By Miriam Raftery
Photo, left: Gaza bombing by Israel, WAFA for news agency APA, creative commons via WIkiPalestine
January 15, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – President Joe Biden today announced, “After many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal.”
The deal is slated to halt fighting in Gaza, surge humanitarian aide to Palestinian civilians, and return hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023 attack in Israel, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Biden indicated the cease-fire is based on a plan he laid out May 31,which the United Nations Security Council endorsed. The action comes after a cease-fire in Lebanon with Hezbollah and weakening of Iran, both allies of Hamas.
T
he Hamas attack killed over 1,200 Israelis. Israel’s military retaliation in Gaza has killed tens of thousands, displacing up to 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, according to the Associated Press. Many of those are injured, have lost homes, or at risk of famine.
Photo, right: Hamas attack at Jewish kibbutz in Israel, via Israeli press office
“It is long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin,” said Biden, who voiced empathy for Israeli families who lost loved ones in the Hamas attack as well as for the “many innocent people killed in the war that followed.”
An estimated 100 hostages remain in Gaza, though the Israeli military believes at least a third are dead, according to the Associated Press. Seven American families have members taken hostage by Hamas, of whom three are believed to still be alive.
The cease-fire calls for a phased plan starting with release of 33 women, children, wounded civilians and older adults in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children prisoners. Soldiers and other male captives will be released in the second-phase.
The deal comes after U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump stated on social media last month that there would be “hell to pay” if hostages were not released by his inauguration on January 20. “It will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” he later told reporters.
News of the cease fire prompted mixed reactions.
The Jewish Democratic Council of America stated that its members are “relieved and hopeful that the hostages will soon be reunited with their loved ones” and thanked President Biden and his team. The group urged the incoming Trump administration to “follow through on the measurable progress made by President Biden to end the war in Gaza and ensure that all parties honor their commitments.”
Crowds gathered in Gaza to celebrate news of the cease fire deal, CBS reports. "I am very happy, and today is the day I wished to hear about since the beginning of the war. God is sending us hope,” an elderly man told CBS.
Hamas leader al-Hayya, however, hinted at revenge, Al-Jazeera reports. “We say, in the name of the orphans and the children and the widows, in the name of people with destroyed homes, in the name of the families of the martyrs and the wounded, in the name of all the victims, in the name of every drop of blood that was spilled, and in the name of every tear of pain and agony: We won’t forget, and we won’t forgive,” al-Hayya said.
The World Jewish Conference took a longer term view, “This is not just Israel’s battle; it is a fight for the values of humanity itself,” the group stated, San Diego Jewish World reports. “The international community must keep up the pressure on Hamas and refuse to again allow terror to reign over the Gaza Strip. Only when terrorism is eradicated and the rule of law and decency restored can Israelis and Palestinians begin to live side by side in lasting peace and security. “Today, we are grateful to those who brought about this agreement, and we insist that it by fully implemented. But we also redouble our commitment to a secure future for Israel and the region. The road ahead is steep, but we are steadfast in our belief that even in darkness, light can prevail.”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the ceasefire announcement, adding, “The priority now must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict. The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer,” he said at a news conference.
Photo: County Supervisor Jim Desmond delivering his State of North County speech in June. (File photo courtesy of Desmond’s office)
January 16, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond announced that he will run for Congress.
The District 5 Republican said on Thursday that he hopes to “restore common-sense leadership” and is a candidate who prioritizes real-world solutions.
“It’s becoming unbearable to live in California,” Desmond said in a press release.
“The cost of living is driving working families and seniors out of this state.”
The 49th Congressional District straddles San Diego and Orange Counties, including the communities of Oceanside, Vista, Encinitas, Carlsbad, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, and others.
The district is currently represented by Democratic Party Congressman Mike Levin, who easily defeated his Republican opponent in both San Diego and Orange counties in the 2024 general election.
More information about Jim Desmond and his congressional run, including his list of priorities, can be found here.
January 16, 2025 (Washington D.C.) — During 2024, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted a total of 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport and onboard aircraft. Approximately 94% of these firearms were loaded. This total is a minor decrease from the 6,737 firearms stopped in 2023. Throughout 2024, TSA managed its “Prepare, Pack, Declare” public awareness campaign to explain the steps for safely traveling with a firearm.
"One firearm at a checkpoint is too many,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “Firearms present a safety risk for our employees and everyone else at the checkpoint. It’s also costly and slows down operations. If individuals who carry a firearm intend to travel, we remind them that the firearm must be unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case, declared to the airline at the check-in counter and transported in checked baggage.”
