Naturopathic Doctor Near San Ysidro, CA

In summary

California tourism numbers have dipped because of decreases in foreign travel and worsening international exchange rates. San Diego and its new $3.8 billion airport terminal have shown signals of a resurgence.

On the last day of summer, San Diego International Airport’s new Terminal 1 opened with an airy, white concourse, local eateries and new flight routes.

Passengers arriving on the first Southwest Airline flights on Monday, Sept. 22 deplaned to applause through balloon arches over the gates.

“That was fun to cheer them on,” San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Chair Gil Cabrera said the next day. “They were very confused when it was happening.”

That opening date – the fall equinox – was fixed years earlier, when airport officials set a strict construction schedule to launch the new terminal before the end of summer. Now they’re counting on the breezy, new $3.8 billion facility to attract visitors amid a statewide tourism slump.

“We have the right airy space, with lots of light coming in, and our goal was to reflect the San Diego community, and I think we’ve done a really good job of doing that,” airport CEO Kim Becker said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.

California has braced for a setback this year, as Trump administration policies on tariffs, immigration and gender identity have chilled some foreign travel, and international exchange rates have made it pricier to visit the U.S.

In May, Visit California, a nonprofit tourism marketing agency, projected a 1% drop in visits to the state, in the first year-over-year decline since the pandemic. San Diego tourism experts similarly predicted that visitation would flatten this year, as trade wars and market fluctuations lead people to pull back on travel spending.

But San Diego airport officials hope to weather that downturn with a welcoming facility and new domestic and international flights.

“The mix has sort of helped us out a little bit in the sense that where it’s dipped in one place it has sort of increased in other places,” Cabrera told CalMatters.

Economic headwinds

It’s a tricky time to open a new airport facility. California tourism had bounced back from the pandemic by 2024. But this year the industry faces a perfect storm of economic and political upheaval that leaves it flying into what industry analysts call “headwinds,” or obstacles to business growth.

A big part of that is the change of heart among Canadian travelers.

“We see a 40% decrease in travel from Canada to the U.S. for the first half of the year” among leisure tourists, Amra Durakovic, a spokesperson for the Canada Flight Centre Travel Group, told CalMatters.

Business trips to the U.S. have remained steady, she said. But many Canadians have switched their personal travel to Europe, the Caribbean and South America.

They cite steep U.S. tariffs, aggressive border checks and President Donald Trump’s annexation threats as reasons to stay away. Canadian bookings to the U.S. dropped sharply in February after the first round of tariffs, and have remained consistent since then, Durakovic said. There are also pocketbook issues at play.

“We do have a weak dollar,” she said. “I really think that’s a massive factor that dictates where Canadians travel. Everything in the US is getting more expensive, costs are rising. So when you add that together you do get a huge sticker shock in travel to the U.S.”

Canadian air travel to California slipped nearly 38% between August, 2024 and 2025, according to data from Visit California. That prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to mount a marketing campaign to woo back those visitors with promises of warmth and welcome in the Golden State.

“Sure, you-know-who is trying to stir things up back in D.C., but don’t let that ruin your beach plans,” Newsom’s office stated.

Canadians aren’t the only tourists taking a pass. Visits from Japan have dropped 20% and from Australia by nearly 15%. Forecasts for 2025 predict a 9.2% decline in international trips to California.

Los Angeles International Airport saw a 2.4 percent drop in passengers between June, 2024 and 2025, following the catastrophic fires in January and immigration raids in June. San Diego International Airport saw a smaller decline of .6% for that time period, with about 25 million passengers per year.

San Diego bucks the foreign travel trend

While foreign air travel is dwindling throughout California, San Diego International Airport shows the opposite trend. It saw a 5.5 percent boost in global passengers over the past year, with the addition of more international flights.

In May the airport launched direct flights to Amsterdam through KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and in June it introduced Copa Airlines, with a flight to Panama that opens South America to West Coast travelers. Last year it bumped its nonstop flights to London from once to twice daily.

Plus, the strong dollar means that more San Diego travelers are flying to destinations such as Europe and Canada, offsetting losses from incoming international flights, said Hampton Brown, vice president of revenue for the airport.

“Right now, we’re noticing that a lot of the international services that we have, actually are being carried by U.S people going abroad, rather than foreigners coming here,” he said.

The $3.8 billion terminal project was funded primarily through airport bonds, with $3.2 billion in bond debt to be repaid through airline revenue, parking and concessions income, and other fees. Another $300 million each came from the Biden-era federal infrastructure act, and Airport Authority cash.

The airport authority expects the new terminal and earlier improvements to generate $7.4 billion in sales and $127 million in local tax revenues between 2010 and 2029.

