Arte y entretenimiento

Arts advocacy leader rebrands

Founded in 1989, the San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition has been on the front lines of arts advocacy efforts and has worked tirelessly to ensure that art and culture in San Diego continue to thrive.

When the SDRACC board hired Felicia Shaw to the newly created role of Executive Director in January 2023, her first goal was to restructure the organization and initiate a comprehensive strategic planning process to clarify SDRACC’s role and impact in the arts and culture community. The process revealed a strong need to rename and reframe the organization to better align with community needs and changes in the creative sector.

San Diego ART Matters—the new name and brand—was unveiled at a special event at their new home, UC San Diego Park & Market. The event helped celebrate Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month, a statewide initiative spearheaded by California for the Arts.

San Diego International Airport unveils cross-border art

The works of 16 local artists are featured in a new cross-border art exhibition titled “Espacios & Lines” appearing at Terminal 2 at the San Diego International Airport. The exhibition, which explores the border of art and designm follows the World Design Organization’s joint designation of San Diego and Tijuana as the World Design Capital 2024.

Some of the artists whose work is featured in the exhibition:

• Artist and photographer Carla Sofía Ordonez, co-founder of Yerbabuena Gallery in Tijuana.

• Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition winner Hugo Crosthwaite of Baja California.

• Chicana textile artist Claudia Biezunski-Rodriguez, aka Sew Loka, based in San Diego’s Barrio Logan.

Photo: Art by artist and photographer Carla Sofía Ordonez in the airport exhibition.

Sarah Stieber pop-up gallery in Little Italy

Sarah Stieber, known for her bold, vibrant artwork, is thrilled to announce the 4th annual Sarah Stieber Gallery in San Diego, unveiling Stieber’s latest collection, the ‘Integration Series.’ The experiential pop-up gallery, located at 1943 India St. in Little Italy, will be open to the public from April 8th to June 17th, with a grand opening celebration on April 18th, inviting the community to step into Stieber’s sparkling, colorful world. For more information, visit https://sarahstieber.com/events/

San Diego artist Duke Windsor celebrates 30 year career

Sparks Gallery is hosting an exhibition of the urban landscape paintings created by Duke Windsor. Known for his predisposition to paint the crowded alleys of North Park, burgers dripping with grease, or trash cans put out to the curb, Windsor treats each with the reverence of a beloved relic. And to commemorate 30 years as a professional working artist in San Diego, this series, titled “Reflections”, focuses on the city’s streets.

Windsor’s works will be on view at Sparks Gallery from April 1-30, 2024 with an opening reception on Sunday, April 14, 2024 from 5-8 p.m.

James Hubbell art at Central Library

A new exhibit at the San Diego Public Library (SDPL) celebrates the art of San Diego artist James Hubbell. “James Hubbell: Architecture of Jubilation” is on display at four SDPL locations from March 9 – Aug. 4, 2024, including the central library in East Village.

James Hubbell is a world-renowned architectural designer, sculptor, painter and stained-glass artist whose art is influenced by the natural landscape of Southern California. Throughout his career, he has used stone, glass, paint, wood and steel to creature art on walls, roofs, floors and furnishings.

Several other programs are planned, including a film screening, art lectures, a docent tour and a stained-glass workshop. For more information, visit SDPL’s visual arts página web.

Rooftop Cinema Club expands to seven days a week

Rooftop Cinema Club Embarcadero is expanding its lineup to show films seven days a week at its iconic location atop the Manchester Grand Hyatt.

This year marked the first time that San Diego’s most popular outdoor cinema stayed open year-round, but up until now, the venue had just been screening films on weekends, holidays and for select special events.

Rooftop Cinema Club Embarcadero is located at the Manchester Grand Hyatt (1 Market Place, San Diego, 92101) on the open-air 4th Floor Sport Terrace of the Harbor Tower with stunning skyline views.

Films that start before 4 p.m. are open to guests of all ages. Films that start between 4-7 p.m. are open to moviegoers 13-and-over and films that start from 7 p.m. onward are exclusively 18-and-over. Age limits vary for special events and anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Ticket prices start at $11 for kids, $15 for teens and $19 for adults.

Children’s book explores Chicano Park

María Dolores Águila is sharing the movement that helped to create Chicano Park in San Diego through her upcoming picture book, “Barrio Rising, The Protest that Built Chicano Park” (Dial; On Sale June 18, 2024).

Featuring vivid illustrations by Magdalena Mora, Águila showcases the resilience of the Mexican American community through a fictional historical lens to inspire young readers to engage in community action against present-day inequities. It will be available in Spanish as “El Barrio Se Levanta.”

