Naturopathic Doctor in San Diego, CA

A group of local lawmakers Friday sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding answers over the armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on a South Park restaurant one week ago.

Reps. Scott Peters, Juan Vargas, Sara Jacobs, all D-San Diego, and Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, penning the letter with Sen. Adam Schiff, D- California, also expressed concerns over ICE targeting immigrants showing up for scheduled court hearings.

"In 2024, President Trump's now "border czar," Tom Homan, said immigration enforcement would focus on immigrants who are "public safety threats and the national security threats first," the lawmakers wrote. "According to the facts outlined in the government's warrant, the workers at Buona Forchetta do not appear to meet this standard.

"Instead, many immigrants, like those targeted in the operation, work challenging jobs and fill labor gaps in sectors like agriculture and construction. Immigrants are critical to the local and national economy, with those in the San Diego metro area contributing $11.3 billion in taxes annually."

According to a warrant filed by Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Michael Hensley and unsealed at San Diego federal court Monday, a five-year-old tip alleged that South Park restaurants Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta employed more than 10 undocumented workers. The tip was then updated in January, alleging 19 of the company's 40 employees were undocumented or had forged visas and owner Matteo Cattaneo had exploited those workers into 12+ hour shifts with no breaks.

Friday's raid involved at least 20 masked agents in military-style gear taking a group of workers into custody, while also confronting and handcuffing others and at one point detonating flash-bang grenades in the vicinity.

"The role of law enforcement is to keep our community safe," the lawmakers write. "The incident at Buona Forchetta last week did not make us safer. Witness accounts and video recordings show over 20 ICE and [Homeland Security Investigations] agents present on the scene, many armed with assault weapons and fitted in military tactical gear.

"Agents were then witnessed aggressively entering the restaurant to handcuff all employees -- including those who were not enforcement targets. Agents also used three noise flash diversionary devices, which produce loud bangs and smoke, to disperse civilians at the scene. These tactics created chaos and fear, all to arrest four immigrants reportedly working hard as dishwashers and servers. ... The Administration's use of these tactics also suggests the intent of the raid was not uphold the law in a responsible manner, but rather to intimidate. This is unacceptable. The use of such tactics to execute warrants for non-violent crimes not only harms public trust in HLS and ICE, it also raises legitimate questions about the Department of Homeland Security's stewardship of taxpayer dollars."

The detained individuals included three Mexican nationals and another from Colombia, according to Rep. Vargas.

Buona Forchetta has reopened after shuttering for several days following the raid.

"We feel incredibly grateful to open our doors again and return to what we love most -- bringing our resilient community together through food," an Instagram post from the restaurant read on Wednesday. "As our team finds its footing again, we truly appreciate your continued grace and support. Thank you for standing with us."

A GoFundMe campaign for the detained employees started Sunday had already raised more than $126,000.

Many of the politicians who signed the letter to Noem denounced the federal raid the officials said left the community shaken and traumatized earlier this week.

Vargas said Monday's news conference was being held outside San Diego's federal courthouses specifically because a local federal judge -- U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Crawford -- signed off on the warrant that he said authorized agents to detain everyone working inside the restaurants, whether or not they were undocumented.

Vargas said part of the lawmakers' demands were to meet with the chief judge for the Southern District of California to inquire how and why warrants of this sort were being approved.

Peters described the incident as "our government terrorizing our own communities" and said the operation was conducted as though its targets were gang members or drug traffickers.

"We were told that this whole move on immigration and deportation was about violent criminals," Peters said. "Well, we know that's not true."

Vargas said the ICE agents were "armed to the teeth as if they were entering a war zone," "terrorized the patrons and workers," and he charged that the intent of the operation "was to intimidate and to bring terror and fear into everybody's hearts, especially immigrants."

Levin cited reports stating that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is calling for 3,000 people to be arrested daily by immigration law enforcement officials.

"Setting an arbitrary quota is what created a mess like what we saw on Friday and it will continue unless we all speak out against it," he said.

ICE has not commented beyond confirming the operations occurred at the restaurants. Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, an ICE spokeswoman, told City News Service: "As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no further releasable information at this time."

At Monday's San Diego City Council meeting, Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera stood by statements he made over the weekend that drew a sharp rebuke from the White House. Describing the Friday incident as "terroristic" and "fascist," Elo-Rivera urged San Diegans to stand up and push back against ICE raids in the community.

