Midday Edition

A new initiative between city, police, community and faith-based leaders urges peace and nonviolence following a year of increased gang violence. Plus, an inewsource-KPBS investigation found dozens of hospital facilities that received waivers failed to document that they had tried the state’s alternative options first. And this weekend in the arts: a photography festival, Broadway hits from jazz greats, Lauren Gunderson’s play “I and You” and a city-wide festival of architecture.

California will begin setting aside 40% of all vaccine doses for the state’s most vulnerable neighborhoods in an effort to inoculate people most at risk from the coronavirus and get the state’s economy open more quickly. Plus, an inewsource-KPBS investigation found dozens of hospitals that received waivers for increasing nurse-to-patient ratios failed to document that it had tried the state’s alternative options first. And the city of San Diego released its first pay equity study Tuesday, finding city employees of color made an average of 20.8% less than white employees and female city employees earned an average of 17.6% less than male employees in 2019. Then, in Sacramento, an incident at a Chinese-owned butcher shop is under investigation as a hate crime. We look into how the city’s hub for Asian businesses, known as Little Saigon, has been faring and what its future might be. Plus, the business that preserves and protects Dr. Seuss’ legacy has announced it will stop publishing six titles because of racist and insensitive imagery. Finally, Ramón Amezcua, better known as Bostich of Nortec Collective, is famous for blending the classic norteña sounds of Tijuana with electronic music. But making music and touring the world wasn’t always his plan.

Seven California counties were moved out of the most restrictive purple tier Tuesday, San Diego County was not one of them. But the county reports progress in getting people vaccinated against COVID-19. Plus, renters throughout San Diego County can now apply for money to help pay past-due rent and utility bills. Also, 13 people are dead after a crash in Imperial County about 10 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Authorities believe they were part of a migrant smuggling operation. In addition, Imperial County is pushing state leadership for more COVID-19 vaccines. And, the San Diego Zoo Global is changing its name to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in an effort to reflect the organization’s new mission. Finally, the Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival was the first film festival forced to cancel its in-person event, now festival founder Ethan Van Thillo shared what a year of pandemic pivoting has been like.

The Biden administration says hundreds of migrant children still separated from their parents under Trump will be allowed to reunite with their families in the U.S. — and the families may have the opportunity to stay. Plus, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders have announced a plan to get students back in classrooms in the nation's most populous state. Also, California is spending more than $200 million to stabilize habitat along the banks of the Salton Sea and to keep an unfolding ecological crisis from getting worse. In addition, climate activists want San Diego to follow the lead of other cities and ban the use of natural gas in new construction. And, pandemic restrictions have cut off prison visits from loved ones so letters from home provide a lifeline to inmates. Finally, “Spittin Truth to Power While Light Leaping for the People” was released during Black History Month but its message is timeless.

The role of military veterans in extremist groups has surfaced in disturbing ways recently. It’s not only the public that’s been caught off-guard by these events. Veterans groups have been slow to grasp the impact of extremist and hateful ideology on their fellow vets. KPBS Midday Edition brings you a special program on the issue of violent extremism among America’s veterans with expert panelists who offer suggestions for confronting the problem.

San Diego is notifying residents and property owners of proposed changes to earthquake fault zones within city limits which could potentially impact development and real estate transactions. Plus, San Diego City Council President Jen Campbell is facing a swell of opposition from her constituents due mainly to her position on short-term rentals. But there are also deeper issues at play. And this weekend in San Diego arts: a new exhibition at Bread and Salt, the Symphony's homage to lives lost to police brutality, and the San Diego Ballet and San Diego REP take on Purim.

Phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccinations can begin Saturday. This includes education and childcare workers, law enforcement, food and farm workers. Plus, San Diego Unified School District leaders announced a targeted date of April 12 to allow students of all grade levels to return to the classroom. And San Diego Unified School District has made significant progress toward reducing the longstanding inequities its Black students have faced, but there’s room for growth. Then, Common Ground Theatre's mission is “to produce classics and new works by and about people of African descent.” This weekend it showcases "Day of Absence" by Douglas Turner Ward, who died last Saturday. Finally, San Diego musician Rebecca Jade told KPBS Midday about her influences, her childhood with a jazz singer for a mother, the songs that made her fall in love with music and the artists that shaped her style.

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.