San Diego law students are clearing the way for formerly incarcerated people to practice law
<<<HEADLINE/DESCRIPTION>>>
Headline: San Diego law students are clearing the way for formerly incarcerated people to practice law
Description: First, we’ll tell you how a group of law students are helping pave the way for formerly incarcerated people to practice law. Then, an Imperial County judge is planning to block plans for an expansive data center. Also, a new virtual tour lets you explore La Jolla’s underwater park from the comfort of your home. And, a preview of the inaugural Anime San Diego Convention.
<<<HEADLINES>>>
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson, it’s THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD>>>> [ SOME LAW STUDENTS ARE HELPING CLEAR THE WAY FOR PEOPLE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD TO PRACTICE LAW ]More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….########
MORE THAN FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT ON IMPROVING SOUND INSULATION FOR AROUND 4-HUNDRED MORE HOMES FALLING WITHIN SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL’S FLIGHT PATH
THE F-A-A AWARDED THE FUNDS TO THE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY ON TUESDAY FOR ITS ‘QUIETER HOME PROGRAM’
THE PROGRAM LOOKS TO REDUCE NOISE LEVELS COMING FROM THE AIRPORT AND ITS AIRPLANES
THE QUIETER HOMES PROGRAM HAS RETROFITTED MORE THAN SIX THOUSAND HOMES SINCE 2001.
UPGRADES CAN INCLUDE INSTALLING NOISE-MITIGATING DOORS AND WINDOWS, SWAPPING VENTILATION SYSTEMS LIKE A/C UNITS AND WEATHER STRIPPING AROUND ANY OPENINGS
########
FORECASTERS ARE PROJECTING A STRONG EL NINO THIS FALL AND WINTER,
IN RESPONSE, THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO IS SENDING OUT FLYERS TO HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES LOCATED IN HIGH-RISK FLOOD ZONES
THAT’S ROUGHLY SEVEN THOUSAND PROPERTIES
THE HAND OUT HAS TIPS ON PREPARING AHEAD OF TIME AND WHAT TO DO DURING A STORM. THOSE TIPS INCLUDE SIGNING UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS, BUILDING AN EMERGENCY KIT AND KEEPING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN A WATERPROOF CONTAINER
FOR MORE INFO, GO TO SAN DIEGO DOT GOV SLASH EL NINO
########
A NEW RIDE SHARE COMPETITOR IS JOINING THE RACE TO BE DRIVERLESS
TIMES OF SAN DIEGO SAYS THAT ON THE SAME DAY THAT WAYMO OPENED TO THE PUBLIC, AMAZON ANNOUNCED RIDESHARE PLANS OF ITS OWN
AMAZON SAYS IT’S RIDESHARE OFFERING, ZOO-X [ZUKS] WILL BE HITTING SAN DIEGO STREETS BY THE END OF THE MONTH,
ZOO-X [ZOOKS] FIRST BEGAN OPERATIONS LAST YEAR IN SAN FRANCISCO AND LAS VEGAS
TIMES OF S-D SAYS THE COMPANY WILL HAVE HUMAN SAFETY DRIVERS IN PLACE FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS, GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO SAFELY MAP THE CITY
ONCE THE OFFICIAL ZOO-X [ZOOKS] TAXI’S ARRIVE, THEY SHOULD TURN JUST AS MANY HEADS AS WAYMO’S
THE VEHICLES HAVE NO STEERING WHEEL, NO DASHBOARD AND NO FRONT-FACING SEAT
DOORS OPEN UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR, FEATURING ‘CARRIAGE-STYLE ROWS” WHERE RIDERS FACE EACH OTHER
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 GROUP OF SAN DIEGO LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE PAVING THE WAY FOR MORE FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE TO PRACTICE LAW
REPORTER KATIE HYSON SAYS TOGETHER, THEY’RE OVERCOMING HIGHER BARRIERS THAN THE TYPICAL LAW STUDENT.
