Community Event Alert! 

 

The Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club and KYDS Kiwanis Club of San Diego are hosting a Trivia fundraiser this Friday, February 6th at 5:30 p.m. at the Palisades Church, 6301 Birchwood Street in San Diego, 92120, two blocks south of Foster's Freeze. https://www.facebook.com/gagkiwanis 

Below is information on the event, which sounds like a great time! 

 

This is a general knowledge trivia competition, with absolutely NO questions about football (we promise!). Admission at the door is $10 per player OR bring a team of four for just $30. 

Proceeds go to support community activities and scholarships from the G.A.G. Kiwanis Club, G.A.G. Kiwanis Foundation, and Kiwanis Youth Development and Support Club of San Diego. Among the programs that we sponsor are PHHS Key Club, Lewis Middle School Builders Club, K-Kids Clubs at Foster and Hearst Elementary Schools, AG Little League, Cubs Scouts, PHHS Football Boosters, the San Diego River Park Foundation, and more. 

 

There will be some food/refreshments, and PRIZES for the qualifying winners. We could always use a few extra door prizes if you or your business would like to make a tax-deductible contribution. You may bring a door prize on February 6th 

 

Thank you to The Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club and KYDS Kiwanis Club of San Diego for planning these events and bringing the community together to support good causes. 

Congratulations to our January Local Luminaries—the Patrick Henry High School Flag Football team, the school’s first to win a CIF Championship! This week, their athleticism, dedication, academic excellence, and contributions to Patrick Henry's athletic history were honored in Council Chambers.  

 

These athletes, led by Coaches Alona “Lonii” Harper, Chris Young, Shannon Collins, and Cherie Woods, as well as Team Captains Mia Ng, Lexi Raymond, Piper McGlenn, and Ayla Grace Collins, left their hearts on the field and put in the work to secure the championship all while maintaining 3.0 or higher GPAs, an outstanding achievement worth celebrating. 

Ready, Set, Grow San Diego—a five-year tree planting program funded by the U.S. Forest Service—engages community members in local tree planting efforts and provides participants with curriculum in tree stewardship.  

 

Last month, Ready, Set, Grow hosted a school tree planting event at Montogomery Middle School, which kicked off efforts to begin more widespread tree planting in the month of February. If you are interested in learning more about the program, you can find information here. 

 

Enormous thank you to the city departments coordinating to bring this program to Linda Vista and for the community members who are involved in the plantings. 

Just before the New Year, residents in Linda Vista took part in a mini bulk item cleanup hosted by the Environmental Services Department. The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department (ESD) provides these opportunities throughout the district, with this one allowing Linda Vistans the opportunity to dispose of 7.46 tons of waste. I extend a big thank you to ESD staff for organizing this service and to the residents who took advantage of it.     

 

Interested in having a Mini Bulk Cleanup on your block? ESD hosts one to two a month and determines the location by referencing a running list of residential requests. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office with your request. We are happy to pass your street name along to ESD. 

Big soccer news for Mission Valley this month. 

 

I was thrilled to hear that SDFC extended its contract with Mikey Vargas, who led us through our incredible inaugural season. SDFC has a bright future as a top team in the MLS, in large part thanks to Mikey’s expertise and investment in building something big.   

 

Congratulations, Mikey! Looking forward to watching you coach this upcoming season and many more.   

 

I was also overjoyed to learn the Los Angeles 28 Olympics announced that San Diego will be one of six cities to host group and knockout soccer matches.  

 

As the Chair of Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations, and as City Council’s self-proclaimed “biggest soccer fan,” I greatly look forward to seeing what the games do for our regional economy. No specifics have been shared yet as to which matches we will host, but there is no doubt that it will be an exciting and busy time for San Diego. 

San Carlos also recently received some fresh pavement as part of the Transportation’s in-house Mill-and-Pave crew work.  

 

In San Carlos, the in-house Mill-and-Pace crews completed repairs on Lake Albano Avenue from Blue Lake Drive to Lake Murray Boulevard. I’ve been a staunch supporter of funding our Mill-and-Pave team, as it’s one of the most efficient and low-cost methods we have for making repairs on San Diego’s worst streets. 

 

Thank you to the Transportation Department for always being a good partner in these repairs, which mean a lot to our community. Take a look at the results below! 

