Midway Rising is now delayed indefinitely
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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson, it’s MONDAY, JUNE 22ND>>>> [ WE’LL TELL YOU WHY PLANS TO REDEVELOP THE SPORTS ARENA AREA ARE DELAYED, INDEFINITELY ]More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….########
THE COUNTY’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS LOWER THAN BOTH THE STATE’S AND THE NATION’S IN MAY.
ACCORDING TO DATA RELEASED BY THE STATE, THE COUNTY’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPPED TO THREE POINT NINE PERCENT
WHILE CALIFORNIA'S WAS FOUR POINT SEVEN PERCENT AND THE NATION'S WAS FOUR POINT ONE PERCENT
HEALTH SERVICES AND PRIVATE EDUCATION LED ALL INDUSTRIES BY ADDING MORE THAN FIFTEEN THOUSAND JOBS WHILE GOVERNMENT POSTED THE LARGEST DECLINE LOSING MORE THAN 8 THOUSAND JOBS
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A MORE THAN 482 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET HAS BEEN APPROVED BY M-T-S'S BOARD…
THAT'S ROUGHLY A TWO AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET
IT MAINTAINS CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS
A STATEMENT FROM M-T-S SAYS THE BUDGET LOOKS TO TAP INTO NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE, SUCH AS ADVERTISING AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WHILE ALSO IMPLEMENTING COST-SAVING MEASURES
THE TRANSIT SYSTEM PROVIDES 250 THOUSAND TRIPS EVERY WEEKDAY
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ONE DEAD DOG AND DOZENS OF OTHER ANIMALS WERE NEGLECTED AT A RANCHO SANTA FE PROPERTY
COUNTY OFFICIALS RECEIVED A CALL TIPPING THEM OFF ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF ANIMAL NEGLECT AT A EL CAMINO REAL HOME...
WHAT THEY FOUND ONCE ARRIVING WAS MUCH WORSE ... A DEAD DOG AND MULTIPLE UNDERWEIGHT ANIMALS WITH VISIBLE SKIN AND DENTAL ISSUES
IN TOTAL THERE WERE TWENTY FOUR DOGS, TWO HORSES, FOUR MINIATURE HORSES, A PONY, TWO GOATS, FOUR GEESE AND A CAT RESCUED AND REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY
THE ANIMALS ARE NOW BEING CARED FOR AT SHELTERS IN BONITA AND CARLSBAD
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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THE MIDWAY RISING PLAN TO RE-DEVELOP SAN DIEGO’S SPORTS ARENA INTO A MULTI-USE RESIDENTIAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PROPERTY IS DELAYED INDEFINITELY. VOICE OF SAN DIEGO’S SCOTT LEWIS REPORTS FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF “WHY IT MATTERS”.
MIDWAYDELAY (vosd) TRT 1:03 SOQ “why it matters”
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Mayor Todd Gloria has touted the Midway Rising project, the 4,200 homes, 14 acres of parks and new arena it would deliver. And he made a pledge in January:
–((SOT))--
Public land should serve the public …
… and a vote from the City Council.
But spring is now over and it doesn’t look like hearings will even happen before the end of summer.
There are three main issues they have to resolve: the lease, the approvals and the money.
The document solidifying a lease between the city and the developers will be long and complex to cover the 40 acres of land.
Building higher than the 30-foot limit requires special and they still want legislation to limit lawsuits.
And finally, the city and developers are proposing to draw a line around the project and keep most of the new property taxes that it generates in the area for traffic improvements, among other things.
The project is still going forward, they say we just don’t know when.
For Voice of San Diego, I’m Scott Lewis and that’s why it matters.
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MORE THAN 100 OF BAJA CALIFORNIA’S BEST PHOTOJOURNALISTS CAME TOGETHER FRIDAY TO HONOR THEIR OWN.
VIDEO JOURNALIST MATTHEW BOWLER TAKES US TO THE CELEBRATION.
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Nats
Professional organizations for baja california journalists celebrated their own for the first time
Joebeth Terriquez - Tijuana photojournalist
Omar Martinez, Omar Camarillo, Roberto Córdova those guys have been working their asses off for years and finally somebody is going to recognize their work.
