Category: San Diego

Water from hotel pools falling like rain and new construction tumbling like a house of cards. All of this and more triggered by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake happening in Myanmar on Friday. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Water from hotel pools falling like rain and new construction tumbling like a house of cards. All of this and more triggered by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake happening in Myanmar on Friday. “Even though people were safe – their life was safe – but, their house got collapsed,” Nao Kabashima, Executive Director of The Karen Organization of San Diego, said. The Karen Organization of San Diego is a local non-profit which boosts different educational and economic opportunities for different groups from the country. “On top of those many years of struggle, this huge earthquake happening in the region, that made me like feel devastated,” Kabashima said THE QUAKE WAS FELT SOME 600 MILES AWAY IN BANGKOK. “My friend said wake up wake up we have a big earthquake in our country! This is the first time, like, we never have any earthquake in Thailand before,Nikki Summawadee, the co-founder of

Jeff Amy/AP People leave after voting in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, Georgia. SAN DIEGO (CNS) — As the April 8 special election for San Diego County’s First Supervisorial District approaches, seven vote centers will open today for early voters. The vote centers will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Monday, April 7, at the locations below: Bonita-Sunnyside Branch Library community room, 4375 Bonita Road, Bonita Chula Vista City Hall, 276 4th Ave., Chula Vista County of San Diego HHSA conference room, 690 Oxford St., Chula Vista West View Elementary auditorium, 525 3rd St., Imperial Beach Mountain View Community Center back meeting room, 641 S Boundary St., San Diego San Ysidro Senior Center, 125 E Park Ave., San Diego Spring Valley Community Center Olsen Room, 8735 Jamacha Blvd., Spring Valley On the final day of voting, April 8, six more vote centers will open for a total of 13 locations, and the hours will change to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.More than 370,000 ballots were sent to registered voters in the district to fill the term vacated by then-Supervisor Nora

The March Madness-style competition to name San Diego’s official flower is down to the final four, and online voting is now under way. Local residents are encouraged to pick between the bush sunflower and the California wild rose in one semifinal, and to choose between California buckwheat and blue-eyed grass in the other. Voting on the semifinal matches, which began Saturday and runs through April 7, will be followed by a final match between the semifinal winners. Online voting in the final match will take place from April 9 through 14. The goal of the competition is finding a replacement for the carnation — a non-native flower that has served as San Diego’s official city flower since 1964. Local environmental groups say choosing a native flower as the city’s official one will encourage residents to cultivate native flowers, which help support local bees, birds and butterflies. Native plants underpin the survival of all local species, Andrew Meyer of the San Diego Bird Alliance told City Council members last week. That’s especially important in San Diego County, the most biodiverse in the nation. The bird alliance

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The weekend has arrived! There are a number of local events and activities on the calendar for those looking to enjoy their leisure time. From sporting events to live music and beyond, here are some things to do in San Diego this weekend: East Village Block Party This free event brings together all that there is in East Village, including local small businesses, live music and entertainment, multi-block car show by Solida Car Show, tasty bites, local retail vendors, a variety of fun family-friendly activities, and a celebration of East Village’s very own San Diego Padres. It takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. San Diego Gulls vs. Calgary Wranglers (Mexican Heritage Night) Head to Pechanga Area on Saturday evening for a hockey game as the San Diego Gulls challenge the Calgary Wranglers. Plus, the game marks Mexican Heritage Night. There will special themed jerseys available for fans that can be autographed by players. There will also be giveaway ponchos and tailgating with a car show ahead of the game. Oceanside Theatre Company Presents “Once on This Island” Head

Video above: This FOX 5/KUSI video provides driving safety tips. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A 36-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed Saturday as a result of a hit-and-run collision in the Clairemont Mesa East neighborhood, authorities said. According to the San Diego Police Department, the man was traveling westbound in the 6900 block of Balboa Avenue around 1:30 a.m. He was riding in the bike lane. For reasons still under investigation, police said the e-biker veered left into the path of a vehicle that was also heading westbound on the same roadway. The vehicle struck the cyclist and the driver did not remain at the scene following the impact. Emergency responders arrived and the e-biker was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the medical facility. His identity is being withheld at this time. SDPD’s Traffic Division is actively investigating the incident and working to determine the exact cause of the crash. Authorities are currently searching for the suspect vehicle, which has been described as a light-colored, possibly gray, 2016-2022 Mercedes Benz E-Class sedan. The

