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 40 years.

Call one 800 Bill Howe or visit Bill howe.com.

And buy 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.

Thousands of San Diego service members are participating in airstrikes against Iran.

Kpbs military reporter Andrew Dyer says the Trump administration is distancing itself from comparisons to the war in Iraq, but aren't giving any indications when the strikes may end.

Navy and Marine Corps fighters launched from the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln's flight deck during the first few days of the war.

The San Diego based carrier is operating from the Arabian Sea.

The Virginia based USS Gerald Ford is launching missions from the Eastern Mediterranean.

We caught up with Representative Scott Peters today who says he's got a lot of concerns about the military operations in San Diego.

We feel this more directly than a lot of places.

We know what it's like to send people overseas.

We know what it's like to lose people and what it's like for their for for them and their for for their families.

The San Diego Democrat's district includes Naval Air Station North Island, the home port of the Lincoln.

It also includes Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, home to the marine F-35 squadron assigned to the carrier.

Many Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans are criticizing President Trump's decision to launch the strikes in partnership with Israel, because he hasn't made the case to Congress.

We still haven't been briefed.

It is the constitutional requirement of that Congress declare war.

The president has refer to this as a war.

I'm going to go back tomorrow and hope to get the briefings that we want.

At a Pentagon news conference today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back against comparisons to the 2003 attacks on Iraq.

This is not Iraq.

This is not endless.

I was there for both.

Our generation knows better, and so does this president.

He called the last 20 years of nation building wars dumb.

And he's right.

This is the opposite.

Responding to a reporter, Hegseth said offering any information to the public about the military's plans would be giving too much information to the enemy going forward.

Why in the world would we tell you, you the enemy, anybody what we will or will not do in pursuit of an objective?

We fight to win.

We fight to achieve the objectives the president, the United States has laid out, and we will do so unapologetically.

As of Monday afternoon, at least six U.S.

service members have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Iran.

Air Force General Dan Caine is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

He spoke alongside Hegseth and says he expects more American casualties.

The military objectives at Centcom and the Joint Force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve, and in some cases, will be difficult and gritty work.

We expect to take additional losses and as always, we will work to minimize U.S.

losses.

But as the Secretary said, this is major combat operations.

Hegseth says it's part of what the military is here to do.

As the president warned, an effort of this scope will include casualties.

War is hell, and always will be.

Congress is expected to vote on a War powers resolution this week.

Andrew Dyer, Kpbs news.

Meanwhile, leaders in San Diego's Iranian community are relieved at the death of that country's supreme leader.

But Kpbs reporter Jacob Aere says they're also expressing mixed emotions for what comes next.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Iran's supreme leader, was killed Saturday by U.S.

and Israeli strikes.

He was in power for nearly 37 years.

Locally, news of his assassination brought great joy for members of the Iranian diaspora, says Ainaz Estiri.

This level of joy and happiness, the Iranian diaspora we are feeling is, crazy, is insane.

This weekend it was a very emotional day.

We were dancing.

We were cheering.

We were crying from happiness.

23 year old Estiri has been protesting every week with the organization Alliance with Pahlavi since early January.

She says the government is brutal towards its citizens and has created a human rights crisis.

According to one human rights agency, at least 7000 people have been killed since January in a crushing government response to public protest.

Of course, we don't want anyone that is innocent to die in this situation.

But right now, if we don't get rid of this regime in the future, they're going to kill thousands more.

That worry is echoed by 75 year old Shahram Homayounfar.

He's been helping to organize weekly protests against Iran's leadership outside the federal courthouse in downtown San Diego.

We still believe that part of the regime is still there.

They haven't fallen yet, and we do believe that the Iranian people have to step up.

They finish the job.

They bring the change by themselves because if they don't do anything and wait for others to do the job might not be what they're looking for.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 Iranians have been killed since the beginning of US and Israeli attacks on Saturday.

