SD Unified students hold first-ever Disability Awareness Flag raising

San Diego Unified School District held its first-ever Disability Awareness Flag raising for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month on Tuesday, March 4 at Eugene Brucker Education Center in Normal Heights. This historic event was led by students from Mild Moderate & Extensive Needs classes from across the district who shared their perspectives on the importance of recognizing and celebrating differently abled individuals. Students expressed their thoughts through speeches, song, and dance performances before raising the Disability Flag.

Approximately 16,100 students with disabilities are enrolled in the San Diego Unified School District, representing 16.9% of its student population. The district promotes inclusion, belonging and thriving, upholding the belief that students with disabilities are general education students first and deserve access to all school programs and activities. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March is an opportunity to celebrate students with disabilities and recognize the families, teachers, and administrators who support them.

Significant figures

Leon Williams, first Black city council member, dies at 102

The family of Leon L. Williams announced he died from a heart attack at age 102 on Saturday. Williams was a trailblazer in the city, serving as the first Black person elected to the San Diego City Council in 1969 and elected to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 1982. During his political career, he served as chair of the Metropolitan Transit District and president of the California State Association of Counties. The County’s human relations commission was named after him and the county gave him a lifetime achievement award in 2022.

Williams experienced racial discrimination in San Diego. When he moved here from Oklahoma in 1941, he told the San Diego Union-Tribune the Hotel Pickwick in Downtown turned him away, saying “We don’t serve your kind.” According to the San History Center, one time when he was sitting in his car parked outside Balboa Park reviewing the City Council’s agenda, a police officer approached him gun drawn to demand why he was in the neighborhood. In 1947, he bought a home in Golden Hill, then a white-only restricted neighborhood. Williams did not let racism stop him from serving the community and advocating for others.

Longtime artistic director becomes executive director at San Diego Junior Theatre

After an extensive search, San Diego Junior Theatre, the nation’s longest-running youth theater program, is excited to announce Desha Crownover as their new Executive Director, effective March 1.

Crownover has been serving as SDJT’s Interim Executive Director since Oct. 1, 2024, and before that, she was its Artistic Director from 2007 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2022. As Artistic Director, she spearheaded inclusion and values clarification and fostered the development of relationships and collaborations with other cultural and artistic organizations, including successful partnerships with Disney Theatricals and The Old Globe Theatre.

Hong resigns from Taxpayers Association, former housing commissioner in interim role

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (Taxpayers) announced the resignation of Haney Hong, President and CEO, and the appointment of Rick Gentry as interim CEO. Both Hong’s resignation and Gentry’s hiring as interim CEO were effective Friday, Feb. 28. Hong signed a three-year contract with Taxpayers last year.

Hong is leaving after nine years as Taxpayers’ CEO, having overseen a great change in the organization. Gentry, who retired three years ago as President and CEO of the San Diego Housing Commission, has been a board member at Taxpayers for some two years.

In his statement of resignation, Hong said, in part, “The Association needs a leader with different gifts than what God has granted me. I am the leader to drive transformational change; now since the transformation I promised nine years ago is substantively in place, the enterprise needs leaders who will cement in and build on a new foundation, shepherding and sustaining its new form by building the necessary infrastructure and scale.”

Elton John to headline cancer benefit concert at Petco Park

Curebound announced that legendary music artist, humanitarian and global superstar, Elton John will headline the 2025 Concert for Cures on Friday, May 9 at Petco Park to raise awareness and funds for cutting-edge cancer research.

 Since its launch in 2022, Concert for Cures has raised more than $8.5 million to support early-phase adult and pediatric cancer research among Southern California’s top research institutions. Previous headliners include Alicia Keys with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and Ed Sheeran performing to sold-out crowds at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. This year, Concert for Cures expands to Petco Park for an extraordinary night of music, hope, and accelerated impact in the fight against cancer. To date, Curebound has invested over $45 million in collaborative research grants.

Tickets went on sale March 7 at curebound.org. For more information on Concert for Cures tickets, donations and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Mark Koczka at [email protected]

SDMA’s minimalism art exhibit opens

The San Diego Museum of Art, inside Balboa Park, opens a new exhibit on minimalism this Saturday, March 8 which will be on display through June 1.

