Category: San Diego

San Diego’s Weather Forecast for Thursday, February 26, 2025: Weather whiplash Fog, heat, Santa Ana winds … this forecast has it all. We’re in for some weather whiplash over the next couple of days. Santa Ana winds peak today, but the coast is waking up to some fog. A Dense Fog Advisory for the coast has been extended to 9 a.m. Watch out for low visibility on the roads! The fog will break relatively quickly today, as we heat up and experience Santa Ana winds. A Wind Advisory remains in effect for inland and mountain communities until 4pm. Wind gusts may reach up to 55 miles per hour, elevating fire risk and drying those areas out. Some breezes up to 40 miles per hour will even make it to the coast, bringing humidity below 10% as far west as La Jolla. Keep in mind, gusty winds can blow around unsecured objects or even lead to minor outages. Wind aside, today will get hot. Coastal highs will peak in the low 80s. Inland, expect highs near 90. El Cajon is slated to break a temperature record

Yes, California’s housing market is crazy, as only two states have experienced more volatility during the past half-century. My trusty spreadsheet eyeballed price indexes from the Federal Housing Finance Agency dating to 1975 to get a long-running look at real estate swings for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Look, watching home prices is not for the faint of heart. That’s true whether you’re an owner or house hunter. By averaging state-by-state rankings for a half-dozen measures of annual price change over 49 years, you see where stability was most common – and where it was rare. The final grades showed Hawaii and Vermont had zanier price variability than California. Nevada was fourth in price gyrations, followed by Arizona. Now, if you prefer calm pricing, these calculations say Kansas is your spot. Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, and Indiana are next for limited price movements. And how about California’s big economic rivals? Texas ranked No. 26 for price spins, while Florida was No. 6. Let’s examine the six pricing yardsticks that created this scorecard to view housing’s mercurial ride. Big gains When did prices make

By FELICIA FONSECA, Associated Press Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog were found dead in their New Mexico home, authorities said Thursday. Foul play was not suspected, but authorities did not release circumstances of their deaths and said an investigation was ongoing. FILE – Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) FILE – This Jan. 19, 2003 file photo shows actor Gene Hackman at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file) FILE – Actor Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa in June 1993. (AP Photo, File) FILE – Actor Gene Hackman reacts during an interview on March 24, 1972. (AP Photo/George Brich, File) FILE – Actor Gene Hackman discusses the effect of an Academy Award nomination on his career, March 24, 1972. (AP Photo/George Brich, File) FILE – Gene Hackman holds his Cecil B. DeMille award at the 60th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Reed

Aarabella McCormack tried to run away from her family’s Spring Valley home. Her little sister told a grand jury they both wanted out. Two years before Aarabella died at age 11, she briefly made it out. And when a good Samaritan spotted the little girl early one November morning, shoeless and carrying a backpack, the then-9-year-old pleaded not to be returned to her family. Testifying last October before the same San Diego Superior Court grand jury, the woman said Aarabella told her “they didn’t feed her.” And, the child told her, she feared no one would believe her. After hearing testimony from several witnesses in the prosecution’s case, that grand jury handed up an indictment charging the child’s adoptive mother and adoptive grandparents with murder and a special circumstances allegation of torture. That allegation makes the punishment either life in prison without parole or execution. Leticia McCormack and her parents, Stanley and Adella Tom, had already been charged with murder for the girl’s 2022 death but not the special circumstance allegation. They were slated to have a preliminary hearing in El Cajon on Wednesday, but that

Temperatures will likely rise into the 80s on Thursday along the San Diego County coastline — and the 90s inland — due to Santa Ana winds, which will carry warm air from the desert to the sea during one of the driest periods in the region’s history, the National Weather Service said. The daytime high is projected to hit 81 at San Diego, which is 14 degrees above average, and 83 in Oceanside. El Cajon could top out at 91. The hot spell will be short-lived. Cold air will begin to spread across the county Friday and linger through the weekend. Forecasters say there’s a chance that inland parts of the county will get a bit of rain. San Diego is in the midst of the driest water year since record-keeping began in 1850, with the city’s airport recording only 1.27 inches of precipitation from Oct. 1 to Feb. 24. The second driest start to the rainy season occurred during the same period in 1876-77. The current numbers “are where we don’t want them to be,” said Alex Tardy, a weather service forecaster. Sea surface

ENCINITAS, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Authorities are searching for a vehicle involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash last month in Encinitas. The collision occurred on Jan. 19 just before 7 p.m. in the 900 block of North Coast Highway 101, Sgt. Jeremy Collis with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release Tuesday. A 66-year-old woman was hit by a vehicle described as a 2019-2023 gray Audi Q3, according to authorities. She died at the hospital. The suspect vehicle stopped briefly at the scene before driving off, per SDSO. “The car may have damage to the lower left area of the front grille or be missing parts from the grille,” Collis said. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office at 858-868-3200. To remain anonymous, call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or by visiting www.sdcrimestoppers.org.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Grossmont Union High School District could see some staff cuts soon. Acting Superintendent Sandra Huezo sent an internal email to employees warning of “difficult financial realities” and “necessary staffing reductions” she is planning to propose to the Governing Board during Thursday’s meeting.  “Like many school districts across California, including those in San Diego County, GUHSD is facing long-term budget challenges due to declining enrollment and an uncertain state budget, exacerbated by recent events such as the Southern California wildfires,” said Huezo in the email.  “They’re talking about cutting the librarians from high school, that sounds ridiculous. Every single student uses all those services to reach the best potential they possibly can,” said James Messina, a veteran district teacher and the President of the Grossmont Education Association.  Messina says he already received information some librarians have been impacted.  “Everyone is now instantly concerned if they are going to lose their job and this is not needed in the slightest,” he said.  He said class sizes could increase as a result of staffing reductions as well.  “My reaction is that the

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — North County residents are outraged after a thief stole a funeral donation box from a local liquor store in broad daylight. The crime, which was captured on surveillance video, has sparked a community-wide effort to help the grieving family. The stolen box contained hundreds of dollars intended to help cover funeral expenses for Alfredo Martinez, a longtime Fallbrook resident who passed away earlier this month, leaving behind a wife and three children. Security footage from Feb. 18 shows a man with a backpack walking into Happy Jug Liquor Store, pretending to be a customer. Moments later, he grabs the donation box near the register and quickly walks out. “This is something deplorable,” said store owner Rawia Elfarra. “I cannot believe that this man walked into my store and took that box.” Elfarra shared that the Martinez family had labeled the box in both English and Spanish, including a photo of Alfredo, hoping to collect donations from the community. “For 40 years, my family has held fundraisers for fallen service members and local families in need,” Elfarra said. “I’ve seen people

$1,000 reward for any tip that leads to the arrest of 12-year-old Elijah Smith’s killer IMPERIAL BEACH (KGTV) — Heartbroken family and friends gathered on Wednesday at the Imperial Beach Pier to honor 12-year-old Elijah Smith, who would have celebrated his 13th birthday. Smith’s mother, Sofia Alvarez Smith, said there were many good memories with her son Elijah at the pier. “We had a good time here,” Alvarez Smith said. “We took Elijah many times on the pier, and he’d fish and catch a lot of stingrays.” Smith’s older sister Oakley said, “We miss him every single day. There are times when we’re just sitting there, and we’ll start crying.” Elijah’s father, Eleazar Smith, said, “We want justice for Elijah, and we don’t want his case to go cold.” On his 13th birthday, Smith’s family and loved ones released balloons at the pier to keep his memory alive. However, they still wait for justice to see Smith’s case solved. Smith was shot and killed last November when he was at a party at an abandoned house in National City.Four others were injured out of hundreds

Today Ramona tied a daily record high warming to 84 degrees. Tomorrow is going to be the warmest day for the coast and valleys with temperatures soaring 10 to 20 degrees above average! I’m forecasting record highs in Escondido, Vista, El Cajon and again in Ramona. It will be cooler in the mountains and deserts compared to the last couple of days but still 7 to 12 degrees above average. Patchy fog will be possible for the coast into Thursday morning. Winds will turn offshore overnight into tomorrow as high pressure is squeezed between two storm systems. A Wind Advisory will be in effect from the inland and mountains from midnight until 4pm Thursday for east and northeasterly sustained winds of 20 to 30mph and gusts of 40 to 55mph. While the wind builds, the humidity will plummet between 5 to 15%. These dry, gusty conditions and the heat will elevate fire danger before relief arrives on Friday. If you’re spending time outdoors, stay hydrated and take breaks in the shade, as we haven’t seen temperatures this high in some time. By Friday, a dramatic

