“Doctor Who” exhibit coming to Comic-Con Museum
Doctor Who World of Wonder has traveled the world, including to New Zealand, before touching down in the U.S. (Photo by Phoebe Mackenzie Wellington)
It’s time for Whovians to dust off their sonic screwdrivers because San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum, located inside historic Balboa Park, has announced that tickets for the highly anticipated U.S. premiere of the Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction exhibit are on sale now ahead of its opening on March 15.
The exhibit features an extensive array of original props and sets, and a unique collection of
behind-the-scenes resource materials from the world’s longest-running science fiction show. This multi-sensory exhibit invites visitors to experience the Doctor’s adventures, come face to face with a selection of iconic characters, and explore some of the worlds visited on screen, all while learning about the real-life science behind the show’s memorable moments. A wealth of scientific “wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey” topics like the concept of time travel, artificial intelligence, DNA manipulation, and cloning can be explored throughout the exhibit.
“We are delighted to be working with BBC Studios and Sarner International to bring this fascinating exhibition that merges the worlds of science, fiction, and the popular arts through such a celebrated show,” said Comic-Con Museum Executive Director Rita Vandergaw. “This is the first time it will ever be shown in the country, and we can’t wait for fans to experience it!”
Automotive Museum has supercar exhibit
The San Diego Automotive Museum is thrilled to announce an exclusive exhibition showcasing some of the most iconic supercars of the 1980s and 1990s. This one-of-a-kind event will provide visitors with a rare opportunity to admire and learn about these legendary vehicles, which have defined the supercar era and continue to captivate automotive enthusiasts worldwide. Exhibition highlights include a1983 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 S and 1995 Ferrari F50. The exhibition is open now through March 30. It includes interactive displays, informative panels, and guided tours by knowledgeable docents.
SD Pride announces 2025 theme
San Diego Pride proudly announced its 2025 theme: Unbreakable Pride. Unshakeable Power.
This powerful theme reflects the strength, solidarity, and determination of the LGBTQIA+ community to thrive despite ongoing challenges.
“It’s a declaration: we are here, we are united, and we are unbreakable,” said San Diego Pride Executive Director Leane Marchese. “As we look to the future and ready ourselves for what lies ahead, we are prepared to lean into one another. We reaffirm our commitment to preserve basic human rights: to make choices about our own bodies, seek safety for ourselves and our families, and receive gender-affirming care.”
San Diego Pride Week runs July 12-20, culminating at the annual festival Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20. Tickets are on sale now, at sdpride.org/tickets.
Budget woes
Jobs report: Steady employment counters San Diegans’ reality
For the first time in a decade, the San Diego unemployment rate hasn’t changed in five consecutive months, according to regional data released by the California Employment Development Department. The latest labor market data has been analyzed by San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center (PIC) Chief Economist, Daniel Enemark, PhD., who adjusted the raw data to account for seasonal trends.
This record-setting lack of change is remarkable as it shows that not a single sector added or lost 1,000 jobs between November and December 2024. December’s unemployment rate sat at a shockingly stable 4.6%.
“With the unemployment rate historically stable – and quite close to full employment – why do so many of us feel so negatively about the economy?” said Dr. Enemark. “The answer is there are plenty of jobs, but not enough jobs that provide financial self-sufficiency.”
A report commissioned by the San Diego Foundation, PIC found that over a third of San Diegans live in households not earning enough to cover the costs of a lower standard of living without government assistance. That rate is twice as high for Latinos.
Today the median home price in San Diego County is $935,000. With a 30-year fixed mortgage at current rates plus property taxes, that house will cost around $5,900 a month, unaffordable for any household earning less than $253,000 a year, which is most households.
Parking rates doubled
Hourly rates recently doubled for parking meters in the City of San Diego. The rate increase, from $1.25 to $2.50 per hour for most meters, follows a resolution by the San Diego City Council amid a huge budget deficit.
The resolution raises rates for most of the city’s parking meters to $2.50 an hour. There are 5,332 parking metered spaces in the city, located in the neighborhoods of Downtown, Uptown, Mid-City and Pacific Beach. The vast majority of the meters, more than 4,400, will charge the maximum $2.50 rate, as permitted by the Municipal Code. The remainder of the meters, which previously charged 50 cents to $1, will see their rates double, as well.
Meter fees help fund maintenance of transportation infrastructure like streets, sidewalks and streetlights in areas with parking meters. It’s been at least 20 years since parking meter fees have been increased in the City of San Diego.
