San Diego Week: Friday, Feb. 18, 2011

WE HAVE TROUBLES FACING SAN DIEGO. JERRY SANDERS ANNUAL STATEMENT...
I THINK HE PUTS THE HIKE AT RATES WHERE EITHER ONE OR BOTH PEOPLE... >> TRAFFIC IN PROGRESS...
FROM THE KPBS STUDIOS, THIS IS SAN DIEGO WEEK. THANKS FOR JOINING US. TONIGHT AN INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTER CASH PAYOUT FOR THE UNUSED EMPLOYEE SICK DAYS AND THEN THE VERY PERSONAL APPROACH
TO GET TRUE WARRANT LINCOLN HIGH STUDENTS BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM AND DISCOURAGING RACISM
AND INCREASE DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS CONTINUES. AFTER THE 2010 CENSUS, OUR COUNTY SUPERVISORS
KEEP TIGHT CONTROL OVER REDRAWING THEIR OWN DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. PLUS THE NEW LIBRARY
IS BIG, BELOVED AND OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. THAT IS COMING UP BUT FIRST THE HEADLINES.
JOINING ME FROM THE NEWS CENTER, WHAT IS THE NEWS ON THE REDEVELOPMENT FRONT?
GLORIA, THERE APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING GOING ON. JERRY BROWN HAS ANGERED CITIES BUT SAN
DIEGO CITY OFFICIALS FEEL THEY HAVE FOUND A LOOPHOLE. HE SAID HE WILL ABIDE BY AGREEMENT.
MY PLAN PROTECTS CURRENT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND SUPPORT ALL INDEBTEDNESS OF THOSE AGENCIES.
SAN DIEGO IS RUSHING TO CREATE FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS SOME OF WHICH WILL NOT BEGIN CONSTRUCTION
UNTIL 2048. A POSSIBLE GLITCH, THERE IS NO DEFINITION OF WHAT IS CONSIDERED A POSSIBLE
CURRENT PROJECT. THEY OFFERED A GLIMPSE OF THE IMPACT OF RISING SEA LIVE VESSEL DUE TO
GLOW --LEVELS DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING. FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE ASKING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
TO DOCUMENT THE AFFECTS OF THE TIDE AS A WAY TO PREDICT THE IMPACT OF ARISING SEA. SOME
BELIEVE IT COULD INCREASE 18 INCHES BY 2050.
BORDERS FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY, ONE IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO AND ANOTHER IN EL CAJON WILL CLOSE.
THEY DON'T EXPECT TO BENEFIT FROM THOSE CLOSURES. DESPITE MEDIA COVERAGE, VIOLENCE HAS INCREASED,
A NEW REPORT OUT OF THE SAN DIEGO TRANSPORT INSTITUTE SAID THERE WERE 1 5,000 ORGANIZED
CRIME KILLINGS IN MEXICO LAST YEAR A 60% INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WITH ALL THE NEWS ABOUT PENSIONS AND PERKS THESE DAYS, THE WATCHDOG DISCOVERED A COUNTY
BENEFIT THAT HAS A LOCAL TAXPAYER ASSOCIATION UP IN ARMS. AND IT HAS EMPLOYEES WITH SICK
LEAVE POLICIES, WITH ME TO EXPLAIN KEVIN CROW. KEVIN, WELCOME. WHY DOESN'T THE COUNTY REIMBURSE
ITS EMPLOYEES FOR UNUSED SICK LEAVE?
IT'S A GOOD BENEFIT TO HAVE OTHERWISE THEY COULD MAKE MORE MONEY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
WHEN THEY RETIRE THEY ARE ABLE TO CASH OUT UP TO 50% OF THEIR UNUSED SICK DAYS.
YOU TOLD US ABOUT IT RECENTLY BUT WAS IT INTRODUCED RECENTLY?
NOBODY KNOWS WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED. THEY KNOW IT WAS CURTAILED AND IT WAS SOMETHING
MOST COUNTY EMPLOYEES ENJOYED UP TO 1981 AND THAT'S WHEN MOST OF THEM LOST THAT BENEFIT.
NOW IT IS CURTAILED TO 4% OF EXECUTIVES AND HIGH LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS.
SO NOT EVERYBODY GETS IT. CAN YOU GIVE ME EXAMPLES OF AMOUNTS SOME COUNTY EMPLOYEES
RECEIVED?
ONE NOTABLE EMPLOYEE RETIRED THIS YEAR. HE TOOK ABOUT $118,000. THE AVERAGE PAYMENT WAS
A LITTLE MORE THAN $9,000. BUT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THERE WERE ONLY 27 EMPLOYEES --278
EMPLOYEES.
