Midday Edition

A new crime thriller by a former professional football player explores a different side of San Diego, away from what the public usually sees.

"Tear the City Down," the debut novel from Andre Hardy, tells the story of a fixer named Coltrane Davis as he navigates San Diego's underworld, searching for a missing football star— and redemption.

On Midday Edition Tuesday, we speak with Hardy about what led him from the gridiron to the written word. Plus, how his San Diego upbringing informs his work.

Guest:

Andre Hardy, author, "Tear the City Down"

Link:

Andre Hardy book launch: "Tear the City Down" with Gary Phillips, Tuesday Sep. 1 at 7:30pm

Here in California, the San Andreas Fault is a constant presence in our daily lives whether we think about it or not.

But this century has been a relatively quiet one for the 800-mile fault line.

New research from the University of Hawai'i suggests that the San Andreas fault has reached its highest stress level in 1,000 years.

On Midday Edition, we talk about what a hypothetical earthquake scenario could mean for San Diego.

Plus, what you can do today to prepare for a major disaster before it happens.

Guests:

• Pat Abbott, geologist and professor emeritus, San Diego State University
• Daryl Arbuthnott, director, San Diego County Office of Emergency Services

Resources:

• Alert San Diego
• Earthquake Warning California
• How to Make an Earthquake Emergency Kit - California Earthquake Authority

A North Carolina teenager was indicted Monday in connection to the Islamic Center of San Diego shooting back in May, which killed three people.

KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon sits down with Imam Taha Hassane, the director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, to discuss how the community is reacting and the impact of Islamophobia, anti-Muslim bias and radicalization online.

Guest:

Imam Taha Hassane, director, Islamic Center of San Diego

Resources:

• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) National
• CAIR San Diego

What would happen if a weaponized pathogen was inadvertently released on the world?

A new book from best-selling author and investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen asks that question in "Biological War: A Scenario." The answers she finds are concerning for not only the U.S., but for all of humanity.

On Midday Edition Monday, Jacobsen shared how the book centers on science rather than science fiction, and what she hopes readers and political leaders will take away from the doomsday scenario she unveils.

Guest:

• Annie Jacobsen, investigative journalist, author, "Biological War: A Scenario"

The city of San Diego is dealing with a budget deficit.

Some efforts to cut costs have been met with public scrutiny — like the recent decision to close bathrooms in Mission Bay Park.

A new investigation from The San Diego-Union Tribune takes us to Ocean Beach, where the Barnes Tennis Center sits along the shoreline.

They find that the club is collecting millions in revenue, while paying $50 a month to lease more than a dozen acres of beachfront property.

We talk about the story's significance and how it fits into San Diego's overall budget picture.

Guests:

• Jeff McDonald, watchdog and accountability journalist, The San Diego Union-Tribune

Keep reading:

Each day, millions of gallons of raw sewage and toxic waste flow through the Tijuana River and are then dumped into the Pacific Ocean.

The pollution continues to be a major environmental and health concern on both sides of the border — and policymakers, scientists and community groups have been trying to address the issue for decades.

KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon sits down with one of the leading researchers on the sewage crisis to talk about policies exacerbating the issue, health impacts, and what solutions might be ahead.

Guest:

Paula Stigler Granados, associate professor at San Diego State University School of Public Health; appointee, California Air Resources Board

Resources:

• Tijuana River Research Project at San Diego State University
• "Healing the Watershed: Education Series on Tijuana River Valley Health" — San Diego State University

For the longest time, author Sona Movsesian had her own ideas of what an ideal mom should be like — until she became pregnant with her two twin boys.

In her newest book, "The World's Worst Mom," Movsesian embraces the imperfections and messiness that comes with motherhood by taking readers through her own parenting journey.

KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon sat down with Movsesian to talk about what inspired her to write the book and how working under comedian Conan O'Brien prepared her for motherhood.

Then, serial killers have long been a subject of fascination in cinema. Our Midday Movies critics discuss their favorite films and series that unravel the psyche.

And finally, thinking about what to check out this weekend? KPBS arts reporter Julia Dixon Evans recommends folk music, Latinx musical theatre and more in our weekend arts preview.

Guest:

• Sona Movsesian, author, "The World's Worst Mom," co-host of the "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" podcast
• Beth Accomando, arts reporter, KPBS
• Yazdi Pithavala, podcast host, Moviewallas
• Julia Dixon Evans, arts reporter, KPBS, host of "The Finest" podcast

Californians have a tool to help them remove personal data collected by data brokers.

The web platform, called the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP,) allows California residents to make a single request to delete their data being used by data broker companies. Those companies then have 45 days to comply with the request before facing penalties or fines.

On Midday Wednesday, we learn more about how data brokers use our personal data, how the new tool works, and provide general tips to better protect our data online.

Guest:

Hailey Tsukayama, director of state affairs, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Link:

Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP)

Recent policy changes at the Pentagon show that senior leadership is prioritizing grooming standards — especially when it comes to shaving.

We hear about what the shaving policy entails, why it could disproportionately impact Black servicemembers and what it signals about present-day military culture.

Guest:

Andrew Dyer, military and veteran affairs reporter, KPBS