Housing & Development

AnaBios signs lease for 20,000 square feet in Genesis-San Diego life sciences building Downtown

Life sciences firm AnaBios has signed a lease for 20,000 square feet in Genesis-San Diego, the eight-story life sciences building on Ivy Street in Downtown San Diego. AnaBios provides high quality human tissue and cells, including heart, lung and dorsal root ganglia, for drug discovery & academic research.

The new lease brings the life sciences building to 50 percent leased. Other tenants are Novoron Bioscience, Excellos, and Native Microbials.

AnaBios will use the space to continue offering their clients cutting-edge drug discovery and research translational services based on of high-quality human tissue and cells.

“We believe that being located in Downtown San Diego near other life science firms, the Convention Center and the airport will provide a key catalyst for our growth,” said Andre Ghetti, founder and CEO at AnaBios. The building is at 1155 Island Ave.

Phase 3 Real Estate Partners Inc. is the landlord of the building. It completed the Genesis-San Diego life sciences conversion in mid-2022.

 JLL’s Chad Urie, Grant Schoneman and Taylor DeBerry represented the landlord in the lease. AnaBios was represented by Jon Engle and John Hundley of Newmark.

Home creation above average

The County is making progress in addressing the region’s housing shortage and issued permits for more than 1,200 homes last year, according to an update provided to the Board of Supervisors.

Housing production for the 2023 calendar year exceeded the average needed to meet the County’s housing goals, according to an annual report on the County’s General Plan and Housing Element presented to the Board today, with 68 percent progress made toward achieving San Diego County’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) goal.

Government updates

Downtown San Diego federal building to get electric vehicle charging ports from GSA

The U.S. General Services Administration announced $25 million for electrical vehicle supply equipment, or EV charging ports, at federal buildings across the nation, including the James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep U.S. Courthouse in Downtown San Diego.

This is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. An initial planned spend of just over $20 million through the Inflation Reduction Act will support 32 projects across 21 states at 33 federal buildings for a total of 782 ports to help build an EV charging network for the federal government’s electric vehicle fleet.

Prebys Foundation funds Civic Center conversation

With the support of Mayor Todd Gloria, the Downtown San Diego Partnership and nationally renowned real estate advisory firm U3 Advisors will develop a series of options for six key City-owned downtown properties. The Prebys Foundation announced a significant investment to support this effort to shape the future of the San Diego Civic Center core properties. This initiative marks a pivotal step in enhancing San Diego’s downtown cityscape.

Specifically, U3 Advisors has been asked by the Prebys Foundation and the Downtown San Diego Partnership to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the 2023 San Diego Civic Center Revitalization Committee Report and input from members of the City Council. The analysis will facilitate a process of delivering an implementation strategy that could then guide the city to secure a master developer for the site.

The Civic Center core properties, including the City Administration Building and City Operations Building, have faced years of deferred maintenance that prevent city employees from efficiently delivering world class services to San Diego’s residents. Mayor Todd Gloria’s leadership in proposing the redevelopment of these crucial parcels, including his earlier establishment of a Civic Center Revitalization Committee, has laid the foundation for this renewed effort to invigorate Downtown’s center.

City launches Women’s Survey

To advance gender equality and a supportive environment, the City of San Diego’s Commission on the Status of Women is launching a new Women’s Survey. This comprehensive survey, which will be sent out annually, aims to gather valuable insights into the experiences, challenges and aspirations of women in our vibrant communities.

San Diego women are encouraged to participate in this survey to share their valuable perspectives. All responses will be confidential, and participants will remain anonymous. The results will be compiled, analyzed and presented to the public in a comprehensive report.

The survey is now open and will close on Friday, June 7, 2024. To access the survey, visit datasd.typeform.com/womenandgirls.

Funding approved for 19 park projects across San Diego

Nineteen park projects in the City of San Diego will receive approximately $15.9 million in capital-improvement funding as part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s Parks for All of Us initiative. The San Diego City Council approved Citywide Park Development Impact Fee (DIF) allocations to support the 19 projects, including land acquisition, improvements to existing parks and new construction.

The funding allocations approved will provide nearly $15.9 million in Citywide Park DIF funds to 19 park projects, with an additional $363,000 in community-based DIF funds. The Citywide Park DIF program was established in August 2021, as part of a long-awaited update to the Parks Master Plan. Previously, DIF funds could be spent only in the communities where the fees were collected.

City seeks input on ‘Blueprint SD’

The City of San Diego released the second draft of Blueprint SD, which helps guide where more new homes and jobs near transit, parks and services should be located. San Diegans are encouraged to review and provide their feedback on the plan. Blueprint SD updates and creates new policies in the City’s General Plan, which serves as the City’s guiding framework for community plan updates and the long-term future growth and development of the City.

