Major funding for KPBS Evening Edition has been made possible in part by Bill Howe family of companies providing San Diego with plumbing, heating, air restoration and flood services for over 45 years.

Call one 800 Bill Howe or visit Billhowe.com.

And by the Conrad Prebys Foundation, Darlene Marcos Shiley, and by the following.

And by viewers like you.

Thank you.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Maya Trabulsi and we begin tonight with a fire burning in the East County near Campo.

The Thorne fire broke out just within the past hour, and Cal Fire reports it's 30 acres with a moderate rate of spread.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department has issued an evacuation order for nearby areas, and Interstate eight is closed in both directions near Campo.

And that's just one of many wildfires happening in Southern California.

And that's why the state is implementing a new plan focused on reducing human caused wildfires.

KPBS environment reporter Tammy Murga says mitigation efforts happening in San Diego County are being praised as a prevention model.

On a Saturday morning in May, more than two dozen fires started, one after another near Fallbrook.

They ignited along State Route 76 and Interstate 15.

Cal Fire investigators said very hot metal shot out of a car's exhaust system, causing the fires.

Oscar Sotelo is with Cal Fire.

He says fires like these are quite common.

95% of our wildfires are human cost.

The new state plan envisions a future where fires in Southern California are limited to natural ignitions.

The plan praises what Caltrans is doing along Interstate eight.

It's known as a wildfire hotspot.

Caltrans has really been doing an excellent job of mowing along Interstate eight.

And that mowing has reduced the ignitions substantially along Interstate eight.

Jeff Hays is part of the state task force that drafted the plan.

He says Caltrans is working on a long term solution to reduce human cost ignitions, replacing, invasive, ignitable grasses, primarily grasses with less ignitable native plants.

Where it makes sense to have plants.

He says the goal is to replicate this work on all Southern California roads.

The state plan also proposes thinning overly dense forests and restoring severely burned areas.

The public can comment on the plan through August.

Tammy Murga, KPBS news.

Meanwhile, wild wildfire worries have some communities opposing SDG&E's plans for power lines through their neighborhoods.

We hear more about their opposition in a few minutes.

Overnight lows getting into the upper 60s once again.

But our temperatures, they're going to start to go back to about where they should be this time of year in the next couple of days.

More changes that will break down exactly what to expect.

Coming up.

Tensions are escalating around the Strait of Hormuz, where the U.S.

has launched another wave of strikes on Iran.

A new U.S.

blockade has also gone into effect, as President Donald Trump is again threatening to bomb civilian targets unless Iran returns to the negotiating table.

Michael Yoshida reports.

The US military strike in Iran for 90 minutes Wednesday morning, according to U.S.

Central Command.

The attacks came after a fourth straight night of strikes.

As tensions escalate over the critical Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranians haven't given any indication that they're ready to either come back to the negotiating table, or that they are willing to provide freedom of movement in the Strait.

Last month, cease fire between the U.S.

and Iran now appears to be unraveling.

Next week comes the bridges.

We're going to knock out all their power plants.

We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.

President Donald Trump renewing his threat to bomb Iranian infrastructure unless Tehran returns to talks.

This is where it gets really murky.

Some of these dual use targets, targets like bridges that civilians and the military use.

And that's where we get into this conversation of what violates international law.

Iran's foreign Ministry spokesperson says the country has no plans to return to negotiations, Iranian officials say they have targeted U.S.

military infrastructure in the Gulf.

The U.S.

military says commercial ships have also been hit by Iranian attacks.

Now, the U.S.

is adding economic pressure, reimposing oil sanctions and enforcing a naval blockade because military strikes in response to Iranian strikes on ships in recent weeks wasn't sufficient to get them to stop.

It looks like now it's a combination of both economic and military measures to try to bring them back to the table.

Michael Yoshida, KPBS news.

Former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth has waged a personal war against military diversity since becoming President Donald Trump's defense secretary.

He canceled Diversity month observations.

He's banned trans people from serving and fired several admirals and generals, many of whom were women or people of color.

KPBS military reporter Andrew Dyer says the latest target of Hegseth might be one of the most well known.

San Diego women in uniform today.

The New York Times reports rear Admiral Amy Bauernschmidt was one of seven one star admirals to have their promotions to two star canceled by Secretary Hegseth.