In 2024, TSA screened more than 904 million people, meaning the agency intercepted 7.4 firearms per million people, a decrease from 7.8 firearms per million people in 2023.
| Total passengers screened | Total number of firearms | Average number of firearms per day | Percentage loaded | Rate per million passengers |
2024 | 904 million | 6,678 | 18.2 | 94% | 7.4 |
2023 | 858 million | 6,737 | 18.4 | 93% | 7.8 |
When a firearm is detected at a security checkpoint, a TSO immediately contacts local law enforcement, who will remove the individual and the firearm from the checkpoint area. Depending on local laws, the law enforcement officer may arrest or cite the individual. TSA does not confiscate firearms. In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, individuals who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint face a maximum civil penalty of $14,950, will have their TSA PreCheck® eligibility revoked for at least five years and will undergo enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present, which takes up additional time.
For more information on how to properly travel with a firearm, visit the transporting firearms and ammunition page on TSA.gov. View the complete list of penalties on TSA.gov.
For the 2024 Firearms infographic, please click on the link below.
By Miriam Raftery
January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Hours after being sworn into office in the Capitol Rotunda, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order protecting all of the nearly 1,600 people accused or convicted of crimes stemming from the Capitol attack four years earlier. On January 6, 2021, the violent mob assaulted and injured 140 police officers, forcing terrified lawmakers to flee or hide while the mob tried to halt the peaceful transfer of power.
Trump’s order issued a blanket pardon for nearly all of the insurrectionists, erasing their felony records and freeing all who were serving prison sentences, even those convicted of attacking police officers or armed with weapons including firearms, stun guns, flagpoles, fire extinguishers, bike racks, batons, a metal whip, office furniture, pepper spray, bear spray, a tomahawk ax, a hatchet, a hockey stick, knuckle gloves, a baseball bat, a massive “Trump” billboard, “Trump” flags, a pitchfork, pieces of lumber, crutches and even an explosive device.
In addition, he commuted sentences for 14 members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy, including the groups’ leaders, Stewart Rhodes and Enrique Tarrio, who were serving 18- and 22- year sentences for their roles in organizing the attacks. Both men are now free.
Trump also directed his Attorney General to drop all remaining charges against individuals accused of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol attack, but whose cases had not yet gone to trial.
Trump mischaracterized those imprisoned as “hostages,” when in fact all were provided with due process and were convicted by juries of their peers of serious crimes, including violent assaults documented on TV and security videos.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray has called Proud Boys and Oath Keepers “violent extremists” who committed “domestic terrorism” in his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Some Capitol attackers threatened to kill members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence, even erecting a gallows outside. They also sought to stop certification of electoral college votes, after Trump convinced his followers that the election had been stolen from him. Yet 62 judges, some appointed by Trump, all found no evidence of fraudulent election results.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cailf.), who was House leader during the attack, called Trump’s actions “shameful” and “a betrayal of police officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peaceful transfer of power,” NBC News reports.
Trump’s executive order states that it “ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national healing.
But ABC news reports that some Department of Justice officials have voiced alarm over the prospect of violent convicted offenders going free—potentially able to retaliate with violence against prosecutors, judges or witnesses.
By Miriam Raftery
Image: Wong Kim Ark, whose landmark 1898 lawsuit led to a Supreme Court ruling affirming citizenship for all children born in the U.S., regardless of parents' immigration status. Born in the U.S.,Kim had been denied reentry after traveling abroad. Photo via 1904 immigration document.
January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Multiple lawsuits have been filed seeking to block an executive order yesterday issued by President Donald Trump which aims to end birthright citizenship. Trump’s order seeks to end citizenship from being issued to children born in the U.S. if the parents are not in the U.S. legally In addition, his order would prohibit citizenship from children born to a mother who is in the U.S. on a temporary and legal basis, such as student, work, or tourist visas, unless the father is a citizen or lawful permanent resident. The order would take effect in 30 days, on Feb. 19, and apply to children born on or after that date.
The order is in direct contradiction to the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” Trump’s order contends that children of undocumented immigrants as well as children born to mothers here on a temporary basis are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S..
The 14th amendment was adopted after the Supreme Court’s ruling in the controversial Dred Scott v.Sandford case back in 1857, in which justices held that children of slaves were not entitled to citizenship. After passage of the 14th Amendment, a later Supreme Court case in 1898 ruled that Wong Kim Ark, an American citizen born in San Francisco, was wrongly denied reentry to the U.S. after a trip abroad and affirmed the Chinese-American man’s right to citizenship.
