Category: San Diego

Families have criticized what they say is a lack of transparency from leadership, which was about to hold a short-notice meeting to vote on closing the high school

The district will be led by Mike Fowler, now the assistant superintendent of educational services

Video Above: President & CEO of the San Diego Seals talks preparations ahead of National Lacrosse League Playoffs SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego Seals are opening the 2024 National Lacrosse League (NLL) Playoffs this weekend at the Pechanga Arena, and fans can get discounted tickets while military families can go to the playoff game for free. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) Playoffs. The No. 2 seed Seals will take on the No. 7 seed Panther City Lacrosse Club at the Pechanga Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are available online at sealslax.com . Other quarterfinal games include: the No. 1 seed (Toronto) vs. No. 8 (Rochester); No. 3 (Albany) vs. No. 6 (Halifax); and No. 4 (Buffalo) vs. No. 5 (Georgia). The playoffs will proceed with a bracket-style advance towards the NLL finals, after the league did away with separate conferences this season in favor of single-table standings. Construction to impact MTS trolley service in East County The quarterfinal round will be single elimination, while the semi-finals and finals will continue to be a best-of-three series. Saturday

The regional planning agency, whose polarizing former leader Hasan Ikhrata left last year, is now under scrutiny for its management and contracting practices and issues with tolling software.

Registered nurse Gary Johnson is being held without bail at Vista jail; he was fired from Oceanside hospital days after his arrest

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — After an extensive nationwide search, the San Diego Association of Government has chosen its next chief executive officer. SANDAG appointed Mario Orso, the current chief deputy director of the California Department of Transportation District 11, as the next person to lead the agency, it announced Friday. Investigation into SR-125 tolling found mischarges, millions in lost revenue According to SANDAG, Orso has more than 32 years of experience at Caltrans. He started as a junior civil engineer after earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from San Diego State University. Before serving as chief deputy director for Caltrans District 11, he was the project director for the South County and Trade corridors, as well as the district’s first Native American liaison. He was also chosen as acting director for District 12 in Orange County. His appointment comes after SANDAG’s board of directors chose deputy CEO Coleen Clementson to take over as the new interim CEO. Clementson was chosen to fill the role in the meantime after former CEO Hasan Ikhrata announced his intention to leave SANDAG last year. These California cities

University President and founder Frank Papatheofanis says the closure is due to financial struggles. The last day is May 18.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The former Metropolitan Transit System employee who accused Nathan Fletcher of sexual assault in a bombshell lawsuit has brought on a new attorney almost a month after parting ways with her second lawyer. Grecia Figueroa had previously opted to represent herself in the interim while she worked to secure new counsel. She dropped her previous representation days before discovery hearings were scheduled to begin in earnest ahead of a planned civil trial next year. During a scheduled discovery hearing on Friday, Figueroa’s new lawyer, Maryann Gallagher, told the judge hearing the case, Matthew Branner, that she was still getting up to speed in the case and working to piece together the slew of motions that have been filed. Timeline: Unfolding of the Nathan Fletcher scandal That includes requests by Fletcher and Figueroa to compel the other party to respond to investigative questionnaires — actions which sanctions were asked for, but Branner said in a tentative ruling is “very unlikely” to be granted. Grecia Figueroa during a hearing in her lawsuit against Nathan Fletcher for assault on April 5, 2024. (FOX

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A recent national air quality “report card” shows that Southern California has the worst ozone pollution in the U.S., with more than eight in 10 Californians living in an area with unhealthy air quality. Data from the American Lung Association’s 2024 State of the Air report shows Los Angeles-Long Beach ranked the “smoggiest” metropolitan area in the nation for the 24th time, making it the worst place for ozone pollution. Bakersfield topped the lists of cities with the worst year-round and short-term particle pollution. San Diego among cities with most eco-friendly homes in the U.S. Meanwhile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranked No. 8 on the list of most ozone-polluted cities in the U.S. It was also named one of the top cities with the most short-term particle pollution. The report graded areas based on exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution, annual particle pollution and short-term spikes of particle pollution collected over a three-year period. Twelve cities in California were ranked on at least one of the lists of the 25 most polluted cities in America. Los Angeles-Long Beach, Bakersfield

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — “It’s just very shocking that something would happen to our Oceanside Pier. It just means so much to so many people, ” said Kristi Hawthorne, the director of the Oceanside Historical Society. The iconic North County pier caught fire Thursday afternoon, sending many locals down memory lane. Hawthorne herself spoke of times shared with her family walking along the wooden structure that’s visited regularly by so many. Hawthorne expressed sentiments mostly likely shared by many in the community after seeing dark plummets of smoke overcast the quaint beach town. Marine killed in ‘routine military operations’ at Camp Pendleton identified “When you saw that smoke, you know, we’re thinking the whole structure is going to catch fire, but the crazy thing about it is it’s still smoking now (Friday morning),” Hawthorne continued. “And, you know, there’s still concern about what’s going to be left and what’s going to happen.” As shocking as it feels for many, this isn’t the first fire on the Oceanside Pier. First built in 1888, the pier has been restructured a total of six times since. In

Several leaders believe increasing homelessness services in one area could hurt other efforts to slow the crisis

