Residents living near Tijuana River request more frequent elevated sewage gas alerts
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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25TH>>>> [RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR THE TIJUANA RIVER ARE NOW GETTING MORE FREQUENT ALERTS OF ELEVATED SEWAGE GAS
More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######
FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY ARE RECEIVING RECOGNITION FROM THE STATE FOR THEIR DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS
THOSE PROGRAMS GIVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN COLLEGE CREDITS AT NO COST
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS THAT THE EXEMPLARY DUAL ENROLLMENT AWARD HIGHLIGHTS PROGRAMS THAT DEMONSTRATE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
CONGRATS GO OUT TO ALTUS SCHOOLS EAST COUNTY,
ALTUS SCHOOLS SOUTH BAY,
HEALTH SCIENCES HIGH AND MIDDLE COLLEGE
AND OCEANSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
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A CONTRACTOR IS PREPARING TO INSTALL TWO WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY SHORELINE STRUCTURES IN SAN DIEGO BAY
ONE WILL BE PLACED ALONG HARBOR ISLAND PARK AND ANOTHER ALONG THE CHULA VISTA SIDE OF THE SWEETWATER CHANNEL
THE PROJECT WILL COST THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO JUST SHY OF THREE MILLION DOLLARS
THE PORT SAYS THE WILDLIFE FRIENDLY STRUCTURES NOT ONLY STAND UP TO WAVES BUT ALSO HELP TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND HELPS› TO PROTECT AND FOSTER LOCAL BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS
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ONE LOCAL FAVORITE IS TEAMING UP WITH ANOTHER NATIONALLY-RANKED FAVORITE
THE U-T REPORTS THAT THE 18-88 QUEEN ANNE COTTAGE ALSO KNOWN AS THE TOP GUN HOUSE IN OCEANSIDE WILL SERVE AS THE NEWEST LOCATION FOR AN'S GELATO COMPANY
USA TODAY RANKED AN'S GELATO AS THE NUMBER ONE ICE CREAM SHOP IN AMERICA IN BOTH 20-24 AND 20-25
THEIR NEWEST OFFERING IS SET TO OPEN LATE SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER AND WILL BE NAMED AN'S GATE D-FIVE
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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COMMUNITIES NEAR THE SEWAGE-LACED TIJUANA RIVER HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ELEVATED LEVELS OF SEWER GAS IN RECENT WEEKS. LEVELS CAN WORSEN DURING HOT WEATHER, LIKE LAST WEEK’S HEATWAVE.
ENVIRONMENT REPORTER TAMMY MURGA SAYS THIS IS HIGHLIGHTING A GAP RESIDENTS HAVE FOUND IN A PUBLIC ALERT SYSTEM.
H2SALERTS 1 trt: 1:10 soq
In several South County communities, when elevated levels of sewer gas are detected, some people get email or text alerts.
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District sends them. They advise people to limit their time outdoors.
But the alerts are not sent in real time.
Bethany Case says that’s been a problem because the information isn't reaching everyone who needs it, or when they may need it most.
H2SALERTS 00:13
“As a parent, I would rather have all of the alerts coming at me constantly. Rather than, you know, getting a once a day.”
Case lives in Imperial Beach and works at a middle school in Nestor.
She’s also a part of the Tijuana River Coalition. The group recently pushed the district for a more effective alert system.
She says it seems like they listened.
H2SALERTS 00:13
“Somebody has to trigger that alert. And, immediately, they made sure that staff was going to be there earlier and later so that we would get alerts, families get alerts before kids go to school.”
As of Friday, the district has begun sending alerts as early as 5 a.m. and as late as 10 p.m.
Case says it’s a step in the right direction, but a real-time system would be more effective.
The district did not respond to a request for comment. Tammy Murga, KPBS News
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REPORTER TAMMY MURGA ALSO HAS A STORY FOR US ABOUT RESEARCH OUT OF UC SAN DIEGO’S NEWLY LAUNCHED SOIL HEALTH CENTER.
IT’S LOOKING AT DEVELOPING A PRIOBIOTIC FOR PLANTS.
