Plans for College Area and Clairemont call for more housing near public transit
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH>>>> [THE CHANGES COMING TO THE COLLEGE AREA AND CLAIREMONT… ]More on that next. But first... the headlines…########
A ONE MILLION DOLLAR GIFT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
IT LOOKS TO AID HEALTH CARE STUDENTS AT THE FOUR CAMPUSES IN THE DISTRICT
THE FUNDS WILL COVER OR REIMBURSE PROFESSIONAL COSTS FOR STUDENTS LIKE TESTING, FINGERPRINTING, BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ANY REQUIRED LICENSING CERTIFICATES
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT HAS MORE THAN ELEVEN HUNDRED STUDENTS ACROSS MULTIPLE HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS
THIS INCLUDES THE E-M-T PROGRAM AND THE NURSING ASSISTANT PROGRAM, AMONG OTHERS
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SLURRY SEAL STREET REPAIR PROJECTS HAVE BEGUN IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY
REPAIRS AND RESURFACING WILL TAKE PLACE IN PARADISE AND SKYLINE HILLS, OTAY MESA, ENCANTO AND EAST SAN DIEGO
THE SEAL SLOWS DOWN THE WEAR AND TEAR ON STREETS AND REDUCES THE NEED FOR MORE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS
SLURRY SEAL IS APPLIED IN PHASES, OVER MULTIPLE DAYS OR WEEKS
THE LATEST STREET REPAIR PROJECT IS SCHEDULED TO BE FINISHED TWO MONTHS INTO THE NEW YEAR, WEATHER PERMITTING
A MAP OF PAST, CURRENT AND FUTURE STREET REPAIR IS AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS TO VIEW AT STREETS DOT SAN DIEGO DOT GOV
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HOME PRICES ACROSS THE STATE ARE DOWN WHILE HOME SALES ARE AT THE HIGHEST THEY'VE BEEN IN YEARS
HOWEVER, FOR US HERE IN SAN DIEGO, THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN PRICES AND A DECREASE IN OVERALL HOME SALES
THE MEDIAN PRICE FOR A SAN DIEGO COUNTY HOME INCREASED BY A HALF PERCENT/0.5 PERCENT, LANDING US AT AN MEDIAN PRICE OF 9 HUNDRED AND NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS
FOR CONTEXT, THAT'S ONE AND HALF PERCENT HIGHER THAN IT WAS ONE YEAR AGO
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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SAN DIEGO’S CLAIREMONT AND COLLEGE AREA NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE NEW COMMUNITY PLANS AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THEM IN A MEETING YESTERDAY.
METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS THEY AIM FOR MORE HOUSING NEAR PUBLIC TRANSIT
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PLANUPDATES 1 (ab) 0:?? soq
AB: The new community plans maintain low-density zoning in most of Clairemont and the College Area. But shopping centers and major streets in the neighborhoods could see new mixed-use development with retail, apartments and public plazas. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera says the old plan, adopted in 1989, failed to allow for adequate growth near SDSU, forcing students to live in crowded bedrooms and garages.
SER: And the impacts it has on their lives and their neighbors' lives is real. And I think that we are going to be able to take a major step forward with the plan that's in front of us.
AB: A state law passed this year called SB 79 could supersede the city's zoning and allow for even more housing near trolley stations. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
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PEOPLE WHO GET THEIR POWER FROM SDG&E CAN EXPECT A RATE HIKE COME JANUARY. REPORTER JOHN CARROLL SAYS THE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL HEARD FROM RESIDENTS UPSET ABOUT THE INCREASES AT THEIR MONDAY MEETING.
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SDGEHIKE 1 1:01 SOQ
SDG&E CUSTOMERS WILL SEE AN AVERAGE THREE DOLLAR HIKE COME JANUARY… AND A ONE DOLLAR INCREASE FOR NATURAL GAS ON THEIR MONTHLY BILL. THE UTILITY BLAMES THE INCREASE ON A VARIETY OF THINGS, LIKE WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND MODERNIZATION OF THE POWER GRID. AT THE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL MEETING, SDG&E GAVE A REQUIRED QUARTERLY UPDATE. AFTERWARD, THE COUNCIL HEARD FROM SAN DIEGANS, OPPOSED TO THE RATE HIKES. GAIL VIAMONTE SAID SDG&E PUTS PROFIT OVER THE COMMON GOOD.
