Apply to be a Junior Achievement student ambassador

Junior Achievement of San Diego in Grantville is looking for high school students to participate in their student ambassador program from September 2017-June 2018.

The program aims to teach its ambassadors leadership skills and the inner-workings of a nonprofit association by focusing on professionalism, networking, financial responsibility, empathy, future planning and personal development.

In order to be considered for the program, you must be a high school student; have at least a 2.5 GPA; submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher, volunteer or principal; be available to attend the mandatory monthly meetings and training sessions; have Junior Achievement program experience and knowledge; be comfortable with public speaking; have transportation; and parental consent.

To apply to be a Junior Achievement of San Diego student ambassador, visit tinyurl.com/y7lscxfs and for more information, contact Laura Bagheri at 619-906-4928 or [email protected].

San Diego County implements online senior care rating system

On Tuesday, Aug. 1, San Diego County launched the choosewellsandiego.org website which allows users to compare and research senior assisted living facilities.

“San Diego families now have a powerful new tool to help ease what is often one of the toughest decisions they can make – where to place an elderly relative in need of more care,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob, chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors, in a press release. “By including a ratings system on the website, we’re also hoping it will raise the bar on the level of care countywide.”

The Choose Well effort was launched by Jacob and Supervisor Greg Cox in 2014 and is now a website which uses a Better Business Bureau-style rating system that looks at 11 measures of quality to give users the appropriate facility for their needs.

The scoring system features 120 San Diego assisted living and group homes for older adults and the website has a side-by-side comparison tool to evaluate residential care facilities for the elderly.

The website choosewellsandiego.org was developed in cooperation with Consumer Advocates for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) Reform, a nonprofit organization. For more information about choosewellsandiego.com, contact Steve Schmidt at [email protected] or Luis Monteagudo at [email protected].

Cox to donate $75,000 in grants to nonprofits

Cox Charities is currently accepting grant applications from San Diego.

Cox Charities is funded by donations from Cox Communications employees which are matched by the company and they are looking to award grants to nonprofits with initiatives focused on education, youth, military and conservation.

With $75,000 in grant money, Cox Charities is accepting requests for up to $10,000 per nonprofit and one of the nonprofits selected will be eligible for $15,000.

To apply for a grant, visit coxcharitiesca.org and submit an application by Sept. 1.

City provides breastfeeding-friendly workplace

On Friday, Aug. 4, the city of San Diego was named a “Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace” by the San Diego County Breastfeeding Coalition (SDCBC).

As stated in a press release, the city of San Diego was nominated for the award by an anonymous Park and Recreation Department employee who said, “As a first-time mother, the

thought of returning to work was an emotional time. However, the experience the city of San Diego and my immediate workplace offered me was incredible. The city of San Diego’s Lactation/Breastfeeding Accommodation Policy really accomplishes what is intended, by providing a workplace for mothers who desire to breastfeed their infant child while still being able to work. I highly recommend the city of San Diego for this very deserving award.”

The award comes after Chief Operating Officer Scott Chadwick signed the city’s Lactation/Breastfeeding Accommodation Policy back in March.

“The city is committed to supporting our employees and that includes helping new mothers as they return to the workplace,” he said in a press release. “Caring for young children is as challenging as it is rewarding, so we’re proud of our policy providing a positive workplace environment, reasonable accommodations and comfortable facilities that assist new mothers with their work-life balance.”

The city will be honored with an award at the SDCBC’s Liquid Gold Gala fundraiser on Oct. 7.

For more information about SDBC, visit breastfeeding.org.

Donate blood at Alvarado Hospital and San Diego State University

The American Red Cross is urging people to donate blood this August due to a chronic blood shortage.

Blood can be safely donated every 56 days and Power Red cells can be donated every 112 days, so if you donated at the beginning of the summer you may be eligible to donate again.

As an incentive this summer, all donors now through Aug. 31 will be awarded a $5 Target eGiftCard.

Want to donate?

Visit San Diego State University Aztec Walk (5500 Campanile Drive) from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. between Aug. 30 and 31 or the Alvarado Hospital Medical Center (655 Alvarado Road) on Aug. 30 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

To schedule an appointment to donate blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Sex offenders sue San Diego

On Monday, Aug. 7 sex offenders in San Diego filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging residency restrictions.

The lawsuit comes in response to what they would say was a failure on the city’s part to repeal these residency restrictions the week of Aug. 1.

“The San Diego city residency restrictions are unlawful because they are inconsistent with

recent court decisions, including a landmark decision involving San Diego County,” stated civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci in a press release. “The California Supreme Court determined in that case that 97 percent of available rental housing in San Diego County was unavailable to sex offenders.”

The city’s current ordinance restricts residency from more places than California state. San Diego restricts registered sex offenders from residing within 2,000 feet of a school, park, arcade, library or amusement center.

This is the 26th lawsuit in which residency restrictions have been challenged in California state.

Call SDG&E before you dig

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is encouraging San Diegans to call 8-1-1 before digging underground due to the damage of natural gas lines by third-party contractors and residents.

Through a nationwide program, if you dial 8-1-1 or submit a request at Call811.com, at least two business days prior to digging, then SDG&E will mark the location of buried gas lines free of charge so you do not damage them.

“Hitting and damaging a gas line can result in a serious safety hazard, fire, property damage and costly repairs; and places additional burden on emergency service personnel who are required to respond,” said Gina Orozco-Mejia, SDG&E’s vice president of gas operations, in a press release. “Furthermore, gas leaks caused by damages disrupt daily lives and cause a wide-range of inconveniences from service outages that can shut down your favorite coffee shop on your way to work, to forcing street closures that cause traffic delays impacting your ability to get home or to work.”

If you suspect a natural gas pipeline has been damaged or detect a gas leak you can call SDG&E immediately at 800-411-7343 and for more information about SDG&E, visit sdge.com.