Will controversy dampen San Diego Pride this year?

Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Tuesday, July 8th.

Will controversy keep people away from San Diego Pride this year?

More on that next. But first... the headlines….

AN ICONIC LANDMARK ON SAN DIEGO’S COASTLINE IS AGAIN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC .

THE NEARLY 100-YEAR-OLD CRYSTAL PIER IN PACIFIC BEACH HAD BEEN CLOSED SINCE DECEMBER 2023 BECAUSE OF STORM DAMAGE .

SUSAN LAYTON AND HER OUT-OF-TOWN VISITOR WANDERED ONTO THE PIER WHILE SIGHTSEEING.

“We actually didn't even realize that it was open today and just happened upon it. And we're so excited because it really just is a whole different view. Being able to be out here.”

Pier repairs cost the city over 2 million dollars.

The San Diego Humane Society says hundreds of stray pets were turned in over the holiday weekend.

It told NBC 7 it took in more than 220 animals since July 4th. Over the last few years, less than a quarter of found animals are reclaimed by owners.

San Diego County Animal Control says animals without license tags or chips are held for 3 days before being made available for adoption.

The Humane Society is waiving reclaim fees through today (Tuesday).

Three San Diego Padres players are heading to the All-Star game.

Right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and relief pitcher Jason Adam were named Sunday to the National League team as reserves.

3rd Baseman Manny Machodo was announced an All-Star starter last week. Starters were selected by fans who voted for each position.
Meanwhile, reserves were selected by player votes and the league.

From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.

Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

SAN DIEGO PRIDE IS GRAPPLING WITH SEVERAL CORPORATE SPONSORS PULLING THEIR SUPPORT. BUT METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS EARLY TICKET SALES FOR THE PRIDE FESTIVAL HAVE NEVER BEEN HIGHER.

AB: A Pride controversy erupted last month, when a coalition of Jewish organizations pulled out of the festival over one of its headliners: Grammy-nominated R&B singer Kehlani. The artist has spoken out in support of Palestinian sovereignty and against Israel's war in Gaza. A handful of corporate sponsors also pulled their support. Kristin Flickinger, interim executive director of San Diego Pride, says the controversy has not hurt ticket sales, which are roughly double where they were at this point last year.KF: "People reach out to us ... regularly saying that they're really grateful that Kehlani remains the headliner and how much that means to them."AB: San Diego Pride has updated safety measures and its entry policy and code of conduct, Flickinger says. Only clear plastic bags will be allowed inside, and banners, flags and signs cannot be placed in the direct sightline of performers.KF: "What we remain committed to is ensuring that there's a space for dissenting voices — again, not hate speech but dissenting voices — especially at a moment when our federal government is trying to silence queer voices of color."AB: The Pride parade kicks off at 10 a.m. on July 19. The festival takes place in Balboa Park on the 19th and 20th. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.

THE NEWLY SIGNED FEDERAL BUDGET PACKAGE IS EXPECTED TO CUT BILLIONS EACH YEAR IN FUNDING FOR MEDI-CAL AND CALFRESH IN CALIFORNIA. THAT’S ACCORDING TO STATE ESTIMATES. MORE THAN A MILLION SAN DIEGANS RELY ON THESE PROGRAMS FOR HEALTH CARE AND FOOD ASSISTANCE. HEALTH REPORTER HEIDI DE MARCO SPOKE TO A LOCAL PEDIATRICIAN WHO WARNS THE CUTS WILL HIT CHILDREN HARDEST.

The bill includes more frequent eligibility checks and work requirements for medicaid recipients that could push 3.4 million Californians off health coverage according to state estimates.I'm very worried about the effects of this bill on child health. We know Medicaid cuts are going to be huge.Pediatrician Marsha Spitzer says the cuts will have lasting effects on a child's ability to access health care.Children are going to have a harder time getting into clinic to be seen for medical care, for urgent care, emergency care, dental care.Spitzer says part of her job now is helping families understand what these changes mean.If they unfortunately lose Medicaid, that pediatricians are still going to see them.She says they won’t turn families away.Heidi de Marco, KPBS News. 

IMMIGRATION RAIDS HAVE LEFT MANY MIXED-STATUS IMMIGRANT FAMILIES LIVING ON EDGE. SOME HAVE CHANGED ORDINARY THINGS LIKE GROCERY TRIPS AND OUTINGS DUE TO THE FEAR OF BEING DETAINED. REPORTER TANIA THORNE HEARS DIRECTLY FROM TWO PEOPLE AND DISCUSSES HOW THIS FEAR COULD AFFECT THEIR HEALTH.