After Elo-Rivera's initial statement -- which included an image of the masked, armed agents with the word "terrorists" scrawled over them -- White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said, "We are living in the age of leftwing domestic terrorism. They are openly encouraging violence against law enforcement to aid and abet the invasion of America."

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond supported the action and described Elo-Rivera's comments as "ridiculous."

"San Diego politicians are out there defending illegal immigrant criminals over the safety of American families -- and even calling ICE agents terrorists," Desmond wrote on X. "That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen.

"The vast majority of Americans believe these criminals should be deported. It's common sense. It's about protecting our communities and keeping our country safe."

Administration officials have conducted stepped-up enforcement of illegal immigration since President Donald Trump took office in January, and data show that illegal border crossings have reached historically low levels.

On this cool and foggy evening, beneath the flight path of San Diego International’s Runway 09/27 – where incoming jumbo jets seemed close enough to touch – The Casbah, San Diego’s beloved subterranean venue, played host to Brooklyn’s Sunflower Bean on a Southern Californian stop of their Mortal Primetime Tour.

Opening the night was GIFT, a rising psychedelic indie-pop outfit whose 40-minute set of swirling electronics and reverb-drenched textures offered a spellbinding prelude to the main event.

GIFT commandeered the stage with “Gumball Garden,” a kaleidoscopic opener that showcased haunting vocals and shimmering synths. Their blend of dreamlike textures and rhythmic thrust earned a warm, anticipatory response from the crowd in the small nightclub. Though brief, their performance struck a memorable chord, preparing ears for Sunflower Bean’s headline set.

At 9:35 PM, Sunflower Bean emerged, greeted by a riotous cheer. Frontwoman Julia Cumming and guitarist Nick Kivlen – co-leads on vocals – immediately launched into “Champagne Taste,” the raucous lead single from the band’s April-released Mortal Primetime. The song’s gritty guitars and propulsive rhythm confirmed the band’s heavier evolution since their earlier work, a sentiment echoed by recent interviews about their fresh, robust sound.

The band steered into “Lucky Number” and “Teach Me to Be Bad,” evolving the energy with a controlled swagger. What follows was a masterclass in pacing: the introspective swell of “Who Put You Up to This?” offered lyrical reflection before segueing into the opener crescendo. Fans savored tunes from Mortal Primetime such as “I Knew Love” and “Nothing Romantic,” the latter a moody gem from the new record that resonates with longing and depth.

Mid-set highlights included “There’s a Part I Can’t Get Back,” where the band’s interlocking vocals and guitar interplay created a rich, shoegaze-tinged atmosphere. The gritty familiarity of “22” and the vulnerable emotion of “Look What You’ve Done to Me” underscored the trio’s versatility.

The 55-minute performance crescendoed with an encore featuring “Nothing Romantic” and “Shake.” Yet, it was “Shake” – a whirlwind garage-rock anthem – that left the venue buzzing, its final rattling chords followed by a hush, then an eruptive applause.

Throughout, Cumming’s presence was magnetic, alternating between defiant commands and near-whispers, supported by Kivlen’s agile leads and Olive Faber’s crisp percussion. The self-produced flair of Mortal Primetime was evident in every note: raw yet polished, intimate yet expansive.

While some may note the set was under an hour – roughly 55 minutes – it was packed with impact. Few missed extravagance; what mattered was the intensity, unity, and genuine artistry on display.

By the end, The Casbah felt versatile worlds deep – sweaty, ecstatic, transformed. Sunflower Bean are not just touring; they’re forging connections, sharing textured new music, and reinforcing why they’re one of indie rock’s most thrilling live acts today.

In sum, Sunflower Bean and GIFT are two compelling live acts well worth seeking out. Their Casbah performance was a vivid snapshot of a headliner confidently balancing introspective lyricism with muscular post-punk swagger, paired with an opener pushing the boundaries of psychedelic indie-pop. It was a night that proved great things still come in small packages. In an era of algorithm-driven playlists and endless content, it’s these young bands – touring tirelessly, making noise in intimate rooms – who keep the flame of rock and roll burning bright.

The Cessna 414 aircraft was reported down shortly before 1 p.m., according to San Diego Fire Rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard.