“I'm a senior on a fixed income. I installed Solar three years ago and have seen my good intentions and the almost equal amount of In kilowatt hours of electricity I returned to the grid, increasingly penalized in the interest of SDG and E profits.”
SDG&E ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING THEY WORK TO KEEP PRICES LOW FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. UTILITY RATES ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.
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THE GRADUAL DEMOLITION OF THE SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION IS NEARLY DONE.
BUT NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN SAYS THERE IS STILL A BIG JOB LEFT TO DO.
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ONOFRETOUR 1(an) TRT: 0:52 SOQ
NATs demo sounds
For the past five years … crews have been taking apart the San Onofre nuclear plant …
NATS more demo
… piece by piece.
Now, all that remains are the iconic domes … which have been a San Diego landmark since the early 1980s.
NAT POP 4612 12;01;05;14 → 12;01;07;10 “You know where you are when you see these domes.”
But their days are numbered too.
Ron Pontes is the general manager for site closure at San Onofre.
He says prep work for the demolition of the domes is already underway.
However, there won’t be a dramatic implosion.
Instead, crews will use excavators to slowly tear them down.
Pontes says that’s safer than implosion because it reduces the risk of releasing nuclear radiation.
SOT 4612 12;00;01;01 → 12;00;08;13 “Early in this business of demolishing these plants, there was some use of a of explosives to bring down buildings. And that generates a lot of dust.”
But he says these days they take a lot of precautions to keep the dust from polluting the air.
Pontes expects the domes to be fully demolished by the end of 20-27.
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THE HOURS-LONG CLOSURE OF THE I-5 EARLIER THIS MONTH IS RAISING QUESTIONS FROM LOCAL LEADERS.
REPORTER JACOB AERE SAYS THEY'RE ASKING TRANSIT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ABOUT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR FREEWAY SHUTDOWNS.
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FWYCLOSE 1 (ja) :53
There have been three major closures on Interstate 5 since October.… They have snarled traffic for hours at a time.
The most recent shutdown on December 5th prompted eight elected officials to send a letter this week to the California Department of Transportation, California Highway Patrol and the San Diego Police Department.
They are asking about policies and procedures for freeway shutdowns.
State senator Catherine Blakespear represents coastal communities from Orange County to the city of San Diego. She says it’s a public safety issue.
“We heard directly from constituents who missed flights, people who missed their own critical medical appointments, people who could not pick up children, who were waiting for their families…”
KPBS reached out to the CHP, San Diego police and Caltrans, but they did not immediately respond to our questions.
JA KPBS News.
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A NEW PROJECT IS GATHERING STORIES OF GOVERNMENT PERSECUTION AGAINST L-G-B-T-Q-plus SAN DIEGANS.
REPORTER KATIE HYSON SAYS IT’S PRESERVING NOT JUST THE PAST, BUT THE PRESENT.
LAVENDER 1 s/s trt 1:24 SOQ (kh/mb)
SOT :28 Probably one of my favorite bits of local history.
SOT :04 [archival] We’ve often disputed the Navy’s ability to determine gayness.
The Dixon six were six women that were in the Navy in the 70s, and there was a witch hunt to quote “ferret out the lesbians” *fade under* that were serving in the Navy at that time . . .
Nicole Verdes clicks through photos inside the Lambda Archives, where they serve as managing director.
Protests against San Diego police raids of gay bars in the 70s.
Others against the U.S. government’s lack of response to the AIDS crisis in the 90s.
They’re gathering local stories of LGBTQ+ persecution by the government.
The photos will be shown at the end of each performance of “Fellow Travelers” at the San Diego Opera next year.
It’s a gay love story set against the mass firing of LGBT U.S. civil servants in the ‘50s.
Kevin Newbury directs the opera.
SOT :09 One of the ironies of this time period is that it was all about keeping records on people and keeping files, but those files have never been released.
Newbury wants to create a record for future generations.
Of not just the past, but the present.
Denial of gender on passports. Transgender people banned from the military.
SOT :08 I never thought that we would be including people that were getting fired today.
The submission form is available on K-P-B-S dot org.
Katie Hyson, KPBS News
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FOR MANY LATINO IMMIGRANT AND MIXED-STATUS FAMILIES, THE HOLIDAYS ARE USUALLY ABOUT GATHERING, TRADITION, AND FAITH. BUT THIS YEAR, HEALTH REPORTER HEIDI DE MARCO SAYS HEIGHTENED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS CHANGING HOW…AND IF…FAMILIES CELEBRATE AT ALL.
