Good morning, Carlsbad! In today’s edition: Sheriff’s public viewing for In today’s edition: M in stolen items, Medi-Cal pharmacy changes, beginners salsa & bachata dance class, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Could these be yours: The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office will host another public viewing on Saturday, Jan. 17 in Kearny Mesa to help reunite $1 million in stolen North County items with owners — see photos and claiming info.

Leaders walk a tightrope: North County cities are approving state-mandated housing projects while quietly backing a ballot measure to reclaim local control, after Encinitas approved a 448-unit complex following a state warning — read the full story.

Let them climb, you sip: Kids & Coffee is a thoughtfully designed indoor playground and cafe with a mega ball pit, imaginative mini-market, and soft-play zones. Grown-ups get real coffee and a comfy perch. Ideal for a midweek energy dump that spares your living room.

Weeknight rally spot: Whether you’re learning or chasing ladder-bragging rights, Pickleball Republic makes booking courts and dropping into clinics simple, so you play more and wait less. Friendly crew, smart programming, and no membership required. Just show up, swing, and claim a spot in the weeknight groove.

Cider with a backbone: Craving a dry, orchard-first pour? Raging Cider & Mead Co. presses San Diego County apples and pears, often the “ugly” fruit farmers can’t sell, into rotating, naturally fermented ciders served in a cozy taproom with a patio draped in passionfruit vines. Low fuss, big flavor.

New rules reshape prescriptions: Medi-Cal pharmacy changes could affect more than 850,000 San Diegans, with at-home COVID tests now needing prior approval and adult multivitamins dropped from coverage, while some weight-loss drugs remain covered — see what’s changing and why.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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📚 Tuesday Afternoon Adventures @ Georgina Cole Library | Tuesday (1/13) at 3:30 PM – Need a midweek plan that isn’t another soccer practice? Swing by Georgina Cole Library for Tuesday Afternoon Adventures, a librarian-led mix of stories, crafts, and low-key discoveries the kids love. Free, air-conditioned, and you leave with glitter on them, not your carpet.

📚 Book Explorers @ Library Learning Center | Tuesday (1/13) at 4:00 PM – Whether your kid devours novels or thinks reading is a team sport, this Carlsbad Library Learning Center club for 4th to 6th graders has them exploring a new topic each month through discussions and hands-on activities. Second Tuesdays, real books, real conversation, minimal eye rolls.

📚 Lego Builders’ Club @ Georgina Cole Library | Wednesday (1/14) at 3:30 PM – Watch kids ditch screens and engineer wild stuff at Georgina Cole Library’s Lego Builders’ Club. Preschoolers and up get themed builds, heaps of bricks, and bragging rights, you get a little peace, community, and nostalgia without stepping on a single piece.

📖 Bilingual Storytime @ Library Learning Center | Wednesday (1/14) at 3:30 PM – If your kids or grandkids are bilingual, or you want them to think you are, head to the Carlsbad Library Learning Center for storytime. Sweet, short, and en español y in English, it’s a cozy half hour of cuentos, songs, and zero screen time.

💃 Beginners Salsa & Bachata Dance Class @ New Village Arts | Wednesday (1/14) at 6:30 PM – Take a midweek breather and swap Netflix for a beginner salsa and bachata class at New Village Arts Center in Carlsbad. No experience needed, just $13, and a partner is optional. Call it cardio with rhythm, and an excellent date night without the fuss.

🍳 January Cooking Classes for Adults @ Lazy Acres Market | Thursday (1/15) at 6:30 PM – If your knives are feeling more decorative than useful, these hands-on adult cooking classes at Lazy Acres Market in Encinitas will fix that. Dive into seasonal ingredients, fresh flavors, and solid kitchen skills, then eat your homework, make friends, and enjoy weeknight dinners.

🎨 Mandala Painting Workshop @ Salon Adair | Thursday (1/15) at 6:30 PM – If you’ve been waiting for a sign to reset without a juice cleanse, this cozy mandala painting workshop is it. Unleash some color, set your New Year intentions, and enjoy calm vibes, good company, and zero pressure to be Picasso.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

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📻 Carlsbad report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 68°F – Low: 47°F – Precip: 0%

Sunny, with a high near 68. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Northeast wind 0 to 10 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 70°F – Low: 49°F – Precip: 0%

Sunny, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 0 to 10 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. North wind 0 to 10 mph.

Most popular house this week

Steps from the sand in Harbor Point, this corner-lot home boasts one of the neighborhood’s largest wraparound yards and seashell-inset walkways. Outdoor zones host coffee, easy entertaining, and starlit dinners. Inside, soaring ceilings, abundant light, and wide-plank luxury vinyl floors meet an open living area with fireplace and a quartz, white Shaker kitchen. Fresh paint in a neutral palette ties everything together.

The primary suite brings a large closet, dual sinks, and a glass-enclosed shower. An adjacent bedroom and full bath join an airy loft that flexes as office or third bedroom. A two-car epoxy-floor garage, sound wall, and potential for a loft deck with ocean views, near The Camp Store.

Take a peek inside →