San Diegans will have until the end of April 2024 to comment on the draft plans and the EIR. Once input is received, the City Planning Department will incorporate feedback into the final plans. Those final plans will go through the public hearing process, where community members will have additional opportunities to provide feedback. They will ultimately be presented to the City Council for adoption later this summer.

San Diegans can learn more about these plans and comment by visiting the Blueprint SD webpage, el University Community Plan Update webpage y el Hillcrest Focused Amendment webpage.

MTS board approves $243 million capital budget

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Board of Directors unanimously approved a $243.3 million capital improvement program budget for Fiscal Year 2025. This is the largest annual capital improvement program budget in the agency’s history.

As part of the agency’s $243.3 million Capital Improvement Program budget, 78% will help maintain bus and rail systems in good condition, followed by facility and construction, rail infrastructure improvements, and other major initiatives. In total, 64 projects will be funded by the Capital Improvement Project. Top funding allocations include:

• $69.5 million – Rail infrastructure improvements and maintenance.
• $58.3 million – 38 new buses including 10 battery-electric and 28 compressed natural gas.
• $38.8 million – Overhead charging infrastructure at each existing division to support conversion to an all-electric bus fleet.
• $21 million – 22 new Trolley vehicles. Funding will be added to the $71.7 million previously funded to replace aging vehicles in the fleet.
• $21.3 million – Trolley and bus facilities maintenance and construction, and construction projects for passenger facilities at transit centers.

The full list of projects can be viewed on the Board of Directors agenda packet (Item 20, p. 254).

Asm. Ward introduces bill to help doxxing victims

With the increased usage of social media platforms the act of doxxing, or publishing someone’s private data for the purpose of targeted harassment, has become a popular tactic affecting millions online. Doxxing someone can include highly personal information like phone numbers, home addresses, passwords, medical records, text messages or other sensitive materials without their permission to exact revenge, embarrass, extort, or exploit victims. AB 1979: The Doxing Victims Recourse Act introduced by Assemblyman Chris Ward will provide victims of doxxing the ability to pursue civil action and receive restitution for the harms they endured caused at no fault of their own.

New law requiring bars offer drug testing devices to take effect July 1

A new law mandating certain alcoholic beverage license holders to offer drug testing devices for sale or at no cost to patrons will take effect beginning July 1.

AB 1013 (Lowenthal) requires establishments with a Type 48 license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to have signage displayed in a prominent and conspicuous location, letting patrons know that drug testing kits are available to test for common date-rape drugs, often referred to as ‘roofies.’

The required signage displays a message reading, “Don’t get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details.”

Business news

Bay City Brewing strikes deal with Karl Strauss

Bay City Brewing Co., a leading craft brewery based in San Diego, California just announced a new distribution agreement with Karl Strauss Brewing Company, a pioneering force in the San Diego craft beer scene.

With this new deal, Bay City Brewing is set to broaden its horizons beyond San Diego, targeting expansion into key Southern California markets including Orange County, Los Angeles, and the Inland Empire. This strategic move will introduce Bay City’s acclaimed beers to a wider audience, making them available off-premise in major grocery stores, thanks to the extensive distribution network offered by Karl Strauss. Bay City brews will start to appear on grocery store shelves and in restaurants throughout Southern California in April.

NOVA partners with Padres to bring special kombucha to Petco Park

NOVA has partnered with the Padres de San Diego for City Connect-themed Sunset Slam Mango Lime hard kombucha, which are available at Petco Park. Sunset Slam will be served on draft and in 16-oz cans at multiple locations within the ballpark, and the cans feature the colors of the Padres’ City Connect uniforms. The kombucha is 8% alcohol-by-volume (ABV) and has a flavor profile of mango and lime. It is gluten free and vegan. Beginning April 1, the kombucha will be available in single 16-oz cans and in six packs of 12-oz cans at retail outlets throughout San Diego County (store locator).

The overall partnership is a five-year agreement, and it includes “Saturday Pregame Live Music, presented by NOVA Kombucha” naming rights. At each of the Padres’ 13 Saturday home games, the Padres House Band will perform on the Sycuan Stage in the newly renovated Gallagher Square with NOVA signage as a backdrop.

New beverage brand serves ready-to-drink cocktails

Busa Beverage Inc. is a new ready-to-drink Italian craft cocktail brand conceptualized by the Busalacchis, a renowned Sicilian family recognized for their contributions to building San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhoodand elevating the city’s hospitality scene.

