>>> CHILDREN'S LEARNING IN TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

>> WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT OUR FAMILIES, WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT HER COMMUNITY AND SO WELCOME BACK.

>> Reporter: WHAT STARTED AS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONS IN 2018 HAS BECOME A COMPLEX WITH THE NEWEST HIGH SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT AND THE STARTING FRESHMAN CLASS OF 250 STUDENTS THAT WILL GROW EACH YEAR.

THERE ARE ALSO FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN STARTING TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN.

>> THE CONFIDENCE TO PURSUE A PATH OF THEIR CHOICE.

>> Reporter: IT MEANS A NEW START FOR SAN DIEGO UNIFIED ALONG WITH THE STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT ALONG WITH THE STUFF THAT WILL SUPPORT THAT.

THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS COUNT OF COVID CASES HAS DROPPED FOR THE DISTRICT AND ALLOWED ITS MASK MANDATE TO END.

>> Reporter: IS THE STUDENTS PREPARE TO STUDY, THE DISTRICT HEALTH ATTEMPTS TO PROTECT THEM AND THERE IS STILL SOME CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

THE LMA C CAMPUS IS DRIVEN BY A MONTESSORI CURRICULUM.

AMANI FULTON IS A NEW FRESHMAN WHO ALREADY PLANS TO START A DRAMA CLUB.

WHERE WILL YOU END UP EVENTUALLY?

>> NEXT STEP WILL BE NYU.

>> Reporter: THE SCHOOL MARIACHI BAND BY THE WAY, IS MADE UP OF STUDENTS AND SOME OF THEIR TEACHERS.

>>> THIS WAS A MUCH TOUGHER YEAR AT ONE OF SAN DIEGO'S LARGEST [INDISCERNIBLE] FOOTBALL TEAM BROUGHT A CLOUD OF SCRUTINY AND TESTING.

>> I WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THE DORM.

>> Reporter: IMMEDIATELY A PART OF THE ALLEGED ASSAULT TO THE UNIVERSITY'S TITLE IX OFFICE, BUT INSTEAD OF BEING HELPED, PUSH BACK.

>> I DID NOT FEEL SUPPORTED BY THE STS TITLE IX OFFICE AT ALL.

I FELT LIKE I WAS MORE WORKING AGAINST THEM THAN THEY WERE WORKING WITH ME.

>> WHEN THE SCHOOL RECEIVES ANY RIP SPOT THEY HAVE A DUTY [INDISCERNIBLE] >> I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT INSTANCES OF HOW THOSE COMPLAINTS ARE MADE MEANING TO THE HAVE EFFECTIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE AND NOTICES IN PLACE TO WHERE PEOPLE WHO COMPLAINED WERE ABLE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION EASILY?

>> I EVEN BROUGHT THE RESTRAINING ORDER.

HE ACTUALLY VIOLATED THAT RESTRAINING ORDER AND I REPORTED IT AND THEY DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.

[INDISCERNIBLE] >> Reporter: ITS POLICIES TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE POLICE INVESTIGATE.

IN A STATEMENT TO KPBS THEY SAID NO SUCH POLICY IS IN PLACE THAT THIS IS THE SAME REASON THE UNIVERSITY GAVE INTO NOT STARTING ITS INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGATION AGAINST RICO FOOTBALL PLAYERS OFF-CAMPUS LAST YEAR.

>> THAT HIT HARD WITH ME BECAUSE I REALLY FELT FOR THAT STATION.

ALTHOUGH OUR INSTANCES WERE NOT THE SAME, I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH.

>> Reporter: THE UNIVERSITY SAYS THEY WERE ASKED BY POLICE NOT TO START THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION BECAUSE DOING SO MIGHT TAINT THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.

THERE IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THERE HAS BEEN A TITLE IX AUDIT AT SBSU.

SINCE THEN THE UNIVERSITY HAS MANDATED THE TRAINING FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF.

ROSENQUIST HOPES THE NEW AUDIT WILL LEAD TO MUCH-NEEDED CHANGES TO THE TITLE IX OFFICE AT SAN DIEGO STATE.

>> THEY REALLY NEED TO PUSH FOR PROTECTING THEIR STUDENTS AND SURVIVORS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS RATHER THAN JUST BEING PASSIVE IN THE PROCESS.

