San Diego, CA
MTS releases new commute cost calculator tool amid rising gas prices
As gas prices skyrocket, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System Wednesday released a commute cost calculator to show motorists how much money they could save by riding public transit.
The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County rose Wednesday to its highest amount since Oct. 20, 2023, increasing 2.7 cents to $5.635. The average price has risen for 28 consecutive days, increasing $1.028, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
“With gas prices rising so quickly across the region, families are feeling the financial strain,” MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilman Stephen Whitburn said. “MTS offers a reliable and affordable option that helps people keep money in their pockets. We want riders to know they have transportation choices that can make a real financial difference.”
The agency uses as an example the commute from the Chula Vista neighborhood of Eastlake to Westfield UTC in San Diego’s University City. According to the calculator, that costs more than $40 a day by car, whereas the trolley and bus would cost $5.
According to Google Maps, the driving route is somewhere around 30 minutes to go 27 miles in light traffic, where the transit option is more than 2.5 hours with two transfers and 18 minutes of walking. The driving route would likely increase significantly during rush hour traffic, and the transit route would to a lesser extent.
Still, the MTS said commuters traveling “as little as 5 miles each way can save more than $980 annually by switching from driving to transit.”
Other examples without a time frame attached include:
— Chula Vista to downtown (10 miles), $15.40 per day by car, $5 roundtrip by transit;
— El Cajon to downtown (15 miles), $23.10 per day by car, $5 roundtrip by transit; and
— Rancho Bernardo to downtown (25 miles), $38.50 per day by car, $5 roundtrip by transit.
The calculator is available at sdmts.com/commute. It factors in information such as commuting miles, estimated miles per gallon, parking costs, number of days commuting and price per gallon of fuel.
The MTS also has more than 8,000 free parking spots at dozens of transit stations across the system.
San Diego, CA
Washington Nationals vs San Diego Padres Game Thread
The Nats had chances to win last night, but they came up short. Some of the weaknesses at the back end of their roster showed up, and they lost 7-5 in a bullpen battle. Now they will look to bounce back at home against a tough Padres team.
Blake Butera has made some peculiar changes to the lineup. Clearly, he wants to go lefty heavy. The struggling Jorbit Vivas will start over Curtis Mead. Jose Tena will also be starting at DH. That means James Wood will go to right field and Dylan Crews will slide to center. Drew Millas will also be back behind the plate. Foster Griffin will be on the bump.
The Padres have a very similar lineup to last night. Rodolfo Duran will replace Freddy Fermin behind the plate. Otherwise, it is the same personnel. We saw Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis start to wake up, so hopefully that does not continue. Blake Butera’s college teammate, Michael King, will be on the mound.
The Nats will look to avoid going under .500 in this one. Michael King will be a good test, but this lineup has been resilient. Hopefully Foster Griffin can build on his strong outing against the Braves. If they don’t win today, those narratives about the poor home record will re-appear. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
San Diego, CA
Letters: Stop taxpayer funds for short-term rental trash
San Diego taxpayers are subsidizing the short-term rental industry’s trash collection under the People’s Ordinance. The 2017 letter from the city attorney to Councilmember Zapf is crystal clear: transient occupancy (rentals under 30 days) generates “nonresidential refuse.”
The city is prohibited from providing free weekly collection to these units. Yet, thousands of whole-home STRs continue to receive curbside service at taxpayer expense. Measure B (2022) modernized funding but left the core definition intact — transient rentals remain ineligible for city residential service.
Requiring owners to arrange and pay for private hauling would shift the full cost off the general fund. With roughly 7,954 active licenses, and residential collection costing about $520 per unit annually, the city could save approximately $4.1 million a year. That money could repair streets, fund public safety or lower taxes for actual residents. Enforce the ordinance as written.
— Gary Wonacott, San Diego
San Diego, CA
San Diego teen organizes Eid goodie bags for children after Mosque tragedy
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — As the Muslim community prepares to celebrate Eid al-Adha next month, a San Diego teenager is working to bring comfort and joy to children impacted by the recent tragedy at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
Seventeen-year-old Sarah Abdin spent the past week fundraising, shopping and assembling nearly 100 Eid goodie bags for students at the mosque’s elementary school.
While many teenagers are focused on final exams, Abdin said she spent some nights working until 2 a.m. to make sure every bag was ready in time for the school’s upcoming graduation celebration.
The project was inspired by the recent shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, where children were present during the incident. Abdin, who attended the mosque as a child, said hearing about what students experienced motivated her to take action.
Each bag contains a variety of treats, activities and gifts intended to help children celebrate Eid, one of the most important holidays in Islam.
Abdin said community members quickly rallied behind the effort, helping raise funds and support the project. After days of shopping and preparation, she and her sister spent several hours assembling the bags ahead of delivery.
The goodie bags are expected to be distributed during the elementary school’s graduation festivities in early June.
Abdin said she hopes the gesture serves as a reminder that the children are surrounded by a community that cares about them and stands beside them during difficult times.
The fundraising effort received widespread support, helping cover the cost of the goodie bags and allowing organizers to expand their reach to more students.
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