

Editor and reporter
Karen Kucher
Karen Kucher is a veteran reporter and Sunday editor at the Union-Tribune. Karen is on the public safety team and over the years has covered everything from city and county governments to K-12 schools and colleges to the San Diego Zoo. She is a native San Diegan and graduated from the University of Southern California. She's won several awards, most recently first place from the San Diego Society of Professional Journalists for Daily Reporting and Writing — Series for “20 years after the Cedar fire" with several colleagues, and first place in the same category in 2020 for "Inside the Fire Academy" with several colleagues. In 2023, she won first place for feature writing from the San Diego Press Club.
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Officers were in downtown San Diego on a different call when they heard gunfire coming from a nearby trolley platform

Conductor de Oceanside muere en un accidente volcándose después de chocar contra un bordo
El accidente de vehículo se reportó poco antes de las 2:20 a.m. en la intersección de El Camino Real y Vista Oceana

Mujer de 57 años muere tras volcarse una panga con migrantes frente a Ocean Beach
La mujer, identificada por las autoridades del condado como Maribel Merino Bernardo, se ahogó el sábado

Woman, 57, died after suspected smuggling boat capsized off Ocean Beach
The woman, Maribel Merino Bernardo, drowned when the boat capsized near the Ocean Beach pier on Saturday

Man fatally shot during fight in Pacific Beach condo
A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder after San Diego police were called to the condo on Chalcedony Street Sunday

Oceanside driver dies in rollover crash after running into curb
A 33-year-old driver was killed in a rollover crash in Oceanside early Sunday after he ran into a raised curb line and flipped his car, police said.

Crews quickly douse Rancho Bernardo fire that led hundreds to flee homes
Hours after the Center fire or Bernardo fire sparked, all residents were allowed to return home Wednesday afternoon, and roads were reopened.

Wind-whipped fires keep San Diego region on edge, with more Santa Anas on the way
Scores of residents were urged to flee as fast-moving fires hurtled through bone-dry brush in Bonsall and Mission Valley Tuesday

All evacuations lifted after firefighters gain upper hand on 85-acre Bonsall fire
Forward progress was stopped on the Lilac fire around 10 a.m. It was one of three fires in North County early Tuesday.

Vientos de Santa Ana alcanzarán su punto máximo este miércoles y viene una nueva tormenta el domingo
La empresa de servicios públicos indica que podrían ocurrir más apagones

Santa Ana winds will peak Wednesday and be followed by new windstorm Monday
The utility says additional outages are possible as Santa Ana winds continue to blow across parts of San Diego County.

Man with knife shot, killed during confrontation with police in East Village
San Diego police responded to E Street near Park Boulevard around 6:55 p.m. after report a 26-year-old man was threatening self-harm

SDG&E rapidly turning off power to customers as Santa Ana winds slam San Diego County
The region is getting the first of two major waves of winds.

La policía de San Diego investiga tras asesinato de adolescente en tiroteo en Lincoln Park
La policía llegó y encontró a la víctima con al menos una herida de bala en el torso

Motorcyclists who died in Palomar Mountain wreck were in head-on crash
They were identified as Peter John Mison, a 68-year-old Fallbrook man, and Archie Richard Slaven III, a 71-year-old Escondido resident

San Diego police investigate after teen killed in Lincoln Park shooting
San Diego police are investigating a fatal shooting early Sunday in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

An endangered Hawaiian crow went extinct in the wild. The San Diego Zoo is trying to help save them.
Five of the ‘alalā birds were released on the island of Maui in November, the latest effort to try to help a species

Realizan arresto en conexión con con el incendio en Navidad en el antiguo sitio de InCahoots
El edificio de Mission Center Road que albergó anteriormente InCahoots ha sido dañado por incendios

Arrest made in Christmas Day fire at old InCahoots site in Mission Valley
San Diego police said Thursday an arrest was made in a Dec. 25 arson at a former dance club in Mission Valley. It's the second fire at the site since...

Brush fire in remote Otay Mountain area contained
The fire had charred around 25 acres by Thursday afternoon. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Man using walker dies after being hit by car as he crossed street in Encanto
San Diego police said a 69-year-old man using a walker was killed when he was struck by a car as he tried to cross a street outside a crosswalk in...

