San Diego Convention Center To Be Shelter For Kids Seeking Asylum

METRO SAN DIEGO — Following a request from the Department of Health and Human Services, the San Diego Convention Center will turn into a temporary shelter for unaccompanied children who are seeking asylum in the United States.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and County Board of Supervisors Chairman Nathan Fletcher said Monday the details on the center's transformation are still being finalized with the federal government "to receive these young people and provide them with care, compassion and a safe space to transition while they are reunited with families or sponsors.”

“The City and County will support this federally funded effort by providing vital services to these vulnerable children who came to our country seeking safety,” the statement read.

It's unknown how many children will be held at the center, but the San Diego Union-Tribune reports it will be used as a shelter for three months. The average stay for a child will be around 30 to 35 days, the paper reports. Children will not be allowed to leave the center until they are reunited with a family member or released into the care of a guardian.

Read the rest of Deborah Sullivan Brennan's story about the San Diego Convention Center turning into a temporary shelter for child asylum seekers on the Union-Tribune's website.

Special Delivery

An Encinitas English professor has been delivering free meals to hospital workers at Scripps Memorial Hospital almost every day since December.

Syndee Wood wanted to provide some relief to front-line medical workers swamped with patients throughout the coronavirus pandemic and initially sent over free pizzas as a one-time gesture. Thanks to community donations, she's been able to send hospital staff a steady stream of food.

The food has not only benefited the hospital workers but also the local restaurants the deliveries are coming from, according to KNSD-TV.

Metro San Diego Headlines

• Six Women Honored: The San Diego Women's Hall of Fame added six more women to its ranks on Sunday for the impact their work has left on the city.
• Man Disrupts Green Line Service: Trolley service was briefly suspended on the Green Line near Old Town on Monday after a man wielding a knife told police to shoot him.
• Coronavirus Vaccination Site Opens: A new COVID-19 vaccination site opens Tuesday at Viejas Arena and will be in operation from Tuesdays through Saturdays by appointment only.
• Collision Kills Two: A head-on collision between two vehicles Friday resulted in the deaths of a teenager and a 21-year-old University of San Diego student.

"In the name of growth, we are undermining what the university stands for, which is access, equity and social mobility, and by hurting the people we should be caring for."

— Fernando Domínguez, an associate professor at UCSD, said about the campus hiking the rent of graduate and professional students living in university housing by hundreds of dollars.

SPORTS TALK: After some speculation in the media that he would go to Minnesota, Brian Dutcher said he will remain the head coach for San Diego State University's men's basketball team.

Dutcher was considered a top contender for the position due to his strong ties to the university and was contacted multiple times by the school's athletic director, according to The San Diego Union Tribune. Instead, the position went to Ben Johnson, who was the assistant basketball coach at Xavier University.

WEATHER IN A WORD: Temperate.

LET'S MAKE PLANS: Flagship Cruises and Events will host Pizza Port Brewing Company for its Hops On The Harbor event at 6 p.m. April 2. The event will feature a cruise through the San Diego Bay as attendees try beers from the brewery and talk to the brewers. The event requires reservations in advanced.

» Subscribe to Patch. Click the link to find your community, and sign up for free newsletters and real-time news alerts.