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El Cajon sues California over sanctuary state law

 April 30, 2026 at 5:00 AM PDT

<<<HEADLINES>>>

Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH>>>> A LOCAL CITY IS SUING CALIFORNIA OVER ITS SANCTUARY STATE LAWMore on that next. But first... the headlines….#######

THE WAR IN IRAN HAS CAUSED SURGES IN GAS PRICES SINCE ITS START. 

NOW, THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A GALLON OF GAS IN THE COUNTY IS AT  ITS HIGHEST AMOUNT SINCE OCTOBER 20-23

THE AVERAGE IS  NOW  SIX DOLLARS AND THIRTY-SEVEN CENTS A GALLON

IT’S  SEEN AN INCREASE FOR EIGHT DAYS IN A ROW,

ITS WORTH NOTING THAT THIS RECENT INCREASE DOES COME AFTER A 

THIRTEEN DAY STREAK OF DECLINES

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THE F-A-A SAYS A PLANE APPEARS TO HAVE COLLIDED WITH A DRONE WHILE ON ITS WAY TO THE SAN DIEGO AIRPORT YESTERDAY

THE PILOT OF A UNITED AIRLINES BOEING 737 REPORTED THAT THE  PLANE HIT A DRONE WHILE IT WAS 3 THOUSAND FEET IN THE AIR

THE PILOT SAFELY LANDED THE PLANE AND UNITED SAID THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT 

THE F-A-A SAYS IF THE AIRCRAFT DID STRIKE A DRONE, ITS OPERATOR WAS FLYING IN VIOLATION OF REGULATIONS...

DRONE PILOTS CANNOT OPERATE ABOVE FOUR HUNDRED FEET UNLESS GIVEN  CLEARANCE FROM THE F-A-A

IN OTHER  AIRPORT NEWS,  SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL SAYS YOU CAN NOW FLY NON STOP TO 87 DESTINATIONS

 THAT’S TEN PERCENT MORE THAN  LAST YEAR

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YOUR SAN DIEGO MOJO... IS IN LIMBO 

THAT’S SAN DIEGO’S PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM

CURRENT MOJO OWNERSHIP RELEASED A STATEMENT ON TUESDAY SAYING THAT INSTEAD OF PLAYING IN THE UPCOMING 20-27 SEASON, THEY PLAN TO PUT A PLAN IN PLACE FOR 20-28 AND BEYOND 

IN A STATEMENT THE MOJO’S CURRENT OWNERS SAY, MAYOR LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL BELIEVES A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IS NEEDED AND CALLED TONIGHT'S MATCHUP AGAINST GRAND RAPIDS THEIR FINAL HOME GAME 

YAHOO SPORTS SAYS THAT DESPITE THE UNCERTAINTY, THE TEAM REASSURED FANS THAT THEY WILL COMPETE IN THE M-L-V PLAYOFFS, WHICH BEGIN NEXT WEEK

HOWEVER, WHAT HAPPENS BEYOND THAT REMAINS UNCLEAR

From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

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THE CITY OF EL CAJON IS SUING CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA OVER CALIFORNIA’S SANCTUARY STATE LAW. REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS CITY LEADERS ARGUE THE POLICY MAKES IT HARDER FOR POLICE TO DO THEIR JOBS.

ECSANCTUARY1 1:20 SOQ

California law prohibits state and local law enforcement from assisting with federal immigration enforcement…with some exceptions. Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 54 into law in 2017.

On Wednesday, the City of El Cajon announced a lawsuit challenging SB 54.

LAWSON

Under the Constitution, federal law is supreme.

Richard Lawson is with the America First Policy Institute. The group is representing the city.

He says California’s policies violate a section of federal law that makes it an offense for any person who encourages or induces someone to live in the U.S. without legal status.

LAWSON

How people without documentation get disability benefits, how people without documentation get an advance warning of an ICE notice, and yes, how people without documentation are never to be asked by law enforcement as to whether or not they're lawfully to be here. If you look at all of that, it is designed to induce and encourage illegal aliens to reside here.

In a statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in part QUOTE “SB 54 is a pro-public safety law that encourages witnesses and victims of crime to come forward and work with law enforcement. SB 54 has been upheld in court again and again, and we’re prepared to defend it from a baseless attack once more.” END QUOTE

Katie Anastas, KPBS News.

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IN NEARBY LA MESA, CITY COUNCILMEMBERS THERE TABLED A FINAL VOTE ON AN E-BIKE BAN ON TUESDAY. 

