Navy Seal death investigation
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, May 26th.
A probe into a Navy Seal’s death shows multiple failures led to a number of trainees being put at high risk.
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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An outside report has found major flaws in the way the Cal State system handles sexual harassment and discrimination complaints.
The report found that the C-S-U system lacks the resources to handle the complaints.
And that the chancellor's office doesn’t track sexual harassment and misconduct cases across the system.
The findings also revealed a low number of investigations into complaints, and most investigations had no formal resolution.
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If you’re planning to travel this holiday weekend… Airport officials suggest planning ahead.
Airport officials say they’ve seen a 12-percent increase in passengers this year, compared to last year.
And now the start of the busy summer travel season is here.
Terminal 1 construction is causing extra congestion at the airport and on some nearby roads.
It’s also limiting parking at the airport.
The Airport Authority suggests arriving at the airport early, and making parking reservations, or getting dropped off or using a ride-share service.
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Also this weekend, C-H-P officers will be on the lookout for drivers under the influence.
They made nearly 900 D-U-I arrests in the state over Memorial Day weekend last year.
During the three-day period, 45 people were killed in traffic crashes statewide.
That’s a nearly 30-percent increase from the same weekend in 20-21.
The C-H-P's annual “maximum enforcement period” will begin today at 6 p-m, and run through 11-59 p-m on Monday.
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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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More than 15 months after a Navy Seal candidate died during training at Naval Base Coronado, an investigation says multiple failures led to a number of trainees being put at high risk of serious injury, including undetected use of performance enhancing drugs among sailors.
Military reporter Andrew Dyer has more.
(Reporter) 24-year-old Seaman Kyle Mullen finished “Hell Week” at the Navy’s Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL school or BUD/S in rough shape. (Reporter) Hours after successfully finishing the five and a half day training, he was found unresponsive in his barracks room. An hour and a half later he was pronounced dead at Sharp Coronado Hospital. An autopsy found he had water in his lungs, and died of bacterial pneumonia. (Reporter) A previous investigation found Mullen and several trainees were using PEDs such as steroids to get through training, something that also could have contributed to his death. (Reporter) An investigation released Thursday afternoon by the Navy found a myriad of failures by naval personnel at BUD/S.. (Reporter) Two former SEAL commanders were identified in the investigation for lack of oversight as BUD/S attrition rates climbed. (Reporter) The Navy says several recommended changes have already been implemented in SEAL training. Andrew Dyer, KPBS News.
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The Convoy Street corridor in Kearny Mesa is known as the heart of the A-A-P-I community in San Diego.
Reporter Melissa Mae tells us about a major revitalization in the area.
MM: The Convoy Asian Cultural District is adding a 531 unit apartment and mixed use building where the Dixieline Lumber store used to be. MM: City Council Member Kent Lee says he hopes the housing will help support the AAPI small businesses in the community. KL “I think housing is really important for every neighborhood. I think when we think of many of our core neighborhoods in San Diego that have sort of grown into their identity, having residents living there it's a critical part of it.” MM: Along with housing, the 3.4 miles of roads in the district are going to be completely repaired and a Convoy Parking District will be built. MM: All of these improvements are part of the Kearny (Keer-knee) Mesa Community Plan that is helping to transform the area from a business-focus into a community where people will live, work and play. Melissa Mae KPBS News.
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Kuumba Fest is a celebration of Black American culture.
It will be held in San Diego's newly formed Black Arts and Culture district for the first time this weekend.
Reporter Katie Hyson looked into its significance.
