High lead levels in day care center water

Good Morning, I’m Erik Anderson, in for Debbie Cruz…. it’s Friday, June 16th.

The water at a San Diego daycare center has the highest lead levels in the state. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….

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A temporary wall is being considered to protect the railroad tracks in San Clemente from unstable cliffs.

Falling debris has closed the tracks to passenger service between San Diego and Orange Counties.

For now, there’s a bus bridge between Irvine and Oceanside.

San Clemente mayor Chris Duncan said that earlier this week he decided not to take the train to San Diego.

“It's just not optimal. It takes a lot of extra time – you've got to get off the train, get back on the bus, then go up there. For me we just decided to drive down to Carlsbad.”

Rail service provider Metrolink is expected to hire a contractor to design and build the wall on an emergency basis to speed up construction.

According to a metrolink official, passenger rail service is expected to resume later this summer.

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Two men, including a U-S Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton are accused of firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa last year.

F-B-I agents and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service arrested 21-year-old Tibet Ergul, and 23-year-old Chance Brannon on Wednesday.

Brannon is an active-duty Marine.

The men are accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the entrance of the Planned Parenthood building, which led to a fire.

According to reporting by NBC News, Brannon is being held without bond, and Ergul is expected back in court today for his hearing.

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All public San Diego County offices, health clinics, libraries, family resource centers and animal shelters will be closed on Monday… in observance of Juneteenth.

It’s a federal holiday marking the day the last enslaved people in the U-S learned they were free.

And if you’re looking for a local event to commemorate the holiday, there will be a celebration at UC-SD Park and Market on Sunday.

It will be a celebration of black art, music and community… with food, drinks and performances by local musicians.

The event starts at noon, and ends at 7.

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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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Our newsroom recently looked at the outcome of a state law that mandates child care centers in California test their water for lead..

Most lead levels were within safe standards, but some had high levels…

One San Diego daycare had the highest level in the state.

Health reporter Matt Hoffman has more.

More than 130 child care centers in San Diego County had lead levels above the state’s baseline of five lead parts per billion. A new interactive map on KPBS.org lets people look at the results themselves.The CDC says there’s no safe level of lead. -- So what if it’s found in drinking water? Dr. Justin Seltzer is a medical toxicology fellow and emergency room physician with UC San Diego Health.. He says there’s no simple answer. If you’re like well my kid went to this daycare six years ago and I don’t know what to do about that -- it’s a conversation ultimately to have with your pediatrician Seltzer says when it comes to lead -- the total picture needs to be looked at -- how long someone might have been exposed, did it come from a source of water that was regularly used, and what were the potential exposure levels. MH KPBS News.

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The Navy wants to significantly increase how often three aircraft carriers can be in port at its North Island base, potentially increasing traffic in and out of Coronado.

Military reporter Andrew Dyer has more.

Right now, the Navy limits the number of days per year all three San Diego based nimitz-class aircraft carriers are in port to just 29. Each carrier has more than 3,000 sailors assigned to it. But last week the Navy announced it would study the impact of increasing that number more than six times to 180 days per year. (Reporter) The Navy says the change is needed to accommodate changing operations and maintenance schedules. They also say the base isn’t currently able to support the new Ford class aircraft carriers. (Reporter) Navy officials will hold three public meetings at the end of June – in Logan Heights, Coronado and Imperial beach. (Reporter) The study will take almost two years and the Navy will make a final decision in the spring of 2025. Andrew Dyer, KPBS News.

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The latest class of San Diego police officer hopefuls just started training in the police academy.

They’re being led by someone unconventional … who is already making an impact on the future of policing.

Reporter Kitty Alvarado has her story.