A unique quality of light

The new Terminal 1 replaces the old facility, which was built in 1967 to accommodate 2.5 million passengers annually but squeezed in 12 million people last year, Cabrera said.

The first thing visitors driving into the airport will see is a 21-foot tall, fuschia jellyfish by artist Matthew Mazzotta. The “larger-than-life kinetic sculpture” portrays the Pacific species Chrysaora colorata and serves as a reminder of the changing climate, Mazotta stated.

Inside, the new concourse offers open space and subtle features designed to relieve the hassles of air travel. Staggered wooden ceiling tiles over the security checkpoint mimic water at a shoreline, “to create a sense of calm, because going through security can be stressful,” said Amiel Porta, director of airside and terminal operations.

Artist James Carpenter created an 800-foot span of floor-to-ceiling windows called the “Luminous Wave,” with curved, textured glass that lets sunlight enter while reducing heat and glare.

The installation captures the “unique quality of San Diego light” to create “this giant lantern that’s illuminated by the sun during the day and by architectural lighting at night,” said Anthony Hedayat, project design manager at San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

Local eateries include The Taco Stand, Mediterranean-style Luna Grill, Better Buzz coffee and Cutwater Spirits. Skateboarder Tony Hawk and San Diego chef Claudette Zepeda collaborated to serve cross-border cuisine in a food stand with a roof made of skateboard ramps. In another nod to San Diego’s virtually year-round sunshine, there’s an outdoor eating area.

When the final phase of the new terminal is finished in 2028, there will be 30 gates, compared to 20 at the old facility..

“It’s excellent,” said Manuel Pagador, who flew to Denver through Terminal 1 last week. “It’s twice the size, very clean.”

But he found the crisp white interior to be stark, comparing it to Anchorage International Airport, with its tribal artifacts and grizzly bear mounts. Pagador suggested adding artwork representing surfboards or California poppies.

Steve Ponce flew from Oakland to San Diego through the old Terminal 1, and returned home via the new terminal last week, “which was much nicer, roomier, with better food and better seats,” he said.

For San Diego travelers who have gritted their teeth through construction traffic and a crowded terminal for the past few years, there’s a payoff already.

“It’s one of those experiences that you really do not get very often,” Cabrera said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Everybody at the airport is happy.”

They were on the street Tuesday morning, packed onto the sidewalk in front of Kaiser San Diego Medical Center in Kearny Mesa, reveling in the first few hours of a five-day strike.

It was a scene that unfolded in front of Kaiser hospitals across the state, and also in Hawaii and Oregon, as health care workers put pressure on their employer to improve its contract offer, forcing the health care system to hire replacement workers and disrupt the schedules of members.

Though Kaiser has not said how many non-emergency appointments it has had to reschedule this week, the organization did reach out to its members Monday evening, notifying more than 600,000 members in San Diego County — 9.5 million across California — that it “may need to reschedule some nonurgent appointments, surgeries and procedures” during the strike.

Hospitals and especially emergency departments remain open despite an estimated 31,000 nurses and other types of caregivers walking off their jobs and picking up picket signs. The messages on those signs focused on patient care and safety, eliciting honks from passing vehicles Tuesday morning, though Kaiser has worked to make it clear to the public that wages are also part of the reason why the strike happened.

Kaiser says it has offered striking workers pay increases of 21.5% over the next four years, indicating that union members are demanding 25%.

Workers on the picket line in front of San Diego Medical Center on Tuesday morning were emphatic that the decision to walk a picket line rather than the halls of their hospital was about far more than money.

Registered emergency department nurse Sal Silva said that he and his colleagues are fed up with staffing levels that bleed into home life.

“It’s easy to focus on economics and use that as the story that sells well, but the reality on the ground is that I have to work 16-hour shifts like three or four days a week,” Silva said. “I have a wife and kids. I don’t want to be here that many hours.

“That over time, over the long term, you know, it hurts your family, it hurts everybody, honestly.”

Sandy Early, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at San Diego Medical Center, said she recently sustained a neck injury at work that put her on temporary workers’ compensation. She attributes the injury to a lack of adequate staffing, especially to the workers who back up bedside nurses.

“People are getting hurt because there’s not enough bodies in there,” Early said. “This is not just about money. I’m a patient and a Kaiser member, too.

“I wait in line. I have delays. It takes me months to get in to see a physician because of short staffing and inability to get people in.”

