News

By Sergio Olmos, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Farmworkers work on a field outside of Bakersfield in Kern County on July 25 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

January 22, 2025 (Kern County, Calif.) - Acres of orange fields sat unpicked in Kern County this week as word of Border Patrol raids circulated through Messenger chats and images of federal agents detaining laborers spread on local Facebook groups. 

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

“A society is always eager to cover misdeeds with a cloak of forgetfulness, but no society can fully repress an ugly past when the ravages persist to the public. America owes a debt of justice which it has only begun to pay.” – Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a press conference in 1964; public domain image via Wikipedia

January 22, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – While the nation honored slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, President Donald Trump ironically issued sweeping executive orders to revoke not only Biden-era diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) guidelines for all federal agencies, but also roll back actions to protect minorities dating back to the 1960s, such as affirmative action, USA Today reports.

The actions drew swift condemnation from Bernice King, MLK’s daughter.  She posted on social media, “This is what my father described in his book, ‘Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?’, as #WhiteBacklash. That’s when any work and progress in the areas of racial justice and equity are met with assertions that no change is needed; with insistence that programs purposed for preventing pervasive, historically anti-Black policies and practices are harmful and unneeded; and with lies and distortion to convince people to curtail the work and progress.”

She noted that her father’s “dream encompassed eradicating racism, including in healthcare, policing, banking, and education,adding,”We have not done that. So don’t attribute canceling #DEI to wanting to honor #MLK.”

DEI programs aim to assure that people of all backgrounds are welcome and have resources to succeed regardless of race, color, or gender orientation. It differs from affirmative action programs, which have a goal of remedying historical injustices through preferential hiring practices.

Trump’s order claims that DEI has corrupted federal institutions by “replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy.”  His order to eliminate DEI will impact all levels of the federal government, including aviation, medical programs such as Medicare, and federal law enforcement agencies.  The federal government employees over 2 million civilian workers, of whom the largest number, 147,000, are in California, according to the Congressional Research Office.

During Trump’s first term, he issued executive orders to ban government contractors and federal agencies from offering diversity training, even setting up a tip line for whisteblowers to turn in employers who defied the order.

Private-sector employers may be targeted next, a Trump official told USA Today.

Already, some private employers, notably Amazon and Meta,  have announced that they are dropping or scaling back DEI programs.

But other companies are pushing back, such as Apple and Costco. Both have urged shareholders to reject anti-DEI proposals, and argue that diversity initiatives are good for business.

A USA Today investigation suggests the need for DEI remains.  The study found that the top ranks of America’s largest companies remain predominantly white and male.

Civil rights leaders have voiced outrage over Trump’s latest actions.

“We have DEI because you denied us diversity, you denied us equity, you denied us inclusion, “ the Rev.Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, said at the Metropolitan AME church, a historic black church in Washington  D.C.  “DEI was a remedy to the racial institutional bigotry practiced in academia and in these corporations.”

By Henri Migala

Photo: cc via Bing

January 22, 2025 (Washington D.C.) -- On Monday, January 20, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time, once again placing the world's top historic emitter of greenhouse gases outside the global pact aimed at pushing nations to tackle climate change.

The withdrawal comes amid increasingly severe wildfires, hurricanes and other severe weather disasters fueled in large part by rapidly accelerating climate change. A National Climate Assessment study found that climate change is affecting every region in the U.S., across economic sectors.

Far from taking any other steps to reduce carbon emissions, however, President Trump has issued executive orders to end actions aimed at cutting carbon and increase use of fossil fuels that accelerate climate change.

His administration has also deleted all climate change information and references from federal websites, eliminating access to key data for researchers, the press, and the public.

What is the Paris Climate  and why is it important?

The Paris Climate Agreement is a landmark international accord that was adopted by nearly every nation in 2015 to address climate change and its negative impacts. The agreement holds countries accountable to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, while at the same time pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees.

