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Solar advocates rally over new rules

 December 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM PST

Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, December 2nd.

Solar advocates rallied in San Diego as utility regulators consider new rules for the solar industry.

More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….

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President Biden's student loan relief program is on pause for now.

The Supreme Court yesterday said it would hear arguments about the program in February.

This comes after … a group of Republican-led states challenged the loan relief program in court.

If allowed to move forward, it would forgive up to 20-thousand-dollars in student loans for low- and middle-income borrowers.

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Vacation rental license applications have fallen short of a new limit imposed by the city of San Diego

Matt Valenti of Save San Diego Neighborhoods thinks the low number of applicants is because some people may not want to follow the regulations.

“If all of those other vacation rentals that continue to operate illegally without a license, if they aren't shut down, then it's going to send a pretty clear message that the ordinance is not enforceable.”

Within the next two weeks, the city will reopen the application process until the citywide cap of just over 54-hundred whole home… short term rentals is reached.

Licenses will be required starting May first next year.

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The 20-22 World Cup continues with Team U-S-A going up against the Netherlands tomorrow.

The two teams will go head-to-head at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar.

The U-S team beat Iran earlier this week, finishing second in Group B behind England.

Tomorrow’s game will begin at seven a-m.

For a list of places you can watch the game in the area, head to KPBS-DOT-ORG-SLASH-WORLD-CUP.

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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

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Solar backers rallied here and across the state as utility regulators consider new rules for the solar industry.

KPBS Environment reporter Erik Anderson has details.

Protesters rallied under a cloudy San Diego sky, expressing their concern that the California Public Utilities Commission will undercut incentives to install solar panels. The CPUC is considering cutting the value of electricity generated on rooftops.  Bishop George Dallas McKinney, of Stephens Church of God in Christ, says the region needs more solar, not less. “We’re in a climate crisis and communities of concern are often impacted first and worst.  Taking away access to clean energy right now is an atrocity.” Regulators will take up the proposal in mid-December.  They could adopt, reject, or tweak the current proposal. Erik Anderson KPBS News.

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Members of school boards from across the state are meeting here in San Diego.

As KPBS Education reporter M.G. Perez tells us…they are working together to solve ongoing problems.

Their agenda includes campus mass shootings, computer security, and the COVID comeback. 35-hundred members of the California School Boards Association representing about 1-thousand districts. It’s the largest state education leadership conference of the year. San Diego Unified School Board President Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne is committed to more support for student recovery…no matter what neighborhood they come from. “we’re about meeting the needs of all our children…not just those who are in La Jolla and affluent communities…but all of the children.” The association of school board members is calling on state lawmakers to increase funding for student mental health services, staffing, and campus security.  MGP KPBS News

TAG: The conference runs through Saturday.

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Coming up..... A world premiere piece on frozen grief debuts this weekend at the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus. We’ll have that and more, just after the break.

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It’s been three years… but December Nights is about to return to all of Balboa Park.

KPBS reporter John Carroll says the city promises this year’s celebration will be bigger and better than ever.

Balboa Park on a Thursday afternoon is not usually buzzing… but on this Thursday afternoon, it was a beehive of activity.  From vendors setting up displays to food being prepared at the International Cottages, the final touches were being placed everywhere you looked.  Balboa Park is in Councilmember Stephen Whitburn’s district.  He told KPBS there are more things than ever to do this year. “There's going to be music. There's going to be six stages of entertainment. Of course, the holiday lights are going to be fantastic. A lot of the museums are going to be open with activities for people to enjoy.” December Nights starts Friday afternoon at  3pm… it goes to 11pm and from 11am to 11pm on Saturday.  Allow plenty of time… Whitburn says more than 300-thousand people are expected this year.

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Transition Line: Also this weekend….

Diversionary Theatre is avoiding the obvious holiday classics to stage something that brings a different kind of joy.

It serves up Charles Ludlum’s 19-84 play ‘The Mystery of Irma Vep.’

KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando went to a rehearsal to see what the mystery is all about.

Irma Vep runs through Christmas Eve at Diversionary Theatre in University Heights.

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Transition Line: And one more weekend arts event before you go…

The La Jolla Symphony and Chorus will debut a piece from San Diego composer Sang Song in its upcoming concert.

Song is the winner of this year’s “Nee” commission, named in honor of long-time artistic director Thomas Nee, and granted to up and coming U-C graduate student composers.

Song wrote his new work specifically for the players in the La Jolla Symphony.

He spoke with KPBS Arts producer and editor Julia Dixon Evans about his piece.

You wrote your composition, Frozen Grief specifically with the La Jolla Symphony in mind,how did the symphony inspire this music? 

You have said how the pandemic shaped this composition and the creative process, but this performance  is also just the second time the La Jolla Symphony has performed live since the pandemic. How does this sort of, this idea of Frozen Grief, how does that influence performance too? Is there an influence? 

That was composer Sang Song, speaking with KPBS Arts producer and editor, Julia Dixon Evans.

Song’s new composition will be performed–for the first time–tomorrow and Sunday, as part of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus’s “Passionate Voices” program.

You can find more information about the performances, at kpbs-dot-org-slash-arts.

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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is produced by KPBS Senior Producer Brooke Ruth and Producer Emilyn Mohebbi. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.

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Solar backers rallied here and across California as utility regulators consider new rules for the solar industry. In other news, December Nights returns to all of Balboa Park Friday, after three years. Plus, Diversionary Theatre debuts Charles Ludlum’s 1984 play, “The Mystery of Irma Vep.”