The paper says five of the seven are women or people of color.

In 2021, Bauernschmidt made history by becoming the first woman to command a nuclear powered aircraft carrier after her tour leading the San Diego based USS Abraham Lincoln.

She was promoted to rear admiral.

Now she's the commander of the USS Carl Vinson strike group, meaning the carriers captain answers to her.

When she was second in command on the Lincoln in 2018.

She told her hometown Fox News Milwaukee station she didn't think much about the significance of her identity.

Very few times in my life have I actually sat there and thought about the fact that I was a woman doing this because, for the most part, I was just treated as a naval officer and an aviator.

And then somewhere in fifth or sixth place.

Oh, well, she's a woman.

Hegseth has reportedly intervened in the promotions of about 40 senior military officers and fired two dozen more.

The times says more than half of them were women or black people.

Hegseth explains his decision making in September, when he summoned all the generals and admirals in the military to hear him speak in Quantico, Virginia.

It's nearly impossible to change a culture with the same people who helped create or even benefited from that culture, an entire generation of generals and admirals.

Were told that they must parrot the insane fallacy that, quote, our diversity is our strength.

Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdes tells KPBS.

The New York Times, quote, hallucinates racism and sexism where none exists.

Andrew Dyer, KPBS news.

Housing affordability is an important issue in San Diego County.

Now, a bill to make housing more affordable is now law.

The 21st Century Road to Housing Act is intended to increase housing supply and lower construction costs.

Jen Sullivan breaks down what's in the bill and how it could help solve the housing crisis.

Owning a home has long been part of the American dream, but it's becoming less of a reality for many as housing prices soar.

Home prices reaching record high condition.

Lawrence Yun, with the National Association of Realtors says home prices keep going up and aren't likely to come down any time soon.

The median home sale price in June was just over $440,000, according to the National Association of Realtors.

In June of 2016, it was just over $247,000.

That's nearly an 80% increase in just ten years.

High mortgage rates and not enough housing is driving up prices.

Experts say there's simply not enough homes to meet the demand.

That's where this new housing bill can help.

The 21st Century Road to Housing Act is all about creating and building more homes, by allowing factories and offices to be converted into apartments.

It authorizes pilot programs to offer grants and forgivable loans to fix older homes that have fallen into disrepair.

It removes some of the excessive regulations of the builders can be a little more active.

Critics of the bill say homebuilding could be slowed by local zoning laws.

This law does include provisions to encourage states and local governments to adopt land use and zoning policies that are more supportive of housing development.

Yun says the law won't solve the housing crisis, but taking several smaller measures to create more supply will help over time.

For consumer watch, I'm Jen Sullivan.

I'm Geoff Bennett.

Tonight on the NewsHour, President Trump's pick for U.S.

attorney general sits for a contentious Senate confirmation hearing.

That's at seven after Evening Edition on KPBS.

Following the announcement of a multi-state lawsuit led by California media, insiders are now saying they expect Paramount to pump the brakes on its purchase of Warner Brothers Discovery.

Attorneys general from 12 states asked a federal court to issue a temporary restraining order against the deal.

They say it violates antitrust law.

People close to the matter believe that restraining order will be granted.

If that happens, it will trigger a process that could take months to resolve.

Endangering Paramount's goal to have the deal closed by the end of September appears have been forced to retire early.

They are not able to make rent.

We're losing our health insurance.

We don't know what it means, what it actually is going to happen if this does go through.

Paramount issued a statement on the lawsuit, saying the deal will create a media company that's better positioned to compete with larger companies and generate premium content.

Today, San Diego County held the first of four public meetings on the future of the San Pasqual Academy.

It's a residential program for foster youth in Escondido.

KPBS North County reporter Alexander Nguyen says this is the second time the county has turned to the community for feedback.

Thank you all for for being here today.

Really appreciate your time.

Dozens of people, from county officials to professionals to former foster youths, gather at the County Child and Family Well-Being Office in Kearny Mesa today, all to discuss the future uses for the campus.

San Pasqual Academy opened in 2021 to provide housing, a high school and mental health services to foster youths.

Recent changes in federal and state laws have led to a decline in enrollment.

Current legislation favors placing children with families over congregate group homes.

As of March, there were 42 students enrolled on the campus.