Kaiser workers will not be the only ones demonstrating this week. Sharp HealthCare workers represented by the same coalition of unions will picket from Wednesday through Friday. The demonstration, however, is not a strike. Workers will demonstrate on their own time, but will not walk off their jobs, meaning that patient appointments should not be affected.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA - A 2.1 magnitude quake was recorded close to San Ysidro on Wednesday around midnight, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

At 12:28 a.m., the region was struck by a tremor. The earthquake shook at a depth of 9 miles, with its epicenter about 2 miles east-northeast of San Ysidro. Seismologists first reported it as a 2.5 event, but later downgraded it to 2.1.

Did you feel it?

Those who felt the quake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form. 7 people have submitted responses through the agency's online form, indicating they experienced the tremor.

What to know about earthquakes

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U. S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale. Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Earthquakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.

Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but are most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year. 100,000 of those can be felt, and 100 of them cause damage.

What to do during an earthquake

If an earthquake strikes, it's best to protect yourself right away. Here are tips from experts:

If you're in a car: Pull over and stop. Set your parking brake.

If you're in bed: Turn face-down and cover your head with a pillow.

If you're outdoors: Stay away from buildings. Don't go inside.

If you're inside: Stay and don't run outdoors. Stay away from doorways.

The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. "Wherever you are, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy," officials say. "If you're using a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure your wheels are locked and remain seated until the shaking stops." Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows. Once under a table, officials say you should hold on with one hand and be ready to move with it.

"There can be serious hazards after an earthquake, such as damage to the building, leaking gas and water lines, or downed power lines," officials say. "Expect aftershocks to follow the main shock of an earthquake. Be ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On if you feel an aftershock."

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey

This article was generated by the CA Earthquake Bot, software that analyzes structured information, such as data, and applies it to articles based on templates created by journalists in the newsroom. No human journalist was harmed in this experiment. You can report errors or bugs to mcclatchybot@mcclatchy.com.

The airline will soon cease operations at 12 airports nationwide, including four in California, after its second bankruptcy filing.

SAN DIEGO, CA — Spirit Airlines will end service at San Diego International Airport, in addition to the San Jose, Oakland, and Sacramento airports on Oct. 2, the discount airline carrier announced. Spirit was the second largest airline operating out of Oakland until recently, according to SFGate.

Spirit does not currently operate any flights out of San Francisco International Airport.

The news comes less than a week after the Florida-based airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year.

“We apologize to our Guests for any inconvenience this may cause and will reach out to those with affected reservations to notify them of their options, including a refund,” the airline said in a statement. “We are grateful to the airports, business partners and community members in these markets who welcomed and supported us.”

Spirit will continue operating under court supervision and an ongoing restructuring, and will continue to maintain a presence in California, namely LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, and John Wayne Airport in Orange County. It continues to offer flights across the U.S. and to the Caribbean and Latin America.

In addition to San Diego, Oakland, San Jose, and Sacramento, the airline is suspending service in:

The airline has also suspended plans to begin operating out of Macon, Georgia on Oct. 16.

Competitors have wasted little time in filling this gap. Frontier, Spirit’s long-time competitor, announced 20 new routes from Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte and Dallas, according to a CBS News report. United Airlines also said that it would add flights to 15 cities starting Jan. 6, including Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Las Vegas.

Spirit has lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020, and first filed for bankruptcy in November 2024 amid years of mounting debt. It refiled again in August.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus discovered in 2019.

COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia. Other parts of your body may also be affected by the disease. Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become severely ill.

Prevention

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) continues to recommend that everyone ages 6 months and older should have access to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. CDPH also emphasizes the importance of additional protection for groups at higher risk of severe illness including:

You can also take simple everyday steps to protect yourself and others—like covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze, washing your hands regularly, improving indoor air quality, and staying home and away from others if you're feeling sick.

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Transmission (Spread)

COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person through tiny droplets in the air.

Symptoms

People with COVID-19 have many different symptoms, from mild to serious. Symptoms usually show up 2-14 days after being exposed to the virus.

This list does not include every possible symptom. Symptoms can change with new COVID-19 variants and may be different depending on whether you’re vaccinated.

Testing and Treatment

If you have symptoms or were exposed to someone with COVID-19 and have developed symptoms, test immediately. Testing can help you know if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next.

Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home. You can treat symptoms with over-the-counter medicines to help you feel better.

There are also treatments available that may help reduce how sick you become if you get COVID‑19. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized, or approved, several . These medications treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick.

People who are more likely to get very sick include:

Being vaccinated makes it much less likely that you’ll get very sick. But studies have shown that treatment can still help, even if you’re vaccinated.

A healthcare provider will help decide which treatment, if any, is right for you.

Don't delay! Treatment works best when started as early as possible – within 5-7 days after you first develop symptoms.

Resources

California Department of Public Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention