Around the County with Supervisor Jim Desmond

On Friday morning, Supervisor Jim Desmond, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey, Oceanside Councilman Ryan Keim, and Solutions for Change CEO Chris Megison joined forces to address the pressing issue of chronic homelessness in San Diego. The press conference shed light on the failures of the Housing First approach, and pushed for treatment and accountability tied to housing to address core issues with people who are homeless. Solutions For Change graduates joined them, a non-profit group that has made remarkable strides in combating homelessness. Despite its success, Solutions for Change is not eligible for state or federal funding due to its refusal to abide by the Housing First approach.

Tomorrow, the Board of Supervisors will decide on the replacement process for Nathan Fletcher. After taking time and speaking to people in the district, I believe we should go right to an election. The residents of District 4 should have a choice over who their new representative is.

Last week, California utility companies rolled out a new fixed-rate bill proposal. The basics of the proposal are the more you make, the more you pay for the flat rate. Then there will be a reduced usage charges, subsidized for all households by the flat rate. Here's the breakdown in pricing for San Diegans. Household income $28,000 – $69,000 would pay $34 a month. Households income from $69,000 – $180,000 would pay $73 a month. Household income above $180,000 would pay $128 a month. All these fees are tacked on before using a single kilowatt hour, meaning median-income San Diegans will pay $876 a year in electricity rates, regardless of whether they use any electricity. Also, you San Diegans will still get charged these monthly rates if they have residential solar.

From 2007 through 2022, the homeless population in California increased by 24% to 172,000. Today, nearly 1 in 3 homeless people live in California. Despite billions of dollars being spent and little improvement, the State has doubled down on the same efforts of Housing First. Today, I sat down with Jared Klickstein, who lived on the streets of California. We talked about his story, what he learned, and why the approach to homelessness in California is failing.

It is an absolute honor to be on the County Board of Supervisors. This is not a job I take for granted and I will do everything I can to make San Diego County an even better place to live, work and play.

We have been successful at stopping 4 out of the 5 Sexually Violent Predator placements in North County. We did it by coming up with a plan and getting everyone to speak out against these monsters. Thank you to everyone who joined today's town hall.

On Wednesday, June 9th, I held a Virtual Town Hall, with District Attorney Summer Stephan titled, "What Every Parent Should Know About Fentanyl." The meeting was held on Zoom and you can view the video on my Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el09UaBc47U   I want to thank everyone who attended our Fentanyl Town Hall. We hope parents, teachers, students and everyone else will now use this vital information going forward.    As summer approaches and teens have more free time, it's imperative that parents have the facts and knowledge to talk to their kids about the dangers of fentanyl.

Energy prices have been in the news a lot lately, with rates rising to record highs. We sat down with Wall Street Journal Energy Reporter, Katherine Blunt to talk about what's the cause and what can be done. Check out Katherine's latest piece in the WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/americas-power-grid-is-increasingly-unreliable-11645196772

Jacob is the founder and CEO of Justitia, a Danish think tank focused on human rights. He has a new book titled, “Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media." We spoke about free speech, misinformation, and what we can do to make progress! 

Today, we sat down with Dr. Monica Gandhi, infectious diseases and HIV doctor at UCSF. We spoke to Dr. Gandhi about her thoughts on COVID-19 transitioning from a pandemic to an endemic. It was a fascinating talk and I encourage to listen to our conversation! Op-Ed: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-endemic-vaccines-measles-smallpox-pandemic-coronavirus-11633015316

Tomorrow, we have a Board of Supervisors here are some of the topics that I'll be focused on.

We've heard a lot about monoclonal treatment and the fight against COVID-19, what is it? Today, we had Dr. Jennifer M. Tuteur, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, for the County of San Diego to answer our questions.  Who's eligible? When can you get it? Is it safe? All these questions and more!  If you do develop symptoms and test positive call your doctor or the Monoclonal Regional Antibody Center (619) 685-2500.  Learn more: https://bit.ly/3nXGLd2  

Supervisor Desmond, Coronado Mayor, Richard Bailey, and Erik Brouvald (CEO of North County Economic Development Council) talked about SANDAG's latest plan, including taxing us for every mile we drive. SANDAG's “5 Big Bold Moves” is projected to cost $163 billion of tax-payer dollars, with the majority of the money going towards public transit. Learn how we can come together and ensure this plan or any plan meets the needs of North County and the majority of San Diego commuters.

Today, we sat down with Pastor Greg Hendricks. Hendricks is the head pastor at the El Cajon location for The Rock Church. We talked about his upbringing, coaching in the NBA, and why we should, "Let Them Play." https://www.instagram.com/hendricksgreg/?hl=en

We sat down with Dr. Byram Bridle, an associate Professor of Viral Immunology, Department of Pathobiology at the University of Guelph.  Here's the article that we discussed: https://theconversation.com/a-year-of-covid-19-lockdown-is-putting-kids-at-risk-of-allergies-asthma-and-autoimmune-diseases-155102

We sat down with Shari Finney who oversees all clinical operations at the Cohen Clinic at Veterans Village of San Diego. Shari shared her insights on working with veterans what the last year has been like for mental health.  

