Rosey's Diary and Newsy Things: City of San Diego Approves & Sets Rates For Balboa Park Parking and lots of other tidbits. | San Diego Zoo To Implement Paid Parking For Non-Members |

I guess I've had this post in the works for several weeks, but never got around to posting because I was busy showing up at City Council meetings to speak against paid parking at the Zoo and Balboa Park, and then running around between the Zoo and Seaworld, working the occasional merch gigs, and spending late nights and early evenings and sometimes early mornings looking for my cat, to no avail. Honestly, besides checking on Pawboost, we'd mostly given up on active searches, but then we saw a post of a sighting that maybe was Tikka, so it reignited me actually walking neighborhoods at night when I was able and motivated. Now we're just past Thanksgiving, and after spending some time with family at San Elijo State Campground and also hanging around the house with Toby, who came home from campus for most of the weekend, and Darren, who got to enjoy the rare extended weekend, I'm at Music Box selling for Flamingosis. It's been nice kinda being a homebody and indulging in the tryptophan coma from the turkey we cooked this year (for the first time with Darren, ever!) and I'm just passing the time until I can pack up this merch and ship it off and get back into my cozy pajamas while finishing off the final two episodes of Murdaugh: Death in the Family, since we took advantage of Black Friday deals on Hulu+ & Disney, as well as the super cheap offer for HBO Max with ads. 

I hope everyone had a nice holiday. I cut out a lot of the usual national and international news links this time around, because it has been so bonkers lately that I just have to assume everyone is watching or reading the news incessantly like I do. There's a great user on Threads called @decodingfoxnews that transcribes quotes from TFG and rereads them in a woman's voice, so you can hear what the lunatic is saying without actually having to see his dastardly face or hear his vulgar voice. 10/10, highly recommend. 

Stay safe out there. Nolite te bastardes carborundorum. 