>>> PERHAPS THE STORY OF 2022 WAS RUSHED AS INVASION OF UKRAINE.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY WAS NAMED TIMES MAN OF THE YEAR FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AMID THE RELENTLESS RUSSIAN ATTACKS.

ONE OF THE WORST VICTIMS FOUND HIS WAY TO SAN DIEGO TO HEAL.

>> Reporter: THESE ARE THE 16- YEAR-OLDS NEW STEPS ON HIS NEW PROSTHETIC LEG.

HE IS TAKING THEM IN MIRA MESA WAS PROCESSED FOR TEST PETER.

ALMOST SIX MONTHS AGO HIS LIFE CHANGED FOREVER.

ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE RUSSIAN INVASION, HE, HIS MOTHER AND STEPFATHER WERE RETURNING HOME FROM THE GROCERY STORE WHEN THE EVILS OF WAR STRUCK THEIR FAMILY.

>> Translator: AS THEY WERE RETURNING, HE SAID A CALL ON OF ENEMY RUSSIAN VEHICLES CAUGHT UP TO THEM, APPROACH THEM.

ONE OF THE TANKS ACTUALLY VEERED AWAY FROM THE COLUMN AND WENT DIRECTLY TOWARDS THEM.

>> Reporter: YVONNE STEPFATHER DIED IN THE ATTACK.

HIS MOTHER SURVIVED BUT YVONNE LOST PART OF HIS LEG.

THROUGH IT ALL, HE STILL SMILES.

>> Translator: I HAD A VERY POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

THE REACTION WAS I WANT TO LIVE.

>> Reporter: A FAMILY FRIEND WHO CAME WITH YVONNE TO THE U.S. THAT HE WANTS TO BE FULLY MOBILE AGAIN TO PROVIDE FOR HIS FAMILY.

>> Translator: LIFE, EVEN UP TO THIS POINT, WAS NOT EASY FOR YVONNE.

A LARGE FAMILY WITHOUT A FATHER.

HE IS NOT IN ANY WAY NEGATIVE OR SORRY FOR HIMSELF.

HE IS CHARGING FORWARD.

>> Reporter: AND CHARGING FORWARD, HE IS.

>> GO, GO, GO.

KEEP GOING, PUSH THROUGH.

NICE AND TALL, YUP, THERE YOU GO.

>> Reporter: THIS JOURNEY WON'T BE EASY.

YVONNE WILL BE HERE FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS WHERE HE STARTS A FOUNDATION HE CAN BUILD ON IT THIS PLACE IS DIFFERENT.

THEY DON'T JUST WORK ON THE PHYSICAL.

>> ALSO THE EMOTIONAL STUFF IS THERE SITTING HERE WAITING.

WE PICK THEM BACK UP SO THEY CAN GO AGAIN TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

ANYBODY CAN MAKE YVONNE WALK BUT CAN WE TAKE HIM TO THE NEXT LEVEL, THE LEVEL HE NEEDS TO REALLY GO BACK AND DO THEIR LIFE.

THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, AND THIS IS NOT EASY.

>> Reporter: EVEN HARSH IS IMPRESSED WITH YVONNE'S FIRST DAY ON HIS NEW LEG.

HE HAD ONLY BEEN MEASURED FOR THE DAY BEFORE.

>> HE IS WALKING, SECOND DAY.

>> Reporter: YVONNE HAS BIG DREAMS.

>> GO TO HOLLYWOOD, BE IT AN ACTOR.

>> WITH YOUR OPTIMISM AND YOUR COURAGE I THINK YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO.

DREAM BIG.

>> Reporter: YVONNE STILL NEEDS A LOCAL HOST FAMILY TO HELP HIM THROUGH HIS RECOVERY SO HE CAN MAKE HIS DREAM A REALITY.

>> YVONNE IS STILL IN SAN DIEGO AND GAVE US AN UP DATE ON HIS RECOVERY EARLIER THIS WEEK AND YOU CAN READ MORE AT KPBS.ORG.

>>> HERE IS OUR METRO REPORTER, AMBER BOWEN.

>> WE GEAR UP, PUT A HARNESS ON FOR FALL PROTECTION.

