New analysis warns Colorado River could fall to dangerously low levels
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH>>>> THE COLORADO RIVER COULD FALL TO DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVELS
More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######
THE MASSIVE MIDWAY RISING PROJECT IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO BECOMING A REALITY
THE SAN DIEGO PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY THIS PAST THURSDAY TO RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE PROPOSAL
THE PROJECT IS A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE 49-ACRE SPORTS ARENA SITE IN THE MIDWAY DISTRICT
DEVELOPERS PLAN TO BUILD MORE THAN FOUR THOUSAND HOUSING UNITS WITH HALF OF THEM BEING AFFORDABLE UNITS
IF APPROVED, IT WOULD MAKE IT THE LARGEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
MIDWAY RISING IS ALSO SET TO INCLUDE MULTIPLE ACRES OF PUBLIC PARKS AS WELL AS A SIXTEEN THOUSAND SEAT STADIUM
THE PROJECT WILL NOW HEAD TO THE LAND USE AND HOUSING COMMITTEE FOR A VOTE
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THERE’S BEEN AN EXODUS OVER THE PAST YEAR OR TWO OF INSURANCE COMPANIES PACKING UP AND NO LONGER DOING BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA
WELL FIVE INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE NOW CHANGED THEIR MINDS AND ARE BACK TO OFFERING COVERAGE ACROSS THE STATE
THOSE COMPANIES ARE MERCURY INSURANCE, C-S-A-A, U-S-A-A, PACIFIC SPECIALITY AND CALIFORNIA CASUALTY
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAYS REFORMS LURED THE COMPANIES BACK
THE REFORMS INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO USE CATASTROPHE MODELING WHICH ANALYZES WILDFIRE HISTORY AND OTHER DATA TO SET RATES
IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE TO PROVIDE MORE COVERAGE IN HIGH-RISK AREAS
THE COMPANIES ALSO REQUESTED RATE INCREASES OF SIX POINT NINE PERCENT
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CHULA VISTA HAS BECOME THE FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTY TO BEGIN USING A-I IN POLICING
THAT’S ACCORDING TO REPORTING BY VOICE OF SAN DIEGO
CHULA’S CITY COUNCIL VOTED LAST WEEK TO USE A-I TO TURN FOOTAGE FROM POLICE OFFICERS’ BODY-WORN CAMERAS INTO WRITTEN POLICE REPORTS
THE TOOLS ARE ABLE TO GENERATE A NEAR INSTANTANEOUS POLICE REPORT WHILE OFFICERS ARE STILL ON THE SCENE
CIVIL LIBERTIES ADVOCATES WARN THAT THE TECHNOLOGY IS TOO NEW, QUIRKY AND ERROR-PRONE
CHULA VISTA’S POLICE CHIEF TOLD VOICE THAT THE TOOLS ARE A HUGE TIME SAVER
A SMALL INITIAL GROUP OF ROUGHLY EIGHT OFFICERS HAVE BEEN USING THE A-I TOOL SUITE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS
& NOW, ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT’S 110 PATROL OFFICERS WILL UNDERGO TRAINING TO USE THE TOOLS
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 NEW ANALYSIS WARNS THE COLORADO RIVER COULD FALL TO DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVELS NEXT YEAR. REPORTER KORI SUZUKI SAYS THE RIVER SUPPLIES WATER TO CITIES AND FARMS ACROSS SAN DIEGO AND IMPERIAL COUNTIES.
COLORADO :56 SOQ
The warning comes just three years after the Colorado River was threatened by an intense drought. Some feared the river could stop flowing entirely. But a series of storms relieved that pressure.
20250922_riverwarning_jack schmidt / 23:22
We had a good year in 2023 which bailed us out. But since then, we've been spending more than we've brought in.
Jack Schmidt is the director of the Center for Colorado River Studies and led the analysis. He says the river is closer than previously thought to running into serious infrastructure problems.
Schmidt and his co-authors are urging the Trump administration to order cuts to all seven states that rely on the river.
20250922_riverwarning_jack schmidt / 39:57
Everybody needs to be cut. [...] And we use the word enforceable, not voluntary.
Around two-thirds of San Diego County’s water — and all of Imperial County’s — comes from the Colorado River. But if cuts do happen…both counties probably would be last in line.
That’s because they have some of the oldest legal claims to the river.
Kori Suzuki, KPBS News.
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FOR THE FIRST TIME, A GROUP OF FACULTY AT U-S-D HAVE A UNION CONTRACT.
EDUCATION REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS IT COMES AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR OF NEGOTIATING.
USDCONTRACT1 1:05 SOQ
The contract applies to non-tenure-track faculty in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. Soroya Rowley is a theatre lecturer and spokesperson for the bargaining team.
ROWLEY
We teach 51% of student contact hours. 51% of the teaching is done by the non tenure track faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences.
She says their contract includes wage increases, back pay, and job security based on seniority.
Faculty members went on strike in May after they said the university cut courses without bargaining over the impact on union members.
Rowley says that strike made a difference.
ROWLEY
They saw that we were serious, that we had this collective power, that we could withhold our labor if we had to, and that was what we needed to get us here.
The contract now requires the university to pay faculty members a cancellation fee if it reduces their workload.