We are not really pro-war, but at the same time, we could recognize that the policies and the way that the Iranian government has been behaving in all past 47 years, to me, they've brought this war on themselves.

Though Khamenei is gone, he says, what comes next is just as important.

We are happy that those people have been killed.

But where it's going, it's concerning.

We want to make sure that at the end, the people of Iran get the democracy and freedom that they deserve.

Both Homayounfar and Estiri say they plan to keep their protests going and increase action as needed.

Jacob Aere Kpbs news.

Well, the warmth and it was in some cases, record warmth has backed off and temperatures are more typical here for early March.

We have some wind out there, the wind and actually kicking up some dust, leading some air quality compromises here and air quality concerns in parts of San Bernardino County.

Even having an air quality alert because of that blowing dust.

And heats going to continue to back off through Tuesday.

So comfortable weather.

The rain and snow stay way to our northeast up into the Rockies.

Details ahead.

The city of San Diego rolled out its new parking rates for Balboa Park today.

Parking is now free for San Diego residents in some lots.

But Kpbs reporter John Carroll says museum leaders in the park say even the new situation is unacceptable.

The city started charging for parking in Balboa Park back on January 5th.

City leaders say they listened to concerns of residents and museum leaders in the park, and came up with something good for everyone.

Residents will be able to park in up to 70% of their lots here in and around Balboa Park for free.

Once they get verified as city residents.

And that's about a bit of an improvement to what how the program first started.

Here's the breakdown of who gets to park where and for how much.

In the level one premium lots, residents can pay $8 for the day or $5 for four hours.

For nonresidents, those lots are 16 a day or ten for four hours.

In the level two lots, residents can park for free.

Nonresidents will have to fork over $10 for a day.

And in the level three lot, it's also free for residents ten bucks a day for nonresidents, and the first three hours are free.

The city will start issuing warning notices today to folks who don't pay for parking.

And they say they'll start issuing tickets on March 16th.

Jose Ysea says, the city has already taken in $1 million since first starting to charge for parking.

And he says the money generated from these kiosks is badly needed to keep the park in good shape.

There's a cost to be able to maintain and do repairs.

It's an old park, old buildings, a lot of beautiful trees.

All of that costs money.

And we're hoping that this will help us, generate some funds for, of course, all the funds that are generated stay within the park here.

There has been pushback from the public since the parking fees went into effect.

And that pushback has been fierce from museum leaders.

I asked Air and Space Museum chief Jim Kidrick about the newly moderated parking fees.

Is that good enough?

Nope.

Why?

Well, there shouldn't be any paid parking in Balboa Park at all.

The changes that are starting today, they don't go far enough.

Same message from Michael Warburton, who heads up the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.

Not only is it eliminating the opportunity for county residents to park for free.

We have a ton of people who visit from the county.

But it's also not as easy as people think.

If you've tried to register as a city resident, it's pretty cumbersome.

Ysea says the city is aware of that, and they're making people available to help.

We do have, digital navigators, as we call them, that they're accessible at the libraries, or they can give us a call and we'll have somebody help you, process your application online.

Plus, for at least this week, city staff are posted at various kiosks to offer in-person help.

But Warburton says none of it is good enough.

He says he's been tracking visitor numbers since the fees went into effect.

And he says those numbers are down yesterday, Sunday.

I was down 39% in attendance compared to last year's same Sunday.

And overall, since January 5th, since this parking thing has, has, been in effect.

I'm down 29% attendance back over here at the Air and Space Museum.

And Jim Kedrick says the parking situation as it stands now is nothing short of an existential threat to certain museums and cultural institutions in the park.

There are some here that operate hand-to-mouth.

It's unfortunate, but it's the way it is.

Okay.

Sad.

And why would you do that?

Why would you, as a city, risk anyone in this park?

A question the city is sure to be asked by museum leaders in Balboa Park as the next phase of the fight over charging for parking in the park gets underway.

John Carroll, Kpbs news.