When I look at this room is that it is not incredibly diverse.

Community advocate Shane Harris is a former Foster Youth at San Pasqual.

He says discussions about the Academy's future need voices from foster youths, the population most affected.

He didn't see that at the meeting today.

If we're going to be trauma informed, we need to start off these sessions by acknowledging that population, because these are the people who have lived it, who have been through it, and who really know what the successes have been and what they haven't been.

In May, county staff proposed phasing out the residential part of the academy.

Community members say they weren't told that was a possibility.

So county supervisors ask the staff to do another community forum.

I think there is some confusion, and the community felt like we were trying to shut down San Pascal Academy, which that's absolutely not the case.

Alfredo Guardado is the county director of child and family well-being.

He says the county is looking at ways to reimagine the space for the future.

How do we make it sustainable and really a long term place for the community members to enjoy in the future?

Joy Singleton is a former foster youth.

She is now a lawyer.

She thinks the best use for San Pasqual is to divorce the land from foster youth.

Support.

Let's look at the land.

It's agricultural land.

It has some housing on it.

Wonderful.

Maybe we could use it for substance abuse, youth treatment or some other population.

It just doesn't have to be foster youth.

As for Harris, he thinks it should be a space for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

Those grandparents should not be turned a blind eye to, and I want to ensure that those grandparents have a place to live and continue to have a place to live.

The next community forum is this Friday at North Island Live Well Center.

The county is also hosting two other virtual sessions next week.

Alexander Nguyen, KPBS news.

If you're looking to buy a new laptop this summer, the price tag may shock you and you can blame AI for that.

Karin Caifa was in Washington to explain.

If you are shopping for a tablet or a laptop for back to school or back to campus, prepare for some sticker shock.

And top tech companies say memory and storage is in tight demand, Back-To-School shoppers take note, the price tag of a new tablet or laptop may come as a surprise.

The reason for that is a memory chip shortage, which we also think about as the Ram shortage.

And that has everything to do with the memory chips that are stored in your phones or your devices.

And AI is to blame.

The proliferation of AI data centers has led to a surge in demand for memory chips used to quickly process information.

And chipmakers can't keep up, largely speaking.

AI evolution has taken those chips.

And now we are having to pay for the cost of it when we think about buying new devices.

Tech giants like Apple, Microsoft and Nintendo have recently hiked prices on a range of devices with gaming consoles, tablets and laptops most affected smartwatches and wireless earbuds less impacted because they don't need as much storage.

Dashia Milden, senior consumer insights editor for CNet, says consumers looking to save on refurbished tech may not get too much relief right now.

Refurbished tech can also increase in price, even though it is a used or maybe secondhand device because of the demand.

So you're not going to pay of course full price you'll pay a fraction, but you shouldn't expect the same prices that you saw last year.

As to when the chip crunch might end, analysts say, because it takes time to build new plants, supply may be squeezed until at least 2028, and even then, prices may not return to pre shortage levels.

The boost in gadget prices also had a hand in boosting overall inflation.

Last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said computer software and accessories prices were up 2.3% between May and June.

There are more than 17% from one year ago.

In Washington.

I'm Karin Caifa.

A city council and county planning group, passed separate resolutions this week expressing serious concern about two proposed SDG&E projects.

KPBS Public Matters reporter Kevin Trevelyn has more.

During a meeting Tuesday, Temecula mayor Jessica Alexander and the city council were unequivocal in their opposition to this proposal.

They said the high voltage power line is a bad fit for Temecula's geography and community character.

We all are going to save Temecula.

We are a force to be reckoned with and they do not want to come into our city.

So with that.

Meeting, had several applause breaks from a public that has shown out in force to speak against the Golden Pacific Power Link.

The transmission line would snake 145 miles from the Imperial Valley through Temecula, to a proposed substation near the San Diego Orange County line.

But city leaders say it would run near homes, schools and businesses on land already vulnerable to fire.

Temecula City Council member Matt Rahn also said the city has had trouble getting basic project info from SDG&E, whether in person or otherwise.

This is not a way for SDG&E You need to treat this community.

But they demonstrated exactly who they were at our last public hearing, so I don't expect much from them at this point.

There have been similar complaints about SDG&E's outreach for a smaller transmission line proposed for East San Diego County.