That’s photojournalist Joebeth Terriquez.
32 visual journalism professionals and other journalists from Tecate, Mexicali, Tijuana and Rosarito took home medals for their contributions to journalism along the border.
According to the U-N about 90 journalists have been killed in Mexico in the last decade
Ramón Hurtado president of the ASOCIACIÓN DE FOTÓGRAFOS DE TIJUANA says photojournalists face unique dangers in Tijuana.
RAMON HURTADO | PRESIDENTE DE LA ASOCIACIÓN DE FOTÓGRAFOS DE TIJUANA A.C.
La vide de la fotografía siempre es difícil. Es difícil porque siempre está al frente. La fotografía no pude la tras.
He says the life of a photographer is difficult because they cannot stay in the background they need to be in the front.
But HURTADO says because safety is improving they get to celebrate their work and each other.
Matthew Bowler KPBS News
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SUMMER IS UPON US, AND THAT USUALLY MEANS KIDS PLAYING OUTSIDE OR IN SUMMER SPORTS LEAGUES … LIKE SOFTBALL OR SOCCER.
BUT THE COSTS OF YOUTH SPORTS ARE INCREASINGLY OUT OF REACH FOR MANY FAMILIES.
IN THIS LATEST PRICE OF SAN DIEGO SEGMENT, NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN SHOWS US … THE COSTS ARE RISING FASTER THAN INFLATION.
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POSDSPORTS feat (an) TRT: 03:54 SOQ
NATS kids watching worldcup/NBA Finals cheering
Right now, the biggest sporting event on earth is happening … the World Cup.
Millions of kids throughout the country are watching … some are hoping that one day they, too, will be playing in front of millions.
But that dream is out of reach for a lot of those kids. Not because of a lack of talent … but because of costs.
SOT 8304 00;22;37;10 → 00;22;44;00
CG: TOM BÙI // City Heights Youth Soccer
“Uniforms and fees are $600 — between $500-$600 at the beginning.”
A recent study by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play shows that family spending on youth sports has increased by 46 percent since 20-19.
Making it out of reach for many low-income families.
Tom Bùi is a coach at City Heights Youth Soccer. He says on top of the uniform costs, there are also travel costs for away games.
NATPOP 8304 00;23;15;22 → 00;23;19;19 “You're looking between $1500 to $2000 per player.”
That’s just for a club team. For competitive leagues … those costs jump astronomically.
NATPOP 8304 00;23;36;27 → 00;23;40;00 “In the thousands, the tens of thousands.”
That creates a barrier of entry for low-income families.
A 20-21 survey by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association shows that in families making 25 thousand or less a year… only 24 percent of kids 6 to 12 participate in organized sports.
Compared to 40 percent for families making $100,000 or more.
That’s why Bùi waives the fees for his club team, allowing the kids to participate completely free of charge.
He’s able to do this because of sponsorships and volunteer coaches.
NATPOP 8304 00;29;10;24 → 00;29;16;22 “If any kids that come out and wanted to play, we'll find it, we train them. We'll teach them.”
NATS basketball drills
The high costs of team sports are why Hilda Oltean (ol-TEE-ann) founded the nonprofit San Marcos Basketball in 20-20.
It’s a club team where children can participate for free or a small fee.
SOT 8224 22;10;18;09 → 22;10;24;15
CG: Hilda Oltean // San Marcos Basketball
“I grew up in a free program that has helped me, and sports was part of who I am today.”
She says while some of the costs could be offset by playing on school teams … that’s not enough if kids want to move on to the next level — be it varsity, collegiate sports or professional leagues.
SOT 8224 22;11;30;22 → 22;11;45;21 “You need to play 3 to 4 hours a day. Your sport, whether it is basketball or baseball or any other sport, you need to play at that level in order to be competitive.”
Christian Littlejohn-Chin was a product of the program. He now plays semi-professionally for the San Diego Suns and also coaches for the program.
He says playing in club teams got him to where he is now.
