East County News Service

February 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- Activists from Fallbrook, Escondido, Julian, and Ramona will gather at Congressman Darrell Issa’s office on February 21, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. to demand an in-person town hall meeting. The protest will take place at 210 W. Crest Street, Escondido, California. 

The rally, organized by Indivisible North County San Diego, aims to address critical issues facing the community, including the urgent need for transparency and accountability from elected officials. Issa, San Diego County's only Republican Congressional member, has been a staunch supporters of President Donald Trump to date.

Activists will call on Congressman Issa to engage directly with his constituents and to stand firm against the illegal dismantling of federal agencies orchestrated by Elon Musk.  

“Congressman Issa has a responsibility to represent the voices of his constituents, and that includes holding town hall meetings where we can express our concerns,” said Pam Albergo, a spokesperson for Indivisible North County San Diego. “We are here to demand that he stands up against the reckless actions that undermine our government and its agencies.”

By Miriam Raftery

February 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The County-run safe parking site on Magnolia in unincorporated El Cajon, one of two East County sites set up to help homeless people living in their vehicles, is temporarily closed for renovations. The improvements will include picnic and meeting areas, a dog run, improved bath and shower areas, and permanent structures to house staff offices,

Source:  City of La Mesa

February 20, 2025 (La Mesa) - On Wednesday, March 5^th, the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to join them at the 10^th Annual Spring Fling Business Expo.  This special evening will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego El Cajon, 141 N. Magnolia Avenue in El Cajon between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  There will be raffles and business vendors who will offer free door prizes that evening.

By Miriam Raftery

February 19, 2025 (Spring Valley) – David Ruiz, 22, was arrested by Sheriff’s deputies today for the murder of his newborn son.

Responding to a 1:20 p.m. report of battery at a home on Sacramento Avenue in Spring Valley, San Miguel Firefighters arrived at 1:26 p.m., followed closely by Sheriff’s deputies from the Rancho San Diego station.  “Firefighters discovered a newborn male infant unconscious on the living room floor, suffering from apparent trauma to his head. Tragically, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene,” says Lieutenant Michael Krugh.

By Mary England, La Mesa Chamber of Commerce

Photos courtesy of Carrie Smedley Photography

February 19, 2025 (La Mesa) -- The owner of Aromas of India Bar and Grill, Dinesh Shah, made history in La Mesa at the February 5 grand opening of his newly renovated restaurant, located at 5270 Baltimore Drive. Dinesh and his staff offered complimentary dinners to the public and La Mesa Chamber of Commerce guests for three hours from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., which has never been done in the Chamber’s history and possibly never in the La Mesa business community’s history.  The robust marketing plan generated over a thousand reservations for the evening and brought hundreds and hundreds of people to La Mesa to savor this new restaurant.

By Miriam Raftery

February 18, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Late February brings several unique activities to enjoy, including new moon fishing at Lake Jennings, Fido Fest in Santee, a black history celebration in Lemon Grove, a farm tour adventure at Fort Cross in Santa Ysabel, Romeo and Juliet onstage in Borrego Springs, Hawk Watch in Ramona and a concert by Mariachi Amapolas at Cuyamaca College.

Ranch offers petting zoo, summer camp and Airbnb experiences

By Mimi Pollack

Photo:  baby goats named Daisy Duke and Billy the Kid

February 18, 2025 (Jamul) -- With his friendly smile and warm blue eyes, Farmer Pat [as he likes to be called] welcomes you to Jamul Trails Ranch, a little oasis in Jamul. Pat and Kim Dillon have built a nice life for themselves and now want to share it with others.  

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:   a child at Jewish Family Service of San Diego’s refugee shelter. (File photo by Chris Stone/Times of San Diego)

February 17, 2025 (San Diego) - Faced with a halt in federal funding and and the closing of the border to refugees, Jewish Family Service of San Diego is shutting down its shelter and shifting focus to legal support of asylum seekers.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Merle Wakefield and Alvin Quarles have been conditionally released into  Campo and Borrego Springs.

February 16, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The Sheriff’s department has sent warning notices to residents in Borrego Springs and Campo, announcing that two sexually violent predators have been conditionally released into these communities.  The court has ordered Liberty Healthcare, which runs the state’s conditional release program, to continue seeking permanent placement for the two men.

East County News Service

February 15, 2025 (Spring Valley) -- The Casa de Oro Alliance invites members of the community who have been affected by flooding to a community dialogue to help bring the community together and build resilience.

February 14, 2025 -- 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.

