Kelly Thornton
Investigative Newsource ReporterKelly Thornton is an investigative reporter with Investigative Newsource, a nonprofit journalistic enterprise embedded within the KPBS newsroom. Together they produce investigations and data analysis. Prior to joining the Institute in the fall of 2010, Thornton spent almost two decades at The San Diego Union-Tribune, where she covered everything from city government, military and law enforcement to transportation, politics and business. Ultimately she specialized in criminal justice and legal affairs, winning numerous awards for breaking some of the region’s biggest stories, including the exclusive details of the lives of San Diego-based Sept. 11 terrorists and their associates, the Heaven’s Gate mass suicide, the San Diego killer of fashion designer Gianni Versace, the firing of U.S. Attorney Carol Lam, and many others. In one investigation, Thornton exposed how the city’s most influential and well-connected lobbyists were skirting laws requiring them to publicly disclose their activities. The story prompted a crackdown on lobbyists. In another, she reported the plight of four Iranian brothers, who at the time were the nation’s longest-held post-Sept. 11 detainees. They remained in custody without charges for more than three years, and were eventually released. Thornton is a San Diego native. She is a graduate of Westmont College in Santa Barbara and lives with her husband, son, and Chesapeake Bay Retriever “Dude” in Ocean Beach. She is a 25-time marathoner and a singer in a band.
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James Hubbell is an artistic visionary, working in and of nature with all that it has to offer: stone, clay, iron, water, glass, wood, cement or brick. From the curves of his buildings and his luminous stained glass windows and doors to the elegant twists and curls of his ironwork and stone, Hubbell takes his inspiration from the form, color and diversity of nature.
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A documentary profiling Pedro J. Gonzalez. The story of a man who symbolizes the history of people of Mexican descent in the United States. Fought in the Mexican revolution in 1910. In 1920, he became a famous Spanish radio & recording star of his generation. In 1934, at height of popularity, he was sentenced to 50 years in San Quentin prison as part of one of the most controversial court cases.
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The story of San Diego architectural growth from adobe missions and haciendas to glittering high-rises is the story of the city itself. By looking at San Diego's past, we can better understand why the city looks the way it does and what we might do to shape its future.
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The creation of San Diego's Old Globe Theatre and the modern attempt to recreate Shakespeare's Old Globe Playhouse.
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Learn how Tijuana's economic transformation is creating new political challenges. The city has been caught up in the dramatic struggle for democracy that is sweeping the globe. A fiercely independent press has emerged, providing a voice for popular discontent with corruption and abuse of power. But independence has come at a high price.
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Premieres Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream with KPBS+. When three children die of leukemia in a rural Mexican community, two mother’ partner with a hydrogeologist to investigate their water supply. The discovery of dangerous radioactivity leads to community backlash and government denial.
- San Diego is building a lot of homes in its most walkable neighborhoods
- City Council clears way for tiered parking rates at San Diego Zoo
- Lakeside-area wildfire stopped, evacuations remain in place
- What kind of dairy does a body good? Science is updating the answer
- Supreme Court allows immigration agents to resume ‘roving patrols’ in LA, siding with Trump