SILSA ft trt 4:55 SOQ (kh/mb)
Colleen Murphy is entering her third year at California Western School of Law – against all odds.
SOT :15 In my 20s, like, I had experienced a lot of, like, adversity and, ended up incarcerated. And at that point, I really thought my life was over. But, you know, after years of struggling through that, I ended up homeless and found out I was pregnant shortly after.
Becoming a single mother fueled her to change her trajectory.
She started community college. It confronted her with questions.
SOT :04 Do I qualify for financial aid, am I going to be able to access this? Do I fit in here?
She thought people trying to change their lives shouldn’t face these kinds of barriers.
And figured law was the tool to change that.
She met with a school counselor.
SOT :09 And she's like, why are you doing law? And so that like – why would you want to do that? And I like that to me was like, ‘OK, I'm not going to ask for help from you.’ So I had to figure it out on my own.
She landed a spot at California Western.
SOT :05 The first year of law school was incredibly hard. Like, I laugh about it now, but I felt like I was dying, or like – *laughs*
The experience made her determined to make it easier for other formerly incarcerated people.
SOT :15 I think that that’s a common characteristic of our demographic. Like, we know what it's like to not have support and to feel alienated. And so a lot of us naturally kind of come back to that, like nurturing caregiving, like leaving the ladder down for people because we didn't have that.
Law school is notoriously tough. But there are added barriers for people exiting incarceration.
SOT :09 Basic needs is a huge component. Like if you can't find housing because you have a criminal record, how are you ever going to be successful in school because you're, you know, the floor is just falling out from underneath you all the time.
The average total tuition for law school in America is close to 200-thousand dollars. That’s according to the Education Data Initiative.
There are added costs for formerly incarcerated students. Like hiring a lawyer to help them pass the moral character part of the bar.
Murphy says it’s almost guaranteed the bar will challenge the moral application of students with criminal records.
They have to prove that despite their histories on paper, they’re a good enough person to practice law.
SOT :05 It almost feels like there's a baseline that you're not fit. And so you really have to prove yourself.
Julie Hinton says she was quoted 15-thousand dollars to retain a lawyer to help her pass moral character.
SOT :02 And like, is that worth the investment?
The preparation is challenging emotionally, too.
SOT :10 It is a little bit triggering, honestly, to have to re go through all of your court documents. And so, I am in therapy *laughs*
She’s in her second year at California Western. She also deals with imposter syndrome.
SOT :05 Like, it is scary because I think I, you know, law school starts tomorrow and I'm like, ‘Oh, the cold calls!’
Law school cold calls – when the professor calls on random students to answer questions they may or may not be ready for.
SOT :11 But honestly, I've been in the worst situation you ever could be in in your life at the lowest point possible. And I was like, ‘Well, I survived. So, you know, this cold call in law school? I'll be fine.’ *laughs*
Lauren Tyler relates. She’s in her second year at California Western.
SOT :18 I think we all struggle with, you know, whether we're, we're doing enough, whether we're good enough for these situations. But those feelings are exacerbated when you've been in the system. And because it's such a dehumanizing system where it really makes you feel like you're less than.
But her perspective has changed.
SOT :17 My background is an asset. And I've learned that. It's a superpower . . . ‘cause it enables you to have perspective that no one else . . . will ever have. And it also is going to be a way for us to speak to clients and to actually relate to them.
Finding each other has been a big reason why Murphy, Hinton and Tyler have been succeeding.
They formed SILSA last year. System Impacted Law Student Association.
Murphy says it’s the first of its kind in San Diego. One of the first in the country.
They help each other navigate those practical, financial and psychological barriers.
They also advocate for clients in the county’s Homeless Court.
It’s especially meaningful for Murphy.
SOT :04 It's like really full circle . . . it’s almost like – it’s very emotional.
A dozen students attended SILSA’s orientation this year.
It’s a small reflection of what Murphy says is a growing movement.
New state programs and the federal restoration of Pell Grants have made it easier for formerly incarcerated people to access law school over the last decade.