Ron Nehring chairs an advisory county planning group that meets in Harbison Canyon.

Some people saying that they didn't get notices, which they should have received, and then other frustrations about the specificity concerning maps and routes and so on.

And hopefully that'll that will be resolved.

Nehring says the bigger issue with the 14 mile Suncrest Loop is that it would run through an extremely fire prone area devastated by the Cedar Fire in 2003.

We are feeling every day the impact of the level of wildfire risk, and that's why we at the plan group insist, to the extent that we have a voice, that any major projects that take place in our community have to result in reducing the risk, not just holding the line on the risk.

SDG&E Says both the Suncrest Loop and Golden Pacific Power Link are needed to support grid reliability and future demand.

The California Public Utilities Commission has ultimate say over the projects.

Both still have a number of regulatory hurdles to clear.

Kevin Trevelyn, KPBS News.

Another dangerous heatwave is happening in Southern California.

The extreme temperatures are creating big challenges for communities still recovering from those wildfires in Los Angeles.

Jasmine Viel reports.

Oh, this is nice.

When the temperature climbs, Mike Curran has found his own way to cool off.

Oh, this delightful, delightful Yeah.

Otherwise I'd bake.

I'd heatstroke here.

Behind his RV, a stock tank filled with cold water has become his escape from the relentless heat.

He lost his childhood home in the Eaton Fire, and after a year renting elsewhere, Curran just moved back onto his property in March to live in this RV.

The canopy helps a lot, but it's so hot there is no electricity, so he bought a solar panel, but it's not enough to give him air conditioning once by the afternoon.

Yeah, yeah.

You can't stay.

Right, right, right.

And after the fire, there are far fewer trees to provide the shade that once covered the neighborhood.

Wasn't just my trees, but, my neighbor had a huge Aleppo pine.

Curran says all of these challenges have taken a mental toll.

Sometimes I find myself, forgetful or just even just getting dressed.

Sometimes, takes longer than it should.

At the same time, construction crews are racing to rebuild homes before the next rainy season.

Working through triple digit temperatures.

Being on the roof.

Yeah.

All day.

No shade.

No nothing.

Just.

And with the blank paper, that makes it double the heat.

For homeowners like Mark Lansdown, who is helping rebuild his mid-century modern historic neighborhood.

Pausing construction isn't always an option.

As we get into these summer, well, it's hot, you know, it's getting hotter.

And I really feel for the guys.

Actually, I'm meeting with the roofers today.

And roofing is tough when it's hot.

Every day of progress brings them one step closer to getting back home.

It's really nice to be home and surviving this heat has become just another hurdle in a recovery that's already tested this community in countless ways.

Jasmine Viel with that report, health officials are urging people to stay hydrated, take frequent breaks and avoid prolonged time outdoors during the hottest part of the day.

Well the peak of the heat, it's just about behind us.

Temperatures are going to start to drop, and by the time we get to Friday, we're back to about where we should be this time of year when we compare to historical averages.

We do have some more rain chances to talk about as well, so let's dive right in, starting with our heat alerts.

Yes, the peak is really today on our Wednesday, but Thursday we still have some problems until 8 p.m.. Extreme heat warnings and the advisories all in effect pretty much for our whole area here.

Overnight lows, upper 70s in Borrego Springs.

I mean, you know, it's going to be bad when that's your low temperature a little bit better.

Ramona Mount Laguna along the coast mid to upper 60s.

So no surprise that when we look at our highs for your Thursday 106 in Borrego Springs, close to triple digits in Ramona there with that 97 and I mean all along the coast from Oceanside to Chula Vista, we're close to 80.

You can see why we have the alerts.

All right.

Now the rain chances.

It's not everybody.

Some of us see clouds and not really any rain.

So expect the humidity also to be a problem.

But by the time we get to Thursday evening, there's our next rain and thunderstorm chance, mainly for mountain and desert regions.

Overall, nothing major, but still something to be prepared for as we head into the Thursday overnight as well.

We've seen a little bit of rain so far this week.

Nothing over an inch.

We've seen a little over half an inch as our top rainfall totals into portions of the Inland Empire.

Overall, really, the king tide flooding along the coast a couple days ago has been a bigger impact for the week.

But let's take a look ahead now.

