Rivalry brews over money meant to clean up cross-border rivers
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH>>>>
IS THERE REALLY A RIVALRY BREWING OVER FUNDS MEANT TO CLEAN OUR CROSS-BORDER RIVERS?More on that next. But first... the headlines….########
THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE REPORTS LONGTIME DEFENSE ATTORNEY BRIAN JUDE WHITE HAS BEEN SWORN IN AS THE NEWEST MAGISTRATE JUDGE FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
WHITE HAS WORKED AS A CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS
MAGISTRATE JUDGES ARE APPOINTED BY DISTRICT JUDGES AND SERVE EIGHT-YEAR TERMS
THEY HAVE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE WARRANTS, CONDUCT MOST PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS, HANDLE PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS. AND THEY CAN PRESIDE OVER CIVIL TRIALS
WHITE EARNED A BACHELOR’S DEGREE FROM S-D-S-U IN 1987 AND GRADUATED PEPPERDINE SCHOOL OF LAW IN 19-91. HE THEN RETURNED TO HIS HOMETOWN OF SAN DIEGO TO LAUNCH HIS LEGAL CAREER
########
THE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK APPROVED NEW PARKING FEES IN BALBOA PARK. THE COUNCIL ALREADY ADOPTED A BUDGET THAT ASSUMES THE CITY WILL START CHARGING FOR PARKING THIS YEAR, BUT THE EXACT RATES WERE STILL UP FOR DEBATE. THE FINAL DEAL HAS CITY RESIDENTS PAYING BETWEEN 5 AND 8 DOLLARS, WHILE NONRESIDENTS WILL PAY BETWEEN 10 AND 16 DOLLARS.
COUNCILMEMBER SEAN ELO-RIVERA SAID THE PARK HAS A DESPERATE NEED FOR MORE STABLE FUNDING.
BALBOAPARKING 3A 0:10
SER: I think we all know that as much as we love Balboa Park, there are some parts of that park that are ugly. Mainly inside the restrooms. And it doesn't need to be that way.
A LAST-MINUTE CHANGE WILL DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PARKING FEES UNTIL THE CITY CAN CREATE A QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL PASS FOR FREQUENT PARK USERS.
THE DELAY WILL LIKELY CAUSE A SHORTFALL OF SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS IN THE CITY'S PARKS AND REC BUDGET.
#########
CONSTRUCTION IS STARTING THIS WEEK AT THE SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM ON A MAJOR 7 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT
THE MUSEUM’S THEATER AND SEVERAL GALLERIES WILL BE CLOSED DURING CONSTRUCTION BUT THEIR NEWEST EXHIBIT, AMAZEMENT IN THE BASEMENT AND OTHERS WILL REMAIN OPEN
ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE CEILING WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW DESIGN ALLOWING FOR BETTER CLIMATE CONTROL. THEY’RE ALSO INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS.
A PANEL IN THE EXISTING SKYLIGHT LEAKED AND CAUSED WATER DAMAGE DURING A RAINSTORM LAST YEAR
ANYONE WANTING TO STILL VISIT THE MUSEUM WILL RECEIVE HALF-OFF ADMISSION RUNNING THROUGH EARLY TO MID NOVEMBER
A COMBINATION OF STATE FUNDING AND MONEY RAISED BY THE MUSEUM’S CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WILL FUND THE PROJECT
#########
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
<<<UNDERWRITING BREAK>>
######
<<<MUSIC BUMP INTO A BLOCK>>
##########
A RIVALRY OVER $50 MILLION DOLLARS MEANT TO CLEAN CROSS-BORDER RIVERS IS BREWING. ENVIRONMENT REPORTER TAMMY MURGA SAYS SAN DIEGO AND IMPERIAL COUNTY LEADERS EACH MADE THEIR CASE FOR THE BOND MONEY THIS WEEK (TUESDAY)
NEWRIVER 1 trt: 1:08 soq
California voters approved Proposition 4 last year. It allows the state to borrow $10 billion to pay for environmental projects.
$50 million is earmarked to address pollution in the Tijuana River in San Diego County and the New River in Imperial County.
San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre says she wants all of the funding for the Tijuana River. The money would help fix a sewage hot spot in the river.
NEWRIVER 1 00:13
“It’s such a unique opportunity for us to be able to use this funding to expedite this infrastructure fix so that we can begin to be able to breathe every day.”
But Calexico Mayor Diana Nuricumbo says cross-border pollution in the Imperial Valley has not had enough federal attention. She says the city is relying on its share of the money to pay for wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
NEWRIVER 1 00:15
“My ask today is simple: Please keep Calexico in your sightline. Keep reminding folks that the Imperial County is part of California, too. That we also have a cross-border river issue.”
The State Water Resources Control Board will have to decide how to distribute funding. Tammy Murga, KPBS News.
##########
THE NATIONAL CITY PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED MONDAY NIGHT TO BLOCK A CONTROVERSIAL BIO-FUEL DEPOT. SOUTH BAY REPORTER KORI SUZUKI SAYS THE PROJECT WOULD HAVE STREAMLINED DELIVERY OF GREEN FUELS. BUT IT WOULD ALSO HAVE BROUGHT MORE POLLUTION TO WEST NATIONAL CITY.
FUELDEPOT 1 :58 SOQ
___________________________________
The project has faced heavy opposition from National City residents. On Monday, dozens of residents and other environmental advocates rallied at Kimball Park ahead of the Planning Commission hearing.
SOT // 20250915_ncdepot folo_z63_planningcommission_2921
The company behind the project, Texas-based USD Clean Fuels, has tried to pitch it as an environmental win for the county.