REPORTER ELAINE ALFARO SAYS THE COUNCIL’S DECISION COMES AMID COMMUNITY PUSHBACK.

LMBIKES 1 (1:03) SOC

After a unanimous vote earlier this month, it seemed certain that the La Mesa City Council would pass a ban on e-bike riding for children under 12.

But now that might not be the case. Here’s councilmember Laura Lothian (low-thian) at Tuesday’s regular city council meeting.

“Sometimes you put something out there without thinking it through and it turns out that maybe it's not a great idea.”

The ordinance would prohibit kids under 12 from operating standard e-bikes that can reach up to 20 mph.

Cassi Knight is a parent and often rides to La Mesa’s downtown with her 10-year-old daughter.

“If we’re doing this, can we at least make amendments like that parental supervision is required or maybe a safety course is required.”

But Councilmember Genivieve Suzuki wasn’t persuaded to change her vote in favor of the ordinance.

“It's very personal to me because I have a 10-year-old and I have a 17-year-old and I don't want either of them to get hurt.”

The mayor and another councilmember were absent from Tuesday’s meeting. So the final vote will take place on May 12.

Elaine Alfaro, KPBS News.

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THE COUNTY'S FARM LANDS ARE DWINDLING.

A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT PROGRAM IS TRYING TO PRESERVE THEM... BY CONNECTING LANDOWNERS WITH FARMERS.

NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN SAYS THE PROGRAM HELPS LANDOWNERS EARN EXTRA CASH... WHILE BEGINNING AND SMALL-SCALE FARMERS GET A PLACE TO GROW.

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FARMLINK 3:46 SOC

NATPOP 8172 20;51;29;22 → 20;51;32;13

CG: Andy Williamson // farmer

“it's kind of a matching service, almost like a dating service.”

Andy Williamson spent about three years farming at a community garden in the Tijuana River Valley before looking to expand.

That’s when he signed up with California FarmLink, which matched him with this property in Ramona. It’s owned by Katie Shilts, her husband and a few friends.

SOT 8147 20;11;29;06 → 20;11;37;24

CG: Katie Shilts // Landowner

“We wanted a farmer who did regenerative farming. We had been learning a lot about how great that is for the environment, and so we wanted to find the farmers who were knowledgeable in that.”

The Shiltses are no strangers to having tenant farmers. They had some when they owned a farm in Wisconsin, but didn’t know where to start here in California.

They also wanted to find the right tenant. That’s where California Farmlink came in. They helped her craft the ad that led her to Williamson.

The two matched because Williamson was also concerned about the environmental impact of farming.

NATPOP 8172 20;47;33;14 → 20;47;35;25

CG: Andy Williamson // farmer

“You know, water pollution, air pollution, that kind of thing.”

Matching farmers and landowners is just one of the services provided by California Farmlink, a nonprofit founded in 19-99. Katia Pilar Carranza is a senior program associate at FarmLink.

NATPOP 8149 20;20;28;06 → 20;20;36;06

Katia Pilar Carranza // California FarmLink

“We help farmers, ranchers and fishers with getting access to knowledge, capital as well as land.”

Knowledge means training. For many landowners and tenant farmers, this might be their first time dealing with a land contract… and FarmLink helps with that.

SOT 8150 20;35;03;23 → 20;35;16;28

Katia Pilar Carranza // California FarmLink

“So in this work, we serve as multi-partial advocates representing both parties. And we support with everything from like negotiation to finalizing the leases or agreements. And it's all pro bono.”

SOT 8147 20;13;03;20 → 20;13;15;16

CG: Katie Shilts// Landowner

“that was very helpful as well.”

SOT 8172 20;55;39;06 → 20;55;56;20

CG: Andy Williamson // farmer

“That was quite a scary component of the process. I never signed a contract for land, previously, so it was great to have the support of an organization that knew exactly what needed to be in the contract, and that was critical to the process.”

Pilar Carranza says the goal is to create equitable land agreements that support long-term land tenure.

SOT 8149 20;22;55;21 → 20;23;06;21

CG: Katia Pilar Carranza // FarmLink

“Right now, we have some of the highest land prices here and in the country.”

She says San Diego is losing around 2 farms a week to development and other factors.

San Diego county’s latest crop report says in 20-24, there were just over 207-thousand acres of commercial farmland in the region… down nearly 23 percent in a decade.

NATPOP 8118 19;44;26;20 → 19;44;30;28

CG: Shanley Miller // Landowner

“They want to develop it and build 5 houses right next to us.”

