Category: San Diego

Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP Officials inspect a shipment of U.S. food aid. On a Thursday evening in Washington, D.C. more than a dozen lawyers sat inside a courtroom at the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Court House for hearing in front of Judge Amir H. Ali. After a four-hour long proceeding, judge Ali issued a directive. The federal government had four days to pay plaintiff organizations that had sued the federal government for money they say they were owned. Organizations say they were owed a combined $2 billion for work that had already been completed. The story began when the Trump administration announced an executive order with the intended goal of dismantling the United States Agency for International Aid, or USAID, an organization that focuses on humanitarian aid around the globe. The administration expressed concerns about how U.S. dollars were being spent abroad. The administration said it reserved the right to review, then cut-off spending in cases it deems fit. But several organizations that worked directly with USAID sued. They argued in court that the abrupt closure of programs and cut in funding caused irreparable harm to

Del Mar Fairgrounds officials agreed Tuesday to resume their negotiations with the city of Del Mar regarding the possibility of building state-mandated affordable housing on the fairgrounds. Directors of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, which owns and oversees the fairgrounds, suspended the negotiations last month because of the Del Mar City Council’s request to delay construction of railroad improvements, including a bridge and special events platform that would improve passenger service to the fairgrounds. Members of the state-appointed fair board also took offense to statements by Del Mar Mayor Terry Gaasterland, who said in news reports she favors rerouting the railroad tracks off the city’s eroding bluffs and through an inland tunnel bored beneath part of the fairgrounds. Construction of the route would likely halt or disrupt events at the fairgrounds for years. Since then the San Diego Association of Governments, the regional planning agency leading the tunnel project, has voted to study a new set of possible train routes “that does not include an alternative detrimental to the fairgrounds,” fairgrounds CEO Carlene Moore said Tuesday. With the dismissal of the route threatening the fairgrounds

San Diego County has taken another step toward a more sweeping ban against homeless encampments after the nation’s top court made it easier for local governments to move tents off public land. In a unanimous and bipartisan vote Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors told staffers to update the county’s existing anti-camping law with provisions that crack down on fires. On days when the risk of wildfire is low, however, officials may only be able to clear encampments when shelter beds are available. “I’m open to suggestions about what more we can do for the homeless — but this isn’t about the homeless,” Supervisor Joel Anderson, who introduced the proposal, said from the dais. “This is about whether you have a right to torch neighborhoods.” The new ordinance is expected to be written in the next two months. The board will have to vote on the measure again for it to become law. Several local fires have recently been tied to people living outside, and firefighters in the city of San Diego estimate that nearly a fifth of all blazes last year began near encampments. Yet

With the Trump administration now cutting U.S. government programs and personnel by the day, two San Diego County supervisors sought Tuesday to direct officials to develop a plan to warn people if and when their federally funded services are threatened. But while the idea put forward by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer received the endorsement of Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, Supervisors Jim Desmond and Joel Anderson both voted against the idea. Lawson-Remer said the hundreds of thousands of San Diego County residents who rely on federally funded benefits like housing and food-assistance should be alerted if and when the Trump Administration cuts affect them. She wanted Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton to develop an early-warning plan within 30 days that would include a broad notification strategy including direct mail, email and flyers at various county facilities aimed at warning clients that services may be cut. “Hundreds of thousands of San Diego families rely on federally funded programs to meet basic needs, including healthcare, housing assistance, food security and workforce development,” Lawson-Remer wrote to her board colleagues. She specifically cited a U.S. House budget plan that called for

UCSD professor shares potential challenges standing in way of Russia-Ukraine ceasefire SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Ukraine said Tuesday it’s ready to accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, putting the pressure on Russia to do the same. It’s “a big step forward,” according to Jesse Driscoll, a professor of political science at the UCSD School of Global Policy and Strategy. However, he noted several challenges could stand in the way of this becoming reality. “Today, we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way that’s enduring and sustainable,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio following a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia Tuesday. The 30-day ceasefire would stop all forms of war, land air and sea. “We are ready to take such a step, and the United States of America must convince Russia to do so,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after agreeing to the arrangement. The U.S. has also agreed to immediately resume sharing intel and military aid to Ukraine, indicating repaired relations following a tense

M&P IRON WORKS AND FENCING Tariff threat means home renovations could quickly become more expensive LA MESA (KGTV) — Basic home renovation projects like getting new fencing around the yard are about to get up to 20% more expensive. “It seems like complete chaos,” said Max Paul, co-owner of M&P Iron Works and Fencing. That’s according to Max Paul and Rene Morales at M&P Iron Works and Fencing. They say the threat of tariffs on materials from Mexico, Canada, and China has caused prices to go up. “The vendors are implementing the hike in prices immediately,” Paul said. “Whether the tariffs are in place or not, they’re telling us come get your product because next week it’s going to be more expensive.” They say vendors in those countries are taking advantage of uncertainty in the market. That cost trickles down to their customers. “How much has an average price for a gate like this gone up?” “Something like this we used to sell for about $2,100, based on today’s pricing it’d probably be $2,600,” Morales said. The daily back and forth from the president also

