Members of Congress investigating Frontwave Credit Union
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, April 26th.
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Members of congress are investigating Oceanside-based Frontwave Credit Union.
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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A fire broke out yesterday afternoon on the Oceanside Pier.
It was reported just after 3 p-m.
Oceanside mayor Esther Sanchez said the city was almost done with the engineering to update the more than 100-year-old pier.
“We have a sense of urgency because 100 years, that's how long she was supposed to last. She's starting to show age because she's starting to fall apart."
There were no immediate reports of any injuries.
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The U-S-S Midway Museum and the Port of San Diego broke ground yesterday (Thursday) on Freedom Park at the Navy Pier.
The project is expected to be the largest veterans park on the West Coast.
A statement from the Midway said Freedom Park will enhance a public destination on the waterfront, and pay tribute to those who have worn the nation’s uniform.
The park will feature a nature garden, memorials, monuments, seating and interpretive signage.
It is estimated to cost around 65 million dollars, and will open in 20-28.
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Today’s weather is going to be similar to yesterday’s, with a chance of scattered showers.
But the gloomy weather won’t last long.
The National Weather Service says it’s expected to warm up over the weekend.
Today’s temperatures in the inland and coastal areas will be in the low 60s, in the deserts, temps will be in the low 70s, and in the mountains, it’ll be in the high 40s.
The Wind Advisory for the mountain and desert areas will be in effect until 11 tonight.
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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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Members of congress have launched an investigation into Oceanside-based Frontwave Credit Union.
Last month, investigative reporter Scott Rodd revealed how the credit union collects millions of dollars in overdraft fees from young marines every year.
Senator Elizabeth Warren wants answers from Frontwave Credit Union. “Because we were concerned that young Marine recruits are just plain being cheated by this Credit Union.” The Democratic lawmaker is spearheading an investigation to determine if Frontwave is violating the law. The company has an exclusive arrangement with the Marine Corps. A KPBS investigation found that thousands of recruits who come through boot camp in San Diego are funneled into the credit union each year. It also found Frontwave relies on overdraft penalties as an essential source of revenue. “This is just one more example of a financial institution homing in on young vulnerable service members.” Frontwave CEO Bill Birnie declined to comment. A number of other Congress members signed onto the investigation…including Senators Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, JD Vance and House Representative Sara Jacobs.
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More than 17 million dollars in new federal funding is coming to North County for nine community projects.
The funds are from the government funding bill President Biden signed last month.
One of the projects is for new forensic D-N-A equipment for the San Diego County Sheriff's department.
Sheriff Kelly Martinez said the technology is much needed.
“What happens a lot of time with cold case crimes is we have dna samples, but they've either degraded or there's such a small amount that we aren't able to test them properly. this technology will allow us to do that.”
The D-N-A testing tools will be available to more than 30 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the region.
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San Diego is looking to add tens of thousands of new homes in Hillcrest.
And with the neighborhood short on open space, some are looking to the 163 freeway for a new park.
Here’s metro reporter Andrew Bowen with more.
AB: Glenn Younger is owner of Grah Safe & Lock. The business occupies a 110-year-old building right next to the 163. That proximity to the freeway can be convenient… but it has its downsides. GY: It's noisy and smelly and there's black dust — I think it's tire dust — everywhere. That comes with it. So we have to wash the windows more often than you would think. AB: Younger recalls about a decade ago, Hillcrest businesses were exploring the concept of covering parts of the 163 to create new plazas or parks. The idea never really took off — freeway lids are complex and very expensive. But now that the city is updating the Hillcrest community plan to add a lot more high-density housing, Younger thinks the idea is worth revisiting. The freeway takes up about five acres of prime Hillcrest real estate. GY: If I had a magic wand and I talk to anybody in Hillcrest, "If I could give you five acres, would you take it?" Everybody would say absolutely! Please give me five acres! Well, we've got it here, it's just being used for air right now. AB: Air, and a freeway. The City Planning Department told KPBS they're open to the idea of a freeway lid — if people ask for it. Making it happen could cost hundreds of millions of dollars and require close collaboration between the city and Caltrans. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
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Despite yearly efforts to update flu vaccines to match prevalent virus strains, their effectiveness varies between 40 and 60-percent as viruses mutate.
Health reporter Heidi De Marco tells us about a new vaccine strategy offering the potential for protection against all strains, including those with pandemic potential.
Researchers at University of California, Riverside, have introduced a new vaccine strategy that they say promises to be effective against any virus strain, potentially eliminating the need for yearly shots or boosters. UC Riverside virologist Rong Hai says instead of targeting a unique feature of a virus – usually a protein – his approach targets genetic material common to ALL viruses. I think it will help some people have some doubt for vaccination gain the trust for the vaccine technology…I truly believe vaccine is the best means to protect us for future potential pandemic. Traditional vaccines rely on the body's immune response to fight off viruses, but Hai says this can be challenging for babies and those with weak immune systems. This new vaccine method uses tiny molecules called RNA– that everyone produces – to fight off infections. For now, the vaccine works in mice. The next step is to see how humans respond, although that may be a few years away. Heidi de Marco, KPBS News.
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This week, the county began annual larvicide drops in mosquito prone areas like lagoons, creeks and rivers.
Reporter Melissa Mae explains how they do it.
MM: Mosquito numbers rise as the weather starts to get warmer and when there are more mosquitoes there’s a higher risk of the diseases they transmit. MM: Allison Bray with the San Diego County Vector Control Program explains their mosquito prevention efforts. AB “We actually inspect and treat over 1,500 sites known to breed mosquitoes throughout the county. In April every year we start our helicopter aerial larvicide treatments, sites that are too big or too difficult to treat by hand.” MM: Helicopters drop larvicide on 52 local waterways covering nearly 14-hundred acres! MM: Bray says larvicide is made up of a bacteria that naturally occurs in soil. MM: To help residents with large standing water elements like ponds, unused swimming pools or fountains in their yards, the Vector Control Program has free mosquitofish available to pick up. Melissa Mae KPBS News.