An e-biker was pronounced dead at the hospital following a hit-and-run collision in the Clairemont Mesa East neighborhood. CLAIREMONT MESA, Calif. (KGTV) — A 36-year-old man riding an electric bicycle was struck and killed this morning by a hit-and-run vehicle in the Clairemont Mesa East community of San Diego, authorities said. The crash occurred at 1:25 a.m. in the 6900 block of Balboa Avenue. The bicycle was going westbound in the bike lane, as the vehicle was going westbound in the No. 2 lane, according to the San Diego Police Department. “At some point, the bicyclist made a movement to the left and veered into the path of the vehicle. The vehicle collided with the bicyclist,” according to a police statement. The vehicle fled the scene. Police describe the suspect vehicle as “a light-colored, possibly gray 2016-2022 Mercedes Benz E-class sedan, with front end damage and missing grill/front-end body pieces.” Paramedics rushed the victim to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. San Diego police urge anyone with any information regarding the crash to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. Copyright 2025, City News Service, Inc.

California is a pricey place to live, but the way money is spent is not universal. My trusty spreadsheet reviewed curious consumption data created by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These stats track household demographics and average consumer spending in 2022 and 2023 within 22 U.S. regions – including three in California. These figures give us insight into where a family’s dollars go and how that differs by geography. And it’s no news flash that Californians make more than the typical American. By this math, the average annual household income before taxes was $154,992 for the Bay Area, $124,346 in the region surrounding Los Angeles, and $122,832 in San Diego. Nationally, it’s $97,911. However, note a significant difference in how many paychecks it takes to create that family cash flow. Contemplate that roughly 50% of households around L.A. have two earners, 40% in San Diego, and 30% in San Francisco and nationally. These lofty incomes are a key reason Californians can spend more than the typical American. The report says typical expenses ran $110,886 a year in the Bay Area in 2022-23, $91,204 in San

ABC 10News Pinpoint Weather with Moses Small: Cool, partly cloudy Saturday The weekend is here! We’re starting off gray this morning, with lots of marine layer cloud coverage and even areas of patchy drizzle. Most of this will clear by the afternoon, but we have a cool day on top. Today’s highs will bring low to mid 60s along the coast and inland, with partly cloudy skies. The mountains will reach near 60, while the deserts will reach near 80. The deserts have a wind advisory until 11 a.m., so watch for wind gusts as fast as 60 miles per hour! Strong wind gusts persist for the mountains and deserts through the day, with more gusts up to 50 miles per hour. This week’s forecast becomes a mixed bag, with a series of storms heading to the Pacific Northwest. They’ll be too far away to create very stormy conditions here at home, but they will swing some moisture and clouds our way. That means drizzle is possible most mornings this week, and an incoming system may squeeze out light showers Monday morning. Totals are forecasting

There’s a battle under way in a specialized San Diego court program for criminal defendants with a serious mental illness, a tug-of-war that may be stalling the program from accepting new participants. Several times since last summer, the District Attorney’s Office has asked the Superior Court judge overseeing Behavioral Health Court to recuse herself from hearing cases involving referrals of potential participants to join the court program. Judge Cindy Davis has generally refused to do so. Prosecutors took their fight to a state appeals court, arguing in court documents that Davis has admitted “inappropriate participants,” overlooked input from the team that makes up the collaborative court, and “struggled” to hold participants — who are all criminal defendants — accountable. “Over the last few years, we have become increasingly alarmed by Judge Davis’ decision-making,” prosecutors said in a January court document laying out why they are seeking her recusal. The prosecuting agency pointed to the admission of a woman who starved her infant to death and to the overdose deaths of three Behavioral Health Court participants in quick succession. One had continually failed his drug tests, but

Seven vote centers are open starting today across San Diego’s South Bay for the upcoming special election where voters will decide who they want to fill the vacant District 1 county supervisor seat. The centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the date of the special election — and the final day to vote — on April 8. Thirteen additional vote centers will be open across the district on election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can also submit their ballot at one of the 29 drop boxes that have been open since March 11 or vote in person at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters offices in Kearny Mesa, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Seven candidates are running for the seat vacated by former District 1 Supervisor Nora Vargas, who announced in December that she would not serve the second term to which she’d just been elected. Whoever is elected will serve out the remainder of the four-year term, which ends in January 2029. The District 1 supervisor represents the cities of Chula Vista, National

