Jacob Smith

With a slight decrease in the unemployment rate, San Diego County is ending the year on a relatively positive economic note. According to the Employment Development Department, the unemployment rate in the region fell to 4.3 percent in December 2024, down from 4.6 percent in November and mirroring the rate from a year ago in December 2023. San Diego's performance is set against a backdrop of California's unadjusted unemployment rate at 5.2 percent and the national figure at 3.8 percent during the same period.

The Border 2 Fire, which has now burned over 6,500 acres in the Otay Mountain Wilderness, remains a significant threat as the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department maintains full staffing to combat the ongoing disaster. SDFD Assistant Chief Dan Eddy stated, "San Diego Fire continually monitors the weather throughout the day," emphasizing the department's readiness and effort to ensure safety with resources, such as weed abatement and brush inspections, as per the City of San Diego.

The Border 2 Fire, blazing through the Otay Mountain Wilderness area since last Thursday, has affected over 6,600 acres. CAL FIRE has made substantial progress in containing the wildfire, bringing it up to 43% containment as rain continues to aid firefighting efforts. As the National Weather Service forecasts more showers, firefighters remain optimistic, per the KPBS report.

The City of San Diego is sticking to its environmental guns, recently expanding its realm of protected natural space. Fifteen acres of land have been snapped up to become part of Mission Trails Regional Park. A welcome addition for inhabitants who need a breath of fresh air, the newly annexed land is to be safeguarded under the City's Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP), a move praised for reinforcing the local ecosystem's resilience.

San Diegans can expect to pay more for parking as the City Council voted yesterday to partially increase metered parking rates to close a significant budget gap. The rates will effectively double from $1.25 to $2.50 per hour for the majority of the city's 4,449 spaces currently charged at the lower rate, as reported by the Times of San Diego. The new fees are set to take effect on February 1.

San Diego's educational sphere has been undergoing a notable transformation, particularly following the troubling sexual harassment claims attached to former Superintendent Lamont Jackson. The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has ramped up its mechanisms for reporting such incidents, a move underscored by introducing a new online tool launched by the district's Office of Investigations, Compliance and Accountability (ICA). This digital system aims to simplify the process for students and staff to flag sexual harassment, civil rights violations, and safety concerns, as reported by NBC San Diego.

Residents of coastal and inland areas in Southern California should prepare for various weather conditions over the next few days, as the region is set to experience light showers, a warming trend, and a potential cool down with chances of rain next week. NWS San Diego reports that the mountains' temperatures will hover above average today. In contrast, low temperatures early Friday morning are expected to be 5 to 10 degrees below average for the coast and valleys, with slight warming for lower elevations as the weekend approaches.

A traffic incident in University City yesterday afternoon resulted in significant injuries for two teenagers. According to the San Diego Police Department, a 39-year-old male driving a 2016 Mazda 3 collided with an electric bicycle carrying two 16-year-olds as the car was making a left turn onto the westbound onramp of Highway 52.

Community members in and around San Diego County are alert following a Silver Alert issued for an at-risk senior by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). According to CHP Alerts, Tony Hoang, 81, was last seen on Tuesday near Espola Road and Martincoit Road in Poway.

2024 was a rough year for cinema, but films like 'Wicked', 'Madame Web', or 'I Saw The TV Glow' were truly the bottom of the barrel.