The only countries in the world which have not ratified the 2015 Paris Climate  are Iran, Libya and Yemen. With President Trump’s removal of the United States from the Paris Agreement, the U.S. has now joined those countries.

From the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):

The Paris Climate Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015. It entered into force on 4 November 2016.

Its overarching goal is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”

However, in recent years, world leaders have stressed the need to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of this century. That’s because the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that crossing the 1.5°C threshold risks unleashing far more severe climate change impacts, including more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves and rainfall.

To limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030.

The Paris Climate Agreement  is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations together to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

History of U.S. climate action and commitments under Paris Climate Agreement

The United States' relationship with the Paris Climate Agreement has seen significant shifts, influenced by changes in presidential administrations. Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. was an active participant in the negotiations and played a significant role in shaping the agreement. In 2016, President Obama formally signed the Paris Agreement, committing the U.S. to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025.

In 2017, President Donald Trump, who called climate change “a hoax,” announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, citing concerns about its economic impact and fairness to American industries. The formal withdrawal process took effect in November 2020.

On his first day in office, President Biden formally notified the United Nations of the United States’ intent to rejoin the Agreement, which the US did thirty days later, on February 19, 2021 (a delay required by policy).

The U.S., under President Biden, took an active role in global climate negotiations, aiming to reduce emissions, invest in renewable energy, and encourage other countries to enhance their climate commitments. The U.S. pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and was working to advance both domestic and international climate action.

In 2022, less than two years since taking office, President Biden’s leadership to tackle the climate crisis had boosted U.S. manufacturing and deployment of cost-cutting clean energy technologies, put the country on a durable path aligned with limiting warming to 1.5 °C, and galvanized global action by partners and the private sector – building unprecedented momentum towards achieving critical climate goals and strengthening global resilience.

Former President Biden’s climate action plan, presented at the COP27 (The 27^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Egypt in November 2022, positioned the United States to achieve the ambitious goals of reducing emissions 50-52% below 2005 levels in 2030 and to net-zero by 2050 through a series of unprecedented climate actions. 

These Green New Deal actions were not only reducing emissions, but promised to bolster energy security, help families save money on their energy bills, create good-paying jobs for workers and spur a new era of clean American manufacturing, advance environmental justice, and ensure healthier air and cleaner water for communities.

Trump declares national energy emergency,  moves to worsen greenhouse gas emissions

On Monday, January 20, President Trump terminated America’s commitments to address climate change, both domestically and internationally, while promising to actively and aggressively engage in activities that directly contribute to climate change, such as committing the US to use more fossil fuels that increase greenhouse gas emissions.

The U.S. has been the world’s largest oil and gas producer for years. The CEOs of Exxon  and Chevron have said oil and gas production levels are based on market conditions and are unlikely to change meaningfully in response to Trump’s desire to “drill, baby, drill.”

As part of President Trump’s energy agenda, the President has declared a national energy emergency, arguing that the U.S. faces a “precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply, and an increasingly unreliable grid” that threatens national security.

In anticipation of President Trump’s promise to expand U.S. production and use of fossil fuels, President Biden moved to protect U.S. coastal waters from oil and gas drilling. President Trump has issued an order to revoke Biden’s ban, although it is uncertain if the President has the authority to do so. A federal court struck down a similar order by Trump during his first term that sought to reverse President Obama’s move to protect Arctic and Atlantic waters from similar exploitation. President Trump has also ordered the exploitation of natural resources in formerly-protected , environmentally sensitive raeas in Alaska.

Excerpts from the President’s Executive Order:

Sec. 3.  Implementation.  (a)  The United States Ambassador to the United Nations shall immediately submit formal written notification of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

(b)  The United States Ambassador to the United Nations shall immediately submit written formal notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, or any relevant party, of the United States’ withdrawal from any agreement, pact, , or similar commitment made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

(c)  The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, in collaboration with the Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury, shall immediately cease or revoke any purported financial commitment made by the United States under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

(e)  The U.S. International Climate Finance Plan is revoked and rescinded immediately.  (Note: all references to the US International Climate Finance Plan have been removed from all US government websites and was not available for review for this article).

