January 2025 Articles

January 28, 2025 -- As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• U.S. puts virtually all foreign aid on 90-day hold, issues 'stop-work' order (NPR)
• DOJ halts legal programs for detained immigrants, cuts off advocates’ access to facilities (Los Angeles Times)
• Trump uses mass firing to remove independent inspectors general at a series of agencies  (AP)
• Vice President Vance casts tie-breaking Senate vote to narrowly confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary  (CNN)
• Trump launches crypto meme coin, ballooning net worth ahead of inauguration (Politico)
• Top 5 takeaways from Jack Smith's final report on Trump's Jan. 6 case  (Axios)
• Jen Rubin exits Washington Post, joins Norm Eisen to launch new outlet countering ‘authoritarian threat’ (CNN)
• Supreme Court declines to hear from oil and gas companies trying to block climate change lawsuits (AP)
• Judge bars Rhodes, other Oath Keepers from entering DC without court permission (The Hill)
• Trump was sentenced to ‘unconditional discharge.’ Here’s what that means. (Politico)
• Biden says Equal Rights Amendment is ratified, kicking off expected legal battle as he pushes through final executive actions (CNN)
• Biden Aides Warned Putin as Russia’s Shadow War Threatened Air Disaster (New York Times)
• Biden pardons Fauci and Milley in an effort to guard against potential 'revenge' by Trump (AP)

WORLD

• Palestinians return to Gaza City as mediators look ahead to next stage (Reuters)
• Mexico refuses to accept a U.S. deportation flight (NBC News)
• What to Know About the U.S.-Colombia Clash Over Deportations and Tariffs (Time)
• Danish PM says Europe must ‘stand together’ as Trump threatens Greenland (Guardian)
• Sweden seizes vessel suspected of 'sabotage' after undersea data cable rupture in Baltic Sea (AP)
• 'It starts now': South Korea's President Yoon defiant as police closed in (Reuters)
• Zelensky offers exchange of North Korean soldiers (BBC)
• Gunman shoots dead 2 judges in Iran's capital tied to 1988 mass executions (AP)
• Nigeria is admitted as a partner country of the BRICS bloc (AP)

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

U.S.

U.S. puts virtually all foreign aid on 90-day hold, issues 'stop-work' order (NPR)

 NPR - Virtually all aid programs around the world that depend on U.S. funding will need to halt their operations because of a State Department memo issued on Friday to "stop work."  The internal memo, obtained by NPR, expands on President Trump's executive order, issued on Monday, to freeze foreign assistance for 90 days.

DOJ halts legal programs for detained immigrants, cuts off advocates’ access to facilities (Los Angeles Times)

 Lawyers providing detainees with basic legal information in federal immigration detention centers were shut out of facilities last week after the U.S. Department of Justice halted several federally funded programs. One program provided lawyers to children in deportation proceedings and another dispensed basic legal information.

Trump uses mass firing to remove independent inspectors general at a series of agencies  (AP)

The Trump administration has fired about 17 independent inspectors general at government agencies, a sweeping action to remove oversight of his new administration that some members of Congress are suggesting violated federal oversight laws....Congress was not given the legally required 30-day notices about the removals — something that even a top Republican is decrying.

Vice President Vance casts tie-breaking Senate vote to narrowly confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary  (CNN)

The Senate narrowly voted to confirm embattled Pete Hegseth as secretary of the Department of Defense, in a major win for President Donald Trump and his new administration... Hegseth’s confirmation process has been mired in allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement of veterans’ charities, all of which he has denied. The Friday vote marked a significant victory for the Trump administration, which has gone to the mat backing Hegseth as its nominee, despite his lack of experience and allegations against him.  

Trump launches crypto meme coin, ballooning net worth ahead of inauguration (Politico)

Politico - A president-elect launching a new business product is a highly unusual move, and it is a major concern for ethics watchdogs.  President-elect Donald Trump late Friday launched a cryptocurrency token that exploded in value overnight, potentially increasing his net worth by tens of billions of dollars on paper just days before he is set to be sworn in as president.

