Reaction to private businesses sharing information from automated license plate readers
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH>>>> [SHOPPERS REACT TO BEING SURVEILLED AT THE FASHION VALLEY MALL ]More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######
THERE’S NOW A SECOND WAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ENROLLED IN SENTRI OR GLOBAL ENTRY TO CROSS INTO THE U-S AT THE SAN YSIDRO [Yuh-See-Drough] PORT OF ENTRY.
THE U-T SAYS THE NEW ACCESS ROUTE, BEGINS ON TIJUANA’S CALLE SEGUNDA AND HAS TWO LANES THAT WILL BE OPEN DAILY FROM 4 AM TO 11 PM
THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS THAT THE CHANGE IS PART OF A FOUR MONTH PILOT PROGRAM
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IN OTHER TRAVEL NEWS, THE BUSY HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY AT SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THE AIRPORT IS EXPECTING A TWO TO THREE PERCENT INCREASE IN TRAVELERS OVER LAST THANKSGIVING.
BUT WITH THE NEW TERMINAL ONE NOW OPEN, AIRPORT SPOKESPERSON NICOLE HALL SAYS THINGS SHOULD GO MORE SMOOTHLY THAN THEY USED TO.
TDAYTRAVEL 2A :10
“So, even though we’re going to have more people, we’re hoping that people won’t feel that push. In the old terminal one, you really did feel it because it was cramped. Now we have this beautiful terminal that’s spacious.”
HALL SAYS TO MAKE SURE TO CHECK WITH YOUR AIRLINE ON FLIGHT STATUS BEFORE COMING TO THE AIRPORT... AND TO ARRIVE TO THE AIRPORT AT LEAST TWO HOURS BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE TIME.
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A VERY SPECIAL BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOES OUT TO HANNAH SHIRLEY!
HANNAH TURNED FIFTY TWO ON SATURDAY
SHE IS THE OLDEST PYGMY [PIG-ME] HIPPO LIVING IN MANAGED CARE
BRILLIANTLY, HER BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME WAS HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPO
HER THIRTEEN THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT HABITAT FEATURED FLOATING FRUIT AND COLORFUL DECORATIONS INSPIRED BY THE BOARD GAME
HANNAH WAS RESCUED FROM A RESIDENTIAL BACKYARD IN ESCONDIDO IN 2022
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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WE AIRED A KPBS INVESTIGATION LAST WEEK THAT FOUND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN SAN DIEGO WERE SEARCHING AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS OWNED BY PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
REPORTER SCOTT RODD SPOKE TO SHOPPERS AT THE FASHION VALLEY MALL TO GET THEIR REACTION.
FLOCKREAX (2:50) TAG (FEATURE)
The cameras capture the license plate, make and model of every car that drives by. They can analyze patterns of movement and potential connections between drivers.
Dozens of businesses and homeowners associations around San Diego allow law enforcement to search through data from their license plate readers — with virtually no oversight.
Police say people shouldn’t be worried…and probably aren’t
“I don't think too many people are concerned, if we're honest.”
Commander Christopher Lawrence is with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
“I think people go about their days just uh trying to get their own lives handled and they're not always worried about some of the periphery that goes on.”
We spoke to four shoppers at the Fashion Valley mall to find out. The shopping center gives police access to its license plate readers.
55-year-old Gilberto Kornemann believes the arrangement improves public safety.
“I appreciate what they are doing. [Why?] Because of safety. And it’s good for the city, the state.”
Others expressed concerns. 29-year-old Alexa Sandoval used to work at the mall and saw shoplifting firsthand. She understood the upside of giving police access to the system.
“We’ve had a lot of theft and people just come in and have a getaway car. So, I think in terms of helping find the people who are actually creating crimes here at the mall, I think that’s a good idea.”
But now…as a consumer…she’s not so sure.
“If we’re not really doing anything wrong here, do they really need to have all of our information?”
46-year-old Phil Rivas expressed serious reservations about the camera-sharing arrangement.
“Here in the United States, we want privacy as much as possible — and transparency. It seems like companies or corporations are going out of their way to not give us that privacy.”
Rivas supports helping law enforcement solve crimes. But he thinks customers should know about the technology being used.
Simon Property Group…which owns Fashion Valley Mall…did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
KPBS learned about the privately-owned license plate readers after reviewing more than 1,500 pages of police records. Other businesses that share their license plate data include: Home Depot, Lowe’s, Southwestern Yacht Club and homeowners associations.
San Diego Police Captain Charles Lara says consumers always have the option to shop elsewhere.
