By Wendy Fry, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Saul Muñoz, 53, waits for any job opportunities in front of a Home Depot in San Diego on Jan. 20, 2025. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

January 23, 2025 (San Diego) - Undocumented immigrants and their California families braced for the worst — and many told CalMatters they would go underground — as newly sworn-in President Donald Trump began issuing executive orders to enable what he promises will be the most massive deportation in U.S. history. 

By Sergio Olmos, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Farmworkers work on a field outside of Bakersfield in Kern County on July 25 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

January 22, 2025 (Kern County, Calif.) - Acres of orange fields sat unpicked in Kern County this week as word of Border Patrol raids circulated through Messenger chats and images of federal agents detaining laborers spread on local Facebook groups. 

By Henri Migala

Photo: cc via Bing

January 22, 2025 (Washington D.C.) -- On Monday, January 20, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time, once again placing the world's top historic emitter of greenhouse gases outside the global pact aimed at pushing nations to tackle climate change.

The withdrawal comes amid increasingly severe wildfires, hurricanes and other severe weather disasters fueled in large part by rapidly accelerating climate change. A National Climate Assessment study found that climate change is affecting every region in the U.S., across economic sectors.

Far from taking any other steps to reduce carbon emissions, however, President Trump has issued executive orders to end actions aimed at cutting carbon and increase use of fossil fuels that accelerate climate change.

His administration has also deleted all climate change information and references from federal websites, eliminating access to key data for researchers, the press, and the public.

By Miriam Raftery

January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Hours after being sworn into office in the Capitol Rotunda, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order protecting all of the nearly 1,600 people accused or convicted of crimes stemming from the Capitol attack four years earlier.  On January 6, 2021, the violent mob assaulted and injured 140 police officers, forcing terrified lawmakers to flee or hide while the mob tried to halt the peaceful transfer of power.

Trump’s order issued a blanket pardon for nearly all of the insurrectionists, erasing their felony records and freeing all who were serving prison sentences, even those convicted of attacking police officers or armed with weapons including firearms, stun guns, flagpoles, fire extinguishers, bike racks, batons, a metal whip, office furniture, pepper spray, bear spray, a tomahawk ax, a hatchet, a hockey stick, knuckle gloves, a baseball bat, a massive “Trump” billboard, “Trump” flags, a pitchfork, pieces of lumber, crutches and even an explosive device.

 In addition, he commuted sentences for 14 members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy, including the groups’ leaders,  Stewart Rhodes and Enrique Tarrio, who were serving 18- and 22- year sentences for their roles in organizing the attacks. Both men are now free.

Trump also directed his Attorney General to drop all remaining charges against individuals accused of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol attack, but whose cases had not yet gone to trial.

"This order is about administering political loyalty tests to everyday employees in the federal workforce," said the president of the National Treasury Employees Union

By Jake Johnson, Common Dreams

Photo:  Trump official portrait, 2025

January 21, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - A union representing workers across dozens of federal agencies sued the Trump administration late Monday over an executive order stripping many career civil servants of protections designed to insulate them from political pressure.

By Miriam Raftery

January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Among the dozens of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump yesterday after his inauguration is a notice to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO).  Under a 1948 law, withdrawal requires one-year notification and Congressional approval, Associated Press (AP) reports. 

If completed, withdrawal by the U.S., a founding partner of WHO, would drop one-fifth of WHO’s funding and prevent the U.S. and the American medical community from accessing vital health resources and data.

Trump previously tried to withdraw from  WHO in 2019, but President Biden rejoined the organization after his election before the waiting period ended. In July 2020, amid the pandemic, a joint statement by the American Medical Association and three other medical organizations representing pediatricians, family physicians and other doctors strongly opposed Trump’s withdrawal order, calling it “dangerous.”

By Miriam Raftery

January 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fresh is offering up to one month of benefits to replce food lost due to a power outage or natural disaster—but you must apply within 10 days of food loss.

 That news comes as welcome relief for residents in rural East County, where some have lost power multiple times recently due to planned public saety power outages by SDG&E to prevent wildfires, as well as from other causes.

