The candidates for county supervisor in District 1 are slinging accusations back and forth — what’s true and what isn’t? And, UC San Diego Health laid off hundreds. Find out how many and why. Then, ICE detained the U.S. citizen-children during a raid in search of their father. Hear what one of them is saying about it. Also, a new federal report reveals possible causes of the Oceanside pier fire. Finally, an update on a funding fight for the water garden at Cuyamaca College.
Fact-checking District 1 candidates’ claims
June 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM PDT
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, June 27th.
The candidates for district 1 county supervisor are swapping allegations.
We check the facts, next. But first... the headlines….
THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION IS SUING THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO TO OBTAIN PUBLIC RECORDS ABOUT SAN DIEGO POLICE OFFICERS' USE OF FORCE DURING AN INCIDENT LAST OCTOBER.
VIDEO SHOWS A MAN WALKING OUT OF A HOUSE WITH HIS HANDS RAISED..
LATER THE VIDEO SHOWS POLICE SHOOTING THE MAN WITH BEANBAGS AND RELEASING A POLICE DOG THAT BIT HIM REPEATEDLY.
DAVID LOY IS LEGAL DIRECTOR FOR THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION.
“When police engage in this level of use of force, justified or unjustified, the public has a right to the full story, not just the official story.”
SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT’S LT. TRAVIS EASTER SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE LAWSUIT AND DO NOT COMMENT ON PENDING LITIGATION.
Lilo (lie-low) in Carlsbad is the newest local restaurant to earn a Michelin star.
With just 22 seats, the restaurant offers a 12-course fine dining experience with California cuisine.
Another local eatery, Leucadia’s Atelier Manna, received a bib gourmand designation. Michelin gives this to restaurants it determines offer quality food at moderate prices.
San Diego’s Major League Soccer club is now number one in the Western Conference..
S-D-F-C was second in the West Wednesday night going into its road match against the first place Vancouver Whitecaps.
Escondido’s Milan Illoski scored four goals in the span of 12 minutes, leading San Diego to a 5-3 win.
With the win S-D-F-C assumes first place and Vancouver drops to second.
The next home match for the team will be July 5th at Snapdragon Stadium against Houston.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
AS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE APPROACHES, THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY’S DISTRICT 1 SUPERVISOR IS GETTING PERSONAL.
SOUTH BAY REPORTER KORI SUZUKI HAS A PAIR OF FACT CHECKS ON ATTACKS THE CANDIDATES HAVE LOBBED AT ONE ANOTHER.
FIRST, A CLAIM FROM CANDIDATE JOHN MCCANN, THE CURRENT MAYOR OF CHULA VISTA. HE’S ACCUSING HIS OPPONENT OF SUPPORTING A NEW TAX ON THE SALE OF EXPENSIVE HOMES, WHICH HE SAYS WOULD HURT WORKING FAMILIES AND SENIORS.
McCann’s opponent is Paloma Aguirre, the Democratic mayor of Imperial Beach.Aguirre has said repeatedly that she opposes raising new taxes at the county level, including in an interview with KPBS last month and a May opinion piece in the Union-Tribune.It is true that the current Board of Supervisors is looking at different kinds of new taxes as ways to bring in additional revenue amid a significant budget shortfall and uncertainty around federal programs. That includes a tax on the sale of extremely expensive homes.But Aguirre thinks the county can weather those funding challenges using other measures, like drawing on their reserve funds.
NEXT, A CLAIM FROM CANDIDATE PALOMA AGUIRRE, THE DEMOCRATIC MAYOR OF IMPERIAL BEACH. SHE’S ACCUSING MCCANN OF BEING AT THE CENTER OF A SCHOOL BOARD CORRUPTION SCANDAL.
AGAIN, HERE’S REPORTER KORI SUZUKI.
Aguirre’s opponent is John McCann, the Republican mayor of Chula Vista.It is true that McCann was serving as a school board member for the Sweetwater Union High School District when the district was targeted by a sweeping corruption probe in 2012.The San Diego County District Attorney found that administrators and board members in Sweetwater and two other South Bay school districts had taken gifts, trips and campaign donations from construction contractors who were trying to get expensive contracts.Four out of the five Sweetwater board members were indicted and pleaded guilty to various crimes.But McCann was the only board member who did not face any indictments.Kori Suzuki, KPBS News.
THE LAST DAY TO VOTE IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION IS TUESDAY, JULY 1. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RACE, GO TO KPBS DOT ORG SLASH VOTER HUB.
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH LAID OFF 230 EMPLOYEES THIS WEEK, CITING FINANCIAL STRAIN. HEALTH REPORTER HEIDI DE MARCO SAYS UNION LEADERS ARE PUSHING BACK.
