East County Roundup: Local and statewide news

September 3, 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 

• Supervisors vote to allow San Diego County to tap into financial reserves (Times of San Diego)
• How San Diego’s Congressional districts could change under redistricting (KPBS)
• Toxic sewer gases pollute South Bay at levels 70 times state regulations, study finds (NBC San Diego)

• El Cajon police and state AG’s Office at odds over sharing of surveillance data (KPBS)
• San Diego County looks to expand legal defense program for immigrant children after Trump administration cuts (CBS 8)

• Cajon Valley school bus drivers train for crisis situations (10 News)
• DHS Secretary Noem says entire southern border wall will be painted black to stop people from climbing it (CBS News)
• Warning signs installed in parts of Tijuana River Valley (County News)
• La Mesa family still concerned about road safety months after car crashed into home and RV (ABC 10)
• Local Republican groups react to Gov. Newsom's push to congressional redistricting (10 News)
• 'Officer in the Sky': Oceanside tests drones as first responders (KPBS)

STATE 

• Newsom deploys CHP crime suppression teams to San Diego, L.A., Inland Empire (CNS)
• Judge rules Trump's deployment of troops to Los Angeles violated federal law (CBS)
• This candidate for California governor has a potential conflict of interest in her own home (KPBS)
• 'They're not going to live normally': A devastating disease has surged in Calif. (SF Gate)
• Fatal kidney disease in sea lions along CA coast could impact pets, marine biologists warn (ABC 7)
• FTC accuses LA Fitness of trapping customers in memberships in new lawsuit (CBS)

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

LOCAL 

Supervisors vote to allow San Diego County to tap into financial reserves (Times of San Diego)

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has voted 3-2 to change policies aimed at allowing the county to tap into its financial reserves to offset cuts. Terra Lawson-Remer, Monica Montgomery Steppe and Paloma Aguirre on Tuesday voted in favor of the policy change, while their colleagues Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond were opposed. It will require a second reading before any formal approval, according to county rules.

How San Diego’s Congressional districts could change under redistricting (KPBS)

Governor Gavin Newsom and the state legislature approved a new map for California in response. If voters approve its use, that map will bring about significant changes in San Diego. The most significant change is to the 48th district, which covers most of East County San Diego.

Toxic sewer gases pollute South Bay at levels 70 times state regulations, study finds (NBC San Diego)

People who live in San Diego's South Bay may be exposed to levels of toxic sewer gas —as much as 70 times higher than state air-quality standards — for hours at a time.the study, published in the journal Science Thursday, is the first major, peer-reviewed study to delve into air pollution in the South Bay that comes from the pollution in the Tijuana River….

El Cajon police and state AG’s Office at odds over sharing of surveillance data (KPBS)

California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to the El Cajon police chief questioning whether the department was violating a state sanctuary law by sharing data from license plate reader systems.

San Diego County looks to expand legal defense program for immigrant children after Trump administration cuts (CBS 8)

... The Department of Justice terminated legal representation for unaccompanied children in March, but a federal judge delayed implementation until Sept. 30. With that deadline approaching, Lawson-Remer wants the county to step in.

Cajon Valley school bus drivers train for crisis situations (10 News)

The program is called, The School Transportation Active-Threat Response Training (S.T.A.R.T.) program. Per its website, S.T.A.R.T.'s team is composed of experts from active-duty and former police officers, social workers, mental health experts, United States military, and United States Secret Service personnel … The Cajon Valley School District is leading the state as the first district in California to use the S.T.A.R.T. training program to advance their school bus drivers' skill sets.

DHS Secretary Noem says entire southern border wall will be painted black to stop people from climbing it (CBS News)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that the entire wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is going to be painted black to make it hotter and deter illegal immigration — an idea she said was "specifically at the request" of President Trump.

Warning signs installed in parts of Tijuana River Valley (County News)

New warning signs were posted today alerting the public about the health risks from hydrogen sulfide gas in sections of the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, and at Saturn Boulevard in the city of San Diego.

La Mesa family still concerned about road safety months after car crashed into home and RV (ABC 10)

..a 74-page report…outlines street safety across the city of La Mesa. Published in January 2024, the report was done as part of the city's Vision Zero goal. The report identified the stretch of Spring Street, from Palm Avenue to Lemon Street, as one of the most dangerous roads in the city because of the frequency and severity of crashes.

Local Republican groups react to Gov. Newsom's push to congressional redistricting (10 News)

Local Republican voters are voicing their frustration over Governor Gavin Newsom's attempt to at congressional redistricting.

'Officer in the Sky': Oceanside tests drones as first responders (KPBS)

 The city is running a 13-month pilot program called “Drone as First Responder.” It was approved by the City Council in April and funded through a $264,816 state grant that covers the drones, software and staffing.

STATE 

Newsom deploys CHP crime suppression teams to San Diego, L.A., Inland Empire (CNS)

The effort builds on "successful" CHP efforts already underway in Oakland, Bakersfield and San Bernardino, according to the governor's office. CHP officers assigned to these Crime Suppression Teams are expected to saturate high-crime areas, target repeat offenders and seize illicit weapons and narcotics.

Judge rules Trump's deployment of troops to Los Angeles violated federal law (CBS)

A federal court in California ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration violated federal law when it deployed members of the National Guard and active-duty U.S. Marines to Los Angeles earlier this summer in response to protests against immigration enforcement operations. In a 52-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer found that the president and his administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act, a 1878 law that prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement. Breyer blocked the Trump administration from deploying or using the National Guard currently deployed in California, and any military troops in the state, for civilian law enforcement.

This candidate for California governor has a potential conflict of interest in her own home (KPBS)

If elected governor, Toni Atkins faces potential conflicts of interest with her spouse’s consulting firms. Atkins and her spouse, Jennifer LeSar, earn hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from clients that also lobby state government.

'They're not going to live normally': A devastating disease has surged in Calif. (SF Gate)

In just 25 years, cases of an uncommon but potentially devastating disease have climbed more than 1,200% in California.This month, the California Department of Public Health reported that Valley fever cases are on track to surpass last year’s record number of over 12,500 cases.

Fatal kidney disease in sea lions along CA coast could impact pets, marine biologists warn (ABC 7)

The 300-mile California coast from Santa Cruz to Sonoma is seeing an outbreak of kidney disease impacting sea lions...Leptospirosis is a kidney disease. It is not uncommon in sea lions. It shows up every three to five years. It is spread mostly thorough urine. So when thousands of sea lions are gathered on a beach, it can contaminate the sand. The disease is contagious and can spread to humans and pets.

FTC accuses LA Fitness of trapping customers in memberships in new lawsuit (CBS)

Regulators say the gym chain forced members through unreasonable hurdles, from in-person visits to certified mail, just to quit.