By Alexander J. Schorr

January 11, 2026 (San Diego) — The “Free America Walkout” is a nationwide protest initiative scheduled for Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. local time across the United States. Being organized by groups like The Women’s March and the 50501 movement, the event encourages people to walk out of work, school, and commence to protest fascism and the policies of the Trump administration.

By Alexander J. Schorr

January 8, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) — After repeated threats by Trump administration officials to invade Greenland by military force if necessary, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers the President hopes to purchase Greenland, not attack it. 

Rubio’s statement came after  Denmark’s Defense Ministry’s confirmation that its military is under a standing order to “shoot first and ask questions later” if any foreign force, including the United States, attempts to invade Greenland, which is owned by Denmark.

But other officials include Vice President  J.D. Vance continue to keep a military option on the table.

East County News Service

Jan. 9, 2026 (San Diego County) --  San Diego public advocate Shane Harris has introduced a new ordinance to fully repeal paid parking in Balboa Park and restore free public parking.

To support this effort, Harris has launched this online petition to demonstrate broad public support for making Balboa Park parking free again.

Harris has also called a press conference for Monday, Jan. 12 at Balboa Park that will include supporters from around San Diego County, including El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones and Jim Kiddrick, president and CEO of the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

Starting this past Monday, Jan. 5, the park’s century-long tradition of free access for vehicles came to an end.

Harris argues that the system is not just a financial burden but "a logistical disaster that punishes the very people the park was built to serve."

The parking charges in Balboa Park were not approved by city voters in a general election. Instead, they were enacted through a series of votes by the San Diego City Council.

By Adam Schiff, California Senator

January 6, 2026 (Washington D.C.) -- Few days in our country’s history have made as big an impact on me, and on our democracy, as January 6, 2021.

Even five years removed, I remember the January 6th attack on the Capitol like it was yesterday.

The sounds of the mob outside. Of insurrectionists storming the Capitol building and breaking doors and windows to get in. Of the urgent discussions between members of Congress deciding how to protect ourselves.

The sight of Capitol police officers running toward danger. Of my colleagues crouched on the floor, clutching masks to protect themselves from tear gas. Of thousands of protestors assaulting Capitol Police and desecrating the hallowed halls of Congress.

By Miriam Raftery

December 30, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Don’t wait until the last minute to mail in a ballot, tax return or other important documents. A change in U.S. Postal Service regulations that took effect December 24 means that mail is no longer considered postmarked on the date that you drop it in a mailbox or at a post office counter. Instead, it won’t be postmarked until it’s processed by an automated USPS sorting machine, which could mean delays of several days.

By G.A. McNeeley and Miriam Raftery

Image: CC via bing

December 28, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – With both houses of Congress adjourned until January, 22 million Americans can expect to see large increases in Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare premiums, since subsidies will expire on December 31.

 While Democrats fought to extend the subsidies, House Republicans passed their own version of a healthcare bill on December 17 and sent it on to the Senate, however it does not include extending the subsidies, according to CNN.

Immigration officials have reportedly issued guidance setting a quota of 100 to 200 denaturalization cases a month

By Sharon Zhang

 This article was originally published by Truthout.

December 20, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - The Trump administration has reportedly set a goal of yanking citizenship away from over a thousand naturalized Americans in fiscal year 2026, in yet another escalation in the administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown.

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.

Trump Supporters Will Soon Control Most TV News Stations in San Diego

By J.W. August

December 7, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego County’s voter makeup has gone from red to blue over the decades, and there’s no better example in recent years than the evolving Democratic majority on the San Diego City Council and county Board of Supervisors.

By Alexander J. Schorr

November 24, 2025 (El Cajon) — The recall effort against trustee Scott Eckert on the Grossmont Union High School District Governing Board failed to meet the required amount of 9,600 signatures on Monday November 17, 2025. The grassroots effort needed signatures from 15% of registered voters in La Mesa to spur a recall action: volunteers who spoke with voters said most had not previously heard of the GUHSD board controversies which include mass firings of teachers and librarians, apparent violations of California’s open government law, allegations of conflicts of interest and misallocation of funds, as well as unethical campaign tactics.

By Paul Levikow

November 20, 2025 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to extend mental health and substance use services contracts.

The County Health and Human Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Services (BHS) department provides services to vulnerable populations, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness, people involved in the justice system, and children and youth with complex behavioral health conditions. The services are provided through County-operated programs and contracts with public and private agencies.

NPR/PBS poll finds just 20% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of Epstein matter

Update November 18, 2025: The House of Representatives voted to release the Epstein files by a 427 to 1 margin.  It now goes to the Senate. The measure passed overwhelming after Pres. Trump withdrew his opposition once enough members had pledged support to assure passage.

By Alexander J. Schorr

Image: Best Friends Forever sculpture of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein

November 17, 2025 -- In a surprise reversal, President Trump announced approval of the upcoming Congressional vote to release Justice Department documents and data related to convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein. “We’ll give them everything,” said Trump, who said he would sign a bill to release the “complete” stock of Epstein files if it ends up on his desk.

Trump has been avoiding the press about newly released emails connecting him to Epstein’s criminal sex trafficking of young girls. Trump’s name appeared at least 1,500 times in documents from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein made public last week in the US Congress, according to CBS News.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released three emails referencing Trump, including one Epstein wrote in 2011 in which he told his confidant Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump had “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with one of Epstein’s trafficking victims. Documents indicate that Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell discussed Trump frequently in newly released emails between 2011 and 2019.

“Of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop,” Epstein wrote in an email to author Michael Wolff on Jan. 31, 2019, the Miami Herald reports. If Trump had knowledge of Epstein's abuse and trafficking of under-age girls, however, he apparently never reported it to law enforcement.

By Ana B. Ibarra, CalMatters

Photo:  from left, former U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services Xavier Becerra, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, and former Speaker of the California State Assembly and former California State Controller Betty T. Yee speak during the "Health Matters: A Conversation With Our Next Governor" debate at UC Riverside on Nov. 7, 2025. Photo by Leroy Hamilton

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

November 14, 2025 (Riverside) - Every day, Californians struggle to afford medications or wait weeks or months for mental health appointments. Thousands in the “sandwich generation” juggle caring for elderly parents with raising children.