East County Roundup: Local and statewide news

by Karen Pearlman | May 21, 2026 11:09 pm

May 21, 2026 (San Diego) – This week’s roundup of top stories in other media includes repeal of Balboa Park parking fees, a hateful manifesto left by teens behind the deadly Islamic Center shootings, ICE’s removal of over 16,000 San Diegans, a border wall project desecrating Kumeyaay cultural resources,  weedkiller Roundup sprayed in California forests, potential disaster at Lake Hodges, a gun violence prevention program in Spring Valley, an AI data center cutting off power for Lake Tahoe residents, immigration facility controversies and more.

LOCAL

• More than 16,000 people removed from San Diego region by ICE since January 2025 [1] (City News Service)
• San Diego City Council will repeal Balboa Park parking fees, roll back trash fees[2] (10 News)
• Border wall project on sacred Mexican mountain threatens Kumeyaay heritage[3] (KPBS)
• San Diego mosque suspects’ writings reveal influence of online extremism, experts say[4] (NBC 7)
• County Supervisors OK gun violence prevention program for Spring Valley [5] (City News Service)
• ICE reveals new data to Congress members about San Diego immigration enforcement operations[6] (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Flood or fire? A disaster at Lake Hodges is looming, residents warn[7] (KPBS)
• Trump administration deported cruise ship workers in child sexual abuse materials case, but did not prosecute them[8] (KPBS)
• ICE Has Arrested Dozens of Delivery Drivers at the Gates of a San Diego Military Base[9] (Capital and Main)

STATE

• A Massive Investigation Just Exposed How Much Roundup Is Being Sprayed in Northern California’s Forests[10] (NorCal News)
• Lake Tahoe’s major energy source is being diverted to power AI data centers[11]
• ‘A lack of oversight’: California Attorney General wants to see changes at immigration detention centers[12] (10 News)
• The rise of remote work could present challenges for California workers[13] (KPBS)

For excepts and links to full stories, scroll down.

LOCAL

More than 16,000 people removed from San Diego region by ICE since January 2025 [1] (City News Service)

Of the more than 16,000 removals by ICE, 10,847 were Mexican nationals, 996 from Guatemala and 544 from Venezuela with smaller figures from 116 other countries.

San Diego City Council will repeal Balboa Park parking fees, roll back trash fees[2] (10 News)

The San Diego City Council Wednesday hedged its bets in a private meeting, agreeing to partially reduce trash fees for single-family homes and roll back entirely paid parking in Balboa Park instead of potentially losing all the revenue in messy lawsuits.

Border wall project on sacred Mexican mountain threatens Kumeyaay heritage[3] (KPBS)

The Trump administration is avoiding environmental review on construction that is destroying boulders that have been on Kuchamaa Mountain, near the border city of Tecate, for more than 100 million years.

San Diego mosque suspects’ writings reveal influence of online extremism, experts say[4] (NBC 7)

The two teenage suspects in this week’s deadly attack on a San Diego mosque appear to have written a 75-page document replete with neo-Nazi ideology, incel rage and racist meme culture drawn from the darkest corners of the internet.

County Supervisors OK gun violence prevention program for Spring Valley [5] (City News Service)

The approval expands the No Shots Fired program, which was started in 2021 in partnership with the city of San Diego, according to board Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe’s office.

ICE reveals new data to Congress members about San Diego immigration enforcement operations[6] (San Diego Union-Tribune)

ICE says 1,454 arrests in the San Diego area occurred “in or near” sensitive locations, such as churches, schools and hospitals.

Flood or fire? A disaster at Lake Hodges is looming, residents warn[7] (KPBS)

San Diego’s Lake Hodges dam is the only one California has deemed unsatisfactory. A rebuild plan stalled, and people are now demanding a solution that manages flood and fire risks.

Trump administration deported cruise ship workers in child sexual abuse materials case, but did not prosecute them[8] (KPBS)

Agents arrested 23 crew members from multiple ships at the Port of San Diego as part of “Operation Tidal Wave,” which targeted people suspected of involvement with child sexual abuse materials…. In a separate statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said 27 people were arrested and deported… Meanwhile, federal prosecutors in San Diego and Los Angeles said they have no record of any charges stemming from “Operation Tidal Wave.”

ICE Has Arrested Dozens of Delivery Drivers at the Gates of a San Diego Military Base[9] (Capital and Main)

Advocates warn immigrants to avoid military bases when working for apps like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash.

STATE

A Massive Investigation Just Exposed How Much Roundup Is Being Sprayed in Northern California’s Forests[10] (NorCal News)

A yearlong investigation by Mother Jones[14] has shed new light on the scale of glyphosate spraying across California’s forests, and the findings are raising serious questions for anyone who hikes, camps, forages or recreates on public land in Northern California…. The investigation also found that the Forest Service’s own safety assessment relied heavily on a study that has since been retracted after it was revealed to have been ghostwritten by Monsanto employees. The full investigation is available at motherjones.com[15].

Lake Tahoe’s major energy source is being diverted to power AI data centers[11]

The planned cutoff has sparked ‘a great deal of concern’ among residents and businesses worried about possible disruptions, says South Lake Tahoe Mayor Cody Bass… Lake Tahoe [16]residents are the latest community to fight back against AI data centers[17] after thousands of people have been told their power[18] could be cut off to supply new projects.

‘A lack of oversight’: California Attorney General wants to see changes at immigration detention centers[12] (10 News)

Inspectors from the California Attorney General’s office spoke to about 200 immigrants locked up in private detention centers, and compiled their findings in a new report.

The rise of remote work could present challenges for California workers[13] (KPBS)

The increase of remote work has altered California’s labor landscape, potentially presenting challenges for workers to get certain in-state jobs and, at the same time, adjust to the state’s high cost of living.

 

 

Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/east-county-roundup-local-and-statewide-news-448/

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