Top 5 takeaways from Jack Smith's final report on Trump's Jan. 6 case  (Axios)

resident-elect Trump engaged in an "unprecedented criminal effort" to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Special Counsel Jack Smith alleged in the final report of his investigation into Trump's election subversion case. The report's release early Tuesday came despite Trump's legal efforts to block it. .. Smith remained convinced he could have convicted Trump for his alleged efforts to subvert to the 2020 election if the case had gone to trial.  A Justice Department policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president doesn't change the "gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution," Smith wrote.

Biden Aides Warned Putin as Russia’s Shadow War Threatened Air Disaster (New York Times)

After innocent-looking cargo shipments began catching fire at airports and warehouses in Germany, Britain and Poland over the summer, there was little doubt in Washington and Europe that Russia was behind the sabotage. But in August, White House officials became increasingly alarmed by secretly obtained intelligence suggesting Moscow had a far larger plan in mind: bringing the war in Ukraine to American shores... While the main concern was cargo planes, sometimes passenger planes take smaller packages in spare space in their cargo holds.

Biden pardons Fauci and Milley in an effort to guard against potential 'revenge' by Trump (AP)

Joe Biden, in one of his final acts as president, pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, in an extraordinary use of executive power to guard against potential “revenge” by the new Trump administration.

Jen Rubin exits Washington Post, joins Norm Eisen to launch new outlet countering ‘authoritarian threat’ (CNN)

Veteran opinion columnist Jennifer Rubin is becoming the latest in a long list of Washington Post figures to leave the troubled institution.  Rubin is partnering with former White House ethics czar Norm Eisen and launching something new: a startup publication called The Contrarian.

Supreme Court declines to hear from oil and gas companies trying to block climate change lawsuits (AP)

The Supreme Court said Monday it won’t hear an appeal from oil and gas companies trying to block lawsuits seeking to hold the industry liable for billions of dollars in damage linked to climate change.  The order allows the city of Honolulu’s lawsuit against oil and gas companies to proceed...The industry has faced a series of cases alleging it deceived the public about how fossil fuels contribute to climate change. Governments in states including California, Colorado and New Jersey are seeking billions of dollars in damages from things like wildfires, rising sea levels and severe storms. 

Judge bars Rhodes, other Oath Keepers from entering DC without court permission (The Hill)

A federal judge on Friday barred Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and seven other members of the right-wing extremist group from entering Washington, D.C., without the court’s permission, days after President Trump commuted their sentences as part of sweeping clemency for those charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.  U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who oversaw the Oath Keepers conspiracy trials, also blocked the Oath Keepers from entering the U.S. Capitol or surrounding grounds without permission.

Trump was sentenced to ‘unconditional discharge.’ Here’s what that means. (Politico)

The president-elect’s sentence allows the guilty verdict to stand — but it is highly unusual for this type of crime.

Biden says Equal Rights Amendment is ratified, kicking off expected legal battle as he pushes through final executive actions (CNN)

President Joe Biden announced a major opinion Friday that the Equal Rights Amendment is ratified, enshrining its protections into the Constitution, a last-minute move that some believe could pave the way to bolstering reproductive rights. It will, however, certainly draw swift legal challenges – and its next steps remain extremely unclear as Biden prepares to leave office. Invoking President Dwight Eisenhower’s warnings about the rise of a military-industrial complex when he left office in 1961, Biden added, “I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers to our country as well.”

WORLD

Palestinians return to Gaza City as mediators look ahead to next stage (Reuters)

Displaced Palestinians returning to their homes in Gaza City this week found a city in ruins after 15 months of fighting, with many seeking shelter amongst the rubble and searching for relatives lost in the chaotic return march.

Mexico refuses to accept a U.S. deportation flight (NBC News)

The Mexican government has criticized President Donald Trump's unilateral immigration actions, and the landing would have required Mexico's assistance.

What to Know About the U.S.-Colombia Clash Over Deportations and Tariffs (Time)

The White House claimed victory in a showdown with Colombia over accepting flights of deported migrants from the U.S. on Sunday, hours after President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs on imports and other sanctions on the longtime U.S. partner.

