Supreme Court allows California to use new Democratic-friendly congressional map

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 Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson…it’s THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH>>>>   [THE SUPREME COURT HAS NOW OFFICIALLY CLEARED THE WAY FOR NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS TO BE USED IN CALIFORNIA]More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE YOU THINK WOULD MAKE FOR A GOOD 

ADDITION TO THE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL THEN THE TIME 

TO BACK THEM IS RIGHT NOW… AS THE NOMINATION WINDOW IS 

OPEN TODAY 

MARCH FIFTH IS WHEN THE WINDOW WILL CLOSE AND ALL 

FORMS MUST BE SUBMITTED 

AS A REMINDER THIS WOULD BE FOR THE JUNE 2ND PRIMARY

COUNCIL DISTRICTS 2, FOUR, SIX AND EIGHT ALL HAVE 

SEATS ON THE BALLOT

CANDIDATES MUST OBTAIN NOMINATION PAPERS IN PERSON 

DURING BUSINESS HOURS AT THE OFFICES OF THE CITY CLERK

INSIDE THE CITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

FOR MORE INFO YOU CAN VISIT SAN DIEGO DOT GOV FORWARD SLASH 20-26 ELECTIONS

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CELEBRATIONS ARE IN ORDER AT BIRCH AQUARIUM 

THEY RECENTLY CELEBRATED A MILESTONE IN THE FIRST 

LITTLE BLUE PENGUIN BEING RAISED AND REARED BY ITS 

PARENTS AT THEIR FACILITY'S HABITAT

ACQUARIUM LEADERS SAY DURING THIS BREEDING SEASON A 

NEW, YOUNG PAIR PARTNERED UP, RESULTING IN A CLUTCH 

OF TWO EGGS

AND SINCE THE PAIR SHOWED STRONG PROMISE, THE TEAM 

LET THEM INCUBATE AND REAR ONE OF THE EGGS THEMSELVES

AT AROUND THREE-MONTHS OLD, THEY'LL JOIN THE REST OF 

THE COLONY

THE PENGUINS WHEN FULL GROWN STILL MEASURE ABOUT A FOOT TALL AND ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR BLUE COAT OF FEATHERS WHICH IS WHERE THEIR NAME COMES FROM

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THE ONLY EIGHT-DIVISON WORLD CHAMPION IN BOXING HISTORY,

MANNY PACQUAIO [MAH-NI PAK-YEOW] IS BRINGING HIS TALENTS TO SAN DIEGO AS PART OF THE TEAM BOXING LEAGUE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TBL

PAC MAN WILL SERVE NOT JUST AS TEAM CAPTAIN BUT THE

47 YEAR-OLD ALSO HAS INTENTIONS TO COMPETE AS AN ACTIVE 

FIGHTER FOR THE SAN DIEGO TJ'S 

RIGHT NOW MANNY IS JUST A LEAGUE AMBASSADOR BUT IN 2027

WILL JOIN TBL'S OWNERSHIP GROUP AND ALSO START HIS ROLE

WITH THE TEAM

TEAM BOXING LEAGUE SAYS THEY ARE THE NATION'S FIRST 

BOXING LEAGUE WITH A TEAM-BASED OWNERSHIP MODEL

THE SAN DIEGO TJ'S FRANCHISE WILL ENTER THE LEAGUE

JOINING OTHER TEAMS FROM CITIES LIKE LOS ANGELES AND 

NEW YORK CITY

TBL SAYS MORE INFO AROUND PACQUAIO'S COMPETITIVE DEBUT

WILL BE SHARED IN THE COMING MONTHS

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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ON WEDNESDAY, THE SUPREME COURT DECLINED TO HEAR THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY’S LAWSUIT OVER PROP 50. 

THIS FINALIZES THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP VOTERS APPROVED THAT FAVORS DEMOCRATS AHEAD OF THE 20-26 MIDTERM ELECTIONS. 

PUBLIC MATTERS REPORTER JAKE GOTTA SPOKE WITH THE CHAIR OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR RACES HERE.

NEWMAP1 trt: 1:09 SOQ

california’s new congressional map is here to stay

the supreme court is letting the map that voters approved with prop 50 stand

in december they also let the map that texas drew stand, saying that maps drawn for partisan advantage are allowed.

that means all five districts here in san diego will have more registered democrats than republicans

but that doesn’t mean the races are already decided

“we still have to make sure that our message resonates with the people. we're still going to have to be talking to people to make sure that we- that they are on board with electing a democrat to congress in order to check that cruel trump administration.”

will rodriguez kennedy is the chair of the san diego county democratic party

he says there’s still work to be done ahead of the election, and after

“people need to see a democratic party that fights for them. so that's what we're going to have to convince people that we're going to do. when that happens, we need to start acting like it.”

san diego’s current congressional delegation is four democrats and one republican, darrell issa. he wasn’t available for comment

candidates are already lining up to run against him in the 48th district

between them… they’re raising millions of dollars for what’s shaping up to be a very expensive election

ballots will go out starting in may, and the primary is on june 2nd

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THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO IS SUING THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OVER WHAT IT CALLS UNCONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS ON A GRANT TO FIGHT INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN.

