Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How a skimming scheme hit San Diego’s most vulnerable families

Also, don't miss Art Glass Guild Show and Sale on the San Diego Patch calendar

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Hey there, San Diego! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How a skimming scheme hit San Diego's most vulnerable families
  • How much would Measure B really cost your San Diego household?
  • When and where this cross-border jazz festival hits downtown San Diego

Also on today's calendar: Art Glass Guild Show and Sale and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why was the scarecrow given an award? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Sunday: Very hot with sunshine, with a high of 96 and low of 72 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Monday: Very hot, temps: high: 97, low: 72.
  • Tuesday: Sunny and toasty conditions, with a high of 94 and low of 70 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. San Diego man gets two years in prison for stealing $180K from low-income families (timesofsandiego.com) — A San Diego man has been sentenced in local federal court to two years in prison for skimming more than $180,000 from CalWORKS benefit cards, hitting low-income families who rely on the aid for essentials. Prosecutors say he was part of a wider scheme that stole at least $4 million statewide, including from many San Diego County residents, and he must repay $181,390 in restitution.
   

2. Transformative or 'bad policy': San Diego County sales tax debate grows as race heats up (sandiegouniontribune.com) — San Diego County voters are weighing Measure B, a permanent half-cent sales tax hike that would raise about $450 million yearly for social services, sewage fixes in the Tijuana River Valley, and public safety. Supporters say it's vital to address budget gaps, wildfire risks, and pollution, while critics warn it's a forever tax that burdens low-income residents and may duplicate federal efforts.
   

3. San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival (kpbs.org) — Free concerts for the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival are coming to downtown San Diego this fall, with an added fourth day of performances. Big-name jazz artists, cross-border collaborations, and a ticketed Escondido show promise a busy, music-filled weekend for local fans, with tickets for the paid concert going on sale May 30.
   

4. Teddy Bears Fitted with Pacemakers and Feeding Tubes Ease Children's (scienmag.com) — A major pediatrics conference at the San Diego Convention Center is spotlighting a Mayo Clinic project that outfits teddy bears with realistic medical devices to comfort kids who use the same equipment. The low-cost idea doubles as hands-on training for medical students and a tool for families and schools to reduce anxiety and stigma around devices like feeding tubes, tracheostomies, and pacemakers.
   

5. Newsom Signs San Diego Lawmaker's Bill for Local Journalism Tax Credits (10news.com) — A bill co-authored by San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward will soon offer sizable tax credits to California newsrooms that keep or hire journalists, starting in 2027. The Community NEWS Act aims to slow newsroom cuts, support local reporting, and ensure communities like San Diego continue to have access to reliable, fact-based local news coverage.
   

📸 Around San Diego

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Walden Family Services Honors Julie and Dale Yahnke at Wine D'Vine 2026 —Scatena Media Group Read on Patch
  • Punky is Your Rancho Coastal Humane Society Pet This Week —John Van Zante Read on Patch
  • San Diego Wealth Management Leader Robert J. Patterson Launches "Ascent to Prosperity," Redefining Success —Lucas Kaplan Read on Patch
  • Is anyone missing a turtle by chance?
    Woke up this morning and this lil one was on our patio. We built a makeshift area with some food and water and brought into the house. (Nextdoor Rolling Hills North)
  • THANK YOU to the lady ahead of me in the Starbucks drive thru.
    around 9:30 AM today (Thursday, Oct 1st) at the Friars Rd & Mission Gorge Rd location!. The unexpected shock when the barista handed my Dalmatian,… (Nextdoor Serra Mesa West Central)
  • UC San Diego posted a job opening for EVS Custodian - Hillcrest - Days - 141722 in San Diego. Apply here.
  • Hilton posted a job opening for Banquet Houseperson - DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley in San Diego. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near San Diego here.

Ok San Diego! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why was the scarecrow given an award?" — Because he was outstanding in his field! (Thank you Teresa M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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