Anchored by SDMA’s major Frank Stella work, “Flin Flon VIII” (1970), “american minimal” pays tribute to a passing generation of Minimalist artists, most notably Stella himself (1936–2024), while also shining a long overdue spotlight on the women who helped define the movement. The exhibition features the Abstract Classicists who pioneered a uniquely Californian vision of radical reductive form, alongside the ethereal, light-bending explorations of the Light and Space movement. “american minimal” highlights a range of works across diverse media, many on view for the first time.

Vons honored as inclusive workplace

The Arc of San Diego enthusiastically celebrates Developmental Disability Awareness Month each March. This initiative aims to raise awareness about individuals with developmental disabilities and promote their inclusion in all aspects of daily life.

The Arc of San Diego is proud to recognize Vons for their exceptional commitment to creating an inclusive workplace. This partnership not only empowers individuals like Sean Mooney, who is thriving as a member of the Vons team but also enriches the community by fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion.

Sean Mooney has been a valued member of the Vons team for over two years. His commitment to helping customers and his positive attitude have made a significant impact on both his colleagues and the community. Mooney’s favorite part of his job is assisting customers, “I like my job because it is good to help out other people!”

As a courtesy clerk, Mooney’s responsibilities include bagging groceries, helping customers find items in the store, retrieving carts, and maintaining store cleanliness. His precision, dedication, and positivity have made him a beloved member of the Vons team. Angie Elsbury, Assistant Store Director at Vons, has seen firsthand the benefits of an inclusive workplace.

In a heartwarming display of support, Angie Elsbury, Assistant Store Director at Vons, recently attended Mooney’s Special Olympics competition. After discovering that Mooney was competing, Angie wanted to be a part of his big day. She made shirts with Mooney’s face on them, gathered friends, and traveled to Orange County to cheer him on. The overwhelming support, including cheering and videotaping, was a highlight for Mooney, who loved the encouragement. He proudly wore his shirt and medals to work the next day, and his achievement was celebrated on Vons breakroom TVs across 330 stores statewide.

From here to there

Free shuttle between North Park and City Heights

North Park Main Street (NPMS) and City Heights Community Development Corporation (City Heights CDC) have launched Mid-City GO, a free shuttle program that will offer rides within City Heights and North Park communities. The service, which started Feb. 3, is operated by TransitTech provider Via during the four-year pilot program to provide on-demand rides for residents, visitors and businesses within the service area. The program is projected to provide 75,000 annual rides and reduce 450,000 miles traveled by single occupancy vehicles.

Mid-City GO will use an initial fleet of two electric vehicles to offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional transportation, which improves access to schools, healthcare facilities and transit hubs such as the City Heights Transit Plaza connection along University Avenue. Using community outreach combined with data, the nonprofit organizations determined the needs to improve access to resources and reduce congestion.

This pilot program is an innovative example of community organizations collaborating to create accessible and sustainable transportation solutions. Mid-City GO received support from Mayor Todd Gloria, District 9 Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and District 3 Councilmember Stephen Whitburn.

Managed by Via, the pilot program includes the Via San Diego mobile app for ride requests (available in the App Store and Google Play) and a dispatch center to call 619-413-9986 to reserve a ride. For more information on Mid-City GO, visit MidCityGO.com.

New nonstop flight to Panama

Copa Airlines, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A. {NYSE: CPA}, and a member of the global Star Alliance airline network, announces the launch of its new service to and from San Diego, California, starting on June 25, 2025. This expansion reinforces the airline’s goal of strengthening connectivity between Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States, establishing San Diego as Copa Airlines’ third destination in California and its 17th U.S. route. The addition of San Diego to the airlines’ route network will not only enhance access to this key region in Southern California but also drive tourism and business growth between the regions.

The Copa Airlines non-stop flight to and from San Diego to Panama City, Panama will operate with four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, departing from Tocumen International Airport at 1:16 p.m. (local time) and arriving at San Diego International Airport at 6:15 p.m. (local time). The return flight will operate on the same days, departing from San Diego at 8:58 p.m. (local time) and arriving in Panama City at 5:20 a.m. (local time).

Southwest offers new flights from Terminal 1

Southwest Airlines has announced it will offer twice daily nonstop flights between San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) beginning Oct. 2, 2025. The new service will operate from Phase 1A of the New Terminal 1 (New T1), scheduled to open in September 2025.

Also announced to operate from the New T1 this October is Southwest’s expanded service to Tampa, Florida from once a week on Saturdays to five days a week on Thursdays through Mondays and four seasonal routes to Colorado Springs, Colorado; Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and San José Del Cabo, Mexico will extend to the October schedule.

Phase 1A of the New T1 will offer 19 gates when it opens this summer and a total of 30 gates when Phase 1B opens in 2028. Southwest Airlines will be one of seven current carriers at SAN including Frontier, Sun Country, Spirit, JetBlue, Allegiant, and Breeze Airways that will operate from Phase 1A. Air Canada and WestJet will begin operations in early 2026. Delta Air Lines will join when Phase 1B opens in 2028.

For more information on Southwest Airlines or to purchase tickets, please visit southwest.com. For more information on the New T1 at SAN please visit newt1.com.

Business of tourism

US Grant finishes facade renovation

The US Grant, an iconic presence in San Diego’s historic City Center since 1910, announced the completion of an extensive facade restoration project. Guided by a commitment to preserving the hotel’s architectural legacy, this project addressed critical structural needs while honoring the building’s storied history and aesthetic integrity.

In 2021, after 111 years of wear, the hotel’s concrete facade showed visible signs of distress, driven by corrosion of the steel reinforcement within the concrete. To ensure this beloved landmark could continue to serve future generations, the hotel engaged Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) – a leader in structural preservation – to design a tailored repair plan. In line with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, WJE collaborated with a team of specialists to develop an approach that addressed the underlying issues while preserving the building’s historic appearance.

The US Grant partnered with historic preservation architectural firm Kelly Sutherlin Mcleod Architecture, Inc. to manage the intricate nature of the work, which required precision and a commitment to craftsmanship. Modern materials, chosen for their durability and compatibility, enabled selective repairs that seamlessly matched the luxury hotel’s original concrete elements. Small mock-ups and test repair areas were created and painstakingly reviewed by the design team to ensure every update honored the facade’s original geometry and texture. This approach maintained the hotel’s classic aesthetic while reinforcing it for years to come. After repairs were completed, working with a historic preservation architectural firm, Kelly Sutherlin Mcleod Architecture, Inc., a protective paint coating was applied, enhancing resilience and appearance. Extensive research went into selecting a paint color that respects the building’s historical essence while giving it a fresh, polished look.

Slice House to open in Little Italy

Slice House by Tony Gemignani, the highly successful fast-casual pizza franchise by world-renowned pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, is proud to announce the April 2025 opening of its new San Diego location. Located at 2100 Kettner Boulevard in the vibrant Little Italy neighborhood, the highly anticipated pizzeria promises to deliver delicious fare within a fun atmosphere. The new restaurant is currently hiring across all positions and is expected to bring more than 30 new full- and part-time jobs to the community.

Slice House San Diego will feature an expansive menu of Gemignani’s famous New York, Sicilian, Grandma, and Detroit-style pizzas available by the slice or whole pizza. Gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options will also be available, as well as fresh pasta, wings, and salads. The drink menu will include local craft beers and premium wines, in addition to non-alcoholic sodas and juices. The new dining destination will have indoor seating for 12 people and a communal outdoor patio for 60 people in front of the restaurant; in addition, it will offer takeout, online ordering, and delivery. It will be open seven days a week – from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Karl Strauss reopens Downtown

Karl Strauss Brewing Company has re-opened its original location in Downtown San Diego after undergoing a remodel in December and January. The 4,900-square-foot space was founded at 1157 Columbia St. on Feb. 2, 1989, as San Diego’s first post-prohibition craft brewery.

On Oct. 1, 2023, Karl Strauss completed the acquisition of the Downtown San Diego property (it had been leased prior). “Taking ownership of our original Downtown brewery is more than a business decision — it’s a declaration of who we are,” said Co-Founder Matt Rattner.

