Free Republic

ESCONDIDO, Calif. — The families of some of the 13 servicemembers who were killed in a deadly blast at the Kabul Airport in 2021 are seeking answers. Appearing alongside the families is senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48). "For almost two years, the Gold Star Families of the fallen in Afghanistan have waited for answers and accountability for the loss of their loved ones - and they have waited long enough," said Rep. Issa. "At every turn, they've been shut out and ignored by the Biden Administration that prefers to turn the page on...

A man was killed inside a Southern California(Escondido) car wash after he got out of his vehicle and got pinned against machinery, authorities said Monday. The fatal accident unfolded late Friday at a self-service car wash in the 2100 block of East Valley Parkway in Escondido, which is about 35 miles north of downtown San Diego and 110 miles south of central Los Angeles, police said. That's where the unidentified man, 56, became "trapped between a 2014 Scion XB and a part of the car wash machinery," according to a police statement. "The preliminary investigation indicated that the man drove...

The union representing workers at Chile’s La Escondida copper mine said its members voted to reject the most recent contract offer from the mine’s owner and go on strike, potentially risking disruptions to the supply of a key metal as the world’s economy continues to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. BHP Group Ltd. -controlled Minera Escondida, located in Chile’s northern Atacama Desert, is the world’s largest copper mine, producing almost 5% of the world’s supply of the metal, which is used to make electrical wiring and motors and in construction, among many other applications. By law, the...

Authorities in Escondido, northeast of San Diego, recovered the body Thursday of a man who witnesses say had been paddle-boarding down the surging current in a concrete-lined waterway. A 911 caller reported that the man had been swept away by rushing water in the Escondido Creek near Rose Street shortly before 4 p.m., KTLA sister station KSWB in San Diego reported. Responding crews positioned themselves to try and rescue him, according to the station. However, it soon became a recovery effort when they discovered the body near the Tulip Street overpass

The Department of Homeland Security looked at opening a holding center in Escondido to house 96 migrant children. However, Escondido planning commissioners denied a conditional use permit that would have turned a former nursing home into a temporary holding facility for unaccompanied children. More than 200 residents showed up at the meeting Tuesday night to voice their concern. “It's illegal and shouldn't happen,” said a resident. A handful voiced their concern about the need for such a holding site. “I feel the city of Escondido can stand on the side of humanity,” said a resident. The majority who spoke during...

The crisis is sparking heated debate in Washington, where critics claim the Obama administration’s immigration policies are to blame, including the DREAM Act, which defers deportation for some children. Nearby residents who oppose the Escondido center said they’re concerned it will hurt property values, increase crime and cause other problems. But some also decried the idea of federal tax dollars being used for such purposes, especially in their city. “We want our City Council and the Planning Commission to push back to the federal government and adhere to the laws,” said Kitty Demry, who lives about a one-third of a...

ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- A Mexican who has been deported three times was in federal custody Wednesday in Escondido on suspicion of fondling himself inside a vehicle while watching children walk to school. Antonio Montoya-Senteno was spotted in the 1200 block of North Broadway about 7:20 a.m. and, based on witness reports, arrested at El Norte Parkway and Escondido Boulevard, Escondido police Lt. Chris Wynn said. U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers at the Escondido police station as part of Operation Joint Effort questioned Montoya-Senteno and determined he had been deported three times, he said

If you're a Free Republic participant, I already know you're a political conservative. If you're a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America, or United Reformed Churches, and if you don't know what "two kingdoms" theology is, you need to read this post. Matt Tuininga, who is the son of one of the founders of the United Reformed Churches in North America and is currently doing his doctoral dissertation at Emory University on John Calvin's political views, has put up an interesting post here on how what he calls "Old Reformed" theology differs from the Escondido Two...

Yet another first for the City of Escondido, California.In 2010, the city was the first in California (along with Costa Mesa) to pass a resolution to "Stand With Arizona" - in an overwhelming slap-down to La Raza activists who wanted to denounce and boycott Arizona for its passage of S.B. 1070. SWA's founder John Hill was on hand for the raucous vote. Escondido was also the first city in America to forge a special partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2010, under which ICE agents help Escondido police officers determine whether suspects of crimes are in the country illegally or...

City crews hung 44 large banners in downtown Escondido on Thursday morning that feature the names and images of local men who have served in the military. The goal of the project, dubbed "Hometown Heroes," is simultaneously honoring local heroes and giving people a reason to visit downtown, organizers said. Each of the 8-foot tall banners, which are hanging from light poles on Grand Avenue, required a $200 sponsorship fee that was covered either by the families of the men, their friends or local businesses. "I wanted to honor him for his service," said Kathleen Corona, who bought a banner...