“If I'm being surveilled, I can vote with my feet or my car. I can solicit another mall or I can use Amazon. You have any number of choices if you feel put upon.”
He encouraged San Diegans to do their homework to understand where these surveillance systems are located.
SOC
TAG: KPBS REPORTER GUSTAVO SOLIS CO-REPORTED THIS STORY.
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PLANS FOR NEW HOUSING IN CLAIREMONT AND THE COLLEGE AREA TOOK A STEP FORWARD FRIDAY.
METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS THEY WOULD ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MORE THAN 31,000 NEW HOMES.
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CLAIREMONT 1 (ab) 0:44 soq
AB: Both Clairemont and the College Area have community plans dating back to 1989. The proposed updates to those plans would keep most of the neighborhoods zoned for low-density, single-family homes. But they would allow taller apartment buildings near trolley and bus stations and on commercial strip malls. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, whose district includes SDSU, said students make the neighborhood more vibrant and diverse.
SER: And if we don't give those students a place to live, by zoning for more appropriate density, we will lose the thing that many in this room say they most appreciate about their community.
AB: The City Council's Land Use and Housing Committee endorsed both plans, which will go before the full council next month. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
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IF YOU LIVE IN SAN DIEGO… YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOUR TRASH BIN NOW THAT THE CITY IS REPLACING IT.
ANDREA DE LEON (ahn-draya de-leh-own) WORKS IN WASTE REDUCTION WITH THE CITY. SHE SAYS THE BINS ARE NOT GOING TO THE LANDFILL.
INSTEAD, THEY’LL BECOME…
RECYCLEBINS 2A 00:11
“Brand new bins or other reusable transport packaging. That can include pails or toters or pallets.”
THE PROCESS STARTS BY CLEANING THE BINS. THEN CHIPPING THEM INTO SMALL, PLASTIC CHUNKS.
THE PIECES ARE THEN SENT TO A PLANT TO BE TURNED INTO NEW PRODUCTS. THE WHEELS AND METAL BARS ARE ALSO RECYCLED.
THE CITY HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 60 THOUSAND BINS SO FAR. ABOUT 750 THOUSAND SHOULD BE RECYCLED BY NEXT SUMMER.
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ALRIGHT SDNN LISTENERS, TODAY IS ANOTHER EPISODE 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 IMPACT, INSPIRATION OR SOME SENSE OF FEELING!
ONCE PER WEEK, I BRING IN A REPORTER, ANCHOR OR VIDEO JOURNALIST FOR A BEHIND-THE-SCENES CHAT.
JOINING ME THIS WEEK REGARDING HER PACKAGE WITH THE HEADLINE “RESIDENTS SAY JACUMBA’S SPECIAL CHARM THREATENED BY SOLAR PROJECT” IS ELAINE ALFARO. HERE’S OUR CONVO
0:00
Hey Elaine.
0:00
Hey, how's it going?
0:01
Good.
0:01
How are you?
0:02
I'm pretty good.
0:02
It seems like you're getting pretty bored with spots and features are more your, your vibe.
0:06
No, I really do love long form and if I could take as much time as I wanted with every story, I would.
0:13
No, I totally hear that.
0:13
I think, I think a lot of journalists would would say that, wouldn't we?
0:16
I feel like this story was super cool because it was one of the rarest examples I've experienced of.
0:23
Californians going against solar energy, right?
0:25
Like, I'm so used to people saying we don't want high rises, I'm so used to people saying, I don't want a new mall or anything like that.
0:31
But this is a little different because we're talking about Californians going against solar energy, a voice in your Hakumba story, a business owner, Jeff says he isn't against all of it, he just wants a smaller version.
0:42
Talk to me about this perceived special charm of Yeah, and, and just to backtrack a little bit, like you mentioned, there's definitely that tension in this story.
0:51
and you mentioned Jeff, the other resident I spoke with Tanya, you know, she's also not against renewable sources of renewable energy.
0:59
She and him just really are concerned about the scale of this project.
1:03
the town's about roughly 100 acres large.
1:06
This project is more than 600 acres.
1:08
, and so this town kind of is having its moment.
1:12
The Jeff, the business owner you mentioned, he is one of the co-owners of the hotel that is in town, and that hotel has just kind of gotten an entire facelift.
1:22
It's gone through this amazing transformation, and the transformation has impacted the surrounding areas, the communal areas in the town as well.
1:30
And so just with the moment that the town is having, I think that's part of where that pushback is coming from.
1:35
There's concern.
1:36
Critics of the project say there's concern that this project will just impact the future potential growth of the town.