Welcome to day two of the Police Academy at the San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute. Here, new recruits are pushed to their limits to prepare them for what they will encounter on the streets and neighborhoods of San Diego County and beyond. I don't want you looking like a gaggle of yellow shirts running across the quad, understand And training the next generation of officers is one of San Diego Police Department's finest officer, Lisa Hartman. There's going to be pain with this profession, there's going to be sweat with this profession, there's going to be uncomfortable with this profession. Her presence commands respect in a profession dominated by straight white men. This 20 year law enforcement veteran is in charge of one of the most important aspects of the police academy. Never would have thought becoming a police officer I'd be able to use my master's degree in exercise science, but here I am, I run the physical training program for the new kids as well as mental illness. You heard that? Right? Mental illness being physically strong used to be what mattered most as a cop. But there's been a shift back when I was a baby cop. We didn't have that. We had, hey, you come to work, you do your job, anything you see here, traumas you go through at work. I figure out how to deal with it. It was kind of like a mentality. The new mental your life also depends on learning how to cope with what you see, experience and feel on the job. This has become standard training. Hartman helped usher in that change. About five years ago, we actually started a two hour block for the recruits to learn how to understand what they're going to go through. In this career. From shift work being hyper vigilant, they quickly found it made a difference. So they incorporated even more time in the next academy. According to the National Institute's health, people who work in law enforcement are 54% more likely to die of suicide than any other job except firefighting and for women on the force, it's even higher. I still suffer from things I've seen and it's always there. It's truly a career that sticks with you. It's a tough career. She says teaching these new recruits how to recognize and deal with mental distress before it becomes destructive, can save their lives and others too. We really need to take care of our officers for longevity to really be aware of suicide prevention and let these kids know, hey, it's ok to go ask for help. Recently retired SDP, Assistant chief, Sarah Creighton says, what they learn is as important as who's doing the training to be firm, empathetic and compassionate and all the things that really are required today of a police officer. She says, Hartman brings that and more the ideal employee, somebody who can go out there and connect with the people who are at their absolute worst. You have by far impact me more than anybody in this department. You will always be a big part of my life. The confidence in her ability to lead here comes from knowing she's not just respected, but that people who work with her care about her, everything about her.She has two sons, a grandson and a partner, just like with my boys. I'm very blessed to have her in my life. She says for years, she didn't share that with anyone, not even her family, it's hard, it's stifling you kind of lose a of you whether it be LGBTQ community, Black Muslim, whatever. If they see people in those positions, it makes them feel like, hey, you know what I can do that and that she says will also help departments that are struggling too in some ways. It's almost disheartening. So many of us are the good ones, but the few bad ones make it very challenging. Her impact is evident in this 135th Police Academy. This class has about twice the number of female recruits than the average recruit. Brenda Sotomayor says it's allowed her to dream big. Thank you for showing us the way seeing females in roles like yours. It inspires us if I get to, you know, one recruit, I feel like I've made a difference. Kitty Alvarado kpbs News.

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Coming up.... If you’re looking for plans this weekend, grab some snacks and a blanket, because the county is showing free movies in the park! We’ll have that and more, just after the break.

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More than 50 years ago, “Farmer Bill” Tall created the City Farmers Nursery in City Heights.

Now, the city of San Diego has given the late Farmer Bill a special honor.

Reporter Melissa Mae tells us how his family is continuing his legacy.

MM: Right off the busy intersection of Home and Euclid Ave. in City Heights is City Farmers Nursery… If you aren’t looking for it, you might miss it, but it has been a part of the community for over 50 years. MM: Bill Tall, better known as ‘Farmer Bill’ to the community passed away a little over two years ago, but his legacy lives on through the nursery and District 9’s newest honorary street, Farmer Bill Drive at the intersection next to the nursery. MM: Farmer Bill’s son Sam is now the co-owner of the nursery. ST “He used the nursery just to be able to connect to people. We had people that sent in cards that said, ‘Without meeting Farmer Bill, I don’t think I’d be here. He was more than just Farmer Bill, he meant a lot to a lot of people.” MM: According to Sam, his dad made an impact in the community through his help with school gardens and other ways than just donating money. Melissa Mae KPBS News.

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The Old Globe Theatre has just appointed Adena [Ah-dee-nah] Varner as its new Director of Arts Engagement.

She will lead a department of more than 30 employees and teaching artists who engage tens of thousands of people in theatre and theatre-related programming.

Although she does not assume the position until August, arts reporter Beth Accomando spoke with her about the work she will be doing.

TAG: That was Adena [Ah-dee-nah] Varner, the new director of arts engagement at the Old Globe Theatre, speaking with KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando.

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And before you go…a summer tradition is in full swing across the county - “Summer Movies in the Park” will show 150 movies at different parks across the county this summer.

It’s free and something you can do with the family, or maybe even for a date night.

Movies showing tonight include “Soul” at Scripps Ranch Community Park at 6 o-clock, and “Minions: The Rise of Gru” at the Carmel Valley Community Park at 6-30.

The full line up of movies can be found at summer-movies-in-the-park-dot-com.

Don’t forget to grab a lawn chair, blanket and maybe even some popcorn before heading out the door.

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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is produced by KPBS Producer Emilyn Mohebbi and edited by KPBS Senior Producer Brooke Ruth. We’d like to thank KPBS producer Ben Lacy and KPBS reporter Matt Hoffman for helping the podcast team this week. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. To all the dads out there, Happy Father’s Day. We’ll be back on Tuesday, in observance of Juneteenth. I’m Erik Anderson. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.