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By Miriam Raftery
January 22, 2026 (San Diego) – It’s been a turbulent year across our nation, around the world, and here in San Diego County. While national news largely dominated headlines with rollout of unprecedented actions by the Trump administration and protests in response, many local news stories and issues also shaped our lives for better or worse in 2025.
These include Supervisors voting down the Cottonwood sand mine project, mass firings in the Grossmont High School district, immigration controversies in El Cajon, new faces on Lemon Grove and La Mesa city councils, recall efforts against several officials, housing and homelessness, death of a La Mesa Police officer, wildfires, a community reducing gun violence, “forever chemicals” in Warner Springs groundwater, efforts to limit placement of sexually violent predators, a Lakeside sand miner’s lawsuit against the county, preservation of a scenic waterfall, battles to protect access to local lakes, new developments in Santee, revitalization efforts in El Cajon, a Congressman’s refusal to hold townhall meetings, and many more.
Below are highlights and lowlights of the major news stories and issues in 2025 covered by East County Magazine, including top local stories, local impacts of national actions, and several top international news stories.
Trump takes office, rolling out dramatic changes: Immediately after President Trump took office in January, he began rolling out a barrage of controversial executive orders and unprecedented actions felt nationwide including in East County. Some have since been blocked by courts as illegal or unconstitutional. On day one, he declared a border emergency and set in motion the mass deportation of immigrants. He eliminated protections for immigrant at hospitals, schools, churches and courthouses, sending troops to the border including East County, and made clear his intent to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants, even those with no criminal record, and later, even many immigrants with legal status On Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, he eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion protections for minorities. In his first month, he ordered an end to birthright citizenship in seeming defiance of the Constitution, blocked flights to the U.S. for approved refugees including Afghans who helped U.S. troops, He also withdrew America from the Paris climate accord, pardoned all January 6, 2021 insurrectionists, imposed hefty tariffs that ballooned inflation despite his campaign pledge to reduce it, and put Elon Musk in charge of DOGE, gutting federal agencies and setting in motion the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education. Despite touting fiscal responsibility, his budget worsened the deficit, sharply increased spending on ICE and the military plus tax cuts for the wealthy, while eliminating healthcare subsidies, slashing SNAP benefits and other programs for people in need. He also halted FEMA payments including San Diego County disaster aid. In December, Trump revealed plans to denaturalize and thousands of U.S. citizens.The actions come after President Biden Trump, in his farewell address, warned that the rising power of oligarchs threatens American democracy.
Internationally, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization, cancelled US. AID (putting millions of lives at risk worldwide), and appointed a controversial cabinet including a health secretary/vaccine skeptic who radically changed vaccine recommendations. He sided with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin over Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelensky in March, blaming Ukraine for the war started by Russia’s unprovoked invasion, refusing to send weapons to Ukraine. By July, however, Trump agreed to send weapons to European allies for Ukraine. The U.S. bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, prompting reactions from San Diego’s Congressional representatives.Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a U.S. air base in Qatar and threatening terror attacks against the U.S., which thankfully did not occur.
In a bright spot for international news, Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease fire in Gaza negotiated in part by President Trump, releasing all hostages taken by Hamas as the first phase of what’s hoped to be a long-term peace deal. But by year’s end, Trump’s military attack on Venezuela and capture of the nation’s president, demands for Denmark to sell Greenland to the U.S. and threats to take Greenland by military force, as well as threats against Canada and Mexico had alienated many of America’s staunchest allies and threatened the security of NATO, also breaking his campaign promise to avoid foreign entanglements.
Climate change: global 02 levels worst ever recorded
The United Nations warned that heat-trapping carbon dioxide levels in Earth’s atmosphere jumped to the highest level ever recorded in 2025, turbocharging more extreme weather. Yet President Trump refused to attend the global climate summit in Brussels in June with other world leaders. California Governor Gavin Newsom did attend and pledged that California will do its part to reduce our state’s C02 emissions.
GUHSD controversies: The Grossmont Union High School District board majority has been a lightning rod for controversy sparking protests from teachers and parents, student walk-outs, and recall threats. Over widespread community objections, the board majority voted in February to eliminate teacher-librarian positions at every school, yet created a highly paid new chief of staff position in March, only to have him resign in May amid controversy and a settlement to receive his full year’s salary. Board members also faced multiple litigation threats, apparent Brown Act violations and conflict of interests, and declined to protect immigrant students. Adding insult to injury, despite claiming financial problems in the district, trustees voted in December to nearly quadruple their own salaries.
Leadership changes: In January, following election of Lauren Cazares and Genevieve Suzuki, La Mesa seated the most diverse city council in its history – four women, including Asian, Black, and Latina women as well as an LGBTQ member. Meanwhile in Lemon Grove, after seating two new members (Jessyka Heredia and Steve Faiai) in December 2024, in February 2025 the new Council appointed Yadira Altimirano to fil the seat left vacant when Alysson Snow became Mayor. In July, the sudden death of Faia created another vacancy. After the Council deadlocked on naming a replacement, the Council reopened the application process and used a ranked-choice method, ultimately appointing planning commissioner Seth Smith. County Supervisors also seated a new face with the election of Paloma Aguirre to a district that includes portions of East County as the South Bay, filling a vacancy left by resignation of Nora Vargas. Aguirre’s election restored a democratic majority on the Board of Supervisors. Santee also appointed a new city manager, and Lemon Grove’s city manager resigned at year’s end, meaning yet more new faces at the helm of East County cities.
Protests to protect democracy: Locally and across the nation, concerned citizens turned out in massive rallies to protest actions of the Trump administration, particularly those perceived as threats to Americans’ rights, liberties, and our democracy. On President’s Day in February, “Not My President” protests were held in all 50 states, including in San Diego. By April, “Hands Off” protests drew millions nationwide, 12,000 in downtown San Diego, and more in communities across our region, with 300 protestors braving high heat in Borrego Springs. As ICE raids increased along with reported abuse of detainees, around 1,000 joined an “Ice Out” march in El Cajon in July. Labor unions joined the anti-ICE protests in October, when residents also rallied to speak out against the government shutdown. On October 18, “No Kings” protests drew millions of participants nationwide protesting against growing authoritarianism and anti-democratic actions. That included as many as 85,000 protesters across San Diego County including 3,000 in El Cajon and hundreds in smaller towns such as Borrego and Ramona.
Cottonwood sand mine application denied: In May, Valle de Oro planners voted unanimously to oppose the controversial Cottonwood sand mine proposed along the Sweetwater River to provide sand for road building and construction County planning commissioners deadlocked in July. But in resounding win for the community and the environment, County Supervisors voted unanimously in September to reject the project, seven years after it was first proposed. The proposal generated petitions signed by thousands opposed to the project and drew thousands of residents to meetings on the issue.
PFAS chemicals in Warner Springs water: In December, the Navy announced discovery of PFAS “forever chemicals” in groundwater in Warner Springs, a story that ECM was the first media outlet to report. The contamination stems from a landfill and water treatment site at a Naval training facility in the area. The Navy has offered to test well water for nearby residents and will hold a public meeting January 12. While the Navy says it will provide bottled water for drinking and cooking if testing shows high PFAS levels while searching for a long-term solution, no offers have been made to provide clean water for potentially impacted livestock such as cattle or pets, nor how to address the needs of wineries or farmers to meet irrigation needs.
Recall efforts: 2025 was a year of discontent among voters in several local jurisdictions. Voters mounted unsuccessful efforts to recall Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow over her support for homeless sleeping cabins, El Cajon Councilman Phil Ortiz over his vote for city police to cooperate more closely with ICE agents, and Grossmont Union High School District trustee Scott Eckert over mass firings of teacher-librarians, apparent violations of California’s open government law, and alleged conflicts of interest. Poway voters, however, succeeded in recalling Councilman Tony Blain, who was facing charges of soliciting bribes and perjury.
La Mesa Police officer’s death: La Mesa, a city since 2012, lost its first police officer who died in the line of duty in October. Lauren Craven, 25, was struck and killed after stopping to assist motorists involved in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 8. A candlelight vigil and a funeral procession that drew more than 700 vehicles honored her memory. Chief Ray Sweeney praised her for leading with “compassion courage and professionalism.” A Navy man was charged with Craven’s death and driving under the influence.
Sexually violent predators: Pushback against the placement of sexually violent predators in East County communities continued in 2025. In February, a Julian homeowner backed out of offering housing for an SVP, stating he had been misled by Liberty Healthcare. Two other SVPs were approved for supervised release in Campo and Borrego Springs in February, but one of them, a rapist dubbed “bolder than most”, was sent back to state custody in November for a parole violation. But there’s hope for reforms. In October, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senator Brian Jones’ bill into law requiring the Department of State Hospitals to investigate placing sexually violent predators in state-run transitional housing facilities upon release. “This bill’s signing is a big win for communities like mine that’ve been treated as dumping grounds for these violent predators and I thank the governor for recognizing this serious issue was in dire need of redress,” said Jones.
Homelessness: Homelessness countywide dropped 7% countywide from January 2024 to January 2025. The 2025 Point in Time count of homeless people conducted in January found large drops in homelessness countywide in nearly every community, with a 72% drop in families living on the streets-indicators that efforts to help the homeless are likely having positive results. Only El Cajon showed an increase, but the city disputed those findings and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness revised its numbers as a result. In Lemon Grove, an ex-councilmember was arrested for disrupting a meeting to demand that a controversial plan to build sleeping cabins for the homeless be agendized. The Council later held a contentious hearing. County Supervisors later approved funds to build the sleeping cabins and negotiate to buy the land from the state, shifting money from a stalled RV-parking project in Lakeside. In September, Lemon Grove released its own Strategic Homeless Action Plan to rehouse people living in camps along state route 94. The County also reopened a safe parking site in El Cajon for people living in their vehicles, after upgrades.
Issa refuses to hold town halls: After President ordered DOGE to dismantle many federal agencies, constituents of Republican Congressman Darrell Issa asked him to host a town hall meeting. When he refused, they staged a protest at his office and in March, Indivisible North County held an empty chair townhall with a person in a chicken costume in Issa’s empty chair. By August, when Issa still had failed to hold a town hall, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs from a neighboring district took the rare step of hosting a townhall in Issa’s district to address residents’ concerns about federal issues ranging from proposed healthcare cuts to mass deportations and warned of threats to America’s democracy. Issa considered his district a safe seat, but with voters’ passage of Proposition 50, Issa’s district is redrawn to have more Democratic voters, raising the prospect of a change in representation for voters in the 48th Congressional district.
Loveland Reservoir drained again: Sweetwater Water Authority once again drained Loveland Reservoir below levels that critics say are needed to sustain fishing. Despite the outcry over fish kills from extreme draining three years ago, Sweetwater in mid-November began a new water transfer from Loveland to Sweetwater reservoir, dropping Loveland to 21 percent capacity. Even heavy rains in early January have raised the level only slightly, to 21.8%, leaving recreational enthusiasts with little option except to hope for more heavy rains.
Gun violence reduced: A bright spot in the news last year came in southeast San Diego, where nonfatal shootings dropped from 88 in 2021 to fewer than 15 in 2025. Community activists attribute the decline in gun violence to local community organizations including San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention and efforts led by Bishop Cornelius Bowser, a pastor and the former City of San Diego’s commissioner on gang prevention and intervention. A former gang member, Bowser’s Seasons of Peace program mentors gang members to escape the gang lifestyle and has led to a cease fire among gangs.
Campo Road grant revoked: In a blow to the Casa de Oro community, the Trump administration in September rescinded a grant of over $1.16 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Backed by the community including the Casa de Oro Alliance, the plans to create a more vibrant neighborhood included plans fir Campo Road’s five lanes to be narrowed down to two, with dedicated bicycle lanes added as well as a median and a round about as part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All program. Trump called the plan “hostile to motor vehicles.” But Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe said, "It’s deeply troubling to see this administration making decisions that affect communities they’ve never set foot in, and for residents they’ve never taken the time to engage. Casa de Oro, and our entire region, has spent decades working to build a safer, more inclusive, and walkable community.” She pledged to continue fighting and finding ways to fund projects that reflect the community’s vision and needs.
Antisemitism: “Hate crimes against the Jewish community are at an all-time high,” Nicole Ramirez with the San Diego Human Relations Commission told the El Cajon City Council in March, when the Council adopted an anti-semitism resolution authored by Councilman Gary Kendrick. In June, Jewish groups announced their pullout from the San Diego Pride Parade due to a Pride Festival headline performer with antisemitic views; Sycuan Casino also yanked its support for the Pride Parade. In December, a mass shooting at an Australian Hannukah celebration hit home, taking the life of a Poway rabbi’s nephew. San Diego leaders responded with a multifaith effort, uniting against hate at a Hanukkah Rally for Light.
Waterfall preserved: Mildred Falls, San Diego County’s largest waterfall plunging more than 300 feet, has long been inaccessible to all but the most robust hikers. But that may soon change. In October, the San Diego River Park Foundation purchased 58 acres near Pine Valley including Mildred Falls, pledging to preserve the waterfall and surrounding habitat, as well as improve public access and create a public viewing platform.
El Cajon’s immigration resolution and backlash
Latino leaders and community members turned out in force to plead with El Cajon’s City Council to reject a proposal that would allow closer cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At a packed hearing in late January, the Council initially voted 3-2 to reject the proposal. But in February, after Steve Goble changed his position, the Council approved the measure 3-2. The community pushed back anti-ICE rallies and a march, as well as an unsuccessful effort to recall Councilman Phil Ortiz, who represents a heavily Latino district. In addition, the state filed a lawsuit against El Cajon for sharing data from license plate readers with out-of-state law enforcement agencies, potentially providing access by ICE or other federal agencies.
Immigration enforcement controversies hit home
After campaigning to deport violent criminals, Trump made clear in January that his true intent was to mass deport all immigrants who lack legal status. Those orders soon him home locally. In March, ICE raided an El Cajon painting company, arresting undocumented workers. Local immigration lawyer Nora Milner in May warned that immigrants were denied due process and that travelers also faced risks. A deaf man was held for months at the Otay Mesa detention center without access to a translator. ICE agents disrupted diners at a San Diego restaurant and deployed a flash bang weapon in June. Seeking answers on immigration enforcement tactics at a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem soon after, California’s Senator Alex Padilla was handcuffed and shoved to the ground. A La Mesa grandmother and citizen was detained by ICE while serving as a courthouse observer. President Trump sent Marines to the border including Campo in East County, accomplishing a virtually total halt to illegal border crossings in the coming weeks.
Concerns over abusive treatment and denial of due process for detainees also grew as Trump began deporting some immigrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador and announced he was also considering deporting U.S. citizens there, a seemingly unconstitutional proposal. The Supreme Court, in a shock to civil liberties experts, authorized deporting migrants to countries that are not their homelands, without requiring due process. The opening of “Alligator Alcatraz” to detain immigrants in a Florida swamp amid dire conditions was likened to a concentration camp.
Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles amid civil unrest over ICE actions. The Supreme Court in September overturned precedent and ruled it legal for ICE to racially profile people, such as stopping people speaking foreign languages or gathered at places where migrants often meet. California’s legislature passed a law banning ICE agents from wearing masks, also setting limits on ICE access at schools and hospitals. But elsewhere the war on immigrants ramped up, including in Chicago, where videos in October showed ICE agents zip-tying naked children and terrorizing residents with night-time raids, including at homes of citizens.
Trump also took aim at refugees .He slashed refugee admissions, announcing in October that new refugees would be allowed mainly from predominantly white nations, an action viewed by many as racist. San Diego leaders voiced concerns in December over threats to the safety of Afghans granted protection in the U.S. for helping American troops in wartime, but now threatened with deportation under the Trump administration.
What’s next in 2026? The Trump administration has set a goal to denaturalize thousands of U.S. citizens and deport even many Americans born here.
Migrant children’s homes shut down
Facilities that housed unaccompanied migrant children in El Cajon and Lemon Grove have been shut down. Inexplicably, the Trump administration also dismissed a lawsuit filed against the facilities’ operator, Southwest Key, by the Biden administration alleging pervasive sexual abuse of minors at some of Southwest Key’s facilities. Most troubling, neither Southwest Key nor federal agencies would disclose where the children have been sent, despite inquiries from East County Magazine. Are they safe? Have they been deported, reunited with family, or sent to other abusive situations?
Faith-based leaders take a stand
Pope Francis in January appointed San Diego’s Bishop Robert McElroy to serve as Archbishop in Washington D.C., where he has provided a strong moral voice speaking out against some policies of the Trump administration, including the treatment of immigrants. After the death of Pope Francis, Chicago Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was named the first American pope, taking on the title Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo promptly appointed Michael Pham, a Vietnamese refugee, to served as San Diego’s new bishop. Pham called on clergy to accompany immigrants to hearings at courthouses and joined in a procession for immigrants in San Diego that drew 1,500 participants from multiple faiths. ICE agents, who had begun arresting immigrations when they showed up for lawful hearings at courthouses, scattered when Bishop Pham first came to San Diego’s federal courthouse to show solidarity with immigrants; no immigrants were detained on that day. The Catholic Church has also set up emergency resources for immigrants: emergencysafetyplan.org (English) plandeemergencia.org (Spanish)
Jail deaths: Concerns over jail deaths continued in 2025, including some showing a disturbing pattern of neglect. The County paid out a $16 million settlement over a 22-year-old man who died in jail of dehydration, drawing sanctions for deleting 57 hours of surveillance video. The deaths included two women at the Las Colinas detention facility in Santee. Adding to concerns, a Sheriff’s deputy was concerned of fatally injuring an inmate by pushing him into a pre-trial holding cell, smashing his head against a wall. While Sheriff Kelly Martinez has implemented some reforms, clearly more are needed.
