EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

May 6, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Man arrested in ICE raid near El Cajon is back with his family (KPBS)
• San Diego County Budget reserves proposal fails after Supervisors vote (KPBS)
• La Mesa-Spring Valley, Lemon Grove school mental health grants cut early by Trump administration  (KPBS)
• Settlement reached in lawsuit over San Diegan Ashli Babbitt’s death in Jan. 6 attack (Times of San Diego)
• Poway sues councilmember Tony Blain over alleged public records violations (Fox 5)
• Tragedy strikes East County family days before 'surprise' announcement  (10 News)

STATE

• Hollywood’s reaction to Trump’s movie tariffs idea: Confusion, dread and a little hope (Politico)
• California high-speed rail leader pushes state to support private investment (AP)
• Judge restricts Border Patrol in California: ‘You just can’t walk up to people with brown skin’ (Cal Matters)
• Despite Newsom’s objections, Democrats approve striking penalty for soliciting older teens from bill (Los Angeles Times)

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

LOCAL

Man arrested in ICE raid near El Cajon is back with his family (KPBS)

... An immigration judge released (Jorge) Lopez from custody on a $7,500 bond. He will fight the pending deportation case from his home in Escondido.

San Diego County Budget reserves proposal fails after Supervisors vote (KPBS)

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday rejected a proposal to tap into the county's reserve funds to prevent cuts to services being threatened by a budget crunch. After a robust debate and public feedback, the board voted 2-1-1, with the two sponsors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe in support, Jim Desmond opposed and Joel Anderson abstaining. Lawson-Remer and Montgomery Steppe introduced the proposal to "safeguard public health, housing and vital care systems," citing looming state and federal budget cuts to multiple programs the county administers.

La Mesa-Spring Valley, Lemon Grove school mental health grants cut early by Trump administration  (KPBS)

Federal grant funding that helps employ 30 mental health professionals across the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and six in the Lemon Grove School District will be terminated early by the Trump administration, it was announced this week.

Settlement reached in lawsuit over San Diegan Ashli Babbitt’s death in Jan. 6 attack Times of San Diego)

The U.S. government has reached a settlement with the family of Ashli Babbitt, a supporter of President Trump who was shot and killed by a police officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to media reports.  Top of Form

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Babbitt, 35, an Air Force veteran who lived in San Diego, was fatally shot in the shoulder while she tried to climb through the broken window of a barricaded door to the House of Representatives Speaker’s Lobby.

Poway sues councilmember Tony Blain over alleged public records violations (Fox 5)

The City of Poway is suing Councilmember Tony Blain for allegedly withholding and destroying public records in violation of state law…. The lawsuit announced Wednesday against Blain claims he is refusing to produce requested public records from private email accounts, apps and devices.  While Blain denies using private email for official business, the city claims it has evidence showing otherwise….The city also alleges Blain has asked others to delete messages, while encouraging them to use the encrypted signal app. 

Tragedy strikes East County family days before 'surprise' announcement  (10 News)

Greysi Rivas was just minutes away from home when a wrong-way crash claimed her life, coming days before she was set to receive an emotional surprise... Rivas, 66, was driving to her El Cajon home ...around 3 a.m. last Thursday when, according to the CHP, a BMW SUV headed the wrong way crashed head-on into her Mini Cooper near San Diego State University.

STATE

Hollywood’s reaction to Trump’s movie tariffs idea: Confusion, dread and a little hope (Politico)

 Hollywood executives scrambled Monday to interpret President Trump’s call for stiff tariffs on movies produced outside the U.S. — a bombshell proposal that would upend how movies have been made for years.

California high-speed rail leader pushes state to support private investment (AP)

A long-delayed project promising nonstop rail service between San Francisco and Los Angeles in under three hours may be able to secure the private funding it desperately needs if California agrees to pay the investors back, its chief executive told The Associated Press.

Judge restricts Border Patrol in California: ‘You just can’t walk up to people with brown skin’ (Cal Matters)

A federal court on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction forbidding the Border Patrol from conducting warrantless immigration stops throughout a wide swath of California. U.S.

Despite Newsom’s objections, Democrats approve striking penalty for soliciting older teens from bill (Los Angeles Times)

 Despite California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections, Democratic state lawmakers on Thursday approved changes to a bill that removed tougher penalties for soliciting 16- or 17-year-olds for sex on Thursday.