KPBS Midday Edition

The latest on the first confirmed novel coronavirus case in San Diego County. Health officials said a woman in her 50s contracted COVID-19 while traveling abroad. Plus, the San Diego metropolitan area made great strides toward achieving 100% clean energy, but transportation emissions still pose a major problem. Also, the South Bay is still inundated by cross-border sewage spills that’ve been going on for months. And, Tijuana women staged a protest Monday against femicide by “disappearing” for a day. In addition, San Diego State is celebrating the women’s studies department’s 50th anniversary. The department was the first of its kind in the nation when it opened. Finally, a preview of the “Incoming” podcast about America’s military.

Some of the passengers who have been held aboard the Princess Cruise ship are going to be quarantined at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Also, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute is warning that a fault line that runs through the region could cause widespread damage if a 6.9 quake were to strike. UC San Diego doctors are experimenting with drones in an attempt to bring down patient wait times. Peer counseling could be more helpful than traditional mental health treatment for some veterans, Tijuana's Telefónica Gastro food truck park is coming to San Diego, and NPR's Tiny Desk is seeking entries.

The Trump administration is sending troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego in case a federal appeals court strikes down one of the Trump administration's Remain in Mexico policy, which requires asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico while their case works its way through the court in the U.S. Plus, the military recruited non-citizens with foreign language skills or other special expertise under the MAVNI program, but the program is now at a standstill, putting many recruits in limbo. And, we have a preview of this weekend’s many arts events throughout the San Diego region.

California became the third state to declare a public health emergency as the state records its first death caused by the coronavirus as well as a slew of new cases. Plus, San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez is introducing an amendment to California’s new labor law known as AB5 after complaints from certain freelance journalists, writers and musicians who say the law is hurting their livelihood. Also, a San Diego child may be the only one in the world with this rare form of a metabolic disease. And, Sen. Bernie Sanders has made a big effort to reach out to Latino voters in California and it may have paid off for him on Super Tuesday. In addition, this weekend visitors will have the chance to discover some of the city’s newest, never-before-seen buildings, in addition to historic landmarks throughout the city. Finally, San Diego’s friendlier comic convention returns for the eighth year this weekend. We have a preview.

With Michael Bloomberg dropping out of the race and Elizabeth Warren’s poor performance on Super Tuesday, the Democratic presidential race is looking like it’s going to be a two-person race between Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden. Plus, in the 50th District Congressional race, Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar has secured his spot in the November general election. Republicans Darrell Issa and Carl DeMaio are battling for the second slot. Also, in the San Diego mayoral race, State Assemblyman Todd Gloria will face off either fellow Democrat Barbara Bry or Republican Scott Sherman. Roughly 3,000 votes separate the two and more than 350,000 ballots have yet to be counted in the county. And, it was a big night for Sara Jacobs. She has a substantial lead over fellow Democrat Georgette Gomez and Republican Chris Stoddard in the 53rd Congressional District race to replace retiring Rep. Susan Davis. Finally, Supervisor Kristin Gaspar has a substantial lead over her two challengers in the county’s third district. It remains to be seen whether Terra Lawson-Remerterra or Olga Diaz will be her opponent in the November election. Roughly 5,000 votes separate the two.

San Diego County Registrar of Voters Michael Vu joins Midday Edition with last minute advice for voters who want to cast a ballot in today’s March primary election. Also, a local lab's potential coronavirus vaccine could prove useful beyond the current outbreak, California is asking the federal government to do more to combat cross-border sewage spills., one of the co-founders of PETA has written a new book that explores the latest animal discoveries. Plus, Reading's Grossmont Cinema will be screening films by Martin Scorsese every Wednesday night in March.

As Super Tuesday nears, here’s a look at the key San Diego issues and races on the March primary election ballot. In the 50th Congressional District, for the first time in four decades, someone named Duncan Hunter is not on the ballot. The race became a slugfest for Republicans hoping to keep the district red after Duncan D. Hunter resigned in January. For the Democrats, Congresswoman Susan Davis’ retirement brings uncertainty to the 53rd District. In the San Diego mayor’s race, San Diegans could potentially choose between two Democrats in the general election. That's because the top two vote-getters in the March primary will advance to the November election, and three of the five candidates are Democrats. Plus, Convention Center expansion supporters are, once again, pushing for an increase in the hotel tax to pay for the project, homeless services and road repairs. In the county supervisor races, one contest may cause a historic shift on the board and turn it blue. Also, the Chula Vista Elementary School District is proposing to raise property taxes to modernize classrooms and build a 100-unit affordable housing complex for teachers and staff. Finally, Proposition 13, the only state-wide measure on the ballot, asks voters to approve $15 billion in state bonds to renovate schools and universities.

San Diego is launching four temporary voting sites ahead of Super Tuesday. This year, unregistered voters can sign up to vote on election day, adding another layer of complications. Plus, with several major redevelopments slated in the Midway District, some are calling for an end to the height limit in the neighborhood. And, a preview of this weekend’s top arts events around San Diego.

The Centers for Disease Control is investigating what could be the first instance of “community spread” of the novel coronavirus after a patient being treated at Sacramento-area hospital tested positive for the virus. Plus, remembering poway teenager Chelsea King 10 years after her murder. Also, the Navy is in the process of putting together what could be one of San Diego's most consequential redevelopment projects in decades, as it seeks a new facility for its cybersecurity operations in the Midway District. And, an employee in charge of helping low-income residents get housing subsidies is being accused of posting racist memes on social media. The county ethics board is investigating. In addition, coal-fired power plants are closing across the country. The question now, what to do with the newly freed up water supply. Finally, in an effort to help address environmental justice, the city of San Diego has unveiled its new Climate Equity Index. The tool will help the city with implementing part of its Climate Action Plan goals.

Instacart, the shopping app that provides personal shoppers for grocery pick-up and home delivery has run into trouble with California’s new AB5 labor law. The company announced Tuesday that it will appeal a ruling by a San Diego judge that people who work for the company should be reclassified from “independent contractors” to employees. Plus, as President Trump’s “public charge” rule goes into effect, there could be a far-reaching impact on San Diego’s immigrant community. The rule makes it harder for low-income immigrants to become legal residents if they rely on public assistance programs. Also, a San Diego man is free after a change in California’s felony murder law, which allowed prosectuors to charge people with murder if they are present during a dangerous felony, even if they didn’t commit the crime. In addition, the county is one step closer to finishing its plan to address homelessness. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday was presented with 15 locations that could be used for the county's first homeless shelter and/or supportive housing. And, a law professor weighs in on whether a judicial candidate is fit for judgeship after his racially-charged social media posts became public. Finally, the future of the iconic Ken Cinema is up in the air after Landmark Theatres announced it is not renewing its lease.