Sexual misconduct lawsuit against Nathan Fletcher thrown out
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson ….it’s MONDAY, AUGUST 11TH>>>>
WHY A SAN DIEGO SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE THREW OUT A HIGH PROFILE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT CASE
More on that , next. But first... the headlines….
A SERVICE CENTER FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAS CHANGED ITS NAME AND LOCATION
IT’S ALSO NOW BEING RAN BY THE DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO PARTNERSHIP, INSTEAD OF PATH.
ACCORDING TO THE SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE, OFFICIALS ARE HOPING THE CHANGES WILL BOOST RESPONSE TIMES FOR THE HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS ASKING FOR AID EACH MONTH
RE-BRANDED NOW AS “THE HUB” THE CENTER SITS ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY IN DOWNTOWN
IT IS OPEN FOR WALK INS FROM 1 TO 3 P.M. EVERYDAY BUT SUNDAY
PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO CALL 2-1-1 WILL ALSO BE ROUTED TO THE HUB AND STAFF MEMBERS WILL CONNECT THEM WITH SERVICES IN THE FIELD.
MORE THAN 100 THOUSAND SAN DIEGO KIDS FROM T-K TO 12TH GRADE ARE HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL TODAY.
SAN DIEGO UNIFIED’S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ALSO MARKS THE START OF A NEW DISTRICT-WIDE CELL PHONE POLICY.
THE POLICY SAYS PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF DURING CLASS AND KEPT OUT OF SIGHT. STUDENTS CAN USE THEM BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL AND ON BUSES.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN ALSO USE THEIR PHONES DURING PASSING PERIODS AND LUNCH. TEACHERS MAY ALSO ALLOW HIGH SCHOOLERS TO USE HEADPHONES AND SMARTWATCHES.
IF YOU’VE TAKEN A STROLL AROUND LA JOLLA SHORES LATELY, YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THE AREAS NEW STREETLIGHTS.
31 ARE NINE AND A HALF FEET TALL AND THE OTHER SIX ARE TWENTY SEVEN FEET TALL WITH LONG ARMS.
AT THE MOMENT YOU CAN ONLY ADMIRE THESE AS THEY WON’T BE PROVIDING ACTUAL LIGHT UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now. Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
ON FRIDAY, A SAN DIEGO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE THREW OUT A SEXUAL MISCONDUCT LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST FORMER COUNTY SUPERVISOR NATHAN FLETCHER. REPORTER SCOTT RODD SAYS THE JUDGE TOOK THE EXTRAORDINARY STEP OF SANCTIONING THE ACCUSER FOR FAILING TO TURN OVER EVIDENCE.
FLETCHER (1:05) SOC (SS)
Former Metropolitan Transit System spokesperson Grecia Figueroa filed the suit against Fletcher in March of 2023…accusing him of sexual harassment and assault.
Figueroa claimed the misconduct occurred when Fletcher was chair of the MTS board…and that he had pressured the agency to fire her when he decided to run for state Senate.
Fletcher dropped his state Senate campaign days before the suit was filed…and later resigned from the county Board of Supervisors.
After years of legal proceedings…Judge Matthew Braner ordered the case dismissed.
“When you sit down and look at the record, and it’s two plus years, there is delay, alteration and destruction at virtually every phase.”
Fletcher’s attorney Sam Sherman says the ruling vindicates his client.
“We’ve maintained from day one that this case was built on a mountain of lies from the beginning. That all of their interactions were consensual.”
Figueroa’s case against MTS for retaliation was also thrown out last week. She says she plans to file an appeal.
SOC
NEW DETAILS ARE EMERGING ABOUT THE INCIDENT IN CHULA VISTA LAST WEEK, WHEN FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS ARRESTED A PARENT OUTSIDE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
IN A STATEMENT TO KPBS, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAID THE PARENT WAS KYUNGJIN Yu [key-YUNG-jin yoo] – AN IMMIGRANT FROM SOUTH KOREA.