(f)  Within 30 days of this order, the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Agriculture, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Chief Executive Officer of the International Development Finance Corporation, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, President of the Export-Import Bank, and head of any other relevant department or agency shall submit a report to the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs that details their actions to revoke or rescind policies that were implemented to advance the International Climate Finance Plan.

Global and domestic reactions to the announcement of the second U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement:

World Meteorological Organization Spokesperson Clare Nullis:

"The United States of America accounts for the lion’s share of global economic losses from weather, climate and water-related hazards. According to the U.S. figures, the U.S. has sustained more than 400 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall costs exceeded $1 billion... The need for the Paris Agreement is more urgent than ever."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning:

"China is concerned about the U.S. announcement that it will withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Climate change is a common challenge facing all of humanity. No country can stay out of it, and no country can be immune to it."

Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva:

"President Donald Trump in his inaugural speech started to confirm the most pessimistic predictions about the challenging times to come. His first announcements go against backing the energy transition, combating climate change, and valuing renewable energy. They are the opposite of policies guided by evidence brought by science and common sense imposed by the reality of extreme weather events, including in his own country."

Former French Prime Minister and President of COP 21 Laurent Fabius:

"This is a serious decision, contrary to scientific evidence, but one that should not prevent us from continuing the vital international fight against climate change and its serious consequences for humanity."

New York Governor Kathy Hochul And New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Co-Chairs of the U.S. Climate Alliance:

"Our states and territories continue to have broad authority under the U.S. Constitution to protect our progress and advance the climate solutions we need. This does not change with a shift in federal administration ... It's critical for the international community to know that climate action will continue in the U.S. The Alliance will bring this message to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30) later this year."

Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of World Resources Institute:

"It simply makes no sense for the United States to voluntarily give up political influence and pass up opportunities to shape the exploding green energy market."

Resources:

“Everything you Need to Know” about the Paris Climate Agreement: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/paris-climate-agreement-everything-you-need-know

To read the full text of President Trump’s Executive Order to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and revoke the US International Climate Finance Plan, see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/putting-america-first-in-international-environmental-agreements/

For additional information and to read the full details about the strategies and goals of the Paris Agreement, see:  https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement

The Green New Deal: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/109/text

Extreme Weather and Climate Change:

https://www.c2es.org/content/extreme-weather-and-climate-change/

National Climate Assessment: https://refresh-stg-c2es.pantheonsite.io/content/national-climate-assessment/

East County News Service

December 31, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) - Our region lost civic leaders and luminaries this year in fields including a basketball superstar, an astronaut, a famous architect, a retired Sheriff’s deputy and Chamber of Commerce chairman, a World War veteran, an HVAC industry leader, a noted philanthropist, a former college president, a retired teacher, an engineer and newscaster, a political party chairwoman and a community theatre cofounder.  They are gone but not forgotten, leaving lasting legacies and memories.

Read more about their remarkable lives below; each title links to a full obituary.

BILL WALTON, basketball champion and hometown hero

NBA Hall of Famer and former Helix High School superstar Bill Walton, 71, died May 27 after a prolonged battle with cancer. One of the greatest basketball players of all time, Walton later became an award-winning sportscaster.

But he also won hearts and minds in the La Mesa community through his philanthropic efforts, including raising millions of dollars to build the Bill Walton Gymnasium at the Boys & Girls Club in La Mesa, where he was mentored in his youth.

JAMES HUBBELL, famed architect and artist

Visionary artist and internationally acclaimed architect James Hubbell passed away on May 17 at age 92, surrounded by family members including his wife, Anne.  Hubbell founded the  Ilan-Lael Foundation, founded by Hubbell to inspire future generations of budding artists, architects and builders. 

