Local woman’s story sheds light on conditions for detainees
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson, it’s FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12TH>>>> [LOCAL WOMAN’S STORY SHEDS LIGHT ON CONDITIONS FOR DETAINEES… ]More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines…########
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS ADDING A MILITARIZED ZONE ALONG THE BORDER IN IMPERIAL AND SAN DIEGO COUNTIES
THE AP IS REPORTING THAT ON WEDNESDAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR SAID IT WILL TRANSFER AUTHORITY OVER THE AREA TO THE NAVY
THIS HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN DONE IN OTHER AREAS TO ALLOW TROOPS TO APPREHEND IMMIGRANTS FOR TRESPASSING ON MILITARY BASES.
THE NEWLY DESIGNATED ZONE EXTENDS FROM ARIZONA’S STATE LINE TO THE OTAY MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS,
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT DESCRIBES THE NEW ZONE AS A HIGH-TRAFFIC AREA FOR UNLAWFUL IMMIGRANT CROSSINGS
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THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED A MEASURE THIS WEEK AIMING TO EXPAND THE USE OF SOLAR ENERGY IN LOW-INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
ITS BEING CALLED 'THE SOLAR ADVANTAGE PROGRAM'
IT ASKS COUNTY OFFICIALS TO IDENTIFY ANY COUNTY-OWNED OR LEASED PROPERTIES THAT COULD BE UTILIZED FOR SMALLER-SCALE SOLAR-POWER PROJECTS
BOARD CHAIR TERRA LAWSON-REMER PROPOSED THE MEASURE
A STATEMENT FROM HER OFFICE SAYS MANY DEVELOPERS WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM BUT STRUGGLE TO FIND LEASABLE SITES ON COUNTY-OWNED LAND
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RADY CHILDREN'S MAIN CAMPUS PUT ON ITS 8TH ANNUAL 'LIGHT THE WAY' PARADE OF LIGHTS THIS WEEK
THE EVENT BRINGS HOLIDAY SPIRIT TO CHILDREN WHO ARE SICK OR INJURED AND SPENDING THEIR HOLIDAY IN THE HOSPITAL
THE PARADE OF LIGHTS BEGAN WITH A COUNTDOWN FROM SAN DIEGO FIRE-RESCUE AND SOME LOCAL LIFEGUARDS!
FIRST RESPONDERS THEN DROVE THEIR VEHICLES AROUND THE HOSPITAL, FLASHING THEIR LIGHTS AND SIRENS TO MARK
THE START OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON
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 UKRAINIAN WOMAN IN SAN DIEGO RELEASED THIS WEEK FROM FEDERAL DETENTION SAYS SHE’S STILL SCARED AND UNSURE OF HER FUTURE.
REPORTER TAMMY MURGA SAYS HER TESTIMONY IS SHEDDING LIGHT ON CONDITIONS OFTEN HIDDEN OR DENIED BY IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS.
*Soundbite of Viktorria*
“Viktorria says, ‘I’m distressed. I can’t, like, focus. I still can’t get why I have found myself in this situation and what’s gonna be next.’”
Viktor Korol is Viktorria Bulavina’s (Bull-ahv-nah) husband. He watches her fidget with the long sleeves of her black shirt as he translates for her.
His wife is still shaken by the three days she says she spent in the basement of a federal building downtown. She was arrested after a green card interview.
*Soundbite of Viktorria* (50:44:00-
Bulavina says she and other women detainees couldn’t sleep. They were too cold and crammed.
They pressed breakfast trays onto their bodies while they were still warm. They used exposed toilets.
“I hate to say the e word. The word evil, you know, but it is.”
Scott Santarosa is pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Barrio Logan.
“Is it worse to stay completely in the shadows or to come forward and try to be going through the right door? Well, then this system is not rewarding that.”
He has witnessed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest people as they head to their court hearings and green card interviews.
ICE did not respond to a request for comment. Tammy Murga, KPBS News
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A PROPOSED CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT CLAIMS SHARP HEALTHCARE RECORDED EXAM-ROOM CONVERSATIONS USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLEGENCE…WITHOUT TELLING PATIENTS.
HEALTH REPORTER HEIDI DE MARCO BREAKS DOWN THE COMPLAINT.
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SHARPSUIT 1 :58 soq
A San Diego patient says he went in for a checkup at Sharp Rees-Stealy in July. And later found out audio from the visit had been recorded without consent.
That’s the claim at the center of a proposed class-action lawsuit filed against Sharp HealthCare. It says Sharp started using an artificial intelligence app called Abridge in April. The recording tool listens in on doctor visits and drafts clinical notes.