>> Reporter: CITY ELECTRICIAN DARREN STRAPS HIMSELF INTO A TRUCK THAT LIFTS THEM UP TO A STREETLIGHT IN SAN DIEGO'S BAY TERRACES NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE RESIDENTS REPORTED STREETLIGHT BROKEN, BUT WHEN HE RUNS A QUICK TEST ON IT, THE LIGHT TURNS ON.

HIS SUPERVISOR, DEREK SAYS THE LIGHT IS PROBABLY ON IT'S LAST LEG AND IS STILL WORTH REPLACING WITH A NEWER, MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT L.E.D.

LIGHT.

THIS LIGHT WAS REPORTED OUT JUST UNDER A YEAR AGO AND THAT IS THE TYPICAL WAIT TIME FOR A CITY THAT HAS ABOUT 70,000 STREETLIGHTS AND ONLY EIGHT ELECTRICIANS TO MAINTAIN THEM.

>> RIGHT NOW WE WILL FUNCTION ON PROBABLY HALF THE CREW THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE.

>> Reporter: MAC OVERSEES THE CITY STREETLIGHT REPAIR DIVISION.

MORE THAN 5000 STREETLIGHTS ARE REPORTED BROKEN IN SAN DIEGO.

>> WERE BEING ASKED TO DO MORE WITH LESS AND THIS IS HOW WE HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.

>> Reporter: MAC SAYS PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH REPAIRS IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN DELAY AND AN EVEN BIGGER ISSUE IS STAFFING.

ELECTRICIANS CAN TYPICALLY MAKE MORE MONEY WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

>> ON THE FLIPSIDE OF THAT, THE CITY IS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK FOR BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SALARY GUARANTEE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING SENT HOME BECAUSE IT IS RAINING OR WHATEVER.

YOU HAVE JOB SECURITY HERE.

>> EACH ONE OF THESE DOTS REPRESENTS A REPORT THAT IS COMING IN AT ABOUT A STREETLIGHT THAT HAS BEEN OUT.

>> Reporter: KIRBY IS THE CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER AND HEAD OF THE ANALYTICS DEPARTMENT.

SHE IS SHOWING ME A PHONE APP HER TEAM IS DEVELOPING FOR THE STREETLIGHT REPAIR TEAM.

>> THIS IS MORE OF AN EFFICIENCY TOOL FOR THEM >> UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE AT.

>> THEY COULD TAKE YEARS FOR SAN DIEGO TO FILL ALL OF ITS VACANT ELECTRICIAN JOBS.

IN THE MEANTIME, BRADY IS TASKED WITH HELPING THE EXISTING STAFF BE MORE EFFICIENT.

SHE DEVELOPED AN ALGORITHM TO HELP THE TEAM DECIDE WHICH STREETLIGHTS ARE MORE URGENT.

>> WE HAVE TO DECIDE HOW CLOSE IT MIGHT BE TO A SCHOOL OR PARK.

THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY.

WE ALSO KNOW THINGS ABOUT TRAFFIC DENSITY SO IF A PARTICULAR STREETLIGHT IS LOCATED IN AN AREA WITH HIGH- VOLUME TRAFFIC COLLISIONS THAT FACTORS INTO THE URGENCY OF THE REPAIR.

>> Reporter: THE SYSTEM ALSO IDENTIFIES CLUSTERS OF REPAIRS SO THE CREW CAN SPEND LESS TIME DRIVING ACROSS THE CITY TO THE NEXT JOB.

BRADY ADMITS DATA ALONE WON'T FIX THE BACKLOG BUT DRAWING ATTENTION TO HOW BIG THE PROBLEM IS COULD CONVINCE CITY OFFICIALS AND VOTERS TO PUT MORE MONEY TOWARD FIXING IT.

>> Reporter: AT ANY GIVEN YEAR THE CITY NEVER HAS ENOUGH MONEY TO THROW AT ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO FIX THINGS BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT BY SPOTLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY REQUESTED SERVICES, WE CAN START TO FUNNEL RESOURCES THERE.

>> Reporter: ANOTHER SELLING POINT FOR THE UPCOMING IT APPEARS TO BE IMPROVING MORALE.

REPAIR CREWS NOW FEELING THERE IS LOGIC BEHIND THEIR ASSIGNMENT.

>> BEFORE THAT SYSTEM CAME OUT WE WERE JUMPING AROUND.

