Thousands more San Diego-based troops are in the Middle East as the war intensifies
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Headline: Thousands more San Diego-based troops are in the Middle East as the war intensifies
Description: First, we provide an update on San Diego troops currently in the Middle East. Then, we’ll tell you the boost that San Diego County received in their fight against wildfires. Also, the city of Carlsbad is looking into how it can save its historic movie theater. And, how Anime San Diego looks to follow in Comic-Con’s footsteps.
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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s TUESDAY, JULY 21ST>>>> [ WE’LL TELL YOU THE IMPACT PROLONGED CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST COULD HAVE ON OUR LOCAL TROOPS ]More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######
OFFICIALS SAY THE THORN FIRE IN RURAL SOUTHEASTERN COUNTY REACHED 1-HUNDRED-PERCENT CONTAINMENT ON SUNDAY.
IT BURNED NEARLY 1-THOUSAND-2-HUNDRED-50 ACRES.
FOUR STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED, BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
THE WILDFIRE STARTED LAST WEDNESDAY IN THE LIVE OAK SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOULEVARD.
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LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK, NEAR SEASONAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK IN THE COUNTY, WITH AN INCREASE IN BOTH HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES FOR THE MIDDLE TO END OF THE WEEK.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS THURSDAY COULD BE THE WARMEST DAY THIS WEEK, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES 5 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALSO ISSUED A HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE COUNTY THROUGH TUESDAY.
FORECASTERS SAY SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST-FACING BEACHES COULD SEE LARGE BREAKING WAVES OF 4 TO 7 FEET WITH SETS UP TO 8 FEET.
INEXPERIENCED SWIMMERS ARE BEING ASKED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER.
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WITH THE WORLD CUP NOW OVER, SAN DIEGO'S SOCCER TEAMS ARE GEARING UP TO GET BACK ON THE PITCH IN THE COMING DAYS.
SD-FC WILL BE BACK THIS WEEK FOR THEIR FIRST GAME ON WEDNESDAY IN COLORADO. THEIR NEXT HOME GAME IS SATURDAY AT 6:30PM AGAINST DALLAS.
SAN DIEGO WAVE FC'S NEXT HOME GAME IS NEXT WEEKEND AS WELL
ON SUNDAY AT 2PM - THEY'LL BE FACING OFF AGAINST SEATTLE REIGN.
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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THOUSANDS MORE SAN DIEGO TROOPS ARE AT SEA IN THE MIDDLE EAST AS THE U.S-ISRAELI WAR ON IRAN INTENSIFIES. OVER THE WEEKEND THE PENTAGON ANNOUNCED THREE U-S TROOPS KILLED IN STRIKES AGAINST BASES IN THE REGION.
MILITARY REPORTER ANDREW DYER SAYS LOCAL TROOPS REMAIN IN HARM’S WAY
BOXERWAR 1 (ad) :53 SOQ
Natpop flight ops
The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer conducts flight operations Sunday night.
The ship and the 25-hundred or so Marines on board left San Diego in March. Late last month they arrived in the Middle East.
The ship joins the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. It’s been in the Middle East since January.
Three U-S servicemembers were killed over the weekend in Iranian strikes on American bases in the region.
The prolonged conflict threatens to further strain the U-S carrier fleet – especially the Lincoln.
The carrier and its 5000 or so sailors left San Diego back in November. After a one-day stop in Guam the Lincoln’s been at sea more than 220 consecutive days – a record for any US Navy ship.
Andrew Dyer, KPBS News.
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THE ABILITY TO FIGHT WILDFIRES IN THE COUNTY GOT A BIG BOOST YESTERDAY THANKS TO MAJOR UPGRADES AT THE CAL FIRE AIR ATTACK BASE IN RAMONA.