Hel designed hundreds of public and private artworks locally and around the world. Internationally,  he headed up efforts to create a series of international peace parks at locations rimming the Pacific Ocean.  He also began a 30-year volunteer project to build Colegio La Esperanza, an elementary school embedded with mosaics to bring hope, education and beauty to students east of Tijuana, Mexico.
JOAN JACOBS, philanthropist, wife of Qualcomm’s founder

Joan Jacobs, a San Diego community leader who along with her husband, Irwin, made transformational philanthropic gifts to many local arts organizations, died of heart failure in May  at age 91.  She was the wife of Qualcomm Founder Irwin Jacobs and grandmother of Congresswoman Sara Jacobs.

Irwin and Joan Jacobs’ philanthropic gifts included large bequests to the San Diego Symphony, La Jolla Playhouse, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the Salk Institute, and the Jacobs School of Engineering at UCSD. She was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy and remembered by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria for her “profound impact on San Diego.”

ROBERT “BOB” SCHULZE,  cofounder of Off Broadway Live Theatre in Santee

Bob Schulze, a singer and actor who co-founded the Off Broadway Live musical theatre in Santee, died of a heart attack on August 30. 

He proudly served his country in the United States Army from 1984 to 1987 and dedicated over 30 years to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, before his retirement. He was passionate about keeping his country safe and prosperous, serving both at home and abroad. He also served on the worship service team at Sonrise Church in Santee.

WILLIAM ANDERS,  astronaut famed for his photo of planet Earth

Astronaut William Anders, who took the famous “Earthrise” photo of our planet during the historic Apollo 8 mission, died on June 8 at age 90 when the small plane he was piloting crashed near Seattle. “We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth,” Anders said of his role in man’s first mission to the moon.

Anders graduated from Grossmont High School in 1951 and then the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He joined the Navy and later the Air Force, flying fighter jets, becoming a test pilot and then a NASA astronaut. After NASA he served in government roles, including chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, then entered the business world with positions at General Electric, Textron and General Dynamics, where he ultimately became chairman and CEO.

STEPHEN WEBER, former SDSU president

Stephen Lewis Weber, who led San Diego State University as President for 15 years, left a legacy of academic excellence and service.   Born on March 17, 1942, he also left this world on St. Patrick’s Day in 2024.

During his tenure, SDSU led the nation in improved graduation rates. Weber also raised academic standards, diversified the campus, and pioneered programs to help veterans and low-income, first-generation college students enter SDSU.  He chaired the NCAA executive committee, AVID, and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.  After his diagnosis with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, he published a collection of essays and continued to support charities, as well as his beloved Aztecs sports teams, throughout his life.

JOHN FISTERE, JR., Engineer, humanitarian, and broadcaster on ECM’s radio show

John Fistere, a news broadcaster on the East County Magazine Radio  Show, died July 26 at age 89 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. A long-time La Mesa resident, Fistere served in the U.S. Navy and then had a 40-year career in engineering, ending with his retirement from Solar Turbines, Inc.

He served as president of Rotary Club in La Mesa, founded the East County Physics Meetup, co-founded the Prostate Cancer Research and Education Foundation, and published a software program to help prostate cancer survivors track results. He also served as President of San Diego Festival Chorus and Unity San Diego, leaving a lasting impact on our community.

JIM WIEBOLT, Sheriff’s deputy and La Mesa Civic Leader

A respected deputy in the San Diego County Sheriff's Crime Prevention Unit for more than a dozen years, James “Jim” Warren Wieboldt died on Dec. 7 at age 67. Wiebolt was also a civic and business community leader, serving as founding chairman of the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the city’s Parking Commission, and Chair of the La Mesa Centennial Project’s Events and Calendar Committee. He was also active in the La Mesa Village Merchants Association.

A graduate of Grossmont High School in 1975,  he later earned a degree in criminal justice from National University in San Diego and owned several businesses. He also ran for La Mesa Mayor, City Council and Treasurer. 

BECCA TAYLOR, San Diego County Democratic Chair

Rebecca “Becca” Taylor, Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party, died in July of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in Utah. 