Headlines and viral videos of immigration detentions are filling news feeds. And with them, fear is rising in immigrant communities across the country.It's not just families without legal status.Its mixed status families that fear for loved ones. Like this man we will be calling Miguel.For his family's safety, he chose to do this interview anonymously.He says the fear of immigration detentions hit close to home.There’s lots of worry within our family because we have a family member who unfortunately has not been able to get his documents. It's even more worrisome because he's the head of the household. Miguel has legal status and is retired. But the threat of an interaction with immigration agents could shatter his family.If something is to happen to this family member, our family would completely fall apart.As a result, his family has had to take extra precautions.When I do the shopping, I’ve noticed a drop in Latinos at the store compared to   before.He knows he’s not alone and many families are erring on the side of caution.the best thing to do is stay home unless you’re going to work because at the end of the day, money needs to be made to pay bills.Im filled with emotions. With lots of fear. We have to do things with precautions. Even grocery shopping.Ana is a woman without legal status in San Diego.She also agreed to do the interview without using her real name or showing her face for her safety.I've felt like I can't breathe. The stress is hurting me. Ive noticed it even in my hair, it is falling out.Ana says the stress over the immigration raids is taking a toll on her health. But she feels that even doctors appointments pose a risk.Not just physically, but financially too.We don't receive government assistance for insurance. We always pay out of pocket. Out of fear that receiving assistance could hurt us later on or that our information could be shared with immigration agencies.She’s been in the U.S. for over 20 years.While she has thought about self deporting…  Ana struggles with leaving the life she’s built behind.Im not ready to leave yet. I wish the government could help the people that have been here for so many years. We pay our taxes and try not to be a burden on the government.they get people and then they ask questions later, which is very unconstitutional. That's not how it works, how it's supposed to work. So people are fearful.Eduardo Aguilar is an ethnic studies professor and community activist.He often participates in the community patrols that warn people of immigration sightings.And the fact that there's not people from all categories, from being people that are undocumented, people that are in the refugees, people that are in the process, people that go to courts and they go to for a legal hearing and they get they get snatched or people that are walking in the street.He says the implications of the immigration raids are instilling fear and trauma for many communities.they're affected and they do need support and they do need, you know, this is going to be something that isn't a mark on forever because it's just trauma. And we don't talk about that stuff. All of these, it's going to affect people mentally psychologically.Lizeth Ma is a family psychologist in San Diego.She says the stress of fear has a deep impact on people.neurologically, right? It. It has an effect, especially if that stress or concern or fear it gets to a level of that. It's impeding your sleep cycle or is being disturbed. You're not gonna be able to perform, respond. And in an appropriate way, or fast enough, if you're constantly, you know, stressed out, worried, not sleeping, not eating.Despite the constant stream of news, her best advice is to avoid drowning in the headlines.that's why it's so important that we are pacing ourselves. microdosing the amount of news that we're seeing. and then just focusing one thing at a time, because it can become very overwhelming and then we handicap ourselves.For families like Miguel’s and Ana’s, the fear of separation is a daily reality.But through community support, awareness, and care, there could be room to focus on healing and hope.Tania Thorne, KPBS News 

SAN DIEGO AND CALIFORNIA ARE IN A CRIPPLING HOUSING SHORTAGE. THE SUPPLY OF HOUSES DOES NOT MEET THE DEMAND. IT HAS DRIVEN COSTS FAR OUTSIDE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE’S BUDGETS – AND FORCED FAMILIES OUT OF THE STATE. AS PART OF OUR PUBLIC MATTERS COLLABORATION, VOICE OF SAN DIEGO REPORTER WILL HUNTSBERRY BRINGS US THIS STORY ABOUT ONE LOCAL CITY.

El Cajon is one of the most racially and economically diverse cities in San Diego. But it lags far behind the rest of the county in home building.In the last few years, El Cajon permitted less than 10 new homes per thousand residents. No other city had numbers that low.The causes behind El Cajon’s housing drought are complicated. The city has very little vacant and it’s already the second-most densely populated countywide. The city’s mayor Bill Wells says he is pro-development. But he also isn’t really interested in changing the city’s character or seriously increasing its density. “Tall buildings bring their own problems…Um, you know, one of the main problems is the infrastructure problem. You know, you have to bring, you have to buy ladder trucks and, and bring all kinds of new fire equipment. Um, where are we? Three, three stories now is our Yes, that's right. Yeah. So we're at three stories. I think three stories is about as much as this community can tolerate, 'cause it, this community feels like, and, and, uh, I think they see themselves as being kind of a small rural community.”Wells says if county officials are really serious about getting out of the housing crisis, they should open up the county’s rural land for development. A lot of it is prone to fire – and Democrats, who now control the county again, have not wanted to build it out. In El Cajon, I’m Will Huntsberry with Voice of San Diego.

AIR POLLUTION IS A PRIME SUSPECT AS A CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER SMOKED. BUT SECOND-HAND SMOKE IS NOT. SCI-TECH REPORTER THOMAS FUDGE HAS MORE ON NEW RESEARCH OUT OF UC SAN DIEGO.

Reductions in tobacco smoking have led to lower rates of lung cancer in many places. But people who have never smoked still get lung cancer, and researchers at UCSD wanted to learn why. So they studied gene mutations that act as signatures to indicate the cause of cancers. In areas with bad air pollution they did find those mutations in lung cancer patients. They also studied patients who were exposed to lots of second-hand smoke. Ludmil Alexandrov, a professor in cellular medicine, says they expected to see strong evidence that passive smoking caused lung cancers. “There’s a bit more mutations in the cancers of passive smokers. But it’s a very small elevation. And the specific things we thought that we would see, specific genes being mutated, we really didn’t see.” He says they want to do further studies to learn whether marijuana smoking or vaping also lead to lung cancer. Thomas Fudge, 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.