The Downtown brewpub is home to a small, seven-barrel brewing system with two 14-barrel fermenters. For comparative purposes, Karl Strauss’ main production brewhouse in Pacific Beach has two 60-barrel systems and 23 fermenters ranging in size from 80-480 barrels. Downtown San Diego is a sandbox for research and development purposes for Brewmaster Paul Segura and his team. Segura in 2024 won San Diego Beer News’ Vanguard Brewer Lifetime Achievement Award.

City Tacos’ new loyalty program

On the cusp of its 11th anniversary, City Tacos has launched a loyalty program to reward its long-time valued customers. Taco lovers acquire one point for every $1 spent, and a $5 reward is earned with every 50 points accumulated.

As a bonus, City Tacos guests get 10 points just for signing up and another 10 points for their birthday month. Guests may sign up during their next visit to one of the taquerias or do so on the Toast website.

Nearly all the tacos on the menu are just less than $5, so it works out, more or less, to buy 10, get one free. City Tacos has seven San Diego County locations in Downtown East Village, Encinitas, La Mesa, North Park, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and Sorrento Valley.

City pride

Fire Department graduates 100th class

On March 6, the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) will host its 100th Fire Academy Graduation for 31 recruits who graduate to enter a career in the fire service. Mayor Todd Gloria will be the keynote speaker and SDFD Chief Robert Logan will preside over his first academy graduation at the Rock Church in Point Loma.

“I am thrilled to welcome these graduates to an incredibly rewarding career and fire family,” said Chief Logan. “We are always looking for talented, dedicated people to join us in protecting this city and the people who live in it. I am confident these graduates will help us do just that.”

The 18-week paid academy includes coursework and practice in fire prevention and suppression, emergency medical training, state and local laws and much more.

The graduating class includes a Marine Corps veteran and an Air Force veteran, and a former professional ballet dancer.

City proud of mattress recycling program

The City of San Diego is celebrating the success of its Mattress Recycling Program, with an impressive 16,921 mattresses collected for recycling in 2024. Stretched out in a line, these mattresses would span the 21 miles from Old Town to Tijuana!

San Diegans can drop off their unwanted mattresses and box springs for free at the Mattress Collection Site just outside the Miramar Landfill entrance. The City collects the units and sends them to a processing facility in Ontario, where they are broken down into four main components (steel, foam, fiber and wood), which are used to make new products such as construction rebar, carpet padding, insulation and mulch. Mattress collection hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Mattresses and box springs must not be severely damaged, wet, twisted, soiled or infested with bedbugs.

Recycling mattresses has many benefits: bulky items are diverted from the landfill; hundreds of new products are created; San Diego gets closer to achieving Zero Waste Plan and Climate Action Plan goals; and illegal dumping of mattresses in the public right of way goes down. In fact, in 2024 the City saw a 25% decrease in mattress dumping over 2023. An added bonus of mattress recycling: the City gets reimbursement from the MRC, which in 2024 amounted to approximately $46,000.

City awarded for data-driven governance

The City of San Diego has again been awarded the Bloomberg Philanthropies “What Works Cities” Silver Certification for establishing exceptional data capabilities to inform policy, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate programs and engage residents.

The City of San Diego received its first Silver certification in 2020 and was re-certified in 2024 in recognition of its continued efforts to build a smart city, using data to increase transparency and improve residents’ lives.

Specifically, the City’s Performance and Analytics Department was recognized for its Open Data Portal, through which the public can access more than 109 datasets with information ranging from the location of parking meters to street repair plans. The Open Data Portal promotes civic engagement and, through predictive analytics, improves service delivery and increases opportunities for economic development.

The City was also lauded for its continuing improvement of the Get It Done app, which the public can use to quickly identify needs across the City, from potholes to graffiti. The system automatically assigns work crews to each issue, which effectively increases the City’s responsiveness to quality-of-life matters that affect all San Diegans.

The certification standard measures a city’s use of data based on 43 criteria. A city that achieves 51–67% of the criteria is recognized at the Silver level of certification, 68–84% is required to achieve Gold and 85% or more is required to reach Platinum.

