San Diegans react to Colorado shooting
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Tuesday, November 22nd.
We’ll hear from San Diegans about their reactions to the shooting at an LG-BT club in Colorado More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
########
This is the second week of a strike by academic workers at all 10 UC campuses.
Here at UC-SD, nearly 8-thousand union members are striking for pay raises and better working conditions.
Alex Wenzel is a Ph-D student at UC-SD, and a member of the newly formed union Student Researchers United.
He said the strike is having an impact on the campus.
“The teaching assistants, a large number of them have walked off the jobs, so grades are beginning to back up, discussion sections are not being taught and many professors also in solidarity are canceling their lectures.”
Wenzel said there have been tentative agreements reached on some of the issues.
He said union members will stay out on the picket lines until they reach a fair contract the members agree on.
######
San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher opened a campaign account for a state senate run in 20-24.
In a statement to KPBS he said that when Toni Atkins steps down the region will lose one of its most effective advocates in the legislature.
He said he’s considering running to help working Californians get higher wages, affordable healthcare, and first-class public schools.
He plans to make a decision and announcement soon.
########
Four more soccer games will be played today in the World Cup.
One of those is Mexico versus Poland.
It starts at 8 this morning.
You can livestream the game or watch it at Shakespeare Pub in Mission Hills … or Bluefoot Bar and Lounge in North Park …
For a list of more watch parties, visit KPBS-DOT-ORG-SLASH-WORLD-CUP.
#########
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
#########
SAN DIEGO’S LG- BTQ COMMUNITY IS IN MOURNING AFTER SATURDAY’S DEADLY SHOOTING AT A NIGHTCLUB IN COLORADO SPRINGS.
In Hillcrest, the Pride Flag and Monument have become a shrine to the five killed at Club Q …
Francisco Medavog went there to gather his thoughts
"We’re always watching our back, …I feel safe in my city I just don’t feel safe out of this neighborhood."
Ben Nicholls, the executive director of the Hillcrest Business Association, says lately there have even been tensions in Hillcrest, known as a haven for the LGBT community…with protestors showing up to some of their events
"That context creates this nervousness... it just sets people on edge."
The San Diego Police Department tells KPBS News they will be doing extra patrols in the Hillcrest area.
##########
Fernando Lopez is the executive director of San Diego Pride.
They joined KPBS Midday Edition with more reaction to the shooting. Here’s M.G. Perez.
We are here again, Fernando…it was just a few months ago I spoke with you on this program about a militant group threatening and harassing people at an LGBTQ Pride event in Idaho.
This latest attack happened at what was suppose to be a safe space …
So many people enjoy socializing at local gay bars … What do you say to them after an attack like this? Our listeners should know that Sunday was Trans Remembrance Day. Tell us about that. What is the significance of the event.
That was Fernando Lopez with San Diego Pride, speaking with KPBS reporter M.G. Perez.
##########
Coming up.... A former motel in Escondido will serve as a healing center for the homeless following a hospital visit. We’ll have that story and more, just after the break.
##########
A trip to the hospital for someone experiencing homelessness may get them off the street long enough to be treated.
But when discharge time comes, homeless people often end up back on the streets.
KPBS North County reporter Tania Thorne tells us a solution to that problem is on the way in Escondido.
When John Goolsby was getting discharged from the VA hospital, he was homeless and had nowhere to go. “Where am I going to go? What am I going to do? Is there anybody that can actually help me? Those were the thoughts running through his head. He had been offered help before… but he lost trust. It seems like there’s not really any help for single males.. Man it is hundreds if not thousands of people out there that's in a similar situation it's just heartbreaking. Interfaith Community Services offered Goolsby recuperative care straight from the hospital…so he gave it a chance. “Very kind and caring ppl that didnt push me, didn’t force me to do anything just basically guided me in the direction with the resources to help myself and over the few months there I've recovered and gotten my confidence back” A case worker helped Goolsby start from scratch and work towards a brighter future “What's next for me… looking for an apartment or a studio. I don't need much. I wanna go back to school. I wanna get back into the community and help others.” Interfaith’s Hawthorne Resource Center is where Goolsby was able to recover and regain control of his life. It’s a 32-bed facility… but Interfaith has much bigger plans… with a 106-bed care center scheduled to open in a couple of months… in what used to be a motel. Greg Anglea is the CEO of Interfaith Community Services. They’ve been working on the project for two years. So much has gone into this project that it just took time to bring a 1970s era budget motel to 2022 residential care facility standards. The property will offer a space where homeless people can heal following a hospital visit. If somebody is at our local hospital, say Palomar hospital, and they're ready for discharge but they don't have a safe home to recover in, they'll be transferred straight to our recuperative care center here. We’ll help them recover from the medical procedure, or if it was a psychiatric hospitalization, we’ll help them get stabilized with their mental health and then we’ll help them secure a stable home to move out of here into.” But healing is only part of the mission. “Here we have RN’s, we have licensed vocational nurses, social workers, case managers to help an individual heal and recover and identify the strategy and complete the strategies to end their homelessness.” Anglea says the alternative to this space is discharging homeless people back onto the streets or to a shelter that may not be equipped to follow a plan of care. Once the new Abraham and Lillian Turk Center for Recuperative Care is open, the old Hawthorne facility will get a new mission… to help homeless families. It's more and more common that we have families with children coming to us who are living in their cars, who are finding refuge on our streets… and so this center will be a place of short-term housing and support… Both centers are expected to open by January. TT KPBS News
##########
While San Diego soccer fans are fired up about the world cup … they are also excited to see Luca de la Torre play with the US men’s team on the world’s biggest stage.
De La Torre was born and raised in San Diego. He grew up playing soccer for several club teams here … including the San Diego Nomads.
His childhood coach … Derek Armstrong … still remembers him fondly.
“He was playing at a little elementary school in La Jolla for Del Mar. He was twelve years old, playing on the right wing, and I wanted him after that. As soon as I seen him, I thought we needed to get him.”
After about three seasons with the Nomads … de la Torre went pro after being scouted by Fulham F-C (Fullam) in England at 15.
The U-S men’s team will face England this Friday after tying with Wales yesterday.
##########
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great day.