That’s part of the reason why Shanley Miller and her business partner bought this 25-acre property next to her avocado farm in Hidden Valley.

NATPOP 8122 19;57;30;00 → 19;57;36;12

CG: Shanley Miller // Landowner

“So the land kind of goes down over here into a creek. It's dry at the moment.”

She didn’t want Hidden Valley to lose its character.

It’s a quiet, rural community where property lines aren’t marked by fences, allowing wildlife to roam freely.

NATPOP 8122 19;58;34;19 → 19;58;42;28

CG: Shanley Miller // Landowner

“It's beneficial for the coyotes. Take care of the gophers and squirrels that could come out for our trees. So it's a win-win.”

Miller and her business didn’t really have a concrete plan for the property … until she found FarmLink and her first tenant through the program.

SOT 8118 19;45;38;04 → 19;45;50;14

CG: Shanley Miller // Landowner

“it's a small family who just didn't have enough space in their yard to grow all the vegetables that they wanted. May eventually expand it, but for now, it's a great start. They can start. They can start growing all the things that they need.”

Being new to the program, she says they are both learning how it works and what its challenges are. But she likes that it gives aspiring farmers access to land and lets them try their hand at growing food.

Back in Ramona … after three years of farming here …

NATPOP 8172 20;54;29;26 → 20;54;36;01

CG: Andy Williamson // farmer

“we've got a couple of beds of strawberries. We've got radishes, we've got chard, we've got spinach.”

Williamson has renewed his lease and is thinking of adding an orange orchard.

AN/KPBS

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A NEW DOCUMENTARY LOOKS AT THE PERSONAL TOLL GANG LAWS HAVE TAKEN ON SAN DIEGANS. REPORTER KATIE HYSON SAYS IT’S BEEN SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING.

CASTORY 1 s/s trt 1:14 SOQ (kh/mb)

California Story is a new documentary exploring California gang laws and the harm they’ve caused.

SOT :22 *nat, trailer intro* My perception of police officers initially was that they protect the people. But once you get to an age of understanding, you see how their narrative here is to put you in jail. It is to monitor you. To the point of didn't nobody want to be the cop during cop and robbers. You wanted to be the robber. *fade out*

Khalid Alexander is the executive producer. He hopes the film will help correct misperceptions.

SOT :23 Because of, again, movies like Boyz n the Hood and other things, there's this idea that anybody that's in a gang or anybody that's associated in a gang is riding around the street shooting people, or that gang members don't, aren't human beings like, like everybody else. So we don't argue that gang members are angels. The film argues that gang members are human beings, and they should be treated like human beings.

Gang enhancements are overwhelmingly charged against Black and brown people. They can extend a sentence by years. Sometimes, they mean the difference between parole and dying in prison.

Katie Hyson, KPBS News

UCSD is hosting a screening and discussion of “California Story” at 5 p.m. today.##########

THE COUNTY LIBRARY IS CELEBRATING 250 YEARS OF U.S. HISTORY WITH  EVENTS, BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS AND EXHIBITS.

PENNER FELLOW EMMY BURRUS FOUND OUT HOW THEY’RE INCORPORATING LOCAL STORIES INTO NATIONAL HISTORY.

LIBRARY 250 (eb) TRT 0:50 SOQ

All thirty three county library branches are honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States this year.

Library staff are curating book recommendations and the library’s branches are hosting in person events to educate people about the founding of America and the history of San Diego.

Cecilia Salgado is the adult services manager for the county library.

“One of the biggest things is that we want to make an inclusive, diverse reflection on, not just the nation - nation's history, but also local, San Diego County history and where we can reflect on not just the past, but present and future.”

Events include a talk from the San Diego History Center on California women who helped advance the suffrage movement and a presentation on the forces that shaped San Diego from its early days as a sea port town to the rise of tourism in the 21st century.

Emmy Burrus, KPBS News.

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<<<SHOW CLOSE>>>

That’s it for the podcast today. As  always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Lawrence K. Jackson. Thanks for listening and subscribing; by doing so you are supporting public media and I really want to thank you for that. Have a great day!

First, El Cajon is suing over a state law that prohibits state and local law enforcement from assisting with federal immigration enforcement. Next, the La Mesa City Council is holding off on a vote on an e-bike ban. And, how a nonprofit is trying to preserve farm land in the county. Then, a documentary about the toll gang laws have taken on San Diegans. Plus, how county libraries are marking America’s 250th anniversary.