Southern California Border Crisis

Hi Netter News Community- it’s Wednesday, June 5, and we are following several major news stories across California:

✔ Were San Diego leaders intentionally left out of President Bidens border show and tell in DC?

✔ San Francisco moves to crack down on illegal street vendors but you all point out other California cities are not cracking down.

✔ No you are not going crazy, why are our streaming plans up 40% or more?

✔ And shopping cart controversey, one mom refuses to put it back and that sets off a firestorm.

Make it good one!

Netter News Team

SAN DIEGO TAKES AIM AT BIDEN’S BORDER PLAN

President Biden announced a new asylum ban for migrants at the southern border when encounters exceed a certain level, drawing immediate criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. But the criticism was felt deep in San Diego, the epicenter of the border crisis.

Biden’s Border Plan

• Biden's proclamation temporarily suspends the entry of immigrants if average daily encounters exceed 2,500 over seven days.

• Democrats said this was a return to what they call Trump-era policies.

• Republicans said it doesn’t go far enough to address border security.

How Bad is It

To understand the crisis firsthand in San Diego County, you need to watch this video from Fox News from this week, as hundreds of migrants crossed into the California-Mexico border at Jacumba Tuesday. Many of the men said they were fleeing areas in Africa, India, Vietnam, and other far-off nations.

Representation Matters

On Tuesday, the White House invited border mayors to be with President Biden for the announcement. Most were from Texas. However, the lack of San Diego County representation didn't sit well with some.

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond called the rollout a stunt and said it doesn’t do anything to address the crisis in California.

Even Democrats are not happy with Biden’s plan, California Senator Alex Padilla blasted the order:

What’s Next

• Expect legal challenges, the ACLU already vowed to fight it in court.

• Also, expect political theater, this will be a big topic at the upcoming presidential debates.

POLITICS, ECONOMY, EDUCATION & SCIENCE

FDA PANEL REJECTS PSYCHEDELIC-ASSISTED THERAPY

A Food and Drug Administration panel quickly rejected a California company’s request seeking approval for an ecstasy-based therapy aimed at treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 Lykos Therapeutics' had asked the FDA panel to look at their MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.   But the panel voted quickly 10-1 against the treatment, citing:

• Flawed study data

• Questionable research conduct

• Potential medical risks and drug abuse

What’s Next

📌Lykos Therapeutics still has a chance, although slim.

📌The decision will now go to the FDA

📌A final ruling is expected by August 11

📌The committee’s vote is only a recommendation, but the agency usually follows its advice.

PAGA REFORM OFF THE NOVEMBER BALLOT?

California voters may decide in November whether to change a state law that lets workers sue their employers for labor law violations on behalf of themselves, other employees, and the state. It’s known as PAGA- the Private Attorneys General Act.

However, business and labor groups might negotiate a legislative fix to keep the issue off the ballot. This law is unique to California. If you have 2 minutes, watch KCRA’s Ashley Zavala’s report.

PARADISE REGAINED

The Census Bureau reports a growing trend: small-town California is becoming increasingly popular. Leading the pack of the state's fastest-growing small towns and cities is the charming mountain community of Paradise, now taking the top spot.

The new figures show that Paradise’s population growth is roughly double the size of any other city or town in the entire state of California.

Rebuilding Mode

You will likely remember that in 2018, a firestorm swept through Paradise killing 85 people and destroying much of the town. Since then local leaders have been focused on rebuilding and attracting new people to the area.

ILLEGAL STREET VENDORS

San Francisco Mayor London Breed and State Senator Scott Wiener are teaming up to try and stop the sale of stolen goods on city streets.

What We Know

• Senate Bill 925 would allow the city to require permits for selling items often stolen from stores and impose penalties on those who sell them illegally.

• Vendors must show proof of purchase for the items they sell.

• Unlawful vendors must leave their setup area within 10 minutes if told to do so.

Statewide Problem

This got us wondering if other cities across the state, such as Sacramento, should take a look at what San Francisco is doing to combat illegal street vendors.

SHOPLIFTER VIDEO CONTROVERSY

In Glendale, a piece of video is sparking conversation about the escalating retail crime in Southern California and the lengths that police officers should go to intervene to stop it.

What We Know

• The video was taken three years ago and it shows a teenage shoplifter who fought with store security and then resisted arrest when police were called in.

• This week we learned that the officer who kneed the suspect in the head has been charged with felony assault.

• That officer has been on administrative leave since the incident in June 2021.

• The other officers do not face charges.

HOT TAKES

🚨 SCHOOL BOARD RECALL: Efforts to recall a controversial school board president in the Inland Empire appear to be winning. Dr. Joseph Komrosky, who leads the Temecula Valley Unified School District, has been under scrutiny for his conservative views.

🚨 MLB GAMBLING SCANDAL: More major league players are snared in a gambling scandal, this time a San Diego Padres infielder and Oakland Pitcher are banned from baseball for betting on games.

🚨 HEATWAVE v. JUNE GLOOM: Southern Californians are bracing for what weather geeks are calling a “heat dome”- the first insufferable temperatures of the year. 106 in the Valleys and a cool June Gloom on the coast. It happens every year at this time but we all seem to forget.

🚨 MUSK MULTITASKING:  A new investigation reveals escalating tensions between Elon Musk and Tesla Shareholders, after Musk allegedly ordered chipmaker Nvidia to prioritize shipments of its AI processors to both X and xAI, delaying Tesla’s awaited $500M order by months.

🚨 STREAM-FLATION: You might have cut the cord, thinking you were saving money, but a new analysis shows the cost of major streaming services has increased by more than 40% since launch. And Max hikes prices just before the launch of season two of “House of Dragon”.

GOLDEN STATE GLOW

🌴 California’s favorite grocery chain Trader Joe’s says they plan to open up two dozen new stores across the country, with nearly a dozen in the Golden State alone! Will they be in your neighborhood? Check out the locations here.

🌴A single mother in Southern California is creating a buzz after making a controversial confession on social media: she doesn’t return her shopping carts at the grocery store when she’s with her kids. Is she a so-called “Karen”? You can judge for yourself:

 🗓THIS DAY IN CALI-HISTORY

June 5:

On this day in 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, Sirhan Sirhan assassinates Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and wounds 5 others.

The AIDS epidemic officially began on this day in 1981 when the US Centers for Disease Control reported on pneumonia affecting five homosexual men in Los Angeles.

And on this day in 1986, San Diego Padre Steve Garvey (now California US Senate candidate) was ejected for the first time in his 16-year MLB career for arguing about a bogus triple play that went Altanta’s way.