CA Lawmakers Consider Making End of Life Options Act Permanent

In 2023, more than 12-hundred terminally ill Californians obtained prescriptions for medical aid in dying and 69 percent took the medication.

The State Assembly is considering a bill to make permanent the law that authorizes medical aid in dying. The measure was already passed by the state senate in May. Comments from Dan Diaz, widower of well-known patient Brittany Maynard and an advocate for the bill, and Leslie Chinchilla), California state manager, Compassion & Choices Action Network.

California’s law legalizing medical aid in dying could be made permanent if lawmakers approve a bill currently before the State Assembly. Senate Bill 403 would eliminate the sunset clause in the 2015 End of Life Options Act. The law allows mentally capable, terminally ill patients with less than six months to live to get a prescription to end their life. Advocate Dan Diaz says his wife, Brittany Maynard, moved Oregon in 2014 to make use of the state’s Death With Dignity Act.

The End of Life Options Act is currently set to expire in five years. Medical aid in dying is legal in 11 states plus Washington D-C, but California is the only jurisdiction with a sunset provision.

— California News Service, A Bureau of the Public News Service

TALK OF THE TOWN with Mike Aguirre Fri 3pm

DAVID LOY: THE FIRST AMENDMENT–FREEDOM OF SPEECH

TODAY’S show is a reprise of a conversation Mike had with David Loy, Legal Director of the First Amendment Coalition.

David became the First Amendment Coalition’s legal director in 2022. David is an experienced free speech and open government litigator. He has defended the First Amendment rights of reporters, photographers, bloggers, students, teachers, activists, protesters, musicians, Marines, and motorcycle club members. He has fought for public disclosure and governmental transparency for over 20 years.

Before joining FAC, David served as legal director of the ACLU Foundation of San Diego & Imperial Counties for almost 16 years. He also worked as a staff attorney with the Office of the Appellate Defender in New York City, a public defender in Spokane, Washington, and a staff attorney with the Center for Justice in Spokane.

He received his A.B. in History and Chinese Language from Brown University, where he was photo editor of the Brown Daily Herald. After college, he worked for a law firm in San Francisco, taught English in China, and served as the legal assistant for a Chicago legal services office. He graduated from Northwestern University School of Law in 1994 and clerked for Judge Dolores K. Sloviter of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

David is an active member of the California and New York bars, with inactive status in Washington and Illinois. He has served on the Southern District of California lawyer representative committee and the boards of California Appellate Defense Counsel and American Constitution Society, San Diego Lawyer Chapter.

https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/

EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE with Editor and Investigative Journalist Miriam Raftery Fri 5pm, Sat 8am, Monday 5pm, Tues 8am

About East County Magazine. Our mission is to provide in-depth news, views and events coverage for the inland areas in San Diego County, reflecting the broad diversity of people and issues in our region, particularly those under-represented in other media. As nonprofit media, we reflect the public interest—not special interests, with a strong commitment to covering social justice issues,  diverse and mulicultural voices,community concerns, environmental/land use issues, and nonpartisan political  stories in our region’s urban, rural, mountain and desert communities. We also celebrate our region’s attractions and rich cultural heritage, with special sites such as Best of East County, Tribal Beat, People Power, Refugee Voices, Arts and Music, and more.  

East County Magazine also founded and operates East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts, keeping people safe and informed throughout San Diego County via e-mail and Twitter alerts. In addition we produce the East County Magazine radio show on KNSJ 89.1 FM. 

Editor and Founder Miriam Raftery has over 35 years experience as a journalist and editor.  She has won more than 400 major journalism awards, including the American Society of Journalists & Authors’ national Arlene Award for community journalism and San Diego Press Club’s Best of Show award prior to founding ECM.

She has covered major news stories including the California wildfires, Congressional and presidential elections, and Hurricane Katrina, as well as topics ranging from politics and election integrity to health, nutrition, homes and gardens.  

A former columnist and freelance writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune, she has also worked as an editor of a national nutrition journal and a literary magazine as well as senior national investigative reporter for RawStory.com. Her works have appeared in many national and regional publications, from Woman’s Day to Arizona Highways, as well as in many local community newspapers and magazines. An East County native, she takes pride in exploring East County’s back roads and byways, leaving no stone unturned in the quest for news and feature stories.

https://www.eastcountymagazine.org

A guest on Susan Taylor’s The Electric Picnic, a program about poetry, spoken word, prose and other creative arts, Olivia shares two of her poems with KNSJ.

