San Diego school leaders are facing increased resistance to mask mandates from parents leaving local teachers stuck in the middle. Next, an interview with, Susan Enfield, one of the finalists for San Diego Unified School District’s superintendent position. And, how the cashless economy is creating inequities in San Diego. Then, millions of Americans with disabilities face barriers to get married, one of which can mean losing the federal benefits they rely on. Finally, the Oceanside International Film Festival returns to the Brooks Theatre on February 22 for in-person screenings. KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando speaks with the festival's executive director Lou Niles.
California health officials announced on Monday there will be no changes to its statewide school masking requirement. The announcement has many parents frustrated as the state will end mask mandates on Wednesday for many public spaces. Next, a pilot program passed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors could help seniors at risk of homelessness with $300 in rental assistance. Lastly, a new Twitter account @SDCrashBot - allows the public to see how many traffic collisions involving bikes and pedestrians are reported to police.
Masks can come off today for vaccinated Californians in many indoor spaces, however, some restrictions still apply regardless of vaccination status. Next, police are now ticketing people living at a homeless encampment on Sports Arena Boulevard as part of the city’s progressive enforcement efforts to move residents into shelters. Later, Carlsbad has become the first city in the county to pass a law making it illegal for anyone other than a licensed recycler to possess a catalytic converter without valid proof of ownership. And, more than a dozen antitrust bills targeting “big tech” are in play in the nation’s capital right now. Then, water conservation efforts combined with projects like Carlsbad’s desalination plant, leave the county in a better position to weather a drought. It also leaves us with some of the highest water rates in the state. Finally, a look inside the Oakland Fortune Factory, where a mother-daughter duo turns out thousands of handmade cookies every day.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s “Home for All of Us” plan will build on the city’s effort to make more construction possible in developed areas of the city and makes it easier for employers to develop employee housing. Plus, the Sheriff's Department promoted Theresa Adams-Hydar, a 27-year veteran of the department, to oversee county jails. Also, with the number of unsheltered people growing in San Diego, some city leaders are contemplating changing conservatorship laws to get more people off the streets and into treatment programs for various mental health issues. Meanwhile, the first years of a child’s life can set the course for a lifetime. San Diego’s “First 5 first steps” program can enroll 100 more families in the South Bay. And, San Diego is in the midst of a record-breaking heat wave. When will we see temperature returning to normal? Finally, reimagining how we eat to support food justice is the subject of a new book called “The Spirit of Soul Food: Race, Fa
By this time next week, vaccinated San Diegans will not have to wear masks inside most public places. County health officials say they will follow state guidelines to lift the mask requirement after February 15 with some restrictions. Next, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law another round of paid COVID sick leave for California workers. Later, California hits a milestone of more than 80,000 lives lost due to the COVID-19 virus. One of those was a farmworker who lived in Madera. We learn about him from his granddaughter. And, in Imperial County, migrants continue to drown in the All-American Canal. A look at what is being done to stop this from happening. Finally, artist Irma Sofia Poeter, who is based in Tecate, Mexico will hold a solo exhibit at Bread & Salt in San Diego this weekend.