Category: San Diego

By Luke Garrett  / NPR / March 2, 2026 

Congress is set to vote on bipartisan war powers resolutions this week meant to limit President Trump’s military operations in Iran.

The dual efforts in the House and Senate face uphill battles to become law, as previous efforts have failed in asserting congressional authority to declare war.

But most Democrats and a handful of Republicans on Capitol Hill still support the effort to curb Trump’s use of military power in Iran, after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks against Iran over the weekend that have already claimed the first American casualties.

“The Constitution says we’re not supposed to be at war without a vote of Congress,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., a cosponsor of the Senate resolution, told NPR’s Weekend Edition. “This is important. The lives of our troops are at risk. We ought to come back to Washington right away and vote on this.”

The war powers resolutions had been scheduled for debate and votes before the surprise attack on Iranian military and political leaders. Now that the war is ongoing, it’s unclear how or if any successful war powers resolution would immediately change the reality on the ground.

Here are some hard facts of what we know so far about the war with Iran:

• The Iranian people have NOT risen up to overthrow their regime.
• Neither Trump or the White House  have given a serious justification for the war; the reasons for the war keep changing; Sec. Hegsleth this morning said it is “not about regime change.”
• At least 4 American service people have been killed.
• It’s estimated that 555 Iranians have been killed, including 185 in a single strike on a southern Iranian girls’ school.
• 2,000 targets in Iran have been hit by US or Israeli bombs, missiles or drones.
• Iran has widened its retaliation and the war has spread to the entire region.

As we continue into the first day of the Iranian War of 2026, we will attempt a “live blog” of the action right here in ol’ San Diego. I’ve been posting info from a variety of sources, from NBC, Daily Kos, CBS, The Atlantic, Common Dreams, to AlterNet, CNN, Politico, the Guardian, and Al Jazeera.

4:19 pm It’s Likely that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, according to CNN

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader who ruled the country for almost four decades, has been killed, according to US President Donald Trump and two Israeli sources. Israel has not shared evidence of Khamenei’s death, and a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry earlier insisted that Khamenei, 86, and Iran’s president were both “safe and sound.”

But Khamenei has not been seen in public or in videos since Israel and the United States attacked Iran on Saturday morning, unleashing barrages of airstrikes.

Trump announced the death on his Truth Social platform, calling Khamenei “one of the most evil people in History.” Israeli sources concluded earlier on Saturday that Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials were dead.

The news appeared likely to plunge the Islamic Republic into the most serious crisis since its establishment. Cheers and celebrations were heard in parts of Tehran Saturday night following reports of Khamenei’s death.

Here’s what we know: …

By Kate Callen

Are you happy with the way San Diego is governed? Do you think our elected officials listen attentively to you and care about your neighborhood?

If your answer is “F*** No!,” you should participate in a 60-year-old system of local democracy where your vote has real impact: Cast your ballots in next month’s Community Planning Group (CPG) elections.

Every March, San Diego’s 41 active CPGs hold elections for open board seats. Unlike elections at higher levels of government, these don’t involve negative campaigning and Big Money mailers. Candidates present their backgrounds and positions, and almost all ballots are cast in person.

It’s a miracle San Diego still has CPGs. The all-volunteer advisory boards, established in 1976 to give citizens a voice in urban planning, came under attack in 2018 for being anti-progress, anti-inclusivity, undemocratic, unscrupulous, and just too darn old.

By Marc Snelling

Canadians love Americans. We know it’s mutual.  We don’t need “Palm Springs Loves Canada” banners or multi-million  “California Love” commercials from Gavin Newsom to prove it.  Marketing campaigns from Palm Springs and California, among many other US cities and states, seeking to win back Canadian tourist dollars have all fallen flat.  They don’t work because they tell Canadians what they already know.  It is the rhetoric, threats and violence of the current US regime that fuel the grassroots boycotts of US travel and products.  Americans may want to concentrate their efforts there if more Canadian tourist dollars.is what they want.

