KPBS Roundtable
KPBS Roundtable offers perspectives from those who tell San Diego’s stories. Join host Andrew Bracken for a weekly discussion with reporters, adding depth and context to the headlines driving the news in the San Diego region. KPBS Roundtable airs each Friday at 12 p.m. and again Sunday at 6 a.m. across San Diego on 89.5 FM and Imperial County on 97.7 FM. You can also catch the show on all podcast apps. New episodes drop every Friday afternoon.
Episodes
As the year comes to a close, we reflect on some of the biggest KPBS stories of the year with the reporters who covered them.We discuss the changing landscape of immigration enforcement and mass deportation. Plus, the local housing picture in San Diego — from ADUs to the effects of statewide legislation.Then, we talk about the top stories on the science and technology beat this year, including artificial intelligence and nuclear fu...
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a Ukrainian immigrant who was arrested last week after her green card interview.Viktoriia Bulavina said she was held for days inside a federal building in downtown San Diego, where ICE officers put her and other women in shackles and chains.We talk about Bulvina's story and the broader picture of immigration enforcement in San Diego.Then, we sit down with local food journalists to ...
The San Diego FC inaugural season has officially come to an end.This week on Roundtable, we recap Saturday’s 3–1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps with local soccer experts, unpacking the team’s success both on the scoreboard and in the stands.Then, a new report from UC San Diego shows a sharp rise in first-year students lacking high school math proficiency. At UC San Diego — where more than half of undergraduates pursue STEM degrees...
For public radio listeners, NPR voices often become part of our morning ritual. A Martínez, NPR Morning Edition and Up First co-host, is one of those personalities.He joins KPBS Roundtable to talk about his public media journey, from covering sports all the way to hosting public radio’s morning flagship.Then, we dig into how immigration lawyers are filing habeas corpus petitions to protect their clients and challenge immigration ho...
In case you missed it, there was a special election this week in California.We take stock of Proposition 50 and other political headlines from the week, including Nancy Pelosi's retirement announcement after a 20-term career in Congress.Plus, National City this week rejected a proposed biofuel depot project over air quality concerns.And, we sit down with our colleagues at "The Finest" podcast to hear about their season one finale a...
Water bills are going up for San Diegans.Despite ongoing cost of living concerns, San Diego’s city council voted this week to increase water and sewer rates by 31% over the next two years. We talk about what that means for you and your water bill.Plus, for Halloween, local horror writers talk about their approach to telling scary stories, and why we love to be scared.Guests: Mackenzie Elmer, energy and environment reporter, Voice o...
San Diego soccer fans are gearing up for playoffs season, rallying behind Major League Soccer’s San Diego FC and the National Women’s Soccer League’s San Diego Wave FC.Both teams are headed to the playoffs in the next few weeks. We take a look at their seasons and what they'll need to reach their championship goals.Then, we hear about one San Diego preschool making a difference in the lives of children recovering from family trauma...
Housing challenges in San Diego's North County reflect much of the region — from a lack of affordable options to rising rents.We discuss how new state legislation and recent legal challenges over development could affect housing stock in North County.Plus, convention goers are back on the streets of downtown San Diego this weekend for TwitchCon. The conference celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, bringing hundreds of online c...
Voice of San Diego brought a "solutions showdown" to its annual Politifest last weekend.A pair of panels took on different facets of San Diego's homelessness crisis: what to do about street homelessness and how to respond when people with behavioral health problems refuse treatment. We discuss the takeaways.Plus, a new book by a local science journalist tackles how to prevent future pandemics.Guests:Lisa Halverstadt, senior investi...
The San Diego Padres finished their season after losing to the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the 2025 National League Wild Card Series.We recap how they played this season and the biggest questions ahead for the team.Plus, we sit down with local theater makers to hear what makes San Diego theater so unique. And, why theater remains a powerful art form in an increasingly digital world.Guests:Darren Smith, longtime sports radio host, hos...
Pollution and trash from the Tijuana River Valley have impacted the San Diego-Tijuana border region for decades. New research shows that it's not just the water that's affected. Toxic materials are also degrading the region’s air quality.A panel of environment reporters in the San Diego-Tijuana region joins us to talk about the origins of the cross-border sewage crisis. How did it all start? We look into the Tijuana River Valley’s ...
The San Diego City Council this week approved a minimum wage increase to $25 per hour for most hospitality workers.It will be phased in over several years.We discuss the significance of the ordinance and what it means for organized labor in city politics.Plus, Andrew Keatts is the new general manager and editor of Times of San Diego, a local news outlet. We sit down with Keatts and outgoing editor Chris Jennewein for details on the...
Happy Birthday, KPBS!September 12, 2025 marks KPBS' 65th anniversary of public broadcasting in San Diego.On this special edition of Roundtable, we catch up with some familiar voices who helped build KPBS into what it is today.Guests:Ken Kramer, host and producer of Ken Kramer's About San DiegoAlison St. John, longtime KPBS reporterScott Horsley, chief economics correspondent for NPR and former KPBS reporterThomas Fudge, science and...
Immigration enforcement is escalating in San Diego and across the country, with more than 60,000 people currently in immigration detention nationwide.On KPBS Roundtable, we check in with immigration reporters in the San Diego-Tijuana region to break down the state of enforcement on the ground and how communities across southern California have been responding.Then, a roundup of your weekly stories.Guests:Gustavo Solis, investigativ...
A group of people in San Diego's Safe Sleeping Program filed a lawsuit this week alleging that the city program is failing to live up to its name.KPBS Roundtable takes a closer look at the lawsuit and discusses the larger landscape of homelessness in the region.Then, San Diego is facing a senior population boom, what this historic shift means for the region's future.That's followed by our roundup of the week's local stori...
This week marked the first day of school for tens of thousands of kids in the San Diego Unified School District.With the promises of the new school year also come challenges for local schools and their students, from ongoing enrollment declines to how to navigate our age of smart phones and AI.We speak to three education reporters about those challenges and more.Guests:Katie Anastas, education reporter, KPBSJakob McWhinney, educati...
Gov. Gavin Newsom is leading an effort to change district maps in California in response to redistricting efforts from GOP leaders in Texas.We discuss what it could mean for the future of political power in California and across the nation.Plus, a San Diego news startup is fighting the loss of local media by prioritizing solutions-oriented, community-focused storytelling. We hear the details.Then, the weekly roundup of other storie...
San Diego is consistently ranked as one of the most expensive cities to live in the United States.
One proposed solution involves increasing the housing supply with an emphasis on affordable development mandates. But the process of permitting new homes depends on many factors.
A new KPBS and Voice of San Diego investigation digs into housing data to find out where new homes are being built. We discuss the details with the reporters b...
What does it take to capture the thrill of San Diego Comic-Con and share it with an even wider audience?
On KPBS Roundtable, we get the lowdown on this year’s event from a local reporter who covers the con, and a podcast host who spotlights both established and up-and-coming comic book creators and artists.
Then, how one San Diego content creator developed her passion for pop culture and fandom — and her relationship with the convent...
National City has made efforts to reduce its number of industrial businesses in recent years with the goal of improving air quality and resident health.
But a new new proposed biofuel depot is raining concerns in a city that has long sought to curb pollution.
Also on KPBS Roundtable, the Chula Vista City Council passed an ordinance last week with new regulations on who can ride e-bikes and where. We take a look into the city'...
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