Midday Edition

Midday Edition is back, connecting our communities through conversation. We are talking about friendships and their power to uplift us and even keep us healthy. We’ll hear what science says about friendship from the longest running research project on human happiness. Then, for kids it’s easy to make friends, for adults not so much. We’ll hear advice on making new friends and how to nurture existing friendships. And, we’ve heard joining a group is a great way to make friends. How one such San Diego group is finding connection and building community.

A study from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows that Tijuana sewage isn’t just ending up in our water - it’s finding its way into the air we breathe. The study, conducted in 2019, found that air samples collected in Imperial Beach contained the same bacteria present in contaminated ocean water. Then, the Department of Veterans Affairs has been studying the effects of psychedelic drugs in treating PTSD, but government regulation and concerns over recreational drug use may stand in the way of better understanding the treatment method. Finally, San Diego Opera announced this week the sad news that a beloved colleague and ambassador for the opera, Nicolas Reveles died of pancreatic cancer. We remember Reveles and talk about his newest work, “Ghosts,” which will have its world premiere at San Diego Opera in April.

The city of San Diego has an ambitious climate action goal to hit net zero emissions by 2035, but climate activists have been demanding a timeline for how the city intends to get there. Mayor Todd Gloria joins Midday Edition to talk about the draft plan released this week, and the city’s plan to stop using downtown’s Golden Hall as a homeless shelter. Then, even though California has long been a bastion of reproductive rights, anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers still outnumber abortion clinics in both the state and San Diego County. Finally, it’s not news to fans of K-pop that Korean artists have captivated American audiences with their look, their sound and that incredible choreography. We speak to actor and writer Vivian Yoon about K-pop has shaped her life and her new podcast “K-Pop Dreaming.”

UC San Diego Health will soon take over day-to-day operations for the El Centro Regional Medical Center, the largest hospital in Imperial County. Next, generative AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL·E can write essays for students, create art and music, and even help with office work. But what are they exactly? Then, a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a look at how California companies and their workers have felt the conflict. And, Voice of San Diego’s education reporter Jakob McWhinney tells us about the 2023 Parent’s Guide to San Diego Schools. Finally, a preview of the San Diego Arab Film Festival which kicks off Friday with in-person screenings and food at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.

After three years, California and San Diego’s COVID-19 state of emergency orders are ending today. Then, a look at the recent mega-contract signed by Padres Star Manny Machado. Finally, a conversation about beer, music and representation in the local craft beer industry.

First, a conversation about the impacts of the weekend weather on the county and the effect of all this rain and snow on drought conditions in the state. Then, sewage spills originating in Tijuana have forced the closure of beaches in Imperial beach and south toward the border for most of this winter. What will a recent settlement between the federal International Boundary and Water Commission and the cities of Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and the San Diego Port Authority do to prevent sewage from reaching the Pacific Ocean in the future? Next, a San Diego nonprofit that helps support young people who’ve aged out of the foster care system is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Then, the state is requiring residents and businesses to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to the landfill. We have more details on San Diego’s new organics recycling program. And, a story about how raising the height of the Shasta Dam in Northern California would impact the sacred land of the Indigenous Winnemem Wintu people. Finally, a profile of San Diego artist, Andrea Overturf who has a career as a symphony musician and also creates multi-media sculptures from items from the swap meet that many would dismiss as junk.

Search warrants relating to the alleged rape of a young woman by members of the San Diego State University football team were unsealed by the San Diego County Superior Court yesterday. Then, we visit a ranch in East San Diego County where military families can go to spend time together and reconnect. And in our weekend preview, we have art made with the help of artificial intelligence, art made for and by kids and plenty of music.

A new Biden Administration policy would limit the ability of migrants to seek asylum at the Southern Border. KPBS Investigative Border Reporter Gustavo Solis reports asylum advocates are universally rejecting the policy and legal action to stop it from taking effect is expected. Then, from the American Homefront Project, a story about National Guard troops at the border, where critics say, is not an appropriate use of the guard. Next, a California writer and poet searches for the identities of Mexican migrants who died in a plane crash 75 years ago, on their way to being deported. And, a controversial restraint used by law enforcement has cost San Diego taxpayers millions. But the sheriff’s department will continue using hogtying, or maximum restraint. Finally, a growing number of people in California are getting no-strings-attached cash to help them meet their monthly budget, including here in San Diego. It’s part of the largest such effort in U.S. history.

Law enforcement officials arrested 48 people in connection with a month-long operation targeting suspected sex traffickers in National City and San Diego. We hear from a local expert on how sex trafficking impacts minors. Then, the city and county of San Diego will end COVID emergencies at the end of the month. How will this affect how we fight against the virus in the future? Next, more than $100 million is on the line for Wednesday’s Powerball lottery, but how much is the California lottery really helping public education? Finally, a conversation with Native American author N. Scott Momaday who will be Friday’s featured writer at this year’s Writers Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University.

For most, this week’s colder forecast means wearing an extra layer, or turning up the thermostat. But for the region’s unhoused residents, lower temperatures can make life much more difficult. Then, California has poured billions of dollars into reducing homelessness in recent years, but residents and state and local officials are frustrated over an apparent lack of progress. Later, we remember Rose Schindler, a Holocaust survivor and longtime San Diego resident who passed away last week at 93. Plus, San Diego writer Jac Jemc is the author of the new novel "Empty Theatre," which is out today. Finally, this week marks the return of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University. Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Finnegan will be the featured writer on Wednesday evening.