🌱 Spike In Human Trafficking + San Diego Fire Rescue Takes Over EMS

Hello again, everyone! I'm back with your new copy of the San Diego Patch newsletter. Sip that coffee/tea, munch on that croissant, and follow along for news of what's happening these days in our town:

• District Attorney warns of spike in human trafficking.
• After Falck fails, San Diego Fire-Rescue takes over EMS.
• Farmers Insurance drops homeowners/condo owners due to wildfire risk.

But first, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun.⛅ High: 66, Low: 42.

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

1. District Attorney Summer Stephan warns that there has been an uptick in human trafficking in San Diego. Both the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Human Trafficking Task Force have been working to curtail activity and rescue the children and adults who have been bought and sold for sex, or labor. The chain of abusers includes the predators, the criminal buyers, and the regular people who are involved. Often, victims are trapped by their own shame and feel they cannot go home again to their families. Sometimes they are trapped by opioid or fentanyl addiction. Parents need to talk to their kids about the dangers online. (KUSI)
2. San Diego Fire-Rescue will take over provider responsibilities for emergency medical services (EMS). It will be in control of billing and stationing of ambulances, and deployment, rather than the contracted company, Falck, which has continually failed to meet their obligations. The city will bring in a secondary provider to shore up services. (KPBS)
3. More than 1,000 homeowners are now looking for affordable property insurance after being dropped by the Farmers Insurance Company due to wildfire risk. Homeowners in Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta, Mira Mesa, and Rancho Bernardo are now scrambling to find insurance they can afford. Some HOAs are considering adjusted their bylaws to allow individual owners to carry their own property insurance. (CBS News 8)
4. San Diego has been awarded $25 million to fund four local affordable housing projects. The funds were awarded through California’s Multifamily Finance Super Notice of Funding Availability program, and are in addition to the $29 million in county funding. Projects will include low-income housing as follows: 94 units in National City, 100 units in San Ysidro, 100 units at the Rancho Bernardo Transit Center, as well as 100 units for the homeless on 43rd Street in downtown San Diego. This new construction is part of the counties goal to produce 10,000 housing units by 2030. (Times of San Diego)

Today in San Diego:

• Cars & Coffee — San Diego Automotive Museum. (7:30 a.m.)
• Windmill Classic Cars And Music — Windmill Food Hall. (Noon)
• The Puccini Duo — San Diego Opera. (2 p.m.)
• Reggae Legends Tribute & Bob Day 2023 — WorldBeat Cultural Center, Balboa Park. (3 p.m.)
• Aris Quartett — Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. (3 p.m.)
• 42nd Annual Tribute to the Reggae Legends/ Bob Day — WorldBeat Cultural Center, Balboa Park. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Organic waste disposal: "You can keep your NEW Organic Waste Recycling green bin clean by: ✅ Keeping food scraps in fridge or freezer until collection. ✅ Lining the bottom of your bin with yard trimmings, newspaper or scrap paper to absorb moisture and prevent food from sticking to the bottom. Find out more." (City of San Diego via Facebook)
• Celebrating Black lives: "“Decide what you want. Declare it to the world. See yourself winning. And remember that if you are persistent as well as patient, you can get whatever you seek.” – Misty Copeland Joy and Resilience: Stories celebrating Black lives https://sdcl.overdrive.com/col..." (San Diego County Library via Facebook)
• Are you a budding poet? "Calling all budding poets! Denny Sanford Children's Library is hosting a special Poetry Workshop for Kids in collaboration with our friends at Write Out Loud. ✏️📓 https://sandiego.librarymarket... After the workshop, don't forget to participate in this year's Let Your Voice Be Heard Poetry event." (San Diego Central Library via Facebook)
• Our volunteer at the front desk: "Congratulations to our February Volunteer of the Month: Pragyan! Pragyan started volunteering with us in 2021 as a food sorting volunteer. Now, she comes in most days of the week to volunteer at the front desk and in the Feeding San Diego Marketplace." (Feeding San Diego via Facebook)

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That's it for today. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update!

— Bettyann Pernice

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