STRESS trt: 4:50 soq
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NAT SOUND: Band playing Feliz Navidad…
During the holidays, Latino communities are usually filled with music, dancing, and tradition. Christmas is a time for food, faith, and family.
But this year, many immigrant families say the season feels different. Fear has replaced celebration.
Gloria Sanchez is an undocumented immigrant from Sinaloa, Mexico. She’s 49 years old and has lived in the U.S. for 25 years.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Bonita la navidad aunque triste por todo que está pasando…pero uno se da el ánimo.
She says Christmas is beautiful, but it’s also sad because of everything that’s happening.
She rarely leaves her house.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Yo me he topado inmigracion. Por la bendición de Dios y la gracia yo estoy aquí.
She’s had close calls with immigration and by the grace of God, she says, she’s still here.
And she’s not alone. A recent KFF/New York Times survey found that 63 percent of likely undocumented immigrants have avoided traveling this year, worried about drawing attention to their status.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Ahorita salimos de la casa y no sabemos si vamos a regresar.
She says…When she does leave, she doesn't know if she’ll come back.
Her husband is a gardener and is also undocumented. She says the thought of losing him is devastating.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Él ha sido el sostén de esta casa… imagínate si me lo sacan… se acaba la familia.
He’s the one who supports the household. If they deport him, she says their family will fall apart.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Si me siento frustrada, estresada… a veces me da depresión. A veces ni quiero salir, ni comer.
She says the isolation weighs on her. She feels frustrated, stressed and depressed. Some days, she doesn’t want to go out or even eat.
NAT SOUND: Gloria and her dogs
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Ellos son los que me hacen feliz… me quitan el estrés, me quitan todo.
She says her dogs are what bring her joy, easing her stress, and keeping her company during long days inside.
Still, she tries.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Decorando nuestras casitas para que se vea alegre…
She says she finally found the motivation to decorate her home.
Faith remains central to her life, especially now. But even the simplest traditions feel risky this year.
The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is one of the most important religious celebrations in Mexican culture. Traditionally, families gather for early morning mass, music, prayer and gratitude.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Me voy a arriesgar… ande lo que ande, yo me voy.
It’s a risk she’s willing to take.
It’s 4:30 a.m. when Sanchez arrives at the church.
Inside incense fills the air.
NAT SOUND: Mariachis in church, dancers, prayers
Mariachis sing in praise.
Aztec dancers’ feet drum against the floor.
And prayers ripple through the pews.
Sanchez raises her hands and prays.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
Darle gracias a mi Dios y a mi virgen que me ha cuidado y protegido.
she says Thank you God and my Virgin who has protected me.
HUNG NGUYEN
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
It's really important for the people to come here because they feel like it's a little bit of part of their tradition, their pueblito.
Hung Nguyen is a priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Barrio Logan. He says Sanchez’s fear is shared by many in his congregation.
HUNG NGUYEN/Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
They don't know who to trust. I mean, people are fearful that their neighbors might turn them into immigration.
He says attendance is down.
HUNG NGUYEN/Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
People are afraid to come. For sure, here in our parish we have seen a decrease in mass attendance on Sundays.
He estimates the parish has lost about 300 members due to immigration raids.
But for those who do make it inside, he says faith offers relief.
FATHER HUNG NGUYEN
Forgot about immigration raids, forgot about all these things that they're struggling with and people just being joyful. People were celebrating their faith, their expressions. And the people are giving thanks to our lady of guadalupe.
Traditions beyond the church have also changed.
NAT SOUND: Buenos dias…tamale stand.
In many Latino and Mexican immigrant families, tamales are made and shared during Christmas gatherings.
Fernando León sells Oaxacan tamales in Barrio Logan.
FERNANDO LEÓN
Las ventas este año han bajado…todos tienen miedo pues no quieren gastar quieren ahorrar para si llega una situación mala entonces tengan su ahorrado para poder cubrir sus gastos.
He says sales are down this year. People are afraid. Many are saving money in case something bad happens instead of ordering food for celebrations,
Sanchez says she won’t be cooking or celebrating the way she used to.
GLORIA SANCHEZ
De regalos, olvídate…con que tengamos vida y salud, es suficiente.
There will be no shopping for gifts. Life and health, she says, are enough.
Hope persists for Sanchez, and many others. They are holding onto the life they’ve built in a place they call home.
Nat sound: Que viva San Diego…
Heidi de Marco, 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 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!