Olga Diaz is using her position as the first Latina on the Escondido City Council to fight the anti-immigrant policies that have made the municipality north of San Diego famous. . . "The other councilors don't understand that they can't just offend undocumented people without also offending those who have documents, since the families have a mixed status," Diaz said. . . "Since it's the first time that the whites have been exceeded by another group, they feel threatened and the elected officials have devoted themselves to promoting fear. The inability to reason with the councilors was one of...

Federal audit targets workers who lacked necessary documentsA federal audit forced an Escondido disposal company to fire 50 of its employees for not having proper documentation to work. The U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency audited Escondido Disposal Inc. recently and found that a quarter of the company did not have valid Social Security numbers or papers allowing them to work in the U.S. as non-citizens, our media partner the North County Times reported. EDCO Vice President Ritchie said he had no knowledge of his employees’ lack of documentation. Though EDCO did check for the documents, many of the employees...

Police arrested a man who had been previously deported three times on suspicion of drunken driving, resisting arrest and hit-and-run, according to the Escondido Police Department. The man allegedly fled and officers chased the vehicle until it crashed into two other vehicles, injuring one person, Carter said. Flores was booked into the Vista jail on various charges, including felony hit-and-run, drunken driving, driving on a suspended license, resisting arrest and felony evading with injury, according to police. Immigration authorities placed an immigration hold on Flores. The man had been formally deported three times and had voluntarily returned to Mexico 12...

Fox News off and then on again at Escondido gym Fitness devotee Dianne Lowe's best exercise in recent days may be standing up for what she says is free speech. The five-year member of the LA Fitness club on El Norte Parkway in Escondido was outraged last week when she went to turn on the right-leaning cable channel while working out and found it wouldn't come in. Lowe talked to a gym attendant, who she said told her that LA Fitness officials had ordered it shut down. "They told me, 'We are not allowed to turn on Fox News,' and...

Barring any legal wrangling, widespread evacuations will begin this evening around a North County rental house that authorities plan to burn to ground Thursday morning to dispose of a large illegal stockpile of highly volatile bomb-making chemicals found inside it three weeks ago. At noon today, attorney Michael Berg, lawyer for renter George Djura Jakubec, is scheduled to ask a federal judge to halt the burning because there could be documents and other evidence in the house that could aid in his client's defense. Exactly how anyone would go about gathering the potential evidence from the home that bomb experts...

A California man accused of robbing banks and assembling what may be the largest cache of homemade explosives ever found in the U.S. was ordered held on $5 million bail Monday.

VISTA (CNS) - Two Escondido girls who tortured, beat and stabbed another girl -- the perceived romantic rival of one of the defendants -- were each sentenced Thursday to more than 17 years in state prison. Karina Amador, 15, was sentenced to 18 years and four months behind bars by Vista Judge Runston Maino. The teenager pleaded guilty in July to attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and burglary charges. Jovana Gudino, also 15, was sentenced to 17 years and four months in prison. She pleaded guilty to attempted murder, burglary and trying to dissuade a witness.

ESCONDIDO — The American Civil Liberties Union yesterday demanded that the city of Escondido change the way it conducts driver's license checkpoints, which critics say are intended to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants and are resulting in suspicion and resentment among many Latinos. At a news conference yesterday in San Diego with El Grupo – a coalition of Latino and advocacy organizations – the ACLU said the city needs to be more transparent. Escondido has checkpoints about twice a month, for two hours, on a busy road. Drivers who fail to produce licenses or have revoked or suspended licenses are...

Escondido city officials refuse to give up. Two years ago, the city passed an ordinance to punish landlords for renting to illegal immigrants. But it rescinded the rental restriction after a legal challenge was filed and bills began to mount. Now Escondido is trying a new approach to what it calls the "public nuisances" of illegal immigration, citing residents for code violations such as garage conversions, graffiti and junk cars. The city is also debating a new ordinance that would restrict overnight street parking without a permit. In addition, it is drafting a policy that would prohibit drivers from picking...

ESCONDIDO – The car thief had been released from jail and formally deported to Mexico six days earlier, and yet Wednesday, police found him back on the streets of Escondido. Officers say they've become frustrated with the growing numbers of illegal immigrants in the city who commit crimes and are deported, only to return. “As short as a few days or a couple of weeks later, they're back in town,” said Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher. The auto thief was one of 14 illegal immigrants police detained this week in a three-day sweep targeting people whom officers have had contact...