San Diego, CA
San Diego City Councilmember proposing $25 minimum wage for tourism workers
San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera is calling for a substantial bump in pay for tourism workers.
Councilmember Elo-Rivera will propose a $25 minimum wage for hotel, event center and janitorial service workers at Thursday’s Select Committee on Addressing Cost of Living, according to the committee’s staff report.
The proposed ordinance will also increase that minimum wage each year based on the increase to cost of living measured by the Consumer Price Index or its successor index as established by the U.S. Department of Labor. It will also make sure it matches the federal or state minimum wage if wages of relevant occupations exceeds the city’s minimum wage.
“San Diego should work for the people who make it work. I’m committed to fighting to make sure that the people who fuel our economy can afford to live here. The hotel, event center, and janitorial workers who are the backbone of our multi-billion-dollar tourism industry are barely scraping by while out-of-town corporations’ profit off their labor,” Councilmember Elo-Rivera’s staff said in a statement to NBC 7.
If passed and implemented, around 8,000 local hotel industry workers would be affected by the pay hike, according to Bridgette Browning, the president of Unite Local 30.
“We keep the tourism industry going and the truth is our members are really struggling to pay their bills,” Browning said.
The economic impact to the local economy remains to be seen.
“When the minimum wage is increased, there can be winners and losers. So, the workers who make the minimum wage are winners, they’re better off. As a result of that, they have more money to spend and that could give a boost then to the local economy. The losers are potentially then the businesses that employ those workers,” said Alan Smith, a professor of economics at University of San Diego.
If passed by the committee and the full San Diego City Council, the proposed ordinance would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.
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.
-
Rhode Island21 seconds ago
RI Lottery Powerball, Numbers Midday winning numbers for May 30, 2026
-
South-Carolina5 minutes agoSouth Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 30, 2026
-
South Dakota13 minutes ago
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for May 30, 2026
-
Tennessee15 minutes agoEmerging data centers: New TN law to protect ratepayers goes into effect in July
-
Texas20 minutes agoThe Moment That Completely Changed Texas A&M’s Regional Blowout Win Over Texas State
-
Utah28 minutes agoFrom small-town Utah to NYC: Accomplished hairstylist reflects on journey to upscale SoHo salon
-
Vermont31 minutes ago
VT Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 30, 2026
-
Washington40 minutes ago
Eleven Confirmed Dead in Washington State Chemical Accident, All Bodies Recovered