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.

Draft proposal seeks six California lease sales despite clear legal limits and decades of bipartisan coastal protections

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  dead seabirds killed by the Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska in 1989.  Source.

November 20, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – The Trump administration today released its draft 2027 to 2032 Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing plan, the most aggressive push in decades to open all of the California coast to oil and gas drilling. The proposal includes six lease sales off  Southern California between 2027 and 2030, the first attempt to drill in these waters in more than 40 years.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 20, 2025 (San Diego) - The Holiday Season is here again. Santa is getting ready to ho-ho-ho and bring smiles to the faces of children around the County and the globe.

“Thrifting is a treasure hunt. You never know what you’ll find.” – Darlene Cossio,  Goodwill Director of Marketing and Communications in La Mesa

By Heidi Hope 

November 20, 2025 (La Mesa) – In today’s tight economy, with many people struggling financially, one of the best ways to stretch your dollars is by shopping at thrift stores. At Goodwill, you will  find deep discounts on second-hand clothing and accessories such as shoes, handbags and backpacks—from wardrobe basics to stylish outfits. 

East County News Service

November 19, 2025 (Santee) -- A reckless driving suspect struck multiple vehicles while leading Sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit from Santee to San Diego on November 18^th.

By Heidi Hope 

November 18, 2025 (La Mesa)-- For 43 years, Act II has been a thriving and successful boutique offering women’s resale fashion in La Mesa’s downtown village. It is a trendy store started from a family business in 1982 by Dolores Buller and her daughter Deanne Ross, who still owns the store. Act II focuses on stylish female fashion with the hope of helping others dress well, feel good and maintain a budget-friendly experience. 

Andrea Holland, Act II’s store manager, explains the process of gathering fashions to sell and describes their fashion specialty for women’s clothing.

“Ladies resell--we specialize in current trendy fashion, and we have wonderful prices,"Holland says. "You can get designer wardrobe here for just really great deals.” 

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.

East County News Service

November 17, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The city of Lemon Grove will host its 29^th annual community bonfire on Friday, December 5 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Treganza Park, 3200 Main Street.

East County News Service

November 17, 2025 (La Mesa) -- "'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." But wait. A mouse is stirring - because Santa missed his house last year. Lamplighter’s Theatre in La Mesa will present “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” featuring the wild adventures of a mouse, an elf, and a spunky little girl who visit the North Pole and just won't take no for an answer.

Performances run Nov. 29 through Dec. 14.

East County News Service

November 17, 2025 (Julian) – Ebeneezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future will come to life in Julian, where the Julian Theater Company presents Charles Dickens’ holiday classic play,  “A Christmas Carol.”

East County News Service

November 17, 2025 (El Cajon) — ‘Tis the season to enjoy “Jingles and Jam” with Rebecca Jam, who was named Breakout Artist of Year by the Smooth Jazz Network and “Debut Artist of the Year” by JazzTrax, both in 2022. She earned a San Diego Music Award in 2023 “Best R&B/Funk/Soul Album” for her debut solo album, A Shade of Jade.

East County News Service

November 17, 2025 (Pine Valley) – Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday night from Nov. 21 through Dec. 23, Pine Valley Camp  Christmas provides enchanting family entertainment. Hundreds of thousands of lights bring the forest to life, timed to the beat of holiday music hourly from 6-9 p.m. including the finale, Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” There’s also a dancing water show on the half hour, plus many other activities to enjoy.

November 17, 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

• More nurses, fewer drugs, no suicides: Sheriff touts jail reforms, upgrades before civilian review board (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Community reacts to proposed façade changes at Goodwill in La Mesa Village (KUSI)
•  Where to access food assistance in San Diego County (KPBS)
• Who’s stealing bronze plaques from San Diego County libraries? (San Diego Union-Tribune)
•  On-campus food pantries available to college students across San Diego County ( CBS)
• La Mesa increases parking rates starting Jan. 1 (Times of San Diego )
• Lakeside father calls young children 'heroes' after they help save his life during road rage attack (KGTV)
• Looking for a pole saw? The National City library has you covered (KPBS)
•  East County family devastated as hit-and-run driver who killed Austin Spirz set for early release (10 News)
• San Diego City Council approves reduced water rate hikes over next two years (KPBS)

STATE

• California revokes 17,000 commercial driver's licenses for immigrants (AP)
• California gives Planned Parenthood $140 million boost to keep clinics open (Cal Matters)
• New California law prohibits declawing cats (KBBS)
• California sues Trump over food stamps (KPBS)
• Data centers are putting new strain on California’s grid. A new report estimates the impacts (Cal Matters)

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