A new city audit finds San Diego lags far behind other big California cities in bringing in grant funding — a key factor in large budget deficits the city is facing. The other major cities in California get two-thirds more money per resident than San Diego in annual funding from state, federal and other grants. San Diego averages $337 per resident, while the other large cities average $558. The gap is even wider when it comes to grant funding for infrastructure projects, with San Diego averaging $97 per resident compared to an average of $180 in other large California cities — 85% more than San Diego. Grant funding made up just 11.5% of San Diego’s total revenues during fiscal year 2023, far less than the 19.7% average among the state’s other large cities. According to city auditors, a key challenge for San Diego in securing some grants is the lack of required local matching funds — which the city would be in a better position to provide had voters approved proposed tax hikes in recent years. In 2020, city voters rejected a $900 million housing

SAN ELIJO HILLS, Calif. — After more than a decade, Cal Fire released a new fire hazard severity zones map. For the first time, some San Diego county residents may find themselves living in one of these hazardous zones, raising concerns about higher insurance premiums. The lush green hills and canyons make San Elijo Hills a desirable place to live for its beauty. “That’s why we all live here,” Ed Philbrick said about the neighborhood he’s lived in for more than 20 years. But, it’s also a hazard during fire season. “It has some chaparral and potential burnable fuel,” he said, looking over the canyon near his home. For the first time, Philbrick says his neighborhood falls into the very high fire hazard severity zone. “When people look at the maps and they may be comparing from previous to now. It looks a lot different. It looks like there’s a lot more people in it because there are,” Cal Fire Deputy Director Frank Bigelow said. These San Diego areas now considered ‘very high fire hazard’ zones by Cal Fire The fire maps include the moderate

perla shaheen San Diego County’s first cannabis lounge set to open in April NATIONAL CITY (KGTV) — These booths, countertops, and uber-unique bathrooms look like the beginnings of a nice restaurant. Instead, it’s coming together to make the first public space in San Diego County where people can consume cannabis products. “We’re setting the bar for what lounges ought to be in California,” said CEO Alex Ayon. Ayon gave me a tour of his cannabis lounge in National City called Sessions by the Bay. “No lounge in California is on this level,” Ayon said. The first floor is similar to any regular cannabis dispensary. “On the shelves we’ll have all the different cannabis products,” Ayon said. The second floor has the lounge, with seating for people to hang out or order food while also consuming cannabis. “Servers will have a menu they can provide you with cannabis goods and for non-cannabis goods as well. Regular meals and non-alcoholic cocktails.” Ayon applied to open a cannabis lounge in National City back in 2022 and his project was approved the next year. But it wasn’t until this

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Surveillance cameras have captured another pedestrian collision at a North Park intersection that some have described as the most dangerous in the area. The latest incident occurred a few weeks ago at the four-way stop where Ray Street dead-ends onto Upas Street and 30th Street, according to Liz Saba, who owns a jewelry store at the intersection. “It was a loud noise, a crashing sound, a thump — pretty loud,” Saba said. The cameras showed a pedestrian in the crosswalk being hit by a car heading east on Upas Street. “The pedestrian flies over the hood of the guy’s car. His shoes are on the ground,” Saba said. Remarkably, police reported the pedestrian suffered only minor injuries. This is not the first time Saba’s cameras have recorded a collision at the intersection. In December 2023, the footage showed a driver appearing to run a stop sign and hitting a motorcyclist, who was okay. Saba herself was a victim of a crash at the intersection in March 2020, which left her with nerve and tendon injuries. “It’s almost a calamity of horns

Federal authorities have charged four people in connection with an immigration-related investigation at San Diego Powder and Protective Coatings, an East County business. EL CAJON, Calif. — Federal authorities have charged four people in connection with an immigration-related investigation at San Diego Powder and Protective Coatings, an East County business. Among those charged is the company’s general manager, John Washburn, who allegedly employed undocumented workers and allowed them to live inside the business’s warehouse. Black-and-white photos provided by the government show a makeshift living space inside the facility, with three beds and household items. Authorities allege that approximately 15 employees, or about a third of the company’s workforce, lacked legal authorization to work in the United States. Three other men were charged with providing false information regarding their immigration status to secure employment. If convicted, they all, including Washburn, face up to 10 years in prison. Eyewitnesses Describe the Raid One day after Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents raided the business, eyewitnesses and family members of those detained shared their accounts with ABC 10News. “I was shocked when I heard the news,” said Ted Nelson

