The number of people experiencing homelessness who died last year dropped for the first time in a decade, San Diego County data shows. Why it matters: The decline comes as the region's homeless population continues to grow and the death rate has exploded in recent years.

The first person lost last year was a 65-year-old Hispanic man, records show. He died of hypothermia in Balboa Park on New Year’s Day. The most recent death came right after Christmas, in Escondido, when a 54-year-old overdosed on methamphetamine.

More than three dozen dogs and a kitten displaced by the devastating Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County have been transported to the San Diego area, where they all will be put up for adoption, animal-welfare officials announced Thursday.

The number of suicides in San Diego County rose by four in 2023, a 1% increase over the previous year, according to data released Monday by the county’s Suicide Prevention Council. The number — 363 — included in the council’s annual Report to the Community,

The number of suicides throughout San Diego County have mostly held steady during three recent years, with 2023’s total notably below what was seen before the pandemic. There were 363 deaths one year ago,

Suicides in San Diego County rose by four in 2023, a 1% increase from the previous year, according to data released Monday by the county’s Suicide Prevention Council.