She served in the U.S. Navy, where she volunteered as an advocate for sexual assault victims. She founded and served as first chair of the Veterans Caucus for California Young Democrats in 2014.  She also worked with Serving Seniors, on the board of directors of the Ocean Beach Town Council, and as secretary of the Metro West Area Caucus. In addition, she was a volunteer manager with the San Diego Rapid Response Network, helping asylum seekers. Acting party chair  Kyle Krahel-Frolander said of Taylor, “She embodied the best of us.”

ADALBERT “DEL” CONNOR,  WWII veteran

Adalbert Connor, a World War II veteran who participated in many significant battles as part of the “greatest generation, passed away on November 10 at age 103.

In the U.S. Army, he participated in multiple beach landings in the East Indies, including Leyte, Luzon, and Japan. Rising to the rank of sergeant, he returned home in 1946 with immense pride in his service to his country. He obtained a teaching degree from San Diego State University and later, worked for the Money Mutual of New  York insurance agency. He resided in Allied Gardens for over 70 years.

ROB DEASON, retired teacher

Rob Deason, a retired teacher in the San Diego Unified School District and husband of Deerhorn Valley Antler publisher Kim Hamilton, died January 2 after a long illness

Deason studied liberal arts at California Western University.  A talented woodworker, he also studied woodworking and electronics at San Diego State University California. He married Hamilton in 1987.His articles and photos on backcountry life appeared in the Deerhorn Valley Antler.  After losing their barn in the Harris wildfire in 2007, Deason built a new art and music studio, Casa Calibri, that has doubled as meeting space for the Deerhorn Valley Community Association and a pickup site for CSA farm boxes.  "Rob loved having people just stop by a stay a while. Lots of good community vibes,"  Hamilton told ECM.
KATALINA “KATY” FRAUSTO AGUILAR, HVAC industry trail blazer

Katy Aguilar, a trailblazer in the HVAC industry, died January 29 in a car crash in El Cajon, leaving behind a wife and three children. She attained national recognition in business as among the top 1% of HVAC technicians in the U.S. and inspired women to attain success in the male-dominated field.

She made a national impact, inspiring women by proving that women can achieve success in the male-dominated trade. She achieved recognition as the top 1% of HVAC technicians in the U.S. and continued to break records year after year. She was known for devotion to her family, her sense of humor, enthusiasm as a Dodgers fan, and for helping others in need.

San Carlos resident and wheelchair dancer Isaac Whiting

Isaac Paul Whiting, 43, died on Decembr 8 due to oxygen related issues following chronic asthma complications after contracting COVID in 2020.

Whiting grew up in East County. He started High School in Clairemont as a middle schooler and graduated from Helix High School in East County. He later attended Cuyamaca College and Grossmont College, but was unable to attend for most of the past year.

Confined to a wheelchair due to spina bifida, he began wheelchair dancing in his mid-twenties.  He eventually danced with singer Jason Mraz in the Wheelchair Dancers Organization (WDO).  He attended church religiously in San Carlos and El Cajon.  His favorite color was green and he enjoyed books and concerts such as Weird Al as well as camping in Seattle near his father.

He is survived by his parents, sister and a grandmother.

Biden hopes to next achieve a cease-fire in Gaza before his term ends, with an agreement for a Palestinian state and security for Israel

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Hezbollah fighters in Southern Lebanon in 2023, via Tasnim News Service

November 28, 2024 (Washington D.C.) – In a historic accord, on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and President Emmanuel Macron of France issued a joint statement announcing that after “weeks of tireless diplomacy,” Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a cease fire that went into effect yesterday.

“The United States and France will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced,” the statement continued. Though the U.S. has supported Israel including sending war planes used to bomb Hezbollah targets,  U.S. troops will not be sent to the region, the President assured.

The agreement includes assurances that Israel will be secure from threats by Hezbollah, which has been bombing Israel from southern Lebanon, and other terrorist groups.  Hezbollah must move its forces north of the Litani River, about 20 miles from the Blue Line marking the Israel-Lebanon border. 

