March 2025

Source: California Attorney General's Office

March 21, 2025 (Oakland) - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert to customers of 23andMe, a genetic testing and information company. The California-based company has publicly reported that it is in financial distress and stated in securities filings that there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue, which is a growing concern. Due to the trove of sensitive consumer data 23andMe has amassed, Attorney General Bonta reminds Californians of their right to direct the deletion of their genetic data under the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) and California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA). Californians who want to invoke these rights can do so by going to 23andMe's website. 

County’s Planning Group to hear controversial proposal on April 18

Story and photos by Karen Pearlman

Photo,left: Valle de Oro Community Planning Group members during packed hearing on Cottonwood Sand Mine

March 20, 2025 (Rancho San Diego)  – More than 100 residents who would be most affected by the proposed Cottonwood Sand Mine gathered in force Tuesday, March 18 at the Rancho San Diego Library to let the Valle de Oro Community Planning Group know they don’t want it in their neighborhood.

After listening to more than two dozen people share their concerns, the community planning group voted 11-0 to recommend opposing the project that would see 214 acres of the former 280-acre Cottonwood Golf Course along Willow Glen Drive in Rancho San Diego turned into a digging site for sand mining for at least 10 years. 

The group also voted 10-1, with one abstention, to not agree with a design exception review to waive the undergrounding overhead utilities along Willow Glen Road.

By Miriam Raftery

March 21, 2025 (Borrego Springs) – An international aerobatics competition will be held at the Borrego Springs airport Thursday through Saturday, April 10-12, organized by the International Aerobatic Club’s Chapter 36.  A highlight for viewers is Saturday’s four-minute freestyle flights set to music, usually involving smoke, flown by top pilots, IAC36 president Bryan Jones advises.

Thursday is practice and registration, while Friday features contest flights all day long.

You can also stop by the Propeller Bar and Grill, where you can enjoy food and drinks plus a rooftop deck to view the flying.

March 18, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – It’s springtime in East County—the season for flower festivals, Easter egg hunts, Lakeside’s rodeo and Western Days Parade, outdoor roller skating at Viejas and bunny rides aboard a historic train in Campo.

This  April, you can also enjoy a roaring ‘20s party atop Mt. Helix for the  Mt. Helix Park’s centennial celebration, a Taste of Lakeside, a mystery dinner theater in El Cajon, plus a winetasting festival in Ramona.

Scroll down for details on these activities and more.

March 21, 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

• Issa Sues State, Saying Counting Mail-in Ballots After Election Day Violates Law (Times of San Diego)
• Supervisor pushing for notice to residents as federal funding in question (City News Service)
• Marni von Wilpert Announces Candidacy For State Senate in District 40 (Times of San Diego)
• Quiz: Where do the candidates for county supervisor in District 1 stand on the issues that matter to you? (KPBS)
• El Cajon-based raw cat food recalled after 2 pets sickened: Here's which products are affected (CBS)
• Fire destroys family-owned McDonald's restaurant in Spring Valley (KGTV)
• Imperial Beach mayor's EPA superfund request for Tijuana sewage denied (KGTV)

STATE

• California joins 19 Democratic states in suit to stop massive Education Department layoffs (Los Angeles Times)
• California’s Medi-Cal shortfall hits $6.2 billion with ‘unprecedented’ cost increases (KPBS)
• SoCal Edison investigating ‘zombie’ power line as possible start of Eaton Fire (KTLA)
• California has 30 new proposals to rein in AI. Trump could complicate them (Cal Matters)
• Gavin Newsom shocks LGBTQ allies with criticism of transgender athletes (Cal Matters)

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

"We won't be silent as anti-public education politicians try to steal opportunities from our students, our families, and our communities to pay for tax cuts for billionaires," said the head of the nation's largest labor union.

By Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams

March 20, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday afternoon directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of shutting down the Department of Education.

East County News Service

March 20, 2025 (Ramona) -- The Ramona Valley Vintners Association and the Ramona Chamber of Commerce invite you to Cheers to the Valley Wine Festival on Saturday, April 5 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Begent Ranch (18528 Highland Valley Rd., Ramona).

March 19, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Kennedy gives food company CEOs an ultimatum (Politico)
• USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks (Politico)
• Bird flu-infected San Bernardino County dairy cows may have concerning new mutation (Los Angeles Times)
• As Texas measles outbreak grows, U.S. cases quickly surpass total for all of 2024 (NBC)
• Doctors didn't warn women of 'risky sex' drug urges (BBC)
• DOGE wants access to very personal information of Americans  (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• NASA’s Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore finally return home after more than nine months in space  (CNN)
• DOGE cuts could end decades of ground-breaking climate research in Hawaii (USA Today)
• This machine turns carbon dioxide into fuel (BBC)

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

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

March 19, 2025 (San Diego) - On March 9^th we changed our clocks "back" for daylight savings. Did you change your smoke detector batteries and check their condition asks Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths occurred in homes without working smoke alarms. Since most fatal fires occur at night, it’s essential that every home have working smoke alarms to provide an early warning.