The lawsuit says the app recorded everything said in the exam and sent the audio to Abridge’s servers.
The key allegation is the patients never knew. California law requires all parties to consent to recording confidential conversations.
The lawsuit seeks damages, corrections to medical records, and a court order stopping Sharp from using the tool without consent.
Sharp says it can’t comment on pending litigation.
Heidi de Marco, KPBS News.
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EARLIER THIS YEAR, KPBS UNCOVERED A CRUDE VOICE MESSAGE FROM A TOP OFFICIAL IN THE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES. IN IT THE OFFICIAL CALLED FOR MORE DOGS TO BE EUTHANIZED.
REPORTER ELAINE ALFARO SAYS KPBS HAS NOW OBTAINED AN APOLOGY LETTER FROM THE OFFICIAL.
ACAPOLOGY 1 (1:07) SOC
The contents of the recording are jarring, especially when considering the source.
“I’m so sick of us keeping sh** dogs that aren’t going to get adopted.That’s why we’re overcrowded. Call me heartless but I’m also realistic.”
That’s the voice of Rachael Borrelli, the department’s number two official. KPBS confirmed she went on leave in September.
Molly Higgins is a former Carlsbad Shelter volunteer. She says the voice message reflects Borrelli’s attitude toward euthanasias.
“I wasn't surprised because that's just very on-brand for the Rachael Borelli that I knew and experienced at the shelter.”
KPBS obtained Borrelli’s apology letter through a California public records act request.
The Department of Animal Services would not agree to an interview, but sent a statement regarding the recording.
QUOTE “We are not able to discuss personnel matters, but the recording previously reported does not reflect the values or mission of the County of San Diego, and it is not representative of the caring and dedicated work of the Department of Animal Services staff.” END QUOTE
Elaine Alfaro, KPBS News.
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NATIONAL CITY’S VACATION RENTAL OPERATORS MAY HAVE TO RACE FOR A PERMIT TO KEEP OPERATING. INEWSOURCE REPORTER CRYSTAL NIEBLA (KRIS-TUL KNEE-AY-BLAH) EXPLAINS WHY.
AIRBNBRULES (:37) TAG (WRAP)
National City’s new law is meant to prevent crime allegedly happening at short-term rentals.
Now, only 45 vacation homes per council district will be allowed.
Councilmember Jose Rodríguez led the passage of these new rules.
“There will inevitably be a race for some of these permits, which is something that individual property owners will have to make sure to stay on top of and apply quickly if they wish to operate a short term rental property in National City.”
City officials expect to start issuing permits next year.
For KPBS, I’m inewsource reporter Crystal Niebla.
TAG: inewsource is an independently funded, nonprofit partner of KPBS. This story is part of our Public Matters partnership. To find out more, go to kpbs dot org slash public matters.
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THERE’S A CORNER OF THE COUNTY, WHERE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE 37 ACRES OF LUSH GARDENS ANY TIME.
IN DECEMBER’S MUSEUM A MONTH, REPORTER JOHN CARROLL TELLS US WHY THE SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN IS SO SPECIAL, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
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BOTANICGARDEN 4:55 SOQ
((START SILENT))
TRACK:
What sounds does a garden make?
((BIRDS))
TRACK:
There are birds…
((RUSTLING BREEZE?))
TRACK:
A breeze rustling through trees…
((DISTANT TRAFFIC))
TRACK:
And in this case… distant traffic. It’s all what you might expect to hear at the San Diego Botanical Garden… and the traffic? Well, that’s because this garden is surrounded by the city of Encinitas and Interstate 5 is less than two miles away.
As to what you see in this garden? That’s a long list.
SOT 13:41 - 13:44
“We all have our little section that we love the most.”
TRACK:
That’s the garden’s President and CEO, Ari Novy. He says during COVID, when he’d walk through the garden alone, he thought about experiencing it as a visitor.
SOT 13:53 - 14:18
“I found myself drawn to the natural parts of the garden. And especially, we have a trail that we call our Native Plants, Native People’s Trail. And that’s a part of the garden that was really designed in collaboration with the Jamul band of Kumeyaay Native Americans.”
TRACK:
There are in fact more than 5,000 plant species and varieties in the garden… along with the Native People’s Trail, they are represented across 28 other themed gardens, including the largest public bamboo collection in North America. But even with all these plants, the garden is, in fact, a museum.
