Mockery surrounds attack on Paul Pelosi
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Wednesday, November 2nd.
Lies and mockery surround the attack on Paul Pelosi.
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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Teachers with San Diego County’s largest charter school system are demanding a contract…after almost 11 months of negotiations.
Almost 7-hundred teachers and classified workers from 16 High Tech High campuses unionized last year.
Both sides have agreed on pay raises.
But the union says they want due process for teachers who are fired…
Currently that power is held by the High Tech High CEO and school leadership.
Negotiations ended late yesterday with no agreement on a contract.
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California officials announced yesterday that they have created a way for sexual assault victims to track the progress of linking their rape kits with D-N-A evidence.
The new online tracking system was required by a bill lawmakers approved last year.
Victims can track whether their kits have been received by a law enforcement agency, are being sent to a laboratory for testing, are undergoing D-N-A analysis and more.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the goal is to end the backlog of rape kits, make sure they are tested quickly and inform survivors.
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The city of San Diego is increasing street sweeping in downtown and what it's calling hot spot trash removal.
Crews will be sent to areas where trash is blocking the public right away.
They will not be involved with cleaning up homeless encampments.
The effort is being piloted and will be evaluated down the line.
The city says the goal is to prevent trash from washing into storm drains and the ocean, and to address public health and environmental concerns.
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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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The attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband has NOT turned down the volume of vitriol….as new lies and mockery find their way into our public discourse.
Carl Luna is a Mesa college political Science professor and Director for the Institute for Civil Civic Engagement at U-S-D.
He spoke with KPBS Midday Edition Host Maureen Cavanaugh.
82 year old Paul Pelosi remains in intensive care after having his skull fractured by an intruder who told police he was looking for Nancy Pelosi, intending to break her kneecaps. And yet, this is now fodder for conspiracy theories. How and why is this happening?
What does that do to civil discourse when elected leaders make light of serious crimes/incidents such as this?
How is this very uncivil discourse changing our democracy?
Any ideas on how we might go about changing this?
That was professor Carl Luna speaking with KPBS's Maureen Cavanaugh.
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There are nearly 2-million registered voters in San Diego County, and on November 8th, poll workers are available to assist voters at every voting location.
KPBS reporter Melissa Mae looked into how onboarding for these workers has changed.
MM: Last year beginning in October, San Diego County implemented the vote center model. Instead of having one day to vote at a specific location, voters can now go to any of the hundreds of vote centers over the course of 10 days… MM: Cynthia Paes is the registrar of voters for San Diego county. She explains how staffing has changed. CP “Now, they’re required to work multiple days, so they switch from being a one day volunteer to now a temporary county employee. So they go through the hiring process of the county.” MM: The county uses a software called neogov and the application process is completely online too…Poll workers now get paid $15.00/hr., have two full training days and are now required to work between one and two weeks. Melissa Mae KPBS News
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Following the indictment of 22 people for drug trafficking and fraud … residents in Mountain View are hoping for changes at a neighborhood store at the center of the investigation.
KPBS reporter Alexander Nguyen has more.
“Mike’s Market’s a problem.” Pastor Steve Marron’s (MARRONE) Bridge Church is right across the street from Mike’s Market. He’s only been at the church for a year and half … but says that’s a common theme he’s heard from residents. “Mike's Market was definitely a place that would harbor a lot of certain behaviors, but also it would be a place for not only crime, but a place that perpetuated fear,” Police say the market’s clerks worked with gang members to sell drugs … which were paid for through EBT … money that comes from a federal food assistance program. The market is in San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera’s council district. “Everybody in every neighborhood deserves to have um businesses that respect them that um provide for the needs of the community, and deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods” Mike’s Market is still open for now … but “I think that to close it down would be a strong message to the community.” AN/KPBS
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Coming up.... A La Mesa school is now an academy for Sports and Health Science. We’ll have that story and more, next, just after the break.
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Academic excellence is now riding on the wheels of some gnarly skateboards at a school in the La Mesa-Spring Valley school district.