Mission Hills homeowner, landslide victim braces for rains; In February 2024, after heavy rains, a mudslide pushed debris into yard from the property of the home above SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) – With this week’s rain, a Mission Hills homeowner is once again facing anxious moments more than a year after a landslide from the yard of the home above threatened his property. Rex Huffman first spoke to ABC10News in February 2024, as the mudslide from the home above pushed concrete and other debris into his yard on West California Street. “There’s nothing supporting those cinder blocks,” said Huffman, pointing to cinder blocks on the slope behind his yard. “If enough water gets in there, it’s going to pop out.” This week, as the rain started falling, Huffman’s worries resurfaced. “We’re anxious. It’s not a good feeling to have, sitting below,” Huffman said. For Huffman, the lack of rain the past year has helped pause the landslide. In the past year, Huffman says the homeowner above has removed the crumbling concrete patio, and has repaired a damaged shed on Huffman’s own property. A catch fence

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Much of Southern California will be under a flood watch this week and San Diego officials are prepping for the rain and reminding residents that sandbags are available. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for much of San Diego County and Southern California from 10 p.m. Wednesday through 6 p.m. Thursday, and cautioned residents to keep an eye on alerts if it were to be upgraded to a flood warning. The rain will come in two storm systems, one Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, with the second storm expected to drop more rain on the area Thursday into Friday. NWS says San Diego has the highest chances locally of developing thunderstorms. The atmospheric river is expected to bring rainfall between 0.5 and 0.75 inch/hour, up to 1 inch/hour locally, at its peak Wednesday night into Thursday. More rain, snow headed toward San Diego: How much could the region get? National Weather Service (NWS) map shows areas in green forecast to be under a flood watch Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon (Photo: National Weather Service San Diego) Rainfall

(FOX 5/KUSI) — A measure to remove San Diego County’s ‘super sanctuary’ status failed to get enough votes from county supervisors on Tuesday, leaving the designation in place. The board had previously voted in early December 3-1 to prevent the use of its resources and funding to assist federal immigration agents with deportations. In that December vote, Supervisor Jim Desmond was the lone ‘no’ vote, while Supervisor Joel Anderson was absent. The measure was brought to the board by former Board Chair Nora Vargas, who abruptly resigned shortly after that vote, citing safety concerns. Desmond brought the item back to the full board on Tuesday to vote on repealing the policy. He said that repealing the policy would no longer prevent the county from using its resources to help ICE and that there wouldn’t be any extra policing, instead, it would be only “a phone call.” “This is not about law-abiding migrants, this is about violent criminals, rapists, child abusers, burglars,” Desmond said. “If we have got people who are criminals in our jails, we should be able to let ICE know… all it is

The cherry blossoms were featured in FOX 5/KUSI’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month special in 2022. View the feature by Maria Arcega-Dunn in the video player above. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Japanese Friendship Garden at Balboa Park will be sprinkled with vibrant hues of pink again this week for the return of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Thursday marks the beginning of the festival, which happens at the garden annually following the Japanese tradition of hanami, or flower viewing. Thousands of people flock to Balboa Garden each year to catch a glimpse of the flowers. SeaWorld San Diego’s interactive jellyfish exhibit opens March 15 As of Tuesday, the garden says the cherry blossoms are 40% in bloom. The delicate blossoms only bloom for a short time, with the peak usually lasting between one to two weeks depending on weather conditions. According to a spokesperson for the garden, Balboa Park’s 150 cherry blossom trees were a gift from the Asakawa family who ran the garden and its teahouse in the early 1900s. The cherry blossoms also symbolize the friendship between San Diego and its

Widespread rain will continue to impact the county through the evening commute with ponding on the roadways, heavy rain at times, a slight chance of thunderstorms and small hail. The rain will become less widespread between 8 and 9pm. Rainfall totals with storm one will average between .25 to .75″ for the coast and valleys, .50 to 1.00″ in the mountains and less than .20″ in the deserts. Click here to see rainfall totals where you live. Snow levels will remain high with this storm, above 5,500 to 6,000′ which means we’ll mostly see rain the mountains. Gusty winds accompany this storm; we’ve seen a few southerly gusts over 30mph from the coast to the mountains. A few gusts may reach up to 45mph in the mountains and deserts through this evening. Wednesday will be a drier day but will remain unsettled, with a few isolated showers possible. Storm two will be much stronger with widespread heavy rain, and also much colder with lower snow levels. The worst of the rain on Thursday will be early in the morning, starting around 4am along the coast