City upgraded to LEED Gold certification

The City of San Diego has attained national recognition for its accomplishments in sustainability and resilience. For the first time, the City has achieved LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which held the first of its 2025 Local Government Leadership Summits in San Diego. San Diego was one of eight cities in the U.S., and the only one in San Diego County, to reach gold status this year.

San Diego is part of a growing group to be certified using the LEED for Cities and Communities rating system. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was created by the USGBC and is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. LEED certification enables the City to track outcomes that are evaluated against key metrics that include energy, water, waste, transportation, education, health, safety, prosperity and equitability.

Among San Diego’s ongoing sustainability commitments evaluated for the certification are:

• Advancing toward an ambitious 2035 net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goal through actions that bolster climate resilience and prioritize underserved communities, quality jobs, and a thriving local economy.

• Decarbonizing City government buildings and transitioning to a zero-emissions vehicle fleet.

• Transitioning homes and businesses to electric, zero-emission systems served by power procured from 100% renewable sources.

• Developing complete communities featuring affordable housing and proximity to high-quality transit in which walking, biking, and mobility options other than driving are safe, plentiful and convenient.

There are three levels of LEED certification: silver, gold and platinum. This year 145 local governments in the United States achieved LEED certification. One city in the nation, Philadelphia, was certified platinum.

City hands out third annual Bayard Rustin awards

Mayor Todd Gloria and the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission, in partnership with the San Diego GLBTQ Historic Task Force, honored 10 San Diegans who positively impacted their communities through their advocacy and dedication to civil rights and justice with a special awards ceremony at San Diego City Hall.

The honorees were nominated by previous recipients as well as current Human Relations Commission members in recognition of the values that still embody the legacy of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Rustin was a key strategist of the 1963 March on Washington, a champion of nonviolence and a trailblazing advocate for both racial equality and LGBTQ+ rights. Among the award recipients were San Diego Fire-Rescue (SDFD) Chief Robert Logan II and Executive Director of the University of California San Diego Labor Center Satomi Rash-Zeigler.

Other honorees included – in no particular order:

·         Advancement Director of Alliance San Diego Miesha Rice.

·         National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) San Diego Branch President Kenya Taylor.

·         San Diego Urban Warriors and Community Organizer Daj’ahn Blevins.

·         Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Pamuela Halliwell.

·         Senior Director of Social and Economic Mobility at the University of San Diego’s Mulvaney Center Austin Galy.

·         San Diego Original Black Panther member Jeffrey T.  Jennings.

·         University of San Diego history professor T.J. Tallie.

·         Sigma Gamma Rho Outreach and Recruitment Philo Affiliates committee member Anita Hill

Spring into STEAM at the library

From March 1 through May, the City of San Diego Public Library (SDPL) encourages young people to become detectives and “Solve It!” by exploring the world of forensic science and uncovering clues to decode cases. 

For the ninth consecutive year, Spring into STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) creates a unique educational space for children to learn the exciting ways science can be applied to problem-solving. This year, STEAM workshops are funded by Friends of the Library and are a collaboration between SDPL and local science experts and organizations, including Mad Science, Toshwerks, LKW Stem Foundation and Fleet Science Center.

Workshops run after school and on weekends from Tuesday, March 4, through May 31, and are free to youth ages 6-12 with advanced registration required. All participants will receive an Invisible Spy ink pen with a built-in UV light and a journal to record secret messages and hidden clues. For more information and to register, visit sandiego.gov/steam or any of the City’s 37 SDPL locations.

California to send $25M to SD for homelessness

Following an announcement from Governor Gavin Newsom, the City of San Diego expects to receive just over $25,800,000 in state funds to bring people off the streets and into supportive programs and housing through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP). This is the sixth year in a row that the State of California has allocated this funding to the City.

The City of San Diego received $29.9 million in HHAP funding last year. While the funding amount is less than last year, the City will focus on using Round 6 funds to sustain existing homelessness and housing programs and services. Any new programs will require additional City funding that would be allocated in Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which will be approved in June.