Today, in separate lawsuits, a coalition led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and numerous states led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, seek to protect rights of all children born in the U.S.
“Denying citizenship to U.S.-born children is not only unconstitutional—it’s also a reckless and ruthless reputation of American values,” says ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero in a statement . The ACLU lawsuit is joined by the Asian Law Caucus, State Democracy Defenders Fund, and Legal Defense Fund. The suit seeks temporary and permanent injunctions to block the executive order from taking effect.
California Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit on behalf of 18 states and the City of San Francisco, seeking an immediate temporary injunction to block implementation while litigation proceeds. Bonta calls Trump’s order “blatantly unconstitutional and quite frankly, un-American. As home of Wong Kin Ark, a San Francisco native who fought—successfully—to have his U.S. citizenship recognized, California condemns the President’s attempts to erase history and ignore 125 years of Supreme Court precedent.”
He adds, “If allowed to stand, the order would strip tens of thousands of children born each year of their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as rightful citizens, with all the benefits and privileges,” adding that such children would then live under threat of deportation, also losing their ability to obtain a Social Security number, work lawfully, vote, serve on juries, or run for public office.
Trump’s order would also be costly to states, putting them at risk of losing federal funding for program such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which are conditioned on the citizenship and immigration status of children served. States would have to foot the bill for modifying the operation and administration of such programs on very short notice if the Feb.19 implementation deadline is not blocked. Such action would cause “irreparable harm to the states and their residents,” Bonta’s statement concludes.
By Miriam Raftery
January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Among the dozens of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump yesterday after his inauguration is a notice to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). Under a 1948 law, withdrawal requires one-year notification and Congressional approval, Associated Press (AP) reports.
If completed, withdrawal by the U.S., a founding partner of WHO, would drop one-fifth of WHO’s funding and prevent the U.S. and the American medical community from accessing vital health resources and data.
Trump previously tried to withdraw from WHO in 2019, but President Biden rejoined the organization after his election before the waiting period ended. In July 2020, amid the pandemic, a joint statement by the American Medical Association and three other medical organizations representing pediatricians, family physicians and other doctors strongly opposed Trump’s withdrawal order, calling it “dangerous.”
The medical groups’ letter stated that withdrawal would put ”the health of our country at grave risk. As leading medical organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of physicians, we join in strong opposition to this decision, which is a major setback to science, public health, and global coordination efforts needed to defeat COVID-19. The WHO plays a leading role in protecting, supporting, and promoting public health in the United States and around the world. The agency has been on the frontlines of every global child health challenge over the last seven decades, successfully eradicating smallpox, vaccinating billions against measles, and cutting preventable child deaths by more than half since 1990. Withdrawing from the WHO puts these investments at risk and leaves the United States without a seat at the table—at a time when our leadership is most desperately needed.”
Yesterday’s executive order claims WHO mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for unspecified reforms cites political influence of member states, and cites “onerous” payments by the U.S. that are higher than China’s sharem even though China has a larger population. Trump has previously faulted WHO for changing advisories such as for masking and social distancing as more information became available about the new COVID-19 virus.
WHO issued a statement saying it “regrets” Trump’s withdrawal from the global health authority and voiced hope that the U.S. will reconsider “for the wellbeing of millions of people around the globe.”
““The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 other Member States, including through its active participation in the World Health Assembly and Executive Board,” WHO stated.
The statement continues, “For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats,” it added. “Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership of WHO.”
“WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go, the statement continued,” adding, “With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past 7 years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues.
According to the AP, withdrawing from WHO could prevent the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and other health agencies from accessing information on WHO-coordinated programs ranging from flu vaccine development to genetic databases.
Dr. Ashish Jha, who served as White House Covid-19 response coordinator during the Biden administration, called Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO in his second term a “strategic error.”
“WHO is a pretty essential organization — and with America’s withdrawal, it creates a political vacuum that only one country can fill — and that is China,” Jha said in an interview with CNN on Monday.
He predicted that China will step up for the organization in the absence of US funding and leadership, which could, in turn, “give China more political influence around the world.”
Update 4 p.m.: Evacuations have been listed and forward spread has been stopped.
Update 11 a.m. -- The evacuation center at Castle Creek Golf Course has closed. Evacutees should go to Riverview Church,4980 Sweetgrass Lane in Bonsall.
