US Justice Department charges UC San Diego’s medical school of racial discrimination

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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s WEDNESDAY, JULY 22ND

>>>>  [ THE D-O-J SAYS UC SAN DIEGO ILLEGALLY USED RACE IN ITS ADMISSIONS PROCESS ]More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######

YET ANOTHER EXTREME HEAT WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT!

THE HEAT WARNING BEGINS AT 10 A-M IN OUR COUNTY'S DESERTS, MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS 

DESERT HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO LAND SOMEWHERE IN THE MID 90'S WITH PEAK TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

HIGHS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS SHOULD LAND IN THE MID 80'S TO LOW 90'S

AS USUAL, THE COUNTY REMINDS YOU TO DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS 

-STAY OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME 

-AND TO CHECK UP ON RELATIVES OR NEIGHBORS WHO MIGHT BE AT RISK

OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES  

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A STUDY FROM UC SAN DIEGO FINDS THAT AS E-BIKES GROW IN POPULARITY IN CALIFORNIA ... SO DOES THE NUMBER OF E-BIKE RELATED INJURIES

THE REPORT SAYS THAT IN 20-18 THERE WERE JUST TWO REPORTED E-BIKES INJURIES... 

AND BY 20-24, THAT NUMBER HAD CLIMBED TO MORE THAN FIFTEEN HUNDRED 

THE FINDINGS CONCLUDED THAT: 

• BECAUSE OF THE SPEEDS, E-BIKE RIDERS SUSTAIN INJURIES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO MOTORCYCLE INJURIES THAN FROM RIDING A STANDARD BIKE. 

• AND THAT E-BIKE ACCIDENTS OFTEN INVOLVED YOUNGER RIDERS AND RIDERS MORE LIKELY TO BE TRAVELING AT UNSAFE SPEEDS

THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO IS THE LATEST TO PASS NEW E-BIKE REGULATIONS WHICH WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN AUGUST 

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THERE IS NOW A BEACH IN SAN DIEGO PAYING HOMAGE TO THOSE WHO LIVED HERE BEFORE COLONIZATION  

THIS UNNAMED BEACH WILL NOW BE KNOWN AS KUMEYAAY {COOM-E-EYE] BEACH

IT CAN BE FOUND ON SPANISH LANDING PARK'S WEST SIDE IN THE HARBOR ISLAND AREA

THE NEWS WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO

ITS THE FIRST TIME THE PORT IS NAMING AN AREA UNDER A POLICY TO RECOGNIZE LAND OF CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE 

A CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF PORT COMMISSIONERS SAYS THE NAME HONORS THE KUMEYAAY PEOPLE'S LASTING CONNECTION TO THE BAY AND SURROUNDING LANDS AND HELPS TO SHARE THEIR HISTORY WITH

WATERFRONT VISITORS

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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The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday it found that UC San Diego's School of Medicine used race in its admissions process which violates federal law. 

Health reporter Heidi de Marco says it's part of the Trump administration's effort to further enforce restrictions on the use of race in college admissions.

TRT 0:49 SOC

The D-O-J says the medical school illegally identified black and hispanic students based on the hardships they overcame.

The Justice Department also says the staff could see applicants' race during the admissions process.

And that, as a result, some white and Asian applicants were denied in favor of Black and Hispanic applicants even if they had lower academic credentials.

The university says all applicants have to meet the same strict academic standards, regardless of their background.

They also say it's committed to following federal law and is willing to work with the Justice Department and bring them into compliance.

But if those efforts fail, the department says it will file a lawsuit.

Heidi de Marco, KPBS News.

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THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED ON TUESDAY IT’S WITHHOLDING A BILLION DOLLARS IN MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENTS FOR CALIFORNIA  AND MINNESOTA. 

     CAP-RADIO’S LAURA FITZGERALD REPORTS.

MEDICAID 1 (cprn) (0:55) SOQ

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The Department of Health and Human Services says it’s deferring Medicaid reimbursements to both states, it says, to crack down on fraud. It’s the Trump administration’s latest move to withhold federal funds from blue states for unfounded allegations of widespread fraud.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is deferring 867 million dollars for California specifically. HHS says it’s investigating California for QUOTE “spending growth that far exceeded national trends.”

Governor Gavin Newsom said the claims were politically motivated.

This is politics, and you know it’s politics. To the extent it’s substantive, bring it on. We want to work with them.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the administration will release the funds to California if the state shows proof that Medicaid claims are legitimate. Newsom says the state has already been working to get them the requested information.

In Sacramento, I’m Laura Fitzgerald

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SEVERAL GROUPS ARE OFFICIALLY PUSHING BACK AGAINST SDG&E’S REQUEST TO RAISE CUSTOMER RATES IN 2028.

PUBLIC MATTERS REPORTER KEVIN TREVELLYAN [TREV-UH-LYN] SAYS AFFORDABILITY IS A CHIEF CONCERN.

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SDGEPROTEST (1:16)

TREVELLYAN: SDG&E wants to raise monthly bills by about 8-and-a-half percent in 2028. That means the average electric bill would jump about 14 dollars over next year’s estimates, while a natural gas bill would rise 8 dollars.

Edward Lopez leads the Utility Consumers’ Action Network, a San Diego-based organization that advocates for ratepayers.

SOT [0:14]

CG: Edward Lopez | Utility Consumers’ Action Network Executive Director

“Coming on the heels of the ever-increasing requests, at some point, isn’t enough enough? We all feel the pains of these rates. They’re getting out of hand.”

TREVELLYAN: Lopez’ nonprofit and other several groups are formally protesting SDG&E’s rate request with the California Public Utilities Commission. It’s part of a complicated regulatory process that will extend into next year and possibly beyond.

For now, protesting organizations are hiring experts to dig into the hundreds of pages making up SDG&E’s application… in order to answer some top-line questions.

SOT [0:09]

CG: Edward Lopez | Utility Consumers’ Action Network Executive Director

“What is the utility doing? What are they proposing to do more of? Is it reasonable? What are the costs associated with that?”

TREVELLYAN: An SDG&E spokesperson says the utility’s 2028 request prioritizes safe and reliable service, while managing costs responsibly for customers.

KT, KPBS News

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Residents in one Fallbrook neighborhood want San Diego County to do more to maintain their road.

They tell North County Reporter Alexander Nguyen that they are having to fill their own potholes.

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On NATs shovel, asphalt. Tuesday … half a dozen mostly retired residents on Sage Road … spent their morning filling potholes.

They are doing this because they say the county isn’t maintaining the road.

NATPOP “They haven’t for many years.”

Stephen Shrewsbury lives in a P-R-D … a private road maintained by the county through an assessment fee collected from homeowners

SOT “We've sent them detailed lists of all the potholes that need fixing. They've promised to do it. They haven't done it.”

The county says the fees collected are no longer enough to cover the maintenance. Repairs are estimated at around 6 million dollars.

Last month, the board of supervisors proposed a special tax on the November ballot to pay for the repairs. If it’s not passed by voters, the county says they may have to dissolve the P-R-D. AN/KPBS

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THE FOUNDATION BEHIND THE INVICTUS GAMES FOR WOUNDED SERVICE MEMBERS SAYS SAN DIEGO WILL NOT BE HOSTING THE 2029 GAMES. 

MILITARY AND VETERANS REPORTER ANDREW DYER SPOKE TO A LOCAL ORGANIZER WHO SAYS THIS IS NOT THE END OF INVICTUS IN SAN DIEGO.

INVICTUSFOLO 1 (ad) :55 SOQ

Daejong South Korea will host the 20-29 Invictus Games.

The Invictus Games Foundation announced the city won its bid over fellow finalists Aalborg, Denmark and San Diego.

Andy Soler is the co-chair of the San Diego Bid Committee. He says local advocates shouldn’t look at the foundation’s decision as a failure on their part.

AS: the outpouring of support in the community for the Invictus Games was was just unbelievable. It's like nothing I've ever seen in my life.

