KPBS Midday Edition

What happens when Native American identity is commodified, and when people claim an ancestry that is not their own? The book "Who Gets to Be Indian?" explores some of those questions by looking into ethnic fraud, tribal disenrollment and cultural appropriation. Monday on Midday Edition, we hear from the author of "Who Gets to Be Indian?" ahead of a local screening of the film "You're No Indian." T...

Federal officials announced charges on Monday against 28 people in California who they say illegally registered and voted in federal elections, including four people in San Diego County. The announcement comes days after the Trump administration sued California over claims of noncitizens voting. On Midday Edition Monday, we hear the latest on the federal investigation into California's voting roll...

Proposition 40 is also known as the billionaire tax. It would establish a one-time, five percent sales tax on California's billionaires, to redirect money towards healthcare funding. Proposition 40 has divided California voters and Democratic leaders . There are also two countermeasures on the ballot — Proposition 41 and 42 — which would cancel out Proposition 40, even if it passes. On Midday Edit...

"Taxi Dancer" brings readers into the Filipino-run taxi dance halls of San Diego's Stingaree District, where male patrons paid women a dime for a dance. Then, a look at two spooky events this weekend. And, your weekend preview.

As part of our Ballot Breakdown series, we unpack Proposition 39 — which would create new voter ID and citizenship verification requirements in California.

On KPBS Midday Edition, we sit down with Jiyan Rios Zandi, artist and creator of art shop Local Brown Baby.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill to reshape rules for college athletes late last month. The Protect College Sports Act aims to tighten rules around eligibility and transferring, and formalize compensation for college athletes. The effort marks a major effort at the federal level to regulate how college athletes are paid, both by universities and also through name, image and likeness deals. On Midday...

Fifty years ago, psychologist Robert Guthrie first wrote the book, "Even the Rat was White." It provided a nuanced, historical record of psychology, looked at the role that white supremacist bias played in the field and highlighted the critical work of Black psychologists. Tuesday on Midday Edition, we look at the legacy of the book. Guests: Ricardo Guthrie, professor of social justice, Fisk Unive...

California's UC system has grown from a single campus in Berkeley, founded in 1868, to a 10-campus system featuring some of the leading research institutions in the world. The UC system is now the second-leading employer in California. A new book explores the rise of the UC system, and how its history connects to the state's own growth and ascension. "California Dreams: The Making and Remaking of...

A mumps outbreak on the campus of San Diego State University has risen to 18 confirmed cases, with another case identifed as probable. Meanwhile, health officials in Pennsylvania have reported the sixth measles death from an outbreak there. What do recent outbreaks of the measles and mumps tell us about the state of immunity and protection? On Midday Edition Tuesday, we speak with an infectious di...

The star of "Broad City" will bring her stand-up tour, "Ilana Glazer Live!" to San Diego Tuesday.

As the Black Panther Party celebrates its 60th anniversary in Oakland, we sit down with local Panthers about how they’re reflecting on the party's history in San Diego — and what’s next for the movement.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln returned to San Diego Bay on Thursday afternoon after more than 10 months of deployment. Previous reporting revealed shortages of food and personal hygiene products aboard the ship, along with at least eight suicide attempts. On KPBS Roundtable, we talk about the significance of the homecoming and what we've learned about conditions aboard the USS Abraham L...

A new book, " American Pope: Leo XIV's Road from the South Side of Chicago to Vatican City, " traces the life journey of Robert Prevost, from his humble beginnings on the south side of Chicago, to becoming the leader of the Catholic Church as Pope Leo XIV. The book's authors, Scott Detrow and Daniel Burke of NPR, joined Midday Edition to talk about what they learned about Pope Leo XIV through rese...

On today's Ballot Breakdown, KPBS Midday Edition talks about San Diego County's Measure B. The half-cent sales tax increase would generate funding for everything from healthcare, to addressing the Tijuana River sewage crisis. We talk about the arguments for and against the measure, and where funding would be allocated. You can find more voting resources on the KPBS Voter Hub . Guest: Tammy Murga ,...

As San Diego continues to experience an October heat wave , the region is also preparing for the potential arrival of major storms driven by historically strong El Niño conditions. On Midday Tuesday, we sit down with emergency officials from the city and county of San Diego to talk about what San Diegans need to know to prepare for stormy weather this winter. Guests : Ashley Gain, community engage...

The ballots are out. It's officially election season. This month on KPBS Midday Edition, we're helping you cut through the noise to better understand the top measures and races affecting your community. You can find more voting resources on the KPBS Voter Hub . On Midday Edition Tuesday, we break down Measure A — a package of county charter reforms that includes expanding term limits for superviso...

In a campaign rally Monday in Nebraska, President Donald Trump remarked that Iran can "take out" San Diego and Los Angeles — a suggestion that elected officials and political experts across California have since denounced. "It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe," Trump said at the rally. "They can take out a city, let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take...

The U.S. healthcare system has a lot of problems. Soaring insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs are pushing more Americans into medical debt. Many patients wait months for important appointments. Physician burnout has also reached new highs in recent years. On KPBS Midday Edition, we sit down with a local author to talk about his new book, " Treating a Broken System ," which explores the link...

After a weekend of intense heat, San Diego County remains under an extreme heat warning. On Midday Monday, we talk more about the health risks that come with the heat, and the unique challenges it brings to San Diego's unsheltered population.

The San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival kicks off Thursday evening. For the past three years, it has featured renowned jazz artists performing in free concerts on both sides of the border. We hear from the festival's founders about how they are continuing to celebrate jazz music and history from across the region. Then, Angelika Film Center Carmel Mountain is hosting its annual film seri...

For nearly 60 years, San Diego's Centro Cultural de la Raza has served as a hub for Chicano, Mexican, Latino and Indigenous art and culture. Ana Hernández stepped into the role of executive director in 2024. But her commitment to social justice and community building goes back much further. Hernández has long been an advocate for workers' rights, immigrants' rights and survivors of gender-based vi...

WNBA playoffs kicked off Sunday. And for many fans of women's basketball — and women's sports in general — it has long been difficult to find a dedicated public space to watch games. But one bar in North Park is changing that. One of Us is San Diego's first women's sports bar. While it opened just earlier this year, it reflects a long-time desire to build a safe space and community around women's...

The ACLU and other civil rights groups have announced a lawsuit against the city of San Diego and the San Diego Police Department over the use of automated license plate readers, or ALPRs. The lawsuit argues that ALPR technology violates the California Constitution. On KPBS Midday Edition, we speak with two of the groups bringing forth the lawsuit about their concerns with the technology and what...

OpenAI announced Monday it will delay the release of its latest model, called GPT-6.1 Astra, due to concerns over safety. But after repeated reports of AI models behaving erratically , what does this mean for recent calls to regulate the AI industry? On Midday Tuesday, we hear about what the history of nuclear power can tell us about the possibility of effective AI regulation. Guest: David Victor...