Late last year, the San Diego district attorney announced a successful prosecution against a local gang.

Kpbs reporter J.W.

August says it was the result of an unusual partnership between law enforcement and the community coming out of the pandemic in 2022.

The Bridge Church in San Diego's Mountain View neighborhood found itself in the middle of a war zone.

A lot of activity, happening, right in front of our eyes.

And the community knew it.

Everybody knew it.

Pastor Steve Marron says drug sales, gun sales and prostitution were happening every day.

It was a frightening experience for the bridge congregation.

They prayed for a miracle.

Their prayers focused on Mike's Market, which was across the street from the church at the corner of 37th and Ocean View.

It had been controlled by 59 brims gang for years.

They literally terrorized our community.

Worshipers experienced the terror firsthand.

Outside the patio, we had a little prayer circles and two kids running up the street here right next to me.

On on 3736.

Shooting.

Shooting at each other.

22 pistols.

Another time.

Marron's wife, Lisa, was cleaning up the children's play area in the bridge when she heard shooting.

It was screaming and then I just looked out the window and, saw a bunch of people running, and I just kind of just ducked because I just wasn't sure what was, you know, what was happening.

Across the street, a body lay in Mike's Market's parking lot.

A 26 year old gang member gunned down by the Westcoast Crips.

The 59 brims sworn enemy.

Not something fun to see, you know.

A short time later, another gang member died in front of the market.

Another a half block away.

In the two years prior to this.

San Diego police had responded to more than a thousand calls for service within 500ft of the market.

Things seemed out of control and we said, this is not okay.

So.

So we're going to pray against violence.

Pray against chaos.

The business never slowed at Mike's market.

Deputy District Attorney Miriam Hemming led the operation.

Mike's market has been known to law enforcement and the district attorney's office as a hotbed of gang activity going back decades, probably.

Mountain view experienced what District Attorney Summer Stephan describes as piecemeal policing.

The way law enforcement generally works is you have a call for service and police respond.

While this approach resulted in arrests, it didn't fix the underlying problem.

The same people are going to just come out of jail and start over.

Many of the people that we've convicted had prior records.

Also, if the police only show up when there's trouble, they don't make meaningful connections with residents.

Historically, this has been the case in marginalized communities.

The whole establishment was racist.

Henry Wallace has seen how police interact with communities of color in San Diego for more than a half century.

They have a stereotype ideal about what blacks does and how they should treat black people, as well as hispanics.

As a member of the San Diego Black Panther Party since 1967, Wallace has seen police community relations improve, but cautions there remains residual mistrust.

Stephan says she understands that community trust is the most important thing for effective strategic law enforcement.

Public safety and prosecution.

A key connection in this case was between Pastor Marron and Omar Luzuriaga, the SDPD's community relations officer for the neighborhood.

It began with a meeting at the Bridge Church.

And I'm never going to forget this.

He took me to his balcony and we faced, Mike's market.

There was casings of bullets, rounds of bullets.

You remember that?

Yeah.

With my.

The casing right here.

There's a case right there.

It soon became clear that this case required a different approach, but it didn't happen right away.

It took time to build momentum.

And little by little, we begin to, to bring more people on board.

Ultimately, the DA's office and SDPD formed a special unit of gang experts.

And operation Mike drop was born J.W.

August.

Kpbs news.

I'm Amna Nawaz tonight on the NewsHour.

President Trump indicates the war with Iran could go on for weeks.

The latest is coming up at seven after Evening edition on Kpbs.

Another prominent local Republican has left the GOP going into this year's election season for this week's Why It Matters segment.

Voice of San Diego Scott Lewis examines why former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey left the party behind as he launched a campaign for San Diego City Council.

Bailey recently moved to the city of San Diego, and on February 19th, he announced he was running for city council.

That day, he changed his voter registration from Republican to no party preference.

The switch was not a surprise.

The city council district he's running for district two covers Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Mission Beach, and Claremont.