HOW DOES IT QUALIFY FOR BEING TERRIBLY UNHEALTHY.
THEY CAN GET UP TO 16 SICK DAYS A YEAR. IF THEY BANGED IT IS ON AN UNLIMITED BASIS. FOR
EXAMPLE, THE COUP TIP DOES NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF A CAP FOR EMPLOYEES.
DOES IT TAKE IT OUT IN CASH?
NO THEY CAN USE THE FULL AMOUNT TOWARDS SERVICE CREDIT OR THEIR PENSION OR PUT IT INTO A DEFERRED
COMPENSATION ACCOUNT OR SOME PEOPLE CAN TAKE IT HOME AS A CHECK.
YOU SAID THERE IS NO REAL CAP BUT I AM ASSUMING THERE IS A LIMIT ON HOW MANY A PERSON CAN
TAKE PER YEAR.
THERE IS 13 PER YEAR. IS THAT AN UNUSUAL NUMBER, IS IT A HIGH NUMBER? PEOPLE WERE UPSET WHEN
THEY FOUND OUT THEY COULD GET 1360s A YEAR.
I THINK THE TAXPAYER'S ASSOCIATION WAS UPSET WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THEY COULD HAVE SO MANY
SICK DAYS AND A CREW THEM YEAR AFTER YEAR SO THERE WAS NO USE IT OR LOSE IT WHEN IT
COMES TO EMPLOYEE'S SICK PAY
IS THERE ANY SIGN THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE?
NO, PLOT A COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE, I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD.
THANK YOU.
A SAN DIEGO HIGH SCHOOL TRIED TO BOOST ITS ATTENDANTS RATE AND IS END COURAGING KIDS
TO COME TO SCHOOL ONE STUDENT AT THE TIME. LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL IS TARGETING STUDENTS
TO FIND OUT WHY THEY ARE NOT AT SCHOOL. IF OUR REPORTER --OUR REPORTER SPEND TIME WITH
TWO WOMEN ASSIGNED TO GETTING KIDS BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM.
Reporter: THEY ARE SOMETIMES KNOWN AS THE, A TEAM AROUND CAMPUS. THEY VISIT THE HOMES
OF KIDS WHO MISS SCHOOL AND ARE FAILING. THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB.
WE WENT ON A VISIT ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND IT WAS DIRE, THERE WAS NO FURNITURE IN THE
HOME, NO FLOORING AND I WOULD QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD RUNNING WATER.
YOU ARE GOING TO BE LATE...
Reporter: ON THE SURFACE, LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THE NICEST. THEY REPLACED THIS
50-YEAR-OLD OLD DATED BUILDING.
WHEN THE NEW SCHOOL OPENED ITS DOORS IN 20072300 STUDENTS SHOWED UP. THE STATE-OF-THE-ART $120
MILLION CAMPUS DID WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO, ATTRACT KIDS TO SCHOOL. BUT KEEPING THEM
IN CLASS AND MAKING SURE THEY PASS STATE AND FEDERAL EXAMS HAS PROVEN MORE DIFFICULT. COLLINS
IS PRINCIPAL OF LINCOLN HIGH.
I THINK THE BIGGEST THING, JOE AND IS THAT --JOE ANN IS THAT THEY WANT TO BE HERE.
Reporter: THEY HAVE BEEN PUT ON NOTICE FOR FAILING GRADES AND HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST ATTENDANTS
RATES, SO WHAT IS A SCHOOL TO DO? THEY DECIDED TO GO INTO THE HOMES TO FIND OUT WHY THEY
ARE NOT AT SCHOOL. WHAT THEY LEARNED SURPRISED EVEN THEM.
THIS CHILD DID NOT HAVE HIS FATHER, HIS FATHER PASSED AWAY AND ACTUALLY WITNESSED HIS FATHER
DYING.
SHE WAS FAILING AT THAT POINT, HAD STRAIGHT F-s AND WITH 1.
HER OLDER CHILD SAID SHE IS HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.
I HAVE ANOTHER YOUNG MAN WHO CARES FOR HIS FATHER WHO IS ON DIALYSIS AND HE IS THE PRIMARY
CAREGIVER FOR HIS DAD. THREE DAYS A WEEK HE HAS TO GET DIALYSIS AND HE MISSES SCHOOL THREE
DAYS A WEEK.
SO WE FIND THIS MAN PRETTY MUCH ALONE AND WITH GRANDPA PASSED AWAY.
