KPBS Midday Edition

As the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown continues, local therapists say that community members are feeling mental health impacts as a result, including right here in San Diego. Wednesday on Midday Edition, we hear from a South Bay-based therapist about the impact she is seeing on her clients, and how she and other mental health care professionals are responding to the moment...

San Diego is a special place for whale watching. Blue whales, humpbacks, and gray whales are among the species San Diegans can see at various times of year. The waters off San Diego serve as a migratory corridor for many whale species, as well as a place for others to feed. On Midday Edition Tuesday, we hear from local whale experts Nicole Schriber and Domenic Biagini to learn more about some of t...

" Race: Power, Resistance & Change " at the Museum of Us in Balboa Park opened late last year and is expected to remain on display on a semi-permanent basis. A group of artists, researchers, community members and museum staff began working on the exhibit nearly a decade ago. It centers on how race has shaped laws and daily life in San Diego. Brothers Einar and Jamex De La Torre, who live and w...

Last week, San Diego County leaders approved the use of nearly $9 million in county reserves for new Tijuana River sewage fixes . The funds will pay for a pipeline extension project in the Tijuana River Valley designed to mitigate airborne contaminants, provide additional air purifiers for households exposed to the pollution, and support long-term public health studies. Supervisor Paloma Aguirre,...

Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it is seeking interest from states to host sites that would support the full nuclear fuel lifecycle, including reprocessing spent fuel and storing nuclear waste. The department is seeking input through April 1. U.S. Rep. Mike Levin, D-CA-49, has been urging the federal government to establish a safe and long-term management program for spent...

Last week, independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested by federal agents after covering an anti-ICE protest Jan. 18. Fort and Lemon were released from custody Friday. But journalism organizations and free speech advocates are sounding the alarm. "It's an unprecedented assault on freedom of speech and freedom of the press to say that reporting the news is a crime," said David L...

San Diego economist Daniel Enemark joins Midday Edition to talk about the state of the economy, as new data highlights the difficulties many San Diegans face in getting by. One major concern for Enemark is the disconnect between median income and housing costs. "The real challenge is will incomes rise faster than housing prices?" he said. "If that's the case, then we could see some relief, albeit...

Acclaimed author and activist Don Winslow thought he would retire from writing after his last novel, "City in Ruin" came out in 2024. But this year, he marks his return to fiction with a collection of six novellas, "The Final Score." Thursday on Midday Edition, Winslow talks about exploring identity in his latest work, his decision to return to writing, and his advocacy in the current political mo...

Roughly 31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and healthcare workers in California and Hawaii went on strike this week . The union alleges unfair labor practices amid prolonged contract talks. Workers on the picket lines are fighting for safe staffing levels and fair wages for caregivers. We discuss what healthcare workers are fighting for, how Kaiser Permanente is responding, and what patients need to...

Over 42 million Americans have student loan debt, with a total of more than $1.6 trillion owed. Late last year, the Trump administration announced plans to begin garnishing the wages of borrowers in default on student loans, but backtracked earlier this month. The result has created confusion for many facing student loan debt. Tuesday on Midday Edition, we breakdown some of the biggest changes in...

Mass protests against the current regime in Iran have been ongoing since late December. Iranian security forces have killed thousands. Many more have been arrested. It's been called the deadliest unrest in the country since the 1979 revolution. A near-total internet blackout continues, limiting communication and adding to uncertainty. We sit down with one Iranian American in San Diego, concerned a...

For more than a year, plans for a $10 billion data center have been quietly moving forward in Imperial County. By some estimates, it could rank among the largest data centers in the world. The center would use immense amounts of energy and water. But the developer is openly trying to avoid California's environmental review process. We sit down with KPBS reporter Kori Suzuki to discuss his three-pa...

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer ordered flags on county property to be flown at half-staff in response to recent violence involving federal immigration enforcement agencies in Minnesota. Lawson-Remer joins Midday Edition Monday to talk about her reaction to the killing of Alex Pretti by a federal officer Saturday, and what local leaders are doing to try to prevent si...

