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Stories by Mike Madriaga

Wheelies, burnouts, donuts – San Diego's protests against deportation

Since President Trump's federal immigration policy threatened to deport undocumented immigrants across the nation, protests have broken out in San Diego County. These differed from earlier protests, as they  included show vehicles and lifted trucks …

Chula Vista bird nest rains embers on homeless

This week, besides the massive Border 2 Fire, there have been other odd fires reported throughout the county and Tijuana, including one that was ignited by a crashed Tesla, another by a nesting osprey, and …

New Year's Eve itself was quiet at San Diego hot spots

On New Year’s Eve in San Diego County, the night brought a grim start to 2025 with two boys shot in Escondido, while across the border in Tijuana, a family of four was reportedly shot …

The hotboxing BMW in Chula Vista

Last month, an unidentified man's BMW caught fire in Chula Vista while he was smoking cannabis in the car with the windows up. It's referred to as "hot boxing," explained 911 Video News, which was …

San Diegans fall for smishing

During the busy holiday season, smishing and scammer texts reached cell phones throughout San Diego County. Locals received messages from individuals pretending to be actor Keanu Reeves, FasTrak toll road employees, Amazon representatives, and U.S. …

What is it with Ferraris and San Diego?

On December 21, a red Ferrari lay wrecked on the opposite traffic lane as David Spongberg drove toward the monthly Rancho Santa Fe Cars and Coffee gathering. Traffic slowed to a crawl as Spongberg approached …

Use San Diego crosswalks at your own peril

As San Diego drivers rush to finish shopping or get to their next destination, accidents or close calls at crosswalks crop up.On December 23, at around 7:30 am, an electric scooter rider was struck while …

December 24, 2024
San Diego beaches not that nice to dogs

As of December 17, Imperial Beach remains closed due to bacteria levels exceeding health standards.These closures clash with the accolades San Diego’s dog-friendly spots have received. Coronado's Dog Beach made USA Today and iPuppee.com's top …

December 18, 2024
Was Reddit ghost sighter hired by Hotel del Coronado?

A recent Reddit post titled "Potential Sighting at Hotel del Coronado" in the "Captured Apparition" section has stirred renewed interest in the historic hotel, drawing extra visitors over Thanksgiving weekend despite the ongoing $550 million …

December 9, 2024
Mang Tomas, banana ketchup barred in San Diego

Rumors of a U.S. ban on popular Filipino condiments such as Mang Tomas, banana ketchup, and other traditional sauces have spurred panic buying among Filipino Americans in San Diego County and beyond. The FDA recently …

Pedicab drivers in downtown San Diego miss the music

Downtown pedicabs with dazzling lights and thumping stereo systems are undergoing a significant change — many operators no longer play loud music, especially near the convention center. This shift has led to a "50 percent …

Trophy truck crushes four at Baja 1000

On November 14, at the Baja 1000 in Ensenada, an orange-colored trophy truck in the contingency lanes lost control, hitting four people. The four were rushed to the hospital, where two died.Yolie Stover, an off-road reporter …

November 19, 2024
San Diego car vandals – getting bolder?

When Jacob T. came outside from his Kensington home on October 16, ready to go to work, he found his truck smeared with what appeared to be mud. After a closer look, it became clear …

Crimes against San Diego pets

In recent months, stolen pets and bizarre pet theft incidents have stirred up communities on both sides of the San Diego and Tijuana border. Local internet groups and social media platforms are buzzing with reports …

The danger of San Diego's hoarders

In the early hours of October 13, a quiet neighborhood along Marline Avenue in El Cajon was jolted awake by fire trucks and first responders. 911 Video News was among the first on the scene, …

Is San Diego sucker city?

On September 27, a mysterious van crept through the PetSmart parking lot on Main Street in Chula Vista. Suddenly, it accelerated, and without warning, a man in the passenger seat hurled coins at Mark and …

San Diego pickleball fans growing, but who pays for their courts?