KPBS Education reporter M.G. Perez tells us about the new Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy.
There’s a distinct sound to a skateboard rolling on a smooth ride over an asphalt paved playground…as well as the abrupt sound when that ride is over. 12 year old Paxton Hart lost his balance practicing skateboard flips…that turned into some flops. “when I’m on the skateboard, I just feel the wind on my face. I want to go fast, I want to do tricks…I’ve just been learning and getting my blood flowing. I just love that.” Paxton is rolling and riding for credit in his 7th grade engineering and skateboarding class…one of a dozen electives added this fall at the new Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. For the past 60-years, it was simply Parkway Middle School. “Parkway Middle School has always been a great school…but how do we take it to the next level.” That’s Parkway principal Jacob Ruth, who got his job in the middle of the COVID crisis a couple of years ago. School shutdowns and the resulting mental health and social emotional breakdown of students got Ruth and his teaching staff thinking: How could they help in recovery and bring new life to an old school? “we have a big group of skateboarders at our school and that’s a big thing…and so connecting to that social activity and the ability to make friends and skate and think about that in an academic way has been really powerful.” The rebranding and redevelopment of Parkway is not just about skateboarding. Besides all the core subjects like reading, math, and science, the master plan includes other electives like history and hiking, the finance literacy of baseball, and sports medicine. “our stirrups, we want these to overlap.” On this day, Nicoll Lindsay is teaching 30 students the types of athletic injuries that require them to wrap ankles. “I see your anchors look very nice. They’re all lined up.” Lindsay is also a certificated P.E. teacher at the Parkway Academy. “we have a lot of athletes at this school who participate in outside activities. So, they’re able to apply their knowledge to either themselves, their friends or team mates.” “scissors up front, rulers up front.” Engineering teacher Patrick Martin is also a long time skateboarder. In class, he gives lessons on the dynamics and function of skateboarding. Right now, students are designing models for a skate park using cardboard, paper, straws and hot glue to create replicas. “the education value is learning about scale, how things are put together. We are assembling them so they’re working as designers, they’re working as engineers. They see how they need to be supported. How the pieces fit together.” Then it’s outside to practice. 8th grader Isabella Culver had never skated. About a year ago, she started watching her cousin in action. Now she has her own skateboard and a desire to master this new skill. “considering where I started, I have grown a lot and I’m really proud where I’ve come from the beginning.”/ 22:08:14-22:08:22 “I think the motion like the way the board ride. It’s really, I want to say empowering…makes you feel good.” The idea for a radical change from middle school to a specialized sports and health science academy came from the teachers and staff who then got the support of parents and the community ….and final approval from the La Mesa Spring Valley School Board. In its first semester this fall, enrollment increased by 80 students who wanted to be included in the new curriculum. Next year, the Parkway Academy will add a 6th grade class to the mix. Principal Ruth says it is geared to preparing middle schoolers for a better academic future.“with sports, it’s not only about winning and being the best. It’s learning how to be a good teammate, how to collaborate, how to communicate and persevere …and be resilient when things get tough. Skateboard NATSThe distinct sound of success on four wheels. MGP …KPBS News.
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Dia de los muertos… or “Day of the Dead,” is being celebrated across San Diego County.
KPBS reporter Jacob Aere checked out one local community event.
In Old Town San Diego people came from far and wide to get a feel for a large-scale celebration of Dia de los muertos. It's a holiday that honors ancestors and loved ones through altars or “ofrendas”… Dania Vargas and her mother drove all the way from Escondido just to see the Old Town altars in-person. “Even though we embrace it at home, it's nice to have a place where we can come gather and embrace those traditions – those Mexican traditions for us. It means we are closer to our loved ones.” Dia de los Muertos traces its earliest roots to the Aztec people and it’s officially celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2. While many families celebrate the holiday at home, the public Dia de los Muertos celebrations continue in Old Town through Wednesday … with other events scheduled around the county. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.
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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.