AS REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN TELLS US … THOSE REQUIREMENTS WERE PLACED *AFTER* THE CITY WAS AWARDED THE GRANT.

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ICACSUIT 1(AN) TRT: 0:56 SOQ

As a tourism and border city … San Diego is a hotspot for human trafficking.

The FBI ranks the region as the 13th worst in the nation for sexual exploitation of children. Which is why San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert says the D-O-J money is crucial.

“Very important work that SDPD is doing to keep children safe.”

According to the suit … the D-O-J is asking the city to - quote - “provide unspecified access to U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents and comply with DHS requests.”

Ferbert says those conditions were placed *after* the city was awarded the grant … so the administration can’t alter the requirements after the fact.

“the presidential administration and the departments don't have legal authority under the constitutional separation of powers to then turn around and say, and we're going to add these conditions because we want to.”

This is the latest of several lawsuits filed by the city against the federal government in the past year.

AN/KPBS

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SAN DIEGO IS ON TRACK TO END ITS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IN A DEFICIT. 

REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN HAS MORE ON WHAT THE SHORTFALL WILL MEAN FOR CITY RESIDENTS.

____________________________________________________

DEFICIT 1 (ab) 0:51 soq

AB: Parking fees in Balboa Park have been one of San Diego's hottest controversies in recent memory. But last June, a supermajority on the City Council agreed the fees were necessary to avoid more painful budget cuts. The start of the fees had to be delayed, however, and that contributed to the city's budget shortfall. Independent Budget Analyst Charles Modica says the city is also collecting less from hotel taxes.

CM: When the budget was adopted, we noted the volatility our tourism sector has been experiencing, especially given our federal government's posturing towards other countries and the impacts that could have on international travel. Unfortunately we now seem to be seeing this being borne out in our actual revenues.

AB: If the city's financial picture doesn't improve before the fiscal year ends on June 30, it will have to dip into its reserves to balance its budget. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.

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THE YOUTUBER BEHIND THE VIRAL MINNEAPOLIS SOMALI DAYCARE VIDEO THAT COINCIDED WITH THE IMMIGRATION SURGE THERE IS REPORTEDLY ABOUT TO PUBLISH A VIDEO ABOUT SAN DIEGO.

REPORTER ANDREW DYER SPOKE TO A MISINFORMATION EXPERT WHO SAYS IF THIS VIDEO IS ANYTHING LIKE THE LAST, PEOPLE SHOULD BE SKEPTICAL

SHIRLEYVID 1 (AD) SS (1:03)

RIGHT-WING INFLUENCER NICK SHIRLEY’S DECEMBER VIDEO ALLEGING FRAUD AT SOMALI DAYCARES WAS USED BY CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS TO JUSTIFY THE DEADLY IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN MINNEAPOLIS – DESPITE BEING WIDELY DEBUNKED.

SO, WHY DID SHIRLEY’S VIDEO HAVE SUCH AN IMPACT?

JARED HOLT RESEARCHES HOW INFORMATION SPREADS ONLINE.

JH: I THINK THE TIMING OF NICK SHIRLEY'S VIDEO IN MINNEAPOLIS WAS VERY POLITICALLY CONVENIENT FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

SHIRLEY REPORTEDLY SURVEILLED DAYCARES IN SAN DIEGO RECENTLY WITH AMY REICHERT. SHE’S A LOCAL CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST WHO SAYS SHE’S BEEN RESEARCHING SAN DIEGO DAYCARES.

SHE TOLD REAL AMERICA’S VOICE SHE CONVINCED SHIRLEY TO COME HERE.

AR: I REACHED OUT TO NICK SHIRLEY AND I SAID, COME ON OUT TO CALIFORNIA.

HOLT SAYS SHIRLEY’S NOT AN INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST BUT SOMEONE WHO PRODUCES VIDEOS WITH A POLITICAL AGENDA.

JH: I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND TAKE IT WITH THE MARGARITAVILLE SIZED, YOU KNOW, GRAIN OF SALT.

REICHERT SAYS SHIRLEY’S VIDEO WILL BE OUT NEXT WEEK.

ANDREW DYER, KPBS NEWS

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WITH THE HIGH COST OF LIVING HERE, A LOT OF US ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE A DOLLAR LAST LONGER.  THAT’S WHY KPBS HAS LAUNCHED AN ONGOING SERIES CALLED “THE PRICE OF SAN DIEGO.” 

TODAY, WE’RE LOOKING AT CARS.

THE PRICE OF NEW AND USED CARS HAS REACHED NEW HEIGHTS, SO YOU MIGHT BE CONSIDERING KEEPING YOUR CURRENT SET OF WHEELS. 