REPORTER JOHN CARROLL TELLS US WHAT’S NEW
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AIRATTACK 1 1:04 SOQ
CAL FIRE’S RAMONA AIR ATTACK BASE WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE GOLDEN STATE. IT OPENED IN 1957. ON MONDAY, A RE-DEDICATION OF THE BASE, WHICH NOW FEATURES STATE-OF-THE-ART REFUELING STATIONS AND A NEW FIRE RETARDANT MIXING SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, A NEW FIRE HAWK HELICOPTER WITH NIGHT-FLYING CAPABILITY, AND A C-130 ABLE TO DROP THREE-THOUSAND GALLONS OF WATER OR RETARDANT AT A TIME… ARE NOW STATIONED HERE. CAL FIRE CHIEF JOE TYLER SAYS SAYS THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL MAKE THE BASE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, AND THAT WILL HELP CUT RESPONSE TIMES.
“The fleet now has 5 aircraft to support the citizens of San Diego county and our partners and the investment really reflects Cal Fire’s commitment to help safety and welfare here in San Diego and across the state of California.”
TWO NEW HELIPADS WILL BE FINISHED WITHIN A FEW MONTHS… AND A 17-PERSON BARRACKS WILL SOON BE BUILT. THAT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2027. IN RAMONA, JC KPBS NEWS.
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THE CITY OF CARLSBAD IS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SAVE ITS HISTORIC MOVIE THEATER.
THE 99-YEAR-OLD THEATER HAS BEEN SITTING EMPTY FOR YEARS.
AS NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN TELLS US … THE COMMUNITY WANTS IT TO REMAIN A SPACE FOR THE ARTS.
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CBADTHEATER 1(an) TRT: 0:48 SOQ
The plaque at the Carlsbad theater’s entrance reads February 8th, 19-27.
“It's really important that we acknowledge old buildings and arts.”
North County resident Kari Kliman (KAH-ree KLEIN-man)
“We tend to tear them down and let them go into disrepair.”
She would like Carlsbad to follow the European model … and preserve the building.
The theater is privately owned … and the Carlsbad City Council recently approved a motion to explore preserving it.
“I think that would be great. If the city owned it and maintained it, and then it could be a nonprofit arts organization that could run it.”
The motion is for city staff to gather information and bring it back to the council to discuss.
The city says there’s no timeline on when staff is expected to present their findings. But it probably will not be in time for the theater’s 100th anniversary next year. AN/KPBS
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WITH ITS LARGE COLLECTION OF AIRCRAFT AND AVIATION-RELATED EXHIBITS, THE SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUM IS ONE OF THE PREMIER FACILITIES OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION … BUT REPORTER JOHN CARROLL TELLS US, VISITORS WILL SOON BE ABLE TO SEE A PART OF THE MUSEUM THAT, UNTIL NOW, HAS BEEN OFF LIMITS.
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FEATURE 4:34 SOQ
TRACK:
If you’ve visited the San Diego Air & Space Museum, you’re familiar with its collection of historic airplanes and other aviation related exhibits… planes like the Bell X-1 that broke the sound barrier in 1947. But what you might not know is that the X-1 and other important planes in aviation history displayed here are not the originals. They are exacting reproductions… built by hand just a few feet away… a few feet down.
SOT (0079) :14 - :21
“This is the basement of the… the restoration department of the museum.”
TRACK:
That is Tom Nolan… a former Air Force aircraft mechanic… one of scores of volunteers who work down here. For folks who like to fix old stuff, or make replicas of engines and aircraft, this is a little slice of subterranean heaven.
SOT (0079) 2:16 - 2:29
CG: Tom Nolan/Restoration shop volunteer
“We’ve got jet engines, we have… this one here is a, we did a cutaway on this one. You can see how it operates…
TRACK:
Nolan was pointing out a 1930s era radial engine… moving slowly enough to show how it works.
((NATS/GUYS WORKING ON PLANE))
Around the corner from the engine is what you might call the centerpiece project in the shop, one of those planes the guys here are building from scratch. When it comes to fast, this was it in the 30s.
It’s a replica of the Hughes H-1 Racer, featured in 2004’s “The Aviator” starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes.
((NAT OF BUILDING NOISES/GUYS AT WORK))
There are no plans for this airplane. It’s being built using photos of one at the Smithsonian… pictures that all include a tape measure. That’s all these craftsmen have to go on. But they have everything they need.
