KPBS Midday Edition

Bestselling author, political strategist and former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams will headline the inaugural KPBS San Diego Book Festival on Aug. 23. Abrams joined Midday Edition on Thursday to talk about her latest book, "Coded Justice," which dives into the ethical questions around the use of AI in the healthcare industry. "What I want us to think about with AI is that it's an extraordinarily powerful technology that is controlled by people," Abrams said. "And that means people have to understand what's happening and that means other people have to question where it comes from, what it does and what impact it will have on us." Plus, KPBS' Beth Accomando looks at how a new all-women acting company is flipping the script on Shakespearean plays. Then, Julia Dixon Evans shares her top picks for arts events this weekend, including meteor showers, visual art about caregiving and a children's film festival. Guests:

Wildfires are becoming bigger, deadlier and even more destructive across California. Firefighting efforts are also intensifying in response.On Midday Edition Wednesday, we hear from Jordan Thomas, anthropologist and author of the book “When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World," about his experience fighting fires as a Los Padres Hotshot and his deep-dive into the cultural histories behind fire.Guest:Jordan Thomas, cultural anthropologist, author of “When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World"Events:Aug. 21 - Book Catapult book talkAug. 23 - KPBS San Diego Book Festival

Writer and director Larry Charles has been an influential voice in American comedy for decades. From his groundbreaking work on TV series such as “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to films like “Borat” and “The Dictator,” you likely have laughed at his work over the years.But his lifelong dedication to laughter comes with a life-and-death seriousness, which he explores in his new memoir "Comedy Samurai: 40 Years of Blood, Guts, and Laughter."Charles will be a featured author at the KPBS San Diego Book Festival on Saturday, Aug. 23.Guest:Larry Charles — writer, director and author of "Comedy Samurai: 40 Years of Blood, Guts, and Laughter"

Environmental groups are celebrating a ruling from the California Supreme Court related to rooftop solar panels.The California Public Utilities Commission reduced financial incentives for homeowners to install solar power in 2022.The court's ruling does not change those incentives, but will allow for the appeals court to revisit the commission's authority to make changes to credits for rooftop solar customers.On Midday Edition Tuesday, we hear what the ruling could mean for the future of rooftop solar in California.Guests:Malena Carollo, business reporter, CalMattersMalinda Dickenson, legal and executive director, The Protect Our Communities Foundation

San Diego County’s longtime treasurer Dan McAllister suddenly retired this month after more than two decades in office.While the county has praised McAllister’s service over that time, court records reveal that two sexual harassment lawsuits were filed against him during his tenure.One of those cases had gone unreported until recently, and resulted in the county paying out a six-figure settlement in 2022, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.Tuesday on Midday Edition, we hear from reporter Lucas Robinson about the details in each case and the checkered legacy McAllister left.Guest:Lucas Robinson, government and politics reporter, The San Diego Union-Tribune

Building better public transit is difficult and expensive in California. Even with the right funding and voter approval, some transit projects can't seem to get off the ground. A new report from Circulate San Diego, "The Powerless Brokers: Why California Can't Build Transit" looks at one factor behind these delays — permitting challenges — and what it might take for California to get better at building transit. Guest: Colin Parent, CEO and General Counsel, Circulate San Diego

Friday marks the beginning of the San Diego Black Pride festival, a three-day event that celebrates Black queerness and joy in San Diego.On Midday Edition, we hear about how San Diego Black Pride is continuing to build safe and affirming spaces for Black LGBTQ+ people across the region.Then, in San Diego, summer is a season of Shakespeare. In this month's edition of Midday Movies, our critics share their favorite film adaptations of the beloved bard's work.Guests:Jordan Daniels, president, San Diego Black PrideBeth Accomando, arts reporter, KPBSYazdi Pithavala, host, Moviewallas

One of San Diego's most beloved attractions turned 100 this year. The Giant Dipper roller coaster at Belmont Park carried its first riders on July 4, 1925.The amusement park is still bustling a century later, holding a lot of history within it.On Midday Edition, we sit down with the park's general manager to hear how they're celebrating 100 years.Guest:Steve Thomas, Belmont Park general manager

Public radio fans know a thing or two about language. Especially those who listen to the weekly talk show, "A Way with Words."Co-hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett take calls about slang, dialects and family expressions — celebrating the nuance of words and speech.Now, Barnette is out with a new book about her career, built on a love of linguistics.It's called "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland."Barnette will be signing copies at Warwick's in La Jolla on Thursday, Aug. 7. And, she'll be a featured author at the inaugural San Diego Book Festival on Aug. 23.On Midday Edition, we sit down with Barnette to hear all about the book and two decades of hosting "A Way with Words."Guest:Martha Barnette, co-host of "A Way with Words;" author of "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland"