We sat down with Deputy Todd Baker and Deputy Sheriff, Dustin Nelson to talk about the RESPECT project.  RESPECT Project is a character building and mentoring program designed for teenage youth. Currently serving the North County region, RESPECT Project was developed in 2014 by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. The program is a 10-week commitment aiming to reduce juvenile delinquency, lower recidivism, and offer alternatives to street gangs, substance abuse, and a life trapped in the criminal justice system.

Today, we sat down with Dr. Marsha Spitzer the Chief of Pediatrics, for Family Health Centers of San Diego. Also, Dr. Spitzer is the Medical Director for Reach Out and Read San Diego. Reach Out and Read prepares America’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. For more info visit: https://rorsd.org/

Next Wednesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors will decide whether or not marijuana should be manufactured, cultivated, and distributed within the unincorporated County. Today, we sat down with Dr. Karen Randall an ER nurse who lives in Pueblo, Colorado. A few years ago, Pueblo decided to embrace marijuana in their community. Dr. Randall shared her thoughts on what it has done to their city and what it's like being an ER nurse. 

Today, we sat down with UCLA Health Doctor, Joseph Ladapo to talk about COVID-19. Dr. Ladapo talked about his op-ed in the Wall Street Journal and why early treatment is key in the fight against COVID-19. https://www.wsj.com/articles/too-much-caution-is-killing-covid-patients-11606238928

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, youth sports have been put on hold by the State of California. Despite science showing little to no risk, Governor Newsom continues to crush the future for thousands of kids trying to enjoy healthy, athletic competition and reach the next level of their sporting careers. Today, I stood beside coaches, players, and parents throughout San Diego County, will urge the Governor to follow the science and get kids playing again!  

Today, we sat down with Dr. Eran Bendavid to talk about his latest study regarding lockdowns. Dr. Bendavid along with his colleagues studied the lockdowns in different countries to look at the similarities and differences in outcomes.

Today, we sat down with the Owner/Operator of the Old California Mining Company, Nick Ceko. We talked about how hard the last 8 months have been for him and what it is like to finally be able to open their doors! 

We sat down with Professor Simon Burgess from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. He has been at the forefront of the fight to open schools. Professor Burgess recently conducted a study about the impact of school closures and the significance in the future.   http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2020/july/schools-study.html

Sebastian Slovin was fortunate to grow up in the beach community of La Jolla, California and spent his childhood mixing it up in the ocean. As a young adult, he had the opportunity to travel extensively and experience many of the world’s great surf spots as a professional bodyboarder. Sebastian holds a BA in Environmental Policy from San Diego State University and an MA in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego. He is the author of The Adventures of Enu and Ashes in the Ocean. He and his wife, Sonya, founded Nature Unplugged with the mission of inspiring wellness in the digital age. They have developed a unique curriculum to help individuals, families, educators and organizations cultivate healthy relationships with technology and reconnect to nature. For more information visit https://www.natureunplugged.com. Brandon Parkhurst is a musician, music expressionist,  and Certified Core Energetics Practitioner specializing in addiction and personal growth.  He works with groups and individual clients providing a safe space for people to heal trauma and work through blocked emotions.  As a musician, Brandon toured for most of his early years in his band Kut U Up alongside mainstream acts such as Green Day and Blink 182.  Now Brandon works with the therapeutic elements of music and Somatic Healing techniques to lead people to a place of feeling totally ALIVE.   Brandon is a San Diego native.  Brandon is a Board Member for Rock to Recovery works with veterans, youth, and those working to overcome addiction, eating disorders, and a variety of mental health issues.  For more information visit https://rocktorecovery.org/  

We sat down with Dr. Taryn Clarke a neurologist in Newport Beach, California. Dr. Clarke has been advocating against the lockdowns when it comes to COVID-19, citing the mental health aspects many people are suffering from. 

We sat down with the CEO of Surf Sports, Brian Enge to talk about youth sports still being shut down in California. Many San Diego youth sports teams have decided to go to Arizona and play games.  

While youth sports competitions are banned in California, many teams are driving to Arizona to play in tournaments. Today, we sat down with Michael Duggan, Director of Soccer Operations for Our City SC in Carlsbad.

I sat down with Dr. Martin Kulldorff who is a professor of medicine at Harvard University, a biostatistician, and epidemiologist with expertise in detecting and monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety evaluations. Dr. Kulldorff is also the Co-Founder of the Great Barrington Deceleration, which is a group of infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists who have grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies, and recommend an approach they call Focused Protection. 

Yesterday, I stood alongside essential workers. While the Governor may not consider them to be essential, putting food on their families table is essential, paying their mortgage or rent is essential, and trying to making a living is essential. Everyone is essential!   My thanks to the following business leaders for speaking out:   Owner of Cowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher Shop, Angie Weber Owner of The Godfather Restaurant, Anthony Balistreri CEO of FIT Athletic, Scott Lutwak General Manager for The Grass Skirt, Thomas Hall General Manager for Kettner Exchange, Dominque Lott Founder of San Diego Event Coalition, Laurel McFarlane Amy Ulkutekin, Owner of First Comes Love and Catalyst Creative

While the Governor announced that some businesses can open on Monday, many are still limited. Gyms can open in San Diego County, but only at 10% capacity. Today, I was joined by Scott Lutwak to talk about the difficulties of the last six months.

