🌱 ​SD Zoo: New Baby Orangutan + New Oyster Reefs + Women's Week

Welcome back, San Diego! Here's everything you need to know to get this Thursday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 70, Low: 50.

Here are the top stories in San Diego today:

1. He is a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan. His name is Kaja, and his recent birth increases the world’s population of the species by one. Kaja is part of the ongoing effort to gain a better understanding of orangutans so that the species can be preserved where they live. To learn more: Click into parenthesis, then click the link. (NBC San Diego)
2. The Port of San Diego, along with the California State Coastal Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are working to revive San Diego Bay. The Bay is a sanctuary of marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Many species depend on these wetlands for their survival. Close to 200 tons of artificial oyster reef has been installed into the bay. Over the years, the wetlands have decreased. Now, 360 oyster reef balls have been added to the South Bay Native Oyster Living Shoreline Project. To learn more: Click into parenthesis, then click the link. (NBC San Diego)
3. Want to attend the 13th annual San Diego Women’s Week event this year? The event this year will be held over two days and will feature both virtual and in-person appearances from internationally known women. “Celebrating Women in Business” is an outdoor networking mixer at the Bernardo Winery. The second is an all-day Leadership Conference at the Town & Country Resort in Mission Valley. Tickets are on sale now. To learn more: Click into parenthesis, then click the link. (Ramona Sentinel)

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Today in San Diego:

• Coping with Personality & Behavior Changes — Elder Help. (11 a.m.)
• Grater Grilled Cheese Eating Contest — Grater Grilled Cheese. (2 p.m.)
• Virtual: Business Alliance Group — Chamber Thursdays. (5 p.m.)
• “Digital Treatment Planning for Prosthetically Driven Implants” — UCSD Student-Run Free Dental Clinic GBM: Tim S. Smith, D.D.S, O.M.F.S. (6 p.m.)
• M.S. in Nursing Online Meeting — San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. (6 p.m.)
• Fall Chamber Music Concert — San Diego Youth Symphony & Conservatory. (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Red Cross declares 'blood crisis': Where to donate in San Diego. (San Diego Patch)
• Latest pets available for adoption in San Diego area. (San Diego Patch)
• San Diego Rescue Mission: "Give back with a click! Shopping on Smile.Amazon.com is a simple way to benefit the San Diego Rescue Mission. The shopping experience is exactly the same, only Amazon will donate a portion of proceeds to the charity of your choice." (Facebook)
• Downtown San Diego Partnership: "There's so much to explore along the Marina District's waterfront. Keep an eye out for all the exciting locations set to open in Seaport Village this year." (Facebook)
• Feeding San Diego: "Whether you donate, volunteer, or lend your voice, you can make a difference and take inspiration from the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." (Facebook)
• Free smoke alarms for Seniors — The Burn Institute. (Burn Institute)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday off right. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update!

— Bettyann Pernice