🌱 Addressing The Condo Insurance Crisis + Mission Bay Redevelopment

Hello everyone! It's Bettyann Pernice, your host of the San Diego Patch newsletter. Sip that coffee/tea, dunk that biscotti, and read on to find out what's happening around our town today:

• Condo owner? Beware, the condo insurance crisis may affect you!
• Mission Bay redevelopment aims to restore wetlands.
• Kitten season shower event — donate goods now.

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny.⛅ High: 64, Low: 50.

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Here are four of the top stories in San Diego today:

1. A California Senate committee recently held an informational meeting to discuss the insurance crisis affecting condominium communities. Farmers Insurance dropped several condominium communities in San Diego from its insurance coverage due to wildfire risk. Now, those communities face rates of $600,000 per year, rather than the $45,000 rate they were paying previously. Fair Plan CA, the safety plan of last resort, cannot cover the condo units, as the communities are too large to meet the requirements. (CBS News 8)
2. The City of San Diego is shoring up plans to redevelop Mission Bay’s northeastern corner. With a large wetlands restoration project, a small golf course and a venue for low cost camping, the plans would provide improved water quality, habitat for wildlife and access for humans. The project would qualify for federal funding for the restoration of the wetlands and would help the city achieve its 2035 climate action plan. The redevelopment would take a decade to complete. (FOX 5 San Diego)
3. Looking for something to do in the next few days? Exploring San Diego has several suggestions for you from March 9-12. Go to the 30th San Diego Latino Film Festival; enjoy wine tastings; attend an ABBA tribute; experience the Cherry Blossom Festival and more. For more information, check out Exploring San Diego.
4. The San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) is seeking donations during its annual "Kitten Shower." The event will provide lifesaving items, as well as enrichment toys, to welcome these new kitties into the world. SDHS needs essentials such as kitten formula, bottles, heating pads, scales and blankets from the SDHS’ online kitten registries. (Times of San Diego)

Today in San Diego:

• Preschool Storytime - Tierrasanta Branch Library. (9:30 AM)
• AARP Tax Preparation - College Rolando Branch Library. (9:30 AM)
• Mandarin Chinese Story Time - Mira Mesa Branch Library. (10:30 AM)
• Preschool Story Time - Rancho Bernardo Branch Library. (11:00 AM)
• Taking Transit 101 — OASIS San Diego. (1 P.M.)
• San Diego Latino Film Festival 2023 — AMC Mission Valley Cinemas. (4:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• See something, say something: "Stolen catalytic converters are big business in the criminal world and they create a great deal of expense and inconvenience to the victims they are taken from. A concerned citizen in the Mountain View area saw something and decided to say something. Two individuals were arrested for the theft and unrelated narcotics charges, and the catalytic converters were returned to their owners, saving them a lot of inconvenience and money." (San Diego Police Department via Facebook)
• Exploring a regional park: "It's looking a lot like spring in Mission Trails Regional Park! 😍 Where is your favorite place to explore the beauty of the park? 📷 IG: matthew.mcard" (Visit San Diego via Facebook)
• De Anza Natural: "Help us shape the future of Mission Bay’s De Anza Cove! The City recently released more details about its future long-term plans for the area. The draft plan, titled De Anza Natural, balances recreation, natural habitat, and accommodation needs." (City of San Diego via Facebook)
• World of orchids: "Less than a week away from our annual World of Orchids exhibition! We cannot wait to open the conservatory for the third year in a row, with magical displays and arrangements of orchids designed by SDBG’s highly awarded Artist-in-Residendence, René van Rems.." (San Diego Botanic Garden via Facebook)
• Food distribution near you: "We met Stephanie at a school pantry where she was picking up food for her family, and she told us how much having access to healthy food means to her. Find a food distribution near you: feedingsandiego.org/find-food" (Feeding San Diego via Facebook)
• National recognition for America's Finest City: "We know the future of Downtown San Diego is bright, but now the heart of America's Finest City is being nationally recognized by CBS News. Find out how Downtown San Diego has been able to recover from the pandemic in this recent segment. Psst.. we’re ranked as one of the best urban metros in the country!" (Downtown San Diego Partnership via Facebook)

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• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (March 9)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Bettyann Pernice

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming San Diego Patch newsletter? Contact me at sandiego@patch.com