Kpbs Midday Edition

The Marines have called off the search and identified the eight servicemen presumed dead and one Marine killed in a training accident last Thursday. Plus, Congress is still deeply divided over a relief bill for Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic but reported progress over the weekend. All sides predict a long slog ahead. Also, the Metropolitan Transit System got a new CEO, Sharon Cooney, after the sudden death of the previous CEO in May. She outlines her priorities as the transit system navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the pandemic caused a surge of unemployed workers filing for benefits, causing delays in payments that lawmakers say are causing people to go into debt. And, with the start of school around the corner, an idea is floating around that some say is perfect for San Diego — hold school outside. Finally, the key pillar to contain the spread of the coronavirus is contact tracing but the strategy is causing the same tension it had during the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The extra $600 a week unemployment benefit under the federal CARES Act has helped over two million Californians make ends meet. Now that it's ending, nonprofits and the state look to help fill the gap. We hear from two San Diegans on how the end of the extra benefit will impact their livelihoods. Local and statewide moratoriums have kept a wave of possible evictions on hold for months. With those moratoriums expiring in the coming weeks, thousands of San Diegans could end up on the street if legislators don’t act. In San Diego art events this weekend: TwainFest kicks off a virtual festival, stories inspired by art at Lux Art Institute, youth actors present a classic, a poetry workshop with Gill Sotu and the Spreckels Organ Society continues its weekly webcasts.

San Diego County amended its public health order to require all employers to inform anyone who could have possibly been exposed if three or more cases of COVID-19 occur at the workplace in a 14-day period. Plus, South of Interstate 8 is the dividing line in the wide gap in the number of Paycheck Protection Program loans awarded to small businesses in San Diego County. Also, a new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California shows that a majority of Californians take the coronavirus pandemic seriously and also believe racism is widespread and a long-festering problem. And, Dolores Robledo, the matriarch of Roberto’s, one of San Diego’s favorite taco shops and the first Mexican fast-food chains, has died. The impact she had on the community. Finally, KPBS’ Summer Music Series is back. The series is to highlight and support San Diego’s music and artists. On today’s episode is blues artist Whitney Shay, a four-time San Diego Music Award winner.

Custom and Border Protection's participation in policing ongoing protests across the country has come under scrutiny from lawmakers. A letter to Sen. Kamala Harris confirmed CBP supplied munitions that San Diego law enforcement fired on protesters. Plus, even as the Supreme Court blocked its attempt to end DACA, the Trump administration announced Monday it will not accept new applications for the program and cut renewals down to one year. Also, students at San Diego Unified are calling for the disbanding of the San Diego Unified Police Department even as the department says it has made some progress in recent years. And, the city of San Diego is making it easier for residents to build tiny homes to increase the housing supply. Finally, from our archives, San Diego author Richard Louv on how animal connections can be transformative for both humans and animals.

The city’s contract with San Diego Gas & Electric is up for renewal. The deal could be lucrative but some are concerned city leaders could be asking for too little. Plus, the rift between St. Anne Catholic Church and Logan Heights residents started over street parking but is being fueled by a cultural divide. Also, as the number of coronavirus cases rise in San Diego, demand for testing is creating a supply shortage, hampering the region’s ability to fight the pandemic. And, nuclear fusion, the dream of clean, cheap nuclear energy has been just that — a dream, until now. In addition, Coronado-based Citizens' Climate Lobby has won a prestigious national award for its advocacy for national policies to combat climate change. Finally, even though Comic-Con this year was unlike any other, the virtual Comic-Con@Home convention can be enjoyed long after it is over.

Some businesses in the county are openly flaunting public health orders while others are confused about compliance. To that end, the county has set up a compliance team to help businesses navigate the rules and crack down on those that defy those rules. Also, breaking down San Diego COVID-19 deaths by ZIP codes reveals huge disparity. Plus, as work to dismantle the San Onofre nuclear power plant continues, the debate about how to safely dispose of nuclear waste wages on. And, the Los Angeles VA is allowing homeless veterans to camp on the campus so they can access services such as health care and food but that’s drawing mixed reactions from homeless advocates. Finally, Qualcomm’s new version of the technology that allows cars to communicate with one another and to traffic signals looks to prove its effectiveness to make cars truly driverless.

UC San Diego will be one of the sites for a national COVID-19 vaccine trial slated to begin Monday. Local sites are looking for more than 1,000 San Diegans to sign up. The trial is based on a vaccine prototype developed by Massachusetts-based Moderna Therapeutics. Plus, in San Diego, police officers are often the ones responding to mental health-related 911 calls. We’ll hear about a plan to change that. And, KPBS Arts Calendar Editor Julia Dixon Evans has a preview of this weekend’s top events, beyond Comic-Con@Home.

Nearly two months after Leslie Furcron was shot in the forehead by a bean bag round during a protest in front of the La Mesa Police Department Headquarters, the department has released video of the incident and the name of the officer who shot her. Plus, with the scrutiny on police funding in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, KPBS investigative team found that the San Diego Police Department routinely goes over its overtime budget. Also, the Chicano Federation said the county’s outreach effort to the Latino community, which is hardest hit by the pandemic locally, lacks urgency. And, Gina Champion-Cain, a prominent San Diego businesswoman, faces upto 15 years in prison for cheating her investors out of $400 million in a Ponzi scheme. Finally, a proposal currently making its way through committees of SDSU's Faculty Senate that would allow the university’s president to revoke the emeritus status of anyone who causes "harm to the university's reputation" is causing controversy among current and past