Category: Election

Speaking about weather — did you see our first post of snow at Mt Laguna?

Today’s Axios San Diego looks at the NOAA layoff risk and what it means for us in San Diego. The brief report by Andrew Keatts, Andrew Freedman and Kate Murphy concluded that “it’s not yet clear how cuts to the weather and climate agency will affect San Diego,” despite the Trump administration laying off about 800 so-called “probationary” workers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last Thursday, Feb. 27.

They found that “as of Friday afternoon, Axios learned there were no cuts to the local NWS office, where 22 employees are responsible for around-the-clock forecasts for the San Diego region.” This is good news because “The coverage area it is responsible for is home to the third largest population of any NWS field office in the country.”

The Ocean Beach Planning Board is holding their current elections, and anyone who is qualified and interested in voting, must do so by March 4.

It’s important for residents and owners to vote in these annual elections, as community planning boards and groups have been under attack of late by development-aligned lobbying groups and the City of San Diego itself.

To vote, you must reside, or be owner/agent for a property or business within the Ocean Beach boundary to qualify (generally west of Froude street).

The local ACLU in San Diego has joined a lawsuit against the Border Patrol along with other state affiliates by the United Farm Workers and residents of Bakersfield for border agents’ unlawful raids in the Latino areas of Kern County.

Formerly called the ACLU Foundation of San Diego & Imperial Counties, it joined the lawsuit with their Southern California and Northern California affiliates, a lawsuit whose story played out in the media. In short, in January 2025, Border Patrol agents based at the United States-Mexico border traveled more than 300 miles north to Bakersfield to launch “Operation Return to Sender”.

This was a weeklong sweep through predominantly Latino areas of Kern County and the surrounding region to indiscriminately stop, detain and arrest people of color who appeared to be farmworkers or day laborers, regardless of their actual immigration status.

By JW August

From the trenches

“Federal agencies have been told they need to change their ‘reasonable accommodation’ policy for employees with disabilities who are now working at home”, according to “S,” a longtime source who works in a management position within the federal government.

The policy currently in place, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, was a precursor to the American With Disabilities Act. Telework and remote work were considered reasonable accommodations that could be offered to employees with disabilities. Trump wants to change this arrangement

Employees of Yosemite National Park hung an upside-down flag on El Capitan to protest the Trump administration’s firing of about 1,000 park service employees.

The group of protesters said in a statement to the press that the “purpose of this exercise of free speech is to disrupt without violence and draw attention to the fact that public lands in the United States are under attack.”

The Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) is announcing their upcoming annual elections.The PCPB will hold elections on March 25th, 2025 to fill five (5) board vacancies. Each seat carries a three-year term, awarded to the five candidates who receive the most votes. There will be a candidates forum on March 13.

Eligibility Requirements for Candidates:

To qualify as a candidate, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Reside, own property, or operate a business within the PCPB boundaries (boundary map available at www.pcpb.net).
• Have attended at least one regular PCPB meeting in the past 12 months. Attending the Candidates’ Forum meets this requirement.Election Details:

From SanDiegoVille / February 20, 2025

San Diego’s restaurant industry is facing increased scrutiny as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensifies its raids, bringing the city’s role as both a border town and a sanctuary city into sharp focus. With federal immigration enforcement at odds with California’s protective policies, local restaurant owners and workers must understand their legal rights to safeguard their businesses and employees. In a climate of heightened immigration enforcement, knowing what ICE can and cannot do is critical for navigating this evolving landscape.

San Diego, a vibrant border town and one of California’s sanctuary cities, is experiencing a surge in ICE activity, stirring concern among its diverse communities. As a key player in the U.S.-Mexico border region, San Diego County has seen heightened enforcement efforts under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, with over 7,500 undocumented immigrants arrested nationwide since the administration took office (local numbers are unknown). For the city’s restaurant industry – where immigrants of all statuses comprise a significant portion of the workforce – this escalation poses unique challenges.

by Ashleigh Fields / The Hill / Feb. 2, 2025

A majority of Americans are displeased with President Trump over his decision to pardon nearly all of those charged for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to a poll.

The Washington Post/Ipsos survey, released Thursday, found that 83 percent of respondents were opposed to Trump’s offer of clemency for violent criminal offenders. Roughly 55 percent said the same about pardons for rioters convicted of nonviolent crimes. Another 14 percent had the opposite view, supporting the president, while 3 percent chose not to answer.

The numbers indicate an uptick in disapproval for the move after a Reuters/Ipsos poll from last month found that 58 percent of Americans were not in favor of the president pardoning the insurrectionists.

The point is not to deprive the government of funds. It’s to expose the regime’s criminality

By Judith Levine / The Guardian / Feb. 20, 2025

Political power boils down to two things: votes and money. But when money buys presidents, senators and judges, votes are merely the sales receipts. What’s left is money, and the purpose of power is to get more of it.

Trump’s non-billionaire followers appear thrilled that Elon Musk and his so-called “department of government efficiency” are burning down the government. “Imagine if Trump hadn’t met and talked with Elon Musk that all this progress on efficiency may not be taking place or at such a fast pace needed before the midterms,” comments holy666 on a Fox News story about the mass layoffs of federal employees.

By Jessica Piper / Politico / Feb. 20-21, 2025

Donald Trump’s honeymoon may be wearing off.

New polls show a majority of Americans say he has overstepped his presidential authority — and hasn’t done enough to address high prices.

Two new polls from CNN/SSRS and The Washington Post/Ipsos show the GOP president’s approval rating underwater (47-52 in the CNN poll, 45-53 in the Post), a shift from polling earlier this year that found voters roughly divided on him, with some surveys even showing a positive approval rating.

Trump’s poll numbers are at an historic low for this spot in any president’s first month in modern times. SEE: Rachel Maddow’s blistering analysis of recent polls — video.

One reason for the erosion of support: a slight majority of respondents in both surveys said Trump has overstepped his presidential power in his attempts to reshape the federal government driven by tech billionaire Elon Musk. Many of Trump’s most controversial early initiatives, including a sweeping spending freeze, have been blocked in court thus far, but the new administration has still made waves with layoffs of federal workers, cuts to federal contracts and a flood of executive orders.

Newsweek / February 20, 2025

The White House has released photos styling President Donald Trump as a king on social media.

The administration’s official X (formerly Twitter) account posted a fake paper cover in the style of Time Magazine, with the caption: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”

Why It Matters — In the initial stages of his second presidency, Trump has faced criticism for his consistent use of executive orders to make changes to the federal government. The images give his critics, who fear he is consolidating power in the executive branch at the expense of courts, more ammunition.

What To Know — On Wednesday, the White House’s official X account released the image, which appears to be AI-generated.