East County Roundup: local and statewide news

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March 20, 2026 (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

STATE

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

LOCAL

San Diego-based USS Boxer, thousands of Marines deployed to Middle East (10 News)

The San Diego-based USS Boxer is one of three warships on their way to the Middle East as the conflict in the region escalates.

Artificial Intelligence answering non-emergency sheriff's calls (10 News)

Non-emergency calls to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office are being answered by an artificial intelligence processing system beginning this weekend, in an effort to reduce waiting times for callers who do not require a 911 response.

ICE arrests of children in San Diego region skyrocketed in 2025, records show (KPBS)

 Then there’s the more than 250 children who ICE arrested in San Diego and Imperial counties last year - a dramatic increase from just 27 children arrested in 2024, according to federal data.  Once arrested, those children could be sent to detention centers or group homes in California or out of state.

San Diego institutions weigh renaming public places after Cesar Chávez sexual abuse accusations (Times of San Diego)

Allegations of abuse that appear to be part of a larger pattern of sexual misconduct by late labor leader Cesar Chávez were revealed Wednesday in a new investigation by the New York Times... ocal responses to the allegations were swift.

Ramona school board member's remarks on immigration spark community backlash (CBS)

 A Ramona Unified School District board member's remarks have sparked controversy after video of the Wednesday school board meeting comments circulated through the community, prompting criticism from parents and district leadership.  During the meeting, Ramona Unified School District Board Member Trustee Maya Phillips said, “ …from a practical perspective, the more illegal aliens with children are deported from Ramona, the better the student-to-teacher ratio....”

San Diego County sues federal government, demands inspections at Otay Mesa Detention Center (Times of San Diego)

In a direct confrontation with the Trump administration, San Diego County has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court aimed at forcing local health inspections of the Otay Mesa Detention Center...By filing this suit, San Diego County argues that the federal government’s lack of transparency has made it impossible to verify the extent to which the conditions at Otay Mesa are contributing to rising deaths at federal detention centers, necessitating immediate and unimpeded local oversight to protect human life.

DHS responds to county report of steep increase in immigration detentions  (City News Service)

County officials released a report Saturday that found the average daily population at the center has increased by approximately 200% in recent years, and said the increase is raising public-health concerns and significantly increasing the cost of providing legal representation to protect constitutional due-process rights…. The report was released as the county seeks a preliminary injunction in federal court after being denied access to conduct a scheduled public-health inspection of the facility.

Is Helix the Best High School in San Diego County? (Voice of San Diego)

The diverse, working-class student base of the La Mesa charter school performs remarkably on basically every academic indicator you can think of – and have for years. What’s behind Helix’s striking success? 

Candidate with ties to data center developer enters race for Imperial Valley utility board (KPBS)

 The company needs the Imperial Irrigation District to provide power for the $10 billion data center complex that it is seeking to build. 

El Capitan High School reinstates senior quotes in yearbook (10 News)

El Capitan High School seniors will get their yearbook quotes after all.  First-year principal Carrie Gaier reversed her decision to cancel the decades-old tradition, sending an email to students and families announcing the quotes would be included in the yearbook following a rigorous review process. The reversal came less than two weeks after two First Amendment attorneys sent the school a warning letter on behalf of two nonprofits, saying the school was violating state laws protecting student free speech.

STATE

Authorities warn of potential Iranian drone attack on California, raising concerns for military communities  (KGTV)

 Federal authorities are warning law enforcement agencies across California that Iran has expressed interest in launching a drone attack on the state's Pacific Coast — a threat that carries particular weight for San Diego, one of the most concentrated military communities in the United States.

'Troubling' allegations against Cesar Chavez prompt UFW to skip events (USA Today)

The United Farm Workers says it will not be taking part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities, citing “deeply troubling” allegations of the civil rights activist who co-founded the union.

Californians now worry more about surprise medical bills than housing, survey finds (San Jose Mercury)

 Two-thirds of Californians said they worry about affording unexpected health care bills, while 48% worried about paying their rent or mortgage, and 47% worried about affording food, according to the Oakland-based nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

California bets on an obscure tool to replace clean air authority Trump revoked (KPBS)

 Trump administration revoked California's authority to mandate electric vehicles and pulled back federal power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions — undermining California’s most effective tools.  A bill moving through the Legislature would try to fill that gap. Assembly bill 1777,  authored by Democrat Robert Garcia, who represents parts of San Bernardino County, would give California air regulators authority to hold ports, warehouses and railyards accountable for the pollution they draw to nearby communities — using a regulatory tool called the indirect source rule.

California bullet train could run out of money before finishing its first Central Valley segment (KPBS)

 Inspector General Ben Belnap warned lawmakers the project's current funding stream may not keep pace with construction costs.



 

 


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