D-H-S SAID ICE AGENTS ARRESTED YU (yoo) NEAR CAMARENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BECAUSE HER VISA TO BE IN THE U.S. EXPIRED NEARLY EIGHT YEARS AGO.
CHULA VISTA CITY COUNCILMEMBER MICHAEL INZUNZA [in-SOON-suh] SAYS THE AGENTS CROSSED A LINE BY ARRESTING YU (yoo) AS STUDENTS WERE ARRIVING AT SCHOOL.
SCHOOLARREST 2A :10
There's no reason for us to go to the extra step and dramatically and intentionally arrest people whose only crime is being undocumented.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS REPEATEDLY CLAIMED THAT THEIR IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IS FOCU SED ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMITTED VIOLENT CRIMES. BUT THIS ARREST FITS INTO A BROADER PATTERN – WHERE IMMIGRATION AGENCIES ARE TARGETING PEOPLE WITHOUT A CRIMINAL HISTORY. AS ICE FACES GROWING PRESSURE TO MEET ARREST QUOTAS.
VETERANS VILLAGE OF SAN DIEGO HELD ITS ANNUAL EVENT TO SUPPORT UNHOUSED AND AT-RISK VETERANS CALLED STAND DOWN.
REPORTER JACOB AERE SAYS THE EVENT PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF FREE SERVICES FOR ALL VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ONE CENTRAL LOCATION.
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STANDDOWN 1 (ja) 1:05
From housing and haircuts to food, clothes and so much more … Over 100 community partners and service providers gathered at Liberty Station to serve veterans and activity duty military members.
Joe Pisano was there displaying his 3-D drywall-screw art pieces, based on his own service and experiences after a 24-year Navy career.
“I’ve had my struggles throughout my career and I use art to help cope with my struggles – from suicide ideation, suicide itself, homelessness.”
Despite having a job, he’s still living out of his car in San Diego.
He’s hoping his art inspires others with similar battles … and promotes suicide awareness and prevention for veterans.
“As a service member, we’re always helping others, we’re always standing in front of other people – we’re not inclined to receive the help so that makes it a huge challenge, along with other things. ”
The two-day event is now in its 37th year. 400 people registered to attend Stand Down 2025. JA KPBS News.
FRENCH PHILOSOPHER ALBERT CAMUS (KAH-mu) SAID QUOTE “A MAN WITHOUT ETHICS IS A WILD BEAST LOOSED UPON THIS WORLD.” POLLS SHOW AMERICANS’ FAITH IN THE ETHICS OF CONGRESS, JOURNALISM, CLERGY AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVES IS MEASURABLY LOW. AMITA SHARMA EXAMINES THE STATE OF ETHICS AND ITS PLACE IN A ROBUST SOCIETY.
ETHICS 1 (AS) TRT 1:50 __________
Here’s one definition of ethics: norms and principles to live by that are morally right. Such as do no harm. And which form a powerful and vital force in society. That’s from UC San Diego philosophy Professor Craig Callender, who is co–director of the Institute of Practical Ethics. He says in daily life, ethics still matter to Americans, regardless of their socio-political beliefs. But as a whole, using yardsticks like undoing policies to lessen climate change, inequitable healthcare and the growing gap between the rich and poor, Callender says American society is ethically flawed.
[00:20:42.25] - “For instance, with this latest bill, take money basically from the poor and give it to the rich, when there's already so much inequality, and I think that explains a lot of what's going on. I think it also is related to the question, is ethics on the decline?”
Callendar says it is but that ethics can be rebuilt. He advocates teaching ethics in school. But he also believes solving the inequality problem can help restore ethics. And says it’s crucial to work toward a deliberative democracy instead of one ruled by a majority that is ill-informed.
[00:41:46.22] - “A deliberative democracy is one where the majority rules based on well-informed, well-formed, deliberate preferences. And And so that's a huge difference, because here you see, we have a lot of preferences that I would say were not well-formed ones. They're not based on evidence deliberation. That's ruling the day.”
Calendar adds we - government and the people - won’t ever reach perfect agreement on the big issues but we still have to act. Amita Sharma, KPBS News.