Serra Mesa—big news regarding Ruffin Canyon Trail. 

 

As of today, 550’ of the 1,100’ of Ruffin Canyon Trail are complete. Once the trail itself is complete, a bridge will be built, and everything will be complete by a projected date of February 20th.  While forecasted rain may impact the project timeline, the Ruffin Canyon Trail will be complete soon, a huge win for the Serra Mesa community. 

 

My staff and I have worked extensively with the Parks and Recreation Department to get this done for the community and I’m incredibly thankful for their work to see it done. The Serra Mesa community will, undoubtedly, make great use of this trail as a place to bring family for outdoor time and recreation! 

This month, I’d like to put a spotlight on a community organization that brings a lot of joy and resources to Tierrasanta: Tierrasanta Village. Tierrasanta Village is a non-profit that offers workshops, access to resources, social events, and more to seniors. I am a proud sponsor of their work throug the City of San Diego’s Community Programs, Projects and Services fund. 

 

This month, Tierrasanta Village is hosting a number of events in February that are worth checking out. There will be a group trip to the Birch Aquarium on Thursday, February 12th, Puzzlemania on Friday, February 20th, regular invitations to meet with college students or to walk on nearby trails—the full list is available on their website, which you can access here: Home - Tierrasanta Village of San Diego 

 

Thank you to the wonderful leadership at Tierrasanta Village and for all of the members who make Tierrasanta Village into the joyful community that it is. 

It is that time of the year again—Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation’s Annual Photo Contest is back!  

 

Beginning now and until April 1st, contestants may submit one photo online. There are multiple categories, including but not limited to teen and children categories, professional categories, and categories that require different subjects, like wildlife or Cowles Mountain. 

 

This annual event showcases off the diverse talent of professional and amateur photographers alike, all of whom highlight the beauty of Mission Trails Regional Park. Last year, I enjoyed viewing all of the photographs in their gallery and sharing certificates of recognition with the winners. I look forward to seeing all of the entries this year and sharing my congratulations with those who win! 

At the January Rules Committee, two items I opposed were brought back for new discussions. Here is a recap on what happened and what to expect next:  

 

Paid Parking in Balboa Park 

Shane Harris, a community advocate, proposed a ballot measure to repeal paid parking in Balboa Park on Sundays. I made an amendment to his proposal that would repeal paid parking in Balboa Park entirely. This proposed ballot measure, with my amendment, was essentially killed by gridlock, with myself and Councilmember Moreno voting for free parking, two others in favor of charging you, and one member absent.   

 

What is next for paid parking in Balboa Park? On February 9th, three of my colleagues will bring forward a proposal to suspend paid parking in Balboa Park. I will continue to oppose it entirely, as it continues to squeeze businesses in the park and deter visitors.  

 

A Proposed Ballot Measure to Implement a Significant Tax on Vacation Rentals  

I opposed this Tax when it was first proposed in October for a multitude of reasons. Between legal issues, my concern for middle-class San Diegans relying on their small business income, the potential impact on workers who are hired to care for those rentals, and the inflation it would cause throughout our City, I could not support the ballot measure. I was also uncomfortable with its framing as an ”us versus them” problem, a framing that overrode the need for honest conversations about impacts and implementation issues. This proposal failed 3 votes to 2. 

 

What is next for this proposal? It was stopped by the Rules Committee vote. There is a chance that Councilmember Elo-Rivera will amend and bring a new, similar proposal forward 

This week, I stood with my colleagues in supporting a resolution condemning the excessive and unnecessarily aggressive tactics used by federal immigration enforcement and in support of litigation against those actions. Public safety is built on trust, transparency, and accountability, not fear. Enforcement that abandons those principles weakens the rule of law. 

 

As Scripture reminds us, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Yet in my district, masked federal agents pulled a father from his car while he waited outside Linda Vista Elementary School for his child. That was not public safety—it was intimidation. It traumatized children, destabilized families, and injected fear into a community that contributes daily to the vibrancy of our city. 

 

San Diego was and continues to be built by immigrants: our neighbors, coworkers, family members and small business owners who deserve dignity and respect under the law.  

 

Civility, proportionality, and proper immigration enforcement are not in conflict: they are inseparable.  

 

It is time for the Trump Administration to end these cruel tactics and for enforcement to be lawful, transparent, and humane.