San Carlos residents, please join us at the next Zoom meeting of the San Carlos Area Council (SCAC) on Wednesday, July 21, at 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. We will post that link at our Facebook page (facebook.com/SanCarlosAreaCouncil). We are fortunate to have elected official office representatives provide updates at every meeting.

Some good news: The San Carlos Rec Center and San Carlos Library are now open. We are entering a phase where life is getting back on track. A phase where we can count our blessings and express gratitude that we are all still alive to experience and enjoy what life has to offer.

Our police liaison, Officer John Steffen, gave his report of three violent crimes in the last month, 14 vehicle break-ins and two robberies. Officer Steffen once again reminded us that anyone parking at the Cowles Mountain and Mission Trails trailheads should not leave anything of value inside their cars, and be sure to lock said cars. The majority of opportunistic crimes take place in those two locations.

San Diego Fire Captain Mike Liversedge told us that now is the season to maintain your defensible space around your property. A video produced by Crystal Pyramid Productions and starring late popular meteorologist, Loren Nancarrow is a great guide on how to create and maintain defensible space: www.vimeo.com/570443863.

Special Assistant to Councilmember Raul Campillo, Sanna Loando, bid us adieu and introduced our new envoy, Vicram Vettiyil. Sanna will be missed but said she will check in from time to time, just to say “hi.” Congratulations to Sanna on her new, prestigious position, and welcome, Vic!

Special speaker, John White, joined us to talk about firearm violence prevention and ghost guns. He imparted some valuable information, as gun violence rises exponentially in the United States.

And last but not least, some more good news. Our long-awaited new San Carlos Library is now on the radar, with mediation having been completed. The City of San Diego has granted seed money in the amount of $250,000. More funds will of course be needed. But it’s a start, isn’t it?

If you have a San Carlos story to share, or would like to get involved in your town council, please contact [email protected].

— By San Carlos Area Council Vice President Patricia Mooney.