Over the next six weeks,  stabilization of southern Lebanon is to be provided by the Lebanese army  and State Security Forces will deploy 10,000 troops, under international supervision. The agreement also includes withdrawal of Israeli forces, ultimately allowing residents of both Israel and southern Lebanon to return safely to their homes.

But President Biden made clear in a press conference, “This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.”

President Biden, in a press conference, noted that over 70,000 Israelis and over 300,000 Lebanese people have been forced to live as refugees in their own countries due to Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, bombing Israeli communities and Israel retailing with military strikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah. 

Photo, right, via Israeli Defense Forces:  F-151 fighter jet provided by the Biden administration to Israel, shown here in bombing run against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in September 2024.

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he supported the agreement, along with Israel’s Security Cabinet, to focus on the threat from  Iran, which has backed Hezbollah, and to work toward bringing hostages taken by Hamas home now that Israeli actions have killed Hezbollah’s leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and decimated its ranks. Netanyahu has made clear that Israel reserves the right to respond militarily if the agreement is violated, such as if Hezbollah resumes bombing, building tunnels or bringing in more weapons, San Diego Jewish World reports.

The peace is a fragile one. Already in the past 24 hours, each side has accused the other of violating the cease-fire.  Israel claims Hezbollah was moving its people into the no-go zone, and responded with warning shots from drones followed by bombing of a missile storage site. Hezbollah has claimed these were Lebanese civilians returning, though civilians have been warned to stay out of the area until it has been made safe.

Mike Huckabeee, Trump’s U.S. ambassador to Israel designee, told Fox News the peace agreement is “certainly good news”  for both Israelis and Lebanese, “if it holds, but the problem is that Hezbollah and its Iranian backed proxies like Hamas and the Houthis, they’ve never kept an agreement.”

Al Jazeera, an Arab news service, reports that tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese have begun returning home to southern Lebanon and celebrating in the streets, despite warnings from the Israeli military to wait until it is secured and Israeli forces have withdrawn.

Congressman Darrell Issa, a Republican from San Diego who is of Lebanese descent, refused to acknowledge Biden’s contributions despite intense negotiations by the Biden administration.  Issa tweeted, @realDonaldTrump deserves credit for peace in the Middle East. Biden deserve none.”

However the international media hails Biden, along with Macron, for achieving the daunting task of a cease fire  in Lebanon and aspiring for a broader peace.

Reuters, the French news service, calls the ceasefire agreement “a rare diplomatic feat in a region racked by conflict.”

Similarly, the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, makes clear, “The US, Israel's key backer, had led the charge with France in negotiating the deal in Lebanon.”

According to Reuters, Hezbollah strikes in Israel have killed 45 civilians and 73 Israeli soldiers, while Israel strikes in Lebanon have killed 3,961 people and injured 16,520 more. According to Israel, however, all but a handful of those kills were Hezbollah militants, not civilians.

As for the Gaza conflict, President Biden made clear that while he blames Hamas for initiating the war by slaughtering over 1,300 Israeli civilians on Oct. 7,2023, the people of Gaza have “been through hell” and deserve an end to the fighting and displacement.  Over 40,000 Gazans have been killed as a result of Israel’s relentless military campaign to destroy Hamas.

Biden faults Hamas for refusing to “negotiate a good faith ceasefire and a hostage deal.” He said Hamas now has a choice to make, and that the “only way out is to release the hostages including American citizens” in order to “bring an end to the fighting which will make possible a surge of humanitarian relief.”

Next up, Biden revealed that in the coming days, the U.S. will be pushing along with allies in Turkey, Egypt and Qatar to attain a cease fire in Gaza.  Any such agreement would have to include plans for a future Palestinian state as well as assurances that it cannot threaten Israel or harbor terrorist groups backed by Iran.

President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, and has pledged to be a staunch supporter of Israel and a hard-liner against terorrism, though domestically he has drawn criticism for praising anti-Semitic leaders, such as saying of Swastika-bearing marchers in Charlston, "There are good people on both sides." 

