February 2025

East County News Service

February 10, 2025 (El Segundo) – Tri-Union Seafoods has recalled canned tuna products sold under the Trader Joe’s, Van Camp’s, Genova and H-E-B brands due to defective pull-top resulting in leakage and potential contamination with botulism, a deadly toxin.  The products were sold in many states, including Genova 5 oz. cans sold in California at Walmart, Kroger, H-E-B, Public, Harris Teeter and independent retailers.  Retailers in other states include Trader Joe’s and Costco.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 10, 2025 (San Diego) - With the National Weather Service predicting the first heavy rains across San Diego County this week, the County and CAL FIRE are offering advice and free sandbags to residents and businesses in the unincorporated areas.

Major funding for schools nationwide is at stake 
 

By G.A. McNeeley

February 10, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – The Trump administration has begun drafting an executive order that would begin the process of eliminating the Department of Education, CNN reports. This order would instruct the Secretary of Education to create a plan to diminish the department through executive action. Since Congressional approval is required to eliminate any agency created by Congressional action, Trump also plans to push Congress to pass legislation that would abolish the department.

In an Oval Office press briefing, Trump stated, “I believe strongly in school choice, but in addition to that, I want the states to run schools.” He added that he wants his Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon to “put herself out of a job.”

Photo:  Councilman Steve Goble is the likely swing vote when the El Cajon City Council reconsiders an amended version of a controversial immigration measure on Feb. 11.

By Miriam Raftery

February 10, 2025 (El Cajon) -  A controversial measure to allow El Cajon Police officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities is back on tomorrow’s agenda. The newly revised version includes changes from an earlier version that was voted down 3-2  after a five-hour hearing with emotional testimony on both sides. View revised draft.

The immigration matter is scheduled at the end of a 3 p.m. meeting tomorrow. However, there is an earlier 2 p.m. special meeting on unrelated issues. Activists on both sides have been advising the public to arrive early, since seats may fill up for the first meeting with people planning to stay for both meetings.

The original measure was introduced by Mayor Bill Wells and Councilman Phil Ortiz, who voted in favor. Councilmembers Gary Kendrick, Michelle Metschel and Steve Goble voted no, after several attempts at compromise measures failed. The newest reversion includes amended language proposed by Councilmember Goble.

East County News Service

February 9, 2025 (Julian) – The proposed supervised placement of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely at a home on Wynola Road in Julian has been cancelled, CBS 8 reports, after the homeowner withdrew the property from consideration.

East County News Service

February 9, 2025 (Jamul) -- The Jamul-Dulzura Planning Group is seeking funds from San Diego County’s Department of Public Works to develop a community park in Jamul. While exploring potential locations for the park, the Planning Group has launched a survey asking community members what features they would like to see in the new community park.

“As we explore potential locations for this park, we want to ensure it meets the needs and desires of our community,” an email from the planning group states. To take the survey, click here.

East County News Service

February 9, 2025 (Oakland, CA) – Last week, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Trump administration from carrying out a spending freeze. “Each day that the pause continues to ripple across the country is an additional day that Americans are being denied access to programs that heal them, house them, and feed them,” Judge Loren AliKhan wrote in the ruling.

Now California Attorney General is accusing the Trump administration of defying the judge’s order and continuing to block funds to states under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA and the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, also known as the bipartisan infrastructure act). Bonta on Feb. 7 filed a motion on behalf of 23 state attorneys general. The motion asks the court to enforce the earlier ruling and and to order Defendants to immediately restore funds until the preliminary injunction motion can be heard and decided.

The coalition seeks to preliminarily enjoin the Trump Administration’s funding freeze, emphasizing the widespread and irreparable harm to states, which rely on billions of dollars of critical federal assistance for public services that ensure access to education, clean air and water, and health care and that support essential infrastructure projects.  More than $100 billion in Medicaid funding, tens of billions in infrastructure and climate funding, among the funding at risk in just California, according to a press release issued by Bonta. 

Source:  AAUW

February 9, 2025 (La Mesa/El Cajon) - March 8, 2025, is the La Mesa-El Cajon Branch of the American Association of University Women's monthly meeting featuring Hannah Plackowski (left), Account Executive from the San Diego Padres and Sarah Cloutier, Executive Assistant to the CEO of the New York Liberty discussing empowering women in sports.