Mayor unveils framework for sustainability initiatives Mayor Jerry Sanders unveiled the framework for a new sustainability program on Earth Day that is intended to make downtown San Diego more environmentally friendly and help the city meet state climate change goals for 2020. The program, called “Centre City Green,” consists of three parts: the implementation of green building measures that will ensure future buildings use fewer resources; the Downtown Lighting Master Plan, which will introduce new energy efficient lighting strategies for buildings and public areas; and a “green streets” program that will focus on improving downtown’s outdoor spaces and making the area more pedestrian- and bike-friendly. Death in Gaslamp hotel prompts investigation SDPD Homicide Unit detectives have determined that a female who was found dead at the Ramada Inn at 830 Sixth Ave. on April 30 was not the victim of a homicide. An employee of the Gaslamp-area hotel found the female’s body inside a room at 11:45 a.m. and called police. Police officials originally said that the state of the victim’s body made the death seem suspicious, but a subsequent investigation ruled out homicide as the cause. The medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. No additional details had been released about the victim as of press time. Little Italy opens free 2-hour parking The Little Italy Association has made the parking lots at Washington Elementary School, located at 1789 State St., available for two-hour free parking on Saturdays. Parking will be $2 per additional hour. Clean & Safe introduces new cleaning equipment The Downtown San Diego Partnership Clean and Safe Program, the Property Business Improvement District (PBID) for downtown San Diego, announced that it has just purchased three new Green Machine 414s that maintenance ambassadors will use to clean sidewalks faster and more efficiently. The walk-behind vacuum/sweepers have many benefits, according to Will Berry of the Clean and Safe Program. They are able to compact waste to 33 percent of its’ original size, meaning less trips to the dump, they work faster than manual sweeping, and they are able to maneuver around numerous obstacles. They are also quiet, so ambassadors can operate them without disturbing residents and businesses. New senior wellness center opens downtown The Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center opened April 21at 1525 Fourth Ave., giving low-income seniors access to a variety of programs and services meant to transform the aging experience. The 17,000-square-foot facility, which was made possible through a $4 million donation by the Gary and Mary West Foundation, includes a nutrition center, medical and mental services, classes, a civic engagement program and a cyber café. Officials from Senior Community Centers, the company that runs the center, said they want the bright, colorful facility to resemble a college campus rather than the stereotypical senior center, and they hope that other centers across the nation will adopt their model for healthy aging. The center is open to all seniors ages 60 and older and all services are free. Meals are provided with a suggested minimum donation, although a representative for the center said they will not turn away anyone who cannot afford that price.