PROBIOTICS trt: 4:32 SOQ
Kristin Barbour | UCSD SOIL HEALTH CENTER
15:31:01:13-15:31:07:09
CARO4661.MOV
“Take a measurement. We’re at 18.2 centimeters.”
Kristin Barbour is a researcher at UCSD. She’s keeping track of how tall two groups of lettuce plants grow and how many leaves they sprout.
One is the control group. The other has received a few drops of a mixture of bacteria and fungi. It’s a probiotic for plants.
*Nat pop (CARO4662.MOV/ does look like lemonade)*
Researchers predict the blend they’re developing will give plants the microbes they need to grow healthier and stronger.
If it works, they hope to help farmers rely less on chemical fertilizers and preserve microbiomes in soil.
It’s like replacing human supplements with whole foods, like yogurt or fermented vegetables.
Sarah Allard | UCSD SOIL HEALTH CENTER
14:55:49:16-14:55:55:25
CARO4653.MOV
“It’s also important for our food security, for our reliance on climate change to have really robust soils.”
Sarah Allard directs UC San Diego’s new Soil Health Center at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She says adding microbes to soil hasn’t been studied enough. One of their flagship projects is developing a soil probiotic. She’s testing it at Coastal Roots Farm in Encinitas.
Sarah Allard | UCSD SOIL HEALTH CENTER
15:01:52:04-15:02:07:28
CARO4653.MOV
“We're really interested in understanding more about that plant-microbe interaction and how we can potentially boost the microbes or even add additional microbes that can point the plants in a direction that is beneficial for food security and climate resilience.”
Scientists are still trying to fully understand how microbial ecosystems affect plant growth. What they do know is that microbes are these teeny tiny organisms that support plants in many ways.
They can influence which nutrients plants can take from the soil and even help them resist stress, like a drought.
But, if you’re a farmer, how do you know which and how many of these microscopic organisms are best for your crops?
Adam McCurdy | Coastal Roots Farm
14:27:31:18-14:27:49:20
CARO4636.MOV
“We feed the soil because we know that in a tablespoon … there’s many different figures out there, but 50 billion microbes, many good, many bad, many non-existent if they don’t have the other to work with. I can’t tell you anything about that other than watching the fields, smelling the soil and tasting the food.”
Adam McCurdy is a farmer at Coastal Roots Farm. He uses organic and regenerative practices, like cover cropping and minimal tilling.
Those practices help restore the soil’s structure and nutrients.
But Barbour with UCSD says soil microbes also need to be restored. And that’s where the Soil Health Center comes in.
Kristin Barbour | UCSD SOIL HEALTH CENTER
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CARO4661.MOV
“We’re trying to add on that extra level of regeneration that they haven’t necessarily focused on and that they can’t focus on because you can’t see the number of microorganisms in the soil or what they’re doing. So, I think for us, we’re really trying to bring in that microscope.”
Allard says this approach makes the Soil Health Center unique. Experiments at the farm compare how crops grow with probiotics. Farmers give feedback, and scientists fine-tune their approach.
Sarah Allard | UCSD SOIL HEALTH CENTER
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“Those are the things that the farmer needs. If they're going to add a new product to the field, they really need to know that it's going to work effectively and consistently and not disrupt their operations.”
Researchers are perfecting their probiotic formula and learning when the application needs to happen.
Barbour says they can then investigate practical ways farmers can apply the probiotic.
Kristin Barbour | UCSD SOIL HEALTH CENTER
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CARO4661.MOV
“Right now, we can just apply it in its liquid form. But something that might be more shelf stable might be something like a dried powder.”
Allard says there are many benefits to human health and the planet when soil health is improved. For one, the stronger the root is, the more planet-warming carbon can be stored in the soil.
Sarah Allard | UCSD SOIL HEALTH CENTER
14:56:21:15-14:56:34:00
CARO4653.MOV
“They're also key for capturing water runoff that may happen in response to extreme weather events. And also key for continuing to produce food while we're facing, you know, the challenges that come with climate change.