• SAN DIEGO LOCALS:
• Councilmember Elo-Rivera Wants the City to Stop Killing ‘Free Fun’ - Voice of San Diego (10.10.25)
• New Parking Fees And A Political Disconnect Hinder Business In The Gaslamp Quarter. Relationships are strained in downtown San Diego’s entertainment district, dubbed the city’s “front porch” - San Diego Sun (10.24.25)
• Nonprofit saves San Diego County’s tallest waterfall - Times of San Diego (10.26.25)
• Wyoming coach calls out San Diego State’s football attendance issues - SDUT (11.3.25)
• "In-house attendance was 17,109, which is just more than half full at the 32,500-seat stadium"
• "It was the second-smallest home crowd this season." (Despite it being homecoming)
• "More than 6,000 tickets remain for the Boise State game. Fewer than 300 tickets (all on the visitor side) are at the lowest price point — $62.55. Prices for the other tickets are $115.60, $156.90, $180.50, $209.95 and $298.45" WTF?!!?? That is outrageous. Make tickets $25 all in. Sell out your stupid stadium, you greedy Dolts! 
• BALBOA PARK PARKING FEES: 
• San Diego Zoo Will Start Charging for Parking Next Year. City’s Cut Still TBD - Voice of San Diego (11.20.25)
• Divided San Diego council reluctantly OKs plan for paid parking passes in Balboa Park - SDUT (11.19.25)
• San Diego City Council approves Balboa Park parking passes, event rates - kpbs (11.18.25)
• Paid parking is coming to Balboa Park — here’s what it could cost you - Times of San Diego (11.19.25)
• SAN DIEGO REGIONAL POLITICS:
• Remember how Sean Elo-Rivera fought so hard to remove digital hurdles by no longer allowing digital-only coupons at grocery stores? [City Council Meeting July 15 | Summary | Adopted (O-2025-144 Rev. Cor. Copy) Amending Ch 3, Art 11, Div 1 of the SDMC relating to the Grocery Pricing Transparency Ordinance]Meanwhile, literally all the parking meters between the City and the Port all have digital apps to use, but that's another matter...Well, here's Vons' response. So if you're a couponer, maybe clip your digital coupons and go shopping in an adjacent city? 
• Dear Valued Customer,
  We want to inform you about a new city ordinance that may affect your shopping experience at our 29 City of San Diego stores.
  Beginning October 1, 2025, the City of San Diego’s Digital Coupon Ordinance, also known as the Grocery Pricing Transparency law, will go into effect. This ordinance requires that any digital discount offered to customers (other than personalized loyalty deals) must also be available in a non-digital format to provide equal access for all customers, including those who may not use smartphones or apps.
  Since many of our deals are sponsored and supported by manufacturers, cooperation with our vendors is necessary. Unfortunately, as of today, some vendors and manufacturers have not provided alternative formats for their digital offers resulting in a reduced number of promotions and digital deals available in the impacted San Diego stores. The addresses of the impacted stores are provided for your reference here.
  We understand this may be disappointing and are actively working with our vendor partners to explore solutions that maintain the value and savings you expect.
  Thank you for your understanding and continued loyalty. If you have any questions or need assistance accessing available offers, our store teams are here to help.
  Sincerely, Vons (email 9.29.25)
• City Council suspends parking district program to focus on repairs - Times of San Diego (10.27.25)
• San Diego City Council votes to take 100% control over parking meter revenue - kpbs (10.27.25)
• San Diego City Council terminates grant deed restrictions for popular youth sports venue near Del Mar - kpbs (10.28.25)
• Divided council agrees to water rate hike of nearly 30% over 2 years - Times of San Diego (10.28.25)
• Waymo self-driving cars are coming to San Diego in 2026 - Times of San Diego (11.3.25)
• Driverless Waymo car kills bodega cat, prompting calls for change in San Francisco - CBS Boston (11.6.25)
• San Diego County police agencies access many private license plate readers with minimal oversight - kpbs (11.20.25)
• ZOO GOSS:
• The City of San Diego will begin implementing paid parking in Balboa Park, beginning January 5, 2026. Below you’ll find detailed information to help you plan for parking during your next visit to the San Diego Zoo. San Diego Zoo Parking Info. 
• What in the world is a fossa? The San Diego Zoo now has three more. The zoo's three new pups — a pair of males, Isalo and Fiaro, Volana, a female — were, born back in July and have remained in their den since that time with their mom, Kintana. - NBC San Diego (11.27.25)
• The best time to see them is at dusk. I stalked them for 45 minutes on Wednesday before they all finally came out and zipped all over their habitat. You can see my post on IG.
• San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s All-new Elephant Valley Opens March 5, 2026
• San Diego Zoo discovers new palm species – at the zoo - Uptown News (10.27.25)
• The San Diego Zoo has $1 billion, and millions pour in each year. It’s about to get another income stream. The city and the zoo also are renegotiating the 55-year lease that expires in 2034 — and requires the zoo to pay almost no rent. - San Diego Union-Tribune (11.23.25)
• SEA WORLD GOSS:
• Christmas is in full effect at Seaworld San Diego. They have "a million lights", Tinsel & Holly, the reindeer siblings, are back (but go in around sunset), lots of Christmas themed shows and a nightly parade, and there are lots of holiday snacks and drinks around the park. If you like lights, annual passes are still on steep discount for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. It's the cheapest time to buy until their post-4th of July sale (though this time of year is still cheaper by a few bucks.)
• CALIFORNIA NEWS: 
• State sues city of El Cajon over sharing of data from license plate readers - Times of San Diego (10.3.25)
• Lyft, Uber drivers will be able to unionize under new law signed by Newsom - AP/Times of San Diego (10.3.25)
• OTHER READING:
• UC Berkeley and Project CETI study shows sperm whales communicate in ways similar to humans - UC Berkeley (11.13.25)
• US GOVERNMENT DESTRUCTION:
• CBP/DHS.ICE:
• Camouflaging cars and swapping license plates: How agents make immigration arrests - npr/kpbs (10.29.25)
• Across California, ICE summons migrants to their own arrests - Times of San Diego (10.30.25)
• COVID-19/AVIAN FLU/HEALTH/WELLNESS:
• SCOTUS: Supreme Court shoots down vaccine opt-outs at California school. A school district balked at the request for the Supreme Court to micromanage California’s schools’ health policy on the emergency docket. - Courthouse News Service (10.17.25)
• AVIAN FLU:
• What the U.S. Government Is Dismissing That Could Seed a Bird Flu Pandemic - ProPublica (11.18.25)