Thank You, SDFD Chief Colin Stowell!

San Diego Fire Department Chief Colin Stowell had his farewell ceremony this week as he is about to retire, with Robert Logan II is set to be sworn in as the new Chief on Saturday. This changing of the guard comes right on the heels of former SDPD Chief David Nisleit retiring as well and Scott Wahl taking over earlier in the summer.

Chief Stowell is a true example of what dedicated public service looks like. A native San Diegan, Chief Stowell was hired by SDFD in 1988 and has served in every rank.

The word that comes to mind for Chief Stowell – and for every firefighter for that matter – is sacrifice. The work that firefighters do, including sometimes spending days or weeks away from family, in service of keeping people safe is nothing short of heroic. Thank you Chief, and please enjoy your retirement.

Touring the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant

There is nothing more precious than our drinking water, especially with the effects of climate change becoming more and more pronounced every year.

This week, I had the opportunity of touring the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant, which supplies drinking water to much of central San Diego, including many residents of District 7. The Alvarado Plant, located next to Lake Murray, has a capacity of 120 million gallons of treated water per day and houses San Diego’s Water Quality Laboratory, where our water is routinely tested to ensure it remains safe and clean for all.

 I’m incredibly grateful for the dedicated work of Public Utilities Department staff to ensure our water is clean and safe for all to use. Thank you for taking the time to show me around and thank you for everything you do!

Safe Sleeping Sites Toured by San Jose Mayor

This week, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan – someone I’ve met and worked with before on other issues – traveled to San Diego to tour our safe sleeping sites. The Safe Sleeping Sites, since being set up last year, have been so successful in helping unhoused people and making our streets safer.

The fact that the Mayor of another big California city like San Jose is looking to San Diego for leadership on the safe sleeping sites shows that word is spreading fast about the effectiveness of the safe sleeping sites. While safe sleeping sites of course do not replace traditional housing, they are a cost-effective and fast-moving way to get unhoused people off the streets and into a safer place where they can use showers, receive hot meals, and get connected with services.

As the old adage says: we shouldn’t let perfect be the enemy of good. The safe sleeping sites are a great example of that idea in action. I think this quote in the U-T article about Mayor Mahan’s visit says it all: “I wish the safe sleeping had been here when I was homeless,” said Angel Alameri, 38, a Dreams for Change case worker who lived outside on and off for more than two decades.

Not all homeless cases are the same (Mission Times-Courier)

In a recent edition of the Mission Times-Courier, a community newspaper that reports on local happenings in District 7 and surrounding areas, editor Dave Thomas wrote a poignant editorial about homelessness. Thomas reminds us that people become homeless for a variety of reasons such as divorce, being laid off, or a major medical issue, and that we should have empathy for those who have ended up in that situation.

Ultimately, what Thomas is referencing is the fact that in this country, we don’t have many safeguards for people who fall on hard times – and that is one of the reasons that our homeless crisis is so dire. I believe that a more just nation is possible: one that recognizes that everyone is dealt a bad hand at one point or another over the course of their life and that a little help and compassion can go a long way.

Thanks Dave for your impactful column. To read more Mission Times-Courier coverage, click here.

New US citizens take Oath of Allegiance at Petco Park (KPBS)

I loved this story in KPBS yesterday about a crop of new US citizens that took their oath and were sworn in at Petco Park. When the news gets you down, there’s nothing like hearing the stories of new, bright-eyed American citizens who are so proud to take that oath. This passage was especially meaningful:

“This is emotional for me,” said Carlota da Costa Muhlig, who was born in Brazil. “I’ve already cried a lot.”

She said she values the safety and freedom she has in the U.S.

“I think Americans don't know, really, what they have,” she said. “When we come here, we come with a lot of hope, a lot of expectations, and we find it better than we imagined.”

Safety, especially for women, was also a top priority for Naman Sheel. She moved here with her family from India.

“I can move here freely,” she said. “I can wear whatever I want and, you know, be out as long as I want.”

I am so proud to be an American. Our country is built on the foundation of our inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That’s the country that I believe in and those are the values that I work to uphold every day as City Councilmember.