Researchers say they’re interviewing more farmers in San Diego County to better understand how, together, they can support healthy food production. Tammy Murga, KPBS News
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THE NAVY SAYS IT’S INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS SAN DIEGO NAVY RESERVIST AMMAR CAMPA-NAJJAR FAILED TO MENTION HIS RESERVE STATUS IN HIS CAMPAIGN FOR CONGRESS.
MILITARY REPORTER ANDREW DYER SAYS CAMPA-NAJJAR’S WEBSITE CHANGED MONDAY WHEN KPBS STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS.
AMMAR 1 ad (1:07) SOQ
Until Monday Ammar Campa-Najjar’s campaign website described him as a quote U-S Navy officer, only noting his reserve status in a small blurb farther down the page.
Emails obtained by KPBS show his official candidate statement also described him only as a Navy officer. The San Diego Registrar of Voters requested it be updated to say “Reserve Officer” after a rival campaign complained.
Mark Ball spent ten years in the Navy as an officer – two of those in the Reserves.
He’s earning a master’s in public leadership at the University of San Francisco. He says he came across Campa-Najjar’s campaign while doing case studies of veteran candidates for office.
MB: Just be honest about your service. You don't need to blow it up to anything that it's not. The general public's not going to know the difference, but the veterans or military community will know the difference.
In a statement Campa-Najjar’s campaign said allegations he misrepresented his service are unfounded.
Campa-Najjar received a direct commission as a reserve public affairs officer in 2023. Prior to that he ran unsuccessfully for office three times – twice for Congress and once for mayor of Chula Vista.
Andrew Dyer, KPBS News
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LATE LAST YEAR CALIFORNIA MADE MEDICAL AID IN DYING PERMANENT.
HEALTH REPORTER HEIDI DE MARCO SAYS ONE LOCAL LEADER IS PROPOSING CHANGES TO PROTECT END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS. A WARNING, THIS STORY DISCUSSES INTIMATE DETAILS OF DEATH.
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ENDOFLIFE trt: 4:58 soq
SOT: Music..son of a preacher man…
Hours before her death, Theresa Margaret Mary Kelly is surrounded by loved ones… singing, laughing… and celebrating a choice she says more people should know they have.
SOT: Singing…
THERESA KELLY
I have stage four clear cell carcinoma…but prior to that, I was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Kelly is 69. She spent years searching for answers.
THERESA KELLY
We were dragged to and from this hospital to that hospital.
But even in her last days, Kelly is in good spirits. She’s funny, sharp, and quick to joke.
SOT: Hi Dr. Moore. You missed the party. The drinks are all gone….
California is one of 13 states where a terminally ill patient with less than 6 months to live can request medication to end their life.
It’s called the End of Life Option Act, often referred to as medical aid in dying. California lawmakers made it permanent in October.
THERESA KELLY
So from the time I had the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, I started thinking about aid and dying.
As her condition worsened, Kelly physically struggled at times to explain why she was ready.
THERESA KELLY
So…well, for one thing, this. Okay, this is a big part of why I don't want to do this for 10, 11 years.
Years of tests left her exhausted…and certain about what she didn’t want.
THERESA KELLY
I don't want to be in any kind of medical office because it's traumatic.
Kelly is one of a small but growing number of people choosing medical aid in dying in the state. In 2024, just over a thousand people made the same decision she is. But that’s still a tiny fraction of total deaths that year.
Kelly worked with Dr. Douglas Moore to plan her end of life care.
DR. DOUGLAS MOORE
AUTONOMY HEALTH
The biggest accessibility issue is that people don’t know that they have this option.
Without knowing their options, some patients spend their last months in pain, undergoing prolonged care and racking up medical bills.
THERESA KELLY
The question I came up with right away was…how long can I afford to live? Not long.
In the U.S., care in the final year of life averages $80,000. Patients are often responsible for thousands out of pocket.
Medical aid in dying can be costly, too…ranging from three and five thousand dollars between doctors visits and the medication. And it isn’t covered by insurance.
Moore says for many the decision is about control.
DR. DOUGLAS MOORE
They're really choosing it out of a sense of wanting agency over their life…to really choose how they exit this world.
