February 2025

Our guide to delicious desserts in San Diego's inland region

San Diego’s East County has many options to satisfy your sweet tooth, thanks to our diverse population and rich heritage. From all-American Julian apple pies, candy cottages and ice cream parlors to international desserts such as Franch pastries, Mexican cakes and Middle Eastern baklava, you’ll find a wide variety of delicious desserts to savor—and even a vegan bakery.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  Alexis & Deondre

February 15, 2025 (San Diego) - The day started with a few showers, but the sun came out for many couples saying “I do” on Valentine’s Day.

February 15, 2025 (Spring Valley) -- The Casa de Oro Alliance invites members of the community who have been affected by flooding to a community dialogue to help bring the community together and build resilience.

Issue prompts drive to recall Councilman Phil Ortiz

By Alex Schorr and Miriam Raftery

View video

Photo, left:  Resolution opponents hold up sign denouncing hate and likening ICE roundups to “Gestapo” tactics

February 14, 2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon’s City Council on Tuesday passed a controversial resolution allowing the city’s police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and hand over any undocumented who has been convicted of a violent crime, as well as immigrants merely accused of a crime.  The measure was introduced by Mayor Bill Wells, with backing of Councilmember Phil Ortiz and amendments by Councilman Steve Goble.

The meeting was contentious, sparked by numerous emotional outbursts, threats to recall Councilmember Ortiz for supporting the resolution, and playing of phone threats made against Councilmembers who voted against the measure previously.

Just two weeks ago, the Council rejected a similar proposal by a 3-2 vote, but reversed that action on Wednesday after Councilmember Goble switched sides.

February 14, 2025 -- 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.

DOGE controversy

• Trump and Musk’s dismantling of government is shaking the foundations of US democracy (AP)
• As Musk cuts federal spending, his own firms have received billions in contracts (ABC News)

Legal actions

• Elon Musk’s DOGE sued by 14 states (Newsweek)
• Trump administration pauses prosecutions of individuals and entities bribing foreign officials  (Jurist)
• Inspectors general fired by Trump file lawsuit to get their jobs back (ABC)
• A 2nd U.S. judge says Trump administration must pause its federal spending freeze  (NPR)
• Judge blocks Trump’s executive order on transgender prisoners (Politico)
• Trump sued in attempt to block his anti-diversity orders (Reuters)
• Oath Keepers founder barred from D.C., U.S. Capitol unless judge signs off  (NPR)
• Jan. 6 court evidence ‘disappeared,’ attorneys for press group say  (NPR)

Cabinet appointments

• Trump Cabinet confirmation status: Which nominees have been confirmed? (AP)
• Trump’s FCC chief investigates NPR, PBS (NPR)
• ‘Terrifying’: Public Health Experts React to Senate’s Confirmation of RFK Jr. to Lead HHS (Time Magazine)
• Senate confirms Doug Burgum as interior secretary after Trump tasked him to boost drilling (AP)
• Trump's FBI chief pick, Kash Patel, insists he has no 'enemies list' and won't seek retribution (AP)
• Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to oversee US spy agencies, grilled about Snowden, Syria and Russia (AP)
• Trump’s pick to lead counter-terrorism unit is a white supremacist dream (New Republic)

Immigration

• Homan warns daily migrant arrests will 'steadily increase' as Trump admin targets nonviolent illegal aliens (Fox)
• Trump will send up to 30K illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay: ‘It’s a tough place to get out of’ (New York Post)
• ’Legal black hole’: ACLU sues over immigrants being sent to Guantanamo (USA Today)
• Trump signs first bill of his second presidency, the Laken Riley Act, into law (NPR)
• Trump Immigration Targets: Ukrainians, Venezuelans, Haitians (NY Times)
• Some migrants arrested in Trump's immigration crackdown have been released back into the U.S. (NBC)
• Trump administration begins sending migrants to Guantánamo Bay (Washington Post)