Many businesses are struggling due to the second set of shutdowns. For Angie Weber, Owner of Cowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher Shop, it's been especially hard. We sat down with Angie to talk about her business and the difficulty of keeping her doors open.

I sat down with Kurt Stocks, the President of LEGOLAND California to talk about how hard the last six months have been and when they may be able to reopen.

Today, I sat down with Randal O'Toole from the Cato Institute to talk about public transportation. This is in light of SANDAG's proposed $177 billion transportation plan.  Randal O’Toole analysis of urban land‐​use and transportation issues, brought together in his 2001 book, The Vanishing Automobile and Other Urban Myths, has influenced decisions in cities across the country. In his book The Best‐​Laid Plans, O’Toole calls for repealing federal, state, and local planning laws and proposes reforms that can help solve social and environmental problems without heavy‐​handed government regulation. O’Toole’s latest book is Romance of the Rails Why the Passenger Trains We Love Are Not the Transportation We Need. 

I saw down with Dr. Jeff Barke, who's been vocal in the need to get kids back to school! Dr. Barke earned his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at the University of California, Irvine where he previously served as an Associate Clinical Professor. Dr. Barke earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California.

Today, I sat down with Dr. Kristian Andersen with the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at UCSD. Dr. Andersen is a professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research, with joint appointments in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, and at the Scripps Research Translational Institute.

I was joined by Dr. David Katz for a conversation about COVID-19. Dr. Katz has been at the forefront of looking at the data when it comes to making decisions about whether to shut down or not.  Take a listen as we talked about the responses to COVID-19, why he believes this virus is unlike anything we've ever seen, and why he's optimistic about the future. David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM is a Preventive Medicine specialist and globally recognized authority on lifestyle medicine. He is the founding director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (1998-2019); Past President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine; President and Founder of the non-profit True Health Initiative; and Founder and CEO of Diet ID, Inc. 

Today, I was joined by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya from Stanford University and the Hoover Institute. Dr. Bhattacharya has been at the forefront of studying COVID-19, running numerous studies on antibodies, and recovering from the virus. Take a listen to the conversation and hear why Dr. Bhattacharya thinks COVID-19 will be over sooner rather than later.

Today, I sat down with Dr. Kelly Victory to talk about the latest COVID-19 numbers and why it's so important to open our schools back up.  Dr. Victory is an expert in disaster preparedness and the medical management of mass casualties. She is a member of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, a combined effort of Harvard School of Public Health and the Kennedy School of Government to develop meta-leaders for national disaster preparedness and response. She has worked closely with officials from Homeland Security, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and multiple branches of the military. 

Today, I was joined by Dr. Scott Atlas, from the Hoover Institute. Dr. Atlas has been vocal in talking about all of the COVID-19 numbers. 

I sat down with fellow San Diegan and data expert, Justin Hart. Justin has been at the forefront of the data for COVID-19 and sharing all of the numbers. 

The latest update on the Coronavirus in San Diego County.

An update on the Coronavirus in San Diego County! 

Supervisor Desmond sat down to talk about the Coronavirus and what's the latest in San Diego County. Also, he spoke about those wanting needle exchange and why he opposes it. 

This week, Supervisor Desmond sat down to talk about his recent Board letter on homelessness in the North County. Also, he talked about the Coronavirus and what the County is doing to get ahead. Plus, we sit down to find out about Weights and Measurements at the County. 

This week, Supervisor Desmond sat down to give us an update on the last board meeting and how progress was made on the San Luis Rey River Park. Also, he gave us his thoughts on being named Vice-Chair of the Board of Supervisors. Plus, we sit down with the Registrar, Michael Vu. 

Supervisor Desmond sat down for the first episode of 2020. He talked about some goals for the new year, the latest at SANDAG and the upcoming board meeting. 

Supervisor Jim Desmond sat down to talk about the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program and how other non-profits can apply. Also, we talked about the focus on fire safety paying off. Plus, we sit down with the San Diego County Treasurer/Tax Collector, Dan McAllister. https://www.sdttc.com/

We started the episode by talking about the last SANDAG Board meeting. Supervisor Desmond shared his thoughts on the compromise that was reached and what projects will now be funded. Plus, we have a veterans forum coming up on October 22nd, RSVP: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BSYS5QR Also, we were joined by Deputy District Attorney, Laurie Hauf who shared her experiences work with the County of San Diego. 

Supervisor Desmond sat down to talk about the Fallbrook Revitalization meeting taking place tomorrow. Also, he spoke about Community Choice Energy and we were joined by guest, Dr. Glenn Wagner.

Supervisor Desmond sat down to talk about the latest meeting at SADNAG and what it means going forward. Also, he spoke about a couple of agenda items on the upcoming Board Meeting. Plus, we sit down with Chuck Matthews