The number of people experiencing homelessness is down throughout the county — we zoom in on North County, where coastal cities saw some of the biggest drops. Then, we stay in North County to look at how cuts to the National Institutes of Health are hitting CSU San Marcos. Also, hear part two of reporter Amita Sharma’s conversation with the leaders of San Diego’s Democratic and Republican parties. And, find out how a John Waters classic is still shocking audiences more than 50 years after its release.
What the new point-in-time count says about homelessness in North County
May 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM PDT
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Wednesday, May 21st.
What does the new point-in-time count tell us about homelessness in North County?
More on that next. But first... the headlines….
A group of San Diego homeowners is suing the city over its plan to begin charging for trash pickup.
The complaint says the city is in violation of Prop 218, a ballot measure passed in the 1990s prohibiting governments from charging more for services than they cost.
Last month the city proposed a fee of 47 dollars-per-month.
Charging single-family homes for trash services is seen as a simple way to raise city revenue while dealing with a budget deficit.
The city council is due to decide and approve the fee structure next month.
The county board of supervisors unanimously approved a strengthened safe camping ordinance yesterday (Tuesday) in an effort to prevent wildfires.
The ordinance prohibits encampments on public property that endanger community safety and bans open fires outside public campgrounds.
Officials say at least three fires this year began in homeless encampments.
It’s going to be hot. According to the National Weather Service today (wednesday) and tomorrow will see temperatures between 10 to 15 degrees above normal.
That means mid-70s and 80s at the coast and 80s to 90s in the inland valleys.
Desert temperatures could top 100 degrees.
Forecasters say you can expect a break in the heat Friday and temperatures closer to normal for this time of year this weekend.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
AFTER YEARS OF GROWTH, HOMELESSNESS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY HAS FINALLY SEEN SOME DECLINE.
REPORTER JACOB AERE SAYS SOME OF THE CITIES THAT SAW THE BIGGEST DROP WERE IN NORTH COUNTY.
Homelessness across San Diego County declined by 7% compared to last year … Outside the city of San Diego … some of the largest declines in homelessness were seen in cities like Carlsbad, Encinitas and Oceanside. Greg Anglea is CEO of Interfaith Community Services, which operates in those areas. He says the key in north county … is collaboration between cities, nonprofits and the county…“Encampment bans and enforcement alone do not reduce homelessness, but when those things are also included along with resources to actually help people, then they can actually be a part of reducing overall homelessness.” The new data comes from the annual point-in-time count … a one-day snapshot count done annually in late january by the regional task force on homelessness. JA KPBS News.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH HAVE CUT FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AT C-S-U SAN MARCOS. EDUCATION REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS THE PROGRAMS HELP STUDENTS PURSUE RESEARCH AND DOCTORATE DEGREES.
Denise Garcia directs the Center for Training, Research and Educational Excellence at CSU San Marcos. What we do mostly is help students gain experience that will allow them the opportunities to go to grad school. That experience includes doing research and attending conferences.We are a majority of first gen, low income students. And so all these programs gave students stipends, and so that allowed them to do research in labs. Four of the center’s programs were federally funded through grants from the National Institutes of Health. They cut funding suddenly this spring, starting with U-RISE, the Undergraduate Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement. We found out that one was cut on the end of March. And then every week thereafter, we would get another termination. The NIH told university officials that the terminations were due to changes in their priorities. Garcia says the loss of funding meant 45 students went without pay for more than a month. The university found enough grants and other sources to pay students’ April and May stipends. Now, it’s trying to fundraise so that 13 students who are halfway through their two-year programs can finish them. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
SINCE TAKING OFFICE, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SPEEDILY FLOODED THE COUNTRY WITH INITIATIVES AFFECTING EVERYTHING FROM SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO THE LAW ITSELF. REPORTER AMITA SHARMA SPOKE WITH SAN DIEGO REPUBLICAN PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBER COREY GUSTAFSON AND LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN KYLE KRAHEL-FROLANDER ABOUT WHAT IT ALL MEANS…IN THE SECOND OF A TWO-PARTER.