Santee development: Development was the watchword for Santee in 2025. The City Council approved a new plan for a town center, funded construction of a new fire station, approved plans for a new community center and condos, weighed plans for a golf course housing project, approved a warehouse on the former drive-in theater site, and approved the city’s first legal cannabis shops. The Council also approved the controversial Fanita Ranch master-planned housing community, which environmentalists promptly sued the city seeking to halt it—again.
Trump budget
Trump’s “Big Beautiful” budget bill, signed by the President on July 4, made tax cuts for wealthy Americans permanent, increased funding for ICE and the military, dramatically inflating the federal deficit while slashing services for low-income Americans and negatively affecting Medicaid users. It also eliminates tax on tips, increases childcare credits and temporarily increases the standard deduction for some older Americans.
Tariffs: Consumers and businesses locally and nationwide felt the pain of tariffs and trade wars that fueled inflation, driving up costs of products from groceries to building materials. The tariffs also imperiled the economy in California, where manufacturers’ major trade partner is China, and bear partial blame for the state’s budget deficit in 2025. In 2026, get ready for more price hikes on imported goods, since Trump is threatening steep tariffs on Europe next if the EU won’t support Trump’s demand for the U.S. to acquire Greenland over the objections of Greenland and Denmark, which owns Greenland.
Federal government shutdown
The federal shutdown that began October 1st had serious impacts, from halting critical wildfire programs in California during peak fire season to cutting off SNAP food benefits for poor Americans. San Diego nonprofits rallied to help the hungry including emergency food assistance at Snapdragon stadium. Fortunately, San Diego Supervisors earlier had the foresight to allocate extra funding for emergency food help after the USDA cut food programs that had let food banks and schools buy food from local farmers. Feeding San Diego expanded help to federal workers and CalFresh recipients during the shutdown. The Supreme Court later ordered the Trump administration to return SNAP payments it had withheld from states. Democrats tried holding out to extend healthcare subsidies expiring at year’s end, but ultimately gave in to end the shutdown November 13without extending healthcare subsidies for millions of Americans. Yet even after the shutdown ended, the USDA announced that SNAP recipients would have to reapply for benefits, further delaying food aid for those in need.
Housing
A controversial new state law overrides local zoning in requiring that multi-family housing projects be allowed near transit stops. County Supervisors discussed future housing options, eyeing development in Lakeside, Casa de Oro and Spring Valley to meet housing needs in unincorporated areas. Rents and cost of living across San Diego County exceed the national average, while scammers target renters struggling to find affordable rental housing.
Public land threats
East County residents have voiced concern over a Trump administration goal to sell off some federal lands, including some in our region, and to slash funding from national parks and national forests such as Cleveland National Forest locally. The administration also aims to rollback wilderness protections, allow logging and road construction in federal forests over objections of tribes and ecologists. Mass firings negatively impacted national parks, forests, wildlife preserves and other public lands. The Trump administration has also sought to repeal protections for bighorn sheep on public lands, which could harm desert bighorn populations on federal land adjacent to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Wildfires: January’s devastating wildfires in Los Angeles drew crews from San Diego and other areas, reminders that fire season is now year-round with climate change. Could our region run out of water, as happened in LA? Helix Water gave a report to La Mesa’s City Council on the issue. San Diego’s East County also had its own substantial fires. In January, the Border Fire scored 6,625 areas. The Monte Fire in June burned at least 976 acres and injured two firefighters. In July, the Steele Fire in Spring Valley forced evacuation of over 4,700 residents. Five homes were destroyed by the Coches Fire in Lakeside September, tragically highlighting the need for firewise upgrades to mobile homes.