Danish PM says Europe must ‘stand together’ as Trump threatens Greenland (Guardian)

The Danish prime minister said Europe must “stand together” in the face of changing relations with the US during a tour of Berlin, Paris and Brussels to shore up support amid Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland.  After weeks in the spotlight over the US president’s plan to take over the autonomous Danish territory, and days after a reportedly “horrendous” call with Trump, Mette Frederiksen went on the whistle-stop tour in an attempted show of unity. After meeting the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who said that “borders must not be moved by force”, Frederiksen said: “I want to ensure that all of Europe stands together.

Sweden seizes vessel suspected of 'sabotage' after undersea data cable rupture in Baltic Sea (AP) — Swedish prosecutors announced Sunday night that they have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected aggravated “sabotage” and ordered the detention of a vessel in the Baltic Sea suspected of damaging an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland earlier that day…. identified as the Malta-flagged Vezhen… According to data from Vesselfinder, the vessel departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga several days earlier and was navigating between Gotland and Latvia at the time the damage was suspected of having occurred…. here have been previous incidents reported of ruptures of data cables running on the Baltic sea bed, allegedly linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.

'It starts now': South Korea's President Yoon defiant as police closed in (Reuters)

As 3,000 riot police swarmed his hillside villa on Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol huddled with party loyalists, telling them that people were increasingly realising the country's legal system had been hijacked by leftist forces. "People are now seeing how serious the situation is," the impeached president told the gathering, according to one lawmaker present, Yoon Sang-hyun.

Zelensky offers exchange of North Korean soldiers (BBC)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is willing to hand over two captured North Korean soldiers to Pyongyang in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia. "For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available," Zelensky said on X. Those who want "to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in Korean will be given that opportunity", he added. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said one of the two soldiers told officials he thought he was going to Russia for "training", rather than to fight.

Gunman shoots dead 2 judges in Iran's capital tied to 1988 mass executions (AP)

A man fatally shot two prominent hard-line judges in Iran’s capital Saturday, officials said, both of whom allegedly took part in the mass execution of dissidents in 1988. 

Nigeria is admitted as a partner country of the BRICS bloc (AP)

Nigeria has been admitted as a “partner country” of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, according to Brazil, the group’s chair.  BRICS was formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009, with South Africa added in 2010, as a counterweight to the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations.

January 28, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Trump funding freeze could disrupt education, housing, disaster aid (Reuters)
• Nonprofits Sue Trump Administration Over Federal Grants Freeze (Democracy Docket)
• How are H5N9 and H5N1 different? What to know after California bird flu outbreak (CBS News)
• FDA recommends pet food companies revisit safety plans amid bird flu outbreak (NBC)  
• CDC staff ordered to cut off communication with WHO  (CBS News)
• Travel, grant and funding cuts ‘stifling’ US health agencies in new Trump era (Guardian)
• Norovirus cases are surging. A doctor explains what to look for (CNN)
• Wall Street Journal labels RFK Jr. ‘dangerous to public health’ ahead of hearings (The Hill)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Meta and Amazon axe diversity initiatives joining US corporate rollback   (BBC)

U.S. probes hacking campaign that targeted climate activists  (NPR)

The internet is forever. Or is it?  (NPR)

Trump says Microsoft in talks to buy TikTok  (BBC)

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

HEALTH

Trump funding freeze could disrupt education, housing, disaster aid (Reuters)

President Donald Trump's White House ordered a pause in all federal grants and loans starting on Tuesday, a sweeping decision that could disrupt education, health care and poverty programs, housing assistance, disaster relief and a host of other initiatives that depend on trillions of federal dollars. The freeze followed Trump's suspension of foreign aid last week, a move that began cutting off the supply of lifesaving medicines on Tuesday to countries around the world that depend on U.S. development assistance.

Nonprofits Sue Trump Administration Over Federal Grants Freeze (Democracy Docket)

A coalition of nonprofits, public health organizations and small businesses filed a lawsuit to block the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo instructing a pause on all agency grants and loans.

 How are H5N9 and H5N1 different? What to know after California bird flu outbreak (CBS News)

California duck farm made headlines this week after the World Organization of Animal Health published a report by U.S. authorities that a strain of bird flu that scientists call H5N9 had been found among sick birds in the flock.

