Some stories grab a whole city’s attention — not because of the headline, but because of what could have happened. That’s what unfolded in Mission Valley last year, where two separate attempts to lure children away rattled families and demanded answers fast. 

Investigators didn’t have days. They had minutes. 

The turning point came when San Diego Police Department detectives combined two powerful tools: Smart Streetlights, which helped them spot the suspect vehicle moving through Downtown, and our Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system, which alerted officers the moment that same vehicle passed an ALPR camera. One alert — a plate number, a timestamp, a location — shifted the entire investigation. Patrol units immediately moved to the area around State Route 94 near the Home Avenue exit, where they found and arrested the man accused of attempting to kidnap two children at a Mission Valley mall.  

That wasn’t the only case where ALPR changed what happened next. 

When a gray sedan was caught on fuzzy surveillance after a string of overnight burglaries from Tierrasanta to University City, the footage was only able to show a partial plate number. ALPR data quickly gave detectives a potential license plate and vehicle connected to the burglaries. Weeks later, when an alert hit near I-5 and SR-56, officers finally had what they needed: location, timing, and direction of travel. The suspect was arrested, ending a spree that had many small business owners in San Diego on edge.  

In Hillcrest, a bar vandalized with swastikas and hateful slurs left neighbors shaken. Witnesses saw only an older Buick with a missing hubcap. ALPR images helped detectives narrow that vague description to a specific vehicle tied to the scene — the lead they needed to identify and arrest the suspects responsible.  

And in a College Grove case involving the sexual assault of a young girl, ALPR images helped confirm the suspect’s vehicle was at the exact location and time of the crime. That confirmation tightened the investigative timeline and contributed to a swift arrest and successful prosecution.  

This past week, the City’s Public Safety Committee unanimously voted to continue the use of ALPR. The item will be considered by the full City Council on December 9. In case after case across San Diego, the pattern is the same: traditional police work meets precise, timely information. ALPR doesn’t replace investigators — it gives them the critical piece of evidence that connects the dots, narrows the search, or sends officers to the right place at the right moment. 

For the families, businesses, and communities shaken by these crimes, those moments made all the difference. 

About three months into our new agreement with Caltrans, we are seeing measurable progress in making State-owned freeway corridors much safer. This partnership allows City crews to access state-owned land along select Downtown freeways to clear encampments, remove trash and debris, and connect people with shelter and services. 

Since the agreement began, early data shows that encampment fires along freeway corridors have dropped by about 48 percent. That means fewer risks to people living near these areas, fewer hazards for firefighters, and less damage to public infrastructure. Clearing debris and reducing fire activity also gives our fire crews more capacity to respond to other emergencies in neighborhoods across the city. 

This work is making a meaningful difference. By combining the City’s outreach and cleanup teams with Caltrans’ authority over state right-of-way, we are improving safety, reducing fire hazards, and helping people in need access shelter and support. It’s a strong example of how coordinated action can produce real results for San Diegans. We plan to approach Caltrans about expanding this pilot when it needs to be renewed in July 2026.  

The City of San Diego has added new pothole repair trucks, increasing our total fleet to 12 vehicles—each equipped with modern tools that make repairs faster, safer, and more sustainable.

The new trucks feature electric-powered asphalt heating systems that eliminate the need for propane, onboard jackhammers and waste bins for more efficient on-site work, and 360-degree cameras that help crews navigate tight neighborhood streets. 

These upgrades arrive at a key moment. Our teams have worked hard to reduce the pothole backlog to one of the lowest levels we’ve seen in years. And while that progress matters, it doesn’t mean the job is done. We are fully aware of the thousands of potholes across the city that go unreported, and the weekend rains have likely created new damage and opened up new potholes across our road network. 

I want you to know: we see the problem, we are tackling it head-on, and we are putting better tools in the hands of our crews to fix the damn roads. The new pothole trucks will help us respond more quickly and keep more streets in better condition, especially as weather impacts increase. 

If you encounter a pothole in your neighborhood, please report it through the Get It Done app or website. Your reports help us deploy crews where they’re needed most and keep our streets safe and drivable for everyone. 

Last week, we asked: San Diego is proud to be home to thousands of veterans and active-duty service members — and one special memorial honors every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. What is it called and where is it? 

