San Diego's Asian Community Feels Pain Of Atlanta Shooting

METRO SAN DIEGO — Asians and Pacific Islanders in San Diego have felt the pain of anti-Asian hate that has gripped the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That pain was made even worse on Tuesday when a gunman killed eight people, six of them Asian women, in the Atlanta area. Lauren Garces, who belongs to a group that fights against anti-Asian sentiment, told The San Diego Union-Tribune that it's hard not to think about what might happen locally.

“There are a lot of people in the community reaching out saying, ‘Is it safe for my mother or grandparents to go out to the store given the rise in crimes? Is it safe for them to ride the trolley?’” she said.

Kristina Davis' story for the Union-Tribune looks at a few of the reported incidents in San Diego where Asians were specifically targeted and how racism against Asians has ties to the history of United States and California.

Live Music Returns

The La Jolla Music Society is hard at work pivoting from streaming its concerts online to performing in front of an audience again.

The change comes after San Diego County was allowed to roll back some of its COVID-19 restrictions after entering into the state's red tier for reopening earlier this week. The concerts will be held outdoors at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center with a limited capacity, according to the Union-Tribune.

Metro San Diego Headlines

• Restaurant Tent Woes: A restaurant owner in Scripps Poway Parkway said he will continue to serve his customers under a tent outside his business despite being told by authorities it’s a fire hazard.
• Legoland Returns: Legoland California Resort announced it will reopen April 1, with guests required to book tickets in advance.
• Help Wanted At SD Restaurants: Local restaurants are struggling to hire workers as indoor dining resumes in the county.
• COVID-19 Hospitalizations Down: San Diego County has seen an improvement in recent weeks in the number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19.

"At the most basic level, local government doesn’t have a sense of how many Arabic speakers or coming from the [Middle East and North Africa] region who are residing in their local city or county."

— Ramah Awad, of the Majdal Center, on how the U.S. Census whitewashes Middle Eastern communities such as in San Diego

SPORTS TALK: Summer Rappaport was all set to go to the 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo, but the coronavirus pandemic has put that on hold for the triathlete.

Rappaport told KNSD that the postponement of the summer games to 2021 didn't put a stop to her training but that it has been a "constant grind" staying in competing shape.

WEATHER IN A WORD: Shining.

LET'S MAKE PLANS: Santee will host a socially distant selfie session with the Easter Bunny on March 26 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required, and families can also choose to pick up an at-home egg hunting kit. Visit the city of Santee's website for more information about its Easter festivities.

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