–By Permission from Olivia Mercedes

_{Olivia Mercedes is a perpetually overwhelmed human who relies on creative mediums to process the intense spectrum of her conscious experience. Her poetry has been published, her artwork has been exhibited, her voice has been featured, but her most beloved accolades are the moments of real-life connection in response to her authenticity. She finds hope and gratitude in inspiring someone to feel, to question, to learn, to heal, to express, and ultimately to be more fully human.} 

^{instagram: @oliviamercedesart}

instagram: @oliviamercedesart

𝐂𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐂 𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐑 Wed 4pm

𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 is a nationally syndicated radio show and podcast hosted by Q Ward and Ramses Ja. The program was created to foster allyship, empathy, and understanding, and bolster social justice efforts in hopes of creating a more equitable society for all. This show seeks to directly engage with diverse populations across the country.

Set in motion in early 2020 by the violent and egregious murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, Civic Cipher was created as a response to a desperate call to action, and an urgent need for change.

Civic Cipher is intentionally, curated to be an invaluable, and timeless, resource for everyone. These conversations serve non-POC allies (as well as POC) who may not otherwise be privy to these types of discussions, perspectives, and optics.

Providing long-form, engaging, data-driven conversations that easily fit in ALL spaces across personal, academic, and professional realms, Civic Cipher excellently packages and delivers purposeful, educational, and relevant material and warmly welcomes audiences across all demographics.

Co-host Q Ward is a 15+ year DJ and broadcast veteran. The Detroit native has spent over 20 yrs in the entertainment space spanning several different roles in and around professional sports, film, television, music and philanthropy. He’s had a very diversified life and career having lived and worked in 4 countries, on 3 continents and in over a dozen cities. Q is the former in-arena DJ for the Phoenix Suns, a manager for creatives, a BMI-published songwriter, co-host of Civic Cipher (a one-hour talk radio show currently broadcasting on over 100 stations nationwide), co-host of iHeartmedia’s Black Information Network Daily Podcast, and currently owns the media imprint Hip Hop Weekly. Q Ward

Co-Host Ramses Ja is an award-winning broadcasting professional with a career spanning over two decades on radio and television stations across the country. Being a celebrated DJ and media personality, Ramses has been featured on many billboards, magazine covers, newspaper articles, and naturally radio and television. Ramses has always taken this notoriety and used it to inspire Black and Brown youth. As a former president of his college’s Black Student Union, this has been central to his efforts his whole career. Ramses has gone on to win media and activist awards from several prestigious institutions including the NAACP and The Black Philanthropy Initiative. Currently, Ramses hosts Civic Cipher with Q Ward. Additionally Ramses hosts The Black Information Network Daily Podcast where he interviews Black journalists around the country to gain more insight into national news stories. The Black Information Network Daily Podcast is found on the Black Information Network—a subsidiary of iHeartmedia. @ramsesja

Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @civiccipher

STOP & TALK with GRANT OLIPHANT and CRYSTAL PAGE Fri 8am

Thoughtful conversations and a good way to start the day! STOP & TALK dives deep into the themes of purpose and opportunity, guided by the insights of leaders in the arts and culture, health, philanthropy, finance, and innovation fields. Together, we celebrated local achievements and envisioned what’s possible in San Diego County.

https://stopandtalkpodcast.com/

FRIENDLY FIRE with DON KIMBALL Sat 2pm

A Show For and About Veterans

Don is in conversation with Veterans for Peace about the overturning of Roe vs. Wade by SCOTUS in 2022. We also hear from former US Marine Captain and State Department official Matt Hoh on the War in Ukraine

TALK OF THE TOWN LIVE with MIKE AGUIRRE Sat 11am

Call in with questions or comments at 619-790-KNSJ (5675)

In case you were unable to attend KNSJ’s Fundraiser with Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and former Bureau Chief with the New York Times, Mike and his guests are in conversation about the first-hand accounts Chis Hedges’ related, and more. Chris is on tour with his latest book A Genocide Foretold: Reporting on Survival and Resistance in Occupied Palestine.

with GAIL STEWART

– L.A. BASED GREG PORPER SCREENWRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER UNPACKS FROM NAVIGATING THE TREACHEROUS WATERS OF DISTRIBUTION –

– HIS DARK OFFICE COMEDY “DON’T TELL LARRY” IS OUT — BUT MAINTAINING CREATIVE CONTROL AND CHAIN OF TITLE — NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART!

– JOIN SAN DIEGO SCREENWRITER STUDIO’S PRODUCER/HOST GAIL STEWART AND GREG PORPER FOR AN AMAZING STORY OF HOW HE DID IT!