it’s no. Let’s look at that. Joy is going to be disappearing, it’s going to be harder to access that, and that’s going to have a tremendous impact not just now but in future generations to come.
It’ll have a ripple effect on communities for the future as well.
Let’s probe that point a little bit deeper. You’re a policy advocate committed to what you describe as creating a world where joy is accessible to all. How do you accomplish that in a time of unparalleled cuts?
We need to put pressure on our leaders to put people first, right?When I think of what it means to live with joy: folks are housed, right?I see kids running around, playing, enjoying the diversity of San Diego.People have the ability to swim in a clean ocean, to drink a clean glass of water.They have enough food on the table. They can breathe clean air. They have health care and education.People have good jobs that pay them well and treat them with dignity.
Those are the foundations where joy can be found, but also that facilitate that.And so when we see budgets that disinvest in people, that disinvest in this infrastructure, it is also taking away the ability that people have to find joy in life.
SAN DIEGO MAYOR TODD GLORIA IS MAKING SOME STEEP CUTS IN NEXT YEAR’S FISCAL BUDGET. AND SOME COUNCILMEMBERS AREN’T HAPPY ABOUT IT. IN THIS WEEK’S WHY IT MATTERS SEGMENT, VOICE OF SAN DIEGO CEO SCOTT LEWIS SAYS IT COULD LEAD TO A BIG SHOWDOWN.
We could be headed for the biggest budget standoff in 20 years. It all has to do with cuts the mayor is proposing to parks, libraries and public restrooms. First, we need to know a little history. Twenty years ago, the city switched to the strong mayor form of government. That means, importantly, the council must approve the mayor's budget. Now, jump forward to when Kevin Faulconer was mayor and used a power few people knew he had. He had a disagreement with the council and Faulconer simply put the money back in the budget. I remember thinking: some day that could be a much bigger deal than it was then. That time is now. This year, tensions and disagreements about the budget have reached a new high. And Councilmember Henry Foster suggested in the most public setting yet, something that has only been murmured about in the last several years: Maybe it’s time to put the mayor back on the City Council and go back to a city manager form of government..Here are the areas of dispute: The Council seems particularly interested in restoring park and library hours and services the mayor wants to cut. And here’s what to watch: The mayor will come with a final proposed budget either ignoring the council’s wishes or incorporating them. We could very well be heading down a path we haven’t seen before: I’m Scott Lewis for Voice of San Diego and that’s why it matters.
THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ASKING FOR INPUT ON A NEW CELL PHONE POLICY. MANY SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT ALREADY HAVE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE. BUT EDUCATION REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS THIS WOULD APPLY TO ALL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
District leaders say they met with student advisors and Parent Teacher Associations while drafting the new policy.
In middle school, students would not be allowed to use cell phones at all during school hours. Phones would have to be turned off and stored in backpacks or classroom pouches.
In high school, students could only use their phones before and after school, and during lunch and passing periods. A teacher would need written permission from the principal before allowing students to use them in class. Each classroom would have a phone storage system with assigned slots for students.
The district is asking for feedback from students, families and staff by Friday. The school board plans to review it this summer. The district has proposed implementing it in August.
Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
That’s it for the podcast today. 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.