Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
East County Californian · Santee, CA
Nearby: Santee, CAThe holiday season is just around the corner and the city of Santee is lighting the way. The festivities will be ushered in Nov. 20 at Santee Trolley Square beginning at 5:30 p.m. “You don’t have to travel far to find a little winter magic in Santee,” said Mayor John Minto. “From sledding and holiday music to the excitement of lighting the tree, this celebration has something for everyone. We’re looking forward to kicking off the holiday season with our residents and creating special memories together.” The annual event features sledding, live music, face painting, holiday photo opportunities, and, of course, photos with Santa. The night’s featured event is the tree lighting ceremony that takes place at 6:15 p.m. Santee Trolley Square is at 9884 Mission Gorge Road in Santee. Download QR
East County Californian · Santee, CA
Nearby: Santee, CAOpening on Nov. 13 in Santee is The Heritage Steakhouse. The restaurant is a classic American steakhouse, bringing an “elevated New York-style dining experience to East County.” The restaurant is poised to become the area’s premier destination for refined dining, special occasions, and corporate entertaining, said The Heritage Steakhouse representatives. Led by Executive Chef Meredith Manée, the restaurant’s design is inspired by the timeless elegance of America’s great mid-20th-century steakhouses, The Heritage Steakhouse blends old-world sophistication with modern craftsmanship, high-end cuisine, and anticipatory service. The Heritage Steakhouse is is at 200 Lantern Crest Way in Santee. Download QR
La Jolla Village News · San Diego, CA
Nearby: San Diego, CAIn fiscal year 2021, it took San Diego city crews an average of 144 days to fix a broken streetlight. This fiscal year, the same repair takes 340 days, according to a newly released city audit. During those six years, the Transportation Department’s streetlight division hired more workers. The division paid $1.4 million in overtime last fiscal year, compared with more than $230,000 six years earlier. Despite the longer waits for repairs and the increase in overtime spending, department managers did not use available tools to track workers and ensure work was being completed, according to the audit. From December 2025 through May 2026, city auditors examined vehicle logs and found that workers’ vehicles were stationary for several hours a day away from job sites or locations with reported streetlight outages. The stops averaged 2 hours and 25 minutes and totaled nearly 200 hours during the six months examined by the City Auditor’s Office.
La Jolla Village News · San Diego, CA
Nearby: San Diego, CAThe California Supreme Court will take up a class action lawsuit originally filed in San Diego by a group of enlisted USAA policyholders who allege they were overcharged by the insurance company. The lawsuit alleges the firm, formally named the United Services Automobile Association, charged the plaintiffs higher auto insurance prices than officers, in violation of state law. Consumer Watchdog, one of several entities representing the plaintiffs, says around 200,000 enlisted USAA customers were overcharged. Proposition 103, which was approved by California voters in 1988, requires that good drivers receive the lowest available rate from insurance companies regardless of the policyholder’s rank. It also allows customers to file lawsuits for Prop 103 violations. However, a San Diego federal judge ruled that a subsequent bill exempted companies that only insured military personnel from Proposition 103’s requirements. The plaintiffs then appealed to the U.S.
La Jolla Village News · San Diego, CA
Nearby: San Diego, CAIn the past decade, the historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood Hillcrest has recorded the highest number of total hate crimes of any neighborhood in the city. However, hate crimes in Hillcrest have dropped since 2025, with other neighborhoods recording more hate crimes than Hillcrest for the first time since 2016. Some Hillcrest residents, business owners and San Diego Police attribute the decline to the introduction of Automated License Plate Readers in July 2024. Many of those same supporters now fear the number of hate crimes will spike once again if some city council members have their way, officially putting an end to the mass surveillance tool. On Nov. 16, San Diego City Council will vote on whether or not to end its contract with the company that runs the license plate reader network, Flock Safety. Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who represents Hillcrest and surrounding neighborhoods, paved the way for the vote after publicly reversing his stance on the license plate readers.
Voice & Viewpoint · San Diego, CA
Nearby: San Diego, CAThe San Diego City Council approved an increase in the City’s Minimum Wage and Labor Standards Enforcement Fee on October 26, raising the charge from $1.47 to $2.82 per covered employee, an increase of approximately 92%. The decision followed concerns raised by the City’s Small Business Advisory Board about the financial impact on local businesses. According to the board’s September 22 meeting minutes, member Sarah Mattinson expressed concern about the proposed increase and recommended that the board formally communicate its objections. The board voted to approve drafting an advisory letter outlining those concerns. The Council’s action, recorded under Resolution R-316998, also approved a separate Compliance System Usage Fee. Both fees are intended to support the City’s labor standards enforcement responsibilities.
Voice & Viewpoint · San Diego, CA
Nearby: San Diego, CAHaitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) strongly condemns the Trump administration’s decision to take an eight-year-old Haitian boy into federal custody during a routine immigration check-in, separating him from his loved ones, school, and community. According to a press release from HBA, the third-grade student at Fay Elementary School had been living with his loved ones following his father’s deportation by the U.S government back in 2025 forcing him to live with loved ones in the absence of his father. Despite the fact that he followed all the rules and took the 8-year-old uncle to appear for a scheduled immigration appointment that was sent to him, the child was taken into custody and subsequently transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement leaving his cousins in tears.
California · San Diego, CA
Nearby: San Diego, CAThe boy, a third-grader in San Diego, was brought to the U.S. with his father, who was deported to Mexico, according to federal and school district officials.
Valley Roadrunner · San Marcos, CA
Nearby: San Marcos, CAValley Center Community Planning Group: seven seats are chosen in this election. On Monday night, with 53% counted and more than 185,000 votes left to tally countywide, planning veteran LaVonne Norwood is dominating at 4,561 (15.16%), followed by Lisa Adams 4,096 (13.61%), James Garritson 3,527 (11.72%), Matt Matthews 3,492 (11.61%), Vlad Ciupitu 3,180 (10.57%), Steve Hutchison 2,903 (9.65%) and Susan Fajardo 2,902 (9.64%) . Mordi Iheme 2,797 (9.30%) and Andrew Noll 2,631 (8.74%) are not making the cut. Board of Supervisors — District 5: Meanwhile, San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones is way ahead in the race to become the next 5th District supervisor. Rebecca Jones 114,103 votes (59.04%) led Kyle Krahel 79,158 (40.96%) in the race for District 5 county supervisor who are competing to succeed Supervisor Jim Desmond. The seat represents northern San Diego County on the five-member Board of Supervisors.
Valley Roadrunner · San Marcos, CA
Nearby: San Marcos, CAPeople ask me sometimes about the turning points in my life. There have been a few. But the one that changed everything was the day I raised my right hand and swore an oath to serve this country in the United States Navy. It was the best decision I ever made. The Navy taught me things you can’t learn anywhere else. Discipline. Accountability. What it really means to put the mission and the people next to you ahead of yourself. It taught me that leadership isn’t a title. It’s service. Those lessons followed me into the cockpit at Delta, into the Mayor’s office in San Marcos and onto the Board of Supervisors. They still guide me today. I’m not unusual in that. Most of the people I served with never asked for a parade. They came home and went to work. They became teachers, deputies, contractors, nurses. A few came home carrying things that didn’t show up on a medical chart for years. That’s who we’re honoring on Wednesday.