He says lack of awareness may be why most people who chose aid in dying are white.
In 2024, only about 5 to 6 percent of patients were Asian or Hispanic.
DR. DOUGLAS MOORE
I would love to see more marginalized communities, the awareness that this exists and the profound sense of comfort that it can provide.
Now a San Diego lawmaker introduced a new state bill that would strengthen how patients’ end-of-life wishes are documented.
It modernizes key forms, like advance directives and do-not-resuscitate orders, so they’re clear and recognized across health systems…in emergencies or across state lines.
Kelly says she wants her story to help others understand their choices.
THERESA KELLY
It doesn’t have to be a terrifying, scary thing.
She chose to take her life on February 20th.
THERESA KELLY
International day of social justice. So I sort of want to like, give my heart to that as I leave the planet.
Moore walks her to her bedroom, filled with flowers and flickering candles.
SOT: Rhonda, Eileen, take it away and Dr. Moore will hand you the drink…singing…
Friends share stories, hold her hand, and celebrate her life as she drifts off to sleep.
Moore says Kelly’s story shows what’s possible when people know their rights and plan ahead.
Heidi de Marco, KPBS News.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP, CONTACT THE 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE BY CALLING OR TEXTING THE NUMBER 9-8-8.
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BASEBALL’S OPENING DAY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. AND THE PADRES YESTERDAY UNVEILED SOME OF THEIR OFFERINGS THAT ARE IN STORE FOR FANS.
REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN HAS A PREVIEW OF WHAT’S NEW AT PETCO PARK FOR THIS SEASON.
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PETCOTOUR 1 :50 SOC
The Padres rolled out the red carpet TUESDAY to show off the Diamond Room.
It’s a ’70s-themed cocktail lounge and speakeasy.
NATPOP 3878 22;59;13;20 → 22;59;15;11 “I just felt like I just came out of the 70s.”
Padres great Trevor Hoffman was there testing out one of the drinks.
NATPOP pixel 0:06 → 0:08 “It’s nice. Very smooth.”
Padres Senior Vice President of Special Events Jaclyn Lash says the lounge acts as an extension to the park for people to hang out before and after the game.
SOT 3882 23;02;17;00 → 23;02;27;22
CG: Jaclyn Lash // Padres Senior Vice President of Special Events
“It's approachable, but it's upscale. So great drinks, great food, whether it's you want pizza, our diamond dog, a really bomb hamburger. So we're really excited.”
But that’s not all fans can expect. Inside the park, the Padres added two new video boards to the first- and third-base towers.
They will display real-time pitchers' statistics. The team says it’s to add to the fans’ experience.
AN/KPBS
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THIS WEEKEND, COMIC-CON HOSTS ITS SISTER CONVENTION, WONDERCON, AT THE ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER.
ARTS REPORTER BETH ACCOMANDO SAYS, UNLIKE COMIC-CON, YOU CAN STILL BUY PASSES AT THE DOOR.
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San Diego artist Patrick Ballesteros is preparing for WonderCon.
PATRICK BALLESTEROS I believe people still see it as like, oh, that's the, that's the step-sibling of Comic-Con in a sense. Not that there’s anything wrong with the step-sibling.
No, but sometimes it’s tough to get attention as the stepsibling. People are discovering the benefits of Wondercon. You can buy your tickets at the door, walk into many panels, and smaller crowds allow for a better experience.
PATRICK BALLESTEROS It's a little bit more intimate because you can engage more with your community, with the familiar faces that you see in San Diego time and time again. But at WonderCon, I can come out from the table. I could talk to people.
Plus WonderCon provides a good ramp-up to the big show in the summer.
PATRICK BALLESTEROS …For me as an artist, I could test out new things to see what's working, what's not, what can I maybe try out for San Diego without having to put in so much time.
WonderCon provides a more relaxing version of Comic-Con. But a heads up, Saturday is also No Kings Day with an Anaheim march planned for 2pm just a few miles from the convention center at La Palma Park.
Beth Accomando, 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 really want to thank you for that. Have a great day!