EL CAJON (KGTV) — Family members say 51-year-old Jamison Webster had a big heart, especially when it came to those she loved. But it’s that kindness that may have cost her life. “Deal with the pain, the heartache, she was my best friend,” said Mike Webster, Jamison’s ex-husband. Police believe her son, 24-year-old Richard Leyva, killed her and put her body in the trunk of her car. Jamison’s ex-husband Mike Webster says Richard had a history of mental health issues and had been arrested several times in the past few years. “We had cops over to the house to arrest him because he was acting crazy, making threats,” Mike said. One of the officers told us: if you don’t get help, somebody’s going to die.” ABC10News obtained court documents revealing Richard’s behavior and attempts by his mother to help. According to court records, in July of 2021, Jamison brought Richard to a doctor who diagnosed him with acute psychosis and prescribed medication. The records say the medicine helped, but Richard decided to stop taking it a few weeks later. His symptoms of paranoia returned. “He

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says it is eliminating more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. It details the outcome of a 90-day review ordered by President Donald Trump of all the money provided by USAID and the State Department for development and aid work overseas. Related Articles National Politics | UC San Diego expands faculty hiring freeze to staff workers National Politics | What’s next for Trump agenda after House GOP approves tax breaks and slashed spending in budget National Politics | Track the lawsuits against President Trump’s executive actions National Politics | A Project 2025 author carries out his vision for mass federal layoffs National Politics | EPA head urges Trump to reconsider scientific finding that underpins climate action, AP sources say The move leaves few surviving USAID projects for advocates to try to save in what are ongoing court battles. The Trump administration outlined its plans in

The faculty hiring freeze UC San Diego imposed last week to deal with a campus financial crisis and federal funding uncertainty has been expanded to include staff employees, except those working at the university’s health care facilities. Chancellor Pradeep Khosla announced the expansion Monday while talking to about 200 employees via Zoom. The university has more than 41,000 workers, making it the second largest employer in San Diego County. The move came as Stanford University in the Bay Area imposed a staff hiring freeze of its own, the president told the campus community in an email. A freeze of this size is unprecedented for UCSD, which could get a $55 million budget cut from Gov. Gavin Newsom as part of his effort to balance the state budget. Newsom also has proposed cutting about $345 million from the rest of the University of California system, pushing the total to about $400 million. But for UCSD, those cuts could be dwarfed by federal funding cuts. The school also says it could lose upwards of $150 million in funding from National Institutes of Health, which has been told by

(FOX5/KUSI) — Starbucks employees at a San Diego location filed a petition on Monday with the National Labor Relations Board, initiating the unionization voting process among existing employees. Employees at a Starbucks in Stonecrest Plaza, located inside a grocery store, filed the petition. A statement from Starbucks Workers United said that the unionization efforts seek better protections on living wages, respect for racial and gender equity, and fair scheduling. Starbucks spokesperson Phil Gee said in a statement to FOX5SanDiego.com, “At Starbucks, our success starts and ends with our partners (employees). We respect our partners’ right to choose, through a fair and democratic process, to be represented by a union or not to be represented by a union and will continue to work together to make Starbucks the best job in retail.” Lineup revealed for San Diego’s Holo Holo Music Festival The filing with the NLRB lists 13 employees, and the unionization vote will include all full-time and regular part-time baristas and shift supervisors and will exclude all managers, supervisors and office staff. When the vote happens, employees will have the opportunity to choose to join

SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI) — The warming trend in the San Diego area still has enough in it to bump temperatures to some of the warmest so far this year on Thursday. Thursday daytime highs are expected to reach the low 80s for coastal communities with mid to upper 80s in some inland valleys. Temperature records will be in jeopardy for San Diego, Ramona, Escondido, El Cajon, Oceanside and others.  Sign up to receive weather alert emails from FOX5/KUSI Patchy fog is expected again along the coast late Wednesday into Thursday, but abundant sunshine and well-above-average temperatures are expected west of the mountains. A cooling trend sets in for the weekend as a series of low-pressure systems move inland off the coast. The first could bring some drizzle to scattered light rain early Saturday morning but the system behind it is more promising for widespread light rain Sunday into Monday.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Firefighters are responding to a brush fire burning near Mt. Laguna in East County Wednesday afternoon. According to Cal Fire, the fire — dubbed the Penny Fire — was reported in the area of Sunrise Highway and Penny Pine Trailhead shortly before 2 p.m. and was about two to three acres with a moderate rate of spread. As of 3:35 p.m., the Cleveland National Forest tweeted forward rate of spread was stopped at nine acres and crews were making “good progress.” Authorities initially believed the fire had potential to burn 25 to 50 acres. No structures were threatened. Cal Fire is assisting Cleveland National Forest fire crews with the incident. People are advised to avoid the area as crews work to contain the fire. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — When French brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded their tire company in 1889 and created a small how-to guide for travelers to help boost sales, they did not anticipate that the list would become the most coveted accomplishment for restaurants worldwide. In 1926, the Michelin Guide began awarding a single star to fine dining establishments. The three-star system was introduced five years later, followed by the official criteria for the rankings in 1936. According to its website, one star is awarded for “high-quality cooking — worth a stop,” two stars are for “excellent cooking — worth a detour” and three stars are for “exceptional cuisine — worth a special journey.” Only two restaurants in San Diego County have earned Michelin stars — and only one has earned three — but several others have been recognized in the guide. Here are the San Diego-area restaurants with Michelin stars: Addison Three stars 5200 Grand Del Mar Way. Housed in the Fairmont Grand Del Mar luxury hotel, Addison is San Diego County’s only three-star restaurant helmed by chef William Bradley. The guide reads

A San Ysidro mother of four was delivering clothes to homeless people when she was hit and killed by a car near I-805. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Instead of celebrating a birthday, loved ones were planning a funeral, after a San Ysidro mother known for her charitable work with the homeless was struck and killed on I-805 while delivering supplies. Maria Ramos, 43, a mother of four including two teenagers and a Marine veteran, died a few weeks ago on a Monday morning just blocks from her home. On Wednesday, she would have turned 44. According to the California Highway Patrol, Ramos was in traffic lanes along the southbound I-805 when she was struck by a Honda Accord. She was taken to a hospital where she later died. The driver of the Accord remained at the scene and was not arrested. The investigation is ongoing, with toxicology results for the driver pending. Ramos’ sister, Margarita, described her as a “loving, funny, and dedicated mother” with a “big heart, always willing to give, not wanting anything in return.” A former nursing assistant and caregiver, Ramos regularly

According to DeMaio’s Office, the rate stabilization would have an insurance premium rate increase cap at the national average or seven percent, whichever is lower. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – There have been plenty of impactful and devastating wildfires in recent months. There are also plenty of homeowners who are seeing increases and sometimes cancellations on their policies. “California is a very expensive state, and it puts you in a survival mode,” Marynet Martinez, an Alpine Resident, said. Cost of living in the Golden State is a constant worry among many people who call it home. “In 2021, we bought our home in Alpine, California,” Martinez, who moved there from Chula Vista, said. But, for some like Martinez, the cost hits a little too close to home. “We received a letter from both the home insurance and the fire insurance that our insurance had doubled for the home insurance and almost doubled for the fire insurance,” Martinez said. She said that was in July of 2022. Since then, prices for people in fire-prone areas have continued to climb and that’s if you haven’t been dropped. Then

Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. SKY10 SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — This Saturday is the first match day for San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium and it will be a full house, so the club and MTS are partnering up to remind fans the Green Line trolley is the easiest way to get there. “Taking transit means avoiding traffic, parking hassles, and allowing fans to enjoy the match responsibly,” SDFC said in a press release. “Snapdragon Stadium is expected to be at capacity throughout the season, making the Trolley the most convenient way to get to and from matches.” As part of the partnership with SDFC, MTS is offering discounted season passes to get rides to and from the stadium on all 17 match days this year for just $56. There are connections to the Green Line from the Blue and Orange lines, and you can transfer from the COASTER and Amtrak trains at Old Town station. There are free park-and-ride lots at several stops along the trolley lines as well. Plus, SDFC-themed