But environmental advocates have pointed out that those regional benefits would come at a cost for West National City. That’s because the project would rely on heavy, diesel-burning trucks. Bringing more air pollution to an area where there’s already a history of heavy industrial activity.
In a 4-1 decision, planners denied two critical permits for the project. Commissioner Liliana Armenta said she was voting to push back against that legacy of pollution.
L3:
Liliana Armenta
National City Planning Commissioner
7be99e67-0215-4ba6-98bc-25efb01d57b1 / 03:22:08
I don’t want us to be the first in reducing our health and wellness here. So let us take this opportunity to break the cycle.
The company says they might appeal the decision to the city council.
Kori Suzuki, KPBS News.
##########
NEARLY 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION COULD FACE POTENTIAL CUTS TO THEIR FEDERAL FOOD BENEFITS. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY.
AS REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN TELLS US … THE COUNTY HAS A PLAN TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED KEEP THEIR BENEFITS.
===
FOODBANK 1(an) TRT: 0:51 SOQ
San Diego County officials say in February … more than 96-thousand San Diegans could lose their benefits under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
“Not because they did anything wrong, but because the system is about to get much, much harder to navigate.”
On Tuesday … County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer announced a campaign to help the people affected know that’s changing and how they can stay covered.
Under the new rules … more people will have to provide proof that they are working at least 80 hours a month.
Those include veterans, people experiencing homelessness, the elderly, former foster youth and parents of teens. Previously, this group was exempt from the work requirement.
Terra Lawson-Remer // San Diego County Supervisor
“So all of these folks that we've worked so hard in our community to help lift up are now getting pulled down by a system that's getting harder and harsher.”
The information will go out through texting, calls, fliers and other outreach efforts.
In the coming months … the county is working on a concrete plan for other ways to help people navigate the new requirements.
AN/KPBS
##########
RAMONA’S NUEVO MEMORY GARDENS, A 10-ACRE CEMETERY, IS ONE OF 58 SPECIAL DISTRICTS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. SMALL GOVERNMENTAL BODIES LIKE THIS RARELY HAVE COMMUNITY WATCHDOGS. BUT AS EVENING EDITION ANCHOR MAYA TRABULSI REPORTS, THIS CEMETERY DISTRICT DOES.
CEMETERY 1 (ee) (4:40) SOQ: "Maya Trabulsi, K-P-B-S News.”
--------------------------------
“His name is Pete Smith. These are all public records. The advantage that I have is I knew what I was looking for. The long-time Ramona resident spent more than a decade on San Diego County's volunteer audit committee. That experience taught him how to follow the money in government. And in 2023, Smith followed the money into an unusual arrangement involving health benefits for cemetery district board members. And that's going to be attributable to adjustments in insurance coverage and premiums.
On his own Smith found that two of the part-time trustees, William Biggs and Daniel Wengler, had since 2011 voted to give themselves Calpers health insurance coverage. That cost the district about $49,000 per year, a total of $402,000 $123. Smith alerted KPBS to this in August of 2023, and we did a story.
Uh, the cemetery district in San Diego County, um, only Ramona pays to their directors any form of health care. It turned out to be one of those rare investigative stories that had an immediate impact. We did not find records of Biggs paying the district back, but Vangler did.
Vangler paid the district back for his insurance costs with two checks totaling $303,658. And one more thing. As far as the health care benefits in Cal The board members agreed to terminate their health benefits. Or so we thought. This January, Smith was appointed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to fill a vacancy on the cemetery district board.
Initially, when I was on the board, I was assured that the trustees were no longer having their benefits paid by the district. But like any good watchdog, he checked it out. I had difficulty when I got there discovering the facts Because they were, in my opinion, hidden in the financial statements. Smith eventually found records showing the health insurance premiums for Vangler were paid by the district from September through December 2023.
I asked for a breakdown by employee as to who was getting paid, what benefit? John Vargas, the cemetery district's general manager, refused to provide Smith with the information, claiming the records were protected by HIPAA and couldn't be released. We asked San Diego Employment Law attorney Josh about Vargas's claim.
HIPAA protects medical records and diagnoses and medical notes and medical information, not the payment of health benefits from a a public organization. That is absurd. Smith also discovered something else after he joined the board. It was a 2024 agreement between the outgoing board and Vargas, the general manager. And it happened after they knew they were being replaced in January? Per the agreement.
Vargas was in line for a $45,000 severance payment if he left his job for any reason. Grunberg has reviewed thousands of employment and severance agreements during a 32-year career as an employment law attorney. It doesn't pass the smell test. For example, the agreement says if Vargas were to be fired for cause, say for gross mismanagement, he'd still get his severance payout.
And I've never seen one that allows an employee to receive 45,000 in severance If he is terminated for cause and specifically these very serious for cause issues like bribery, perjury, fraud, unheard of. There is no evidence that Vargas acted improperly. In June, he quit without giving notice. Smith says Vargas' severance check was signed by an employee who didn't have the authority to issue the check.
Vargas could not be reached for comment. Biggs also could not be reached for comment. But we didn't have to go far to speak to Bengler. He continued to attend the cemetery board meetings months after being replaced, but he would not answer our questions. Mr. Vengler, would you like to do an interview now? I'd like to ask you some questions about Mr. Vargas.
Bob Stern is a long-time advocate for government reform in California. He says public agencies need watch dogs at all times. The problem is that nobody pays attention to special districts. And if it's not being watched, then people think they can get away with it. Maybe not illegally, but maybe unethically. And Smith says that as long as he's on the Ramona Cemetery District's board, it will have a watchdog. Maya Trabulsi, KPBS News.”
TAG: THIS STORY WAS WRITTEN AND REPORTED BY JW AUGUST FOR KPBS.
<<<SHOW CLOSE>>>
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!