 In the 40 years since opening their first restaurant, the Busalacchis have attained the status of local legends. Their stylish restaurants anchor India Street, and their flagship Barbusa is a lively neighborhood eatery that just so happens to attract a celebrity clientele. Now that team of tastemakers is looking to achieve the same level of success in the bottled cocktail space as they announce a close-knit family of key investment partners including NBA Champion Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers frontman Miles Doughty of Slightly Stoopid (married into the Busalacchi family), former professional soccer player and MLS Cup Champion Sal Zizzo (cousin to the Busalacchis), and family friend Chris Randone of Bachelor TV fame.

Busa Beverage Inc.’s first product release, BUSA oat milk espresso martini, is an ultra-premium, category-defining formula that raises the bar for spirits-based RTDs. A blend of four simple all-natural ingredients and free of all artificial sweeteners and preservatives, BUSA is certified vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and made with premium organic and sustainable vodka (14% alc/vol).

Startup named to Forbes 500 employers

Tendo, a software company committed to creating seamless healthcare experiences for patients, clinicians and caregivers, earned the No. 20 spot on the Forbes ranking of America’s 500 Best Startup Employers 2024.

Founded in 2020 by siblings Dan Goldsmith and Jen Goldsmith, Tendo was started at the height of the pandemic as a remote-only company and quickly focused on the challenge of building new employee connections, deep collaborations, and a strong culture. Tendo has grown to more than 150 employees and continues to expand employee-focused programs. Hybrid working has become a hallmark of working at Tendo. While many companies have returned to the office, Tendo has embraced a model that seamlessly blends remote and in-office work environments and strives to meet employees where they are.

Good works

Father Joe’s street teams reached 450 people

Father Joe’s Villages, San Diego’s largest homelessness services provider, reached 451 people with its innovative Street Health team that brings healthcare to the streets and helps the organization develop relationships that can help more San Diego neighbors exit homelessness.

The latest “Compassion in Action: Our Neighbors by the Numbers” report includes data on the number of people experiencing homelessness in February. Last month, the organization’s Village Health Center provided care for 1,038 people experiencing homelessness, including 1,269 medical visits, 268 mental health services visits, and 242 density visits.

Since the year started, Father Joe’s Villages has provided behavioral and physical medical care to 1,513 people through 4,488 different encounters. In the fluid situation in San Diego, encampments are even more temporary, making programs like Street Health more necessary than ever.

Project Dog Foster

Six members of the San Diego Animal Welfare Coalition have joined in a countywide campaign to find foster homes for the dogs in their care in hopes of solving a common problem: being over capacity. Project Dog Fosters intended to make it easy and fun for the community to step up and help, even if just for a short period of time, no matter where in the county they live. For more information about Project Dog Foster, visit projectdogfoster.org.

Dark Sky Week

DarkSky San Diego County invites everyone to step outside and gaze upward during International Dark Sky Week – a global celebration of the night sky from April 2-8. The event provides a time to reflect upon the importance of reducing light pollution and restoring a more natural night sky, filled with stars.

Light pollution is an urgent environmental threat with sky brightness increasing at a global rate of 9.6% per year, threatening wildlife and ecosystems, impacting human health, wasting money and energy, and blocking out our view of the universe. However, unlike other kinds of pollution, we don’t have to wait for generations to see a change. When bad lighting is corrected, the results are immediate.

Bites for a Better Planet

In honor of Earth Month, seven local businesses across San Diego County are inviting guests to participate in a month-long, Bites for a Better Planet campaign. Each of these establishments is pledging to donate a portion of their sales to Me encanta un san diego limpio whose mission is to create zero waste lifestyles and zero litter across the region through environmental education for youth and adults, providing recycling resources for businesses and residents, and providing impactful volunteer opportunities.

The following establishments have joined hands with I Love A Clean San Diego in this initiative:

• Music Box, a percentage of sales from the month

• The Original 40 Brewing Company, 50% of Patou’s Summer Salads sold

• The Smoking Gun, 25% of Revolver Salads and Smoked Serrano Caesar Salads sold

• George’s at the Cove, a percentage of sales from the month

• Arely’s French Bakery, 10% of Pepperthin Caesar Salads sold

• March and Ash, a percentage of sales from the month

• Spill the Beans, a percentage of sales from the month + $1 for every Cold Brew with Orange Peels sold

Spill the Beans is collaborating with Olivewood Gardens to use their orange peels and infuse them with Spill the Beans Cold Brew. The grounds of the cold brew will then be used at Olivewood Gardens to help fertilize their soil, to create a true full circle process that promotes zero food waste.