🌱 Update To City Street Preservation Ordinance + High Housing Costs

Hello, neighbors! I'm back with your new copy of the San Diego Daily, fresh off the presses. Sip on that coffee/tea, munch on those holiday cookies, and let's find out what's happening in our town:

• Mayor announces updates to City Street Preservation Ordinance
• What percentage of their incomes do San Diegans pay for housing?
• San Diego's Finest bring pizza and beverages to abandoned Southwest Airlines passengers.

But first, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun.⛅High: 63. Low: 54.

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

1. Utilities must dig up the roads to do repairs, but often the roads are left in worse shape once the repairs have been completed. Now, a proposed update to the Street Preservation Ordinance may change that. It would require utilities to repair streets quickly and with high-quality replacement. The proposal will be considered by the full City Council in February. (Times of San Diego)
2. According to experts, housing costs should not exceed 30 percent of gross income. Yet, in San Diego renters spend more than a third of their gross income on rent, while one in three renters spends more than half their income on rent. Some survive by sharing expenses with roommates. Others live knowing they are only one paycheck away from being homeless. (NBC San Diego)
3. SD harbor police reached out to abandoned Southwest Airlines passengers, bringing them a gift of pizza and beverages on Christmas Day. The passengers were stuck at SD International Airport when flights were canceled nationwide. The officers went above and beyond the call of duty to bring some comfort and joy to the weary travelers. They are truly San Diego’s Finest. (CBS News 8)
4. A 7-month-old cub rescued by the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife in Bishop on Dec. 15 is doing well. Currently at the SD Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, the orphaned black bear cub weighs in at about 30 pounds and is in good health. Caretakers are minimizing human contact, hoping to release the cub back to the wild next spring. (Patch)

Today in San Diego:

• Grace Book Nook — Scripps Miramar Ranch Library Center. (9:30 a.m.)
• Free Play Fridays on the Grass — Allied Gardens/Benjamin Branch Library. (10:30 a.m.)
• 2nd annual Family Kwanzaa Celebration — Malcolm X Library. (Noon)
• Silver Age Yoga — Carmel Valley Branch Library. (1 p.m.)
• Chess Club — Rancho Peñasquitos Library. (3:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Digital access: "The San Diego Public Library strives to inspire lifelong learning. Check out some of the vital services they provide in our #YearInReview series. This year SDPL increased digital access to communities by adding 4000 hotspots and 2000 Chromebooks for checkout." (City of San Diego via Facebook)
• Children's gardens: "Join us for our SAPLinGS program Wednesdays through Fridays at our Children's Gardens! Children and Adults alike can enjoy Incredible Edibles, Model Trains in Seeds of Wonder, and Toddler Tales and Tunes with Grandma Kathy." (San Diego Botanic Garden via Facebook)
• Cozy comforts: "Pull on your sweaters, eat some comfort food, surround yourself with gentle beauty and enjoy the cool weather and a great book from SDCL’s list Cozy Comforts https://sdcl.overdrive.com/collection/1395178" (San Diego County Library via Facebook)
• Upcoming concerts: "📣 Tickets are now on sale for the Museum of Making Music's upcoming concerts of 2023! We're so excited to share these upcoming events with you. Order your tickets early as we expect these events to sell out in advance. https://mailchi.mp/museumofmakingmusic/concert-update-2023" (Museum of Making Music via Facebook)
• Top 3 reasons to donate: "Top 3 reasons to donate before the ball drops: 1. Your donation is tax deductible. 2. You can double your impact if you donate by 12/31. 3. We offer a range of ways to donate to make the process easy. Read our recent blog post to learn more: https://bit.ly/3C2dS5y" (Feeding San Diego via Facebook)
• Rehoming pets: "At San Diego Humane Society, we know there are many unexpected circumstances that could prevent loving pet owners from being able to keep their companions — including financial challenges and housing insecurity — so we’re here to help families who have made the difficult decision to rehome a pet." (San Diego Humane Society via Facebook)

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• Crossing Over With Psychic Medium John Edward (Live)! (Jan. 21)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you around town!

— Bettyann Pernice

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