WE WENT ON A ANOTHER HOME VISIT AND IT WAS NOT A LIVABLE CONDITION AND WE KNEW THE FAMILY
WAS LIVING THAT WAY AND THE SMELL WAS SO STRONG IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR US TO BE IN THERE. WE
KNOW OUR KIDS HAVE A LOT OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS.
ACCORDING TO STATISTICS, MORE THAN 80 PERCENT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AND REDUCED RUN PROGRAM.
THESE KIDS OFTEN SPEND THEIR OWN MONEY TO HELP KIDS GET TO GLASS, THEY HAVE EVEN PAID
FOR COLLEGE ENTRY FEES AND HEALTH INSURANCE. COLLINS BELIEVES THE BEST WAY TO GET KIDS
TO CLASS IS MAKE A PERSONAL CONNECTION, ONE STUDENT AT THE TIME.
IF YOU WERE TO ASK MOST KIDS WHY DO YOU COME, A LOT OF THEM WOULD SAY IT IS ABOUT HIM OR
HER.
HIS PHILOSOPHY SEEMS TO BE WORKING ATTENDANTS HAS INCREASED SINCE LAST YEAR AND STATE EXAMS
ARE ALSO CREEPING UP BUT THE CHANGE MAY BE TOO SLOW. BUDGET CUTS WILL ELIMINATE THEIR
POSITIONS IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR BUT SHE SAYS EVEN IF SHE LEAVES THE SCHOOL SHE WILL
NOT LEAVE BEHIND HER STUDENTS.
I WILL STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM AND IF I CAN SUPPORT THEM IN ANY WAY I WILL.
BUILDING EXPECTATIONS CAN A NEW SCHOOL BRIDGE THE GAP? WE WILL AIR IN APRIL. >>> A YEAR
AGO, SEVERAL RACIST INCIDENTS RESULTED IN EFFORT TO IMPROVE STUDENT DIVERSITY ON A CAMPUS
WHICH HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST PERCENTAGES OF BLACK STUDENTS IN THE UK SYSTEM, OFFICIALS
NOW SAY THEY ARE CREATING A LARGER STUDENT POPULATION. TO RECAP, WHAT EVENTS TOOK PLACE JUST ABOUT
A YEAR AGO THAT PUSHED THE CAMPUS EFFORTS TO INCREASE ETHNIC DIVERSITY THERE?
WELL IT WAS AN OFF CAMPUS PARTY AND THIS PARTY MOCKED CULTURE DURING A MONTH WHERE WE CELEBRATE
BLACK HISTORY AND STUDENTS WERE TOLD TO DRESS UP LIKE GHETTO CHICKS FOR THE FEMALES. THEY
WERE TOLD TO USE LIMITED VOCABULARY. THEY WERE SELLING WATERMELON AND FRIED CHICKEN
AND IT SET OFF MORE INCIDENTS WHICH LED TO A BIG STUDENT UPRISING. THE CHANCELLOR WAS
PRESSURED INTO ACCEPTING A LONG LIST OF DEMANDS, I THINK 19 DEMANDS TO REVERSE WHAT STUDENTS
CALLED INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM ON CAMPUS.
THERE WAS A LUNCHEON TO FIND OUT HOW STUDENTS WORKED OUT?
I THINK IT IS WORK SLOWLY BUT THEY HAVE STEADY PROGRESS NOTES GUESS ON THE ISSUE -- PROGRESS
ON THE ISSUE. THEY OPENED A NEW PLACE THAT CATERS TO STUDENTS ON CAMPUS. THEY OPENED
UP WITH CLIMATE COMMISSION AND THEY ARE ENCOURAGING MORE PUBLIC ART ON CAMPUS THAT IS MORE CULTURALLY
RELEVANT. THOSE WERE THE THINGS THEY PUT INTO EFFECT. THE SUFFER ISSUE IS FINANCING THE
MONEY TO REALLY POUR INTO PROGRAMS THAT WILL ATTRACT, RETAIN STUDENTS OF COLOR ON CAMPUS.
THAT IS A PROBLEM THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD GETTING UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS ON CAMPUS AND THEY
HAVE ADMITTED THEM IN TERMS OF HERE IS YOUR PASS TO COME ON CAMPUS BUT THEY HAVE A HARD
TIME GETTING THEM TO ACCEPT THAT PROPOSAL AND COME ON CAMPUS.
WHAT IS THE REACTION?
I THINK SOME OF THE STUDENTS ARE NOW MEETING WITH ADD MINUTE STRAYSERS. THEY ARE NOW ADD
LET MEETING AT THE TABLE AND STUDENTS ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER THESE EFFORTS ARE JUST
A BANDAGE OR AFFIX. --A FIX. STUDENTS WONDERING WHO WILL HOLD ADMINISTRATORS' FEET TO THE
FIRE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> YOU ARE WELCOME.