SOT 10:05 - 10:17
“If the definition of a museum is a collection-based institution, we are a collection of living plants. In fact, one of the certification bodies for botanic gardens is the American Alliance of Museums. And so, absolutely we are a museum.”
TRACK:
It probably wouldn’t elicit much surprise to say San Diego County is a great place for a garden of any size. Just look at all the agriculture here. In fact, Novy says there really isn’t any better place for a garden in the continental United States.
SOT 22:40 - 22:48
“San Diego County is the most plant biodiverse county in the United States, meaning we have more plant species native to San Diego County than any other county in the United States.”
TRACK:
Novy says - like the San Diego Zoo - an important part of the garden’s mission is preservation.
SOT 22:53 - 23:06
“There’s a lot of endangered and threatened plants here in San Diego County that really need help. And so we’re able to be a big part of the - you know it really takes a village to do this work, but we’re a really important member of that village doing that kind of work.”
TRACK:
Back to the sounds that emanate from this garden… at this time of year, there is this.
((HOLIDAY MUSIC))
That music accompanies Lightscape… what Novy calls a dazzling one mile-long trail of color and light throughout the garden.
SOT 20:03 - 20:06 - 20:31 - 20:43
“And so we heard about this wonderful program at Chicago Botanic Garden… //CUT TO 20:10// And we thought, wow we really love the way this holiday light show is for a botanic garden. It is highlighting the plants. Many of the artists who design the exhibits, they study the plants, where those exhibits are going to be, and the exhibits live on the plants, but in a respectful manner, in a safe manner for the integrity of the plants. //CUT TO 20:35// So we thought, oh this is great. We want to have a holiday light show that’s elevated, but that considers the garden an equal co-star together with the visions of the artists.”
TRACK:
Lightscape takes about an hour to an hour and a half to experience… and there is a separate charge in addition to the regular admission. It runs through January 4th.
The extra money that comes in from Lightscape helps the garden in a number of ways, including its education programs.
SOT 24:45 - 24:51 - 25:21
“If we’re not educating at every phase of life, then we’re not doing our jobs. The programs here start at early childhood. //CUT TO 24:59// And then every single age, going all the way up to college, and then we begin the lifetime learning for adults. I mean, you can come here and learn how to care for your orchids or do ikebana or bonsai. We have birding programs, butterfly identification programs, all kinds of horticulture. We are committed to the lifelong learning about anything and everything that is plant or plant-adjacent.”
TRACK:
The San Diego Botanic Garden traces its roots to a donation of land to the county by Ruth Larabee. That was in 1957, but it didn’t open until 1970. Then it was known as the Quail Botanic Gardens. 55-years later, it’s going strong with big plans for the future.
SOT 23:13 - 23:27
“The board of the garden has approved a 20-year master site plan, which in today’s dollars includes $100 million worth of improvements to the garden. And it’s a lot of new capacity, new science and conservations buildings and centers, new gardens.”
((NATS/GARDEN))
TRACK:
Gardens have always held a special place in the human heart… The San Diego Botanic Garden, with its views of the Pacific Ocean offers a place to reconnect with nature, to find refreshment and renewal in a part of San Diego County you could call a slice, of paradise. JC, KPBS News.
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AS WE DO FOR YOU EACH AND EVERY FRIDAY, WE HAVE SOME WEEKEND EVENT IDEAS FOR YOU AND YOURS
FOR TEN WHOLE DAYS, THE DEL MAR FAIRGROUNDS WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A HOLIDAY FESTIVAL DECKED OUT WITH A SKATING RINK, LIGHT DISPLAYS, VENDORS MARKET AND MORE
IT KICKS OFF TODAY
ON SATURDAY, ENJOY CURATED SOUNDS BY THE SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT THE RADY SHELL
THEY ARE PRESENTING A SCREENING OF THE CHRISTMAS HIT, ‘THE HOLIDAY’ WHILE PERFORMING THE MUSICAL SCORE TO THE FILM, LIVE
AND ON SUNDAY YOUR SAN DIEGO SEALS WILL KICK OFF THEIR SEASON WITH A HOME OPENER AGAINST THE ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS
THAT TAKES PLACE AT PECHANGA ARENA AT 2 PM
THERE WILL BE A HOME OPENER TAILGATE WITH MUSIC,
GAMES AND A MECHANICAL BULL FOR ANYONE BRAVE ENOUGH
TO RIDE IT
WHATEVER YOU DO DECIDE TO DO THIS WEEKEND, PLEASE ENJOY!!
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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is edited by Brooke Ruth and hosted and produced by me, Lawrence K. Jackson. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
