Photo of some of the 40 dogs rescued from La Mesa courtesy San Diego Humane Society

East County News Service

Dec. 30, 2025 (La Mesa) -- San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement rescued 40 dogs and puppies from an apartment in La Mesa on Tuesday, Dec. 30, following a welfare check by community police officers.

The rescue comes at a critical time, SDHS officials say, as local shelters are already operating significantly over capacity.

San Diego Humane Officers were notified on the evening of Dec. 29, by the La Mesa Police Department, which was conducting a welfare check on a tenant facing eviction. Those close to the situation said that the tenant had not been seen since Dec. 23. Upon arrival, Humane Officers discovered 40 dogs and puppies living in feces and unsanitary conditions.

By Miriam Raftery

December 30, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Don’t wait until the last minute to mail in a ballot, tax return or other important documents. A change in U.S. Postal Service regulations that took effect December 24 means that mail is no longer considered postmarked on the date that you drop it in a mailbox or at a post office counter. Instead, it won’t be postmarked until it’s processed by an automated USPS sorting machine, which could mean delays of several days.

By Marisa Kendall, CalMatters

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

Photo:  Physician assistant Brett Feldman checks Carla Bolen’s blood pressure at her encampment on the Figueroa Street Viaduct above Highway 110 in Elysian Valley Park in Los Angeles on Nov. 18, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

December 30, 2025 (Sacramento) - Senate Bill 634 would have made a big splash if it survived in the form Pasadena Democrat Sasha Renée Pérez originally intended. She wanted to make it illegal for cities to cite or arrest homeless Californians for sleeping outside. But, faced with intense backlash from cities and law enforcement agencies, the legislator watered down her bill.

By G.A. McNeeley and Miriam Raftery

Image: CC via bing

December 28, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – With both houses of Congress adjourned until January, 22 million Americans can expect to see large increases in Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare premiums, since subsidies will expire on December 31.

 While Democrats fought to extend the subsidies, House Republicans passed their own version of a healthcare bill on December 17 and sent it on to the Senate, however it does not include extending the subsidies, according to CNN.

Photos and story by Karen Pearlman

Dec. 22, 2025 (San Diego) — Across the street from the calm San Diego Bay but amid a rising tide of global concern, some of San Diego County’s top elected officials, law enforcement and multi-faith leaders gathered Monday at the County Administration Center to send a singular message: Hate has no sanctuary in San Diego.

Organized by San Diego County Assessor Jordan Marks (shown speaking in photo above right), Monday afternoon’s "Rally for Light," marked the eighth and final day of Hanukkah, and the hour-long event ended with a ceremonial lighting of a 6-foot hanukkiah (menorah) by local faith leaders, county employees and community members.

While the event celebrated the "Festival of Lights," the atmosphere was underscored by a somber urgency following a string of recent anti-Semitic attacks reaching from San Francisco to an outdoor celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia.

East County News Service

December 22, 2025 (San Diego) – Be prepared for potentially heavy rains this week and take precautions if traveling due to rain-slicked highways and possible flooding in low-lying areas across southern California.

Heaviest rainfall is expected Christmas Eve, with scattered showers on Christmas Day. San Diego’s mountains could get 3 to 6 inches of rain, valleys and coastal areas 2-4 inches, and deserts ½ to 2 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Gusty winds are forecast to blow into San Diego County starting Wednesday, Christmas Eve, with gusts up to 70 miles per hour. Strong winds could pose additional roadway hazards, especially for taller high-profile vehicle.

By Maya C. Miller and Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters

Photo:  a “No on Prop 50” sign at the Kern County Republican Party booth at the Kern County Fair in Bakersfield on Sept. 26, 2025. Republicans are seeking to overturn the congressional maps voters approved last month. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

December 20, 2025 (Sacramento) - Just last week California’s secretary of state officially certified that nearly two-thirds of Californians voted to pass Proposition 50, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to temporarily gerrymander the state’s congressional maps in favor of Democrats.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

December 18, 2025 (Washington D.C.) -- Health care premiums for an estimated 1.7 million Californians are set to skyrocket on January 1, as Congress has been unable to agree on a fix.