Some San Diegans are taking their pickleball game to the next level. This October, local pickleball enthusiasts are booking trips on the Royal Caribbean Cruise ship to play, while others are enjoying Dinks and Drinks …

Roll-over crashes crop up in San Diego and Baja

In the last three months, cars and semis have rolled over in San Diego County and just across the border.The most recent spill happened on September 29, when a car lost control on I-5 at …

Air toxins plague Escondido, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, Tijuana

Since last month, concerns over air toxins sparked chaos across San Diego County. Schools abruptly canceled physical education classes in the southern part of the county after a "chemicals of war" warning from a local …

Why San Diego sports fans have gotten physical

On September 9, a confrontation at the Henderson Sports Complex in the Mountain View neighborhood turned violent when a 37-year-old man was shot in the head, according to the San Diego Police. Though the victim …

Behind the school bus scare in Jamul

San Diego County locals are growing increasingly concerned as more migrants come using unconventional transportation. This includes jet skis, UTVs, vans with FedEx stickers, construction vehicles, SUVs with unauthorized Border Patrol decals, and even a …

Hip-hop has seeped into our parents' Fil-Am gatherings, karaoke

If the scent of lumpia and the thump of bass-heavy rap tracks about Filipino culture caught your attention while driving along the 805 or 54 freeways recently, you were within earshot of the "Party With …

September 9, 2024
What does end of Chula Vista BMX mean?

Hundreds of BMX riders and their families, from parents to grandparents, wonder why Chula Vista BMX suddenly shut down just over a week ago. I reached out to the world-renowned BMX (bicycle motocross)  track via …

City buses, Caltrans trucks beset with mishaps

This summer has been tumultuous for Caltrans and MTS vehicles. On the afternoon of August 25, chaos erupted on University Avenue and 30th Street when an MTS bus traveling eastbound was forced to pull over for …

Cheech and Chong at San Diego's Four Points Sheraton

Last week, scenes reminiscent of a Cheech and Chong flick played out at the Four Points Sheraton just west of Serra Mesa, where oversized joints were passed around, and petite women casually out-smoked jovial, green-friendly …

August 20, 2024
San Diego Edra backers knock Raygun's bunny-hopping and exaggerated poses

There’s a buzz in San Diego—celebratory and argumentative—about last week’s Olympics in Paris, particularly the face-off between Australian breaker Rachael “Raygun” Gunn and San Diego’s Logan “Logistx” Edra.The debate surrounding breaking (breakdancing) and its place …

August 13, 2024
The fight over dogs in Balboa Park

Recent incidents involving dogs in Balboa Park have been making headlines, highlighting the ongoing issues with friendly and aggressive canines and their owners roaming the area.Yesterday, a high-speed pursuit involving about ten police cars ended …

Selfie takers go overboard at Comic-Con and Padres game

Selfies taken in San Diego have earned us international acclaim. The most recent buzz was generated by actress Jennifer Garner, who took a selfie video while stuck in an elevator at Comic-Con over the weekend. …

San Diego lifeguards yelled into megaphone and P.A. system 24K times July 4 week

Between July 1 and 7, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's lifeguards and other staff performed 24,118 preventative acts, 1229 water rescues, and 216 calls for service — according to the San Diego Lifesaving Association. San Diego …

Tesla drivers denounce Caltrans plans for road tax

Starting in August, Caltrans is running a California Road Charge Collection Pilot program that, if passed, will tax California drivers for the amount they drive. You heard that correctly — a Road Charge for every …

Fistfight between county fair workers turns out to be an exception

Towards the end of June, a fistfight broke out between carnival workers at the San Diego County Fair, quickly captured on video by TikTok user @adan651. The incident sparked online discussions about the environment and …

July 9, 2024
San Diego summer fires cause home insurance jitters

While there were fires all over the county on July 1, including areas by and in Mount Hope, Jacumba, Lake Morena, San Diegans in other neighborhoods got more reason to worry, as many recently lost …

The vulnerability of San Diego's fire hydrants

San Diego fire hydrants have been reportedly getting hit or stolen in the last few weeks.On June 18, a semi-truck driver hit a fire hydrant just east of the UTC Mall, and more than a …

Caleb Adam – one in a line of San Diego shark victims

On June 2, swimmer Caleb Adams was the 25th victim of a reported shark attack in San Diego County since 1950.And while San Diego County has the most reported shark attack incidents in California, including …

Older wheelchair wheels cause of MTS crossing death?

