City News Service

A man who allegedly coordinated a human smuggling operation that led to a deadly Imperial County traffic crash that killed 13 people and injured several others made his initial court appearance Tuesday on federal charges.

Maereichelle Marquez, 34, is charged along with 34-year-old Ryan Kubista and 61-year-old Stacy Wright in connection with allegedly using the names of inmates to apply for unemployment benefits, which inmates are not eligible to receive.

San Diego County reported 290 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday and a slight uptick in the number of county residents hospitalized with the coronavirus.

San Diego Pride said the decision to celebrate largely online again this year grew out of communication with local, state and federal elected and public health officials.

UC San Diego students will be among those participating in a study which seeks to evaluate infection and transmission of the virus among college students.

Data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases have declined, but experts at UC San Diego's AntiViral Research Center Monday said rates could soon be on the rise again.

California has been battered by 10 previous atmospheric rivers this winter.

The latest in-custody death comes on the heels of news that a sheriff’s deputy was arrested for allegedly having illegal drugs on county jail property.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a statement in response to Southwest's cancellations, noting that the department will be looking into the situation.