WHOEVER WAS MAKING THAN MOST NOISES WHERE WE WERE GOING, WHEREVER UPPER MANAGEMENT SENTENCE BUT THE SYSTEM RIGHT HERE I THINK IS A PERFECT SYSTEM FOR US.

>> Reporter: FISK SEEN FIXING A BROKEN STREETLIGHT ISN'T ALWAYS AS SIMPLE AS CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB.

SOMETIMES THE UNDERGROUND WIRING IS CENTURIES OLD AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE CITY PLANS ON EVALUATING THE SUCCESS OF ITS DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO STREETLIGHT REPAIR LATER THIS YEAR.

>>> WE CAN'T BRING YOU OUR ORIGINAL REPORTING WITHOUT OUR TALENTED VIDEO JOURNALIST.

THIS FALL, MIKE DAMRON WENT TO GIVE US A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE GAME OF SOCCER.

>> I HAVE ATHLETES THROUGHOUT MY FAMILY AND I WAS NEVER REALLY ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WHEN I WAS A KID BECAUSE I WAS BLIND, AND SO WHEN I DISCOVERED BLIND SPORTS I FELL IN LOVE THE MOMENT I STEPPED ONTO A SOCCER PITCH.

THERE ARE FOUR FIELD PLAYERS ON EACH TEAM.

THE BALL HAS RATTLES IN ITS LINING.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SAY THE WORD "BOY" IF YOU ARE ATTACKING THE BALL.

I THINK IT IS EITHER SPANISH OR PORTUGUESE FOR I AM COMING.

COMMUNICATION IS VITAL FOR BLIND SOCCER.

IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE COULD BE OUT HERE AND PLAY THE GAME WITHOUT EVERYONE WINDING UP INJURED.

THE BALL IS PROBABLY TWO OR THREE TIMES HEAVIER THAN A REGULARLY SIZED SOCCERBALL.

IT IS A LITTLE SMALLER AND THE BEADS INSIDE OF IT, TRYING TO KICK THE BALL IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT.

>> SOCCER IS A SPORT THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE SO BLIND ATHLETES ARE EXCITED TO GET OUT HERE AND TRY SOMETHING NEW.

IT IS ALSO A LOT MORE OF A PHYSICAL SPORT WITHIN THE BLIND SPORT WORLD SO THEY HAVE TO WORK ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT SKILLS FROM COMMUNICATION TO ORIENTATION, THERE BALL SKILLS ARE LITTLE MORE PHYSICAL, BUT I THINK THAT IS WHAT MAKES THE GAME SO EXCITING AND GREAT.

>> I WANT YOU TO DRIBBLE STRAIGHT PAST THAT LINE AND WE WILL COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.

OFFENDERS AND ATTACKERS ARE GOING TO STAY IN YOUR LINE.

>> TO BE ABLE TO BE OUT HERE ON A 40 BY 20 METER FIELD RUNNING AS FAST AND HARD AS I CAN, FIGHTING FOR A BALL, TAKING SHOTS, IT OPENED UP SO MANY DREAMS.

TO REPRESENT MY NATION, MY COUNTRY, TO PUT ON A JERSEY WITH USA BEHIND IT ON THE BACK OF IT IS JUST INCREDIBLE AND THEN TO THINK OF ALL THE BLIND PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING AT HOME RIGHT NOW THINKING THEY CANNOT DO THIS, THEY CAN'T DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS CROSSING A STREET, AND I AM OUT HERE TRYING TO REPRESENT THEM KIND OF SPREADS THIS MESSAGE THAT YES, YOU CAN.

YOU CAN DO THOSE THINGS AND IF YOU DO THEM WELL ENOUGH, YOU CAN ONE DAY PUT ON THIS JERSEY, TOO.

>> Reporter: YOU CAN VISIT THE KPBS YOUTUBE PAGE WHENEVER YOU WANT TO WATCH STORIES JUST LIKE THAT.

THAT IS ALSO WHERE WE LIVE STREAM KPBS EVENING ADDITIONS WITH NIGHT'S AT 5:00.

>>> THE WORLD LOST SOME ICONS THIS YEAR.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S PASSING IN SEPTEMBER STIRRED UP A VERY PERSONAL REMEMBRANCE.