On-and-off rain came through the San Diego area on Tuesday. During that time and the occasional dry spot, ABC 10News drove to different parts of Southcrest to check out what the storm channels and drains look like with the wet weather. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – On-and-off rain came through the San Diego area on Tuesday. During that time and the occasional dry spot, ABC 10News drove to different parts of Southcrest to check out what the storm channels and drains look like with the wet weather. Southcrest was an area hit hard by the Jan. 2024 storm and the flooding that came with it. We saw some trash and debris, but not a lot of it, inside some channels, and there was one channel that was seemingly spotless. Our cameras even got a peek inside the mouth of a drainage pipe that also looked fairly clear. ABC 10News asked the city what’s been done to try to prevent flooding in these impacted areas and other potentially problematic areas. A city spokesperson sent us the following statement: “Prior to every storm, Storm Patrol teams – consisting

Connor Joe is hoping to complete a full circle moment as he works to earn a spot on the Padres’ 40-man roster. The Poway High alum played his college ball for USD, so gearing up for the Friars would be the final touch on his San Diego slam. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — This spring, veteran baseball player Connor Joe is donning a new uniform as he takes part in drills at the Padres’ spring training facility. This season is particularly special for Joe, who expressed his excitement about playing for his hometown team. “It’s a dream come true. What more can you ask for? It’s every kid’s dream to play for the hometown team,” Connor said. Connor, a Poway High School alum, has deep roots in San Diego. His baseball journey began on the Little League fields of his neighborhood, where he played alongside fellow native San Diegan Joe Musgrove, who now pitches for the Padres. “It makes me proud. I played with Joe when I was about 10 years old, so I have known him for a long time. Our families are friends; it’s

Twice in the past two years, an elected San Diego County supervisor has unexpectedly resigned, leaving residents and business owners without representation and the politically divided board hamstrung on key issues with one of its five seats vacant. To better prepare for the next surprise departure, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to revise county policies to allow the clerk of the board to appoint a day-to-day administrator for district offices left vacant by sudden departures. The political appointee would be granted official oversight over the district office, making personnel decisions and providing updates to the remaining supervisors about activities and services within the district. The administrator also would be responsible for transitioning the district through elected leaders, shepherding the completion of audits and other business. “To ensure responsiveness to the needs of district residents, staff assignments and roles may be adjusted as necessary,” the new rules say. “District staff may continue in their positions until their services are no longer needed or until a new supervisor has been elected.” The policy change came on a unanimous vote, with elected officials saying the upgrade would

A Boston-based energy nonprofit announced Tuesday it’s helping a pair of San Diego community organizations by issuing grants that totaled $684,000 for the groups to purchase electric vehicles. Citizens Energy Corporation donated four Ford F-150 Lightning trucks to San Diego Canyonlands, a nonprofit that restores natural habitats in canyons and creeks across the country. The brush, waste and other debris “that we pull up, we take it with the trucks to the dump yard and dispose of it,” said Clayton Tschudy, executive director of Canyonlands. “It also takes our tools out” to various clean-up sites. The donation comes to roughly $265,000 and expands the number of vehicles in Canyonlands’ fleet from three to seven. “It’s a big deal for us in terms of our capacity,” Tschudy. “And it also means we’re not burning fossil fuels, so as an environmental organization it’s very important for us.” Citizens Energy also funded six Kia Niro SUVs and two electric transit vans to the Neighborhood House Association, which provides programs such as early childhood and youth development, healthcare, senior services around the San Diego area. The grant for the

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Students at several Grossmont Union High School District schools staged a walkout Tuesday to protest a proposal to cut dozens of jobs in the district that has drawn immense blowback from families and school staff alike. The plan, which was advanced in a 4-1 vote by the district’s school board last month, would effectively eliminate 61 jobs across the district, including a number of credentialed teachers as well as support staff, administrators and all nine of its full-time librarians. GUHSD officials say these cuts are necessary to guarantee its long-term financial health, given a $2.2 million deficit this year, additional structural deficits down the line, declining enrollment and uncertainty around future state funding. “These challenges require us to take a responsible, long-term approach, with students at the center of our decisions,” Acting Superintendent Sandra Huezo said in an email to staff last week. Grossmont Union teacher calls job cuts ‘great injustice’ District families and staff have questioned this rationale, arguing it has plenty of money in reserves to maintain its current spending levels. Cutting the positions, they contend, will worsen