On Monday, UC San Diego Health clinical social workers, pharmacists, and lab scientists were laid off. The health system says it’s facing rising costs, poor reimbursement, and federal funding uncertainty. Jonathan Sunada is a spokesperson for the union that represents some of the people laid off. He says these cuts target frontline workers, violate labor contracts, and could result in longer waits for patients. “Some of our patients were having to wait weeks, even months, to get in for appointments. The clinical lab scientists prior to these layoffs were saying that their staffing was critical to the point where they were, they felt like they were at risk for making errors, because they didn't have enough staffing.” In an email UC San Diego Health told KPBS the layoffs affected about 1.5% of its workforce and that impacted employees will receive full university benefits and career support. The unions are demanding UCSD reinstate all affected workers. Another bargaining session is scheduled for next month.Heidi de Marco, KPBS News.
A TEENAGED BROTHER AND SISTER -- BOTH U-S CITIZENS -- FOUND THEMSELVES HANDCUFFED DURING AN IMMIGRATION RAID THAT WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEO IN OCEANSIDE.
AGENTS WERE AFTER THEIR FATHER.
NORTH COUNTY REPORTER TANIA THORNE TALKED WITH THE BROTHER ABOUT THE RAID THAT'S LEFT HIM WITHOUT EITHER PARENT.
On - June 18th the Robles Ortega family.-woke up at 6 A-M to shattered windows and loud noises.They threw, I mean, two flash grenades in here. They flew the drone in here, broke windows, and they were not saying Who they were. I mean, we didn't know who it actually was. We were thinking it was ICE. Well we were correct. The Oceanside apartment where Kevin Robles lives with his family was surrounded by uniformed agents holding firearms.I was the first one to get taken out. They just grabbed me, cuffed me, took me out. Same thing with my sister, my dad and my mom. I didn't get to see a warrant. Robles, who is 17 and a US citizen, was handcuffed. So was- his 14 year old sister. After neighbors intervened and informed agents of their age and status, the minors were let go. But Robles’ mom and dad were not. “it was something very, I mean, something hard for me to process knowing that both of my parents were taken. And I didn't even get to say bye, or not even one word. I mean, all they said was, I love you. That was the last thing.”Robles says the warrant they eventually got showed agents were looking for his father, Arnoldo Robles-. They ended up taking his mother, Angelica Ortega, - as well. Both had been in the US for over 15 years, but without legal status.Court records show Arnoldo was convicted for a DUI in 2023, but it is unclear if that is what led to the detention warrant. We reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for details of the arrest and have not heard back.we're more than just neighbors. We're like family. They help us, we help them.Ada Rocha is a neighbor and witnessed the arrest. She said many neighbors and children were scared of what was going on. I said, why are you guys going to the extreme if you guys are just executing a warrant? Why are you guys like, there's some murders there or like drug dealers or something worse, like, just do what you guys going to do without all the excessive. Rocha says the events have left the community in fear… and a family in pieces. And it just breaks me that like Kevin said, now he has to be an adult. It's summer. And instead of them thinking, oh, I'm going to go with my friends here or go out and have fun. Now he has to think about, I need to provide for my little sister.The community has gathered around the family by raising money for legal fees and painting a mural behind their apartment complex.The mural reads, “no one is illegal on stolen land” and has a portrait of the parents.“My parents were actually loved. My dad was a landscaping guy for a couple properties in the neighborhood, and he was a good guy.--- my mom will give anybody food.”Robles has had very little communication with his parents, who are being held in separate facilities. Since the arrest, the neighborhood has been on high alert… and so have community activists. People keep on asking, there's what can we do? And we're like, we'll get out on the streets.Juanito xochipilli conoro is with the Human rights council of Oceanside. A grassroots community organization helping families stay informed. So I've seen more and more younger people come out, more people coming out to protest, you know, because they, they have they want to do something with this energy that they, they have On Saturday, the council plans a community patrol training in Oceanside to teach people about observing, documenting, and responding when ICE or law enforcement is present in communities. Tania Thorne, KPBS News.
MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER A MASSIVE FIRE DESTROYED PART OF THE OCEANSIDE PIER … WE MAY NOW KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT.
NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN SAYS THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION REPORT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
After the fire was out … the city brought in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to lead the investigation.Oceanside Fire Department Division Chief Blake Dorse says the city needed the help.The A-T-F looked at video footage and witness statements… and brought in arson dogs to narrow down the causes of the fire.They were able to rule out every man-made or natural cause… except for one.“The only thing that they couldn't eliminate that was a heat producing source underneath the pier at the time of the fire were electrical components.”All investigators could say with certainty is that it was an electrical fire that started at the northwest quadrant of the pier.The AFT shared the results of the findings with the city in December … but the redacted report is only now available to the public.Alexander Nguyen/KPBS
SAN DIEGO’S WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN WON’T BE GETTING ANY MORE FUNDING FROM ITS BIGGEST FINANCIAL SUPPORTER.
THURSDAY, THE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY REJECTED PROPOSALS TO CONTINUE FUNDING FOR THE SITE AT CUYAMACA COLLEGE.
THE WATER AUTHORITY HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTING 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR FOR THE GARDEN, BUT THE BOARD IS NOW FACING FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. The podcast was produced this week by David Jones and Andrew Dyer. It was edited by Quinn Owen, Megan Burke and Brooke Ruth. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.