Across cultures, food traditions play a central role in family gatherings.For some Mexican American families, that gathering — along with laughter and love — may include the flavorful beef soup: menudo.For San Diego writer María Dolores Águila, this tradition became the subject of her new children’s book.Today on Midday Edition, a local author joins us to explore her new bilingual picture book, "Menudo Sunday", that celebrates food, family and culture.Guest:María Dolores Águila, bilingual author

Around 3 in 4 U.S. adults say the future of our nation is a significant source of stress in their lives. Many are troubled by the onslaught of federal policies tackling immigration and anti-civil rights legislation. A panel of local therapists join us to discuss how this political moment is affecting their work with clients. Guests: David PetersMitzy RuelasAlexis Smith

San Diego County jails have long been under scrutiny for alleged civil rights violations.In 2022, the jail system had 19 deaths — a record high for San Diego County jails.A complaint filed that year has since expanded to a class action lawsuit challenging nearly every aspect of jail operations — including medical and mental health practices.We discuss the latest insights into the legal proceedings and what the lawsuit has exposed about jail operations.Guest: Kelly Davis, watchdog reporter, San Diego Union-Tribune

Immigration detention facilities are a key part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, which pushes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to meet arrest quotas of 3,000 people a day. A new KPBS investigation looks into overcrowding within San Diego County's Otay Mesa Detention Center.Immigration lawyers report that detainees are sleeping on the floor and receiving deferred medical care resulting hospitalizations.On Midday Edition, we discuss the details and how they reflect a national trend of overcrowding in detention facilities.Guest:Gustavo Solis, investigative border reporter, KPBS

A new KPBS investigation uncovers problems within San Diego County's animal shelters, leading to a spike in dog euthanasias. Last fiscal year, the shelters made the decision to euthanize 426 dogs. That meant canines entering the shelter system had a more than 1-in-10 chance of being put down. On Midday Edition, we sit down with the journalists behind the investigation to unpack the full story. Guests: Scott RoddElaine Alfaro

Each year, celebrities, creators and fans from all across the world converge in San Diego for Comic-Con to celebrate all things related to fandom, pop culture, art, and so much more.Thursday on Midday Edition, we take you live inside the convention center to discuss what makes America's Finest City a special place to host the pop culture juggernaut.Plus, hear from different creators across art, books and film about their personal journeys into their fields, and how they are continuing to represent their culture and stories.Guests:Beth Accomando, arts reporter, KPBSPatrick Ballesteros, illustrator and educatorJohn Wells III, author of "The Last Angel Warrior" and "The Heir of Ambrose," organizer of "Diversity in Fantasy" panelErnie Bustamante, director, "Street Smart: Lessons From a TV Icon"

Comic-Con season is well underway. Two local events are coinciding with the main convention and are spotlighting comics creators and stories underrepresented in the mainstream. Wednesday on Midday Edition, we hear about the inaugural Indigi-Con, which celebrates and amplifies indigenous stories through art and comics, as well as Afrofuturism Lounge, which connects Black creators across disciplines. Guests: Chag LowryIndigenous Futures InstituteKatie WalkiewiczLaWana Richmond

On the eve of San Diego Comic-Con, we take a closer look at the local economy — and how the convention impacts it.A local economist shares insights on what a jump in unemployment means for the region, and how tourism remains a bright spot.Guest:Daniel Enemark, chief economist, San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center

Amid funding cuts for public media, stations all across the country — including KPBS — are bracing for impact of the Trump administration’s rescissions package. This includes $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) — which effectively cuts all federal support for NPR and PBS programs. Marco Werman, host of Public Radio Exchange’s The World and journalist-in-residence at UC San Diego, discusses the impact of the defunding on public media and the value of local journalism. Guest: “The World”

Basketball and skateboarding are powerful tools for building community across cultures. For tribal communities, these sports provide a unique avenue for cultural expression and mentorship. Tuesday on Midday Edition, we hear from the author of the new book "Rezballers and Skate Elders: Joyful Futures in Indian Country" about his research into sports culture among tribal communities. We also discuss his work with San Diego State University's Center for Skateboarding, Action Sports, and Social Change. Guest: David Kamper

A new limited podcast series "Short Wave: Sea Camp" explores the science of the sea, and how it plays a central role in sustaining life on Earth. Monday on Midday Edition, podcast hosts Regina Barber and Emily Kwong explain their approach to create stories of science that are both accessible and enriching. Guests: Regina Barber, cohost, Short Wave’s "Sea Camp" series Emily Kwong, cohost, Short Wave’s "Sea Camp" series