Inspired by a rigorous selection process and robust participation by the public, the City Council has adopted a new official flower for the City of San Diego: Blue-eyed Grass. Thank you, San Diego Bird Alliance, for organizing the Your City, Your Flower project. Updating our city’s official flower to a native species recognizes what makes our city and our region unique, calls attention to the value of native plants, supports biodiversity, and honors the heritage of the Kumeyaay Nation.

A big round of applause 👏 to our city’s in-house mill and pave team—Mission Bay Drive is completely resurfaced with new asphalt and fresh striping. This heavily traveled stretch through Pacific Beach was long overdue for improvements (rated 28 out of 100!), and now it is a safer, more durable, and smoother drive. Want to see more road repairs coming down the pipeline? Check out the City of San Diego’s Engineering & Capital Projects Department’s (CIP) new website to help you stay informed on local infrastructure projects.

The victims of the January 2024 floods are still in recovery mode. Last week’s earthquake disrupted city and council services but otherwise resulted in no emergencies. In both cases, the City Office of Emergency Services sprang into action, the two demanding very different responses, but both tested our city’s readiness. We must remain vigilant; part of that is frequent training. I joined city and regional managers in a workshop hosted by FEMA for the latest strategies and insights on emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. Preparing for natural disasters and unexpected events is critical to protecting our residents, preserving local businesses, and safeguarding the infrastructure of our city.

Nationally, one in three women and one in four men will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. I am continuing the conversation about the importance of sexual assault awareness by dedicating the entire month of April to standing with survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, and bringing an end to a culture that has excused and dismissed sexual assault for far too long. There is still so much more work to be done, including the speed, attention, and diligence of testing every single sexual assault kit in the city’s backlog. Thankfully, here in San Diego, we have leaders and organizations like the Center for Community Solutions, which work every day to promote healing, justice, and prevention. City Council was proud to honor their vital work and commitment to a safer San Diego.

Council President Joe LaCava

Councilmember, District 1

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