Fire safety upgrades: Cal Fire announced a year-long upgrade to Cal Fire’s Ramona air base to accommodate a large air tanker. San Diego County launched a new Alert San Diego app, replacing SD Emergency. Crest achieved Firewise USA recognition for its community-wide commitment to wildfire preparedness. The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation announced grants to local fire safe councils to protect communities. Regional firefighting agencies and the Sheriff held a press conference to tout beefed-up aerial firefighting capabilities. County and Cal Fire Chief Tony Mecham in June announced that with federal support going away, the state moved to fill some of the gaps. He also announced the addition of night fire drop capabilities for our region. SDG&E’s investment in safety upgrades have yielded positive results: no major fires started by its lines since 2007. Santee’s City Council opted to make fire protection its top budget priority and approved a new fire station. The County Grand Jury also issued a report suggesting that more rural fire districts become part of Cal Fire/County Fire, but San Miguel and Alpine fire districts hotly contested the proposal, arguing that their residents are safer under independent, local control.
Descanso parking cuts: The hottest issue in Descanso last year was the hotly contested Cal Trans plan to eliminate over two-thirds of the parking in the small town’s downtown district. Cal Trans claimed eliminating angled parking was needed to protect safety, citing a serious accident in which two pedestrians were seriously injured on State Route 79. Business owners and residents argued that other steps could reduce highway risks without endangering businesses. But Cal Trans eliminated the angled parking anyway in October, leaving the area without any disabled-access spaces in apparently violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Local public health issues
Mosquitos in La Mesa and Rolando tested positive for West Nile Virus, prompting county spraying of waterways in July and an informational program in La Mesa. In August, District Attorney Summer Stephan announced that deadly Carfentanil, 100 times stronger than Fentanyl, had been found in fake Oxycodone pills locally. Prop 36 proved effective in persuading 98% of defendants with addictions to accept drug addiction treatment. Supervisor Joel Anderson teamed up with newly elected Supervisor Paloma Aguirre in praising the Regional Water Quality Control Board for approving a cease-and-desist order to expand treatment capacity at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant and help clean up toxic Mexican sewage that has polluted local beaches and neighborhoods. Grossmont Healthcare District named a new Chief Executive Officer, James Sly, in November.
Epstein files
The Epstein files have a local angle. Congressman Darrell Issa cast the deciding vote against releasing the Epstein files, blocking transparency about the infamous pedophilia cases for months until an Arizona representative won a special election and the House voted overwhelmingly to order the files released once it was clear the measure had enough votes for passage. The vote came after the Epstein estate released emails stating that Trump spent hours with a sex trafficking victim at Epstein’s home. Even so, the Justice Department has largely defied the order, releasing only a small percentage of the files.
Battery storage plan dies
La Mesa Councilmember Laura Lothian held a town hall meeting to galvanize residents concerned about a proposed battery storage facility in a quiet residential neighborhood. Subsequently, major fires at battery storage sites in Otay Mesa and Escondido heightened fears. La Mesa’s city manager issued information assuring that there key safety differences between these sites and the proposed La Mesa project. But on July 30, EnerSmart Storage revealed that it had withdrawn its proposal in La Mesa, sparking celebration among residents.
Healthcare impacts
Changes in federal policy are impacting healthcare of Californians. Healthcare advocates and the state’s attorney general warn that 28 hospitals and 15 nursing homes in the state face potential closure due to the federal changes. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slashed over $500,000 in MRNA vaccine development, fired the Centers for Disease Development director and slashed staff and programs there, restricted access to COVID-19 vaccines, put infants at risk with changes to Hepatitis B vaccine recommendations and in January, many more vaccines. California teamed up with Oregon and Washington to form a West Coast Health Alliance and the state offered up its own vaccine recommendations. House Republicans refused to extend healthcare subsidies, meaning millions of Americans will see healthcare premiums rise in January, doubling or even tripling in some cases, including for some Covered California patients. Amid many federal cuts to healthcare including reproductive care and treatment for undocumented immigrants, however, California announced plans to manufacture its own insulin to make the life-saving drug affordable.
FEMA funding
The Trump administration halted Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) payments to San Diego County in March, disrupting key services. Trump also halted FEMA funding to states including California, then violated a court order to restore the funds. In September, states led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit to restore the disaster funds. In December, Bonta secured an injunction halting reallocation of states’ FEMA funds, pending appeal.