The area does not identify much with Republicans.

Vice President Kamala Harris, for example, won the district by 30 points over President Donald Trump.

Just 12 years ago, it was different.

In 2014, Democrats held just a 1.7 point voter registration advantage over Republicans in San Diego County.

11 of the county's 18 cities still had more Republicans than Democrats.

Today, Democrats hold a 12.9 point advantage, and only four cities Santee, Coronado, Poway and El Cajon remain Republican on paper.

El Cajon City Council member Gary Kendrick is one of the longest serving elected officials in the county.

And two weeks ago, he also left the Republican Party.

But unlike Kendrick, Bailey is not becoming a Democrat.

In a recent interview, he refused to say whether he supported President Donald Trump or not.

And just two years ago, Bailey was one of the leaders of the Republican Party, an active member of its local central committee.

He says he does not want to talk about partisan national politics at all.

San Diego voters are extremely dissatisfied with the direction.

The city of San Diego is going, and it seems that it would be more fair to ask the other candidates, well, what are your thoughts on how Mayor Gloria is performing or how the City Council is performing on these issues that we're actually campaigning to have Some say in, so, you know, at the end of the day, it wasn't the president who put the city in the position at the end, it was the elected leaders at City Hall.

And, you know, hopefully voters agree with my my platform we'll be able to have a say, after November.

Since leaving the Coronado mayor's office, Bailey has made numerous, sometimes viral videos about the city of San Diego's finances.

He's hoping to tap into resentment about new fees, deteriorating infrastructure, and the homeless crisis.

But the race will be a major test.

The last Republican to hold the seat lost her reelection campaign eight years ago, almost exclusively because Democrats tied her to Trump in mailers and ads.

The connections were tenuous, but they were successful.

Will Bailey's ditching of the party help him overcome that and provide a new path for more conservative candidates?

Or will residents side with a Democrat?

Nicole Crosby, a former prosecutor in the city attorney's office.

Josh Coyne, a nonprofit leader and Ocean Beach activist.

Mandy Havoc are also running for Voice San Diego.

I'm Scott Lewis, and that's why it matters.

Controversy over bike lanes in North County could end up costing the city of Encinitas millions of dollars.

The city is planning to remove a protected bike lane that was recently installed, citing the confusion and traffic jams it caused for drivers.

Public matters reporter Jake Gotta has the story.

The city of Encinitas is planning to remove this protected bike lane that was built here outside San Diego Academy less than a year ago.

They'll replace it with an unprotected lane sandwiched between parked cars and traffic.

The redesign of Santa Fe Drive here cost more than $4 million, and created these protected lanes on either side of the road.

But it also created these back end parking spots that Mayor Bruce Ehlers says are confusing for drivers.

So first, I'll start with the back end diagonal parking, probably the it's absolutely nobody likes it.

It's at least 75% of the people strongly disagree with putting this in.

When we did a survey and Mayor Ehler says emergency vehicles can't get through because of traffic jams.

The cars will have room to pull over into the bike lane in the new design.

On Wednesday, the city council approved the redesign of the redesign.

They expect it will cost more than $3 million.

Mayor Ehler says it'll actually be safer for bike riders.

This is probably one of the most important in my mind is the seven driveways.

Set up a right hook situation.

We've had fatalities in Encinitas due to right hooks.

And what I mean by a right hook to explain is where the, car wants to make a right turn.

And rather than pulling over and blocking the bike path, which is what they should do, they should take control of the, interference.

The striped area, the, green white stripe area.

They should take control so the bicycle stays behind him.

If they don't, they stay out.

Or if they're forced to stay out because they are physically separated.

When they make that turn, the bike hits them.

And we actually had a fatality on Leucadia Boulevard with that exact situation.

But local advocates for mobility options don't agree.

We know that for the vast majority of users, the 8 to 80 crew, which is, you know, kids as young as eight, adults as old as 80, to make them feel protected and comfortable while riding on our busy city streets.