He says even if it’s not the 20-29 games he’s committed to hosting an Invictus event of some kind. He’s going back to Great Britain next month to meet again with the foundation.

AS: We'll we'll be in and around the Invictus movement for years to come, and at some stage it will be in San Diego. I'm positive.

In the meantime Soler says San Diego will have a delegation representing the city at the 2027 games in Birmingham, England and again in Korea in 2029.

Andrew Dyer, KPBS News.

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COMIC-CON EVENTS HAVE OFFICIALLY BEGUN, AND WITH OR WITHOUT A BADGE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS FOR FANS TO GET INVOLVED. 

ANCHOR DEBBIE CRUZ SAT DOWN WITH ARTS REPORTER BETH ACCOMANDO TO LOOK AHEAD ON OUR COMIC-CON COVERAGE THIS WEEK.

COMICPREV (dc) (3:59) "...all your heart.”

Well, you are on two panels. One is about film shot in San Diego. What do you plan to discuss?

Well, I had the privilege of working on a film about all the films shot in San Diego for the Historical Society. I have uh worked on many of the Killer Tomato movies. This is a San Diego institution, uh home-grown tomatoes. And they have had multiple films over the years, but they are back. The tomatoes are back. It's pretty amazing and they a couple of the people are going to be on this San Diego film panel. That's going to be Costa Dillon and Steve Peas, two of the original creators.

But, the Killer Tomatoes will get their very own panel on Friday.But, the new film is called Organic Intelligence. And here is Costa Dillon, one of the original co-creators talking a little bit about the film.

I When you see this film in theaters, you realize it's not artificial intelligence we have to fear. It's organic intelligence. And the tomatoes already have it.

Attack of the Killer Tomato.

That's awesome. Not much has changed in the tomato world.

Your other panels is about creating virtual worlds. What excites you about this?

Well, I really like that on this panel, we're going to talk about a lot of different things. There is a film by Gnome Argov, which is called Verse, which deals with virtual worlds, but also some of the negative things that can sometimes happen within that. And that film is going to screen without a badge on Thursday night. But, the panel is also going to have a discussion about how do you create these virtual worlds, not just in games, but in movies.

And they're going to have the visual effects artist from Sinners, which is very exciting to me because that was one of my favorite films. And Beth Marvel is returning to Hall H. Tell us about that?

Yes. So, you know, Hall H is a big deal for a lot of people. Uh Marvel has not been there for a while, but it is returning with uh Avengers Doomsday. They don't generally reveal exactly what's going to be on the panel, but this is definitely going to draw some big lines at Hall H.. So, what are some things you're looking forward to cover?

So, Hall H gets a lot of attention, but there are smaller panels in Hall H like the Lucas Museum is returning to tell us about some of the things that are coming there because it's opening in September. Guillermo del Toro is returning to Hall H because there's going to be a new restoration of Pan's Labyrinth, this amazing film. Um it's interesting that Spaceballs, the sequel, Mel Brooks is 100 years old. I doubt we will see him in person.

But, the fact that Mel Brooks has a film in Hall H at Comic-Con, I don't know, it warms my heart. Artist Alley is pivotal to the convention experience. What makes it stand out to you?

Well, this is an opportunity for you to really support artists. I mean, Comic-Con is really about the popular arts. But, you go to Artist Alley, you get to see people. Some of them are local creators, some of them are even international. You get to see the kind of work that you particularly like. You can have custom art done. But, you can buy stuff that really supports these artists.

And Beth, what are some tips for those returning to the convention and even first-time Comic-Con attendees?

I think the key for going to Comic-Con is identifying what you want the convention to be for you. Like, you can go and be the dude and just chill out and wander around and experience whatever happens to fall you know, fall in your path. Or, you can go with one very specific thing. You want that one exclusive that's on the floor. You want to get into Hall H. You want to see this person. You want to get an autograph.

Whatever it is that's going to make you happy, like make sure you know what that is and then pursue it with all your heart.

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That’s it for the podcast today. The podcast today was edited by Traci Tong 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.