Redistricting
In response to gerrymander of Congressional districts by Texas Republicans, California voters approved Proposition 50, to allow mid-census redistricting of Congressional districts, favoring Democrats. State Republicans sued in an effort to overturn the action by voters, but the court allowed Prop 50 to stand. Among several districts that could shift to Democratic representative due to redistricting is the 40th Congressional district currently represented by Republican Darrell Issa. Issa filed an unsuccessful lawsuit seeking to stop California from counting mail-in ballots received after election day.
Reparative justice for descendants of slaves: East County State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson’s first-in-the-nation reparative justice bill was signed into law by the Governor. It creates a commitment toward advancing reparative justice for descendants of slaves and building lasting systems of equity for Black Californians. The measure was coauthored by local Assemblymember LaShae Sharp Collins.
Anniversary of La Mesa riot: On the fifth anniversary of a racial justice protest and riot that occurred on May 30, 2020, East County Magazine took an in-depth look at the lessons learned and the city’s efforts at reform to improve racial relations, police policies, and community oversight of policing with an aim to prevent future tensions and violence.
Revitalizing El Cajon
Big changes are happening in El Cajon. The city received SANDAG grants to improve streetscapes, work toward revamping Parkway Plaza while retaining retail, and adding housing. In addition, the group that led transformation of Little Italy is collaborating to revitalize downtown El Cajon.
Residents fight to protect access to lakes and reservoirs
Community members’ voices were heard through petitions, email and testimony, fending off efforts to close Lake Murray on weekdays; other lakes were also proposed for cuts in access. The San Diego City Council voted in June to keep Lake Murray open daily. Though Mayor Todd Gloria later vetoed some budget items including restoring access at some other lakes, funds for brush clearing and stormwater projects, he left intact the restored hours at Lake Murray.
Lakeside sand miner sues over water release from El Capitan Dam
The owner of a proposed Lakeside sand mining site filed suit against the city of San Diego for damages caused by releasing water from El Capitan Dam, which raised the water table above what is allowed for sand mining. But the city is “dammed” if it does and damned if it doesn’t, since the century-old earthen dam is deemed by the state as too dangerous to keep the reservoir full, forcing regular releases of precious water that flows unused to the sea.
El Cajon pilot crashes into Navy housing
A small plane crash in Murphy Canyon in May left 40 military homes uninhabitable. East County Magazine was the first media outlet to report that the pilot, David Shapiro, owned Velocity Aviation at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, as well as an El Cajon-based music agency, Sound Talent Group. The crash in which the plane struck powerlines raised many questions, including why approach lights and a weather warning system at Montgomery Field failed.
Feds aim to cut California’s laws promoting clean air, water, and energy
The federal government took aim at laws to protect California’s clean air and water. Several bills criticized as poised to “make California smoggy again” passed the House, with Rep. Issa voting yes and local Democrats voting no. Those measures did not pass as written, but other bills to override our state’s clean air laws remain pending. The Trump administration also took away incentives for wind and solar. In addition, the President announced his intent to open California’s coast up for offshore oil drilling, including off San Diego.
Transportation plan blocked: In April, a judge struck down San Diego County’s Transportation Study Guide. The decision in a lawsuit filed by Cleveland National Forest Foundation and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation was a win for environmentalists seeking to reduce emissions from vehicles to climate change, but a loss for opponents of a controversial vehicle miles traveled (VMT) plan that the county previously scrapped due to objections from many East County residents, a supervisor, and the building industry.
Water Conservation Garden milestones: The Water Conservation Garden’s Joint Powers Authority has worked to forge a new financial path forward after losing funding from the City of San Diego and the San Diego County Water Authority. Though not yet out of the woods, the finances have improved and in November, the garden at Cuyamaca College celebrated its 25th anniversary.
La Mesa public buildings: In September, La Mesa’s City Council moved forward on its civic center plans, aiming to build a new city hall by 2029. But a long-promised new library remains stalled due to budget constraints.
Media challenges and ownership changes
TheTrump administration ordered complete defunding of NPR and PBS in May; by year’s end, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting had dissolved, forcing local NPR and PBS stations to seek funding elsewhere or cut programming. The President launched unprecedented lawsuits and threats against major media outlets and eliminated the nonpartisanship of the Federal Communications Commission that oversees broadcasters over public airways. Some national media outlets changed hands, notably CBS, whose conservative new owners promptly cancelled airing of a program on the deportation of some immigrations to an infamous El Salvador prison. Locally, the media market in San Diego has also had some stations bought up by conservative owners.
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