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Two More Knees Need Attention

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Camp Lejeune’s history of poisoned drinking water causing illness, disease, birth defects, and death is one all Americans should hear about

By Nancee Kesinger

This tale of two knees is timely and true.  The first knee is mine, touching down to meet the cool tile floor of a hospital exam room a few weeks ago in mid-September.  Yes, I am the person kneeling, yet the story is not mine.

Far from stadium crowds and television cameras, under fluorescent clinical lights that render no warmth, I tilt forward out of my chair to approximate eye level with my loved one who is lying face down on the low table enduring the physical pain of a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration.  He has the pose of a day-dreaming sunbather with arms raised above his shoulders and hands casually crisscrossed under his head, but this beautiful black man doesn’t need a tan, and his relaxed position betrays some starker truths.

My taking a knee on this day is wholly in support of this glad-hearted and serene Marine—my partner of many years, my significant other, my mate—who is learning on this day the complete details of his alarming, week-old leukemia diagnosis (cancer of the blood and bone marrow).    [Read more…]

The Ballad of DJT

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By P. Staley

A tweeter named Donnie was mad.
He ended each message with “sad.”
When asked who he hated
he huffed and berated:
“If you dare question me then you’re bad.”

A golfer named Donnie did tweet,
“Another tough round I won – sweet!”   [Read more…]

Deported Veterans Battle to Come Home

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By Edward Sifuentes / ACLU San Diego

In 1983, U.S. Marine Armando Scott was stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, when suicide bombers detonated two truck bombs that destroyed the barracks housing his unit. More than 300 people died in the attack, including 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and three soldiers.

Scott survived the terrorist attack and helped pull the bodies out of the rubble.

Unfortunately, Scott, who was born in Panama, is now living in Tijuana. He is one of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of U.S. military veterans who have been deported from the country they once served with honor and distinction.
  [Read more…]

Housing Law 101: What San Diego is Doing Wrong

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By Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi / UrbDeZine

Instead of taking concrete steps to address the growing housing affordability crisis, San Diego has done nothing for years.  Now, faced with nationwide criticism for its mishandling of a Hepatitis A outbreak that was caused by the mistreatment of a growing homeless population, City leaders are wondering what went wrong.  

First, San Diego gave its public housing authority, San Diego Housing Commission, free reign to opt out of following federal laws aimed at protecting housing subsidy recipients. As a result, San Diego Housing Commission has and continues to create policies that adversely impact the low-income tenants for whom it receives federal funding to protect. One example: SDHC’s Community Choices program encourages low-income families to spend 50 percent of their income on rent.   [Read more…]

Here’s How San Diego Can Help Puerto Rico

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Information provided by the USD Toreros

The men’s basketball programs at the University of San Diego and Arizona State University will team up for a charity exhibition game on Wednesday, Nov. 1, to raise money for Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico. The game between the Toreros and Sun Devils will take place at 7 p.m. in USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion.

The University of San Diego and Arizona State University together requested and received a waiver from the NCAA to play the extra exhibition game with the sole purpose to benefit hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.

Tickets for the exhibition game between the Toreros and Sun Devils are $10 for general admission and $5 for children and USD students. Tickets can be purchased online or on game day at the Jenny Craig Pavilion ticket window. All money collected through ticket sales will be donated to Catholic Charities, USA, for Hurricane Maria relief.   [Read more…]

​Readers Write: ​Inexperienced​,​ ​Untrained​​ ​Administrators​ ​Destabilize​ ​Schools

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By E. A. Berry

When cronyism, politics, and inexperience become the norm in hiring public school administrators, and the practice of hiring people with actual knowledge and “know how” is set aside, teachers suffer the consequences. Some get stressed, are worn thin mentally and emotionally, can become physically ill, and, in the most extreme cases, even die.

New teachers, especially, are susceptible to the lack of support, intimidation techniques, and outright bullying in the workplace. An environment that should be friendly, transparent, and productive can soon become hostile, dark, and scary.