Oficiales identifican a hombre de 26 años asesinado por sus perros en Mira Mesa
La Oficina del Examinador Médico del condado dijo que Pedro Luis Ortega fue asesinado

Piloto muere en un accidente de helicóptero cerca de Potrero
Una persona murió el lunes por la mañana cuando un helicóptero se estrelló en un campo en Potrero

Officials identify 26-year-old man killed by his dogs in Mira Mesa
The county Medical Examiner's Office said Pedro Luis Ortega was killed by his three dogs on Friday

Helicopter crash kills CBP pilot near Potrero
The Eurocopter AS350 went down during a border security mission near Round Potrero Road in a rural area near farmland

All lanes of north I-805 reopen after hazmat spill causes major backup
Several lanes of north I-805 were closed after a crash near Clairemont Mesa Boulevard shortly after 11:30 p.m. left spilled oil on the roadway. It took more than 12 hours...

Equipos de SDG&E restauran el suministro eléctrico tras los vientos récord que azotaron San Diego
"Estamos viendo las últimas etapas de los vientos de Santa Ana, pero todavía está muy seco".

La Policía de El Cajón mata a tiros a conductora que atropelló a un agente con una camioneta
El incidente ocurrió cuando los oficiales trasladaban patrullas para ser usadas en una ceremonia

El Cajon police fatally shoot driver who ran down officer with pickup
The incident occurred as officers were moving police cars to be used in a retirement ceremony for a police captain

SDG&E crews restore power after record-breaking winds blow through San Diego
"The worst is definitely behind us," said National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Tardy. "We're seeing the last stages of the Santa Ana winds, but it's still very dry out there."

SAN DIEGO: Fuertes vientos derriban camiones, cancelan clases y cortan el suministro eléctrico a 51.000 clientes de SDG&E
Los meteorólogos dicen que las ráfagas de viento han alcanzado velocidades de entre 71 mph y 92 mph en algunas partes del condado.

La policía investiga un tiroteo en un coche aparcado en la zona de Rolando
Las víctimas estaban sentadas en un coche aparcado, cuando alguien se acercó y les disparó

Fierce Santa Ana winds topple big rig trucks in San Diego County and push the region toward drought
One spot near Ramona reported a 95 mph gust — just 1 mph shy of the force of a Category 2 hurricane.

Santa Ana winds gusting up to 92 mph cause SDG&E to shut off power to 51,000 households
'This is actually the highest fire potential we have seen in San Diego County in six years,' an SDG&E official warned.

Police investigating after 2 shot in car parked in Rolando area
Police said a man and a woman were sitting in a car in an alley off El Cajon Boulevard near 71st Street shortly after 3:30 a.m. when someone came up...

SAN DIEGO: Un corredor de 20 años muere atropellado por un conductor que se dio a la fuga
Un testigo le dijo a la policía que el sedán y otros dos autos iban a alta velocidad

How this Dulzura home was retrofitted top to bottom to protect against wildfires — for free
A wildfire mitigation grant covered the cost of 'hardening' the East County home with fire-resistant building materials and defensible space

Jogger, 30, killed by hit-and-run driver in Ocean Beach area
A witness told police the sedan and two other cars were speeding when the pedestrian was struck on Nimitz Boulevard

Mujer de 71 años desaparecida fue encontrada muerta en la rampa de entrada a la autopista
El cuerpo de Vivian Crowder fue descubierto por trabajadores de Caltrans y oficiales de CHP

Missing 71-year-old La Mesa woman found dead on freeway on-ramp
Vivian Crowder had last been seen Oct. 29 walking along the right shoulder of northbound state Route 125

SPRING VALLEY: 9 detenidos después de que los agentes del sheriff detuvieran un vehículo robado
Los agentes intentaron detener el coche por una infracción del código de vehículos y descubrieron que había sido robado

9 arrested after sheriff’s deputies pull over stolen vehicle in Spring Valley
Deputies went to pull over a vehicle after spotting a broken tail light in Spring Valley shortly after 1 a.m. Monday

Coronado elige al subdirector del SDPD para que sea su próximo jefe de policía
Paul Connelly, quien sirvió durante 27 años en el Departamento de Policía de San Diego, será juramentado

Chuck Bieler, former San Diego Zoo director, dies at 89
Bieler was ed as an "extraordinary leader" during his 55 years of work with the organization

3 freeway workers struck by suspected DUI driver on I-805 on-ramp
A driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI after running into three workers on a freeway on-ramp in Chollas View

Chula Vista police pursuit of stolen motorcycle ends in crash
Officers alerted to the stolen motorcycle by a license plate reader camera were pursuing the bike when the rider crashed

Coronado taps SDPD’s deputy chief to be its next top cop
Paul Connelly, who served 27 years with the San Diego Police Department, will be sworn in next month as the new chief of police in Coronado

Tres muertos y un oficial herido en un doble homicidio y posterior tiroteo en Little Italy
El oficial de la Policía del Puerto recibió un disparo en la parte superior de la pierna

Estudiante arrestado luego de que la policía de Chula Vista avisara sobre una amenaza de tiroteo en la escuela
Los oficiales de recursos escolares y los del personal de la escuela continúan investigando el incidente.