January 2026 saw the trend continue with the latest Stats Canada reporting showing a 26.8% year-over-year drop in Canadian return trips across the border.  There remains no US alcohol on the shelves of government liquor stores in 11 of 13 provinces and territories. This isn’t because Canadians don’t enjoy California wine or Kentucky bourbon.  It’s the taste of fascism they don’t care for.  Many Canadians have grandfathers lying in the graveyards of Europe who fought fascism to build a better world for their children.

by Todd Walters / Times of San Diego / Feb. 24, 2026

Public office demands more than ambition. It demands principles. It demands courage. And above all, it demands accountability.

That is why I cannot stay silent about San Diego Unified Board President Richard Barrera and his bid for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Leadership is not defined by titles held or campaigns launched. It is defined in moments of crisis, when speaking up carries risk, when loyalty to power conflicts with loyalty to people, and when silence becomes a choice.

During one of the most painful chapters in our union’s history, Barrera made that choice.

For years, former United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135 President Mickey Kasparian faced multiple public allegations and lawsuits involving sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation. These were not whispers. They were reported, litigated, protested and deeply felt by labor and the broader community.

At that time, Barrera served as secretary-treasurer of the union. He was widely regarded as Kasparian’s right-hand man, a senior officer with influence, access and authority. If there was ever a moment that called for moral clarity, this was it.

And yet, he remained silent.

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The following were written comments for the San Diego City Council Rules Committee by Victoria LaBruzzo, submitted on behalf of the Community Planners Committee (CPC), on February 18, 2026.

by: Victoria LaBruzzo

Subject: Seat at the Table Proposal & SB 707 Implementation

Council President LaCava and Honorable Committee Members,

Thank you for the opportunity to provide written comment on today’s informational item regarding SB 707 and potential amendments to the Rules of Council. I also appreciate the invitation to participate in this discussion.

My comments focus on the interplay between SB 707 and the Community Planners Committee’s “Seat at the Table” proposal, which CPC submitted on January 29. These two efforts can work together to strengthen public participation and improve the quality of deliberation at Council and Committee hearings.

The Brown Act has always been grounded in a clear legislative intent: that public bodies provide meaningful access to the public and conduct their deliberations openly.

The San Diego Community Coalition publishes this email bulletin to keep our members and the public informed about important Council and Planning Commission hearings and other city public meetings.

Monday, February 23: City Council, 10:00 a.m.

Agenda:

Items 201, 202: Convention Center Expenditures

Why it matters: After a court ruling cleared the way for the City to start collecting higher transient-occupancy taxes under Measure C, a spigot of money is opening to fund Convention Center upgrades. Given the City’s recent history of financial mismanagement, these new allocations deserve scrutiny.

Tuesday, February 24: City Council, 10:00 a.m.

by Calista Stocker and Myckenzie Smith / Daily Aztec / February 17, 2026

On the first day of CSU Unit 6’s Unfair Labor Practice strike, members were met with support, administrative attention and some police pushback.

From 5 a.m. to 12 p.m., more than 50 skilled trades workers — including facilities services, electricians and technicians — showed up at SDSU to fight for unpaid contractual raises and step increases that were promised to them in July 2025.

As a facet of the Local Teamsters 2010, CSU Unit 6 represents more than 1,100 skilled trades workers systemwide. From now until Friday, union members are withholding their labor across CSU’s 22 campuses.

For the striking members, the campus disruption is a necessary evil and a last resort to obtain their overdue raises.

By Scott Case

The City’s Developmental Services Department has confirmed that the proposed Columbia Street high-rise preliminary review findings (PRJ-1126254) have expired since there has been no further submittals in the past year, as governed by the Information Bulletin 513.

Any new project proposal will need to be re-evaluated against the current city code and conditions.

By Anonymous OBcean

Dear representatives of Councilmember Campbell and Mayor Gloria,

I am writing to express my outrage after receiving a citation under San Diego’s “daylighting” parking enforcement near an unmarked crosswalk.

This law, as currently enforced, functions as a trap. There are no signs, no painted curbs, and no visible warnings to alert drivers that parking is prohibited. Residents and visitors are expected to somehow know they must remain 20 feet from an invisible, unmarked crosswalk. That is not reasonable governance — it is punitive and predatory.

Public safety should never be implemented through gotcha enforcement.