Category: San Diego

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

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Padres fans showed out Thursday at Petco Park for Opening Day against the Atlanta Braves. So much so that the Padres set an all-time Petco Park opening day attendance record with 45,568 people, the team said in an Instagram post Thursday. What a time to do it in downtown San Diego on a beautiful day with the Padres winning in dramatic fashion, 7-4. New San Diego Padres mural in North Park nears completion Down 4-3 in the seventh inning, Padres pinch-hitter Gavin Sheets was the catalyst for a four-run rally that included his game-tying homerun. Padres infielders Luis Arraez and Manny Machado contributed with RBIs of their own in the same inning to put the game out of reach. The win spoiled former Padre Jurickson Profar’s return to San Diego after signing a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves in the offseason. The Padres series with the Braves continues Friday at 6 p.m., along with weekend games on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. on FOX 5 and Sunday at 4:10 p.m.

Marine layer clouds will once again produce heavy mist, drizzle, and a few light showers overnight into tomorrow morning. Better clearing by tomorrow afternoon with Sunday likely bringing the best clearing and most sunshine of the weekend. Slower and limited clearing of the marine layer returns next week as a series of storms impact the Pacific Northwest. Moisture from those storms will reach farther south, bringing a better chance of scattered showers, with the best chance on Monday and late Wednesday through Friday. Drier conditions are expected for the first weekend of April. Temperatures will trend near to 10 degrees cooler than normal across the county with 60s for the coast and valleys, low-50s in the mountains and mid-70s to low-80s in the deserts. A High Surf Advisory is in effect until 4pm Saturday for waves of 5 to 9 feet and strong rip currents. Westerly winds will continue to target the mountains and deserts each afternoon and evening. Expect widespread gusts of 25 to 45mph and isolated gusts up to 55mph. A Wind Advisory is in effect for the deserts until 11am Saturday, but

San Diego says farewell to trailblazing civic leader Leon Lawson Williams, who shaped the region for over five decades. (KGTV) — On Friday at Calvary Baptist Church, San Diego said farewell to a trailblazing civic leader who shaped the region for over five decades, Leon Lawson Williams. Williams, who passed away at the beginning of March at the age of 102, leaves behind one of the most significant legacies in San Diego’s history. Known as a pioneering public servant, in 1968, Williams became the first African American appointed to the San Diego City Council. He went on to serve four terms and rose to become deputy mayor, using his position to advocate for civil rights and equitable development across the city. Williams continued making history when he was elected to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, becoming the first African American to hold that position. He served three terms on the Board without ever losing a race. Williams leaves behind a Legacy of community development. William Jones, one of Williams’s closest friends, shared how, under Williams’s leadership, especially as a civil rights leader, San

By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The U.S. Naval Academy will no longer consider race, ethnicity or sex as a factor for admission to the service institution, a response to an executive order by President Donald Trump, according to federal court documents made public Friday. The change in policy was made in February by Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, the academy’s superintendent, in response to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January, according to a court filing by the U.S. Justice Department in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The president’s order on Jan. 27 said that “every element of the Armed Forces should operate free from any preference based on race or sex.” It also directed the secretary of defense to conduct an internal review with respect to all “activities designed to promote a race- or sex-based preferences system,” including reviews at the service academies. “Under revised internal guidance issued by the Superintendent on Feb. 14, 2025, neither race, ethnicity, nor sex can be considered as a factor for admission at any point during the admissions process, including

The pregnant sea lion was alone on a rocky shoreline in Imperial Beach. Suffering from a suspected case of domoic acid poisoning, the animal cycled through troubling movements: first, her head would bob and wave; next, her body would shake with seizures; and finally, exhausted, she’d be still. Despite her issues, she was one of the lucky ones: picked up by SeaWorld animal-rescue workers responding to calls about ailing animals along local beaches. But she was so weak that she had to be pulled into the crate by her flippers. At the marine park, the animal was examined and given fluids to try to flush the toxins out of her system. But she was in too bad of shape and died a few hours later. For the past week and a half, the phone has been ringing off the hook at SeaWorld’s rescue program as an algae bloom in coastal waters has caused a surge of sick marine mammals and birds. The park is receiving around 100 calls or emails a day, sometimes repeat calls about the same animal, said park spokesperson Tracy Spahr. A