1:44
You know, you, you go down to the to the mineral pools and you soak and then maybe 5 blocks away is a giant solar farm.
1:52
Like that community aesthetic or feel would just change a lot with these solar panels.
1:58
And that's what the community definitely is.
2:00
Absolutely, losing that small town feel for industrial.
2:04
Mhm.
2:04
And it is a big project, you know, the developer did reduce the scale of the project kind of throughout negotiations with the county and with the Hakumba sponsor group who is kind of representing the community in these conversations with the county and the developer.
2:19
But just with the the large scale and the amount of land that it would take up, residents are concerned.
2:23
And that that community feel and that small town feel would change with this project.
2:28
Gotcha.
2:28
Elaine.
2:29
Listen, my cousin, my favorite little cousin, he had a really aggressive cars phase, merch, Lightning McQueen, bed sheets, cachow every time I every time I walked in.
2:38
but Radiator Springs, the, the made up town in the movie Cars, dealt with a similar experience to Kumba.
2:44
Can you talk to me a little bit about those kind of connections between the two?
2:47
Sure.
2:48
So, in Radiator Springs, you know, Route 66 was that classic roadway that people would go through to get to, Radiator Springs.
2:56
And so, you know, there was a tire shop and flows, gas station, all those little businesses that benefited from Route 66 travel.
3:04
And so, kind of parallel to that, in San Diego County, we have old Highway 80, and so people would go through Jacuba on old Highway 80 going from Imperial Valley to San Diego and so forth.
3:16
And so,, in some ways, Jacuba parallels Radiator Springs.
3:21
When the I-8 came into San Diego.
3:23
Drivers were redirected on the I-8 and didn't come through old Highway 80 as much anymore.
3:28
And so, You know, with Hakumba kind of having its moment and that hotel reinvigorating the tourism economy, it's kind of like how Lightning when Lightning McQueen came to Radiator Springs.
3:42
I love the movie.
3:43
I love that movie.
3:44
But yes, there are connections between, you know, the little town of Radiator Springs and Hakamba.
3:51
Absolutely.
3:51
My last question for you, Elaine, for the people looking to sue.
3:54
To hopefully negotiate a smaller acreage, right, maybe 300 $200 whatever number they have in their mind, less than 600 acres.
4:02
What would the grounds be that they sue on this time and for the $4 million how would that be used?
4:07
So regarding the suing you mentioned, Jeff Osborne mentioned that he has gotten a legal firm or a law firm and is preparing a complaint.
4:17
He didn't share the details of what that is yet.
4:20
But as far as the $4 million community fund, the Jacuba Community Sponsor Group, which represents the community to county leadership, is partnering with the San Diego Foundation, which is like a philanthropic organization, to kind of determine how those funds will be used, but That sponsor group, which is made up of residents of Hakamba, will really be the ones who get to help create the guidelines on how that money will be used, which that's, that's important that that decision comes from the community and the leaders within the community.
4:51
So the sponsor group will be kind of making those decisions, but collaborating with the county and.
4:55
San Diego Foundation to allocate the actual funds.
4:59
I also know that a portion of the money will be going to San Ysidro Health and the Desert Museum, I believe is the other organization that will get some of the money.
5:07
Cool.
5:07
Absolutely.
5:08
This was Elaine Alfaro here with us once again on the pod behind the package.
5:12
Thank you.
5:12
Thanks for having me.
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ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SET A BIG GOAL: CREATE A QUALITY SCHOOL IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR THIS WEEK’S WHY IT MATTERS SEGMENT, VOICE OF SAN DIEGO’S SCOTT LEWIS EXPLAINS WHY THAT PLAN NEVER MATERIALIZED.
VOSDSCHOOLS 1 (1:20) SOQ
School District leaders were troubled by the fact that more than 40 percent of students and their families chose schools outside of their neighborhood. District officials vowed to change that and the plan they came up with was called Vision 2020.
Here was then-superintendent Cindy Marten in 2014 describing their goal.
"To assume that it's better someplace else without looking in your neighborhood school, we say you're gonna make a school better by engaging in your local school and be a part of it. We don't want your kids on a bus for two hours every morning to get to a school across town. We say there's no place like home, look in your own backyard"
But we decided to check: After years of action to make schools that were losing families more attractive, did anything change?
The short answer: no.
15 years after the commitment, almost the exact percentage of families choose schools outside of their neighborhood.
And during that period, the district spent billions to rebuild schools. It also dialed back programs that transported kids out of their local schools and adopted more rigorous graduation requirements. Still, nearly 40,000 students avoid their neighborhood public school in favor of other options.
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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!