THE 2010 SEPSIS MEANS IT IS TIME --CENSUS MEANS IT IS TIME ONCE AGAIN AND SUPERVISORS
ARE LOOKING AT THEIR DISTRICT BOUNDARY LINES BUT UNLIKE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE COUNTY
SUPERVISORS HAVE THE FINAL SAY OVER HOW THEIR DISTRICT BOUNDARIES HAVE CHANGED. THEY ARE
HERE TO EXPLAIN WHY REDISTRICTING IS WORTH WATCHING.
SO WE LOOK AT A MAP AND SEE HOW IT BROKE INTO FIVE DISTRICTS. THAT IS DISTRICT THREE. IT
HAS SUCH A STRANGE LOOK.
THIS IS AN H-AND BECAUSE OF THE WAY REDISTRICTING HAS CAUSED THINGS, THE TOP SIDE IS TRANSFERRED
BY BILL HORN WHO GAVE HER ESCONDIDO AND TOOK FAIRBANKS RANCH INSTEAD. SO AS A RESULT OF
WHAT WAS AGREED TO, IT LOOKS DIVERSE.
WHY ARE THEY DRAWING THEIR OWN DISTRICT BOUNDARY LINES.
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO HAS ALSO HANDED THAT OVER TO A COMMISSION AND THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR
HAS FINAL AUTHORITY.
BUT THEY HAVE NOT APPOINTED AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THAT IS PART OF THE PROCESS. TEN YEARS AGO, THEY MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRETTY
MUCH AND THE DECISION IS WHAT STOOD.
SO THAT MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN? THEY WILL PARTICULAR TO THEIR ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IF THEY ARE LIKELY TO REVEAL ANY SHIFTS IN POPULATION WOULD IT MAKE IT A GOOD IDEA TO
SHIFT THE BOUNDARY LINES?
YES, THEY HAVE MOVED TO THE NORTH AND I SPOKE WITH CHRIS WHO EXPLAINED HOW IT WOULD AFFECT
THE REDISTRICTING.
WELL SINCE THERE IS --THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION -- BILL HORN IS GOING TO YOU KNOW,
NEED TO --IT WOULD REQUIRE DEMOGRAPHICS AND ETHNICITY AND OTHER EQUALITY CONTRIBUTION.
HIS DISTRICT WILL HAVE TO GO AND LOSE SOME OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS AND DOWN TO THE OUT.
THEY MIGHT PICK UP A VOTE AS WELL?
IT SHOULD AND LIKELY WOULD. BUT THE QUESTION IS CAN SHE GET HER COASTAL AREAS BACK? SHE
WOULD LIKE THAT BECAUSE HAS A LOT OF COMMON NATALEE HOLLAWAYTY THERE --COMMON THINGS GOING
ON THERE.
THEY MIGHT ELIMINATE CARAMEL VALLEY WHILE SHE PICKS UP DISTRICTS TO THE NORTH AND THAT
WOULD DISEND FRANCHISE ONE OF THE MAIN CONTENDERS IN THE COMING ELECTIONS. STEVE, WHO IS THE
CHIEF OF STAFF HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING AND HAS RAISED $40,000 BUT THEY CAN CHANGE THE BOUNDARIES
SO HE NO LONGER LIVES THERE.
SO IT IS POLITICS, POLITICS, POLITICS. >> YES, THANK YOU.
RAMONA OPENED A BRAND-NEW CITY AND THE TOWN OF FALL FALL BROOK DEFINED IT. OTHER CITIES MAY LOVE THEIR LIBRARY BUT
FALL BROOK SEEMS SPECIAL AND IT IS FOR THE TOWN'S EXPERIENCE AN AN EXIST TENSE --EXIST
TENSE.
IT WAS SMALL FOR A LIBRARY, JUST 9,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE WOULD HAVE LINES IN THE EVENING OF 50 PEOPLE WAITING TO USE OUR NUMBER OF COMPUTERS.
WE LOOKED AT OPERATION SURF AND THEY NEEDED A BUILDING 60,000 SQUARE FEET WHICH WOULD
HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE.
TO SAY IT IS NOT ONISM --ON MIST PARTICULAR, --OPTIMISTIC, THIS LIBRARY'S OPERATIONS ARE
DOWN FROM $41 MILLION A YEAR TO $36 MILLION. HOW DO YOU OPEN LIBRARIES, HOW DO YOU ADD
HOURS?