FDA recommends pet food companies revisit safety plans amid bird flu outbreak (NBC)

Cats appear to be especially vulnerable to the H5N1 virus. Since the current outbreak of H5N1 began in 2022, dozens of domestic and feral cats have been infected. Some farm cats got sick from drinking raw milk. Others died after eating raw pet food contaminated with the bird flu virus.

CDC staff ordered to cut off communication with WHO  (CBS News)

The directive to the CDC to halt communications with the World Health Organization was imposed to comply with President Trump's executive order last week... Former health officials tell CBS News they worry the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO could endanger efforts to respond to diseases, both undermining the U.N. agency and also making it harder for American officials to prepare. The first way U.S. officials would sometimes hear about worrying outbreaks was through the WHO, especially in countries wary of working with American authorities.

Travel, grant and funding cuts ‘stifling’ US health agencies in new Trump era (Guardian)

Halts to external communications, publishing reports and reviewing and approving research a ‘dramatic shift’

Norovirus cases are surging. A doctor explains what to look for (CNN)

A common stomach bug is surging, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the week of December 5, there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported...

Wall Street Journal labels RFK Jr. ‘dangerous to public health’ ahead of hearings (The Hill)

... “Most troubling is his long record of anti-vaccine advocacy,” the Journal wrote, noting the former presidential candidate has “tried to soften his vaccine skepticism since being nominated, and he now says he won’t take away anyone’s vaccines.” The Rupert Murdoch-owned outlet mentioned that Kennedy’s financial disclosures show he has “received millions of dollars from referring clients to Wisner Baum and Morgan & Morgan, law firms that have sued vaccine and drug makers. The risk is high that Mr. Kennedy will use his power and pulpit at HHS to enrich his trial-lawyer friends at the expense of public health and medical innovation,” the editorial board wrote.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Meta and Amazon axe diversity initiatives joining US corporate rollback   (BBC)

Meta and Amazon are axing their diversity programmes, joining firms across corporate America that are rolling back hiring and training initiatives criticised by conservatives, citing legal and political risks. The move comes just days after Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said it was ending a fact-checking programme criticised by President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans.

U.S. probes hacking campaign that targeted climate activists  (NPR)

A yearslong U.S. Justice Department investigation of a global hacking campaign that targeted prominent American climate activists took a turn in a London court this week amid an allegation that the hacking was ordered by a lobbying firm working for ExxonMobil.

The internet is forever. Or is it?  (NPR)

NPR - There's a concept known as digital decay, which refers to online media just kind of disappearing for a variety of reasons. Pew recently did a study showing that about 40% of websites since about 2013 have just vanished. They are inaccessible. There's a maze of dead links that go nowhere.

Trump says Microsoft in talks to buy TikTok  (BBC)

US President Donald Trump has said Microsoft is in discussions to acquire TikTok and that he would like to see a "bidding war" over the sale of the social media app. Both Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have been trying for years to force TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations on national security grounds. It comes as Trump signed an executive order last week to delay a Biden Administration ban on TikTok that briefly took the app offline for its 170m users in the United States.

Our guide to unique lodging and adventures in San Diego’s beautiful backcountry

By Bobbi Zane and Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

San Diego’s backcountry is home to mountains with hiking trails, miles and miles of pine and oak forests, wine regions, deserts, historic highways and rural areas --- known as the playground for San Diegans who want a close-to-home getaway. 

This beautiful country is mostly untouched by urban development. You can walk through forests, ride bikes on country lanes, horseback ride, pick apples in the fall, sample local wine, hike and dine in the great outdoors most of the year.

 East County Magazine's  Backcountry Hidden Pleasures series profiles weekend getaway destinations that you can find close to home in San Diego County's inland region, including lodging plus unique activities and attrations in each region.  We have visited them all.

It’s an hour’s drive or less from downtown to the mountains, where you can discover the hidden pleasures by checking into one of many bed and breakfast inns and lodges in Julian, Mount Laguna or Ramona. Elsewhere in our inland region, savor luxury at Native American casino resorts, visit historic lodges, stay at a winery, hot springs retreat, or lavender farm, visit our historic cities and an emerging restaurant row, or find spa pampering services, golf and tennis at hotels in Borrego Springs.

