NASA's Artemis II will splash down in San Diego after a 10-day mission around the moon.

It's the first time in 50 years that American astronauts have been to the moon.

On Midday Edition, we sit down with former astronaut and NASA administrator Major General Charles Bolden Jr. to hear about his career and his insights about the significance of the Artemis II mission.

Guest:

• Major General Charles Bolden Jr., former astronaut and NASA administrator

One of the biggest coffee industry events in the United States is coming to San Diego this weekend — and coffee lovers are in for a treat.

World of Coffee will be kicking off at the San Diego Convention Center Friday, bringing together specialty coffee shops, roasters, educators and experts from all across the globe.

Thursday on Midday Edition, we sit down with a local business owner and a coffee educator to talk about what it means to bring World of Coffee to San Diego, and how coffee itself is intertwined with culture and community.

Then, if you're looking for more arts and culture events to check out, KPBS arts reporter Julia Dixon Evans has you covered in her weekend preview.

Guests:

• Kristin Cleavinger, owner, One of One Community
• Jacquie McCourt, coffee educator, San Diego Coffee Training Institute

Resources:

• World of Coffee San Diego — April 10-12

We've now seen parts of the moon no human has ever seen before.

That's thanks to the four-person crew of NASA's Artemis II mission — and plenty of other scientists here at home, on Earth.

It's a story many of us have been following over the past week, marking humanity's return to the moon after more than 50 years.

Later this week, the Artemis II crew will be splashing down right off the coast of San Diego. We get all the details from the San Diego Air & Space Museum and hear about their upcoming Family PJ Night Watch Party.

Guest:

• David Neville, communications director, San Diego Air & Space Museum

Ballots for California's Gubernatorial Primary Election will be in your mailbox within weeks.

On Midday Edition Wednesday, we take a closer look at some of the many candidates vying to be California's next governor. On the congressional side, we talk about the race for California's newly redrawn 48th District seat.

Guest:

Carl Luna, professor of political science at Mesa College; visiting professor at the University of San Diego and director for USD's Institute for Civil Civic Engagement

The Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) found that two sheriff's deputies engaged in criminal conduct in connection with the death of Bobby Ray Patton, who died in the Vista Detention Facility.

Patton died in the jail on Dec. 28, 2024 after hours of struggling to breathe and complaining of chest pain.

The civilian watchdog panel sustained allegations of criminal negligence against the deputies, concluding that the officers failed to respond to signs that Patton needed medical attention.

Wednesday on Midday Edition, we talk more about Patton's case and what this ruling could mean for similar investigations moving forward.

Guest:

• Kelly Davis, investigative reporter, The San Diego Union-Tribune

For nearly 20 years, National Public Radio's "Planet Money" has been telling enlightening stories about the economy in unexpected and creative ways. Now, the team behind the popular podcast is out with a new book.

We hear from members of the Planet Money team about their new book "Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life" and how they brought their unique storytelling style to the world of text.

Guests:

Alex Mayyasi, author, contributor, "Planet Money"

Sarah Gonzalez, cohost, reporter, "Planet Money"

A federal judge last week struck down a central part of President Trump’s executive order that targeted federal funding for public media. The District Court ruling said the order violated broadcasters' First Amendment rights.

On Midday Edition Monday, we hear what the ruling means to the future of public media, and explore other trends across the media landscape.

Guests:

David Loy, legal director, First Amendment Coalition

Dean Nelson, professor, Point Loma Nazarene University

For more than 400 years, 12.5 million people in Africa were ripped from their homes and families, chained in pairs, packed into cargo holds at the bottom of ships and trafficked to the Americas.

On the other side of the two-month journey through the middle passage was the horror of chattel slavery.

Today, the continued impacts of that reality are all around us. In America, we see it reflected in every system — from our economy to our health care system.

Last month, the United Nations General Assembly passed a landmark resolution that declares the transatlantic slave trade the "gravest crime against humanity." It also calls for reparations beyond symbolic acknowledgement.

We talk about what the resolution could mean for reparations proposals in California.

Guest:

• Monica Montgomery Steppe, San Diego County Board Supervisor, District 4