They prefer protection and separation, and that's best done with actual separation, as in, a concrete barrier.

Chris Giles and Aaron Hebshi.

From Strong Towns Encinitas and Marley Jaoudi with bike walk Encinitas say the protected lane was part of a regional network that was just starting to make it safe to ride a bike around town.

Our objective actually is to have a connected bicycle network that everyone feels comfortable riding around on.

We want Encinitas to be a place for bike riders from 8 to 80, to be able to get around safely.

And it helps kind of reduce the barrier to entry of biking safely around.

Encinitas Council member Joy Lenz, who was the lone vote against the new configuration, said lots of people supported the protected lanes.

At this special meeting, there were 121 pages of written public comment submitted, with over 90% supporting not wasting the taxpayer money and supporting, just finishing and improving or improve, not remove.

Lenz also said that $3 million could have gone to other important projects like park upgrades or stormwater infrastructure.

Ultimately, the council voted 4 to 1 to advance the new design.

Jake Gotta Kpbs news.

Public matters is a partnership with Kpbs, inewsource and Voice of San Diego.

You can see more of our stories at kpbs.org/public matters.

Well, we've been dealing with some record warmth in recent days, but that is behind us now.

So the short term transition from very warm to cooler and more seasonable early March weather the winds are still active.

They've been active.

They're going to begin to decrease into the Tuesday and Wednesday forecast.

But for now, there is still some short term fire concerns, fire danger concern, and that winds also picking up some dust.

So blowing dust in some of the deserts and into the mountains a little bit east and northeast of San Diego especially impacting air quality.

in some places like within San Bernardino County, for example.

Temperatures are going to be stabilizing though.

And tonight we're getting down to 54.

Partly cloudy skies, winds dying off a bit.

Tuesday some patchy fog near the coast in the morning then we'll see a bright, beautiful afternoon.

The heat backs off kind of retreating to the east.

And up into the central Rockies.

You could see some snow with some low elevation rain showers.

Highs on Tuesday.

We're looking at 68 in San Diego, 75 in Oakland, Ramona back down to 74.

Borrego Springs and the desert floor there around the 83 degrees Mount Laguna 52.

And it will be a pretty nice time for us.

Wednesday we're going to go through that rhythm again with some morning fog along the coast, low clouds, and then a bright, beautiful afternoon shower.

Stay well to the north, mainly north of San Francisco, warmest into the far interior valleys and the deserts.

But we don't expect to see the heat.

That was pretty impressive over the past few days for late February and the very beginning of March.

So for the coast 68 Tuesday back up to the low 70s, Thursday and Friday.

A good deal of sunshine.

Really nice weather out there.

A little warmer into Saturday.

Let's go inland a little bit here.

We're going to be hovering in the mid 70s low to mid 70s really Tuesday and then again Thursday a little cooler warming some into Saturday.

Comfortable nice bright weather into the mountains we go.

And here you could see low 50s.

And we cool slightly to the low 40s Thursday and Friday before a breezy warmer Saturday.

And in the deserts here we're going to be in the low to mid 80s.

Not as warm as we were though.

And then we hover back into the 70s with again a little bit of a Thursday, Friday cooldown and a slight recovery into Saturday.

I'm AccuWeather meteorologist Geoff Cornish for Kpbs news.

Well, here is a look at what we're working on for tomorrow in the Kpbs newsroom.

People are turning to AI chat bots to help them with medical advice, but recent studies suggest these bots are not always helpful in decisions about health.

That is tomorrow on NPR's Morning Edition.

And gas prices are going up amid military attacks against Iran.

Kpbs Midday Edition will discuss what else could soon become more expensive.

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

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Maya Trabulsi.

Have a great evening.

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 40 years.

Call one 800 Bill Howe or visit Bill Howe.com And by the Conrad Prebys Foundation.

Darlene Marcos Shiley.

And by the following.

And by viewers like you.

Thank you.