East County News Service

December 17, 2025 (San Diego) – It's a first for the Holiday Bowl -- the annual big college bowl game will be played here in January.

The January 2026 game will pit the17th-ranked Arizona Wildcats (9-3, 6-3) from the Big 12 Conference against the SMU Mustangs (8-4, 6-2) from the Atlantic Coast Conference for the 46^th annual Trust & Will Holiday Bowl game.

The game starts at 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 2 at Snapdragon Stadium, with the game showing live on Fox Broadcasting Company.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Tazheem Nizam, CAIR San Diego executive director, and Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac

December 17, 2025 (San Diego) – Local community leaders who have worked to help Afghan refugees are speaking out over new restrictions imposed on Afghan immigrants following the shooting of two National Guard member in Washington D.C. on November 26 by Rahmanullah Lakanal, an Afghan asylum seeker. A female National Guard member died of her injuries.

 Lakanal,  who previously worked for the CIA-backed Kandahar Strike Force attacking suspected Taliban members and aiding American troops, reportedly was suffering mental health issues before the Washington D.C. shooting, for which he was arrested.

While denouncing the violence and calling for accountability  or the shooter, the local leaders also call on Americans not to demonize all Afghans for the actions of one man. 

Community Unites to Reimagine Campo’s School Field

By David Shorey, Institute for Public Strategies

Photo:  Campo Elementary field (photo courtesy of Estrada Land Planning)

December 17, 2025 (Campo) -- In the Mountain Empire, where long bus rides, rugged terrain, and rising temperatures shape daily life, a new effort is underway to protect community health and strengthen resilience against extreme heat.

A partnership led by the Mountain Empire Unified School District (MEUSD), Institute for Public Strategies (IPS), San Diego Green Infrastructure Consortium, and Core Clarity is bringing residents together to redesign a 2.34-acre undeveloped field at Campo Elementary School. Today, this is an area where children play without shade, cooling, or protection during increasingly dangerous heatwaves.

Source: La Mesa Police

December 17, 2025 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Police Department held a DUI Checkpoint on Friday, December 12, between 6:30 p.m. and midnight, at 4900 Spring Street. Although no motorists were found driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 880 vehicles were screened, and one driver was arrested for having a D.U.I. warrant. Five drivers were cited for driving without a license.

December  16,  2025 (San Diego) -- As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Trump's DOJ has sued 18 states to try to access voter data  (NPR)
• Trump Sued By Preservationists Seeking Review Over White House Ballroom Project (Huffington Post)
• Rob Reiner's son Nick arrested on murder charges after director and his wife found dead at their L.A. home (Yahoo news)
• Trump drops tariffs on beef, coffee, tropical fruit as pressure builds on consumer prices (KSBW)
• Epstein Alleged in Emails That Trump Knew of His Conduct (New York Times)
• State Department to deny visas to fact checkers and others, citing 'censorship' (NPR)
• Supreme Court rejects call to overturn its decision legalizing same-sex marriage  (AP)
• Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment Arrives, But Price Data Isn’t Being Updated (NOTUS)
• NTSB warns that defense bill could undermine aviation safety changes after DCA crash (NPR)
• Trump administration limits refugee admissions to mostly white South Africans (AP)
• Trump administration moves to overrule state laws protecting credit reports from medical debt (AP)
• Steve Bannon Reveals ‘There’s a Plan’ for Third Trump Term (Daily Beast)
• Hegseth declares end of US 'utopian idealism' with new military strategy   (Politico)
• Citing AP investigation, senators demand answers on use of full-body restraints during deportations (AP)
• Republican lawmakers lash out at Pentagon for keeping them in  dark (Reuters)
• Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud (ProPublica)
• Congress to withhold Pentagon travel funds until it sees boat strike videos (Politico)

WORLD

• Putin directs drills of Russian nuclear forces as his summit with Trump is put on hold (AP)
• Foreigners allowed to travel to the US without a visa could soon face new social media screening (AP)
• Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will double its non-US exports as Canadians can't rely on US (AP)
• Protests erupt after police raid in Brazil leaves 119 dead and draws accusations of excessive force (AP)
• France adopts consent-based rape law in the wake of landmark Gisèle Pelicot case (AP)
• Russian bombers join Chinese air patrol near Japan as Tokyo-Beijing tie strains (Reuters)
• Magnitude 7.5 quake in northern Japan injures 23 people and triggers a 2-foot tsunami (AP)
• As Russia’s Africa Corps fights in Mali, witnesses describe atrocities from beheading to rapes (AP)
• More than 60 dead as typhoon wreaks havoc in the Philippines (BBC)
• Iranian capital faces water rationing and evacuations if it doesn't rain soon, president warns (AP)
• Mexican president says Mexico will send more water to US but not immediately (AP)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Mike Allen

Image:  rendering of new community center

December 15, 2025 (Santee) -- Santee’s City Council has unanimously approved a contract to build its long-planned Community Center next to the Cameron YMCA for a total cost of $26.8 million, or $3.3 million more than the city staff’s estimate given in April.

East County News Service

Dec. 15, 2025 (La Mesa) – La Mesa residents and those who just like La Mesa will put on their walking shoes while soaking in some festive cheer this week as La Mesa Walks! hosts a special evening edition of the "Holiday Light Stroll" this Wednesday, Dec. 17.

By Miriam Raftery

December 15, 2025 (San Diego) –  “Let the world see that when darkness tries to intimidate us, we answer with light,”  Rabbi Rafi Andrusier from Chabad of East County said today following a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia.

Rabbi Andrusier urged local community members to join in a local Menorah lighting at 3:30 p.m. today in San Carlos.

At least 15 people were killed and 38 injured when a gunman opened fire on a crowd celebrating the first day of Hanukkah today at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. The shooter was disarrmed by a Muslim man who risked his life to  tackle the shooter from behind. A second gunman was also apprehended.

Authorities have called the mass shooting a terrorist attack on the Jewish community on this first night of Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of a temple in Jerusalem where a small amount of oil lasted eight days in the temple’s Menorah, an action deemed a miracle.

Inmate suffered head and spinal injuries after being smashed head first into wall, left bleeding in cell without medical attention

East County News Service

December 13, 2025 (San Diego) -- San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremiah Manuyag Flores was convicted by a federal jury yesterday of violating the civil rights of a man in pretrial custody at the San Diego Central Courthouse by using excessive force that caused serious injuries, writing a false report to cover up his illegal actions. Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2026.

Photo:  Chief Don Butz, left, and Batallion Chief Eric Stamm commend firefighter/paramedic Jeff Reyes

View video by Shiloh Ireland

By Shiloh Ireland

Miriam Raftery contributed to this report

December 10, 2025 (Lakeside) – Lakeside firefighter/paramedic Jeff Reyes acted “without hesitation, drawing on instinct, training and sheer courage” to save the life of Captain Steven Russo, who fell through the floor of a burning building, said Lakeside Fire Protection Chief Don Butz during a ceremony yesterday recognizing Reyes’ heroism.

Engineer Shawn McKenna was also recognized for his critical role in transmitting the emergency message and facilitating the rescue.

Crews were battling a two-alarm commercial building in March when Russo fell through a hole in the floor, not realizing the fire was directly underneath him, according to Battalion Chief Eric Stamm. He called the situation “perilous” adding,  “Jeff grabbed Captain Russo and pulled him out of the floor.”