Your lodging options in our inland region also include campgrounds, tipis, "glamping" , cottages, vintage '50s trailers, and cabins afloat on a lake.

  Start your adventure by clicking here and scroll down to read our entries below!OUR REGIONS

Mountains and Gold Rush Region

San Diego's Mountain and Gold Rush Region (Gold Rush Region, Julian)

Mount Laguna: A place for all seasons (Laguna Mountain Lodge and Blue Jay Lodge, Mount Laguna)

Orchard Hill Country Inn:  Elegant and exclusive (Orchard Hill Country Inn, Julian)

Historic Haven: Julian Gold Rush Hotel (Julian Gold Rush Hotel, Julian)

What’s Up At Wikkup?  (Wikiup Bed and Breakfast, Julian)

A Jewel in the wilderness: Heise County Park (Heise Cuonty Park, Julian--cabins and campgrounds)

Stars lined up for perfect mountaintop camping (Burnt Rancheria campground, Mount Laguna)

Ramona Wine Region

Ramona wine region also has parks, preserves and historic sites to explore (Ramona)

Starry Night Inn: A winery vacation In Ramona (Starry Night Inn, Ramona)

A salute to reds, white and brews  (Ramona)

Marinade on Main: farm to table fresh cuisine (Ramona)

Rivers and Lakes Region

San Diego's river and lakes region: outdoor adventures and more (Lakeside, Santee and Barona)

Comfortable cabins at Santee Lakes--including floating lodging (cabins and camping at Santee Lakes, Santee)

Barona Resort: Vacation in the heart of Lakeside (Barona Resort, Barona Native American reservation, Lakeside)

Lake Jennings Tipi camping provides fun getaway (Tipi camping at Lake Jennings, Lakeside)

Desert Region

The beauty of Borrego (activities and attractions in Borrego Springs)

Day tripping in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park  (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park activities and attractions)

La Casa del Zorro: First and finest in the desert (La Casa del Zorro Resort & Spa, Borrego Springs)

Borrego Valley Inn and Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort: Weekend getaways for stargazing couples and families (Borrego Springs)

The Patio Group to manage famed La Casa Del Zorro Resort & Spa in Borrego Springs (La Casa del Zorro Resort & Spa, Borrego Springs)

Alpine-Mountain Empire Region (Southeast San Diego County)

Alpine Mountain Empire:  San Diego's Southeast region (Alpine)

Ayres Lodge Alpine: Gateway to San Diego's beautiful Backcountry (Ayres Lodge, Alpine)

Viejas celebrates grand opening of The Willows Hotel and Spa (The Willows, Viejas Native American reservation,Alpine)

Sycuan tops off high-rise resort Hotel (Sycuan Casino & Resort, Sycuan Reservation, Dehesa)

Cabins, camping and fishing are lures at Lake Morena County Park, gateway to Pacific Crest Trail (Lake Morena County Park and Campo attractions)

Healing waters at Jacumba Hot Springs Resort (Jacumba Hot Springs Resort, Jacumba Hot Springs)

High desert mountain yoga retreat (Desert View Tower, Jacumba Hot Springs)

Historic HIghway 94

Historic Highway 94:  traveling through time (Highway 94)

Enjoy a country stay at the Dulzura Winery guest house on historic Clark Ranch (Dulzura Winery Guest House, Dulzura and attractions on Highway 94)

Vineyard Hacienda: A secluded retreat along historic Highway 94 (Spring Valley)

Centennial Cities Region

Marriott Hotel, cornerstone of El Cajon's downtown redevelopment, celebrates grand opening (Marriott Hotel, El Cajon)

La Mesa: East County's emerging restaurant row (Holiday Inn, La Mesa)

Knox House Museum offers glimpse into El Cajon's historic past (Knox House Museum, El Cajon)

Lemon Grove mural wins award from Governor (Lemon Grove)

Northeast San Diego County

Valley Center's tribal casino resorts:  Getaway retreats in San Diego's northeast county (Harrah's Rincon and Valley View casino resorts, Valley Center)

Soothe away your cares at Keys Creek Lavender Farm (Yurts and cottages at Key's Creek Lavender Farm, Valley Center)

Bailey's Palomar Resort: A historic haven on Palomar Mountain (Bailey's Palomar Resort, Palomar Mountain)

East County Magazine gratefully acknowledges the County of San Diego for providing a Community Enhancement Grant to support our “Backcountry Hidden Pleasures” weekend getaways coverage.