At one charter school in the district, Education Week did an article about a teacher who was so pressured to perform, her colleagues believe it actually contributed to her death.

Is this the kind of place anyone would want to work, or where students would want to learn?   [Read more…]

Readers Write: It’s Time to Properly Interpret the Second Amendment

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By Pete Beauregard

A few weeks ago, I saw a video advertising a firing mechanism capable of turning a semi-automatic rifle into a fully-automatic machine-gun. It was similar to a bump-stock, but smaller, and could fit onto the trigger guard. The speed at which those bullets were flying out of the barrel was frightening, and I felt compelled to share my anger that this kind of device was on the market.

I wrote a post on Facebook where I expressed my concerns about the amount of damage that could be done with this kind of device. Some of these devices are easily attained by mail order for less than $60 and are available in every state. Any one of these devices can really wreak havoc in the same manner committed by the Las Vegas mass murderer.   [Read more…]

A First Hand Account of the Northern California Fires

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We have all read about the horrible fires and devastation north of us. This account was sent to San Diego Free Press contributor Judi Curry by a friend living in the Bay Area, who has given permission to post.

I am going up today to look around. I am still shut out of my neighborhood. The boys are staying at the beach.

Reflecting on the current reality, and thought I’d share, since some folks who haven’t been here yet are driving in this weekend …   [Read more…]

Readers Write: Will Predatory Rental Practices Push My Family into the Street?

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By Josh Weber

My family just got robbed of our rent. We have two girls and a baby on the way, so this is extremely tough. For the first time since my oldest child was born, thoughts of homelessness cross my mind.

We were trying to move from one place to another. The new rental we found is the same size as where we lived before, just cheaper and a further commute. Finally we could save a little, and our kids would still have their own room and space.

We were struggling to get in with individual agents, each charging us around $100 for applications or credit checks. We felt like we were getting ripped off from each agent, so after a few hundred dollars, we chose an agency. An agency, we thought, would be a safer approach.   [Read more…]

Public Libraries Like Escondido’s Being Privatized by Swiss Cheese Rats (Editorial Cartoon)

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By Laurie Menard

Editor’s Note: The ‘Save The Escondido Public Library’ group is urging people to attend a City Council meeting on Wednesday, October 18 (201 West Broadway, Escondido) at 4:30pm. The proposed contract between the city and private contractor Library Systems & Services will be voted on.  Only 3 of the 11 degreed are going to keep their current positions. The Pioneer Room, currently staffed by local volunteers isn’t even mentioned in the document.   [Read more…]

How Artist Rocio Hoffmann Silva Painted My Portrait

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By George Howell

So, I find myself sitting in an old stuffed chair with worn arm rests, waiting for artist-activist Rocio Hoffmann to paint my portrait (video). As she preps her canvas with a wash of flat red acrylic, Rocio chuckles. “I always start with rojo, red, because this is the name of my gallery, ‘Roho!’”

A small, round-faced woman with a permanent smile and a sharp sense of humor, Hoffmann regularly interviews Baja artists, musicians and dancers while she does their portraits, posting the live feeds to her Facebook page as part of a project called “Conversaciones in ROHO.”  Galeria RoHo, her small, but vibrant studio-school-market space, is located in the artisanal district along Boulevard Popotla, just south of the big hotels and tourist shops of downtown Rosarito.

Today, we’re switching roles. Ever since I met Rocio a few years ago at Festiarte, Tijuana’s exuberant celebration of the arts, I have wanted to interview her because she is a rich source of information about art and culture in Baja Norte.   [Read more…]

252 Days Under the Trump Regime

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By Lauren Botuck

252 days under the trump regime

just 50 votes needed
and it still didn’t pass
he can still take healthcare
from the middle class

stop the funding
maybe no one will notice
I’m guessing that’s next
from this heartless potus

he must have a win
no matter the cost
if the ACA thrives
in his mind he’s lost   [Read more…]

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