ESCAPING GUN AND GANG VIOLENCE, A BARBER IN VISTA (VISS-TA) IS TRYING TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE DO THE SAME WHILE ALSO LEARNING THE CRAFT/SKILLSET AND GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. REPORTER TANIA (TANYA) THORNE HAS THIS STORY OF HAIRCUTS AND HEALING…
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Steve Jaimes grew up on the streets of Chicago.
I was always a follower of the wrong things. I would never say I was actively in a gang. I was just always around it.
When he was 17, he saw his friend die after their car got shot at.
I saw a hole in my friend's neck. I saw a hole in his side. I tried applying pressure, but it was of no good use. And, yeah, for one blink of an eye, his life was gone.
That moment changed his life.
He joined the Marine Corps the next year, which ultimately led him to Southern California.
I found, lots of love and lots of structure But I didn't find the healing that I was looking for.
But he did find healing in barbering.
A haircut is like medicine. It heals you. It uplifts you, in this case, right now, a lot of men, this is the only thing they look forward to when it comes to their physical appearance and feeling better about themselves.
Jaimes started barbering when he was 13… and now he’s passing the skill on to other youth- through a grassroots program he calls Humanity Barbers.
This is where everybody learns the skill of cutting hair, and, they network with each other. They build camaraderie, right? Build community. And all its of these are kids and some adults from like different neighborhoods here in North County, San Diego.
I wanted to cut hair and don't know. I just, I was going through stuff
Jayden Garcia is a freshman in high school.
Before he started cutting hair, he wanted to follow his dad’s footsteps and join a gang. But his father died… and three years ago, he met Jaimes.
He just told me not to be doing that stupid (BLEEP) And, like, it's not cool. He was like, You want to learn to cut hair?
Garcia became part of what’s now the Humanity Barbers workshop.
Then there’s 18 year old Nicolas Burabano- from Colombia… who had looked into lessons, but found them too expensive.
I was looking for places where they teach but they charge. I saw a video from Steve where he was offering free classes at 7pm on Tuesdays so I gave it a try.
He says the workshop offers more than just classes.
What I’ve liked the most is that they’re not just classes. They're like family. You look forward to going to the group and seeing your new friends.
He says the group has become like family and -he looks forward to seeing the group each week.-
The group meets every Tuesday at CaliClips Deluxe Barbershop in Vista to learn and practice cutting hair.
But the space also keeps many of the boys out of trouble.
Ramiro Diaz owns the barbershop-.
I just let him do his thing, you know what I mean? Because I know how hard it is, you know, to grow up here, and, I mean, be a low income, you know, try to have, a good, opportunity in life, you know, to be somebody. it's hard to go to school and and go to college and everything, you know? So, I mean, this is a good start for them
But the lessons go beyond learning barbering skills.
They also pay it forward by cutting the hair of unhoused individuals on Wednesday mornings.
(COVER WITH SHOWER EVENT BROLL) they learn a skill. They build stronger morals and values to be a better barber, but more so a better human, you know, leading with love, leading with compassion, with empathy for others. (JUMPCUT)
Jaimes says he hopes his students gain a better understanding of what they’re already accomplishing.
Because you don't hear about young individuals looking to help other people, they're sometimes focused on themselves.
And their vision extends beyond their own community.
these guys come from all these neighborhoods.And sometimes there's differences. And because of the energy that is built in this room, they understand what it is to let go of a lot of those things that you possibly were that that possibly were hindering you from creating relationships with the guys right next block, you know,
They’d like to eventually unite different neighborhoods, visit foster care homes, juvenile facilities, or go on mission trips.
For now they are taking their skills on the road to barbering showcases and more outreach events.
Jaimes hopes to raise money to help with transportation and more programs for the 40 plus youth he is currently mentoring.
once they get to that age where they can truly fly and their greatest purpose, then they're going to fly real, real high, so high that they're probably going to make me look like the smallest bird. And I'll be so happy, so proud to see that happen,
TT 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 have a great day.
