February 23, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

🤾‍♀️ Serving mojo in SD

Players for the San Diego Mojo women's professional volleyball team are playing on a court. They're wearing navy blue uniforms, and some have their hands in the air.

The San Diego Mojo is all set for their 2024 debut. | Photo via San Diego Mojo

Dig this — a brand-new, professional women’s volleyball team has joined the ranks of San Diego’s pro sports teams, and you can bet they’ll be servin’.

San Diego Mojo is one of only seven US teams in the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF). The league’s inaugural season began earlier this month but tonight, the Mojo makes its hometown debut with a 7 p.m. match at Viejas Arena at SDSU against the Grand Rapids Rise. Let’s set this up, hit the backcourt, and learn about the team.

SD San Diego Mojo sports teams CG — Servin’ Mojo: San Diego’s Pro Volleyball Federation club will debut in February 2024.
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Photo via San Diego Mojo

🦅 Setting the scene

San Diego Mojo were first introduced in November 2023 as the PVF’s first-ever West Coast team. It’s owned by five-time Olympian and beach volleyball legend Kerri Walsh Jennings.

Fast facts:

The Mojo’s colors are navy blue, light blue, yellow, and white.
The team’s logo features an osprey. In November 2023, the Mojo said that like the inspiring bird, their aspirations soar and the team is “fueled by relentless hearts and determined desire to not only survive, but to thrive.”
The Mojo is led by head coach and three-time Olympian Tayyiba Haneef-Park and assistant coach Deitre Collins-Parker. Brandon Directo and Noly Mon round out the coaching staff.
The 2024 roster features 15 players, some with up to 16 years of professional experience, like setter Nootsara Tomkom and longtime libero Shara Marie Venegas Medina.

Wearing navy blue uniforms, players for the San Diego Mojo women's professional volleyball team smile and clap during a match. The lights are dimmed, and a blue spotlight shines on them. — Are you ready for the Mojo? The team will play their 2024 season home matches at Viejas Arena.
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Photo via San Diego Mojo

🗓️ The debut season

The team will play nine home matches through May 7 with Viejas Arena serving as their home venue.

Fans can purchase a season membership that includes perks like 15% off Mojo merch and priority for postseason playoff tickets. Single match tickets start at $15.

San Diego Mojo President Billy Johnson said the team wants to keep the games accessible, so 44% of seats are priced at $20 or less for every game.

“There is a seat for everyone,” Johnson added.

Guide: SD's pro sports teams

Asked

My favorite San Diego sports team is...

A. San Diego Padres
B. SDSU Aztecs (all sports)
C. San Diego Wave FC
D. San Diego Gulls

... or all of the above — you root for SD no matter what.

Who's your No. 1?

Events

Friday, Feb. 23

San Diego Museum Month | Through Thursday, Feb. 29 | Times vary | 70+ local museums | Price varies | It’s the final weekend of this big annual event offering 50% off admission to select SD museums and attractions — don’t miss your chance.
Wine Regions of Portugal | Friday, Feb. 23 | 1-2 p.m. | San Diego Oasis Grossmont, 5500 Grossmont Center Dr., Ste. 269, La Mesa | $15 | This class will explore the exciting Portuguese vinho scene.
Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet | Friday, Feb. 23 | 6 + 8:30 p.m. | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla | $30-$68 | This five-piece jazz act masterfully weaves classic and modern sounds.
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” | Through Sunday, March 3 | Times vary | California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd. | $35-$85 | This Tony Award-winning play follows a gifted student who tries to prove his innocence after being accused of a canine murder.

Saturday, Feb. 24

San Diego Chinese New Year Fair | Saturday, Feb. 24 + Sunday, Feb. 25 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Third Avenue and J Street, Downtown San Diego | Free | This 41st annual fair will fill the streets with performances, crafts, a lantern parade, art displays, and food vendors aplenty.
WTA 500 Cymbiotika San Diego Open | Through Sunday, March 3 | 12-9 p.m. | Barnes Tennis Center, 4490 W. Point Loma Blvd., San Diego | $20-$250 | The world’s best women’s tennis players go head-to-head in this tournament that serves as a warm-up for Indian Wells.
AleSlam 11: GoldRush | Saturday, Feb. 24 | 3-6 p.m. | AleSmith Brewing Company, 9990 AleSmith Court, San Diego | $20-$25 | Craft beer tasting-meets-wrestling at the brewery’s tasting room in Miramar.
43rd Annual Tribute to the Reggae Legends | Saturday, Feb. 24 | 3-11:30 p.m. | WorldBeat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego | $57-$65 | Immerse yourself in the roots of reggae with this festival and tribute to the genre, formerly known as Bob Marley Day.

Sunday, Feb. 25

San Diego Sockers vs. Kansas City Comets | Sunday, Feb. 25 | 5:05 p.m. | Pechanga Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego | $25-$55 | The indoor soccer team competes against KC for “Country Night.”
Juanes | Sunday, Feb. 25 | 7 p.m. | The Magnolia, 210 E. Main St., El Cajon | $238+ | The 26-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Colombian icon brings his tour to east SD — y claro que si, “Es Por Ti.”

