San Diego City College students host rally denouncing ICE arrest of a Haitian student
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Headline: San Diego City College students host rally denouncing ICE arrest of a Haitian student
Description: First, an update on the ICE arrest near San Diego City College. Also, next summer La Mesa plans to host its first ever Pride event. Then, what impact does this extreme heat have on our power grid? And, San Diego City College is working to support its students that are parents.
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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson, it’s THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER TENTH>>>> [ WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE ICE ARREST NEAR SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE ]More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….########
AN EARLY FLU VACCINE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS
SCRIPPS HEALTH IS OFFERING THE VACCINE BEFORE FLU SEASON RAMPS UP LATER THIS YEAR
THE HEALTH SYSTEM SAYS THIS LATEST VERSION OF THE VACCINE IS BETTER DESIGNED TO MATCH THE STRAINS OF THE VIRUS THAT WILL BE CIRCULATING THIS FLU SEASON
SCRIPPS SUGGESTS GETTING THE SHOT THIS MONTH OR NEXT SO YOUR BODY’S IMMUNE SYSTEM CAN GET A HEAD-START ON DEFENDING ITSELF…
EXPERTS SAY THAT AN EARLY DEFENSE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
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ITS BEEN TWENTY YEARS SINCE THE COUNTY LAUNCHED ITS CHILDHOOD OBESITY INITIATIVE
THE GOAL OF THE INITIATIVE IS TO HELP CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES
THE INITIATIVE SAYS ONE IN THREE CHILDREN IN OUR COUNTY ARE CURRENTLY OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE…
THAT’S WHY THEY SAY THEIR WORK, REMAINS CRUCIAL
OVER THE 20-YEAR SPAN, THE INITIATIVE HAS PARTNERED WITH MORE THAN 400 LOCAL PARTNERS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD AND SAFE PLACES FOR KIDS TO PLAY
THE INITIATIVE ALSO SAYS ITS HELPED TO LEVERAGE ALMOST EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO SUPPORT VARIOUS COMMUNITY EFFORTS
LAST YEAR THAT INCLUDED PROVIDING FUNDING FOR A GARDEN AT A CHILDCARE CENTER IN ESCONDIDO, A DANCE PROGRAM AND TRAINING FOR LACTATION EDUCATORS
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TIMES OF SAN DIEGO SAYS AN UPCOMING OCTOBER SIXTEENTH COURT DATE WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF A 3-YEAR-LONG COURT BATTLE OVER ONE OF THE REGION’S BUSIEST MUSIC VENUES
THAT’S WHEN SOME OF THE RESIDENTS LIVING ABOVE GALLAGHER SQUARE WILL ASK A JUDGE TO DEMAND THE PADRES REDUCE NOISE LEVELS DURING GALLAGHER SQUARE CONCERTS
THEY WANT NOISE LEVELS TO COMPLY WITH THE CITY’S NOISE ORDINANCE
RESIDENTS SAY THIS WILL HELP PUT AN END TO UNFILTERED CONCERT NOISE MAKING ITS WAY INSIDE THEIR RESIDENCES
THEY SAY GALLAGHER SQUARE IS A UNIQUE VENUE AS IT DOESN’T HAVE PHYSICAL SOUND BARRIERS
WE WILL UPDATE YOU ON THE COURT’S DECISION SOMETIME IN OCTOBER
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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THE ARREST OF A HAITIAN STUDENT BY ICE AGENTS TUESDAY UNNERVED STUDENTS AND STAFF AT SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE.
IT’S MAINLY A COMMUTER SCHOOL WITH MANY WORKING-CLASS STUDENTS WHO WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY), STUDENTS HELD A RALLY DENOUNCING ICE’S ACTION. REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN WAS THERE
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NAT “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us.”
Students were outraged that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested a Haitian student near campus … and chased another onto campus.
They also feel that the college administration didn’t take the concerns about ICE enforcement around campus seriously. Since last year, the Trump administration has ramped up deportations.
Grae Fairlie is part of Justice in Palestine, one of the student groups holding the rally.
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“There are a lot of people who are genuinely scared. We saw that all through kind of last semester where attendance went down a little bit. People didn't feel safe. So for that threat to actually happen, there are people who are definitely scared.”
D-H-S identified the student arrested as Renatho Casseus (reh-NAH-toh kah-SEE-us). He’s a Haitian immigrant who came to the U-S via El Paso in May 20-23.
The Trump administration ended the Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in June. That program allowed immigrants to stay and work here if conditions in their home country prevented them from returning.
The Haitian Community is planning a rally in front of the Federal Building downtown Thursday morning. AN/KPBS
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THE HEAT WAVE THAT’S GRIPPED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS FINALLY STARTING TO EASE.
