KPBS Midday Edition

In San Diego County, Black women are three times more likely to die due to pregnancy or delivery complications than white woman and Black infants are also 3 times more likely to die and 60% more likely to be born prematurely than white babies. In a special program on KPBS Midday Edition we hear personal stories from Black mothers about their birthing experience, explore why the problem exists and what is being done to address it.

Community advocates argue for better tracking of Asian American hate crimes. Plus, scientists at UC San Diego will soon see whether a treatment for Alzheimer's they have been working on for over 15 years is as promising as it appears now. And local politicians and some former inmates say they're alarmed about the handling of COVID-19 at Lompoc Prison in Santa Barbara County. Then, marines with PTSD and other wounds of war continue to be involuntarily discharged for misconduct, despite efforts to keep them in the corps. Plus, listen to a preview of Midday Edition’s special program on Black maternal health.

A degree too warm, or a room too bright, could render a COVID-19 vaccine ineffective at a time when shipment delays and shortages mean back-up doses are practically nonexistent. And CDC fails to answer a call from scientists requesting the agency to explain that COVID-19 is spread primarily by people inhaling small tiny virus tainted particles. Then, a new policy implemented by the San Diego Police Department sets parameters on how officers respond during demonstrations. Plus, as the Japanese Americans who experienced imprisonment get older, a California project wants to preserve their memories of what happened, while it's still possible. Finally, Fernando Tatis Jr.'s $340 million, 14-year contract was finalized Monday by the San Diego Padres, the longest deal in baseball history.

Right here at the San Diego-Tijuana border, the Biden administration will officially begin to allow thousands of asylum-seekers to re-enter the United States. Plus, residents of wealthier Zip codes are more likely to have been vaccinated than those in low-income areas. And this weekend in the arts: Hill Street Country Club, Red Brontosaurus Records, a world premiere concert, experimental percussion and a globe-trotting dance film.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders have agreed on a $9.6 billion spending deal aimed at aiding some of those hit hardest by the pandemic. Plus, a USD professor and the Democracy Fund Foundation released a report detailing the physical, psychological and economic costs of political violence in the United States. And the new government entity, called San Diego Community Power, will launch March 1 with half of its electricity coming from renewable sources. Then, the first group of West Coast female Marine recruits officially started training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Feb. 10. Plus, KPBS’ “Port of Entry” wraps up its series on cross-border love stories with a tale of kids in need of love, and one woman’s work to turn her own pain into purpose. Finally, academic, author and photographer Caitlin O’ Connell is out with a new book about what we can learn about community from animals.

The San Diego Union-Tribune analyzed data that show that San Diegans of Latino, Black and Asian descent are being vaccinated at lower rates than their white counterparts. Plus, the Santee city Council calls out Nathan Fletcher, chair of the San Diego Board of Supervisors, for his remarks over the movement to recall Gov. Newsom. And the state of California has started a commission to study reparations for African Americans. Then, remembering Trunnell Price, co-founder of the San Diego Black Panther Party. Finally, author David F. Walker discusses his newest work, “The Black Panther Party,” and the film “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

San Diego County is expected to receive a vaccine shipment today that will allow the Petco Park Vaccination Super Station to reopen on Wednesday after being shuttered for three days. Plus, no clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines were done on pregnant or breastfeeding women, standard practice for any new drug or vaccine, but some doctors and medical experts now say this was a mistake. And the city of San Diego is looking for ways to mitigate the most dire effects of climate change in our future. Then, how our education in black history shapes policy. Plus, the progress that newly elected Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón was elected to make is facing obstacles, including a lawsuit filed by his own prosecutors. Finally, get to know San Diego jazz saxophonist Charles McPherson and the works that shaped him and continue to drive his music.

San Diego Unified officials announce the possibility of a partial return to campuses while the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced updated guidance for in-person schools. Plus, nearly 5,000 registered Republicans in San Diego County left the party last month. And pregnant women aren’t getting clear guidance on COVID-19 vaccines. Then, California launches a restoration effort to reshape the Salton Sea’s southern edge. Plus, the Diversionary Theatre has decided to take advantage of having to be closed for the pandemic by beginning long-overdue building improvements. Finally, a new podcast dives deep into what makes up modern culture in the San Diego community, through the Black lens.

The goal is to vaccinate 1.8 million people in San Diego County by July 1. That’s about 70% of the region’s population over age 16. Currently, about 2% of the county's population is fully vaccinated. So, what does the county need to do to reach that goal?

The Super Bowl is often a time for gathering, but this year health officials warn it could lead to the spread of COVID-19. Plus, the Navy has come out with its long-awaited report on racial bias. Task Force One Navy was created in June, after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police. Then, this weekend in the arts, the experimental Vietnamese music of Vân-Ánh Võ, 1960's women's lithography, Human Rights Watch Film Festival and the Met Opera's "Ariadne Auf Naxos."