KPBS Midday Edition

The city of San Diego announced Tuesday that it is suing to void its lease-to-own agreements in the 101 Ash Street and Civic Center Plaza building deals due to an advisor allegedly receiving millions in undisclosed compensation for negotiating the transactions in violation of state law. And, the new state budget removes the asset rule that restricted Medi-Cal eligibility for older and disabled Cal...

Health officials in Los Angeles county are urging people to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. Plus, one way for urban areas to beat the heat is to consider the power of shade. However, there’s an unequal distribution of shady, tree-lined streets in our cities, including here in San Diego. And fireworks could be returning to La Jolla on July Fourth, if organizers can overc...

Sweltering conditions will persist in the San Diego County mountains and deserts Monday, but cooler weather is expected the rest of the week, according to the National Weather Service. Plus, many people have been working remotely for the past year or so and now that things are opening back up, only 10% of surveyed San Diego businesses expect the bulk of their staff to work remotely three or more d...

Following strong outcry over a number of loopholes and potential red flags, the San Diego City Council’s Public Safety & Land Use Committee has agreed to send its new ordinance on police practices back to the drawing board. Plus, while early pandemic predictions of a tsunami of evictions seem unlikely, advocates are worried that there could still be a steady stream. And this weekend in the arts: K...

A championship San Diego County high school basketball game-turned tortilla hurling fracas continues to make national headlines. It’s what happened after the game that continues to dumbfound observers. Plus, the San Diego Unified School Board voted unanimously to fund an expansion of ethnic studies and anti-racism training, prompting some debate in the community over how much racism should be conf...

At issue in the case was a California law that allows union organizers to enter farms to speak to workers during non-working hours for a set number of days each year. Plus, the Coronado Unified School Board voted unanimously to fire its head basketball coach just days after an incident where tortillas were thrown at players from a rival, predominantly Latino school. And AB-104, a bill that aims to...

Saturday's game between Coronado and Escondido's Orange Glen High School reportedly ended with unidentified people throwing tortillas at the Orange Glen team, which is predominantly Latino. Plus, Democratic lawmakers in California unveiled legislation this month that would fast track the normally lengthy process to prepare for a recall election. And a new Biden administration policy gives hope for...

The Supreme Court has decided unanimously that the NCAA cannot enforce rules limiting education-related benefits that colleges offer to student athletes — things like computers and paid internships. Plus, San Diego affordable housing advocates are applauding Mayor Todd Gloria's decision this week to restart the process of redeveloping the Pechanga Arena in the Midway District. And the KPBS Investi...

A report released Thursday by a Yale University-based research organization found distinct racial disparities in police contacts — including searches, traffic stops and arrests — over a recent five-year period in San Diego. Plus, identities are complicated, messy and often incredibly personal. San Diegans weigh in on how they identify and their thoughts on the term Latinx. And this weekend in the...

President Biden on Thursday signed a bill to recognize Juneteenth — the celebration to commemorate the end of chattel slavery in the United States — as a federal holiday. Plus, in a victory for survivors of domestic and gang violence seeking asylum in the U.S., the Department of Justice on Wednesday vacated the controversial Trump-era decisions. And San Diego climate scientist Ram Ramanathan was g...

Following the end of most of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, many Californians are beginning to drop their masks as they go about their daily lives. But the threat of COVID-19 still remains. Plus, the city of San Diego will soon have a new resource for families to turn to for support. City Councilmember Raul Campillo talks about the goals of the new Office of Child and Youth Services. And after...

The state is officially back open on Tuesday, with most Covid-19 restrictions gone -- for now, at least. We take a survey of the new rules and the new situation. Plus, while many have chosen to not get a COVID-19 vaccine, there are a few among us who desperately want to be vaccinated, but can’t due to medical issues. And the San Diego city Council Monday voted unanimously to pass Mayor Todd Gloria...

A detailed report from The San Diego Union-Tribune has revealed a pervasive culture of sexual harassment and discrimination among some of the county's largest employers. Plus, Rady Children's Hospital officials are reporting 25% increase in mental health visits to their emergency room of children experiencing mental health issues. And over the past several decades, hundreds or maybe thousands of U...

California’s workplace regulators have withdrawn a controversial pending mask regulation while they consider a rule that more closely aligns with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s promise that the state will fully reopen from the pandemic on Tuesday. Plus, a recent study found minority students are underrepresented when members of Congress nominate people to attend the nation’s elite military academies. Advocat...

California Appeals San Diego Judge’s Ruling Overturning Assault Weapon Ban Description: State leaders announced Thursday that an appeal has been filed in response to a San Diego federal judge's ruling that overturned California's three-decade-old ban on assault weapons. Plus, the San Diego Unified School District announced on Tuesday a new principal for Lincoln High. Melissa Agudelo will serve as...

San Diego County is officially in the yellow tier as of today, thanks to big drops in the rate of new COVID-19 infections. Plus, a San Diego-based FBI-led operation was centered around the creation of an encrypted phone company. And Breakfast Block, a grassroots San Diego group founded early this year, works to feed, clothe and provide other essential items to San Diego's growing unsheltered popul...

While children continue to come to the U.S. unaccompanied, the Biden Administration announced it has accounted for 3,900 children separated during the Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy on illegal crossings. Plus, the San Diego Police department has unveiled a new list of procedures for its interactions with transgender and non-binary individuals. And the move to close a North County gro...

A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Monday that thousands of people living in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons are ineligible to apply to become permanent residents. Plus, new data shows that grades went down and absenteeism was up with about 14% of San Diego Unified students skipping a significant number of online classes. And San Diego city Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe is a member of Cali...

California employees will soon be able to skip masks in the workplace, but only if every employee in the room is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Plus, CapRadio’s PolitiFact California reporter Chris Nichols fact-checked Kamala Harris’ statements on small business closures. And this weekend in the arts: Cataphant at Swish Projects, Word Up in-person, cello virtuoso Zlatomir Fung livestrea...

California’s net metering regulations, which determine how residential solar users are paid, are the subject of a bill in the Assembly. Plus, San Diego County started a pilot program to increase access to free tampons and pads to address "period poverty" — a person's inability to access or pay for menstrual products. And a Honduran family flew a Biden 2020 flag at the migrant encampment, saying it...

Scripps said it was working to notify 147,267 people so they can take steps to protect their information, though there's no indication at present that any data has been used to commit fraud. Plus, UC San Diego’s RIMAC arena vaccination superstation has delivered its last dose. The superstation closed its doors on Tuesday. And state officials are considering changing the watchdog role of nursing ho...

As thousands of asylum seekers await their chance to argue why they should be allowed to stay in the U.S., a unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday could impact the outcome of some of their cases. Plus, out of the $200 million in rental relief San Diego received, only 2% of the money was spent as of May 2021. And California may see bigger, more destructive wildfires earlier in the su...

Memorial Day ceremonies at Fort Rosecrans and Miramar National Cemeteries were again paired down this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. And, the National Parks Service has issued new guidance on how best to prioritize conservation efforts in the face of intensifying climate change. Plus, details continue to surface about the gunman who killed nine people at a Valley Transportation Authority light...

Memorial Day ceremonies at Fort Rosecrans and Miramar National Cemeteries were again paired down this year. The state is beginning to reopen due to a decrease in COVID-19 cases and an increase in the number of people vaccinated statewide.

Californians will be eligible for $116.5 million in prize money for getting coronavirus shots, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday. We talk to a behavioral scientist about whether or not it could help get millions more vaccinated before California fully reopens next month. Plus, days before Memorial Day, the Department of Veterans Affairs is easing restrictions at the cemeteries it manages. And o...