$2 MILLION QUESTIONS RIGHT THERE, HOW DO YOU BUILD AND ONE A 13-YEAR-OLD LIBRARY IN ONE
THAT SEEMS TO BE ABOUT HAVING ILLEGITIMATE LESS AND MAKING DUE. FIRST YOU FIND COMMUNITY
LEADERS AND KNOW HOW TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED AND DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.
WE FORMED A BLUE RIBBON COMMUNITY.
THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS INVOLVEMENT.
WE HAD TOWN HALL MEMBERS WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAME IN AND GAVE THEIR INPUT AS TO WHAT THEY
WANTED TO SEE IN THEIR LIBRARY.
WE BROUGHT IN 25 TEENAGERS AND ASKED THEM FOR THEIR INPUT.
THE COMMUNITY ALSO WEIGHED IN ON PLANS AND MODELS SUBMITTED BY 10 DIFFERENT ARCHITECTS.
THE COMMITTEE WAS INVITED TO TEST THEIR VOTE FOR THEIR FAVORITE.
THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WAS THEIR FAVORITE.
WITH THAT INPUT THESE PEOPLE WERE VESTED IN THE BUILDING OF THEIR NEW LIBRARY AND THEY
WERE VERY GENEROUS.
THOROUGHSED 2 --RAISED 2. 5 MILLION FROM THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY SUPER BORED OF COUNTY --
SUPER ADVISORY BOARD.
REMEMBER, THEY HAD BEEN CUT 20% IN FOUR YEARS WOULD THE BEAUTIFUL NEW LIBRARY BE CLOSED
LIKE OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTY?
IT WILL BE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK AND THREE DAYS A WEEK IN THE EVENING.
TODAY ALL LIBRARIES IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND MANY IN THE COUNTIES ARE CLOSED TWO DAYS
A WEEK AND ONLY OPEN TWO OR THREE EVENINGS.
THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, THE 20th BUSIEST IN THE U.S. IS LINKED TO MANY LIBRARIES AROUND THE
STATE INCLUDING UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES.
YOU CAN GO AND SIT IN YOUR HOME AND ANY ONE OF OUR COMMUNITIES FALL BROOK, GO TO THE CATALOGS
AND FIND OUT WHAT IS ON THE SHELF AND HAVE IT DELIVERED TO THIS LIBRARY.
AND LIBRARY USERS ARE DOING JUST THAT. CIRCULATION NEARLY DOUBLED BEFORE THE NEW ONE WAS OPENED.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR CITY AND COUNTY LIBRARIES. ANYBODY WHO SAYS LIBRARIES ARE OBSOLETE WOULD
GET AN ARGUMENT.
ON OPENING DAY THOUSANDS IN FALL BROOK CAME TO SEE THEIR NEW LIBRARY. I TOOK A DAY OFF
ONE AFTERNOON AND I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THEIR NEW FACILITY.
FOR MY CHILDREN I AM LOOKING FOR MATERIAL THAT WOULD HELP THEM GROW IN THEIR READING
HABITS AND THEIR STUDY BEHAVIOR.
DO THEY LIKE THIS LIBRARY?
OH, THEY LOVE IT, THEY PRAY TO COME EVERY DAY.
I AM FROM ILLINOIS, I COME FROM A TOWN IN ST. CHARLESTON AND I HAVE BEEN OUT HERE FOR
OVER A YEAR NOW.
NOTHING SPEAKS TO LIFE LONG LEARNING BECAUSE IT SERVES ALL AGES AND ALL PEOPLE.
HAVING THIS NEW LIBRARY, IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE BECAUSE IT REALLY SEEMS TO REFLECT HOW
IMPORTANT THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN TO FALL BROOK.
THE EXCITEMENT OVER THIS LIBRARY IS PALPABLE. YOU CAN FEEL IT EVERYWHERE YOU GO.
IT IS SIR REAL, IT IS A DREAM COME --SURREAL, IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE.
HERE IS AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON FOR NEXT WEEK.
COMING UP, WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE MOVEMENT TO CHANGE THE IMAGE OF ONE OF GANGS AND VIOLENCE
TO ONE OF ARTISTS. AND WE WILL HEAR FROM SCIENTISTS E-HEAR SOME SURPRISING WAYS HUMANS ARE CHANGING
THE EARTH'S CLIMATE. YOU CAN COMMENT ON ANY OF THE STORIES YOU HEARD TONIGHT BY GOING
TO OUR WEBSITE. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. HERE IS A LOOK AT YOUR WEEKEND WEATHER
FORECAST. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOOD NIGHT.