DOGE controversy

• Trump and Musk’s dismantling of government is shaking the foundations of US democracy (AP)
• As Musk cuts federal spending, his own firms have received billions in contracts (ABC News)

Legal actions

• Elon Musk’s DOGE sued by 14 states (Newsweek)
• Trump administration pauses prosecutions of individuals and entities bribing foreign officials  (Jurist)
• Inspectors general fired by Trump file lawsuit to get their jobs back (ABC)
• A 2nd U.S. judge says Trump administration must pause its federal spending freeze  (NPR)
• Judge blocks Trump’s executive order on transgender prisoners (Politico)
• Trump sued in attempt to block his anti-diversity orders (Reuters)
• Oath Keepers founder barred from D.C., U.S. Capitol unless judge signs off  (NPR)
• Jan. 6 court evidence ‘disappeared,’ attorneys for press group say  (NPR)

Cabinet appointments

• Trump Cabinet confirmation status: Which nominees have been confirmed? (AP)
• Trump’s FCC chief investigates NPR, PBS (NPR)
• ‘Terrifying’: Public Health Experts React to Senate’s Confirmation of RFK Jr. to Lead HHS (Time Magazine)
• Senate confirms Doug Burgum as interior secretary after Trump tasked him to boost drilling (AP)
• Trump's FBI chief pick, Kash Patel, insists he has no 'enemies list' and won't seek retribution (AP)
• Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to oversee US spy agencies, grilled about Snowden, Syria and Russia (AP)
• Trump’s pick to lead counter-terrorism unit is a white supremacist dream (New Republic)

Immigration

• Homan warns daily migrant arrests will 'steadily increase' as Trump admin targets nonviolent illegal aliens (Fox)
• Trump will send up to 30K illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay: ‘It’s a tough place to get out of’ (New York Post)
•  ’Legal black hole’: ACLU sues over immigrants being sent to Guantanamo (USA Today)
• Trump signs first bill of his second presidency, the Laken Riley Act, into law (NPR)
• Trump Immigration Targets: Ukrainians, Venezuelans, Haitians (NY Times)
• Some migrants arrested in Trump's immigration crackdown have been released back into the U.S. (NBC)
• Trump administration begins sending migrants to Guantánamo Bay (Washington Post)

Safety and oversight

• Trump fires heads of TSA, Coast Guard and guts key aviation safety advisory committee (AP)
• Trump fires the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (AP)
• Air traffic controllers were initially offered buyouts and told to consider leaving government  (AP)
• Trump ends Fauci's security detail and says he'd feel no responsibility if harm befell him (AP)

Protests

Protesters in cities across the US rally against Trump’s policies, Project 2025 and Elon Musk (AP)

Women’s health

• Government's reproductive rights resource goes dark hours into new Trump administration (RawStory)

WORLD

• South Africa suspends American businesses and mineral exports (Maravi Post)
• What would happen if the US military went after cartels on Mexican soil? (Guardian)
• Europe fears Trump-Putin ‘dirty deal’ as Ukraine scrambles for a seat at the table(CNN)
• El Salvador’s millennial dictator offers to hold American criminals in mega prisons (Yahoo News)
• Russian drone struck Chernobyl reactor shell but radiation levels normal, Zelenskyy says (AP)
• Syria's new leader denounces Iran, calling its proxies a regional threat  (NPR)
• European Leaders Condemn Musk's 'Ominous' Push for Germany to 'Forget' Holocaust (Common Dreams)
• Colombia yields on US deportation flights to avert trade war (BBC)
• A U.S. dual citizen is among 3 Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners (NPR)
• Emergency crews deployed on Santorini as an earthquake swarm worries Greek experts (AP)
• Baltic nations count final hours to ending electricity ties to Russia   (NPR)

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

By Patrick Cameron, El Cajon

February 13, 2025 (El Cajon) -- In one of Donald Trump’s first acts in office, he stripped away protections for schools, hospitals, and places of worship from immigration enforcement. These were once safe spaces where people could learn, receive health care, and pray without fear. Now they have been turned into targets for ICE raids.

This is unconscionable. As the world’s largest historical climate polluter, the United States has a responsibility to immigrants. Our pollution is causing the climate chaos — droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising waters — that is forcing people in Latin America, Asia, Africa and elsewhere to leave their homes. Others are fleeing violence, poverty, and hunger — all of which are caused or made worse by the climate crisis.

People have the right to be able to leave their homes and migrate with dignity to find safe haven. But right now, immigrant families are facing the unimaginable: the fear that seeking education or health care could mean deportation, or that a peaceful moment of prayer might be shattered by ICE agents barging in.

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Tara McGrath. Courtesy Southern District of California

February 13, 2025 (San Diego) - After 16 months as the chief federal law enforcement official in San Diego, Tara McGrath has been given her walking papers by the White House.

By a school counselor, who asked to remain anonymous

Photo:CC by SA via Bing

February 13, 2025 (El Cajon, CA) -- The Grossmont Union High School District is set to eliminate 22 school counseling positions next year. This is not just a number—these are people who are on the frontlines, working day in and day out to support our students through mental health crises, academic struggles, and life challenges. Does the public understand what this means? Does anyone care that the care for our kids is about to drastically decrease?

School counselors do far more than manage schedules and guide college applications. We are the ones who step in when students are on the brink of despair, offering a safe space when they feel they have nowhere else to turn.

Today, I saved a life. I had a student walk into my office feeling like there was no hope left, contemplating ending their life. But I was there. I listened, I acted, and I made sure they got the help they needed before it was too late.