On Wednesday, four Republicans joined Democrats to force a vote on a proposal to extend COVID-era subsidies, which won't likely happen until January. Those subsidies make plans cheaper on Affordable Care Act marketplace known as Covered California.

Source:  San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Cohen

December 17, 2025 (San Diego) - Retired longtime San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister passed away earlier this morning. Mr. McAllister served as San Diego County’s Treasurer-Tax Collector for twenty-three years, before retiring in August 2025.

December 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

• Trump administration signs updated agreement with Mexico over Tijuana sewage (KPBS)
• Teacher at Christian Unified High School arrested for alleged sexual assault of family member (Fox 5)
•  New data shows frequency of crashes on Spring St in La Mesa (10 News)
• Who’s stealing bronze plaques from San Diego County libraries? (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)
•  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)
• Mayor Gloria announces effort to allow townhomes in San Diego's single-family neighborhoods (KPBS)
• San Diego County to explore recycling San Onofre nuclear waste (KPBS)

STATE

• Trump administration adds militarized zone in California along southern US border (AP)
• California launches new online portal to report misconduct by federal agents (KGTV)
• Judge orders Trump to end California National Guard troop deployment in Los Angeles (AP)
• 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)
• The hydrants will run dry: Trump's LA fire claims missed the mark, study shows (CalMatters)
• 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)
• 40,000 people died on California roads. State leaders looked away (KPBS)
• As California prisons face ‘wave’ of sex assault lawsuits, new audit highlights slow discipline (CalMatters)

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

December  16,  2025 (San Diego) -- As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Trump's DOJ has sued 18 states to try to access voter data  (NPR)
• Trump Sued By Preservationists Seeking Review Over White House Ballroom Project (Huffington Post)
• Rob Reiner's son Nick arrested on murder charges after director and his wife found dead at their L.A. home (Yahoo news)
• Trump drops tariffs on beef, coffee, tropical fruit as pressure builds on consumer prices (KSBW)
• Epstein Alleged in Emails That Trump Knew of His Conduct (New York Times)
• State Department to deny visas to fact checkers and others, citing 'censorship' (NPR)
• Supreme Court rejects call to overturn its decision legalizing same-sex marriage  (AP)
• Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment Arrives, But Price Data Isn’t Being Updated (NOTUS)
• NTSB warns that defense bill could undermine aviation safety changes after DCA crash (NPR)
• Trump administration limits refugee admissions to mostly white South Africans (AP)
• Trump administration moves to overrule state laws protecting credit reports from medical debt (AP)
• Steve Bannon Reveals ‘There’s a Plan’ for Third Trump Term (Daily Beast)
• Hegseth declares end of US 'utopian idealism' with new military strategy   (Politico)
• Citing AP investigation, senators demand answers on use of full-body restraints during deportations (AP)
• Republican lawmakers lash out at Pentagon for keeping them in  dark (Reuters)
• Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud (ProPublica)
• Congress to withhold Pentagon travel funds until it sees boat strike videos (Politico)

WORLD

• Putin directs drills of Russian nuclear forces as his summit with Trump is put on hold (AP)
• Foreigners allowed to travel to the US without a visa could soon face new social media screening (AP)
• Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will double its non-US exports as Canadians can't rely on US (AP)
• Protests erupt after police raid in Brazil leaves 119 dead and draws accusations of excessive force (AP)
• France adopts consent-based rape law in the wake of landmark Gisèle Pelicot case (AP)
• Russian bombers join Chinese air patrol near Japan as Tokyo-Beijing tie strains (Reuters)
• Magnitude 7.5 quake in northern Japan injures 23 people and triggers a 2-foot tsunami (AP)
• As Russia’s Africa Corps fights in Mali, witnesses describe atrocities from beheading to rapes (AP)
• More than 60 dead as typhoon wreaks havoc in the Philippines (BBC)
• Iranian capital faces water rationing and evacuations if it doesn't rain soon, president warns (AP)
• Mexican president says Mexico will send more water to US but not immediately (AP)

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

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: Rabbi Ysroel Godstein of Poway

December 15, 2025 (Poway) – Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the nephew of Chabad Poway’s founding Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, was among 16 people murdered in a mass shooting yesterday during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.

Goldstein was injured during the April 2019 shooting at Chabad Poway, when he lost a finger and was credited with leading children to safety.