Even with the rate increase, San Diego’s parking meter fees remain among the lowest in the state of California. Oakland’s parking meters cost up to $4 an hour, Los Angeles charges up to $6 an hour, and San Francisco’s meters cost up to $11. Rates will not change for waterfront parking meters operated by the Port of San Diego, which are already set at $2.50 an hour.
SD Unified: Early retirements reduce layoffs
San Diego Unified School District’s strategy to drive down its $112 million projected deficit for next year is advancing better than expected with some unplanned developments that heavily favor SD Unified. Employees deciding to take the Supplemental Early Retirement Plan (SERP) was about 27% higher than originally anticipated. The estimated projection was 755, but 965 filed the SERP paperwork by the Jan. 15 deadline.
SD Unified’s Budget Review Team communicated with principals, site administrators and labor partners that the increase in SERP applicants “gives us an opportunity to develop and implement an attrition model that is both fiscally aligned and allows us to retain as many employees as possible to avoid a large amount of layoffs.”
County requests state funds for behavioral health beds
Acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer joined regional leaders, healthcare providers, and community advocates to announce the County’s support of 31 Proposition 1 funding requests, seeking over $580 million in state funding. If approved, these projects would add more than 4,000 net new behavioral health beds across San Diego County, significantly expanding access to care and addressing the region’s behavioral health crisis.
California’s behavioral health system has been underfunded for decades. San Diego County has worked to reverse this trend. Since 2021, the County has increased its behavioral health budget by 40%—adding over $300 million to bring the total to $1.16 billion in Fiscal Year 2024-25. These Prop 1 funding requests represent the region’s most ambitious effort yet to secure additional state resources and build on this progress.
Supervisor Lawson-Remer announced the County’s support for 31 projects submitted by local healthcare providers and the County’s Behavioral Health Department. These proposed projects include new facilities, expansions to existing services, and targeted investments in underserved communities—all aimed at closing critical gaps in the region’s behavioral health system.
San Diego County is calling on residents to show their support by signing a petition urging local governments to prioritize these projects.
Residents encouraged to get flood insurance
During this rainy season, the City of San Diego is encouraging homeowners to make sure they are prepared and have the appropriate insurance to cover any potential losses from flooding. Thanks to the City’s participation in the Community Rating System (CRS), thousands of local property owners and renters have access to a 15% discount on flood insurance premiums.
Floods can happen in any season, and their impact can be devastating. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in property damage.
Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Therefore, to cover losses from flooding, property owners and renters must acquire a separate flood insurance policy. It’s also important to note that new flood insurance policies have a 30-day waiting period before they take effect.
It’s for the children!
Girl Scout cookie season open
On Sunday, Jan. 26, Girl Scouts San Diego (GSSD) kicked off the 2025 Girl Scout Cookie Program in San Diego and Imperial counties.
Through Sunday, March 9, more than 9,400 local Girl Scouts will rally their communities, neighbors, and friends to support the world’s largest girl-led entrepreneurial program by purchasing Girl Scout Cookies.
Thanks to Girl Scouts San Diego’s new strategic partnership with ABC Bakers (ABC), an officially licensed Girl Scout Cookie baker since 1937, Girl Scout Cookie customers in San Diego and Imperial counties can look forward to a new cookie lineup this year, featuring nine varieties of America’s most beloved cookies—Trefoils®, Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Caramel Chocolate Chip (gluten-free certified), Toast-Yay!, Lemonades, and Adventurefuls. Eight cookie varieties will be available for $6 per package; the gluten-free certified Caramel Chocolate Chip is a specialty cookie that will be sold for $7 per package.
All of Girl Scout Cookie Program proceeds stay local, making the magic of Girl Scouting available and affordable in San Diego and Imperial counties.
Mentorship transforms says Big Brothers Big Sisters study
Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County (BBBS of SDC) – the preeminent one-to-one youth mentoring organization serving the San Diego community – is sharing case study information in conjunction with the national release of a groundbreaking study on the transformative power of mentorship by parent organization Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
This study, conducted by leading researchers from Harvard University and the U.S. Department of Treasury, reveals how mentorship programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters can help to reduce socioeconomic disparities over time, shaping young people’s educational, economic, and social trajectories.
This research, rooted in three decades of data, provides compelling evidence that mentorship delivers long-lasting benefits, such as a 15% boost in earnings for participants, a 20% higher likelihood of college attendance, improved behavior, lower absenteeism, fewer school suspensions, stronger social bonds, a reduced dependency on social services, and long-term societal improvements.