"A debris field has been located, but I do not currently have the size of it," Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Graves told NBC 7 shortly before 3:30 p.m.

In it's latest update the USCG said that the depth of the water below the debris field is reported to be 200 feet.

The search at the scene of the crash will continue throughout the night, according to a statement shared to NBC 7 by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The @USCG is searching for a downed Cessna 414 with 6 POB, approx. 3 mi W of Pt. Loma. Currently searching are 1 Jayhawk helo from Air STA Ventura, 1 C-27 from Air STA Sacramento, CGC Sea Otter, 1 small boat each from STA SD & the MSST, as well as several partner agencies. pic.twitter.com/Oo6AlXlMQp

— USCG Southern California (@USCGSoCal) June 8, 2025

NBC 7 spoke to a witness who said that while he was out surfing on Sunday afternoon, he heard a plane and thought they were doing stunts in the air.

"I saw him come down at angle. He wasn't flying straight to the ground," said Tyson Wislofsky. "The next time he came out of the clouds, he went straight into the water. Full throttle."

San Diego lifeguards, the Coast Guard and U.S. Border Patrol are aiding with rescue efforts, which officials said were taking place about 3 miles off the coast. A staging area has been established at the lifeguard headquarters at Quivera Basin, officials said.

"Currently searching are 1 Jayhawk helo from Air STA Ventura, 1 C-27 from Air STA Sacramento, CGC Sea Otter, 1 small boat each from STA SD & the MSST, as well as several partner agencies," the Coast Guard tweeted out a little after 2 p.m.

USCG officials added that the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.

Check back here for updates on this breaking news story — Ed.

Chula Vista’s long and often humbling effort to get a top university to establish a major presence in South County might become a reality on a scale far larger than many people imagined.

Local politicians and educators are proposing to build a super-campus on the eastern edge of the city where large satellites of UC San Diego, San Diego State University and Cal State San Marcos would share buildings, creating the region’s first large higher education hub.

The tenants also might include Chula Vista’s Southwestern College, a two-year community college that is emerging as an incubator for bachelor-degree level programs offered by visiting university faculty.

South County has half a million residents — about the population of Atlanta — and no full-service university of its own. But for years it’s been trying to attract one.

The proposed project, one of the few of its kind in the nation, is being led by Assemblymember David Alvarez, who says it’s possible the first phase of the campus could open in 2030 — if supporters can raise upwards of $300 million and agree on a governance plan.

Chula Vista is finishing a report that calls for building three academic buildings, an administration building and a student union on a small portion of the 383-acre site the city owns near the Millenia urban village east of Interstate 805.

This would be the first step in creating what the city calls the University Innovation District, meant to eventually host 20,000 students, 6,000 faculty and staff and lots of housing, with room for science and tech companies and restaurants.

The idea to have one campus host many universities is largely modeled after the Auraria Campus, a 150-acre site in downtown Denver that is home to two public universities and a community college that collectively serve 38,000 students.

The schools, which represent the three tiers of higher education in Colorado, share many buildings, services and some property and collaborate on research, in a project that over the decades helped revitalized a once run-down area of Denver.

Chula Visa is taking on a big challenge.

“We’re going to create something that doesn’t exist in California,” said Alvarez, an SDSU graduate who chairs the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. “To get people to think about something different and unique is challenging.”

It’s a dream that comes with a caveat.

“(We’re) currently pursuing a multi-institutional campus,” said City Manager Maria Kachadoorian. “However, there is nothing in our current planning that would limit our ability to pivot if a viable single university partner were to indicate interest in the site.”

Chula Vista has been trying for more than 30 years to attract one or more universities to fast-growing South County, an area that stretches from San Ysidro to National City. It has unsuccessfully lobbied the state to place a University of California and a California State University campus in the region.

The city also failed to stir support in 2006 when it drafted plans for a sprawling center for higher education, research and technology park on city land. At the time, the region had few sizable science and tech companies. That plan didn’t clearly explain how the project would be funded and did little to show the public what it would look like.

But Chula Vista’s courtship of universities reached its nadir about five years ago, when it tried and failed to establish a partnership with the University of Saint Katherine, a San Marcos school with barely 230 students. USK went out of business last year.