Safety and oversight

• Trump fires heads of TSA, Coast Guard and guts key aviation safety advisory committee (AP)
• Trump fires the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (AP)
• Air traffic controllers were initially offered buyouts and told to consider leaving government  (AP)
• Trump ends Fauci's security detail and says he'd feel no responsibility if harm befell him (AP)

Protests

Protesters in cities across the US rally against Trump’s policies, Project 2025 and Elon Musk (AP)

Women’s health

• Government's reproductive rights resource goes dark hours into new Trump administration (RawStory)

WORLD

• South Africa suspends American businesses and mineral exports (Maravi Post)
• What would happen if the US military went after cartels on Mexican soil? (Guardian)
• Europe fears Trump-Putin ‘dirty deal’ as Ukraine scrambles for a seat at the table(CNN)
• El Salvador’s millennial dictator offers to hold American criminals in mega prisons (Yahoo News)
• Russian drone struck Chernobyl reactor shell but radiation levels normal, Zelenskyy says (AP)
• Syria's new leader denounces Iran, calling its proxies a regional threat  (NPR)
• European Leaders Condemn Musk's 'Ominous' Push for Germany to 'Forget' Holocaust (Common Dreams)
• Colombia yields on US deportation flights to avert trade war (BBC)
• A U.S. dual citizen is among 3 Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners (NPR)
• Emergency crews deployed on Santorini as an earthquake swarm worries Greek experts (AP)
• Baltic nations count final hours to ending electricity ties to Russia   (NPR)

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

By Patrick Cameron, El Cajon

February 13, 2025 (El Cajon) -- In one of Donald Trump’s first acts in office, he stripped away protections for schools, hospitals, and places of worship from immigration enforcement. These were once safe spaces where people could learn, receive health care, and pray without fear. Now they have been turned into targets for ICE raids.

This is unconscionable. As the world’s largest historical climate polluter, the United States has a responsibility to immigrants. Our pollution is causing the climate chaos — droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising waters — that is forcing people in Latin America, Asia, Africa and elsewhere to leave their homes. Others are fleeing violence, poverty, and hunger — all of which are caused or made worse by the climate crisis.

People have the right to be able to leave their homes and migrate with dignity to find safe haven. But right now, immigrant families are facing the unimaginable: the fear that seeking education or health care could mean deportation, or that a peaceful moment of prayer might be shattered by ICE agents barging in.

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Tara McGrath. Courtesy Southern District of California

February 13, 2025 (San Diego) - After 16 months as the chief federal law enforcement official in San Diego, Tara McGrath has been given her walking papers by the White House.

February 13, 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

• After D.C jet crash, a closer look at San Diego air traffic controller numbers (10 News)
• Investigation continues into military fighter jet crash in San Diego Bay (10 News)
• How getting rid of the Dept. of Education would impact San Diego schools (10 News)
• Jewish Family Service of San Diego announces potential layoffs of its migrant shelter workers   (NBC 7)
• Expecting budget shortfall, Lawson-Remer wants 'no stones unturned' on plans to raise revenue  (KPBS)
• How a Poway City Councilman earned the city’s first-ever censure (Voice of San Diego)
• Residents shocked to learn hundreds of ADUs proposed in Encanto (NBC)
• Friends clash in county special election (La Prensa)
• Peaceful immigrant rights protest turned 'unlawful' in National City  (10 News)

STATE

• CA Wildfire Recovery: Want To Help? These Charities Are Verified. (Patch.com)
• Feds won’t test soil after L.A. wildfire cleanup, potentially leaving contamination behind   (Los Angeles Times)
• Trump suggests getting rid of FEMA, conditioning federal aid for California (10 News)
• Massive Salton Sea lithium project gets judge’s go-ahead, ending advocates’ lawsuit (KPBS)
• The water unexpectedly released from dams on Trump's order didn't help farms or L.A. (MSN)

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