January 21, 2025 (Bonsall) -- The #LilacFire in Bonsall has burned 80 acres and destroyed two homes, with 10% containment. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered. The fire is burning along Old Highway 395 and North Lilac Rd.
View evacuation areas at the Genaysis mapping site. An evacuation center is at the Castle Creek Golf Course, 8797 Circle R Drive in Escondido 92026. Large animals can be taken to the CRC Ranch at 43101 Anza Rd in Temecula - per San Diego Sheriff's on X.
All schools in Bonsall are closed today due to the fire, according to the Bonsall Unified School District.
A second blaze that started overnight, the Pala Fire, is 100% contained at 17 acres. That fire was located west of I-15 and 2 miles north of Highway 76 in Pala.
Firefighters are making good progress on the fire, Cal Fire posted on X.
Sign up for East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts, which are free via email, at the top right side of our homepage.
You can also follow EastCountyAlert on X.
By Miriam Raftery
January 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fresh is offering up to one month of benefits to replce food lost due to a power outage or natural disaster—but you must apply within 10 days of food loss.
That news comes as welcome relief for residents in rural East County, where some have lost power multiple times recently due to planned public saety power outages by SDG&E to prevent wildfires, as well as from other causes.
You can qualify for replacement food cost benefits if you had food spoilage due to:
- A power outage lasted longer than four hours
- Utilities were shut off for any reason
- A freezer or refrigerator stopped working
To apply, download a Replacement/Affidavit/Authoriization Form (CF-303) at https://SDHunger.org/replacement-calfresh . More details below.
To submit your form, you can either walk it into your local Health and Human Services office, contact a local CalFresh Application Assistance Provider at https://sdhunger.org/calfresh-assistance, or submit the form online at https://GetCalFresh.org/docs.
Questions? If you need help finding or filling out the correct form, submitting your request, or have other questions, contact one of the following local CalFresh Applicant Assistance Providers at:
4058 Willows Rd.,Alpine 91901, phone (619)445-1188 exdt. 543
36350 Church Rd., Campo 91906, phone (619)445-1199 ext.545.
By Cassie N. Saunders, County of San Diego Communications Office
January 20, 2025 (Ramona) - The new Ramona Community Resource Center is open, providing those in the area with a one-stop place with access to many County services like mental health, nutrition, and healthcare.
The $15 million facility replaces one that had been in operation since 1988. Centrally located on the corner of 12th and Main Streets, the facility is next to a County library branch. A 100-unit senior affordable housing complex on the property is being planned and should be up and running in the coming years.
The center is expected to see around 6,000 visits in the next year. Nearly 9,000 people in the community are now receiving County services, including CalFresh and medical assistance.
The state-of-the-art building includes new services to better support Ramona residents, including services for older adults and veterans. It was planned and built with input from the community and includes a conference room that is available for the community to reserve upon request.
A dream 25 years in the making, the County Board of Supervisors took the first step and approved the purchase of land from the California Department of Transportation in 2017. A design-build contract was awarded to Nielsen Construction in 2022 and the County worked with Sillman Architects on what the center would look like. The County broke ground on the project in June 2023.
The one story, 7,300 square foot building is designed to reflect the community and its residents and includes public art.
The center achieves a gold standard rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building is also zero net energy, meaning it will generate more energy from the solar panels on its roof than it consumes each year. It also achieved a 30% reduction in embodied carbon which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Ramona Community Resource Center is part of the County’s work to expand accessibility, equitably across the region. Local business, small businesses, and disadvantaged businesses participated in its construction, including in the excavation and earthwork, fire protection, framing and door hardware, material supplies, and artwork.
Since 2020, the County has opened two other new resource centers, the North Coastal Live Well Center in November 2020, and the Southeastern Live Well Center in July 2023.
Update 4 p.m.: Forward spread has been stopped and fixed-wing aircraft dismissed, though helicopters remain on scene.
East County News Service
January 20, 2025 (Poway) – Structures are immediately threatened by a brush fire in Poway. The #TedWilliamsFire is burning along Ted Williams Parkway and Pomerado Road.
Evacuations are being conducted near Glen Oak Road, Watch Duty App reports. Evacuation details: www.AlertSD.org.
The blaze has charred three acres thus far and comes amid a Red Flag Alert due to dry conditions and potential for very high winds.Sign up to receive free East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts via email at the top right side of our homepage. Also follow EastCountyAlert on X.