Police said pipes were bent and broken on a church organ and an office was ransacked at the First Church of Christ, Scientist in La Mesa Tuesday

City officials said Friday morning that firefighters had contained the fire to the far west end of the structure

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A U.S. Marine who died during “routine military operations” at Camp Pendleton Tuesday night has been identified by military officials. In statement released Friday morning, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing identified Cpl. Miguel A. Maya, a U/AH-1 Aircraft Avionics Technician and Texas native, as the Marine that lost his life earlier this week. Missing Camp Pendleton Marine contacted, NCIS says, but family still searching Cpl. Maya was with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLAT) 303, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. “My heartfelt condolences go out to Cpl. Maya’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said Lt. Col. Jason Caster, commanding officer of HMLAT-303. “Our priority right now is taking care of the family of our fallen Marine, and ensuring the well-being of our Marines and their loved ones.” According to military officials, his death was “a result of an aviation ground mishap.” No further details about the fatal incident were immediately provided. An investigation remains ongoing.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — If you were planning a beach day in Oceanside Friday or this weekend, you may need to adjust your plans. Those in the area may have already assumed this after seeing smoke billowing from the end of the iconic Oceanside Pier Thursday afternoon as the forme r Ruby’s Diner went up in flames. Could the Oceanside Pier collapse due to fire? Bursts of flames and smoke could still be seen in the early hours of Friday morning. Though fire officials have said it’s under control, there are still safety concerns regarding the hours-long blaze. Oceanside Fire Chief David Parsons said debris has been falling from the end of the pier into the ocean, causing hazardous conditions due to chemicals from the burning structure. The county’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality is monitoring these water issues. As of Friday morning, the beach remains closed from south of the Oceanside Pier to Tyson Street. Fire officials are asking the public to stay off the beach and out of the water in the area. No timeframe for a reopening has been provided at this

Valley Center teen using her experience to discourage drunk driving Hundreds of high school students in Valley Center learned about the dangers of driving under the influence. But they didn’t just hear from first responders- they heard the first hand experience from one of their fellow students. “I didn’t really believe it until I came home,” said Kiera Latulippe. Telling her story for the first time. “My life is a living breathing example of someone else’s destruction,” said Kiera. Kiera Latulippe lost her mother, father, and brother in 2017 while visiting Texas, when a drunk driver drove into oncoming traffic. “I got out in the middle of like, the freeway and I was just screaming,” said Kiera. Her uncle, California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe, remembers flying out and having to break the news. As well as become her guardian. “Because of somebody else’s bad choice, her whole life is changed,” said Mark Latulippe. Seven years later, her family is still captured in photos. “I feel kind of whole when I see pictures of all of us together,” said Kiera as she showed photos from

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The community of Oceanside is reeling after the end of their beloved wooden pier went up in flames Thursday. The fire broke out around 3 p.m. with flames blazing through the old Ruby’s Diner, which has been vacant since February 2021. SkyFox video shows the end of the pier charred and smoldered. Missing Camp Pendleton Marine contacted, NCIS says, but family still searching As of Friday morning, firefighters were still battling the fire with smoke still rising in the air. Though mostly controlled at this point, many are left wondering: could the fire damage cause the iconic pier to collapse? In an update to the public around 6:30 a.m., Oceanside Fire Chief David Parsons said, “At this point, we don’t know — it’s called the ‘hammerhead’ — we don’t know the structural stability of that part of the pier.” He went on to explain that he spoke with a city engineer about the pier structure itself. “If a part of the pier does potentially collapse, the understanding is that likely the rest of the pier will pretty much be untouched by

Victor Alfonso Moreno-Mejia was arrested in September with around 100 pounds of cocaine inside his car at the San Ysidro Port of Entry

School officials told students around 8:20 p.m. Thursday to avoid the area around the building. About three hours later, officials said the building had been reopened

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — At least one person is dead after a car collided with a semi-truck on Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton Thursday night, according to California Highway Patrol. The collision was reported just before 9 p.m., near the Cockleburr Road overpass. According to CHP logs, a sedan was traveling at high rates of speed along the southbound lanes when the driver lost control and struck the semi-truck, which was on the right hand side of the road. Smoke was reportedly visible following the crash, law enforcement added. At least one person was reported deceased as a result of the crash. No additional information on any other injuries in the crash or the chain of events that led to the crash was immediately available. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — UC San Diego sent out an emergency alert to students Thursday night reporting a possible bomb threat on campus. After a thorough search, no threats to safety were found. The “Triton Alert” was sent out around 8:20 p.m. According to the alert, the bomb threat was reportedly impacting Atkinson Hall, a classroom and event space in the Warren Mall area of campus. In a statement, a spokesperson for UCSD said Atkinson Hall was evacuated and the area surrounding it has been cleared of people. The building was cleared of any safety hazards around 11 p.m. No additional details were immediately available about who called in the threat. The university said they are investigating and requested support from other agencies, including San Diego Fire-Rescue. In a post on Instagram earlier in the night, UCSD law enforcement asked students and the public to stay away from the Atkinson Hall area “until further notice.” A road closure also appeared to be in place on Voigt Drive from Hopkins Drive to Equality Lane while crews were on scene. All closures have since been lifted.