KPBS Midday Edition

One of San Diego's most beloved attractions turned 100 this year. The Giant Dipper roller coaster at Belmont Park carried its first riders on July 4, 1925.The amusement park is still bustling a century later, holding a lot of history within it.On Midday Edition, we sit down with the park's general manager to hear how they're celebrating 100 years.Guest:Steve Thomas, Belmont Park general manager

Public radio fans know a thing or two about language. Especially those who listen to the weekly talk show, "A Way with Words."Co-hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett take calls about slang, dialects and family expressions — celebrating the nuance of words and speech.Now, Barnette is out with a new book about her career, built on a love of linguistics.It's called "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland."Barnette will be signing copies at Warwick's in La Jolla on Thursday, Aug. 7. And, she'll be a featured author at the inaugural San Diego Book Festival on Aug. 23.On Midday Edition, we sit down with Barnette to hear all about the book and two decades of hosting "A Way with Words."Guest:Martha Barnette, co-host of "A Way with Words;" author of "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland"

Across cultures, food traditions play a central role in family gatherings.For some Mexican American families, that gathering — along with laughter and love — may include the flavorful beef soup: menudo.For San Diego writer María Dolores Águila, this tradition became the subject of her new children’s book.Today on Midday Edition, a local author joins us to explore her new bilingual picture book, "Menudo Sunday", that celebrates food, family and culture.Guest:María Dolores Águila, bilingual author

Around 3 in 4 U.S. adults say the future of our nation is a significant source of stress in their lives. Many are troubled by the onslaught of federal policies tackling immigration and anti-civil rights legislation. A panel of local therapists join us to discuss how this political moment is affecting their work with clients. Guests: David PetersMitzy RuelasAlexis Smith

San Diego County jails have long been under scrutiny for alleged civil rights violations.In 2022, the jail system had 19 deaths — a record high for San Diego County jails.A complaint filed that year has since expanded to a class action lawsuit challenging nearly every aspect of jail operations — including medical and mental health practices.We discuss the latest insights into the legal proceedings and what the lawsuit has exposed about jail operations.Guest: Kelly Davis, watchdog reporter, San Diego Union-Tribune

Immigration detention facilities are a key part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, which pushes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to meet arrest quotas of 3,000 people a day. A new KPBS investigation looks into overcrowding within San Diego County's Otay Mesa Detention Center.Immigration lawyers report that detainees are sleeping on the floor and receiving deferred medical care resulting hospitalizations.On Midday Edition, we discuss the details and how they reflect a national trend of overcrowding in detention facilities.Guest:Gustavo Solis, investigative border reporter, KPBS

A new KPBS investigation uncovers problems within San Diego County's animal shelters, leading to a spike in dog euthanasias. Last fiscal year, the shelters made the decision to euthanize 426 dogs. That meant canines entering the shelter system had a more than 1-in-10 chance of being put down. On Midday Edition, we sit down with the journalists behind the investigation to unpack the full story. Guests: Scott RoddElaine Alfaro

Each year, celebrities, creators and fans from all across the world converge in San Diego for Comic-Con to celebrate all things related to fandom, pop culture, art, and so much more.Thursday on Midday Edition, we take you live inside the convention center to discuss what makes America's Finest City a special place to host the pop culture juggernaut.Plus, hear from different creators across art, books and film about their personal journeys into their fields, and how they are continuing to represent their culture and stories.Guests:Beth Accomando, arts reporter, KPBSPatrick Ballesteros, illustrator and educatorJohn Wells III, author of "The Last Angel Warrior" and "The Heir of Ambrose," organizer of "Diversity in Fantasy" panelErnie Bustamante, director, "Street Smart: Lessons From a TV Icon"

Comic-Con season is well underway. Two local events are coinciding with the main convention and are spotlighting comics creators and stories underrepresented in the mainstream. Wednesday on Midday Edition, we hear about the inaugural Indigi-Con, which celebrates and amplifies indigenous stories through art and comics, as well as Afrofuturism Lounge, which connects Black creators across disciplines. Guests: Chag LowryIndigenous Futures InstituteKatie WalkiewiczLaWana Richmond

On the eve of San Diego Comic-Con, we take a closer look at the local economy — and how the convention impacts it.A local economist shares insights on what a jump in unemployment means for the region, and how tourism remains a bright spot.Guest:Daniel Enemark, chief economist, San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center