REPORTER JOHN CARROLL HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THAT, AND SHARED WHAT HE FOUND WITH ANCHOR DEBBIE CRUZ.

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OLDCAR    3:24     SOQ

QUESTION:

SO, THE AVERAGE COST OF A NEW CAR AND EVEN OF USED VEHICLES IS HIGHER THAN IT’S EVER BEEN, RIGHT?

ANSWER:

THAT’S RIGHT AND YOU CAN TRACE THIS BACK TO THE PANDEMIC. YOU MAY RECALL SUPPLY CHAINS GOT TOTALLY MESSED UP AND THAT AFFECTED THE PRICE OF JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING… INCLUDING CARS. WE’RE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A NEW CAR IS NORTH OF $50,000 AND THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A USED CAR IS ABOUT $25,000. A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS HERE… EXPERTS SAY THE PRICES HAVE FINALLY LEVELED OFF… BUT I WOULDN’T EXPECT THEM TO GO DOWN MUCH.

AND THEN THERE’S THE COST OF INSURING YOUR VEHICLE. THE NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, SAYS CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS SURGED IN 2023 INTO 2024, ADDING HUNDREDS OF MORE DOLLARS A YEAR FOR MANY AMERICANS.

QUESTION:

I KNOW YOU TALKED TO A MECHANIC ABOUT THIS. SO IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT KEEPING YOUR CURRENT CAR OR TRUCK, WHAT’S HIS ADVICE?

ANSWER:

YES, I SPOKE WITH JASON VUE - WHO’S THE MANAGER AT NORTH PARK AUTO REPAIR. HE’S ALSO A MECHANIC. THE DAY WE INTERVIEWED HIM, WE SAW CARS AND TRUCKS IN FOR SERVICE THAT WERE ANYWHERE BETWEEN ABOUT THREE TO 30 OR MORE YEARS OLD.

HE SAYS DEFINITELY DON’T SPEND MORE THAN $2,500 ON IT FOR TWO OR MORE YEARS IN A ROW. VUE ALSO SAYS TO BUDGET AT LEAST $1,500 A YEAR FOR REPAIRS. SOMETHING ELSE VERY INTERESTING… AND VERY TELLING IS WHAT HE SAID ABOUT CERTAIN BIG REPAIRS.

SOT :16

“We're doing a lot more of heavy line work as transmissions, engines, specifically because of that. It's cheaper to sit there and put another engine into a car spend $3,000 to $7,000 on a car than to go out and buy a $40,000 car. Absolutely, that's what's happening.”

QUESTION:

WHAT ABOUT GETTING PARTS FOR OLDER CARS AND TRUCKS?

ANSWER:

THAT CAN BE TRICKY WITH SOME MODELS. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, VUE SAYS THERE ARE USUALLY QUALITY, AFTER-MARKET PARTS AVAILABLE. OF COURSE WHEN YOU BUY NEW, OR CERTIFIED USED CARS, YOU’RE GETTING A WARRANTY THAT COVERS JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING FOR SOME AMOUNT OF YEARS. BUT YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THAT AGAINST A PAYMENT THAT WILL LIKELY RUN YOU FOUR, FIVE-HUNDRED OR MORE EVERY

MONTH.

QUESTION:

SO, LET’S SAY YOU DECIDE TO KEEP YOUR CURRENT CAR OR TRUCK. I IMAGINE HAVING A MECHANIC YOU TRUST IS VERY IMPORTANT.

ANSWER:

FOR SURE. JASON VUE SAYS DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. READ GOOGLE AND YELP REVIEWS AND ONCE YOU SETTLE ON SOMEONE, VUE SAYS DO ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING.

SOT :21

“Go in there and have them do a couple of repairs on the car. Build that relationship with your mechanic. And realistically, that's it. Not all mechanics out here are rip-offs. Some of them are. Most of us aren't. If you build that relationship, you'll feel more at ease when the mechanic is trying to tell you to do something rather than to sit there and think that they're ripping you off.”

ONE OTHER THING WHICH WOULD BE MORE IN THE REALM OF KEEPING YOUR CURRENT VEHICLE… IT’S ALMOST ALWAYS CONSIDERABLY CHEAPER TO INSURE OLDER ONES THAN NEWER VEHICLES.

SO, IT’S NOT A BLACK AND WHITE CHOICE… ALL CARS AND TRUCKS ARE DIFFERENT AND EVERYONE’S TOLERANCE FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT AND HOW LONG YOU’RE WILLING TO HAVE YOUR VEHICLE IN THE SHOP ALL COME INTO PLAY.

CLOSE:

ALRIGHT JOHN, THANKS. YOU CAN SEE MORE ON THIS BY CHECKING OUT OUR WEBSITE, KPBS DOT ORG, AND LOOK FOR OUR ONGOING SERIES, “THE PRICE OF SAN DIEGO.”

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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.