City News Service

Clear skies and warm weather were predicted for San Diego County Saturday, though areas of the mountains and deserts will continue to see haze and smoke from ongoing wildfires.

San Diego-area elected officials were mourning the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg this weekend, with county Supervisor Nathan Fletcher calling her death, "a heartbreaking loss for our country."

San Diego County health officials reported 388 new COVID-19 infections and three deaths tied to the illness Friday, raising the region's totals to 44,007 cases and 757 deaths as the county considers taking legal action against the state should reopenings for some still-closed businesses be rolled back next week.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and City Councilman Chris Cate sent a letter Friday to Gov. Gavin Newsom asking him to approve safe reopening guidelines for convention centers across the state, which were ordered closed in mid-March along with other large venues such as amusement parks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The San Diego region's unemployment rate dropped to 9.9% in August, a 2.5% drop from the previous month, according to figures released today by the state Employment Development Department.

Of the 9,495 tests reported Thursday, just 2% returned positive — potentially a good sign as San Diego County appears poised to regress into the state's most restrictive public health tier due to increasing COVID-19 numbers.

Veterans, service members and families marked the 82nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, with a ceremony at the museum Thursday.

A brush fire blackened scores of open acres in the area of Barnett Ranch County Preserve.

The lawsuit comes days after Fletcher announced he is taking a medical leave due to trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse.