Latest news with #TerraLawson-Remer
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
County offers $135k grant to save San Diego's fire pits
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava announced Thursday a last-ditch effort to save the city's beachside fire rings from the budgetary chopping block. The county has committed to provide $135,000 in stopgap funding from the Community Enhancement Grant Program to maintain the beloved fire pits through the next fiscal year, covering services like ash removal, debris disposal and safety compliance checks. This work to the rings — located throughout Fiesta Island, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Bay and La Jolla — was one of the proposed cuts included in Mayor Todd Gloria's budget draft to help the city close a more than $250 million budget deficit. San Diego unveils devices to help wheelchair users visit beaches Some residents of the impacted coastal neighborhoods were incensed by the proposed cut, arguing the fire rings are a core part of the city's culture. Others, however, expressed being more open to it. Supporters of the cuts described the rings as a relative nuisance due to their smoke and some residents' use of them to burn items like trash and furniture. Lawson-Remer explained in a statement the stopgap funding is intended to give the city the opportunity to work out a permanent solution to maintain the fire rings' funding moving forward. 'I believe in protecting the places that bring us together. These fire pits are part of our shared story as San Diegans – places where people connect across generations and backgrounds,' she said. 'This offer is about giving the community time to come together around a long-term solution, without losing an asset that matters so much to our region.' City blocked from applying vendor laws to beachside yoga classes The city will still need to formally accept on the grant. It is expected to be discussed as part of the City Council's Budget Committee Meeting on Friday, when they will be parsing through their proposed revisions to Gloria's proposal. 'Generations of San Diegans, including my family, have gathered around fire rings to celebrate, reflect, and build community,' said LaCava in a statement. 'This grant will allow the city to re-focus on locating the fire pits and ensuring they are used responsibly.' The council will have until June 10 to approve a finalized budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in July. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supervisor Lawson-Remer presents ‘local battleplan' during State of County address
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — This year's state of the county address was delivered in Balboa Park by acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. She shared her proposed plan for how to move the county forward in challenging fiscal times and what she considers 'a moment of democratic crisis.' 'When federal leadership fails, local government must lead,' Lawson-Remer said. The acting Chair jumped right into the challenges stemming from the federal government slashing programs and funding. 'Every decision Washington makes impacts our ability to serve you,' Lawson-Remer said. Lawson-Remer then unveiled several proposals in what she's calling the 'local battleplan for national crisis.' With a projected budget shortfall of more than $130 million, she's calling for an immediate reform to the county's reserve policy to help fill the gaps in public health, staffing labs and responding to climate and disease threats. The county currently has more than $100 million in reserves. Lawson-Remer is proposing expanding behavioral healthcare in a new plan that will double treatment slots in five years to more than 32,000 openings for San Diegans to get help. Additionally, a county-run Medicaid healthcare plan is proposed to protect access for nearly one million San Diegans. However, it all requires funding, largely Medicaid funding Lawson-Remer says is being heavily impacted by the Trump administration. She's proposing generating that money from San Diegans. 'We can raise the money ourselves. A local revenue measure could leverage one billion dollars a year,' Lawson-Remer said. With a surge in cost of living, San Diego County may create its own consumer financial protection division to tackle price, gouging, payday, lending, delayed and denied health insurance claims and deceptive advertising. Some other big themes included the county's accomplishments in building affordable housing, more protections for renters, legal protections for immigrants, and even a proposed ban on toxic 'forever chemicals.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
San Diego County fails to pass expansion of Immigrant Legal Defense Program
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A proposal to expand the San Diego County's current Immigrant Legal Defense Program failed to pass the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The Immigrant Legal Defense Program was first passed in 2021, and began in 2022, after a proposal from Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. The $5 million per year program funds legal fees for migrants seeking asylum, who are detained. Lawson-Remer said since the program began in 2022, they've helped 2,500 migrants at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility through the legal process and have had a 66 percent success rate. She said under this program they've also had people who were not legally allowed to be in the U.S. (for certain criminal convictions), get deported faster. April 8 District 1 Supervisor special election: What to know Lawson-Remer's proposal would have expanded the program to allow for any migrant in the county, including those not detained, to access legal representation under the program. The new proposal would have not taken cases for people with serious criminal convictions such as rape, murder or drug trafficking. 'The constitution is not a suggestion, due process should not be optional,' Lawson-Remer said during Tuesday's board meeting. 'I don't think we should be spending our tax dollars when we're actually having a lot of defunding going on and we need this money,' said Audra Morgan, who spoke out against the proposal during public comment on Tuesday. While a majority of the Board of Supervisors who were present at Tuesday's meeting voted for it, the measure still failed. DHS issues waiver to bypass certain laws to speed border wall construction in San Diego After the vote failed, Lawson-Remer and activists held a rally outside the county administration. 'It's really unfortunate, when you end up with frankly a kind of partisan split, where people don't respect the basic principals of human rights because they are more interested in sort of kowtowing to whatever is coming out of the administration in Washington. It's very sad,' Lawson-Remer said on the failed vote. 