🌱 Point In Time Count Highest In Downtown SD​ + A Most 'Sinful' City

Hi, all! It's Bettyann Pernice, your host of the Daily. Nosh on that bagel and cream cheese, sip on your morning coffee/tea, and read on for the latest on what's happening in San Diego.

• Recent point in time count shows that most homeless people are located in the downtown area.
• Why is San Diego named a most "sinful" city?

But first, today's weather:

Sunshine and patchy clouds.🌤️ High: 62, Low: 41.

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

More than 1,706 unsheltered persons are living on the street, in tents and in cars in the downtown San Diego area alone. This information comes from a recent point in time count completed by the Regional Task Force on Homelessness. Although the city’s efforts in housing the homeless have been greater than during any other administration, the city finds that while more people are housed, the number of new people falling into homelessness due to sky-high rents is increasing throughout the region. (FOX 5 San Diego)

Are we naughty or nice? According to WalletHub, San Diego is among the nation’s most "sinful" cities. Anger and hatred, jealousy, excesses and vices, greed, lust, vanity and laziness are among the behaviors tallied for the ratings. While Las Vegas is the most "sinful," with a score of 59.93 points, San Diego comes in at 41.28 points. (FOX 5 San Diego)

In case you didn't know, the City of San Diego currently imports about 90 percent of its water from the County Water Authority. On Jan. 1, customers face a 2.5 percent rate hike for water, as well as a 4 percent rise for sewer usage. This is because the County Water Authority is raising the city's fees, which will be passed along to consumers. The funds will be used to pay for imported water, to repair infrastructure, and to fund future water programs. (CBS News 8)

A new positive vibe is coming to National City. Several beautiful murals created by A Reason To Survive (ARTS) can be seen in the neighborhood. A lovely mural depicts a mother and child. Another mural is of an ice cream vendor serving several small children. A "Welcome to National City" mural can be seen when entering National City via Civic Center Drive. Take a look! (Cool San Diego Sights!)

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Today in San Diego:

• Get Your Steps In: Mall Walkers — OASIS San Diego. (9 a.m.)
• You're Not Alone: Tips to Manage the Stress of the Holiday Season — OASIS San Diego. (10 a.m.)
• Storytime — Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center. (10 a.m.)
• Toddler Storytime — University Community Branch Library. (10:30 a.m.)
• Storytime with Ms. Debbie — Malcolm X Library and Performing Arts Center. (11 a.m.)
• Gardening Exchange: Pacific Beach — Earl and Birdie Taylor Branch Library. (Noon)

From my notebook:

• Public Safety Dispatch Job Fair: "Are you looking for an exciting and challenging career? Would you like a well-paying career with benefits? Then come to the Public Safety Dispatch Job Fair this Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. San Diego City College (MS Building)." (San Diego Police Department via Facebook)
• Mira Mesa has a new Community Plan: "One of San Diego’s largest areas for population and employment has a new blueprint for its future! The City Council adopted the Mira Mesa Community Plan Update (CPU) this week. The update will serve as the framework to guide land use and urban design policies over the next 20 to 30 years." (City of San Diego via Facebook)
• Share your thoughts: "You are invited to share your thoughts about San Diego's Economy at the Community Engagement Days workshops on Dec. 12 and 13. We want to hear from you as we develop our Focused Economy Development Strategy. The strategy will further define the goals, objectives, and tactics for the Economic Development Department and serve as the guiding document to help the City build a more prosperous and equitable economy." (City of San Diego via Facebook)
• Lightscape at the botanic garden: "Disco in the Bamboo Garden, anyone? ✨ Experience the Garden like never before with Lightscape. A truly unique holiday experience, enjoy 11 themed art installations, festive music, a fire garden, food and seasonal drinks, and over one million lights on display." (San Diego Botanic Garden via Facebook)
• Award winners: "Join us on December 7th as we congratulate our 2022 Golden Gears Award winners! We will be hosting a live virtual awards ceremony via Zoom starting at 6pm. Make sure to sign up online to receive the invite to Zoom at sdbikecoalition.org" (San Diego County Bicycle Coalition via Facebook)
• Give hope, share joy: "All year long our community makes our mission possible. But the holiday season is always a special time. That's why we hosted two Give Hope, Share Joy volunteer events this year to bring our community together after many years of not being able to gather in a joyous way." (Feeding San Diego via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update!

— Bettyann Pernice

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