Here’s how you voted: 

▪️ “The Veteran’s Memorial Garden Balboa Park” — 19.20% 
▪️ “Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial in La Jolla” — 65.60% ✅ 
▪️ “Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma” — 17.60% 

The best answer is Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial in La Jolla — the only memorial that honors veterans, living or deceased, from the Revolutionary War to the current war on terror, with an actual image of the veteran. Its thousands of individual plaques tell the stories of service members across generations. 

That said, last week’s question is a bit of a trick question. All of these local military memorials honor all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces in different ways, and they are all well worth visiting in person. 

The Veterans Memorial Garden in Balboa Park, for example pays tribute to every branch in a creative way. While it doesn’t individually memorialize veterans the way Mt. Soledad does, it remains one of our city’s most meaningful and beautifully designed military tributes. 

This week’s question: After a weekend of rain, here’s a timely piece of local history: In what year did the infamous “Hatfield Flood” occur — the massive storm event that caused the catastrophic failure of the Lower Otay Dam? 

▪️ 1884 
▪️ 1916 
▪️ 1932  

Answer below or send your guess to AskTheMayor@sandiego.gov — and check back next week to see if you got it right! 

City crews continue to improve street conditions across San Diego. Lake Angela Drive in the Lake Murray area recently received a full repaving by our in-house teams, transforming a deteriorated roadway into a smoother, safer route for everyone who relies on it.  

Using the Citywide Street Condition Assessment, the Pavement Management Plan, and historical pothole repair data, our teams prioritize corridors that need attention most. By completing permanent mill-and-pave repairs, we’re extending the life of these streets and reducing the need for future pothole work—keeping our neighborhoods moving safely and reliably for years to come. 

The City’s Parks and Recreation Department is inviting residents to help shape the future of recreation in San Diego. Community input will guide how recreation centers operate, what programs are offered, and how residents receive information about them.

Join an upcoming in-person Town Hall to share your ideas and feedback. Each event will include a presentation, Q&A session, and interactive tables for participants to provide input. Light snacks and childcare will be provided, and attendees will have a chance to win a $25 gift card.

Upcoming Town Halls

• Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025: Council District 3
  North Park Recreation Center
  4044 Idaho Street, San Diego, CA  92104
  6-7:30 p.m.
  
  
• Friday, Nov. 21, 2025: Council District 6
  Hourglass Field Community Park and Field House
  10440 Black Mountain Rd., San Diego, CA  92126
  6-7:30 p.m.
  
  
• Monday, Nov. 24, 2025: Council District 7
  Allied Gardens Recreation Center
  5155 Greenbrier Ave., San Diego, CA  92120
  6-7:30 p.m.
  
  
• Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025: Council District 1
  Carmel Valley Recreation Center
  3777 Townsgate Drive, San Diego, CA  92130
  6-7:30 p.m.
  
  
• Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025: Council District 2
  South Clairemont Recreation Center
  3605 Clairemont Drive, San Diego, CA  92117
  6-7:30 p.m.
  
  
• Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025: Council District 5
  Carmel Mountain Ranch / Sabre Springs Recreation Center
  10152 Rancho Carmel Drive, San Diego, CA  92128
  6-7:30 p.m.

The Parks and Recreation Department is also inviting community leaders and representatives to 45-minute Zoom focus groups to share ideas, flag barriers to participation, and improve how we communicate about programs. Sessions include a brief presentation, Q&A, and an interactive survey. Registration is required. 

Upcoming dates (by Council Districts): 
 

Upcoming Virtual Focus Groups

• Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025: Council Districts 4, 8 and 9
  4 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025: Council Districts 3, 6 and 7
  3:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025: Council Districts 1, 2 and 5
  4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026: All Council Districts
  11:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026: All Council Districts
  4 p.m.

Register to attend: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8494849/San-Diego-Parks-and-Rec-Community-Focus-Group-Registration 

Questions: sdparksneeds@keenindependent.com 

You can also take the Community Recreation Needs Survey at sandiego.gov/parksurvey by February 28, 2026.

Downtown’s Civic Center Plaza is getting a vibrant refresh with Plaza Central — a new series of pop-up events bringing food, music, and art to the heart of the city. The activations are free and open to the public every Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering a lively preview of the area’s long-term revitalization. 

 
Learn more about Plaza Central events.