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Aspiring sluggers in San Diego County will see a familiar face in their Little League fields. Starting next month, the mascot of fast food chain Jack in the Box will be making appearances in select locations across the county. Caroline Rhea brings comedy to San Diego County this weekend Jack’s iconic spherical head, complete with his blue dot eyes, red smile and yellow cone hat, has towered over spectators at Padres games from the foul pole at Petco Park. Now, Jack’s head will be installed on foul poles in Little League fields to give “young players a taste of the big leagues — because every kid deserves to feel like an MVP when they step up the plate,” a news release by the company states. The first installation will take place April 11 at 425 Imperial Beach Blvd. in Imperial Beach. Jack in the Box was founded and headquartered in San Diego. It currently has about 2,200 restaurants in 22 states.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The City of Del Mar is alerting the public that ongoing bluff stabilization work will be closing a North County park for more than a year. For the next year and a half, the southern portion of Sea Cliff Park in Del Mar and all walking trails at the park will be closed to the public during construction work to install an underground pipe from the bluffs to the beach. SANDAG narrows options in project to move Del Mar train tracks The City of Del Mar says the park and walking paths will be closed from next Tuesday through mid-2026 for the work that will improve drainage to keep the nearby train tracks from flooding. The City is asking the public to avoid the construction zone during the work to keep the bluffs from eroding and train passengers safe. Sen. Adam Schiff visits Del Mar amid bluff stabilization project The work is part of the ongoing, multiphase project to stabilize the Del Mar bluffs and maintain the train tracks through the stretch of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Corridor. Phase

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Comedian Nick Swardson is bringing his standup comedy tour to San Diego this weekend. Known for his role as Terry Bernadino in Reno 911!, his work with Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions and his sketch comedy series, Nick Swardson’s “Toilet Head” standup tour is heading to San Diego. Caroline Rhea brings comedy to San Diego County this weekend “Nick Swardson: Toilet Head” is taking place Saturday at The Magnolia in El Cajon. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show is set to start at 7 p.m. The show is for adults 18 and older. Tickets can be purchased online at nickswardson.net or at magnoliasandiego.com/shows. R&B artist Chris Brown to bring world tour to Petco Park The comedy tour, which has been ongoing since last year, runs through June 2025 at venues across the country. The tour heads next to Chicago, ending with shows in Oregon and Florida.

County water officials said Thursday that financial challenges they face may force them to substantially raise rates for wholesale water next year, a move that would lead to higher water bills across much of the county. Officials stressed that their discussions were preliminary and that no decision is scheduled until June. “What you will be presented with today is a draft, preliminary, early, initial, could-be, might-be, unfinalized, beginning-stage budget,” said Nick Serrano, chair of the San Diego County Water Authority board. “This is not a final product, nor is it a proposal that this board is supporting at this point.” Serrano and other board members said many variables could change before June, including new deals to sell the authority’s extra water supply and new statistics on customer demand. But water authority officials said they have “little leeway” to avoid what is now projected to be a double-digit percentage rate increase next year. The authority’s rate stabilization fund has been substantially depleted to soften rate increases earlier in the pandemic and during the last two years. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has already approved

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah became the first state to prohibit flying LGBTQ+ pride flags at schools and all government buildings after the Republican governor announced he was allowing a ban on unsanctioned flag displays to become law without his signature. Gov. Spencer Cox, who made the announcement late Thursday night, said he continues to have serious concerns with the policy but chose not to reject it because his veto would likely be overridden by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Starting May 7, state or local government buildings will be fined $500 a day for flying any flag other than the United States flag, the Utah state flag, military flags or a short list of others approved by lawmakers. Political flags supporting a certain candidate or party, such as President Donald Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” flags, are not allowed. The new law could stoke conflict between the state and its largest city. City buildings in liberal Salt Lake City typically honor Pride Month each June by displaying flags that celebrate its large LGBTQ+ population. Local leaders have illuminated the Salt Lake City and

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego began construction Friday on a a 78-unit affordable apartment complex in North Park, joining a growing list of community groups to repurpose their underutilized land for housing. Located near the intersection of Gunn and 30th streets on the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church grounds, the homes in the future eight-story, Craftsman-style complex will be reserved for households earning anywhere from 30% to 80% of the area’s average income. The project, which is a joint effort with St. Luke’s and developer Trestle Build, is the first to be realized under a church initiative that has been years in the making. Called Mission Real Estate, the program aims to encourage faith groups to transform their land for “mission-related” projects. SDUSD takes step toward creating affordable housing for staff “This groundbreaking is more than a construction milestone,” Bishop Susan Brown Snook said during the groundbreaking. “It is a testament to the power of faith, the power of community collaboration and the power of innovation in tackling one of our community’s most important challenges: the challenge of affordable housing.”