Hinton says that matters, if the justice system is going to reflect the people it’s supposed to serve.
She wonders how society can ignore how many people are like her.
SOT :081 in 3 Americans has a, you know, involvement with the American carceral system and I think that’s just such a – like, how are we not pretending that this doesn't exist? *laughs*
Katie Hyson, KPBS News
##########
THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF TOLD THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THIS WEEK (Tues) WHAT SHE’S DOING TO REFORM THE JAIL SYSTEM.
PUBLIC MATTERS REPORTER KEVIN TREVELLYAN SAYSTHE COUNTY IS FACING A SERIES OF LAWSUITS ALLEGING UNSAFE CONDITIONS INSIDE MANY OF THE AGING BUILDINGS.
—
JAILCULTURE 1 TOT (0:38) SOQ
During a presentation, Sheriff Kelly Martinez told the Board of Supervisors her department has responded to the lawsuits with a concerted effort to improve. She said that’s led to better medical and mental health care for inmates and fewer in-custody deaths.
“I want this to be foundational. That it’s sustainable and the way we operate going forward.”
The office has begun providing medical exams to each inmate at intake, instead of just on request. Martinez says that’s led to more responsive care and the treatment of chronic health issues that may’ve previously gone unnoticed.
The office has also assigned a nurse to each jail’s housing floor, so they can build familiarity with individual inmates.
KT, KPBS news.
##########
AN IMPERIAL COUNTY JUDGE IS PREPARING TO BLOCK PLANS FOR A MASSIVE DATA CENTER… AND ORDER THE COUNTY TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THE PROJECT.
REPORTER KORI SUZUKI SAYS RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS ANALYSIS FOR MONTHS.
DATACOURT 1 (1:10) SOQ
_________________________
In a tentative decision Monday, Imperial County Superior Court Judge Brooks Anderholt said county officials failed to analyze the environmental risks of the data center complex… before signing off on it this spring.
The judge’s decision came after the Sierra Club and the City of Imperial sued to halt the project. Alene Taber [AY-leen TAY-ber] represents the city.
SOT: 20260831_datacourt_alene taber interview / 5:03
CG: Alene Taber, Attorney, City of Imperial
Basically the county has to start over is what the the court is saying. The court went as far as to say, "Look, there's even evidence here of a fair argument that there could be a substantial impact.
Francisco Leal is a resident of Imperial who lives next to the project’s proposed location. He says he and his neighbors have been asking for an environmental review for months.
SOT: 20260831_datacourt_francisco leal / 2:55
CG: Francisco Leal, Resident, City of Imperial
How come such a big project doesn't require any like a full EIR, an impact analysis? This court ruling just proves that, you know, all of our claims were correct.
The decision comes less than two weeks after another judge said he was preparing to strike down Imperial County’s temporary moratorium on data center construction.
The court’s decision isn’t final yet. Both the city and the county will have a chance to comment in the coming weeks. The developer behind the project also says he will contest the decision.
Kori Suzuki, KPBS News.
##########
LA JOLLA’S UNDERWATER PARK IS BURSTING WITH LIVELY SEA CREATURES. BUT SEEING THEM IN PERSON CAN BE DIFFICULT.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REPORTER CARLY KAY SAYS THERE’S A NEW VIRTUAL TOUR THAT LETS PEOPLE EXPLORE THEM FROM HOME.
MPATOUR 1 TRT (1:02) SOQ
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WITHIN MATLAHUAYL (MOT-LUH-WHO-UL) STATE MARINE RESERVE, YOU CAN FIND ANYTHING FROM A LEOPARD SHARK NURSERY TO SWAYING SEAGRASS MEADOWS.
NAT NOISE OF SNORKELING
“I’LL SHOW YOU SOME STUFF IF YOU WANT”
ZACH CABADING TAKES US TO LA JOLLA COVE. IT'S ONE OF THE RESERVE'S POPULAR SNORKEL SPOTS. BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IT.
