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Stories by Claire Trageser
One Republican, 2 Dems Vie For San Diego City Council District 5, Once A GOP Stronghold
- Jan. 20
- By Claire Trageser
Three major candidates, two Democrats and a Republican, are running in the March primary to replace termed-out Councilman Mark Kersey.
Two Establishment Democrats, A Republican And An Outsider Vying For San Diego Mayor
- Jan. 17
- By Andrew Bowen, Claire Trageser
All of the candidates have long histories in San Diego, and three of them are current or past City Council members: Todd Gloria and Barbara Bry, both Democrats, and Scott Sherman, a Republican. Also in the race is community activist Tasha Williamson, who has never held elected office.
Marijuana Tourists Mean More Visits To California Hospitals
- Dec. 18, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Emergency room visits are up 35% in San Diego County and 49% statewide since voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2016, data show. But doctors say many patients are simply inexperienced pot users who aren't in significant danger.
Large Chaldean Iraqi Population Is Thriving In San Diego Suburb
- Dec. 3, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
In recent decades, the city has been changing — it's now home to one of the largest populations in the country of Chaldeans, a persecuted religious and ethnic minority from Iraq.
California Appeals Court Keeps Limitations To Felony Murder Rule In Place
- Nov. 20, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
California courts have kept in place limitations on the so-called “felony murder rule,” which allowed prosecutors to charge people with murder even if they weren’t directly responsible for the crime.
Humane Society Draws Controversy By Sending Cats Back To The Streets
- Nov. 18, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Since taking over animal control services for San Diego and several other cities last year, the San Diego Humane Society has allowed more than 1,200 stray cats to be released back to the streets.
Iraqi-Americans In El Cajon Plead For International Support Of Iraqi Protesters
- Nov. 11, 2019
- By Claire Trageser, Max Rivlin-Nadler
More than a hundred people gathered in El Cajon on Sunday to support ongoing anti-government protests in Iraq.
PG&E Blasted For Not Being More Like SDG&E In Managing Power Shutoffs, But Is The Comparison Fair?
- Oct. 24, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
A few weeks ago, PG&E cut power to more than 700,000 customers. At the time, politicians and pundits pointed to SDG&E, which shut off electricity to about 500 customers, as a better example of wildfire preparedness.
Why Are There So Many Broken Trash Bins In San Diego?
- Oct. 14, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
A KPBS analysis of city records revealed an epidemic of broken bins — residents ordered nearly 17,500 replacement bins in 2018 alone. And over the last decade, the number replaced annually has increased by 42%.
Police Video Shows One Officer Fatally Shooting El Cerrito Man While Partner Uses Taser
- Oct. 9, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
In late August, a 52-year-old man holding a shovel charged at officers. One of the officers shot and killed the man, while the other fired only his taser, according to a department spokesman.
Sheriff's Deputy Assault Victims Say Plea Deal Is Not Justice Served
- Sept. 19, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Fischer was initially charged with 20 criminal counts that included assault, burglary, forcing oral sex and sexual battery. But his plea deal with the DA did not include the two sex crime charges he faced.
San Diego Teens Share Their Views On Climate Change
- Sept. 16, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
This week media organizations across the world, including KPBS, are telling stories about people directly impacted by a changing climate. And that is especially true of the younger generation.
San Diego's Climate Crisis: The Risks And Costs Of Living In The Backcountry
- Sept. 16, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Higher temperatures caused by climate change mean California’s all-important snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains is smaller and melts faster than it did in the past. As a result, forests are dryer for longer and more prone to wildfire.
Ex-Deputy Richard Fischer Pleads Guilty In Sexual Assault Trial
- Sept. 9, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Richard Timothy Fischer pleaded guilty to four counts of assault and battery by an officer, two counts of misdemeanor assault by an officer and one count of misdemeanor false imprisonment.
New Report Details Nearly a Quarter Century of Police Shootings
- Aug. 19, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
The report by the San Diego District Attorney's Office found that 40% of the shootings involved a white officer and a non-white suspect.
