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.
Suicidal suspect had doused self in gasoline before intentionally ramming officer, ECPD reports
By Miriam Raftery
Photo, left: Two officers train guns on driver after Sergeant Maxwell was struck.
January 11, 2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department has released surveillance and body cam video from the officer-involved shooting outside ECPD headquarters on December 11 during preparations for a retirement ceremony. (Warning: graphic content.)
The video shows a Toyota Tundra SUV driven by Benjamin Grube, 24, a nonbinary person earlier identified as Andrea Grube, park and later drive onto a sidewalk and ram Sergeant Kevin Maxwell as he tried to run from the oncoming vehicle. He was thrown into the air before the vehicle struck a bush. The injured sergeant managed to grab his service revolver while still on his knees, ordering Grube to exit the vehicle.
By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Lakeside Fire Department, which has sent firefighters to battle the Palisades wildfire
January 11, 2025 (Los Angeles) – After days of massive destruction and widespread evacuations, firefighters are finally making progress on four remaining wildfires in the Los Angeles area. At least 13 people have died in the fires, which have destroyed an estimated12,000 structures, the Los Angeles Times reports.
At least 90 firefighters from San Diego County have been dispatched to help fight the L.A. fires, including Lakeside Fire Department, which posted photos on social media of the Palisades Fire that their firefighters have been battling since Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands remain evacuated, as firefighters slowly make progress toward controlling fires fueled initially by hurricane-force winds.
Here are the latest updates from Cal Fire and L.A.-based news outlets:
By Miriam Raftery
January 10, 2025 (La Mesa) – When a luggage wheel split open just three weeks after I purchased the large suitcase for $68, I tried to return it to Burlington in La Mesa. After waiting nearly an hour in line (since they have no customer service desk for returns), Burlington’s employee refused to refund my money for the suitcase. She stated that this was because “you traveled with it.”
The whole point of a suitcase, obviously, is to travel! So apparently if you use their product for itrs intended product, you're out of luck if it breaks. I bought the the luggage specifically for a holiday trip, because it has wheels that rotate in all directions. I have a permanent shoulder injury, and it’s easier to pull a suitcase alongside instead of dragging a bag behind me, as I'd done with my older luggage. Even worse, I wound up having to carry this heavy bag filled with winter clothes, boots and a coat.
By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office
January 10, 2025 (San Diego) - The County’s Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board is taking applications to fill an opening on its board.
CLERB was established in 1990 to investigate citizen complaints against San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies and probation officers.
Photo, left to right: Councilmembers Lauren Cazares and Patricia Dillard, Mayor Mark Arapostathis, Councilmembers Laura Lothian and Genevieve Suzuki
Source: City of La Mesa
January 10, 2025 (La Mesa) – The City of La Mesa welcomed two new councilmembers during its City Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The occasion marked a historic milestone in La Mesa as the council now consists of a majority of women, including women of color, with four women and one man who serves as mayor.
“This is a proud and historic moment for La Mesa,” said Mayor Mark Arapostathis. “Our City Council reflects the strength and diversity of our community. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to continue making La Mesa a place where everyone feels represented and empowered.”
Joining the council are the newly elected members, Lauren Cazares and Genevieve Suzuki. Both Cazares and Suzuki have deep roots in the La Mesa community. Cazares, lifelong La Mesan, currently serves as Policy Advisor at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and has been actively involved in various boards and committees, including the City of La Mesa Community Police Oversight Board.
By Miriam Raftery
Photo by Henri Migala: Palisades Fire in Los Angeles
January 9, 2025 (Los Angeles) – Over 179,000 people are under evacuation orders as massive fires continue to burn across Los Angeles County, with no containment as yet on the worst conflagrations. Fire officials’ estimates of homes lost range from several hundred to over 1,000, and at least five people have died.
The Palisades Fire has scorched over 1,700 acres, burning all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Videos posted online show massive destruction of homes along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Most of Pacific Palisades has been destroyed, with evacuations as far away as Santa Monica. It remains 0% contained. Low water pressure left some hydrants without water and high winds have restricted firefighting aircraft, leaving the blaze to burn out of control in its crucial early hours, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The Eaton Fire has charred over 10,000 acres in Pasadena and Altadena. It is 0% contained; this is the fire in which five people are confirmed dead, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills also forced evacuations. It has burned 42.8 acres and is 0% contained, per the Watch Duty App.
Resources available for impacted customers at community resource centers
January 8, 2025 (San Diego) – This week marks the driest start to the rainy season in San Diego County in 174 years. As a result of these dry conditions and Santa Ana winds, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) continues to implement Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) in an effort to reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety.
As of tonight, 8,946 customers have power shut off. Another 69,155 are at risk of power shutoffs.The effort aims to prevent hellacious firestorms such as those currently ravaging L.A., as wind gusts up to 85 miles per hour are forecast to reach San Diego County soon.
Because of the extended wind forecast, customers may experience prolonged or more than one PSPS. An up-to-date list of impacted communities can be found at sdge.com/ready.
Available Resources for Impacted Customers
SDG&E is opening of Community Resource Centers in affected communities. These Centers are equipped with resources such as Wi-Fi and phone and medical device charging, and they will remain open for customers in need until conditions improve. A list of active Community Resource Center locations and their hours of operation can be found at sdge.com/ready.
McElroy speaks out against mass deportations as "incompatible with Catholic doctrine" in first appearance as Archbishop
By Miriam Raftery
Photo of Cardinal McElroy by Chris Stone, Times of San Diego
January 8, 2025 (San Diego) – Pope Francis on Monday named San Diego’s Cardinal Robert McElroy has the new Archbishop of Washington D.C., where is expected to provide a strong moral voice opposing some policies of the incoming Trump administration.
McElroy was appointed by Pope Francis to serve as Bishop in San Diego in 2015 and in 2022 was elevated to Cardinal. He replaces retiring Cardinal Wilton Gregory,77, as Archbishop in the district that includes the nation’s capitol and is home to more than 667,000 Catholics.
Archbishop McElroy, in an online press conference Monday, acknowledged that each nation has a right to control its borders, but he denounced Trump’s call for mass deportation of immigrations. “We are called always to have a sense of the dignity of every human person, and thus plans which have been talked about...of having a wider indiscriminate massive deportation across the country would be something that would be incompatible with Catholic doctrine.”
Update January 10, 2025 -- A third suspect has been arrested and charged with aiding and abetting in the murder of Darron Willie Singleton, Jr. On Thursday January 9, 2025, 45-year-old Valena Marie Gonzales of San Diego was apprehended by the San Diego Regional Fugitive Task Force near Valley Road and Rio Drive in San Diego. She has been booked into custody at Las Colinas Detention Facility.
East County News Service
January 8, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The Sheriff’s office today announced the arrest of two men suspected in the murder of 23-year-old Darron Willie Singleton, Jr.
On Sept. 18 around 10:55 p.m., deputies responded to reports of gunfire and found Singleton suffering gunshot wounds to the torse in the 2200 block of Dain Street in Lemon Grove. Despite lifesaving efforts by San Miguel Fire Department personnel and Sheriff’s deputies, Singleton died at the scene.
“Months of intensive investigation led to the arrests of two individuals believed to be involved in this heinous crime,” says Lieutenant Michael Krugh.