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Coming up.... We have the 4-1-1 on some arts and culture events happening in the county this weekend. We’ll have details on those, just after the break.
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Coming up at San Diego Civic Theater – the San Diego Opera’s Madama Butterfly.
Reporter Jacob Aere got a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making such a grand production, and spoke with one of the stars and directors ahead of the show.
Love, loss and honor are central themes in Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly … an Opera that's ready to take to the stage in San Diego once again. General Director of the San Diego Opera David Bennett says he’s feeling a little bit anxious and tired, but overall he’s excited. David Bennett General Director San Diego Opera “So this is one of Puccini's greatest operas. And many people think of Puccini as the greatest opera composer, so it's very well known. It came after two other very big successes – La Boheme and Tosca and this is a very different world.” KPBS was able to get access to a rehearsal inside the nearly 3,000 seat Civic Theater to see what goes into creating such a complex performance. David Bennett General Director San Diego Opera “This is Puccini who was an Italian, end of the 19th century very beginning of the 20th century, writing about asian culture from his Italian perspective. And so the way he sets the score is vastly different from what he composer before, it's actually very highly influenced by actual French composition, which is very delicate.” The story focuses on a young woman who supports herself as a geisha after her disgraced father takes his life. The performance stars soprano Corinne Winters, who plays that woman – Cio-Cio San. Corinne Winters Lead Star in Madama Butterfly “This character for her very young years is highly intelligent and also very naive. She is very feisty and angry and at the same time has so much grace and politeness and courtesy.” Winters has played this role three times before ... and says Cio-Cio San is a vulnerable character … that’s emotionally and musically difficult to tackle. Corinne Winters Lead Star in Madama Butterfly “Having to sing this intense, complicated opera from a musical standpoint and the amount of stamina and technique required to sing a piece like this with those two factors always at play is a lot.” The San Diego Symphony will guide the show… and the stage will be adorned with Japanese-inspired decor to match the story line, says director of Madama Butterfly, Jose Maria Condemi. Jose Maria Condemi Director of Madama Butterfly “It's a traditional setting of the piece – in 1904, 1906. And it's visually very striking because of all those levels. If you sit in different seats in the house you get a very different experience of it.” Bennet says they took extra care to be culturally accurate in the smallest details. David Bennett General Director San Diego Opera “We are making sure that we are doing everything with real cultural awareness and cultural knowledge, down to the way everyone moves, the way everyone steps, the way you fold your garments, where the obi actually sits.” In the story, Cio-Cio-San falls desperately in love with an American Naval Officer … and marries him. But he leaves her for three years … and while gone, she bears his son … and he takes an American wife. This leads to an unraveling of her identity. Jose Maria Condemi Director of Madama Butterfly “She not only married an American in the early 20th century, but she rejected her own culture. And she was rejected in turn, so that creates a very dramatic conclusion to the piece.” With such a powerful story … that requires great acting and voice … Winters digs deep for inspiration. Corinne Winters Lead Star in Madama Butterfly “It shows each character as a multi-dimensional human with a journey and with their light, I guess – the light side of their personality – and their demons. And each character has it.” This isn't the first time that the Civic Theatre has put on this opera … but it's a great opportunity for those new and seasoned to experience a show. Jose Maria Condemi Director of Madama Butterfly “It is a perfect piece for a newcomer to the opera because it's accessible, the music is sweeping and it really goes straight to your heart.” The two performances are sung in Italian with English and Spanish text projected above the stage … and take place Friday evening and Sunday afternoon at San Diego Civic Theater. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.
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Reporter Jacob Aere also tells us about the Adams Avenue Unplugged Festival.
He says it will feature more than 60 live musical performances.
Inside restaurants, bars, and coffee houses … and on some patios … live, original music is about to take over Normal Heights and surrounding areas for Adams Avenue Unplugged. Julia Sanchez is assistant director with the Adams Avenue Business Association, who puts on the event. “We have acoustic, jazz, folk – even bigger bands that might be plugged in, but they're still like kind of an acoustic guitar base to it.” This year the festivities will begin Friday night with a film about the festival's founder … but the main action takes place from noon to midnight on Saturday across 20 different stages. The headliner concert, by the California Guitar trio, and the film are paid events. Everything else is free to enjoy. KPBS News.
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Booksellers across the country will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day this weekend.
But San Diego is taking it a step further by putting together the San Diego Book Crawl.
During the crawl, you can win prizes for the more bookstores you visit and the more shopping you do.
The event celebrates and elevates indie bookstores.
Thirteen bookstores are participating this year and will hold author talks and promotions as part of the crawl.
Some of the bookstores participating include Bay Books in Coronado, Joyride Bookshop in Liberty Station, Verbatim Books in North Park and the UC-SD Bookstore.
Susan Lee is this year’s author ambassador.
She says bringing awareness to independent bookstores is important.
“I think more so than ever, Independent Bookstore Day and something like the San Diego Book Crawl is crucial because with big box stores and with the growth of online retails who underprice, I think there’s a real risk that Independent bookstores aren’t going to be as successful as we need them to be and quite frankly Indies are where we find a lot more diversity on the shelves.”
The Book Crawl starts tomorrow (Saturday), and runs through Monday.
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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is produced by Emilyn Mohebbi and edited by Brooke Ruth. We’d like to thank editor Joe Guerin for helping the podcast team this week. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Join us again on Monday to start the week together with the day’s top stories. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
