KPBS Midday Edition

Voting may be over, but a number of key races across the country have yet to be decided. In California’s 49th Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Mike Levin had 51% of the vote as of Wednesday morning to opponent Republican Brian Maryott’s 49%. Then, undersheriff Kelly Martinez currently holds a 14-point lead over former city prosecutor John Hemmerling in the race to become San Diego’s next...

“BURNED,” a yearlong investigation from the California Newsroom, reveals how the U.S. Forest Service is struggling to complete the work it knows it must do to keep Californians safe from wildfires. For decades, the agency has developed projects to thin and manage overgrown forests in an effort to reduce wildfire intensity. But those plans routinely stall out, and sometimes are abandoned completely...

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent promoting the issues and candidates on this year’s ballot, but voters get to make the final call on Tuesday. San Diego County Registrar of Voters, Cynthia Paes has information on what to expect on election day and how soon the public will learn election results. Then, it’s no secret that San Diego County voter registration has been trending away from...

President Joe Biden rounded out his visit in San Diego Friday morning with a visit to ViaSat-Global Communications in Carlsbad. The president arrived Thursday night to speak at a rally in Oceanside in support of Congressman Mike Levin. Next, the San Diego Democratic Party is promoting a deceased candidate in the Chula Vista City Attorney race. If the late Simon Silva wins, the city may be forced t...

On Midday Edition we’re bringing you a special program featuring our reporting and analysis of some of the key races voters will be weighing in on in San Diego County on Tuesday. President Joe Biden will be in San Diego Thursday to campaign for Congressman Mike Levin, (D-San Juan Capistrano). Levin is in a tight race with Republican Brian Maryott. Then, San Diego County voters will choose a new sh...

California has just introduced a way for survivors of sexual assault to track the testing of evidence in their cases. And, if you’re a renter, there’s a chance your rent has gone up over the past few years. A recent ProPublica investigation looked at whether widely used rent pricing software could be driving up rental prices in housing markets across the country. Then, voters are being asked to ch...

A new report found people of color, especially Black people are routinely stopped at higher rates than white people by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Many of these are so-called pretextual stops and not in response to traffic violations. Then, the alleged break-in and attack on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband last week has not turned down the volume of vitriol. New lies and mockery have...

The Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases challenging race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina Monday. A decision from the conservative-majority court could have far-reaching implications. Then, San Diego’s Measure H would open parks and rec facilities on city land to childcare businesses. But the measure includes a confusing word choice. N...

Mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time in 20 years, meanwhile San Diego home prices continue to decline. Then, San Diego Opera holds the world premiere of “The Last Dream of Frida and Diego” on Saturday. The new Spanish language opera explores the relationship between iconic Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Finally, in our weekend preview, we take a look at some Halloween and Día...

A doctor has been charged with involuntary manslaughter nearly three years after a woman in her care died at Las Colinas jail in Santee. Then, among the seven propositions on the ballot this year, one takes a closer look at a state law passed in 2020 banning flavored tobacco products. And, one year after a teenager alleged she was gang-raped by San Diego State University football players at a Hall...

Rising cases of flu, RSV, and new COVID variants are raising concerns that the viruses could surge at once and stress hospitals. Then, California voters are being asked to enshrine reproductive rights into the state constitution in the upcoming election. We discuss the details of Proposition 1. Next, voters are weighing in on two sports betting propositions on the November ballot. And, political a...

The Regional Task Force on Homelessness released a new report Tuesday, which found that over the past year, San Diego saw more people enter homelessness than leave it. And, homeless shelters are facing an unprecedented challenge from an influx of asylum seekers who have nowhere else to go. Then, the California Department of Public Health’s online page chronicling complaints against nursing homes i...

The Phillies clinched the National League Championship Series and ended the Padres’ World Series dreams, at least for this year. Because for Padres fans – the people who nearly rocked Petco Park off its foundation last week – and the millions of others who felt united in celebrating the home team's victories, there is always next year. Then, Governor Gavin Newsom and his Republican challenger, sta...

A new study by climate researchers finds that the record-breaking series of wildfires in 2020 released twice the amount of emissions than were saved by carbon-reduction efforts since 2003. This comes as the state’s Air Resources Board will update its metrics to include wildfire pollution in maintaining California’s climate goals. Then, Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina, is stepping down and return...

San Diego County will pay just under $4.5 million dollars to Tanya Suarez, who blinded herself in 2019 while in jail. The settlement is the result of a lawsuit filed against the county by Suarez, who said deputies on the scene failed to prevent her own self-harm while hallucinating under the effects of methamphetamine. Then, San Diego’s utility rates, already among the highest in the nation, will...

The hotter than normal temperatures across San Diego County have led the National Weather Service to issue a heat advisory from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. today. Then, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria wants to redevelop six blocks of real estate owned by the city in the downtown area. Next, a new state law requires law enforcement agencies to release records about officer discrimination, but most local polic...

The fallout continues after racist recordings of Los Angeles city council members were released earlier this month. Then, we’re seeing troubling signs of a bad flu season. Next, we continue our election coverage with a look at the 49th Congressional District race. And, we continue our series on mining for lithium in Imperial County. Then, we talk about pandemic learning loss and how San Diego Unif...

Both the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Wave FC had major playoff wins this weekend. We take a look into sports fandom and why it matters to people. Then, reprimands were issued last week for two Navy SEAL leaders and a senior medical officer in connection with the death of Seal trainee Kyle Mulle. Next, we take a closer look at the November election as a new cannabis tax measure could bring i...

Hopes are running high as the San Diego Padres host their first playoff game with fans cheering them on since 2006. Then, the Biden administration this month is changing how it processes visa applications for people from Afghanistan. And in our weekend preview, we have portraits, a classic opera full of earworms, something called "noise" music and Mozart.

COVID-19 booster rates remain low, just as new omicron variants of concern emerge. Then, San Diego approves new agreements with the city’s eight private trash haulers, with new state requirements on recycling organic waste looming. Next, why was San Diego listed as only the 8th best American city for tacos in a recent survey? And Rick Steves explores stories of famous works of European art in a ne...

California’s first partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom wrote about her experience with Harvey Weinstein in 2017. She will testify in the sexual assault trial against convicted rapist that began in Los Angeles Monday. Then, If you’ve seen any ads about ballot propositions in November’s election, they’ve probably been about legalizing sports-betting. Supporters of Propositions 26 and 27 have spent more...

Monday is Indigenous People’s Day, a commemoration of the perseverance that Indigenous people embody in the face of past and present injustice. Then, the pork industry is challenging California animal welfare law before the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday. We’ll hear more about what the case is about. And, October is fire prevention month, a critical time for fire danger and preparedness. Cal Fire offi...

A man incarcerated at the George Bailey detention center died this week. Social justice advocates say 19 inmates have died in 2022, surpassing the 2021 death toll. Then, a candidate for the 76th Assembly District in San Diego has sued two six-year-old boys who she claims were bullying her son at school. KPBS investigative reporter Claire Trageser looks into the unusual case. And, we’re doing somet...

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria talks about homelessness, and how the city’s efforts to increase affordable housing play a role in that fight. Next, a federal court ruling on the legality of the DACA program has real life implications for thousands of San Diego residents. Then, the number of migrants hospitalized after falling from the border wall is at a record high. But who picks up the bill when th...

The San Diego non-profit Environmental Health Coalition is launching a petition asking the San Diego Air Pollution Control District to stop the company New Leaf Biofuel from producing hazardous odors that it says are making Barrio Logan residents sick. Then, we stay in Barrio Logan to talk about the long-awaited opening of the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. Next, details on an emergency...