The U.S. is also prepared in the waning days of the Biden administration to conclude historic deals with Saudi Arabia including a security pact and economic assurances, along with what Biden described as “a credible pathway for establishing a Palestinian state and the full normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel."

President Biden pledged, "In my remaining time in office, I will work tirelessly to advance this vision for an integrated, secure and prosperous region—all of which strengthens America’s national security.” 

By Miriam Raftery

January 8, 2025 (La Mesa) – Dozens of public speakers at yesterday’s Grossmont Healthcare District meeting urged the board to move its 9 a.m. meetings to evenings in order to accommodate people with full-time jobs. The proposal was made by newly elected director Nadia Farjood, a working mother who says her new full-time job at the District Attorney’s office prevents her from attending daytime meetings.

The district represents about 520,000 residents. Around 271 people signed a petition in support of Farjood’s proposal, and around 40 showed up in support at yesterday’s meeting. But despite testimony from union representatives, healthcare workers, district residents and local elected officials, Farjood’s proposal failed, with no other director in support.

Some speakers voiced concern not only for Farjood, but for the potential chilling effect on would-be candidates who may be persuaded from running for office if they have full-time day jobs.

Jesse Garcia from the carpenters’ union called it “unfair” and “unAmerican” to “disenfranchise the 23,000 voters” who backed Farjood in the recent election by refusing to accommodate her request, potentially forcing her off of the board. He noted that he serves on multiple boards and committees, which all have evening meetings.

Regina Beasley, a Sharp Healthcare worker and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) member, said restricting meetings to mornings is “discriminatory” based on age, gender and employment status, noting that “most of us in here have children.”

Leila Kater (photo, left) testified that she represents almost 2,000 healthcare workers in the Grossmont district. She told the board that workers “will start paying a lot more attention to these meetings” in order to “hold this board accountable.”

Toni Vargas, a phlebotomist, voiced concerns over "exclusion" of working people including healthcare workers by holding morning meetings, and said avoiding evening meetings is "about preserving power."

Briana Costen,  a trustee on the La Mesa Spring  Valley School District board, said she was “deeply troubled” by the tone of the discussion.  “This is a public board, and you serve the public,” she stated, noting that “75% of voters in this district are below retirement age” and thus likely to have work conflicts that would make it difficult to attend daytime meetings.

Patricia Dillard, Vice Mayor of La Mesa, called for “transparency and accountability.” She said if any member cannot attend evening meetings that are more accessible to the public,  “you should have no choice to go get off this board.”

Former La Mesa Councilmember Jack Shu said he would often take calls late at night from constituents. “Public service means you serve the people when it is needed,” he said after dozens of others had spoken out. “I have not heard one person speak in favor of keeping the 9 a.m. time,” he said, noting that the city of La Mesa changed its meetings to 6 p.m. and had an increase in attendance as a result.

Melinda Vasquez said she worked with Farjood and voted for her because “I knew that she would bring a different vantage point to this board...She should not have to quit her day job to do public service.”

Several callers gave remote testimony on Zoom, including La Mesa Councilwoman Lauren Cazares, who praised the “excellent service” she received from the healthcare district after being hit by a drunk driver and injured in December.  She noted, “I have a full-time job and am a councilmember.  It shouldn’t be difficult to participate in meetings,” then urged the board to “please serve the community that elected all of you.”

After public testimony, the board held a discussion led by board president Bob Ayres, who thanked everyone for sharing their views.

Director Virginia Hall disputed claims by some speakers that all board members are retired and should be more flexible. “I do work,” she said, adding that she’s also helped care for her grandson. “It saddens me to hear these comments.” She praised the district for accomplishments including lowering tax rates for taxpayers, giving out $1.5 million in grants to community organizations, receiving a Golden Watchdog Award, and being named the Best Healthcare District in California in 2023.