(Above: Caroline Rhea appeared on Good Morning San Diego to speak with KUSI morning anchor Lauren Phinney on Friday, March 28, 2025) ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Caroline Rhea, who is best known for her role as Hilda Spellman in the ABC series “Sabrina and the Teenage Witch” and several comedy specials, is set to perform in San Diego County this weekend. Rhea will be performing shows at the Grand Comedy Club, located at 200 East Via Ranch Pkwy., #125 in Escondido Friday and Saturday at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Tickets are available online for $20. R&B artist Chris Brown to bring world tour to Petco Park Aside from her role as the title character’s bubbly and nurturing aunt in “Sabrina and the Teenage Witch” (1996-2003), Rhea voiced Linda Flynn-Fletcher on Disney Channel’s animated series, “Phineas and Ferb” (2007-2015, 2025-present). She has also appeared in numerous television films like “Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire” (2000), “A Mrs. Miracle Christmas” (2021) and others. In addition to acting, Rhea hosted a syndicated daytime talk show, renamed “The Caroline Rhea Show” after she took over hosting

Above: Nexstar Media Wire video on explaining bankruptcy. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Luxury boxing gym, The BXNG Club, has abruptly closed all of its remaining locations in San Diego after a potential sale as part of bankruptcy proceedings fell through, leaving some of its members each out of hundreds of dollars. The shuttering ends a saga that has engrossed the local boxing community since last July, when the gym’s owners first filed for bankruptcy as it contended with significant debt accrued amid years of rapid expansion — something the gym had advertised as a hallmark of its recent brand. At the time, Jason Turner, the attorney representing The BXNG Club in the proceedings, told FOX 5/KUSI it was looking to “reorganize, restructure and come out of bankruptcy stronger than before.” Months later, that outcome failed to come to fruition. In a status report filed with the bankruptcy court earlier this week, the gym said it had previously been looking to potential buyers to offload some of its assets under a Chapter 11 liquidation plan, allowing them to pay off the business’ $600,000 of debt

A new study found that people under the age of 50 who use marijuana are six times more likely to have a heart attack and four times more likely to have a stroke compared to non-users. A new study found that people under the age of 50 who use marijuana are six times more likely to have a heart attack and four times more likely to have a stroke compared to non-users. The study, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, surveyed more than 4.6 million people under the age of 50 who had no health conditions associated with cardiovascular risks. This study points out that it is still unclear how marijuana affects the cardiovascular system. Researchers believe it affects heart rhythm regulation, heightens oxygen demand in the heart muscle, and makes it harder for blood vessels to relax and expand, interrupting blood flow. The study indicated that the risk of heart attack peaked about one hour after marijuana consumption. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously reported similar findings. RELATED STORY | Daily marijuana use outpacing alcohol for

You may have heard that a set of baseball cards was printed with the Padres’ city listed as Washington. Of course, the Padres have always been in San Diego. But you may have heard that a set of baseball cards was printed with the Padres’ city listed as Washington. It’s true! After the 1973 season, the Padres were rumored to be moving to Washington, D.C. The Topps baseball card company obviously felt confident it was going to happen. So, it printed a number of cards of Padres players with “Washington” at the top. Once the move fell through, Topps reprinted the cards with the correct “San Diego” heading. Copyright 2025 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Sign up for the Breaking News Newsletter and receive up to date information.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed Friday to temporarily put Ukraine under external governance as part of efforts to reach a peaceful settlement, in remarks that reflected the Kremlin leader’s determination to achieve his war goals. In televised remarks broadcast early Friday, Putin reaffirmed his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose term expired last year, lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal. Under Ukraine’s constitution it is illegal for the country to hold national elections while it’s under martial law. Putin claimed that any agreement that is signed with the current Ukrainian government could be challenged by its successors and said new elections could be held under external governance. “Under the auspices of the United Nations, with the United States, even with European countries, and, of course, with our partners and friends, we could discuss the possibility of introduction of temporary governance in Ukraine,” Putin said. He added that it would allow the country to “hold democratic elections, to bring to power a viable government that enjoys the trust of the people, and then begin negotiations with them on a peace treaty.” Volunteers for