These findings come at a critical time for youth and families in San Diego. In 2024, San Diego children had an 88.3% graduation rate and a 62.9% college attendance rate. Further, the projected local demand for workers in the innovation economy is set to double over the next few years.
Feeding San Diego expands school pantry program
Feeding San Diego distribution partner STEP serves free food to veterans and their families. Over 200,000 children in San Diego are food insecure. School meals account for the second highest number of free meals handed out annually to locals. (Photo courtesy Feeding San Diego)
Feeding San Diego, the region’s only Feeding America partner food bank, is expanding its School Pantry Program in 2025 in response to high need for nutrition assistance at schools across the county.
As the cost of living in San Diego County and inflation continue to negatively impact households, parents need additional resources. The School Pantry Program is a proven, longstanding hunger-relief program that provides nutritious food to students and their families on school campuses at no cost to them. With the program’s expansion this year, its reach will go from 41 to 58 schools throughout the county. Even still, 27 schools remain on a waitlist to get a school pantry on their campus, representing thousands of households who need support bringing meals home.
According to a recent survey conducted by Feeding San Diego that went out to schools currently participating in the School Pantry Program, 39% of parents surveyed revealed that they had skipped or reduced the size of their meals in the last year because there wasn’t enough money for food. Since receiving food from Feeding San Diego, 58% of parents said their child’s grades have improved and 59% of parents said that their child’s attendance had improved. 80% of parents surveyed said that their family is eating more fruits and vegetables since they began receiving food from the School Pantry Program.
On a happy note
Prebys Foundation awards $5.2 million to 59 nonprofits across San Diego
The Prebys Foundation announced the launch of its Healing Through the Arts and Nature initiative, which awarded $5.2 million to 59 nonprofits across San Diego.
These grant awards will support programs serving youth, veterans, justice-impacted individuals, refugees, and historically underserved communities, offering proactive ways to enhance the quality of life in a post-pandemic world. This effort is rooted in growing evidence that non-clinical approaches, such as spending time in nature and engaging with the arts, can reduce social isolation, improve mental health, and foster a stronger sense of community. The nonprofits receiving recognition and grants engage in playwrighting, horse therapy, hiking, farming, dancing, painting, surfing, and more.
City Heights CDC receives $150k for bike, mental health services
City Heights Community Development Corporation (City Heights CDC) is launching new bicycle and mental health services for the community, thanks to a $149,300 grant from the Prebys Foundation. Funds from Healing Through the Arts & Nature Initiative will support City Heights CDC’s “Mindful Miles” project to promote physical activity, improve mental health and create deeper connections to nature for residents, particularly youth and families.
City Heights CDC partnered with Project AWARE and ESMERA (Escuela. Salud Mental. Educación. Recursos Academicos.) to deliver the programming, geared mostly toward youth and families residing in City Heights. ESMERA, a parent organization based in Hoover High School, volunteers will help connect families to Mindful Miles.
Mindful Miles will start with a Bike 101 Workshop, where participants will learn safe cycling practices, route planning and bike maintenance. City Heights CDC will work with local bike collectives, including San Diego Bike Collective, to provide no cost bikes and equipment.
Guided bike rides will navigate San Diego’s natural scenic areas, such as Chollas Lake, Balboa Park, Lake Murray and Cesar Chavez Pier. Certified instructors will lead cyclists of all skills to ensure safe rides in an urban setting. In addition to cycling, pre- and post-ride workshops led by Project AWARE will focus on emotional well-being, mindfulness techniques and stress management.
Equality Business Awards announced
San Diego Equality Business Association celebrated an evening of outstanding community leaders and LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs at the Equality Business Awards held at the beautiful Westgate Hotel. This award ceremony recognized leaders across various sectors, creating a night full of unity, community building and incredible energy.
The most notable recognitions went to Moe Girton from Gossip Grill who was awarded the Trailblazer Award for her continuous work in the community. Tonya Torosian won the SDEBA Lifetime Achievement Award for her years for dedicated service, leadership and advocacy for foster youth.
A huge congratulations to winners SDG&E and City Heights CDC, as corporate partners of the year, small business champion Dapper Boi, community leader Sarah Buchanan, equality advocate Jen LaBarbera, ally Adriana Brunner, emerging business Lambda Rising Soccer Club, and hospitality partner Rich’s.