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Weather

The coast (and rest of SD) is clear — at least for now. After some rain this week, the forecast shows a mostly dry and partly sunny weekend. But don’t put away the umbrella just yet. There’s a chance of showers again Sunday night through Tuesday, Feb. 27. (National Weather Service)

Civic

In her recent State of the County address, Chairwoman Nora Vargas praised locals who stepped up with “corazon” — or heart, in Spanish — to help San Diegans impacted by the Jan. 22 storm and flooding. Vargas also talked about the county’s progress on housing, behavioral health, environmental justice, and other issues.

Community

With FEMA’s Major Disaster Declaration for San Diego County in place, assistance is available to qualifying local residents and businesses. If you were impacted by the devastating Jan. 22 storm, apply for help online or call FEMA’s helpline — 1 (800) 621-3362 — open daily, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Opening

Carvana will debut its newest car vending machine on Wednesday, Feb. 28 in Mission Valley near the new Scottish Rite Center. The six-story glass tower can hold 19 vehicles; if you buy a used car, you get to use a giant coin and watch your ride descend. It’ll be open daily, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Coming Soon

A new Goodwill Outlet Center will open in downtown San Diego on Wednesday, Feb. 28, and it’ll offer real gems for the area — free parking and deeper discounts. Find the retailer at 1466 F St.; the underground parking entrance is on F Street, near the backside of the store. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Festival

Weezer. T-Pain. Beck. Natasha Bedingfield. Carly Rae Jepsen. Those are some of the big names announced as part of Wonderfront Festival’s lineup. The musical event is coming to the Embarcadero May 10-May 12, and general public tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m.

Watch

PSYONIC — a San Diego-based company known for its innovative bionic hand — will be featured on “Shark Tank” today at 8 p.m. Keep an eye out for CEO Aadeel Akhtar and retired Army Sgt. Garrett Anderson, who actually uses the tech.

Traffic

That newly restored orange striping along Interstate 5 between Carlsbad and state Route 78 in Oceanside is part of the ongoing Build NCC project — a way to signal an active work zone. SANDAG wants to know how motorists feel about the markings — take this survey to drive home your feedback.

Ranked

According to WalletHub, San Diego ranks No. 24 among the Most Culturally Diverse Cities in the US. The study compared 500 of the largest cities in the country across three key metrics: ethnoracial diversity, linguistic diversity, and birthplace diversity. In terms of ethnic diversity, SD ranked No. 8. (WalletHub)

Sports

Could the Padres trade for Baltimore Orioles’ right fielder Anthony Santander? Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the San Diego Padres with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.

Arts

The Institute of Contemporary Art San Diego (ICA) will debut “Synaptic Sculpture” at its Balboa Park location today, a new exhibition by UC San Diego Professor Pinar Yoldas on view through June 23. It’s part of ICA’s “Interface” exhibition season, which celebrates SD as an art and life sciences hub.

Finance

These four credit cards offer 0% intro APR for up to 18 months — meaning that when life piles up (unexpected tax payments, medical appointments, picking up the bill for the whole table at Island Prime) — you could have almost two years to avoid interest charges.*

Zoo

🐼 We’re beary hopeful

Bai Yun — a giant panda in the San Diego Zoo in 2019.

Bai Yun in the San Diego Zoo in April 2019. | Photo by Ken Bohn and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) is one step closer to having giant pandas return to SD. The organization signed a new cooperative agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association that could bring the beloved animals back to the San Diego Zoo.

The effort will allow SDZWA to study pandas and understand what the species needs to survive in a changing climate. The gesture of friendship will continue a 30-year partnership with China that has helped recover the vulnerable species.

SDZWA also filed an application with the US Fish and Wildlife Service for the anticipated return.

Zoo reps told The Associated Press that if all permits are approved, the zoo is expected to receive a male and female panda potentially by late this summer. It’s also believed that the female may be a descendant of Bai Yun and Gao Gao — the zoo’s famous former panda residents.

The Buy

Chips and salsa, because honestly, is there a better snack? Sobremesa’s salsa is well worth the chip dip with flavors including layered, complex Mole Poblano + spicy Smoky Salsa Oaxaqueña.

Answered

We asked who you’d want to see perform at the San Diego County Fair this summer. You said:

The grandstand stage at the San Diego County Fair with the ferris wheel and other rides in the background. — Come this summer, this stage at the San Diego County Fair is going to be jammin’ with excitement.
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Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday

Pearl Jam. Switchfoot. Leon Bridges. Van Morrison. Foo Fighters. Eagles. Santana. Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Those were some suggestions of artists you would have liked to see headlining the San Diego County Fair’s newly announced summer concert lineup. We also spotted wishlists for genres like reggae rock, 1980s and 1990s pop, and K-pop — and we’ve gotta say, you’ve got really fun musical tastes, SD.

Meanwhile, 57.9% of you are not loving the lineup, while 42.1% are excited for the performers coming to the Corona Grandstand Stage, including TLC, Ludacris, Jay Leno, and Little Big Town.

See who's performing

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Monica

From the editor

Happy Friday, friends. On a recent trip with my little family to Liberty Station, we stumbled upon the Nautical History Gallery & Museum, an 800-sqft gem tucked inside the Dick Laub NTC Command Center.

The museum is curated by US Navy and Marine veteran Joe Frangiosa and chronicles the history of the US Navy and its ships from 1775 to 1945. It’s free to visit, though donations are appreciated. Pop in and say hello to Joe — he’s a wealth of knowledge.

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