SOT 8274 22;43;58;11 → 22;44;13;07
CG: Christian Littlejohn-Chin // San Marcos Basketball
“Club sports to me was bigger than high school or school basketball was because it gives you a sense of freedom that you don't get in those more structured games. And that's where you really become yourself, because basketball is a confidence sport, so you're only as good as confident as you are.”
For some parents, like A-J Narasimhan, club sports are a way to help their children be more active. But Costs can sometimes get in the way.
SOT 8275 22;49;33;14 → 22;49;38;23
CG: AJ Narasimhan // sports parent
“When I was a child, you know, sports was considered as a necessity and now it's considered as a luxury.”
He says even participating on club teams at local recreation centers, where costs are lower, is still expensive.
SOT 8275 22;52;25;07 → 22;52;39;06 “We also have to pay for the association fees. [cut] So for example in San Marcos they participate in SoCal League. [cut] So there's a lot of other costs that go into it that kind of make it a little bit cost-prohibitive for folks, you know, to sign their kids up for sports.”
According to an American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine study … getting kids involved in sports early helps with motor skills, social development and lifelong healthy habits.
The same study also shows that income is the biggest driver for early participation … limiting opportunities for lower-income children to participate in sports.
For now, programs like Bùi’s …
NATPOP 8317 00;33;37;03 → 00;33;39;12 “ready, let’s go”
… are giving low-income kids a “kick up” in the sports world.
AN/KPBS News
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WORLD CUP FRENZY IS HITTING THE LEGO-VERSE.
LEGOLAND IS HOSTING AN EXPERIENCE WHERE FANS CAN ENJOY THE WORLD CUP IN BRICK FORM.
NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN ALSO BRINGS US THIS STORY.
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WCLEGO :55 SOC
As you walk through the gates at Legoland … some of the first things you’ll run into are some of soccer’s biggest stars.
Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi.
NATPOP 4124 08;42;47;17 → 08;42;50;28 “all replicated in Lego brick form.”
The Lego players and the world’s largest Lego stadium are part of Legoland’s FIFA World Cup 2026 experience.
Legoland communication director Julie Estrada says the park has been preparing this for a while.
SOT 4124 08;43;21;24 → 08;43;26;18 “At least a year.”
In the Legoland World Cup experience, you can try to score against a Lego minifigure, have your photo taken with the FIFA World Cup trophy and build your own team jersey.
Lando Singh was ready for one of the experiences… wearing Lionel Messi’s jersey.
SOT 5496 );23 → 0:32
CG: Lando Singh // Legoland visitor
“So you try to hit those little circles there, and if you hit one, you get a point, and you try to win against the other person on the other side.”
The Legoland World Cup experience runs through July 19. In Carlsbad, AN/KPBS
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A NEW EXHIBIT AT MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM, EXPLORES EVERYDAY HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS THROUGH THE LENS OF A TRADITIONAL CRAFT.
IT’S CALLED "LOOKS LIKE HOME."
ARTS REPORTER JULIA DIXON EVANS TELLS US HOW FAMILIAR FORMS CAN DELIVER SOCIAL COMMENTARY — AND HUMOR.
BASKETART 1 (1:07) SOQ
The first thing you see when you step into the gallery is… a toilet—
— made out of reed, woven in the style of traditional basketry.
"I think that's what kind of brings in the humor of the show. It's funny, you know, to look at a woven toilet."
Contemporary craft artist India Thompson has recreated her apartment's bathroom entirely in woven reed, right down to the rug and even a roll of toilet paper.
Curator Ariana Torres says it turns a centuries-old domestic craft on its head.
"she, in using a very slow craft to create these objects, kind of refocuses your attention to their actual beauty and form and use."
Thompson’s art questions what it means to feel at home, especially in a place that's not yours. As someone who’s rented for years, Thompson says she is more mindful of the things she does own.
"I think we've almost been raised to. Yeah. Like not in value like earthly things, but but I think there is like importance to that to like care for what we own, you know, and what we value."
Julia Dixon Evans, KPBS News.
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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 day/weekend.