3 dead and officer wounded in double homicide and ensuing Little Italy shootout
The Harbor Police officer was shot in his hip and was doing well after surgery Wednesday

Un hombre en silla de ruedas muere tras ser atropellado por un coche en Kearny Mesa
El hombre intentaba cruzar Ronson Road cuando fue atropellado por un coche y sufrió heridas mortales

Student arrested after Chula Vista police tipped about school shooting threat
The student was arrested at home before school after police were tipped off about a shooting threat at Bonita Vista Middle School

Man in wheelchair dies after being hit by car in Kearny Mesa
The crash happened shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sunday on Ronson Road near Convoy Street

Las preocupaciones por los fuertes vientos hacen que el Distrito Escolar Mountain Empire cancele las clases
Los funcionarios del condado dijeron que las condiciones ventosas dificultan el viaje por caminos de montaña

Dry Santa Ana winds to persist in San Diego’s mountains and valleys Thursday
Officials said high winds made travel on mountain roads difficult, while SDG&E cut off power to some customers because of fire risk

Baby hit by car in Valley Center dies of injuries
The 1-year-old boy was struck by a car on Monday morning on Morningstar Road on the Rincon reservation in Valley Center

3 arrested in connection with National City homicide
The 33-year-old victim was found dead in a National City hotel walkway last month

Toddler injured in Valley Center hit-and-run crash
The child was struck by a vehicle on Monday morning on Morningstar Road in Valley Center, and the driver drove off after the collision

Person dies after being hit by train in Carlsbad
A pedestrian was struck and killed by a train Sunday afternoon in Carlsbad

Pedestrian hit by pickup and gravely injured near Mission Bay
Police said the 33-year-old man walked in front of the F-150 truck on Saturday evening on Sea World Drive near Friars Road

Estudiante arrestado bajo sospecha de llevar una pistola de aire comprimido a una escuela
Cuando llegaron los agentes, el estudiante había sido localizado y enviado a la oficina de la escuela

2 die, 1 injured in crash after Border Patrol pursuit on SR-905 in Otay Mesa
The crash occurred on the westbound side of the freeway at Britannia Boulevard shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday

Bombero en misión de ayuda tras un huracán podría haberse quedado dormido antes de estrellarse en Texas
El accidente ocurrió cerca de la frontera con Luisiana, y los tres fueron trasladados a un hospital en Shreveport.

Student arrested on suspicion of bringing BB gun to Spring Valley school
Deputies were called to the STEAM Academy after school officials were told a student threatened another student with a firearm

SD firefighter on hurricane relief mission may have fallen asleep at wheel, Texas crash report says
A San Diego Fire-Rescue Department battalion chief and two captains were seriously injured in the Sept. 29 crash while heading to North Carolina

La ciudad presenta una nueva estación de bomberos de $22 millones y el primer camión de bomberos eléctrico
La Estación de Bomberos 52 se encuentra en una propiedad que antes se usaba para canchas de tenis

Ride honoring woman killed in 2022 off-road collision set for Saturday
The ride, called Megan's Legacy, will be held in the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area

City unveils new $22 million fire station and city’s first electric engine in Torrey Pines
Fire Station 52 is on the northwest end of the UC San Diego campus and was built on land donated by the university

El Zoológico de San Diego vuelve a ofrecer imágenes en vivo por Internet de los pandas
Los fanáticos ahora tienen una manera de ver las travesuras de Yun Chuan y Xin Bao desde cualquier parte del mundo

Marine, 22, dies after crashing motorcycle on Oceanside street
Motorcyclist was riding near Avenida Del Oro and Old Grove Road about 6:20 p.m. when he lost control ing a vehicle at a high rate of speed, police said.

