🌱SD Affordable Homes + Teacher Speaks Up + Cherry Blossom Fest

Hey, people of San Diego! It's me again, Bettyann Pernice, your host of the San Diego Daily.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 70, Low: 60.

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

1. The San Diego Board of Supervisors voted to turn three vacant properties into affordable housing. Two of the properties are located in San Diego, and one is located in Escondido. Partial funding for the projects could come from No Place Like Home, a California state program, and the county's Innovative Housing Trust Fund, first established in 2017. To learn more: Click into parenthesis, then click the link. (Patch)
2. San Diego County teacher, Jennifer Broderick. made her opinions known at an affordability workshop sponsored by the California Public Utilities Commission. “Hi, thanks for listening to me. I'm just an average public school teacher. My salary has not increased with the rate of the increase that I'm getting all around me. My off-peak time-of-use went from 25 cents, off peak, to 37 cents. For an average middle-class person, all these things are adding up. And then when I see that you've got people on your board who are making $23 million a year. It's infuriating,” said Broderick, referring to the CEO of Sempra. To learn more: Click into parenthesis, then click the link. (CBS News 8)
3. The Cherry Blossom Festival at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park will be open again this year. Stroll through the gardens, see live performances, choose a delectable dish at one of the food vendors, and shop at one of the merchant stations along the way. There will be crafts, interactive activities, and face painting for children. Adults can enjoy beer and sake. The event will be open from March 11 - 13. To learn more: Click into parenthesis, then click the link. (NBC San Diego)

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Today in San Diego:

• Qi Gong — University Community Branch Library. (9:30 a.m.)
• CalFresh Workshop — San Diego Public Library, Central Library. (10 a.m.)
• Knit and Crochet Circle — Rancho Peñasquitos Library. (1 p.m.)
• Chess Club — Point Loma Branch Library. (2 p.m.)
• DO YOUR HOMEWORK @ THE LIBRARY — Linda Vista Branch Library. (3 p.m.)
• Volunteer Orientation — ElderHelp of San Diego. (5:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• San Diego Zoo: "Spend quill-ity time with Icana and spike your serotonin levels. Porcupines don't actually shoot their quills. Quills are a modified hair follicle, so it'd be like propelling your own hair at your enemy. Gross. See Icana, the prehensile-tailed porcupine at Wildlife Explorers Basecamp opening March 11!" (Instagram)
• San Diego Humane Society: "We're celebrating National Adoption Week with PetSmart Charities — because we all win when we adopt love! Join us for an adoption meet and greet at PetSmart in Oceanside (3420 Marron Road) this Thursday, March 3, from noon - 2 p.m., to meet some special pets looking for new homes!" (Facebook)
• City of San Diego: "Grow your science, technology, engineering, arts and math skills with the San Diego Public Library’s annual Spring into STEAM challenge! The program offers free in-person and virtual workshops for students ages 9-12. This year’s theme 'Let’s Grow!' explores sustainability, agriculture and plant life. Workshops will teach students to grow and care for plants from seed, build robots to harvest crops and create art from recycled materials." (Facebook)
• San Diego Botanic Garden: "Celebrating California’s native plants, here are a couple of flower species we encourage you to add to your own gardens. Despite the winter weather, this is the time of year these plants are thriving. Take a look and see the beautiful blooms." (Facebook)
• San Diego Rescue Mission: "Did you know today is a special day? It’s World Compliment Day! Sharing a smile and a friendly compliment brings joy, compassion, and hope to our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Build one another up. Encourage each other. In this process we find hope." (Facebook)
• Downtown San Diego Partnership: "The Create the Future Awards, previously known as The Alonzo Awards, recognizes some of Downtown’s best and brightest. As in previous years, this will include those championing milestone projects, leading groundbreaking initiatives, and finding creative ways to enhance the Downtown experience." (Facebook)

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Events:

• Spring Kick-off featuring "Lucky Tongue." (March 4)
• Advocate for Foster Youth! Voices for Children CASA Volunteer Information Session. (March 5)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar. (March 7)
• Small Business Lunch Bites. (March 16)
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Loving the San Diego Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

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• Send me a news tip or suggestion at sandiego@patch.com

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with your next update.

— Bettyann Pernice