REPORTER JOHN CARROLL SAYS THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE POWER LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE SAY THEY’VE BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS KIND OF HEAT
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HEATPOWER 1 :57 SOQ
THE FIGURE IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING, BUT SDG&E SAYS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE LOST POWER DURING THE HEAT WAVE. HIGH HEAT COMBINED WITH HEAVY POWER USE STRAINS THE EQUIPMENT THAT TRANSPORTS POWER TO HOMES AND BUSINESSES. BUT THE UTILITY SAYS IT’S BEEN WORKING TO IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE OF THE SYSTEM… AND A SPOKESPERSON TOLD KPBS, THEY HAVE CREWS STATIONED AROUND THE COUNTY TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO OUTAGES. STATEWIDE, CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATOR SPOKESPERSON JAYME ACKEMANN SAYS THE SYSTEM IS MORE RESILIENT THAN EVER.
“Since 2020, which was the last time that we experienced rotating outages, we’ve added more than 35,000 megawatts of energy to the grid. We’ve added more than 17,000 megawatts of battery storage capacity.”
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS SEASONAL TEMPERATURES SHOULD START RETURNING BY THE WEEKEND. JC, KPBS NEWS.
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COUNTY VOTERS WILL DECIDE ON A HALF-CENT SALES TAX INCREASE THIS NOVEMBER. PENNER FELLOW EMMY BURRUS REPORTS PROPONENTS OF THE MEASURE MET YESTERDAY TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT COULD MITIGATE FEDERAL CUTS TO HEALTHCARE
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Measure B – the San Diego County Health and Safety Act – would supplement cuts to California’s low-income healthcare program: Medi-Cal.
Supporters say over 150,000 San Diegans are at risk of losing healthcare in January. That’s when federal work requirements take effect for Medi-Cal.
Champagne Alexander is a local mom and wife. She’s also a Medi-Cal recipient.
“Medi-cal has been security for me and my family. I know for a fact without it, we would have had to make some choices between rent and health.”
Proponents of Measure B met to discuss why they think San Diego County needs the funding. Nick Macchione is Chief Health Officer at UC San Diego Health.
He says Medi-Cal cuts could result in fewer vaccinations and cause widespread public health issues.
“If people don't have good access to care, that can spread and does spread, that impacts, all San Diego is not a subset. So I think that's why when we talk about health care, this is something that connects all of us, not some of us.”
Revenue from Measure B would raise up to 450 million dollars annually if passed this November. It would also support the Tijuana River sewage crisis, low-income childcare and more.
Emmy Burrus, KPBS News
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NEXT SUMMER, THE CITY OF LA MESA WILL HOST ITS FIRST EVER PRIDE EVENT, THANKS TO FUNDING APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY NIGHT.
EAST COUNTY REPORTER ELAINE ALFARO SAYS SAN DIEGO’S HISTORIC LGBTQ+ DIVERSIONARY THEATRE WILL BE COORDINATING THE CELEBRATION.
LMPRIDE 1 (1:10) SOC
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“I’m gonna say something I never thought I’d say up here. We call it ‘Les’ Mesa or ‘La Gay’sa. We’re happy to have you here.”
That’s council member Lauren Cazares at Tuesday’s meeting where the council voted unanimously to allocate $15,000 for the event. Cazares, who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, spoke about the meaning of this milestone in an interview with KPBS today (on Wednesday).
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“It’s something that the entirety of the La Mesa city council supports and is behind. And I wish I could've seen that when I was a kid.”
Diversionary Theater will put on the event … Which is tentatively scheduled for next June at the Allison Avenue Municipal Parking Lot near downtown. It will have food vendors and entertainment, including a live music stage. Troy Tinker is a La Mesa resident and answered questions about the event during the council meeting.
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“We do hope it will grow. And we’re glad that our community supports us.”
Funding for the event will come from the city’s parking fund. Another $20,000 was allocated for a wellness fair that will happen in La Mesa’s downtown next year.
Elaine Alfaro, KPBS News.
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A JUDGE IN IMPERIAL COUNTY HAS BLOCKED PLANS FOR A MASSIVE DATA CENTER COMPLEX… AND IS ORDERING THE COUNTY TO ANALYZE ITS POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS.
IMPERIAL COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE BROOKS ANDERHOLT ISSUED THE RULING YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) MORNING. HE SAID COUNTY OFFICIALS ILLEGALLY SHIELDED THE PROJECT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WHEN THEY SIGNED OFF ON IT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THE DECISION WAS PART OF A LEGAL CHALLENGE BROUGHT BY THE SIERRA CLUB AND THE CITY OF IMPERIAL. MARK WEST IS WITH THE SIERRA CLUB.
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The local community in Imperial County has been pushing back and now the the judge is agreeing with them that they they deserve to make sure that people are heard and in meaningful environmental review is conducted.
