Six days before 9/11, Dilkhwaz Ahmed arrived in the US from the Kurdistan region of Iraq to attend a conference. Ahmed, who had opened one of the first women’s domestic violence shelters in Iraq, applied for asylum after the attack, knowing she couldn’t go back. She already received threats at home

”Survey says” looks at various rankings and scorecards judging geographic locations while noting these grades are best seen as a mix of artful interpretation and data.Buzz: Stockton had the past year’s highest percentage increase in employment in the nation.Source: My trusty spreadsheet looked at th

La Jolla is getting delicious. Over the past few years, the tony enclave has bumped up its food and beverage prowess, with openings like Wayfarer Bread, Marisi, Paradisaea, and Le Coq lining up one after the other in a culinary competition that frankly, we’re all winning. That’s not even mentioning

Few Americans are moving to California, when you see the inflow in national terms.Last year, California drew 422,075 people from other states. My trust spreadsheet’s review of new state-to-state migration data from the Census Bureau tells me those arrivals equal 5.6% of the nation’s 7.55 million int

Skillfully brought into the first quarter of the 21st Century by the husband-and-wife team Shawn and Christina Taylor of Dacotah Studio, this 2-bed, 2-bath 1913 Craftsman bungalow has been transformed (along with a newly-built 1-bed, 1-bath ADU and garage) into a series of flexible living and work s

The city of San Diego will spend $2.8 million on improvements to the newly leased and already renovated Mission Valley office building where it plans to next year move a majority of its development services department.Tuesday, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved a sole-source constructio

California home prices and sales are up slightly in the past year, but there are some spooky extremes across the state.The California Association of Realtors’ September sales report tells us the statewide median selling price was up 3% to $868,150 in the year. Buying activity also quickened 5% over

Welcome to a new era in college sports, where everything at your favorite venue — from the space available on a player’s squeeze bottle to the name on top of the building — is for sale.The almost-anything-goes cash grab comes as athletic departments around the country look to juice program revenue t

Donna DeBerry moved to San Diego from Austin to “hang at the beach and have a good time,” she says. After a successful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) career spanning several cities and prominent corporations—Indeed.com, Starbucks, Nike, Wyndham—DeBerry thought she was ready to retire. But th

“The goal is always to create spaces of belonging, where all guests can feel respected, be themselves, and form connections, while cultural learning is happening,” says Lauren Garces, the creative mind behind event production company Social Artistry. “I constantly ask myself, ‘How can I intentionall

It’s the most spooky time of the season, Halloween is here and Thanksgiving plans with your in-laws are right around the corner. San Diego is bustling with events for food lovers including the San Diego Beer Week; Ramona’s Art, Wine & Musical Festival; and the inaugural San Diego Coffee Festival. Th

It’s the most spooky time of the season, Halloween is here and Thanksgiving plans with your in-laws are right around the corner. San Diego is bustling with events for food lovers including the San Diego Beer Week; Ramona’s Art, Wine & Musical Festival; and the inaugural San Diego Coffee Festival. Th

San Diego home price gains were the highest in the nation for six months. Now, things have taken an uncharacteristic turn.The San Diego metropolitan area’s home price increased 5.7 percent annually in August, said the S&P Case-Shiller Indices report released Tuesday. That made it No.7 in the 20-city

Ann Najjar didn’t set out to be on the cover of magazines. Didn’t have dreams of acting in movies. Wasn’t itching for an Adidas sponsorship or hoping to garner the attention of more than a million followers on her Instagram account. She merely wanted to support her brother’s passion.Fame came anyway

One of the last two bidders now being considered to remake San Diego’s vacant 101 Ash St. high-rise into affordable housing is a major campaign contributor and was accused of violating ground lease terms in another jurisdiction.The other is run by a political appointee of Mayor Todd Gloria.Both comp

A government watchdog group seeking to block the city of San Diego’s sale of an East Village parking lot to a development team led by the San Diego Padres could be on the cusp of a partial victory in what will likely be a protracted court battle.On Thursday, San Diego Superior Court Judge Katherine

Fierce & Kind Susan G. Komen Walk WeekendNovember 1-3Join Fierce & Kind Spirits for a cocktail event at Understory on November 1, with a portion of proceeds supporting the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Then, walk with the Fierce & Kind team at the MORE THAN PINK Walk on November 3.San Diego Youth Servi

The holiday season is here, and it’s the perfect time to get a head start on shopping. Finding the right presents for friends and family can be tricky, but San Diego’s local shops, artisans, and makers offer something special for everyone. Whether you’re looking for kitchen upgrades for your family,

Buying a home has always been hard.In August, it got even harder.Home shoppers now must sign a contract with their agents before getting professional help, thanks to new rules under a National Association of Realtors’ court settlement.While you don’t have to use an agent to buy a home, 89% of home b

Designed in 1914 by the Irish-born emigre architect Louis DuPaget Millar for a Scottish lumber baron’s estate—at a time when enterprising immigrants were flocking to Southern California from their chilly birthplaces—this exceptional property has been transformed by its owners into a walled compound