You can qualify for replacement food cost benefits if you had food spoilage due to:

• A power outage lasted longer than four hours
• Utilities were shut off for any reason
• A freezer or refrigerator stopped working

To apply, download a Replacement/Affidavit/Authoriization Form (CF-303) at https://SDHunger.org/replacement-calfresh . More details below.

Update 4 p.m.:  Forward spread has been stopped and fixed-wing aircraft dismissed, though helicopters remain on scene.

East County News Service

January 20, 2025 (Poway) – Structures are immediately threatened by a brush fire in Poway.  The #TedWilliamsFire is burning along Ted Williams Parkway and Pomerado Road. 

Evacuations are being conducted near Glen Oak Road, Watch Duty App reports. Evacuation details: www.AlertSD.org.

The blaze has charred three acres thus far and comes amid a Red Flag Alert due to dry conditions and potential for very high winds.

Source: SDG&E

January 20, 2025 (San Diego)  – Due to extreme fire weather conditions and forecasted Santa Ana winds, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) has notified 83,609 customers that it may have to turn off power to reduce wildfire risk as early as late today. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are approved by state regulators as a safety tool of last resort to mitigate fire risk during dangerous weather conditions.

As a result of dry conditions and expected Santa Ana windsup to 60 miles per hour locally, the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning and High Wind Warning for parts of Orange and San Diego Counties beginning Monday morning through late Tuesday night.

SDG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center and staffed it with key personnel to monitor weather conditions throughout the duration of the event, especially the wind speeds in the high fire risk areas of the county.

If SDG&E implements a PSPS for public safety, it will open Community Resource Centers to support impacted customers.

By Miriam Raftery

January 19, 2025 (San Diego) – January’s freakish weather continues with both fire danger and frost forecast for this week.  The weather hazards line up for a potentially “worse case” scenario, the National Weather Service predicts.

A red flag warning has been issued for San Diego County’s inland mountains and valleys Monday and Tuesday due to low humidity and strong winds forecast.

Cold mornings will also bring frost in sheltered inland valleys west of the mountains.

Widespread wind gusts over 35 miles per hour are expected, with a high potential for gusts up to 60 miles per hour in the mountain areas Monday and Tuesday.

By Michael Howard

Photo:  La Mesa City Councilmember Laura Lothian speaks during a January 14, 2025 City Council meeting. Screenshot from City of La Mesa meeting video.

January 19, 2025 (La Mesa, CA) - La Mesa City Councilmember Laura Lothian is calling for a “15-Strikes And You’re Out” policy to address the rising cost and associated risks of managing the homelessness crisis in the city.

East County News Service

 January 17, 2025 (San Diego) - Does your home need a design refresh or a whole makeover? Are you curious about working with a professional interior designer but don’t know where to start? The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) San Diego Chapter offers affordable in-home design advice during Winter Spruce Up. The program runs from February through March and provides in-home design consultations that give consumers an easy, affordable, no-stress introduction to working with a designer.

East County News Service

January 17, 2025 (La Mesa) — Bougie’s Cheese Shop,  newly opened in December, invites you to a Garden Party on Saturday, January 18 and 25 from 1-4 p.m.   This patio event will feature non-alcoholic specialty drinks in honor of dry January paired with cheeses, along with curated snack boxes available for purchase.

Bougie’s Cheese Shop is located in the historic Levy house at 4679 Date Ave. in La Mesa. 

By Brooke Binkowski, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  County Supervisor Jim Desmond delivering his State of North County speech in June. (File photo courtesy of Desmond’s office)

January 16, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond announced that he will run for Congress.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

January 16, 2025 (San Diego) -- Recent brush fires in Southern California have proven January is extremely dry. But there’s a different dry in January. Dry January is an annual challenge that encourages people to give up alcohol for the entire month. It has gained widespread popularity in recent years as individuals look to kickstart their year with a focus on health, detoxification, and self-care. Originating as a campaign by Alcohol Concern in 2013, it has grown into a global movement, with millions of people participating each year.

The benefits of taking part in Dry January are far-reaching. Abstaining from alcohol for a month can help reset the body, improve sleep quality, boost energy levels, and even lead to weight loss. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on one’s relationship with alcohol and assess whether drinking habits need adjustment in the long term. Whether you want to take a break from the habit or simply explore how life feels without alcohol, Dry January provides a supportive environment for positive change.