Before 1 pm on May 22, a tragic incident unfolded in South San Diego when a person was struck and killed by an MTS trolley, according to 619newsmedia.San Diego MTS tweeted in part that Wednesday, …

The rise of robot use by San Diego cops

In San Diego, cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing public safety. Robots are now integral to our city's security efforts, with police, SWAT teams, the San Diego  Fire-Rescue Department, and private security companies deploying advanced robotic systems …

San Diego tow truck drivers tell Tesla war stories

The new Tesla Cybertrucks and Tesla cars are revolutionary in many ways, but they require tow truck services more frequently than traditional gas-powered internal combustion engine vehicles."They have a lot of flat tires," said Ali …

May 28, 2024
Critical Mass cyclists re-surface in smaller numbers

It's bad enough that bike lanes take up parking spots near San Diego mom-and-pop businesses, discouraging shoppers from driving in and shopping. Now, locals say the massive bike groups—sometimes in the hundreds—are blocking access to …

All the illegal ways San Diegans save street parking

When San Diegans don't have parking spaces on our city streets — many, out of desperation, resort to playing games and being sneaky. Street parking spaces throughout San Diego County were already scarce. But now, after …

Sneakerheads steal from Dick's, Fire Kicks, Kick Stock

In the streets of San Diego County, a shady trend is on the rise—sneaker thefts. But these aren't your average shoe burglaries; we're speaking of sneakers that cost as much as a home rental payment. …

Violence takes a turn at San Diego's surf spots

In April, San Diego County beachgoers witnessed a slew of violence. A man was stabbed at Black's Beach, and a female was busted for an assault with a deadly weapon by a beach in Carlsbad. …

Sessions marijuana lounge looks to fall opening in National City

As the national cannabis holiday of April 20 passed over the weekend, Sessions by the Bay, a soon-to-be National City cannabis consumption lounge and dispensary, is one day closer to opening in the fall of …

Aftermath of 99 Cents Only shut-down

Shortly after 99 Cents Only Stores announced last week that they were closing down, hundreds of San Diegans scrambled for alternative places to bargain shop.Charger Steve, founder and organizer of the Cajon Classic Cruise car …

The hopeless resistance of a cash user against Tender Greens

When D.D. Smith and his girlfriend first went into Tender Greens, a cashless restaurant in Mission Valley, "I didn't want to get anything," he said in a recent phone interview with me. "Every time I …

Axe wielder in Normal Heights and Hillcrest, machete man in La Mesa stir uptick in Ring videos online

Recently, axe and machete wielders have been terrifying San Diegans—a change from last year's swords. Some neighbors are capturing videos on their Ring, Blink, and phone cameras and posting scary videos on social media to …

Flowering pear trees in Kensington not that nice

Those living in Kensington have been up in arms online about their neighborhood trees in the last week. Trees are falling apart, others are destroying their surroundings, and some have a contagious and deadly disease.Those …

March 25, 2024
Mexican border area after the flood – dead sea lion, birds, flooded horse stables, emerging rattlesnakes

On March 19, Cristbel Adams was shaken to see a sea lion lying motionless in the sand by the Imperial Beach Pier. Since the December and January countywide floods, animals near the Tijuana River Valley …

Serra Mesa locals paint over graffiti when Get It Done couldn't

Nearly 7,000 graffiti reports have been logged onto San Diego's Get It Done app since the start of the year—many of which were spray painted at places where young children with their parents and guardians congregate. …

TikTok sends Boyz to steal Kias all over San Diego

On February 15, the El Cajon Police Department announced that they've received more than 60 reports in 90 days of Kia and Hyundai cars either being stolen or broken into and damaged. The distress calls …

After San Diego floods come the worst

The aftermath of the recent storms and floods is still festering within our countywide ecosystem; it will be part of the county's estimated $14 million mitigation of risks related to invasive agricultural pests and diseases."We …

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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