The United States remains on edge after its latest high-profile mass shooting on July 4th in Highland Park, Illinois, which resulted in the killing of 7 people, leaving many more injured. Stories like these beg the question - what are the motivations for these acts of violence? Plus, at least two immigrant detainees have been held in solitary confinement for about a week at the for-profit private facility where they are locked up in Bakersfield. The men and their attorney's say it's retaliation for supporting a peaceful labor strike. This weekend in the arts: Southern gothic blues at the Casbah, a last chance to see improv hip hop at The Old Globe and the Barrio Art Crawl.

A longstanding cross-border gathering place will soon be replaced with a set of 30-foot walls. Then, a technique developed at UC San Diego and Scripps to detect the Covid virus in wastewater is now being used around the world. Next, a 29-year-old Army veteran was allegedly killed by her neighbor last week at a property run by Veterans Village of San Diego. And, The death of a Navy SEAL candidate in February is raising questions about the safety of basic training. Next, collecting food waste for composting is something that often happens in backyards but now two cities are doing it in the landfill as part of new state legislation to actually keep food waste out of landfills. Finally, San Diego-based author and filmmaker Matt Rotman has new a book inspired his blog called Bonkers Ass Cinema: A Guide to the Wildest of Horror and Exploitation Cinema. It takes a deep dive into 100 films from nine genres and includes filmmaker interviews.

In an all too familiar trend, case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise as the U.S. makes its way through another summer coronavirus surge. Next, months after a vaccine mandate went into effect for San Diego city employees, those employees who refuse both vaccines and COVID testing are starting to get Notices of Termination. Then, KPBS investigative reporter Amita Sharma tells us the story of Sara Kruzan, who was pardoned by Governor Gavin Newsom last week after being imprisoned for murder in 1995. Next, how a free yoga class in South Los Angeles came to be in the wake of protests against Black lives lost to violence. Then, KPBS North County reporter Alexander Nguyen shares the story of a San Marcos man connecting with his Nordic roots by building a Viking ship. Finally, as costs from climate related disasters continue to climb, a new book makes the case that the battle against climate change is more than an environmental issue, but also an economic one.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria joined KPBS Midday Edition Tuesday to talk about why he felt it was important to delay a city council vote on the proposed Ash Street settlement. Then, SANDAG’s long standing train track relocation plan for a 1.7 mile stretch of the Del Mar bluffs has gotten its initial funding from the state of California. Plus, a look at how a Vons closing its doors in Vista could make access fresh and healthy food more difficult. Plus, does San Diego Gas and Electric really need to keep boosting our utility rates? The state auditor is looking into it. Also, The director of the National Science Foundation, Sethuraman Panchanathan, paid a visit to San Diego last week to dedicate an upgraded earthquake shake table at UC San Diego. Finally, a horrific case of a woman enslaved by a Coronado couple unfolded in a San Diego federal court 75 years ago this summer. The case is remembered as a watershed moment for some of the Civil Rights protections we have today.

The economy may not be the first thing that comes to mind when San Diegans think of the border region. But the region known as Cali-Baja is an economic powerhouse. It produces a gross domestic product of nearly $250 million according to a recent report from the University of San Diego. That's more than 23 U.S. states. And, industries in the region from manufacturing to biotech generate thousands of jobs on both sides of the border. So today on Midday Edition we're bringing you a conversation about the cross-border economy with a panel of guests who have spent a lot of time thinking about the topic.

The Supreme Court vacated a ruling that supported California’s ban on gun magazines that hold more than 10 bullets. Then, despite the controversy, the artwork called “Three Slick Pigs” is remaining part of The Street Legacy: SoCal Style Masters exhibition at the California Center for the Arts Escondido.

The Supreme Court published two major decisions Thursday. In a 5-4 opinion, the court ruled the Biden Administration has the right to end the Trump-era ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy. And, in a 6-3 opinion, the court sided with West Virginia coal plant operators that the Environmental Protection Agency does not have the authority to change the nation’s energy producing system. Next, local health officials are encouraging masking as omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 are taking hold in San Diego and infection rates and hospitalizations are rising. Then, California’s eviction moratorium program ends Thursday, but tenants may qualify for a city of San Diego eviction moratorium starting Friday. Next, inflation is hitting every part of the economy, including local hospitals. Finally, Marvel Comics' Spider-Man celebrates his 60th anniversary this year. To celebrate his legacy, the Comic-Con Museum is opening Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing on Friday.

The state legislature approved an amendment to protect abortion rights in the California constitution, now it’s up to voters to decide in November. State Senate President Toni Atkins of San Diego is one of the leaders of the effort to secure reproductive rights in California. Next, the bodies of dozens of migrants were found Monday in the back of a tractor trailer in San Antonio. At least 53 migrants died in what is now the deadliest human smuggling case in modern U.S. history. Then, the last of California's statewide eviction protections expire on Friday. Lawmakers extended the deadline back in March to give the state more time to pay out emergency rental assistance. Plus, the long, strange saga of 101 Ash Street took yet another unexpected turn earlier this week. Just an hour before city council members were set to vote on a proposed settlement over the former Sempra Energy headquarters and the nearby Civic Center Plaza, Mayor Todd Gloria withdrew the proposal to allow for additional public comment. Also, the San Dieguito Union High School District Board fired school superintendent Cheryl James-Ward on Sunday without cause. Finally, a pop opera version of “Jekyll and Hyde,” based on the Robert Louis Stevenson Victorian classic opens Thursday night at OB Playhouse.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion continues to reverberate across the country. Now health care providers are expecting an influx of people coming to California to obtain an abortion from states where they are illegal. California may even help them cover the costs of traveling here. And, celebrations took place in some churches in San Diego on Sunday in response to the decision overturning Roe v. Wade while other religious groups had opposite or more measured reactions. Next, a group of parents of missing children uncovered a mass grave hidden on the eastern edge of Tijuana last week. And this isn’t the first time. Then, the big fix for the San Diego region’s U.S.-Mexico border sewage problem is several years away, but that doesn’t mean sewage will flow unabated until then. Finally, as part of KPBS’s “Influential” series, San Diego rapper Ric Scales made us a playlist of music that influenced his work.

The Supreme Court ruled Friday to strike down Roe v Wade – ending 50 years of federal abortion rights. Roughly half of states are expected to either outlaw or severely restrict abortion as a result of the decision. Next, as states across the nation brace for the impact of this ruling, legal experts are also considering what further constitutional rights may be reconsidered by the court in the near future. Finally, KPBS investigative reporter Claire Trageser tells us about some local areas considered to be “childcare deserts.”