🌱 Mosquito/Gnat Attacks + Smugglers Use TikTok To Trick Young People

Good morning, everyone! Sip that coffee/tea, savor that banana nut oatmeal, and read on for news of what's happening in San Diego today:

• Expect mosquito/gnat attacks after the rains.
• Smugglers use TikTok to trick young people.
• Green bins are coming — What you need to know about composting.

But first, today's weather:

Areas of low clouds, then sun⛅ High: 65, Low: 52.

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

1. B-z-z-z! B-z-z-z! If more bugs seem to be around lately, you're not imagining it — they are! Invasive Aedes mosquitos, known as ankle-biters, are here in San Diego. The worst of it is that the Aedes mosquitos can transmit the Zika virus and other tropical diseases. The county will use technicians to check lagoons and creeks where mosquitos can breed. To lower the number of mosquitos around your yard, see recommendations here.
2. Imagine you’re a young person and you apply for a job you see on TikTok, offering a $2,000-per-person driver job. You're told to drive to the border and pick up some people waiting there. You're told that your passengers will be illegals crossing into San Diego, but that you won't face prosecution due to your age and clean record. The truth is that you will face prosecution. The Customs and Border Protection department is warning people to avoid such scams. (NBC7 News)
3. To comply with Senate Bill 1393, San Diegans need to divert trash from landfills and break the trash down by composting. Composting converts food scraps into nutrient-rich soil through decomposition. According to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), composting reduces the amount of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere. To find out which items can and cannot be composted in your green bin, click here. (FOX 5 San Diego)
4. Its name is Pilot and what a beautiful sight it is! Pilot, the nation’s oldest active pilot boat dating back to 1914, is owned by the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Learn more about its history, and take a tour of the harbor. Tickets can be purchased online here. (Cool San Diego Sights!)

Today in San Diego:

• Egg Hunts & Spring Bunny 2023 — 3 South Bay Rec Centers, San Diego (10:00 AM)
• Village Quilters - Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center (9:00 AM)
• Book Sale - Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center (10:00 AM)
• Show & Tell Storytime - North Clairemont Branch Library (10:00 AM)
• PAWS to Read! - Logan Heights Branch Library (10:00 AM)
• Paint a Rock for the Library's Kindness Rock Garden — Rancho Peñasquitos Library (10:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• Donation doubled: "Your donation today will be doubled to help even more precious pets like Boris, a 9-month-old puppy who was discovered sleeping on a community member's front porch in heartbreaking condition. Lonely, emaciated and in need of aid, our Humane Officers brought the homeless pup to San Diego Humane Society for urgent care. Right now, you can help twice as many animals in need when you make a gift at sdhumane.org/SpringMatch by May 15. Our dedicated friends Dr. Charles and Mrs. Carol Baum will match the value of your donation — up to $50,000!" (San Diego Humane Society via Facebook)
• Don't drive distracted: "Please don't drive distracted, and make it to your destination safely! April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and we want to remind you that text messages, social media, and other applications on your phone can wait until you arrive safely at your destination." (San Diego Police Department via Facebook)
• Climate science program: "San Diego Unified students got out of the classroom today and out on the water as a launching off event for a pilot climate science program in collaboration with Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Seaport San Diego." (San Diego Unified School District via Facebook)
• San Diego Padre's chicken: "Have you heard of the San Diego Padre’s Chicken? The mascot has long been the lovable 'Swinging Padre.' Logically, the padre represents the history of San Diego. Come find out more about the Padre’s unofficial mascot at the San Diego History Center for our Family Day Program. Family day activities are free with donation-based admission." (San Diego History Center via Facebook)
• Generous match by Price Philanthropies: "Your gift can have twice the impact this month thanks to a generous match made possible by Price Philanthropies. All gifts are matched, up to $100,000, until April 30 to help provide twice the produce to families and seniors facing hunger in San Diego County." (Feeding San Diego via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• A Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the lodge at Torrey Pines State Reserve (April 8)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you all tomorrow morning for your next update.

— Bettyann Pernice

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