Five the outlook along the coast.

We're close to 80.

We're close to 80.

And then Monday we finally do it.

So you're a little bit the exception to the rule as far as getting back closer to historical averages.

We stay relatively consistent and then warm back up further inland.

We're in the 90s.

We go back down to the mid 80s by the time we get to Saturday, and then we bounce around just a little bit a degree or two here there are mountains 78.

We go back down to 70 by the time we get to Saturday.

Big rise back again.

We have a temperature rollercoaster Sunday 72 to that 77.

By the time we get to Monday in our deserts, we're in the triple digits.

We're staying in the triple digits.

What else is new?

I mean, it's summer.

Look at our lows though.

We get to a low in the 80s by the time we get to Sunday.

So yeah, our high only 103 104 but just not a lot of recovery overnight.

So keep that in mind, especially if you have to be outside for extended periods.

For KPBS news I'm AccuWeather's Anna Azallion.

And if you're looking for a good place to beat this week's heat, you can stop by any designated cool zone across the county.

You can call 211 or visit Cool zones.org for a full list of locations.

You can also find free transportation to a cool zone near you.

Heat warnings and advisories are in effect for our mountains, valleys, deserts, and even along the coast through tomorrow evening.

And we have an update on the Thorne Fire burning near Campo.

Cal fire says it's now reached 50 acres and it's crossed Interstate eight.

Evacuation orders have been issued, and there is an evacuation center set up at the Golden Acorn Casino.

Sometimes there is history to be found in little things about San Diego, and that most people never give a thought to.

Ken Kramer takes us downtown to see one of them.

There are little things about San Diego that you would hardly notice today unless you do downtown.

For example, on Broadway, the north side of the street, the street and the curb are just as straight as can be.

See, everybody driving west goes straight.

And I mean, there you are.

Watch the curb.

The curb is straight, right?

Wait.

Well, yes.

Until you come to Broadway and third, look right past the trash can.

See how the street kind of bends out a little bit.

I bet there isn't 1 in 100,000 people passing by who notice that one thing.

See that tiny little bend?

It makes Broadway just a little wider, heading west, all the way down to the waterfront.

Now, why would that be?

Well, there's a story about that today.

Right at the spot.

Broadway.

And third is a hotel, the U.S.

Grant Hotel.

Been there since 1910.

Built by U.S.

Grant junior to honor his dad, the 18th president.

But in order to build it, they had to tear down another hotel that had been there since 1870.

Right on that same spot.

And it was called the Horton House.

Called itself the largest and finest hotel in California south of San Francisco, built by Alonzo Horton, real estate developer and San Diego's most influential citizen and biggest promoter, who had bought up and owned most of what was today downtown San Diego.

And I guess he could lay out the streets, however he chose.

Now, today at the U.S.

Grant Hotel, guests don't enter from Broadway.

But back in the days of the Horton House.

The grand entrance was right about here.

And Mr.

Horton wanted visitors stepping from their carriages to have their first impression of his hotel to be a dazzling one.

He wanted them to have an unobstructed view right down the street to the bay.

Wow.

So he just made it a little wider, all the way down to the water.

And more than a century and a half later, you can still see where Broadway gets a little broader, a little something you now know about San Diego.

And if you want to see more of Ken Kramer's stories about San Diego, you can see a half hour of them every Thursday evening at 8:00 right here on KPBS.

And we just got an update from Cal Fire.

It looks like the Thorne Fire has been updated to 236 acres.

And here is a look at what we're working on for tomorrow in the KPBS newsroom.

Stricter immigration enforcement, changing travel policies and the two year closure of the Kennedy Center are having an unforeseen consequence on arts and entertainment.

You can find out more on NPR's Morning Edition and on KPBS Midday Edition.

We preview the sixth annual Filipino Friendship Festival happening at Liberty Station this weekend.

You can find tonight's stories on our website, kpbs.org.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Maya Trabulsi, goodnight.

Major funding for KPBS Evening Edition has been made possible in part by Bill Howe family of companies providing San Diego with plumbing, heating, air restoration and flood services for over 45 years.

Call one 800 Bill Howe or visit Billhowecom.

And by the Conrad Prebys Foundation.

Darlene Marcos Shiley, and by the following.

And by viewers like you.

Thank you.