>> Reporter: FEBRUARY 27th, 1983 WAS A DAY THAT FOLLOWED MONTHS OF PLANNING.

TICKETS THAT WENT PRIMARILY TO MEMBERS OF ST. PAUL'S WERE REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE SERVICE.

I WAS FORTUNATE.

I DID NOT NEED A TICKET BECAUSE MY FATHER, THE REVEREND JAMES CARROLLS, WAS RECTOR OF ST. PAUL'S AT THAT TIME.

MONTHS OF ANTICIPATION CULMINATED THAT MORNING.

EVERYONE HAD GONE THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR AND WAS SEATED.

THE FIRST THING I HEARD WERE THE NEWS HELICOPTERS.

AND THIS WAS WHAT WAS HAPPENING OUTSIDE.

THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP ALONG WITH SECRET SERVICE AND LOTS OF STAFF PULLING UP TO THE CHURCH.

I CAN HONESTLY SAY THE MOOD WAS ELECTRIC.

BEFORE I KNEW IT, MY DAD WAS ESCORTING THE QUEEN INTO THE CHURCH.

NO CAMERAS WERE ALLOWED INSIDE.

IT WAS ALL OVER IN A FLASH.

THE QUEEN WAS ESCORTED BACK OUT WERE A YOUNG MEMBER OF ST. PAUL'S GAVE HER A BOUQUET AND THEN SHE AND PHILIP GOT BACK INTO THE LIMOUSINE.

THEY WAITED UNTIL SCOTTISH DANCERS FINISHED THEIR PERFORMANCE, AND THEY WERE OFF.

>> AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PREPARATION WHEN YOU DO THIS.

WE WANTED THINGS TO GO RIGHT.

>> THAT IS MY FATHER AFTER THE SERVICE.

I WOULD DESCRIBE HIM AS HAPPY AND RELIEVED.

>> I FANTASIZED ABOUT PREACHING AND ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL IN LONDON AND THAT WILL PROBABLY NEVER HAPPEN, BUT THIS IS BETTER.

>> ELEMENTS THAT WERE IMPORTANT AT ANY GIVEN TIME ARE THINGS WE TRY TO RETAIN.

>> Reporter: JOHN WELLS IS ST. PAUL'S ARCHIVIST.

HE HAS A SEPARATE AREA DEDICATED JUST TO THE QUEEN'S VISIT.

>> WE HAVE AN ACTUAL PRAYER SERVICE IN HERE AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF PHOTOGRAPHS.

>> Reporter: THERE IS ANOTHER REMINDER OF THE QUEEN'S VISIT FOUND INSIDE THE CHURCH.

WHERE THERE WERE ONCE PEWS, THERE ARE NOW CHAIRS.

>> MY FAMILY AND I SAT IN THIS ROW ON THAT DAY.

>> Reporter: ONE VERY SPECIAL TO REMAINS.

IT IS DRAPED IN BLACK.

HERE IS A PLAQUE THAT COMMEMORATES THIS IS WHERE QUEEN ELIZABETH AND HER HUSBAND, PRINCE PHILIP SAT ON THAT VERY SPECIAL DAY.

BACK OUTSIDE, ANOTHER TANGIBLE REMINDER.

NOT LONG AFTER THAT DAY, THIS PLACE WAS RENAMED IN HONOR OF THE QUEEN'S VISIT.

IT IS NOW THE QUEENS COURTYARD AND HERE IS THE PLAQUE COMMEMORATING HER VISIT.

IT IS NOT JUST THAT ST. PAUL'S WERE MEMORIES OF THE QUEEN ARE STRONG.

THEY ARE NEVER FAR OFF.

MY FAMILY HOME EITHER WERE PICTURES OF MY DAD AND THE QUEEN HAVE BEEN UP HERE IN THE HALLWAY LITERALLY FOR DECADES BUT THERE IS ONE MORE PICTURE I WANT TO SHOW YOU AND IT IS IN THE LIVING ROOM.

IT IS HERE ON THE PIANO.

WE GOT THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THE VISIT, A PERSONALLY SIGNED PICTURE BY THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP, AN AMAZING WAY TO REMEMBER A TRULY AMAZING DAY.

JOHN CARROLL, KPBS NEWS.

>> TERRIFIC STORY BY JOHN CARROLL.

