Midday Edition

Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday. Plus, Rep. Mike Levin on the contents of a $1.75 trillion dollar social benefits package being debated in Congress right now. Also, San Diego spent millions of dollars on contact tracing to fight the pandemic, but was it worth it? And, KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando has a preview of San Diego's first ever Age-Friendly Film Festival, opening Nov. 13. Finally, five songs by San Diego musicians to discover in November.

With the CDC’s approval, kids ages 5 through 11 are able to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting today, but many parents are still reluctant to get their children vaccinated. Plus, San Diego restaurant owners react to the city initiative that will make sidewalk dining permanent. Also, a North County nonprofit is working to make reintegration back into society easier for people getting out of jail or recovery centers. And, 9 million veterans in the U.S. get medical care through the VA each year, inewsource investigative reporter Jill Castellano is back with the second of her two-part series on the federal health care system. Meanwhile, San Diego Zoo geneticists revealed two condor chicks there are the first known cases of reproduction without fertilization, called parthenogenesis, in California condors. Finally, in an excerpt of the “Cinema Junkie” podcast, guest Gary Dexter explores how the film adaptations of John Le Carré's novels offered a realistic counterpoint to James Bond.

Last week, SANDAG announced a plan to charge drivers a per-mile tax to fight climate change. The proposal caused a strong reaction from drivers, so how likely is it to move forward? Also, as San Diego works on implementing climate action in transportation, Californians at the United Nations climate conference in Scotland are working with world leaders on tackling the global threat of climate change. Plus, San Diego public health officials are urging residents to get their flu shots as soon as possible as they warn about the potential for a bad flu season ahead. Meanwhile, Veteran Affairs administrators are overruling doctors’ judgments and preventing them from sending their patients outside the VA health care system. And as the state of California is grappling with a racist past and the idea of reparations for Black descendants of slaves, CapRadio brings us the story of a Black Sacramento family and their fight to right history. Finally, Dia de los Muertos is being celebrated by many San Diegans today and tomorrow. It’s a Mexican tradition to remember and honor loved ones who have died.

Congressional leaders were delivered a bombshell yesterday when an open letter to lawmakers raised caution over the Border Patrol’s Critical Incident Teams. Plus, San Diego researchers are traveling to and watching Scotland online next week as scientists and world leaders gather there to talk about climate. And, this weekend, you can add some art and culture to your spooky weekend with outdoor performances of Shakespeare's creepiest scenes, Latin-inspired classical ballet and some artistic community ofrendas.

With trick-or-treating just around the corner, local doctors are warning that we are still not back to normal this Halloween. Plus, a new debt forgiveness program at San Diego community colleges is being called a lifeline for struggling students. And, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors direct staff to examine the feasibility of alternative energy sources, including wave, geothermal and offshore wind, in San Diego County. Also, a look at students who started med school during the pandemic. Then, the San Diego Asian Film Festival is back in person with 130 films from 20 countries screening at four venues.

Dr. Eric Topol, director of Scripps Research Translational Institute, on possible impact of vaccinating 5- to 11-year olds. Plus, tensions are rising over new district boundaries as the San Diego Redistricting Commission releases its first preliminary map. Meanwhile, finding affordable housing is difficult for many, but it is especially challenging for Black renters. Also, meet Zachary Patterson, a high school senior on a mission to make student voices heard on the San Diego Unified school board. And, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but for some living with or who have had breast cancer, it could be a constant reminder of the traumatic experience. How can those impacted cope and how can those close to them help? Finally, an excerpt from the latest episode of the “Port of Entry'' podcast: Mexican musician Javier Bátiz could have been world famous had he headed north with his good friend and bandmate Carlos Santana back in the 1960s. But now, he makes records and runs a music school in Tijuana.

Today, we bring you a special on San Diego’s housing crisis. We look at how we got here, and the role of racial discrimination in housing. We also explore where we’re going and the ways San Diego is trying to solve its housing crisis.

As COVID-19 vaccines for children inch closer to approval, we take a look at the preparations for and potential impact of the approval and what it means for the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, the case of Maya Millete, the missing Chula Vista mother, highlights the rise in domestic violence since the start of the pandemic. Also, the descendants of Lorenzo Trujillo, one of Southern California’s early pioneers, are trying to save his crumbling home. Meanwhile, from the archive, as the accelerating effects of climate change become more apparent on our natural resources, the goal and scope of conservation of the National Parks Service is changing. And, with the latest James Bond film “No Time To Die” opening earlier this month, KPBS Cinema Junkie Host Beth Accomando continues her exploration of the 007 universe in this excerpt of part two of her podcast. Finally, San Marcos pastry chef Christophe Rull has been named the U.S. Chocolate Master. He is now moving on to the World Chocolate Masters competition in Paris next year.

The low inventory of homes for sale in San Diego is driving prices up again. Plus, a Poway man wants his community to call him if they find a rattlesnake on their property, but relocating live rattlesnakes is not quite as simple, or legal, as some might think. Then, this weekend in the arts: opera singer Stephanie Blythe performs the music of Johnny Mercer, artist Katie Ruiz installs a new ofrenda for the San Diego Botanic Garden's fall festival, the Symphony brings a beloved children's story to life at the Shell, and there's an art auction at the Bread and Salt complex.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to replace neighborhood polling places with large-scale vote centers. Plus, the state mandated requirement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has county officials pushing hard to develop a legally defensible climate action plan. Then, officials with the San Diego County Water Authority are calling on the region to voluntarily cut its water usage by 10% after Governor Gavin Newsom announced he is extending the drought emergency across the state. Also, the far right group Defend East County is trying to be a player in San Diego politics. And, California turned to an unusual partner for COVID-19 response: The same company that built former President Donald Trump’s border wall along the state’s southern border. Lastly, California was likely named after a mythical Black female warrior in an early 16th century Spanish novel -- most Californians don’t know this origin story, but a Bay Area theater company hopes to change that.