Midday Edition

As dads get ready for Father's Day this weekend, Midday Edition features a conversation on fatherhood and its connection to humor.

Mal Hall is a nationally-recognized stand-up comedian. He's also a father to three kids. Hall shares how his role as a dad has shaped his comedy, and why he doesn't always align with modern parenting approaches.

Mal Hall, comedian

The San Diego County Fair is partnering with the San Diego Humane Society this year to celebrate a 'Summer Pet-tacular' for the fair's 145th anniversary.

The theme is inspired by the connection between humans and pets. The Humane Society will bring adoptable dogs, cats and rabbits to the fair each day.

We invited the Humane Society — along with Boy Boy, a Labrador Pit Bull mix — to the Midday Edition studio to learn more.

The San Diego County Fair runs through July 6.

Guests:

• Nina Thompson, director of public relations for the San Diego Humane Society
• Juliette Nash, community animal training manager for the San Diego Humane Society
• Boy Boy, Pit Bull Terrier and Labrador mix

boy boy _portrait.jpg (4284x5712, AR: 0.75)

Immigration raids across the country and in San Diego are inciting fear, uncertainty and outrage in immigrant communities.

Some LGBTQ+ groups say that migrants in the U.S. who have sought asylum from persecution due to their sexuality and gender identity could be at heightened risk.

On Midday Edition Monday, we talk about the intersectionality of being a LGBTQ+ immigrant and what local LGBTQ+ groups are doing to help the community navigate these challenges.

Also, this Sunday, local drag entertainers are organizing a march to advocate the rights of the transgender community, in the face of ongoing efforts to pass anti-trans legislation across the country.

Guests:

• Gloria Cruz Cardenas, chief impact officer, San Diego LGBT Community Center
• Max Disposti, executive director, North County LGBTQ Resource Center
• Amber St. James, drag producer, community activist and educator
• Paris Sukomi Max, drag entertainer, community activist, business owner

All week, NPR is exploring solutions to the climate crisis through the lens of "Rethinking Home" — how our communities can be more resilient to climate change.

On Midday Edition, we highlight ongoing efforts to fireproof our homes through the California Wildfire Mitigation Program. We hear from an expert whose home survived both the Station and Eaton fires in Los Angeles.

Then, we zoom out to discuss how California should adapt its land development policies to respond to wildfire threats.

• J. Lopez, executive director of the California Wildfire Mitigation Program
• Tom Corringham, economist at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography
• Cary Lowe, retired land use lawyer and writer

Over the weekend, the Trump administration deployed the California National Guard to respond to Los Angeles protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.

Meanwhile, President Trump's new travel ban takes effect today — blocking people from a dozen countries from entering the United States.

President Trump says the ban will improve security vetting and prevent terrorist threats. But the policy will dramatically affect the lives of refugees, immigrants and U.S. citizens right here in San Diego.

We discuss the latest actions on Midday Edition with a representative from a local refugee advocacy group.

Guest:

• Homayra Yusufi, senior policy strategist for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)

RESOURCES:

International Rescue Committee

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights

Immigrant Services - Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego

Southern California Immigrant Project

Jewish Family Service

Immigration Center for Women and Children

Immigration Advocates Network

On Saturday, San Diego’s Little Saigon District is commemorating 50 years of the Vietnamese diaspora journey with a tribute concert.

Many of those who fled Vietnam after the war 50 years ago came to San Diego and built the community as we know it today.

On Midday Edition Thursday, we sit down with two of the organizers behind the concert to talk about their continued efforts to honor stories from the diaspora and revitalize the Little Saigon District.

Also, musician Ben Model has made his career performing live music for silent movies. KPBS Cinema Junkie and arts reporter Beth Accomando speaks with Model about his new book "The Silent Film Universe" and the unique cinematic language behind the genre.

And finally, the North Park Music Fest is this weekend. KPBS arts reporter Julia Dixon Evans shares all the details and her other event picks for the weekend, from dance performances to a summer reading program.

• Su Nguyen, founder of Little Saigon San Diego
• Tram Lam, management officer, Little Saigon San Diego
• Ben Model, musician and author of "The Silent Film Universe"
• Julia Dixon Evans, arts reporter and host of "The Finest," KPBS

Early voting for District 1’s runoff election is now underway.

The race will decide who fills the county supervisor seat that represents much of San Diego’s South Bay. The candidates in this summer’s run-off are two South Bay mayors: Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann.

On Midday Edition Tuesday, we do a rundown of the race and where the candidates stand on issues like housing, immigration and the Tijuana River sewage crisis.

Plus, a recent study from UC San Diego found that pollution from the Tijuana River is also making its way into the air. We hear about the most recent findings and what it could mean for the region.

• Kori Suzuki, South Bay and Imperial Valley reporter, KPBS
• Jonathan Slade, assistant professor of chemistry, UC San Diego
• Adam Cooper, science and technology fellow, California Council on Science and Technology

A California high school graduation requirement for courses that teach about different cultures is now on the chopping block amid state budget cuts.

Four years ago, California passed AB 101, which would require high schoolers to take an ethnic studies course before graduation.

But the state's latest revised budget does not include funding for ethnic studies. Without funding, districts aren't required to enforce the requirement.

A spokesperson for the California Department of Finance said in a statement to the L.A. Times, "the state has limited available ongoing resources" to support ethnic studies as a graduation requirement.

Now, school districts are in limbo as they navigate the next steps. Many ethnic studies courses were set to start this fall.

On Midday Edition, we speak with a local scholar and school administrator about the types of lessons ethnic studies brings to high school classrooms.

• James Fabionar, associate professor and associate chair in the Department of Learning and Teaching at the University of San Diego
• Wendy Ranck-Buhr, senior director of Equity, Access, and Opportunity for the San Diego Unified School District

In 2021, new rules allowing college athletes to be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness have transformed college sports. But many in college athletics are anxiously waiting for a finalized legal settlement to clarify NIL rules for colleges and their athletes.

Kimya Massey, executive director of athletics, University of San Diego

As the Trump administration rolls out policy after policy, world renowned academics are sounding the alarm. From science to economics, experts are concerned for the future of their disciplines.

One local expert argues that America is losing its ability to innovate. And, that China will reap the benefits.

• David Victor, professor of innovation and public policy at UC San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy