Thomas Fudge
Science and Technology ReporterA journalist with 30 years of experience, Tom covers science and technology stories for KPBS' platforms. He joined KPBS in 1998 to cover San Diego issues related to growth, transportation, and development. He previously served as host of These Days (now KPBS Midday Edition) and as a news editor. Tom began his broadcasting career in 1988 at WSUI Radio in Iowa City as a reporter and newscaster. He then spent five years at Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) where he worked as a reporter. Following his departure from MPR, Tom was a freelance journalist, working for Twin Cities Public Television, WCCO Radio, and a variety of regional and national newspapers and magazines. He has received recognition for his outstanding work in hosting and public affairs reporting from the Unity Awards, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, and the San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
-
San Diego county’s nuclear power plant, San Onofre, was closed more than 10 years ago. But the Diablo Canyon plant is still cranking out gigawatts. Critics say it’s time to close it or diminish its output. -
State Sen. Steve Padilla wants to create a pollution mitigation fund. -
Pesticide resistant insects are a big problem in the farm field. -
It offers a promise that gene editing could make some crops more resilient and productive. -
Community members wondered whether palm trees and overgrown brush could have been removed to prevent last month’s fire near SDSU. Then, San Diego is considering an ordinance that aims to preserve so-called "at-risk" affordable housing. Plus, residents of an affordable RV community in Vista have less than a week to move out -- or face legal action. -
Nearly half of students in the San Diego Unified School District are not meeting the state standard for reading and writing. We visit the school that has seen the most improvement in the district. Then, renters in Imperial Beach are raising alarms after the owners of an apartment complex issued mass eviction notices. Plus, a review of the documentary ‘Never Look Away.’
-
"Paper or plastic" will no longer be a choice at grocery store checkout lines in California under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. It bans all plastic shopping bags starting in 2026. Consumers will now simply be asked if they want a paper bag. -
The Board of Supervisors will take up an item placing a temporary pause on the application for new battery energy storage systems. -
Once on the ground in Lahaina, the team will assist with search and rescue efforts, animal care and more.
- Measure E vote shows stark divide between have and have-not neighborhoods in San Diego
- He's the mayor of a major California refugee city — and he's backing Trump's deportation plan
- Some San Diego mountain school districts closed Tuesday due to weather
- East County residents could be without power until at least Friday
- SDG&E shuts off power to East County communities as Santa Ana winds pick up