EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

April 4, 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

• Updated state maps show San Diego County's areas at 'very high' risk for fires (10 News)
• CalTrans to invest $24 million in San Diego area infrastructure  (10 News)
• SpaceX rocket return creates sonic boom before splashdown near Oceanside (NBC)
• Bald Eagle and baby chick sightings on the rise across San Diego (CBS 8)
• Riverside reports first confirmed measles case since 2018 (Times of San Diego)
• Federal safety board lists Coronado Bridge as potentially at risk of 'catastrophic collapse' if hit by a vessel (CBS)

STATE

• California's water reservoirs on track as winter storms may boost snowpack (KPBS )
•  Do you have a California Real ID yet? What you need to apply ahead of deadline (Sacramento Bee)
• California needs $3.4 billion loan to cover Medi-Cal expenses (CBS)
• Dead fish stink up the Newsom-Trump truce on water (Politico)

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

LOCAL

Updated state maps show San Diego County's areas at 'very high' risk for fires (10 News)

The Office of the State Fire Marshal released new maps that indicate which parts of San Diego County are in a very high-risk zone for fires. For the first time in 15 years, Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps were updated for San Diego County, and they show a 26% increase in acreage now designated as “very high" fire risk.

CalTrans to invest $24 million in San Diego area infrastructure  (10 News)

Six projects in San Diego County were part of a $1 billion investment from the state transit agency

SpaceX rocket return creates sonic boom before splashdown near Oceanside (NBC)

The return was the first time the SpaceX Dragon rocket splashed down on the west coast and is likely to be the first of many to come... many around San Diego reported hearing a loud boom around 9:15 a.m.

Bald Eagle and baby chick sightings on the rise across San Diego (CBS 8)

Following the excitement over the sighting of a nesting Bald Eagle and its chick on Cuyamaca Mountain, nature enthusiasts reported more sightings of eagle families

Riverside reports first confirmed measles case since 2018 (Times of San Diego)

Riverside County health officials are urging people to take precautions Friday after the first case of measles in seven years surfaced in the county.

Federal safety board lists Coronado Bridge as potentially at risk of 'catastrophic collapse' if hit by a vessel (CBS)

Coronado Bridge is one of 68 bridges identified by the National Safety Transportation Board in need of assessment for risk of collapse.

STATE

California's water reservoirs on track as winter storms may boost snowpack (KPBS )

 The water in California’s mountain snowpack is just shy of average as spring begins, but a winter storm set to hit the Sierra Nevada in the coming days will offer a boost.

Do you have a California Real ID yet? What you need to apply ahead of deadline (Sacramento Bee)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will soon require people to have a federally approved document — such as a passport or a Real ID driver’s license — on hand for domestic plane travel. The California Department of Motor Vehicles recommends applying for a Real ID ahead of the May deadline in order to avoid potential issues.

California needs $3.4 billion loan to cover Medi-Cal expenses (CBS)

 California lawmakers have been notified that the state will require a $3.4 billion loan to cover expenses for Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program that provides health coverage to over 15 million residents.  The announcement has sparked debate over the program's expansion to include undocumented immigrants.

Dead fish stink up the Newsom-Trump truce on water (Politico)

Newsom and Trump’s fragile truce on water is starting to show strain — and it’s because of dead salmon.