Green, Orange and Blue Lines now offer added flexibility and reliability for transit riders

Source:  MTS

January 27, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is increasing Trolley service for the Green, Blue and Orange lines, offering additional late night and weekend service to provide riders with more options to take transit.

By Alastair Bland, CalMatters

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

Photo via Calif. Dept. of Water Resources:  A drone provides a view of a section of the California Aqueduct within the California State Water Project, located near John R. Teerink Pumping Plant.

January 27, 2025 (Central Valley, Calif.) - President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Sunday that told federal agencies to “immediately take action” to deliver more Central Valley water and eliminate rules that stand in the way, including endangered species protections.

By Brooke Binkowski, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Herman Smith, San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept.

January 27, 2025 (Jacumba Hot Springs) - A man classified as a sexually violent predator — or SVP — will be conditionally released to a home in Jacumba Hot Springs, likely displacing another SVP who was placed in that same home two months ago.

By Jessica Brodkin Webb

January 27, 2025 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow called the Jan. 21 City Council meeting “very light,” yet there was time enough for staunch resident pushback against a historically controversial tiny homes project which was not on the agenda. 

The project, funded and in development by the County of San Diego, is intended to house homeless residents in 70 tiny homes on Troy Street.

A previous iteration of the project, planned around State of California funding, was slated for over twice as many structures and originally destined for Spring Valley. However, state funding was rescinded following missed deadlines, and the project was downsized and relocated to Lemon Grove amidst Spring Valley resident pushback. 

Tuesday, Lemon Grove residents once again questioned why an open community discussion about the project has yet to appear on an agenda.

“I’ve been here over six months asking for this item to be put on the agenda,” resident Ken King said.

King is one of several residents who have consistently voiced concerns about the project during time for public comments at city council meetings.

“Jennifer said the tiny home project would be on the agenda this meeting or next meeting. Those are her words,” King said, referring to Councilmember Mendoza.

Lemon Grove City Manager Lydia Romero said she is working with the county to schedule a special study session which would be open to the public. 

“We are dependent on the County of San Diego because they’re the ones putting forth the project,” Romero said.

However, former Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce president and resident Teresa Rosiak-Proffit addressed city council members with an emphatic comment, stating that residents “want each one of you to hear their concerns” at a regular city council meeting rather than a county presentation or other special meeting.

“We need a city council tiny homes presentation where the residents can speak with you directly. It is their right for you to hear them. You may not want to hear them, but you have to give them a chance to be heard. Normally, I don’t demand but I am demanding that this be put on the agenda as quickly as possible so you hear what residents have to say,” said Rosiak-Proffit.

Snow said she would look into adding a special city council meeting about the tiny homes project, to which Romero said that essentially constitutes a special study session.

As of publication, no special study session or additional meeting information had been announced. The next regular Lemon Grove city council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Lemon Grove Community Center, located at 3146 School Lane.

Photo by Craig S. Maxwell today:  Snow in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park

January 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory idue to snow falling across San Diego’s mountain areas, with more snow possible tomorrow.

Areas impacted in the winter weather advisory range from high desert communities such as Campo and Jacumba north through Pine Valley, Descanso, Cuyamaca, Julian, Warner Springs and Mount Palomar.

Use caution when traveling due to icy, slippery roads and carry chains if traveling in mountain areas.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: screenshot of aerial video by ECM news partner 10 News shows military troops with razor wire at a staging site in the South Bay, as troops prepare to deploy to fortify U.S. - Mexico Border and aid in Trump crackdown on border crossings.