The situation started to change in 2023, when Alvarez began a stronger push for attracting universities — motivated, he says, by constituents’ desire to take bachelor’s degree programs locally.

That coincided with Southwestern’s plan to build a center — set to open this fall — where visiting universities can offer in-person courses. UC San Diego has indicated it might begin to offer a bachelor’s program in public health there as early as next year, and SDSU is also considering introducing some kind of programs next year.

Their new frankness is no accident. UCSD and SDSU have been discussing their plans publicly in part because of language Alvarez added to last year’s state budget that requires them to outline how they might expand into South County.

Neither UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla nor SDSU President Adela de la Torre was available for comment.

Initially, the big player at Southwestern will be CSUSM, which says it will phase in five bachelor’s degree programs at Southwestern over the next two years.

Ellen Neufeldt, the school’s president, has experience with such things. She used to be an executive in the University of Maryland system, where students at nine campuses can also choose from 80 degree programs offered by the Universities at Shady Grove, an academic partner in Montgomery County.

Neufeldt believes CSUSM, SDSU and UCSD would get along and complement each other academically if they were all to become joint tenants at the Chula Vista site.

“When we were going into the pandemic, the campuses in this region got together on Zoom to help one another out,” Neufeldt said. “This kind of collaboration has really been a hallmark of the San Diego region.”

But there are more immediate issues. It has yet to be determined who would govern the proposed campus, how it would be financed, what it would look like and who would serve as its prime developer.

Chula Vista has fallen behind schedule in finishing a report estimating the cost to build the first phase. Its contractor has produced renderings that have been shared with city officials. The city declined to share them with The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The report is expected to be released in August.

Meanwhile, Alvarez is pursuing legislation that would create a governing board that would likely include the three universities, Southwestern, the city of Chula Vista and other partners.

He’ll see how it goes.

Luis Arraez is also starting Friday, but as the designated hitter, for the opener of a three-game series against the Brewers.

“I’m good,” Arraez said before the 5:10 p.m. first pitch on Padres.TV. “I told you I would be yesterday.”

Indeed. Arraez did predict that following Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Giants, which he departed in the sixth inning after tweaking his right knee making a play in the field two innings earlier.

Bogaerts’ status was less certain. And it sort of still is.

He departed Wednesday’s game against the Giants and did not play Thursday due to left shoulder soreness.

He does not know exactly what has caused the discomfort in the same shoulder in which he suffered a fracture last May.

“It’s nothing broken,” Bogaerts said. “It’s not even close to then. But there’s just some symptoms of, like, stuff that I was feeling a little bit — but not to that extent. I couldn’t even swing a bat then. The last couple days, swinging with pain but nothing like (last season).”

Bogaerts missed 48 games, returned last July 12 and hit .299 with a .770 OPS in 64 games after coming back.

He said he did not feel any significant discomfort while swinging until earlier this week but has occasionally felt pain over the past year when shifting positions during sleep or otherwise moving his shoulder in certain angles.

“I’ve always had this one weird move where it would hurt,” Bogaerts said. “But it would be something not baseball related, just like here and there. Baseball, it’s been pretty smooth.”

But in the past few days it began to affect his swing. In particular, he felt a “pinch” trying to reach inside pitches.

Two days of treatment and getting out of the cold in San Francisco has him feeling better.

He has undergone strength tests that have the Padres confident he will be OK with continued treatment. But he did not rule out getting imaging on the shoulder once the team returns to San Diego.

“Depends how these days go,” he said. “Hopefully it feels good.”

Here is how the Brewers (34-29, 3rd in NL Central) will line up for Game 1:

Friday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.99 ERA)

He walked multiple batters (3) in his last start for the first time since May 3. Vásquez also allowed two homers and has allowed at least one in each of his last five starts. He has a 6.52 ERA over his last two starts, but he beat the Brewers with five shutout innings in a start last year, striking out three and walking three.

Here is how Vásquez has fared against current Brewers:

The 26-year-old rookie has 57 strikeouts to 18 walks in 63⅔ innings this year. He has allowed three runs or fewer in all 13 starts this year but has completed six innings just four times. Patrick has a 2.37 ERA in seven home starts and is holding right-handed hitters to a .222/.261/.389 batting line. All five home runs allowed have come to right-handed hitters.