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — People who have wondered what it’s like to touch a jellyfish can get the chance to do so at SeaWorld San Diego starting this weekend. The theme park’s “Jewels of the Sea: A Jellyfish Experience” finally opens to the public this Saturday after it was originally scheduled to debut last year. The Jellyfish Propagation Program allows guests to get up close and personal with the mysterious sea creatures while teaching them about ocean conservation efforts. SeaWorld San Diego reveals opening date for long-awaited jellyfish exhibit First, the experience takes guests through three different galleries with nine species including moon, South American sea nettles and upside-down jellyfish. People will also get to walk under a 10-foot-tall archway featuring more jellies and stand next to one of the nation’s tallest jellyfish cylinders. Serving as its grand finale at the culmination of the experience, “Jewels of the Sea” offers a 360-degree LED gallery that gives guests an underwater look at the various life stages of moon jellies. In addition, guests 21 and over can celebrate the grand opening with a shimmering alcoholic beverage

By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A 16th-century painting stolen more than 50 years ago has been found — and is now at the center of a custody battle between a widow in England and a small Italian museum. “Madonna and Child” by Antonio Solario was taken in 1973 from the civic museum in the town of Belluno in the Dolomite mountains of northern Italy. Sometime later it was bought by Baron de Dozsa and taken to his Tudor manor house in eastern England, according to Christopher Marinello, a lawyer who specializes in recovering stolen and looted artworks. It is now in the possession of Barbara de Dozsa, the late baron’s ex-wife, though it remains on the database of stolen art maintained by the international police organization Interpol. Marinello has vowed to return the painting to Belluno, where his family has roots. “I have a family connection to this region, and I decided I was going to stick my 2 cents’ in and interfere,” said Marinello, whose company Art Recovery International has helped track down works by artists including Henri Matisse and Henry

By TERRY CHEA and AMY TAXIN NEWMAN, Calif. (AP) — California almond growers are used to dealing with swings in the weather and water supply. Now they must also grapple with the uncertainty of trade battles as the Trump administration levies tariffs on goods from several countries and weighs adding more to the list. Related Articles Business | Explainer: What’s a recession and why is rising anxiety about it roiling markets? Business | Kentucky bourbon makers fear becoming ‘collateral damage’ in Trump’s trade war Business | US hasn’t determined who was behind cyberattack that caused outage on Musk’s X Business | Canada incoming PM says he’ll keep tariffs in place until US shows respect and commits to free trade Business | States look at shoring up consumer protections as Trump hobbles federal watchdog With more than three-quarters of California’s almond crop headed for export, tariffs could impact where the nut is headed and send ripple effects throughout the state’s economy, experts said. The state is the biggest producer of the world’s almonds, accounting for about 80 percent of the global supply. Already, China has responded

By JOSH FUNK, JOHN SEEWER and NATHAN ELLGREN, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal investigators looking for the cause of the January collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people recommended a ban on some helicopter flights Tuesday to improve safety, saying the current setup “poses an intolerable risk.” A military helicopter collided with the American Airlines jet as it was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport over the Potomac River on Jan. 29. Among the victims were 28 members of the figure skating community. National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the board determined that the existing separation distance between planes and helicopters at Reagan National Airport is “insufficient and poses an intolerable risk to aviation safety.” Homendy said she was angry and also devastated for families that are grieving because they lost loved ones. “It shouldn’t take tragedy to require immediate action,” she said. Related Articles National News | Arrest of Palestinian activist stirs questions about protections for students and green card holders National News | US hasn’t determined who was behind cyberattack that caused

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As wet conditions once again plague the San Diego area, the county and Cal Fire are providing sandbags for residents at fire stations throughout the area. Meteorologist Vanessa Paz says the first round of rain that rolled into the area Tuesday was a lighter storm compared to what’s coming next; A heavier system is expected to impact the area Thursday morning. Find the full details from her forecast here. Sand and bags are being provided at the following locations (remember to call ahead to double-check availability. Bring your own shovel to fill the bags, since stations may have a limited supply): Bonita: Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Station #38: 4900 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902, P: 619-479-2346 Boulevard: Boulevard Fire Station #47: 40080 Ribbonwood Road, Boulevard, CA 91905, P: 619-390-2020 De Luz: De Luz Fire Station #16: 39431 De Luz Road, Fallbrook, CA 92028 P: 760-728-2422 Dulzura: Dulzura Fire Station #30: 17304 Highway 94, Dulzura, CA 91917, P: 619-468-3391 Fallbrook: Pala Mesa Fire Station #4, 4375 Pala Mesa Drive, Fallbrook, CA 92028, P: 760-723-2005 Julian: Julian-Cuyamaca: Fire Station #56, 3407 Hwy 79, Julian, CA