Ten children file into the office of Rancho Mission Trails apartments to rehearse their play for this year’s Kuumba Fest. 5, 6, 7, 8 – I am an African American person and I love myself, say what? 7th grader Dwayne Rew, who plays the big brother panther, explains the plot. We have to go get the Golden Rule to open back up our 7-Eleven so we could get our food because somebody has stolen our gratitude. He says the play taught him African American history he didn’t learn in school, like how traders would break the wills of enslaved people so they didn’t rebel. I feel like my teachers, my history teachers, they wouldn't really tell me that. They probably think, oh, he's not going to do anything with that information. 2nd grader Langston Coleman plays Dwayne’s little brother panther. I’m nervous and excited. The script gets into some pretty high-level themes, but Langston doesn’t let hard words stop him. low - level consciousness [mhm] and [laughs] create And he gets help from the older students, like 11th grader Dorcas Nduma. Our beloved, you must put your differences aside. Dorcas has been participating in Kuumba Fest since 5th grade. She says it offered her belonging after she immigrated from East Africa. It’s like oh my gosh, you're my people. I want to be surrounded by you, and stuff like that. And so at first it was hard for me because I didn't see that space, but then once I was like, oh my gosh, you guys are actually here! The performances even include Swahili, which Dorcas speaks. We have self-determination, kujichagulia. The children are embracing the motto of the festival, kujichagulia – self-determination. For years Kuumba fest was held downtown. This year it's moving to the newly formed Black Arts and Culture district, which stretches from 61st to 69th Street on Imperial Avenue, including landmarks like the trolley tracks *NATPOP trolley* Imperial Barbershop *NATPOP barbershop*, Graffiti Gardens and the Boys and Girls Club. *NATPOP basketball* It’s the culmination of more than 30 years of advocacy. And it offers the community an antidote to negative portrayals of Black Americans, says Kuumba Fest founder Dajahn Blevins. When young people leave . . . they're not saying, oh, I'm going to be Superman. I'm going to be Batman. When they're playing, they incorporate Imhotep, Shaka Zulu, Nzinga. And Blevins says the district combats the myth of Southeast San Diego, which was created through redlining and systemic racism. Instead of saying Encanto, Emerald Hills, uh Webster, Valencia Park, Skyline, we were relegated to just being Southeast. And the more we were relegated to that, the more the politicians began to believe in that, the more the media – I don't care what community it would happen in, the media would say, in Southeast San Diego, there was a drive by. He’s been leading a charge to end that. We had a casket called Southeast and did a funeral service to end that negativity and that negative vibe. And so now we’re rebranding. There are places to celebrate cultures in historic neighborhoods across San Diego, like Little Italy and Chicano Park. Why was an area where Black people lived, as Blevins asks, called the hood? Blevins says they’d been pushing for a Black Arts and Culture District since the ‘90s, but the city never approved it until after the movements that followed George Floyd’s murder. He sees holding Kuumba Fest in the new district as a way to change the city’s relationship with these neighborhoods. Our art, our culture, our music, our dance, our expression . . . when we do events that showcases that, everybody comes. For free this weekend, the entire community is invited to the Black Arts and Culture District to witness concerts, dancing, theater, and the embodiment of decades of kujichagulia. Light, light, let there be light shining through the halls of darkness . . . [singing] *fade under* Katie Hyson, KPBS News.
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Coming up.... We have you covered with some plans for the holiday weekend. We’ll have that and more, just after the break.
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My colleague Jade Hindmon spoke with Arts producer Julia Dixon Evans about her suggestions on a few music events to check out this weekend.
Here's a very different musical performance. The San Diego Symphony is doing a special concert this weekend at The Shell — to close out their current season. And it involves Venezuelan folklore and some visual elements like costumes, video, light and film. What do you know?
TAG: That was arts producer and editor, Julia Dixon Evans, speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon.
You can find details on all of the events mentioned, and more events, at KPBS dot ORG slash ARTS.
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And before you go, I've got the scoop on a new ice cream shop opening in La Jolla.
Salt and Straw is opening its third store in San Diego today, at the Westfield U-T-C shopping center.
The company makes handmade ice cream, in unique flavors including ones that draw the feel of the local environment.
Only this weekend, you can taste their custom flavor made in collaboration with chef Brian Malarkey.
So check it out, because ...come on, I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
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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 web producer Lara McCaffrey for helping the podcast team this week. 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 holiday weekend. We’ll be back on Tuesday.