THE COUNTY DID NOT RESPOND TO A REQUEST FOR COMMENT. THE PROJECT’S DEVELOPER SAYS THEY’RE PREPARED TO APPEAL THE DECISION.
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GETTING A COLLEGE DEGREE CAN TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY FOR ANY STUDENT. ADD KIDS TO THE MIX…AND IT CAN FEEL IMPOSSIBLE.
EDUCATION REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE IS WORKING TO STRENGTHEN ITS SUPPORT FOR STUDENT PARENTS.
FAMILYU 5:04 SOQ
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ELIZABETH LUGO, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE STUDENT
I came and looked at the school and just walked around and I was like, I want to be here.
Elizabeth Lugo is studying social work and child development at San Diego City College. She has two kids, aged 13 and 9.
Her busy day starts well before she gets to campus and continues after she’s done with class. There’s school dropoff and pickup…meals…kids’ homework…and then her own.
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ELIZABETH LUGO, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE STUDENT
It is pretty challenging. And sometimes, when you come to school and see like other students, like not trying to compare, but they don't have children. It's like you can see the this it's a difference because you come with all the stress to school and their days start so different from us.
This year, San Diego City College is joining a nationwide cohort of colleges working to strengthen their support for student parents.
It’s called FamilyU.
Over the next two years, college administrators will analyze their existing policies and create new ones to support students with kids.
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ADAN SANCHEZ, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE
We just know that we need to do better as a college to better proactively support them.
Adan Sanchez is the dean of student affairs at City College. He says 20% of their students are parents.
The library has a family study room, but they want to do more.
Sanchez says the college plans to use bond funding to build a new Welcome Center. That center will include a dedicated space for parents. It will also house offices that manage support services for low-income students and single parents.
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ADAN SANCHEZ, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE
Instead of having to go from here to another building or two buildings over, either with a stroller or with little kids.
Lugo says that would help. She says access to those programs can give student parents the confidence to enroll.
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ELIZABETH LUGO, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE STUDENT
Sometimes they are afraid to start because they don't know that there's programs that will support them or that they will have resources, so they get discouraged.
City, Mesa and Miramar Colleges have child development centers on campus. Priority for their childcare services goes to student families, but Sanchez says there’s a waitlist.
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ADAN SANCHEZ, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE
That's going to be one of the partners that we'll be looking at to see if we can do this kind of like drop in, drop out kind of situation. Or if we need to build something within this space.
One of the goals for FamilyU is to improve how colleges collect data on student parents. Sanchez says that data can help school leaders prove the need for financial support.
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ADAN SANCHEZ, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE
How do we not just bring these resources to our students, but how do we validate their existence through data so that we can push and advocate for ongoing funding?
Mesa College participated in FamilyU in 2023. Johanna Aleman is the college’s basic needs coordinator. Her department provides food, clothing and school supplies to students.
She already knew many of the students they served were parents. So…
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JOHANNA ALEMAN, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE
We couldn't just do surface level stuff. We had to start digging in deeper for things.
Things like campus policies and how they’re enforced.
Campus policy says children can’t be left unattended. They’re not allowed in classrooms, but otherwise, they’re allowed in places like dining halls.
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JOHANNA ALEMAN, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE
Even with that, like we had employees who were telling parents, you can't have your kid here. But the guideline is as long as the child, the minor child is with a guardian or adult, they are allowed on campus.
Aleman says they needed campus culture to change. They started reminding staff about the policy at the start of the school year. They’re working to add changing tables to campus bathrooms and high chairs to dining halls.
They also created the Family Resource Center. It has kids toys, books, diapers and infant clothing. And there’s room for parents to study.
Della McCullough has brought her daughter here throughout the last two years.
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DELLA MCCULLOUGH, STUDENT PARENT
I would pick her up right out of school and we would come here and we would just sit here and I would need to do homework. And she was able to occupy herself while I was occupying myself.
McCullough is a single mom.
She says she felt disconnected from her younger classmates when she first got to Mesa. Events for student parents helped her find her community.
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DELLA MCCULLOUGH, STUDENT PARENT
I love to share this fact all the time that it's actually one out of five students that are parents. So it's like, oh, you could be a parent and I just don't know.
Generation Hope is the organization that puts on FamilyU. They say student parents have higher GPAs on average than their non-parenting classmates. But they’re 10 times less likely to graduate on time.
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DELLA MCCULLOUGH, STUDENT PARENT
I'm not going to lie, parents probably think about it often. I think we're constantly thinking about if this is going to be the day that we're just going to have to sacrifice what's important to us for the benefit of the family. But I think and I remind myself that both can be done.
…especially when college professors, staff and policymakers are ready to help. Katie Anastas, KPBS News
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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is edited by Brooke Ruth. and hosted and produced by me, Lawrence K. Jackson. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Thanks for listening and have a great day.