Records: SDPD Officer Accused Of Sexual Assault Resigned And Never Charged
- Aug. 15, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
The records, which relate to allegations that a San Diego Police officer sexually assaulted a woman in his custody in 2013, raise questions as to why he was never charged with a crime.
A Mother Rides A Rollercoaster Of Hope While Her Son Sits In Jail
- Aug. 9, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Shawn Khalifa was sentenced for murder even though he was outside when his friends broke into a Riverside County home and killed a 77-year-old man. A new law could reduce his sentence — but that law is being challenged.
Hundreds In San Diego Hoping For Reduced Sentences For Murders They Didn't Commit
- Aug. 8, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
This year, California became one of the few states in the country to pass legislation limiting felony murder convictions. But the law change has powerful opponents who are challenging it in court.
Details Of Midway Police Shooting Remain Under Wraps Despite Transparency Law
- July 15, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
A new state law aimed at opening up police investigations is not helping in the case of an officer killing a man armed only with a pen.
Lambda Archives Stores San Diego's LGBTQ History
- July 11, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Part of the challenge of running an LGBTQ archive is when it comes to older photos and memorabilia, there aren't that many, due to the closeted past.
Lincoln Park Neighborhood Celebrates Changes At '4 Corners Of Life'
- July 8, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
For the past six years, people have gathered at the intersection of Euclid and Imperial avenues in Lincoln Park to celebrate the reclaiming of the place — instead of "four corners of death," the community now calls it "four corners of life."
District Elections Could Mean A New Crop Of Candidates In November 2020
- June 28, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Across San Diego County, there's a push to find and draft local city council candidates, especially candidates that come from minority communities.
District Elections Supposed To Increase Diversity; So Far, San Diego Results Are Mixed
- June 27, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Since 2012, all but five cities in San Diego County have switched to district elections for their city councils with the intention of increasing diversity. But so far, that hasn't always happened.
KPBS Lawsuit Reveals Unanswered Citizen Complaints Against Sheriff's Department
- June 3, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
KPBS filed a lawsuit for the records after multiple women said they reported a Sheriff's deputy for sexual misconduct but never received a response.
Newly Released Internal Report Details La Mesa Police Deadly Standoff In 2017
- May 20, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Records have been released under a new state law requiring law enforcement agencies to make internal reports about officers who shoot someone or commit sexual assaults public.
San Diego Cities Are Switching To District Elections To Increase Diversity — But Is It Working?
- May 6, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Most cities switched in the last few years to avoid lawsuits brought under the California Voting Rights Act that allege those cities are under-representing minorities.
How Police Departments Are Disclosing Records Under SB 1421
- May 6, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Cities in San Diego County are taking different approaches to their release of past records of police shootings, use of force and sexual assault, and cities aren't necessarily releasing records of recent police shootings first.
The Evidence In The Vaults Below The Courthouse
- May 3, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
San Diego Superior Court stores about 30,000 exhibits and two-fifths of them are from murder cases. All evidence has to be stored until a case's appeals process is complete.
The Archives That Lie Below San Diego City Hall
- April 19, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Our current cultural moment seems to embrace minimalism. But you won't find that in the archives in the basement of city hall.
Congressman Levin Proposes Bill To Tackle San Onofre Nuclear Storage
- April 16, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Congressman Mike Levin on Tuesday waded into the ongoing dilemma over what to do about the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
National City Releases Records Of Police Officer Who Shot Unarmed Man
- April 5, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
National City released an internal report on Thursday about an officer who shot an unarmed man in 2001.
San Diego Police Misconduct, Use Of Force Records Can Now Be Released
- April 1, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
The public should now be allowed to see past records of police shootings, use of force and sexual assault after a lawsuit in San Diego County held up their release.
Police Searching For Arsonist Suspected Of Setting Fire To Escondido Mosque
- March 25, 2019
- By City News Service, Claire Trageser
Police Monday were searching for an arsonist suspected of starting a fire at an Escondido mosque and leaving graffiti referencing deadly attacks at two mosques in New Zealand.
Where Can You Get A Wheel Cramping Ticket In San Diego? (Hint: Almost Anywhere)
- March 25, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
More than 1,000 parking tickets a month are written in San Diego for drivers who didn't "cramp their wheels," or turn their wheels toward a curb when parked on a hill.
Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Updates Constituents After Her First 100 Days
- March 21, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
San Diego City Councilwoman Monica Montgomery acknowledged she has high expectations to fill as she spoke to constituents Wednesday night, following 100 days in office.
San Diego Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Aims To Be Voice Of Her Community
- March 19, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
When Monica Montgomery won handily in November, a message rang clear: Don't worry about outside groups or special interests, just listen to the people you represent. Now, a few months into her term, Montgomery is spending a lot of time doing just that.
San Diego Housing Commission Sued Over Housing Voucher Program
- March 18, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Last year, the San Diego Housing Commission decided not to use a federal program aimed at desegregating its neighborhoods. Now, the housing commission is being sued for that decision.
Lincoln Park Art Project Uses Old Bike Parts To Make Kaleidoscopes
- March 11, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
A new piece of art has gone up in the Gathering Place, a community park at 50th Street and Imperial Avenue in Lincoln Park.
Judge Rules San Diego Police Misconduct Records Should Be Released
- March 1, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
The public should be allowed to see past records of police shootings, use of force and sexual assault, a judge ruled Friday, but the records won't immediately be released.
Dr J's Part 6: What's Next For The Community 16 Years After The Shooting
- Feb. 27, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
More than 15 years after the Dr J's shooting, a lot of people are thinking about what's next. Southeast San Diego residents want the government and police to change, and they want their communities to change for the better.
Dr J's Part 5: The Use Of Informants In The Shooting At Dr J's Liquor
- Feb. 26, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
After the shooting at Dr J's, police and prosecutors looked for informants who would trade information for reduced sentences and money to move away from San Diego. One informant in particular shows what a difficult decision that can be.
Dr J's Part 4: The Gang Stigma When A Case Goes To Trial
- Feb. 25, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
In the case against James Carter, the prosecutor used a common tactic when trying people from Southeast San Diego, especially young black men. He established a link between Carter and a gang and then used that link to establish a motive.
Dr J's Part 3: The Families Of The Victims And The Man Convicted
- Feb. 22, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
The shooting at Dr J's has had ripple effects throughout the community and the rest of the city. But it also impacted the people directly involved — the families of the women who were killed and the family of the man who was eventually convicted of their murder.
Dr J's Part 2: How Policing Changed After The Dr J's Liquor Store Shooting
- Feb. 21, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
A gang shooting in Lincoln Park killed two women on their way home from church. After the shooting, some people said the police department flooded the streets with officers arresting everybody. Others became more willing to work with police.
San Diego Sheriff Releases Reports About Deputies Accused Of Sexual Assault
- Feb. 20, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is now publishing records about some of its deputies accused of sexual assault after a new state law went into effect at the beginning of this year.
Dr J's Part 1: What Happened On New Year's Eve At Dr J's Liquor
- Feb. 20, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
The crime was so perfectly horrific — two women on their way home from church, two kids in the back seat — that it made people pay more attention to Southeast San Diego, a lower income and predominantly African-American pocket of the city.
DR J'S: How A Gang Shooting Changed Southeast San Diego
- Feb. 20, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
If you walk the streets in the area today, people still talk about the shooting at Dr J's Liquor in Lincoln Park and the lasting impacts it had.
KPBS Requests Law Enforcement Records; Police Unions Sue To Prevent Disclosure
- Feb. 11, 2019
- By Claire Trageser, Tarryn Mento
KPBS is asking for details about officers who committed sexual assault, killed someone in the line of duty, or were investigated for use of force. Reactions from law enforcement agencies in San Diego County have varied, depending on the department.
KPBS Suing For Public Access To San Diego Sheriff's Department Response Times To Citizen Complaints
- Jan. 22, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
Lawyers working for KPBS petitioned Tuesday in San Diego County Superior Court to ask a judge to decide whether the San Diego County Sheriff's Department has to provide the records.
New Head Of San Diego Gang Commission Looks Forward
- Jan. 3, 2019
- By Claire Trageser
It's a new year, and there's a new head of the Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention, the city group that gives advice on how to decrease gang violence.
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