San Diego, CA

‘Study a problem to death’: Local businesses bring in San Diego leaders to address homelessness – KXLY

Published

3 years ago

May 11, 2022

Press Room

‘Study a problem to death’: Local businesses bring in San Diego leaders to address homelessness – KXLY

Might 10, 2022 7:38 PM

Posted: Might 10, 2022 7:38 PM

SPOKANE, Wash. — Native companies are bringing in concepts from throughout the nation to assist homelessness.

Good day for Good hosted present and former leaders on Tuesday at their inaugural Symposium from a state that has it worse off than Washington. California has the most important homeless inhabitants within the nation. Some are frightened the Inland Northwest may very well be on the identical path.

The unsheltered homeless inhabitants in Spokane is up 52% since 2020, based on the newly launched Level In Time rely.

Personal enterprise leaders who make up Good day For Good need to see change occur, so that they’re getting concerned within the answer. Individuals who’ve labored on homelessness in San Diego shared what they did to assist the difficulty and concepts Spokane might embrace.

“So many cities don’t do something. They research an issue to dying,” stated Kevin Faulconer. He’s the previous mayor of San Diego and served within the position from 2014 to 2020.

From 2017 to 2019, homelessness in San Diego went down whereas throughout the remainder of the state, it received worse.

“It’s nonpartisan,” he stated. “It doesn’t matter in the event you’re Republican, Democratic or Unbiased – we all know that we have to take motion.”

He did issues otherwise than different leaders in California. He says when he was in workplace, he was dedicated to quick significant motion. He says Spokane can get forward of this pattern by getting extra shelter beds within the system instantly and implementing accountability.

“The final three years that I used to be mayor, I didn’t permit tent encampments on the sidewalks as a result of we supplied the assistance and the assist of the shelters with the wraparound companies by way of psychological well being, substance abuse, job coaching and housing navigation,” Faulconer added.

He says as quickly as he created sufficient shelter beds, he didn’t permit folks to stay on the streets. Mayor Nadine Woodward is working so as to add extra beds within the system. Present reviews present the rising homeless camp in East Central is sleeping round 400 folks outdoors, on the streets.

Creating large-scale shelters for lots of of individuals and changing unused authorities buildings is the driving drive behind the Lucy Duck Basis. That’s one other San Diego based mostly firm tackling homelessness lead by a homegrown boy.

“This is a matter frankly I don’t even recall fascinated with or seeing as a child,” stated Drew Moser. He grew up in Spokane earlier than transferring to San Diego and getting concerned in homelessness.

Now, he desires to see his hometown get forward of the difficulty earlier than it’s too late.

“From 2017 to 2019, the unsheltered homelessness inhabitants declined 29% when it was doing a hockey stick all through the remainder of the state,” Moser stated.

He says town wants to handle everlasting housing options, as properly, however that takes too lengthy to see significant change. They’ve had success with massive tent shelters that may go up shortly and get folks off the streets. Whereas nobody method will repair homelessness, these leaders say ready for the right answer gained’t assist anybody.

Whereas these are options town might think about, based on the Regional Process Power on Homelessness in California, the variety of new homeless folks in San Diego County elevated 79% in 2020. This occurred after Mayor Faulconer left workplace and after COVID crippled the world.

READ: Metropolis Council restarts seek for homeless shelter operator because of ‘battle of curiosity’

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San Diego, CA

Flu cases continue to climb nationwide and in San Diego County

Published

4 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Flu cases continue to climb nationwide and in San Diego County

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The bug is biting. Flu cases continue to climb nationwide and right here at home, and San Diego doctors said we’re not immune to the trend.

Flu cases have increased year by year and this season, the peak reached 3,567 cases, the highest its been in about five years, according to data from San Diego County.

The numbers show that during and after the pandemic, cases continue to rise, and local doctors, like Dr. Nick Saade with Sharp Memorial Hospital, said the data reflects what he’s seen too.

“The short answer is yes, we are seeing more cases than recent years,” said Dr. Saade. “There’s definitely been kind of like a more rapid increase in the number of cases and a larger number of cases around this time when you compare it to the last four or five years or so.”

Dr. Saade said trends are going back to where they were before COVID. That’s because during the pandemic, many were taking measures to protect themselves with masks, washing hands, and social distancing.

“But when you look back further than that, you find that the cases and the rates of increase of cases are probably more consistent with what you saw in the pre-pandemic levels,” said Dr. Saade.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevent reports nationwide, visits to the emergency room because of influenza are high and continue to increase.

Symptoms include fever, chills, cough and sore throat, but Dr. Saade said there are preventative steps you can take, like keeping distance and practicing good hygiene.

“There’s a number of ways you can catch a bug this winter season,” said Dr. Saade. “So it could be contaminated surfaces, contaminated food and water, direct contact with other individuals.”

He said while getting teh shot may not completely prevent you from getting the illness, but your symptoms won’t be as severe.

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San Diego, CA

Escondido reptile rescue facing higher costs, at risk of closure

Published

11 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Escondido reptile rescue facing higher costs, at risk of closure

One of the largest reptile rescues in the country hopes 2025 is better than 2024.

The EcoVivarium Reptile Sanctuary and Museum cares for 400 snakes, lizards, and turtles at its facility in Escondido. Most of their tenants were saved from bad owners or bad situations. However, the extreme rate of inflation in the last year has EcoVivarium’s owner worried.

“Everything is going through the roof right now,” sighed Susan Nowicke, who founded EcoVivarium 15 years ago.

“Like every other Californian, our insurance rates more than quadrupled,” she explained.

Nowicke said their utility bill doubled and they pay $10,000 a month in rent. None of those expenses include the cost of caring for the wide variety of animals.

“My staff work for minimum wage,” Nowicke added with tears in her eyes. “I’m not proud of that fact. I would like to pay all of them what they are worth. They are worth far more than that. And they deserve more than that for the work they do. They work hard.”

The money EcoVivarium makes from tours and grants likely won’t cut it in 2025. Making matters worse, the nonprofit doesn’t make any extra money from local governments or other rescues when they take on another reptile.

“They have their funding to run their operations,” Nowicke shrugged. “They expect us to have our funding to run our operations.”

Begrudgingly, Nowicke said they need $250,000 more every year to serve the community and the reptiles.

“I’m very concerned. I am very, very concerned for our future,” she said.

Nowicke said they are also at capacity. EcoVivarium can’t take on anymore rescues until they get more room and more funding.

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San Diego, CA

Can a once-toxic shoreline solve Mission Bay’s recreation needs? San Diego readies rival visions for South Shores

Published

19 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Can a once-toxic shoreline solve Mission Bay’s recreation needs? San Diego readies rival visions for South Shores

An overhaul of the long-neglected area could help anchor major changes coming to other parts of Mission Bay: Fiesta Island and the bay’s entire northeastern corner.