Two years ago today, historic flooding devastated neighborhoods and displaced communities across San Diego. The destruction also left many arts and culture spaces in ruin. Thursday on Midday Edition, we sit down with two local arts groups — Graffiti Gardens and PASACAT — to talk about the hardships that came from the flooding and how they have rebuilt since. Then, Oscar nominations are out! Our Mi...

San Diego's Rady Children's Hospital this week announced that it will stop offering gender-affirming care under the threat of losing federal funding. The hospital is the only in San Diego County dedicated solely to pediatric care. On Midday Edition, we speak with the leader of a prominent transgender advocacy group ahead of a planned protest this weekend. Guest:Kathie Moehlig, founder and executiv...

On Jan. 22, 2024, floods devastated San Diego neighborhoods in the Chollas Creek watershed. Thousands of residents were forced out of their homes that day. Videos show cars completely submerged in water. Some escaped on kayaks, while others gathered on their rooftops. On Midday Edition, we talk about San Diego's ongoing effort to fix its stormwater system. And, where litigation stands between the...

The U.S. government released new dietary guidelines earlier this month. The guidance adds greater emphasis on proteins and healthy fats, and limits processed and ultra-processed foods. On Midday Edition Tuesday, we get reaction from health and food experts to the new guidelines, and what families should take away from them. Guests: Cheryl Anderson , dean, professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Publ...

One year ago, Donald Trump was sworn into office for the second time. Experts agree that his first term was largely unpredictable. But his second term has been marked by an even greater sense of volatility, unprecedented action and seismic shifts in both domestic and foreign policy. We break down the major policies that defined the first year of Trump's second term. And, what we should expect head...

Each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we look back at the reverend's legacy and how his fight for racial and economic justice resounds today. But the holiday comes during a politically and socially turbulent time in the United States and amid recent efforts to undermine King's legacy — like the Trump administration's removal of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth as free entry days to nat...

25 years ago, Point Loma’s Liberty Station began its transformation from military base to arts center. It was renamed Arts District Liberty Station — and soon became a cultural hub for the city. In fact, it was recently designated as a California Cultural District for its contribution to the arts. Thursday on Midday Edition, we talk about the place Liberty Station has in San Diego's arts and cultu...

A local Indigenous-owned company is making waves in the beauty industry. N8iV Beauty is a skincare brand that draws from ancestral traditions, infusing that knowledge and plant-based ingredients — like acorn oil — into its products. Last year, the company won a 2025 “Best of Beauty” award from Allure , making them the first Indigenous-owned brand to receive that recognition. Wednesday on Midday Ed...

Many parents worry about their kids talking to strangers on the internet.  What if those strangers are not human, but bots? Concerns over kids’ exposure to artificial intelligence have led to growing efforts to regulate that exposure. We sit down with one San Diego lawmaker who authored a law to put guardrails on toys with AI chatbot capabilities.  Guest: State Sen. Steve Padilla ,...

It’s been nearly two weeks since lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill, and a possible health care compromise is still on the table to bring federal health care subsidies back. Last week, the House passed a bipartisan proposal that could extend the subsidies. In the meantime, health care premiums are soaring for many Americans — including right here in California. This Wednesday on Midday Edition, we...

Child care providers are bracing for impact amid the Trump administration's efforts to freeze roughly $10 billion in child care and family assistance funding — $5 billion of which are allocated to California. This comes amid allegations from conservative activists of fraud in the child care industry. Tuesday on Midday Edition, we hear from two child care experts about the domino effect this could...

Take a walk through Balboa Park, and you'll find dozens of historic cottages celebrating cultures around the world. The volunteer-driven "houses" are officially called the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages. They promote education, community and cultural understanding. Now, the House of Somalia is joining them to become the first African country represented by the Balboa Park cottag...