NAT NOISE OF SNORKELING
“SOME PEOPLE LACK ECONOMIC ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO DO THE LESSONS OR BUY THE GEAR TO HELP THEM GET OUT INTO THE WATER”
CABADING IS A RECENT GRADUATE FROM SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY. HE CREATED A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE RESERVE. IT TAKES USERS TO PLACES LIKE LA JOLLA COVE, SAND DOLLAR BANK, AND THE MARINE ROOM. WITH JUST A CLICK OF A MOUSE, ANYONE CAN DIP A TOE INTO THE UNDERWATER PARK WITHOUT EVER GETTING WET.
"I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BE CONNECTED TO THE OCEAN AND ALSO LEARN ABOUT CONSERVATION TOOLS LIKE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS BECAUSE OUR OCEAN IS UNDER SIGNIFICANT STRESS RIGHT NOW."
LA JOLLA COVE IS ONE OF THE 10 DIFFERENT HABITATS YOU CAN EXPLORE. ALL LIMIT HUMAN ACTIVITIES LIKE FISHING.
CABADING HOPES TO MAKE MORE TOURS ACROSS THE STATE. CARLY KAY, KPBS NEWS.
NAT NOISE OF UNDERWATER SOUNDS
##########
THE SECOND ANNUAL ASIAN AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL IS UNDERWAY IN SAN DIEGO
ARTS REPORTER JULIA DIXON EVANS SPOKE WITH ORGANIZERS ABOUT BRINGING A-A-P-I DANCERS TOGETHER…
AADANCE 1 (jde) TRT 01:15 SOQ
Joyce Lien Kushner's parents are from Taiwan, but she grew up practicing Western dance forms like contemporary jazz, ballet and tap.
"and none of those dance forms was I ever asked to tell stories of my family lineage or my family's history or immigration story, any of that"
Kushner has spent decades as a dancer and educator, and realized others had a similar experience.
"She co-founded the Asian American Dance festival with Dr. grace shinhae jun who teaches dance at UC San Diego. For Jun, the festival is about the future."
"but really thinking about the next generation and and feeling them with support in the ways that both Joyce and I didn't receive as we were coming up in our dance fields."
Kushner says she wants to deepen connections within San Diego's AAPI community.
"I think through art is a great way to bring people together. And through dance we move physically and space together. It provides opportunity to open up conversations that maybe we won't always have."
Public performances will range from hip-hop and contemporary to traditional dance forms. The Asian American Dance Festival runs through October 3rd.
Julia Dixon Evans, KPBS News
##########
SAN DIEGANS CAN CELEBRATE ANIME AT THE CONVENTION CENTER THIS WEEKEND.
ARTS REPORTER BETH ACCOMANDO PREVIEWS THE INAUGURAL ANIME SAN DIEGO CONVENTION.
ANIMECON (ba) 1:12 SOQ
======================
Anime San Diego is a new convention celebrating anime and cosplay. Marketing director Colin Bass says there will be anime karaoke, free video game and arcade zones plus multiple panel schedules.
COLIN BASS One is like the main stage with all the celebrities. One is the fan zone, which is more fan-based but also has more like intimate panels with the celebrities. And then we have the Creator Panel Zone, which is all fan-made panels.
And of course plenty of cosplay.
COLIN BASS We have the cosplay meetups, which I really like because the fans like pick the time and place and put it all together for, for their fandom…We have an adult cosplay contest on Saturday at 6 and then a kids cosplay contest Sunday at 5.
Plus trading card games.
COLIN BASS We have an entire trading card game arena where you can do free play, but we also have a lot of different vendors that sell trading cards as well.
Anime San Diego should not be confused with San Diego Anime Con, which celebrates its fourth year in November.
COLIN BASS We are not adversaries. I think we're friends, and I think it's kind of just a community that makes these things so special.
The inaugural Anime San Diego takes place this weekend at the San Diego Convention Center. Tickets are available online and at the door.
Beth Accomando, KPBS News.
<<<SHOW CLOSE>>>
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/weekend.
