Photos, left to right: Rex Tillerson, Mike Pompeo, and Gina Haspel

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump has fired Secretary of State Ralph Tillerson, naming Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo as his replacement and Gina Haspel, Deputy CIA Director, to replace Pompeo.  Both nominees have controversial backgrounds and will require Senate confirmation.

Tillerson’s ouster comes less than 48 hours after Tillerson blamed Russia for the poisoning of a Russian spy in Britain with a powerful neurotoxin. 

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson and Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2018 (San Diego) -- Millions of readers who rely on Snopes.com to fact-check news articles, urban legends, conspiracy theories and more in today’s era of “fake news” may not be aware of the organization’s San Diego roots.  At a San Diego Press Club workshop titled “Nuts and Bolts”, Snopes’ managing editor Brooke Binkowski and vice president of operations Vinny Green shared insights into the fact-checking end of the news business.

By Paul Kruze

March 9, 2018 (El Cajon) -- As though the water couldn’t get any hotter for embattled El Cajon Councilman Ben Kalasho, he is now facing accusations that he is illegally shielding his personal assets, prior to an anticipated August trial on allegations that he sexually harassed two beauty pageant participants in 2016, among other claims.

The plaintiffs’ attorney, Jimmie Davis Parker, asserts that Kalasho made false real estate filings in order to hide assets that could potentially be sought to satisfy a legal judgment, should Kalasho lose the case. (View documents.) 

Filing false real estate documents is a felony crime in California, though it is not yet determined whether the allegation is true.

Update March 9, 2018:  Carl DeMaio announced that he won't be turning in papers by the filing deadline today to run against Rep. Duncan Hunter. In an e-mail to supporters, he wrote, “While I, too, am frustrated with the lack of results and the double-standards for Washington politicians, I believe the Gas Tax Repeal Initiative campaign and our plans for subsequent reform initiatives in California are so much more important,” Times of San Diego reports.

By Miriam Raftery

March 8, 2018 (San Diego) – Former San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio has pulled papers to run in the 50^th Congressional District currently represented by fellow Republican Duncan D. Hunter. 

DeMaio served one term on the Council from 2008 to 2012.  He has previously run for mayor and lost to Bob Filner. He also ran for Congress previously but was defeated by Scott Peters, who currently serves in the 52^nd District.

Update March 11, 2018:  "Bubbles" has been found in a canyon near the pet store from which she escaped.

By Miriam Raftery

March 8, 2018 (Spring Valley) – “Bubbles,” a 35-pound, 5 and a half feet long black-throated monitor lizard has been missing from Mike’s Pets at 8300 Paradise Valley Road in Spring Valley since Sunday, March 4^th.

According to reports on 10 News and Patch.com, Bubbles was last seen on a security camera strolling from his cage that he had apparently slipped out of through a small opening, toward the back door of the shop.

By Maridian Broadus

Photo: Shane Harris and Rev. Al Sharpton with victim’s families at press conference

March 8, 2018 (San Diego) – National Action Network founder and President Reverend Al Sharpton visited San Diego on February 21st.  Sharpton, along with NAN’s local chapter president, Shane Harris, held a news conference at NAN San Diego’s House of Justice Headquarters in southeast San Diego.  The civil rights icon publicly voiced his support of victim family members who have lost loved ones to police shootings across the state of California.

By Miriam Raftery

March 6, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Four patients were transported via air and ground ambulances following a crash near I-8 and Japatul Valley Road this morning, according to Cal Fire. 

The collision occurred shortly before 11 a.m. after Border Patrol agents attempted to stop a Ford Expedition traveling west on I-8 near Buckman Springs Road. The driver sped off at a high rate of speed and lost control as he encountered slowed traffic, becoming airborne, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

East County News Service

March 5, 2018 (Spring Valley) -- As part of its ongoing efforts to improve pedestrian safety in Spring Valley, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), will be conducting a pedestrian safety enforcement operation that will focus on motorists and pedestrians who fail to yield the right-of-way or who take unsafe and illegal actions.  The enforcement operation will take place on March 8 at Troy Street west of Central Avenue in Spring Valley.

By Miriam Raftery

March 5, 2018 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Community Planning Group meets Wednesday, March 7^th at the Lakeside Community Center, 9841 Vine Street. The agenda includes discussion of homeless encampments in the riverbed, county road maintenance priorities, proposed cell sites and a request for exemption from undergrounding powerlines, among other items.

View the full agenda here.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Prayer vigil held in 2015 by Iraqi Christians outside the ICE prison in San Diego’s Otay Mesa, where their family members were detained for prolonged periods.

March 4, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that immigrants and asylum seekers may be detained indefinitely without periodic bond hearings.  The ruling applies even to people with permanent legal status.

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: Students testified to GUHSD board on behalf of an Alpine High School, before board reversed its decision to build the school.

March 2, 2018 (Alpine) – In a joint press release, the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD), Alpine Union High School District (AUSD) and Alpine Taxpayers for Bound Accountability (ATBA) announced a resolution to end the prolonged legal battle over the never-built Alpine High School.

The AUSD and ATBA have agreed not to appeal to the state Supreme Court, after an appeals court ruled on behalf of Grossmont that an enrollment requirement to build the school had not been met and that therefore, Grossmont is not obligated to build the school.  In exchange, the GUHSD has agreed not to seek recovery of its court costs from the Alpine district or the Alpine taxpayers group.

By Miriam Raftery

February 28, 2018 (San Diego) - County health officials are warning that 16 mice have tested positive for hantavirus, or about  5 percent of all wild mice tested. One meadow vole also tested positive for the disease.  The infected rodents were found in Borrego Springs, Boulevard, Julian, Ramona, San Diego, Santa Ysabel, 4S Ranch and Black Mountain.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Alex Tardy, National Weather Service San Diego

February 28, 2018 (San Diego) -- Another winter storm is set to swoop in Thursday night through Saturday from the Pacific Northwest, bringing potentially heavy rain and more mountain snow.  Winds could pick up too through mountain passes and desert slopes, too.

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2018 (San Diego) – Students in Parkland, Florida are taking aim at the proliferation of military-style assault weapons too often used to commit mass murder in schools—and they’re gaining some powerful allies. Major corporations have announced that they are dropping partnerships with the National Rifle Association, or NRA, in protest of the NRA’s opposition to reforms such as banning or limiting access to assault weapons.

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- The National Weather Service forecasts that up to a foot and a half of snow could fall on Mount Laguna by tonight.  As of noon today, over five inches had been recorded at the peak. In Julian, over six inches have fallen.

"This storm is not like anything I’ve seen up here. Sun and snow are going back and forth…and nobody gets anywhere," says Bobbi Zane, who sent us the photos above.  "It’s been snowing all day, then the sun comes out and everything melts, then the snow stars coming down again. I had someone drive on my driveway so I can get my car out. By the time he finished, it had started snowing again. No using the car today!"