'I'm glad that it failed, I do have compassion for illegal immigrants that are working here, but the fact is that they are illegal and I don't think we shouldn't be spending our tax dollars trying to defend that,' said Mark, who also spoke out against the proposal during the public comment portion of Tuesday's board meeting. Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe voted for it, while Joel Anderson voted against it, and did not speak about the proposal during public comment. Growing homeless encampment in a City Heights neighborhood is worrying residents Supervisor Jim Desmond is in Washington D.C. and the District 1 seat remains vacant, which could have been a deciding vote on this proposal. Lawson-Remer said she plans to bring the proposal back to the board as soon as another District 1 Supervisor is sworn in. Desmond said in a statement regarding his absence, 'This week, I had the opportunity to meet with several high-ranking officials in the federal government to advocate for critical issues impacting San Diego. With how quickly this administration is moving on matters like tariffs and other national policies, I felt it was imperative to be there in person to ensure San Diegans' voices are heard and to work toward real solutions that benefit our region.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Government takes drastic step to protect thousands of households threatened by poisoned air: 'We keep fighting'
In an effort to help residents breathe easier, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District is distributing 10,000 air purifiers to South Bay households. The distribution program aims to ease the impact of the ongoing Tijuana River Valley pollution crisis, which has sent noxious odors and pollution into nearby neighborhoods for years. "No one should have to breathe polluted air in their own home," said SDAPCD board member and county supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer in a KPBS news report. The free purifiers are part of the Air Improvement Relief Effort and are designed to filter out hydrogen sulfide, a gas that smells like rotten eggs and is linked to sewage pollution from the Tijuana River. According to Lawson-Remer, the initiative will help "10,000 households protect their health, while we keep fighting for clean air and water in our community." Due to limited supply, families with children, seniors 65 and older, and homes closest to the Tijuana River will get priority for the air purifiers. Households can register on the SDAPCD website to receive a unit by mail. Local distribution events will also be held. Clean air is essential to healthy living, yet more than 83 million people in the United States are exposed to unhealthy air every year, according to First Street. That figure includes 10 million people who may have exposure to very unhealthy air quality and 1.5 million people who are at risk of experiencing hazardous air quality. For the communities around the Tijuana River, odor is just one concern. Experts have linked long-term exposure to air pollution to skin conditions such as eczema and increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline. If no meaningful action is taken, studies show that the number of Americans affected by poor air quality could increase by more than 50% by 2054. The air purifier distribution effort is just one piece of a larger puzzle. Local officials and the International Boundary and Water Commission are working on long-term solutions, including expanding a nearby wastewater treatment plant to help reduce pollution at the source. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. In the meantime, residents can take small steps to protect their indoor air, including sealing windows and doors, using exhaust fans while cooking, and replacing old HVAC filters regularly. Another way you can make an impact is by using your voice and speaking up to your local representatives. Communities are stronger when people work together to make change happen. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
San Diego County loses $40M in funds just before new public health lab opens
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego County will not receive $40 million of public health funding promised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), County Supervisor and acting Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer announced Thursday in a news release. According to the release, the county was notified just last week that the CDC would pull back on multiple funding streams that were previously awarded through fiscal year 2025-2026. The impacted streams fall under the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) program, the Immunization and Vaccines for Children program, and the COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant. Local research on HIV, suicide prevention impacted by NIH grant cuts Lawson-Remer said the county was awarded $174 million, but recently learned that $40 million will no longer be available 'due to the CDC's abrupt 30-day closeout period.' The announcement comes just weeks before the county was preparing to debut its new Public Health Lab in May. The project was first announced years ago, and is slated to open in Kearny Mesa. The $93 million, 52,000-square-foot project was designed to expand the county's response to transmissible diseases and reduce the need for out-of-county corporate labs. It was funded, in part, by local dollars. However, the county supervisor said the lab needs federal support to ensure the facility will be able to provide services as planned. 'We built the lab. We planned responsibly. We kept our end of the deal. Now the federal government is walking away from theirs — and San Diego families are the ones paying the price,' said Lawson-Remer. 'This isn't just bad policy — it's sabotage disguised as efficiency, and it leaves San Diego taxpayers holding the bill.' The grants were meant to support $17 million in capital costs as well as lab equipment. Over 90 public health positions have been impacted by the cuts, according to the release. A few of the programs now at risk due to the lack of funding, according to Lawson-Remer, are a mobile testing unit for community outbreaks, in-shelter flu and hepatitis vaccinations, public health data system and staffing for epidemiologists and health investigators. The loss of grant funding underscores the local need for public health services. The county announced a large hepatitis A outbreak in March 2017, with some cases traced back to November 2016. Due to the scale of the outbreak, the county declared a local health emergency on Sept. 1, 2017. Before it officially was declared over on Jan. 23, 2018, the outbreak resulted in nearly 600 cases and 20 deaths. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