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Opening weekend is in full swing and baseball traditions are back in action! During opening night, Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Padres. To begin the second game of the season, the Padres picked The Bucket List Family to throw out the first pitch. The Bucket List Family consists of Garrett and Jessica Gee, with their three kids, Dorothy, Manilla and Calihan. In 2015, when Dorothy was just two-years-old, and Manilla wasn’t even one year old, the Gee family sold everything and started travelling around the globe. In the ten years, the family of travel journalists have documented their journey across social media and have gained millions of followers, who live vicariously through their trips of a lifetime. From around the globe, their latest adventure brought them from where they have semi-settled with a home base in Hawaii, to America’s Finest City. “I think as a family together we’re at about 95 countries,” Garrett Gee said. “It’s been on my personal bucket list to eventually have them out to America’s number one ballpark

VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A nine-year-old girl died last week after dental surgery in Vista. On March 18, the child underwent dental surgery involving anesthesia, moved to a recovery room and then was discharged from the facility, according to San Diego police. Authorities say the girl remained asleep during her ride home and when she was brought to her bed. Federal agents conduct operation in unincorporated El Cajon Her family checked on her throughout the day when they found her unresponsive in bed and called 911. First responders performed lifesaving measures on her while being transported to Rady Children’s Hospital Emergency Department, where she was later pronounced dead. The cause and manner of her death are pending at this time. The girl, whose name is being withheld due to her being a minor, lived under the care of her mother in San Diego.

The general manager of a business in unincorporated El Cajon was charged Friday on suspicion of harboring undocumented immigrants who worked there following a three-year federal investigation into the company’s hiring practices, officials said. John Washburn and three other employees were arrested following a raid on the business Thursday at BJS & T Enterprises, which does business under the name San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings and is located on Magnolia Avenue near Airport Drive. The family-owned company completes metal coatings and has multiple federal government contracts, including work for projects on military and government vehicles. Washburn was charged with conspiracy to harbor aliens after investigators reported finding a room in the warehouse that they said he had allowed undocumented immigrants to live in illegally. The other three employees were charged with using false documents to work in the United States, federal investigators said. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Major set the bond for Washburn at $5,000, investigators said. Court records did not indicate if Washburn had an attorney to speak on his behalf Friday. The criminal complaint filed Friday reveals new details about the raid

A San Diego federal court judge ruled this week in favor of a state law prohibiting the sale of semi-automatic rifles and other long guns to 18-to-20-year-olds, with exceptions, by licensed dealers. In a summary judgment issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge M. James Lorenz ruled that the law does not violate the Second Amendment and that the restriction “fits within the historical tradition of firearm regulation.” The judgment is the result of a lawsuit filed in 2019 against the state by firearms dealers, advocates and young adults alleging that the law, California Penal Code Section 27510, infringed on the right to bear arms. In 2018, following the mass school shooting in Parkland, Fla., by a 19-year-old man, California law was amended to restrict the sale of long guns to anyone under 21, with some exceptions. The law was amended again in 2019 to further restrict the sale of semiautomatic rifles to people under 21, also with some exceptions. In December 2023, Lorenz dismissed a motion by the gun-rights plaintiffs requesting a preliminary injunction. In his judgment this week, Lorenz said, the state law “does not prohibit 18-to-20-year-olds from

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The owner of San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings is blaming bad actors after Federal agents raided his business on Thursday. He said he is cooperating with Homeland Security investigators and claims investigators say several people were found to be working with fake documents. Four employees at San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings were charged as a result of the search warrant issued regarding immigration and workplace violations. The company’s general manager, Josh Washburn, is facing a charge of Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens. Report: Deportations under Trump are below Biden but arrests are up Gilver Martinez-Juanta, Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez, and Fernando Casas-Gamboa were charged with using false documents to work in the United States. The business was not shut down, and it was still operating on Friday. “I was interviewed by investigators, and unfortunately we had a couple of bad actors — a supervisor that was in our employment here and a painter. Two months ago they were arrested for drug drug trafficking and transporting drugs. Apparently, since then, there’s been an ongoing investigation of my facility and the personnel

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Dozens gathered Friday to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Leon Williams, one of San Diego’s most remarkable public servants and civil rights leaders who passed earlier this month at the age of 102. A trailblazer as the first Black member of both the San Diego City Council and the county Board of Supervisors, Williams was instrumental in the city’s growth in the late 20th century, championing everything from public transit to desegregation through equitable city planning. “His legacy is expansive,” his youngest son, J.J. Anderson, said at the services. “He loved San Diego, he loved the county of San Diego and he gave his entire life to this county.” The array of mourners packed into Calvary Baptist Church in Logan Heights for the funeral was a testament to this service, spanning former and present elected officials, community leaders and loved ones. San Diego passes first-in-the-nation policy to ban digital-only coupons at grocery stores “You can feel my father’s love. People knew that he was a real person,” Anderson said. “He all felt that we all had enough