SOT (0080) 4:10 - 4:15
“We have a machine shop, we have welding, we have all the capabilities of fabricating parts.”
TRACK:
With all the unique, intricate work happening down here - and all the remarkable things this shop turns out, it’s a shame this part of the museum is off limits to visitors… but - that’s about to change.
SOT (2111) 13:46:23 - 46:29
“We’re formally creating a very special tour opportunity down here.”
TRACK:
Jim Kidrick is the Air and Space Museum’s longtime President & CEO.
SOT (2111) 14:00:58 - 1:05 - 01:25
CG: Jim Kidrick/San Diego Air & Space Museum
“Most of those tour groups will be smaller, you know, we expect it’s 2 people, 8 people, 10… //CUT TO 01:18// It has to be an add-on because it now takes docents who will give that tour, off the main floor.”
TRACK:
Kidrick says he expects the tours to begin within a few weeks… which means visitors who come down here will see something that has absolutely nothing to do with aviation… funky looking little one-seater cars… They belong to Ripley’s. The museum is currently hosting - their Odditorium exhibit… that’s O-D-D - itorium. The little cars are being restored to their odd former glory. Fun fact, Dolan says they were manufactured in the late 60s on the British Isle of Man. The restoration job… is not easy.
SOT (0088) 6:13 - 6:24
“Just pulling this stuff apart, it’s so rusted that we’re using heat and hydraulics and everything to pull it apart. So once we get it apart, we can get everything restored.”
TRACK:
Ripley’s knew this shop was the perfect place to restore these cars… because of other restoration work they’ve had done here.
It’s a financially beneficial arrangement for the museum. They get paid for the restoration work… and Kidrick says Ripley’s gave the museum a discount on the price of hosting the Odditorium exhibition.
With all the attention paid here to restoring and building aviation history… Kidrick is also focused on the future. A bus that’s parked in the shop - goes out every week to schools… It’s packed with hands-on opportunities… the kind of things that get kids interested in the future of aviation and space travel.
SOT (2111) 13:52:02 - 52:14 - 52:30
“We can’t believe that there was only one ‘greatest generation.’ We have to believe that our job is to perpetuate what they did and who they were to future greatest generations… // CUT TO 52:19 // because it is so, so important to realize how important they are to the future of, not just the United States of course, but the world.”
TRACK:
Mission - being accomplished - here every day. JC, KPBS News.
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COMIC-CON IS ONE OF THE LARGEST POP CULTURE CONVENTIONS IN THE WORLD. ARTS REPORTER BETH ACCOMANDO SAYS IT’S THE PERFECT PLACE TO LAUNCH THE NEW ANIME SAN DIEGO. A POP CULTURE CONVENTION THAT DEBUTS IN SEPTEMBER.
ANIMECON (ba) 1:10 SOQ
Colin Bass is the marketing director for Anime San Diego, and Comic-Con is one reason he has the job.
COLIN BASS … I am from San Diego. My whole origin of this job started from these halls right here at San Diego Comic-Con. Now we are having a convention here in this iconic place.
That’s right. Anime San Diego will be following in Comic-Con’s footsteps and taking over Halls E through H at the San Diego Convention Center over Labor Day Weekend.
COLIN BASS …We're gonna have over 50 celebrity guests, over 400 vendors. We have been doing cons for over 5 years. We do Anime Pasadena, Anime Riverside, Anime Las Vegas.
And Bass says there’s no better place to promote Anime San Diego than at Comic-Con. He won’t be hosting any panels but he will host two after parties.
COLIN BASS They're at Parq Nightclub on July 22nd and 23rd. 22nd's gonna be video game themed, and on the 23rd it's gonna be anime themed, and we're giving away passes to Anime San Diego. So we will be here, we will have a presence.
Because Comic-Con is the apex of fandom. Anime San Diego will debut in September and should not be confused with San Diego Anime Con, which will celebrate its fourth year in November.
Beth Accomando, KPBS News.
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That’s it for the podcast today. Today’s podcast was edited by Brooke Ruth and hosted and produced by me, Lawrence K. Jackon. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Thanks for listening and have a great day.