Funding for scientific research has taken a real beating under the Trump administration. At UC San Diego, clinical trials have been halted at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Money for the study of the ocean, considered vital for weather forecasts and climate change study, is under threat. How do you view cuts or potential cuts to scientific research? Innovation doesn't only come from government. Innovation comes from the private sector. And what you see with the new proposal from Republicans on Capitol Hill is a massive amount of money going back to the American people, small businesses, corporations, because these are the folks who are innovating in our society. They grow the economy, they discover new possibilities, just like Apple Computer. Look at the things that Apple's done for society because of the fact that they have an interest in profit. I've spoken to government officials and university officials who say that there is no way that private industry could possibly fill the void of what government funding has been to scientific research in this country. These people have also told me that they're looking to the state of California, which now has the world's fourth largest economy, to use its economic leverage with Washington to stave off some of these cuts. What does that leverage look like? We need to fight back and that's what we're going to do as California, as Democrats, because this is important to our economy, but it's also important to the people who rely on clinical trials to save their lives. And I also think it's important to point out that these cuts are not coming through the standard budget process. It's not coming through Congress. These are being done unilaterally by the executive branch, illegally, in my opinion. And I think it's part of an attack on our institutions like universities, like independent science, in order to advance a frankly authoritarian vision that doesn't have any opposition power to this president. The U.S. attorney's office here in San Diego files dozens of border-related cases each week. President Trump has said in an interview this month that he didn't know whether he has to uphold the Constitution by giving immigrants the right to due process before deporting them. What are your thoughts on this statement? My thoughts are that President Trump is going to do what it takes to secure our southern border. He has done it. The idea that there should be any criticism against President Trump—his number one priority was saying we need to know who's coming into this country. We need to stop and halt illegal immigration coming from our southern border. And he's done it. He did it within a week. This is incredible. Meanwhile, Trump's aide Stephen Miller has said the administration is exploring suspending habeas corpus for migrants. Do you think it will happen? And if so, what recourse do opponents of this move have? I think we need to rely on our checks and balances. The Supreme Court is our backstop here. I know it's not a Supreme Court that I necessarily completely agree with, but I do believe that there are enough justices on that Supreme Court to strike down any unconstitutional power grabs that would invade the rights of Americans. And I say Americans not just because this is not just the migrants and other folks that they talk about coming through the southern border. These are attacks that are happening to people who are actually here legally. A San Diego man is in the process of launching what he calls the Big Middle. It's an online platform to assemble people of all political persuasions to find common ground. Is the time, is the moment ripe for this? It's already been done. President Trump just did it in November 2024. He just got 76 million people to vote for him. He just created an electoral landslide against the failed policies of the Biden administration and Kamala Harris. So if you want to talk about creating a huge movement amongst the American people, President Trump's done it. Do you agree? Is there representation of this so-called Big Middle, people from across political persuasions who may feel the same way about the big issues? Do they have representation in the Trump administration?I can't say that this administration has lived up to the promises that it said it would do to the American people that were supposed to attract the middle. All it's doing is kowtowing to the richest in our country, to the billionaires and their friends, and that is not what the middle wants. The middle wants their prices to go down. That's not happening. The middle wants good jobs. Those jobs are disappearing right now as we speak. They want their 401k so that they can retire with dignity, and those are being disappeared by this administration's policies.
TAG: THAT WAS KYLE KRAHEL-FROLANDER AND COREY GUSTAFSON SPEAKING WITH KPBS'S AMITA SHARMA.
FILMOUT, SAN DIEGO’S LGBTQ-PLUS FILM FESTIVAL IS SCREENING JOHN WATERS’ CULT CLASSIC PINK FLAMINGOS TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY). IT’S PART OF ITS MONTHLY FILM SERIES AT ULTRASTAR MISSION VALLEY CINEMAS. CINEMA JUNKIE BETH ACCOMANDO REMINDS US WHY THE FILM STILL SHOCKS AUDIENCES TODAY.
John Waters made Pink Flamingos in 1972. The first trailer featured no clips from the film, just audience reactions.
TRAILER A little gross but I liked it… really the grossest film I’ve seen Half a century later, Pink Flamingos still has the power to shock with its story of Divine as Babs Johnson, the “Filthiest Person Alive.”
CLIP Filth is my politics, filth is my life.
The film threw a Molotov cocktail into the culture war of the 1960s and early seventies. Waters brought an audacious sense of joyous obscenity to his assault on oppressive middle class values. A 300-pound Divine decked out in a flamboyant outfit and strutting down a Baltimore street to strains of "The Girl Can't Help It" defined the film’s defiance in the face of conformity. Waters had a keen eye for social observation and reveled in what he called poor taste . Take delight in the gross out pleasures of Pink Flamingos. It’s good to know that some films will always be transgressive. Beth Accomando, KPBS News.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great day.