In a statement, the university thanked QUOTE “all involved for their time and diligence throughout the collective bargaining process.”
The union says its members ratified the contract with 99% voting yes. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
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SAN DIEGO FC’S RIGHT TO DREAM ACADEMY IS OFFICIALLY OPEN IN EL CAJON ON THE SYCUAN (SA-QUAN) RESERVATION.
IT’S A FREE YOUTH ACADEMY FOR ELITE SOCCER PLAYERS … AND NOW IT HAS ITS FIRST CLUB IN PLACE.
THOUSANDS OF YOUNG BOYS FROM SAN DIEGO AND TIJUANA TRIED OUT FOR THE PROGRAM. 11-YEAR-OLD NICOLAS BOLIVAR MADE THE TEAM.
RIGHTTODREAM 2A (:08)
“I HOPE IT LEADS TO ME BEING PROFESSIONAL IN A FEW YEARS AND BE ONE OF THE GREATEST.”
THE YOUTH PLAYERS WILL LIVE AND GO TO SCHOOL ON SITE AND TRAIN ALONGSIDE THE PROS FROM THE MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER TEAM. THE MLS SAYS IT’S THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND-PROGRAM IN THE LEAGUE.
THERE ARE PLANS TO EXPAND THE ACADEMY IN FUTURE YEARS TO ADDITIONAL AGE GROUPS AND GIRLS TEAMS.
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A WELL-LOVED PARK IN BONITA IS SET FOR A MAKEOVER, BUT IT'S UP TO RESIDENTS TO DECIDE WHAT KIND.
INEWSOURCE INTERN RAMI ALARIAN (AH-LARE-IAN) HAS MORE.
ROHRPARK 1 (public matters) TOT: 00:43 SOQ
ALARIAN: Rohr Park fans are tasked with voting on two possible renovation options.
Chula Vista Parks and Recreation Director Frank Carson says the decision is up to the community.
CARSON: “I want the largest amount of community input that we can.” (06:20)
ALARIAN: The light touch option focuses on improving existing amenities with additions like a community garden and more shrubbery.
The “active community hub” option adds a lot more. Things like a splash pad … a pump track … and three pickleball courts. So far, it’s getting the most public support.
The city expects to close in on a final plan this winter and introduce it to a City Council first thing next year.
For KPBS, I’m inewsource intern, Rami Alarian.
ANCHOR 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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ALRIGHT SDNN LISTENERS, TODAY IS ANOTHER INSTALLATION OF THE ‘THE POD BEHIND THE PKG’
PKG IS NEWS-SLANG FOR A NEWS STORY. THE PREMISE FOR THIS SEGMENT IS SIMPLE: IDENTIFY STANDOUT PIECES AND STORIES FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT CREATE OR SPARK IMPACT, INSPIRATION OR SOME SENSE OF FEELING!
ONCE PER WEEK, I’LL BRING IN A REPORTER, ANCHOR OR VIDEO JOURNALIST FOR A BEHIND-THE-SCENES, DEEPER DIVE AND INFORMAL CHAT.
JOINING ME THIS WEEK IS REPORTER KORI SUZIKI REGARDING HIS PACKAGE “THE RACE TO UNDERSTAND THE SALTON SEA’S DUST STORMS,” HERE’S THAT CONVO:
2:25 - Our South Bay & Imperial Valley reporter, Kori Suzuki! How ya doing?
Kori: Hey Lawrence, I’m doing alright!
2:55 - Kori Suziki here with us, in regards to your most recent story as an East Coaster. When I first listened to it the only image I could get or not get out of my head was DUNE. Is that accurate? Did you/were you there when any kick up or storm occurred? Can you take us to the scene itself Kori?
3:15: You know, I should say I have not ever seen a full on dust storm myself. I can only speak to what I’ve seen in images and videos but the story that really sticks with me is hearing one of the folks from someone who lives around the Salton Sea Natalie Perez … she said they’re quiet, you don’t hear them coming, you just look out, the sky kind of turns dark and you see them coming. Dust storms can reach up to 10 thousand feet high, a kind of towering wall of dust approaching, it’s intense - most intense form a kind of towering dust approaching. 4:14 end
4:21 LJ: It sounds intense! END
4:30: - Take us back to how you even got alerted of dust storms in the Salton Sea, how far back does this stories beginning go?
4:36: - Last year I came across this bill through CA legislature … specifically focused on pilot program I wanted to learn more about what this all meant and what it might look like and then the bill died. It stopped advancing and was essentially killed by state lawmakers, it was not going to move any further 5:14 END
14:52 - Is there any sort of messaging around this dust storm to raise awareness like signs in the area outside of your story?
KORI: That’s a good question,
15:46 - The Salton Sea gets a lot of attention and the fact that it has all of these pieces, its connected to the Colorado river, its connected to agriculture, climate change, it has all these ties to leads to it getting a big focus, a lot of people have told stories about the Salton Sea what makes this story is ..
TAG: THAT WAS KORI SUZUIKI FOR THIS WEEK’S POD BEHIND THE PACKAGE
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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 Lawrence K. Jackson. Thanks for listening and subscribing by doing so you are supporting public media and I thank you for that. Have a great day!