>>> BEFORE WE GO, WE HAVE A BLAST FROM THE PAST WITH A MODERN TWIST.

MUSIC HAS COME ALONG WAY SINCE THE 80s BUT ONE SAN DIEGO SAYS OLD-SCHOOL TECH IS THE NEW SCHOOL STYLE.

BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE HIT THE STREETS WITH BOOMBOX CHUCK.

>> Reporter: IT IS AN ICONIC MACHINE, THE BOOMBOX IS LIKE A BODILY EXTENSION TO MIGUEL NUNEZ.

>> I'M RECOGNIZING SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN IN MY LIFE WHICH IS CARRYING A BOOMBOX.

>> Reporter: HE GOES BY THE NAME BOOMBOX CHUCK AND IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS PASSION FOR OLD- SCHOOL MUSIC SYSTEMS.

>> I SAW THE BOOMBOX AND I JUST KNEW IMMEDIATELY I COULD BE THAT GUY WALKING AROUND THE CITY WITH A BOOMBOX BLASTING MUSIC.

>> Reporter: BORN IN THE 80s, HIS LOVE FOR THE STYLE AND MUSIC OF THE TIME STARTED AT AN EARLY AGE.

>> THE ELEMENTS ARE LIKE BEAT BULLYING AND EMCEEING AND RAPPING IN A SENSE.

EVERYONE CAN HAVE A STYLE.

EVERYONE CAN HAVE A STYLE.

EVERYONE CAN BE THEMSELVES THESE DAYS.

>> Reporter: FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, WHEN NUNEZ IS NOT WORKING AT A RESTAURANT, HE IS WALKING THE STREET.

>> ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE, ALL KINDS OF WALKS OF LIFE, ALL AGES, ALL ETHNICITIES AND I SEE SOMETHING SO SACRED AND NOT.

SO MAYBE BY DEFAULT I AM REMINDING PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES MOST IMPORTANTLY.

RESPONSIBLY, OF COURSE.

>> Reporter: HIS COLLECTION OF BOOMBOXES IS IS MADE UP OF PERSONAL FAVORITES.

>> THIS IS MY BABY AND IT IS THE ONE I STARTED WITH.

>> Reporter: THE ONLY THING HINDERING HIS ACQUISITIONS IS LACK OF SPACE TO STORE THEM.

>> ONE OF MY FAVORITES RIGHT NOW , NEVER FOR SALE.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.

>> I HUNT THEM DOWN EVERY WEEKEND, EVERY CHANCE I GET, EVERY FLEA MARKET.

>> Reporter: AND THE BIGGER THE BOX, THE BIGGER THE SIZE AND NUMBER OF BATTERIES IT REQUIRES.

>> BATTERIES ARE A VERY CONSISTENT PART OF ROCKING A BOOMBOX.

IT'S JUST LIKE A TRIP HOW MANY BATTERIES I MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH.

I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE AND THAT IS WHY NOW I WANT TO BETTER DOCUMENTED BECAUSE EVENTUALLY I WANT TO SEND THE BATTERY COMPANY A PORTFOLIO.

>> Reporter: AUDIO CASSETTE TAPES ARE BECOMING MORE LIKE TREASURED VINYL.

NUNEZ SAYS TAPE SALES, ESPECIALLY FOR LOCAL BANDS, HAVE MADE A RESURGENCE.

HE SAYS MOST RECORD STORES IN SAN DIEGO SELL CASSETTE TAPES.

>> SOMETHING ABOUT OLD- FASHIONED PHYSICAL COPIES, READING THE CREDITS OF THE DETAILS OR A PHYSICAL SHOUT OUT TO ME KNOW.

>> Reporter: THERE WILL ALSO ALWAYS BE AN ELEMENT OF THOSE CASSETTE TAPES THAT NO ONE WILL MISS.

IN A TIME WHEN TECHNOLOGY HAS ALLOWED US TO HAVE SO MUCH MORE THAN WE DID IN THE PAST, TO BOOMBOX CHUCK, IT IS THE PAST THAT BEATS THE PRESENT.

FOR HIM, THE SELF-EXPRESSION BORN OF RETRO CULTURE WILL ALWAYS PLAY ON THE LOOP.

>> WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS LOOK AT KPBS NEWS THIS WEEK.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.