Amid funding cuts for public media, stations all across the country — including KPBS — are bracing for impact of the Trump administration’s rescissions package. This includes $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) — which effectively cuts all federal support for NPR and PBS programs. Marco Werman, host of Public Radio Exchange’s The World and journalist-in-residence at UC San Diego, discusses the impact of the defunding on public media and the value of local journalism. Guest: “The World”

Basketball and skateboarding are powerful tools for building community across cultures. For tribal communities, these sports provide a unique avenue for cultural expression and mentorship. Tuesday on Midday Edition, we hear from the author of the new book "Rezballers and Skate Elders: Joyful Futures in Indian Country" about his research into sports culture among tribal communities. We also discuss his work with San Diego State University's Center for Skateboarding, Action Sports, and Social Change. Guest: David Kamper

A new limited podcast series "Short Wave: Sea Camp" explores the science of the sea, and how it plays a central role in sustaining life on Earth. Monday on Midday Edition, podcast hosts Regina Barber and Emily Kwong explain their approach to create stories of science that are both accessible and enriching. Guests: Regina Barber, cohost, Short Wave’s "Sea Camp" series Emily Kwong, cohost, Short Wave’s "Sea Camp" series

What does it mean to honor lineage and connect to ancestral identity, homeland and cultural memory? Four artists will explore those themes and more at a one-day performance art festival called "The Land We Carry," as part of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Emerging Artist Fellowship. KPBS arts reporter Julia Dixon Evans spoke with the curator and two artist fellows about what it means to "carry the land," and how they use art to heal. Guests: hamsa faeC. Ryuhaven luya

Congress last week passed a rescission package put forth by the Trump administration to eliminate about $9 billion in previously allocated funds for public media and foreign aid. That includes $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which essentially cuts all federal support for NPR, PBS, and member stations like KPBS. KPBS General Manager Deanna Mackey joined Midday Edition to discuss how the funding loss may affect this station. Guest: Deanna Martin Mackey

San Diego's Pride Week is well underway. It is an opportunity to celebrate the rich history of the LGBTQ+ community in our border region — a history that is well-documented by the Lambda Archives, a local archive space in University Heights. 20240819_145708.jpg (3000x4000, AR: 0.75) Local historian T.J. Tallie has spent the past year as the Lambda Archives' first ever community historian-in-residence. He wanted to find out: what was life like for San Diego's Black queer community in the 80's and 90's? On Midday Edition Thursday, we hear from Tallie about what he found, the intersection of Blackness and queerness, and the legacies of Black LGBTQ+ San Diegans today. Then, KPBS' Beth Accomando sits down with filmmaker Ron Najor to talk about his debut narrative feature, "Adjunct" ahead of its premiere in San Diego. And finally, KPBS arts reporter Julia Dixon Evans chats with local author Chris Baron about his latest middle grade book, "Spark" and dives into her arts and culture event picks for the weekend. Guests: T.J. TallieChris BaronJulia Dixon Evans

From nationwide bans on gender-affirming care for minors to the shutdown of a suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ+ youth, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation is increasingly impacting queer and transgender youth. Wednesday on Midday Edition, we hear about how anti-LGBTQ+ policies are continuing to impact young people and their families in San Diego, including access to health care and mental health services. Also, for Pride week, one program at a local LGBTQ+ theater is giving teenagers a creative means of processing the political moment and channeling it into art. Guests: TransFamily Support ServicesLou FelipeDiversionary Theatre

Research shows that during the summer, the average student loses between 17% to 34% of what they learned the previous school year. That trend is even more pronounced for economically disadvantaged students. On Midday Edition Wednesday, we speak with members of two local literacy programs working to combat summer learning loss and promote a love for reading. Guests: San Diego Council on LiteracyReach Out and Read San Diego

Elsa Sevilla wears many different hats — journalist, filmmaker, speaker, business owner. She also hosts the award-winning documentary series, "Historic Places with Elsa Sevilla" that airs on KPBS. Now she's an author. On Midday Edition Thursday, Sevilla talks about her journey to the spotlight in her new memoir, "Camera Ready: From Hardship to the Spotlight — A Story of Determination and Rise." Then, theater company Riot Productions is putting on "Gretel: The Musical," which reimagines the classic Brothers Grimm tale. KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando gets a preview. And finally, home cook, food content creator and "The Great American Recipe" contestant Waigal Safi talks about the process of competing in a cooking show and highlighting Afghan cuisine. Guests: Elsa SevillaWaigal SafiJulia Dixon Evans

As immigration raids continue, it’s become more important than ever to know your rights. On Midday Edition Wednesday, we talk with two local theater groups about using improv to help educate the community and the intersection between art, law, activism and community. Guests: Uprise Theater