Hall noted that people who can’t attend in person may participate via Zoom, and noted that the board did launch a pilot program holding meetings at 5 p.m. for six months last year, but that attendance did not increase. She suggested that attendance at meetings is low because the community trusts board members to make wise decisions.

Director Randy Lenac, participating remotely, noted that the head of LAFCO has said the Grossmont Healthcare District is the “gold standard of healthcare districts” and that Sharp Grossmont is a “great hospital.”  He voiced support for keeping meetings at  9 a.m. and said the meeting time has been “settled for a long time,” drawing groans from the crowd.

Farjood pointed out that the issue at hand was not whether or not the district has done good work. She then pressed her colleagues over their responses to a survey sent to board members about their availability for meetings at other times. Though all other members had written down a preference to keep meetings at 9 a.m., she noted, “None of the members identified any conflict with 6 p.m..”  She said she has seen board members at other evening meetings, including a recent holiday party.

Lenac insisted that “9 a.m. is the best time to assure principal participants can attend,” and insisted that his availability for other times is “irrelevant,” drawing laughter from the audience. He noted, however, that when meetings used to be at 7:30 a.m. he sometimes had to drive through snow from his rural residence, but added, “I never missed a meeting.”

Farjood asked who Lenac considered principal participants, prompting the attorney to try and stop her questioning. This drew shouts from the audience, such as ”No one elected him!” and “Stop speaking down to us!”

Assured she could continue, Farjood stated, “My view is that the public are principals.”

Lenac then clarified that he was referring to members of the hospital who regularly address the board on matters such as healthcare quality, finances, facilities, and future projects.

Farjood said the board is the oversight body for the hospital.  “To say we would put the interests of the hospital above the public you’ve heard from today is backwards,” she added. She asked Lenac how he knew that hospital principals couldn’t attend a 6 p.m. meeting, and he admitted, “Well, I don’t know, but I know that 9 a.m. works.”

As for the 5 p.m. pilot program, Farjood called it a “sham” and noted that many people get off work at 5 p.m. and are commuting home at that hour. She also objected to what she views as inadequate outreach by the district, noting that most constituents she met walking precincts said they “never heard of it.”

Farjood clarified that she is not asking the board to change its days, which alternate between Tuesday and Thursday, but only to shift times to 6 p.m. or later.

Hall objected, saying that people are tired at the end of the day, and that traffic can be bad at 6 p.m.

Farjood suggested that better outreach could boost meeting attendance. When Hall asked why so many people showed up at this meeting, when meetings are usually sparsely attended, Farjood replied, “Because I let them know about this,” drawing cheers from the audience.

Board Chair Gloria Chadwick (photo), a retired nurse and long-time advocate for seniors, noted that some seniors are vision-challenged, particularly with night driving.  Pressed on her own availability for evening sessions, Chadwick said, “I will do whatever our board decides.”

Direcftor Ayres (photo,left) said “it’s possible” he could attend evening meetings, but noted that he has an outside full-time job that often requires evening work, including talking with clients in other countries.  “Last night I didn’t finish until almost 9 p.m.,” he noted.

As for Farjood’s conflict with attending daytime meetings,  Ayres noted that directors are also expected to attend training sessions, committee members, legislative days, grantees’ events and community events, which are often during daytime hours.

Farjood asked why the board needs two meetings a month. She then made a motion asking the board to change to one meeting per month, on the third Thursday at  6 p.m. No member seconded the motion, which died without a vote.

“Today is a dark day for the Grossmont Healthcare District,” concluded Farjood (photo, left), who added that increasing public access was a key part of her campaign. “No amount of years serving on this board can erase the message sent today—that working people cannot serve on this board.”

But she added defiantly,  “I am not going anywhere,” suggesting she may seek accommodation from her employer or, as an attorney, perhaps pursue a legal remedy.  “I will be advocating for this at every meeting,” she pledged, thanking all who showed up in support.

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.

The 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.

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.

 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. 

• Firearms Discovered at TSA Checkpoints in 2024.pdf

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.