Update on charges against protesters arrested at UCSD

Good Morning, I’m Emilyn Mohebbi, in for Debbie Cruz….it’s Tuesday, June 18th.

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An update on the charges against protesters arrested last month at UC-SD. More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….

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The county’s Vector Control Program is set to conduct more routine aerial larvicide drops next week.

The goal is to stop mosquitoes from spreading diseases like West Nile Virus.

Helicopters will drop the larvicide on about 50 rivers, streams, ponds, and other waterways in the county to kill mosquito larvae.

The county says the larvicide is not harmful to people or pets.

One way you can stop mosquitos from breeding, is by dumping out anything that can hold water… like plant saucers, buckets and garbage cans.

The drops are scheduled for next Wednesday (June 26) and Thursday (June 27).

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The San Diego Registrar of Voters is looking for temporary site managers to operate in-person voting locations for the November election.

Vote center assignments range from four to 13 days, managing operations and assisting voters… plus training.

The role pays 20-dollars an hour.

English speakers who are bilingual are also needed.

Applications are available at sd-vote-dot-com.

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Summer is two days away (Thursday)…

And the National Weather Service says temperatures will gradually warm up each day this week into the weekend.

Today, temps in the inland and mountain areas will be in the high 70s, in the deserts, it’ll be in the low 100s, and by the coast, it’ll be the coolest, with temps in the high 60s.

Don’t forget, if you need a place to cool down, you can find a Cool Zone site closest to you, by visiting the county’s website, or you can call 2-1-1.

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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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Pending legal issues will continue into the summer for Gaza solidarity protesters arrested last month at UC-SD.

Education reporter M.G. Perez has details on where their cases stand right now.

More than 60 UC San Diego student protestors and their supporters… were supposed to be back in court Monday…but the City Attorney’s office postponed their scheduled appearances before a judge…regarding their arrests May 6th…following the dismantling of the Gaza Solidarity encampment near the Geisel Library. “A lot of people were viewing it as a temporary win…and like we’re hoping that the charges never get filed.” oo-DYE-an Tandon is with the U-A-W Local 48-11 representing the arrested students in the city’s criminal cases and ongoing university conduct investigations. The court delay confused union leaders who thought charges had been dropped. They have not. “Instead of the university facilitating and fostering protest…they have chosen this spot…where they want to stomp it down.” A spokesman for the City Attorney said the cancellation of the court date will give prosecutors more time to develop cases and then set arraignments. MGP KPBS News.

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President Joe Biden's new executive actions direct asylum seekers toward existing legal pathways.

But border reporter Gustavo Solis says, those pathways aren’t working for the most vulnerable migrants.

