By Miriam Raftery

September 29, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – September has been a deadly month for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians, with vehicle accidents claiming numerous lives across our inland region. Here are details, per the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office. All died of blunt force injuries, with one driver also suffering multiple strokes. 

These tragic deaths, listed below, are reminders to always use caution when driving, bicycling or walking, especially after dark.

Source:  East County Schools Federal Credit Union

September 29, 2025 (El Cajon) – East County Schools Federal Credit Union (ECSFCUannounces the appointment of Matt Lyons as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 15, 2025. Lyons succeeds, who has served as ECSFCU’s President and CEO for 22 years and will retire on October 15, 2025.

By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH

September 29, 2025 (San Diego) -- I am Jewish, born and raised in San Diego, and lived for six months in Israel in 1978. News focuses on the brutal Hamas attack on Israel; but ignores that two years earlier, 600,000 Israelis moved into the West Bank Palestinian Authority and a few thousand the Gaza strip, set fire to mosques, shot at farmers, etc. Condemned by the world.

Three percent of Israeli citizens are Palestinians, living in enclaves where they are often denied permits to build, with lower spending on schools, and several thousand held in administrative detention without charges.

East County News Service

Photo via Indivisible North County San Diego and 50501 North County San Diego

September 29, 2025 (Escondido) - Approximately 100 residents from Ramona, Temecula, Escondido, San Diego, and other locations joined in a 'We are All Immigrants' rally on September 27^th in Escondido.  The rally was organized by the North County chapters of Indivisible and 50501.

East County News Service

September 28, 2025 (Otay Lakes) -- San Diego sector Border Patrol agents rescued an injured cyclist, Keith Leyva, after he fell over 40 feet from a cliff into a remote canyon.

By Sir Milo Loftin, County of San Diego Communications Office

September 28, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Andrew Strong has been honored with the inaugural Partners for Justice Champion Award for his leadership and innovative support of public defense.

Source:  Heartland Coin Club

September 28, 2025 (El Cajon) - The Heartland Coin Club announces its highly anticipated Coin Show, taking place on Saturday, October 25, 2025 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the El Cajon Elks Lodge, El Cajon, CA. This event offers  opportunity for coin enthusiasts, collectors, and curious minds to come together and explore the fascinating world of numismatics.

East County News Service

Sept. 27, 2025 (San Diego County) -- Health insurance can feel confusing and daunting, and typically is expensive.

But Covered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act Marketplace, offers a less stressful way to shop for and compare plans, and works with all the major health insurance companies to negotiate the lowest possible prices for coverage, helping reduce costs and increase options for consumers throughout California.

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies, and is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs.

East County News Service

Photo:  sign posted by East County residents when two sexually violent predators were proposed for release in their neighborhood

September 27, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) announced the passage of his Senate Bill 380, which directs the Department of State Hospitals to examine placing sexually violent predators in state-run transitional housing facilities upon release. Current law allows for their conditional release into the community where they pose a significant risk to the public safety.

Source:  Alex Padilla

September 26, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) announced that the Senate unanimously passed their bipartisan legislation to strengthen the cybersecurity protocols for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in response to previous outages that resulted in a day-long outage for those in crisis. The 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act passed as part of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes key public health programs focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery for patients with substance use disorder.

Photo courtesy San Diego Padres Instagram

East County News Service

Sept. 25, 2025 (San Diego) -- The San Diego Padres are playoff-bound, clinching a postseason berth earlier this week with a strong performance that bookends a regular season defined by a scorching start and solid finish.

The Padres hold a record of 87-72 heading into a final weekend series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Pads are currently second in the National League West -- behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (90-69) -- and have confirmed their status as a serious NL contender, ready for a postseason run, with the Friar Faithful ready and the quest for a World Series title officially on the table.

The Padres' playoff berth was secured Monday, Sept. 22, via a dramatic 11th-inning walk-off win over the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-4, with Freddy Fermin delivering the game-winning single. At that point the Padres improved to 86-71 to clinch the postseason spot. 

The 2025 season has been bookended by flashes of dominance.

East County News Service

Sept. 24, 2025 (Washington D.C.) -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has signed a new five-year contract for American-made fire retardant with Perimeter Solutions, supporting the U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior’s aerial wildland fire suppression programs.

The agreement secures significant savings, putting the American taxpayer first, while strengthening our manufacturing base by keeping fire-retardant production made in America.

“At USDA we are negotiating contracts that respect the American taxpayer and align with President Trump’s common sense business mindset that ensures we are not being taken advantage of anymore." Rollins said. "This contract is a tremendous win for America’s taxpayers, our rural communities, and the brave men and women who fight wildfires every day.

“By locking in historic cost savings and bringing every step of the fire-retardant supply chain back to American soil, we are protecting lives, saving communities from destruction, and keeping America safe, strong, and resilient. This agreement proves that when we put America first, we get the best results for our people and our land.”