January 26, 2025 (San Diego) – A tough crackdown on immigrants has begun, after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the Southern Border. On Thursday, 1,500 active-duty military troops have been deployed to patrol the borders in San Diego and San Antonio, Texas, with the first soldiers arriving Thursday. 10 News shot footage showing troops, including hundreds from Camp Pendleton, arriving at staging area in Imperial Beach along with concertina razor wire, tents, and military trucks.

Yet according to Associated Press, data doesn’t back up Trump’s contention of an “invasion” of immigrants.  In fact,  AP reports, “arrests for illegal border crossings plummeted more than 80% to about 47,000 in December from an all-time high of 250,000 the same period a year earlier. Arrests fell by about half when Mexican authorities increased enforcement within their own borders a year ago and by about half again when former President Joe Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June.”

Immigration sweeps have also begun across the nation, striking fear into immigrant communities as Border Patrol agents in some areas reportedly demanded documentation of everyone stopped, including citizens. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, told Fox News that ICE arrested over 308 “serious criminals” in the first 24 hours after Trump took office.

One day later, Newsweek reports, Trump’s Acting Secretary of Homeland Security  Benjamine Huffman lifted a long-standing ban, now allowing ICE to target immigrants in sensitive locations including schools, churches and hospitals.

In addition to fortifying the border to block crossings by migrants, including many seeking asylum and fleeing violence or persecution, Trump's administration has disabled the app which formerly allowed asylum-seekers to apply online without crossing the border, effectively blocking all asylum efforts, NPR reports. 

That violates international law. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, "Seeking asylum is a human right and every person in the world has the right to apply for asylum if they are fleeing conflict or persecution. They must not be expelled or returned to situations where their lives or freedoms would be in danger. This is the principle of non-refoulement which is enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention."

The Justice Dept. under Trump has also ordered prosecutors to “investigate any government officials at the state of local effort who refuse to enforce Trump’s immigration policies,” according to Newsweek, putting local officials in the hot seat, since state law prohibits cooperating with federal immigration officials except for turning over criminals convicted of a specified list of serious crimes. 

In recent days, immigration sweeps have been occurring across the nation, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and other major cities.  Details from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been sketchy, with names released only for a few serious criminals.

But reports across the country suggest innocent people including citizens and even Native Americans are being stopped and harassed by ICE.  Newark, New Jersey’s Mayor Ras Baraka issued this statement on Jan. 23: “Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided a local establishment in the City of Newark, detaining undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant. One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned. This egregious act is in plain violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees ‘the right of the people be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized. I will be holding a press conference in alliance with partners ready and willing to defend and protect civil and human rights.”

The Arizona Mirror reports that Native Americans have been unlawfully stopped and detained by ICE. 

““We now know that Navajo people and enrolled members of other tribes are being detained in Phoenix and other cities by ICE,” Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley said during a committee meeting on Thursday. “The reports that we have received indicate that we need to coordinate an operation or some type of response to help our enrolled tribal members here on the Navajo Nation.”

Navajo tribal leaders reported that they received calls and text messages from Navajo people living in urban areas who have been stopped, questioned or detained by ICE. Those reports sparked outrage among Navajo Nation Council members and prompted a detailed discussion of the topic during a Naabik’íyáti’ Committee meeting.

“These raids have sparked significant fear, especially among tribal members in urban areas who face challenges with documentation,” the Navajo Nation Council said in a press release.

California has 2.4 million undocumented immigrants, the most of any state, the Los Angeles Times reports. Many farmworkers are staying home, terrified of being detained or deported after recent raids, New Republic reports. ““We’re in the middle of our citrus harvesting,” Casey Creamer, president of the industry group California Citrus Mutual, told CalMatters. “This sent shockwaves through the entire community. People aren’t going to work and kids aren’t going to school. Yesterday about 25 percent of the workforce, today 75 percent didn’t show up.”

San Diego County has an estimated 170,000 undocumented immigrants. In an interview with CBS 8, Pedro Rios with the American Friends Service Committee warned of potential economic impacts if large-scale removals were to occur. "It would mean that suddenly we wouldn't have people in the service industry” he said, also voicing concerns over separation of children from parents. “We wouldn't have people in the agricultural industry. We wouldn't have people that are professionals that touch every aspect of our life,” Rios said.