“Migrants will be restricted from receiving asylum unless they seek it after entering through an established lawful process.” When President Joe Biden announced the new asylum restrictions earlier this month, he said asylum seekers should use existing legal pathways to enter the United States. “For example, by making an appointment and coming to a Port of Entry.” Make an appointment. Sounds easy. And, it is – at least in theory. All you have to do is download the CBP One app on your smartphone, fill out the application and schedule an appointment. But in practice … Jeremy Jong Al Otro Lado “The app is famously glitchy. In preparing for this interview, I tried to use the app. I downloaded the app and tried to make an appointment and it glitched out.” That is Jeremy Jong.  He’s an attorney with Al Otro Lado – a nonprofit law firm that represents migrants with asylum claims. And Jong says CBP One has deeper problems than just being glitchy. “Not everyone has a smartphone.” Migrants without smartphones can’t get appointments. Also – the app only comes in three languages. So good luck if you don’t speak English, Spanish or Haitian Creole. And using the app is practically impossible for migrants with certain disabilities – for example, people who are blind. “What the app does effectively is it precludes these people from the asylum process.” The app’s biggest problem might be that demand heavily outweighs supply. There are only 1,450 CBP One appointments available every day. But tens of thousands of migrants are trying to get one. “What you’re doing is you’re funneling everyone into one line and the line is already longer than any line you’ve seen in your life.” Biden’s executive actions do not increase the number of CBP One appointments …  Already, the average wait time in Tijuana is seven months … and local officials worry shelters will overflow with people waiting for appointments.“LLevo ya casi seis meses.” “Almost six months.” Almost six months one woman tells us. “Ocho mese y una semana.” “Eight months and one week.” Eight months and one week says Maria … a mother traveling with two teenage sons. Jasmine is the asylum seeker who has been waiting six months. She says  waits are taking a toll on everyone’s mental health. Jasmine Mexican asylum seeker “Aqui en los albergues hay mucha anxiedad. Depresion pro parte de mujeres, por parte de ninos.” “There is a lot of anxiety and depression here in the shelters. Especially among the women and children.” She says a lot of the women and children in the shelter are depressed and anxious. “Si es frustrante. Hay mamas que se estan quedando calvas – osea las que llevan 5, 6 meses aqui refugiadas.” Yes, it's frustrating. Several mothers here are going bald. The ones who have waited here 5 or 6 months.  Maria started to cry when I asked how long the she’s waited. Maria Mexican asylum seeker “Es mucho tiempo esperar. Y nosotros venimos por la inseguridad que hay en Michoacan.” “It’s been such a long time to wait. We’re fleeing because of organized crime back home in Michoacan.” Maria says she decided to flee her home in the Mexican state of Michoacan after a local drug cartel burned her business to the ground and tried to recruit her two teenage sons. She doesn’t feel safe in Tijuana – is afraid the cartel will find her there. Maria has tried to request asylum in person. At the legal border crossing. But Border Patrol agents keep turning her back. Tell her to use the CBP One app. “Nos dicen que temenos que pasar legalmente. Pero si legalmente no se puede que podemos hacer?” They say that we have to cross legally. But what do we do if there are no legal options available? She says she wants to follow the legal process – but she is starting to lose hope. And she’s not alone. Officials in Tijuana say CBP One’s long wait times actually contribute to illegal crossings. Enrique Lucero is head of Tijuana’s Migrant Affairs Department. He says roughly one third of migrants who cross the border illegally do so after trying to schedule CBP One appointments. Enrique Lucero Director of Migrant Affairs Office, Tijuana “Ellos llegan con mucho estress post traumatico, con psychosis, y tratan de cruzar lo mas rapido porque creen que esa persecusion lo va alcancar aqui en Tijuana.” They come in with a lot of post-traumatic stress. They want to cross as quickly as possible because they believe that whatever they’re fleeing will follow them to Tijuana. He says migrants lose hope after waiting several months. Lucero believes forcing more migrants to use the app without increasing the number of  appointments could intensify the crisis Biden says he’s trying to solve. “Si vas a imponer esta medida, pues aumenta las citas de CBP One no?” If you’re going to impose this new rules, then you should increase the number of CBP One appointments. Right? Last week, several immigrant advocacy groups filed a lawsuit to block the new rules. Gustavo Solis, KPBS News.

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Tonight, the public will get a chance to ask questions and voice their opinions on SANDAG’s plans for relocating the train tracks through Del Mar.

North County reporter Tania Thorne has the details about tonight’s community meeting.

SANDAG has 3 routes identified - each with a tunnel, and each with its own benefits and challenges. One route runs along the I-5 freeway but is also the longest. The second route cuts travel time. And the third has a shorter tunnel- which could mean a cheaper cost. But all plans have stirred controversy in the Del Mar community. To help with questions and concerns, tonight SANDAG is hosting an in person workshop.. Omar Atayee is with the agency. We always invite the communities to to comment. We are receptive to that. We wanna hear what the community has, and to the extent that we can address community concerns. We're we're absolutely willing to, you know. Tonight’s meeting is scheduled for 6:30pm at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar. Comments on the plans can also be submitted online or by mail until July 19th. TT KPBS News. 

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Two North County women are reclaiming wellness practices for queer people of color.

Reporter Katie Hyson spoke with the Afro-Filipina sisters ahead of their Summer Solstice Festival.

Toni and Alyssa Junious have long loved health and wellness. But when they went to workshops, the leaders were usually white. Even though they were teaching things like yoga and burning sage, Alyssa says. But when you think about all those different wellness practices, they're actually rooted in Indigenous communities. And Toni says the people whose ancestors created these practices often can’t afford the workshops to learn them. Wellness, especially in California, is popular, but it comes with a high price tag. So the sisters created their own community in 2019. The Soultry Sisters. This weekend is their third summer solstice festival. A lot of times after the festival, they'll say, ‘I didn't realize this was like, our thing. Like, this is like something that we do.’  And I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ So it's like . . .  the unlearning of what is for us, what is by us. The festival will include performances, food and workshops. It’s sliding scale and there are scholarships. Inside Carlsbad’s New Village Arts, the Junious sisters prepared an altar. In the center is a Sankofa bird symbol, feet forward and head turned back. Reflecting on the past to guide its next steps. Katie Hyson, 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. Join me again tomorrow for the day’s top stories. I’m Emilyn Mohebbi. Thanks for listening and have a great Tuesday.