Must-see viewing returns with San Diego Zoo’s live Panda Cam
Fans of giant pandas now have a way to watch the antics of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao at the San Diego Zoo from anywhere in the world

El Zoológico de San Diego da la bienvenida a unos bebés suricatas por primera vez en seis años
Las cuatro crías, nacidas hace aproximadamente seis semanas, se están acostumbrando a su hábitat en Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks

Dad duty: Same-sex flamingo couple hatches egg, cares for chick at Safari Park
The foster dads at first were given a fake egg to care for after wildlife care staff saw them building a nest together

Identifican al policía de Escondido que disparó a un hombre que portaba una pistola de aire
La policía había sido llamada al centro de tránsito después de que alguien informara haber visto a un hombre blandiendo un arma.

Larry Beveridge, retired SDPD officer and er of ‘Hug a Tree,’ dies at 86
After a 26-year career with the San Diego Police Department, Beveridge opened a business that provided traffic accident reconstruction expertise in legal cases

Realizan arresto en caso de muerte por presunta ingestión de fentanilo de una mujer de 25 años
La policía dijo que encontró drogas y parafernalia dentro de la casa de la sospechosa que registraron después de su muerte el 12 de septiembre

Arrest made in suspected fentanyl death of 25-year-old Escondido woman
Police said they found drugs and paraphernalia inside the suspect's home that they searched following the Sept. 12 death

Name of Escondido police officer who shot man carrying BB gun is released
The shooting occurred on Oct. 2 after someone reported seeing a man brandishing a gun at the transit center

Los bomberos ganan terreno contra un incendio forestal cerca de Campo
Hasta el martes por la mañana, se informó que el incendio estaba contenido en un 25%

Estructuras son amenazadas por un incendio forestal al norte de Campo
El incendio había alcanzado 75 acres poco después de las 3 p. m del lunes

Evacuation orders lifted, brush fire near Campo fully contained
The fire, which started Monday, reached 413 acres and was 100 percent contained by Tuesday evening.

Structures threatened by fast-moving brush fire north of Campo
Residents on both sides of Interstate 8 west of Boulevard were under evacuation orders and warnings for the fire off La Posta Road

San Diego Zoo welcomes baby meerkats for the first time in six years
The meerkat population at the zoo doubled with the recent birth of four babies

Un hombre armado con una pistola en el centro de tránsito es baleado por la policía de Escondido
El hombre herido fue trasladado a un hospital para recibir tratamiento

Uno de los tres bomberos heridos en un accidente es dado de alta del hospital
Un capitán del Departamento de Bomberos y Rescate de San Diego, uno de los tres bomberos heridos

Un joven de 19 años resulta herido en un tiroteo en Oceanside cerca de una escuela secundaria
El adolescente recibió un disparo frente a la escuela secundaria Cesar Chavez en Oleander Drive alrededor de las 6:25 p. m.

Man reportedly armed with gun at transit center is shot by Escondido police
The shooting occurred Wednesday shortly after 7:30 p.m. after a foot pursuit from the Escondido Transit Center

Off-duty community college officer fatally shoots alleged assailant on Fiesta Island
The officer had been stabbed multiple times and sustained serious injuries in the attack, San Diego police said

19-year-old injured in Oceanside shooting near middle school
The teen was shot in front of Cesar Chavez Middle School on Oleander Drive around 6:25 p.m.

One of 3 firefighters injured in crash while heading to hurricane released from hospital
Capt. Greg Davies, one of three firefighters injured in the crash on Interstate 20 in East Texas on Sunday, was released from the hospital on Tuesday

Un hombre en silla de ruedas muere tras ser atropellado por un vehículo en la I-8 en La Mesa
El hombre fue atropellado el domingo alrededor de las 9:50 p. m. por un conductor en un Mercedes blanco

Man in wheelchair dies after being hit by vehicle on I-8 in La Mesa
The man was hit Sunday by a driver in a white Mercedes while he was attempting to cross the transition ramp to state Route 125

Tres bomberos de San Diego resultan gravemente heridos en accidente cuando se dirigían a ayudar en secuelas del huracán
Un jefe de batallón y dos capitanes resultaron heridos cuando el camión en el que viajaban chocó contra un vehículo civil en el este de Texas la madrugada del domingo

3 San Diego firefighters seriously injured in crash while heading to assist in hurricane response
Three of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department were seriously injured in a vehicle crash early Sunday while heading to assist in hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina, officials said.

Gift cards to be exchanged for unwanted guns at Vista event Saturday
Gun owners who have unwanted firearms can exchange them for gift cards at the North County Regional Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Unoccupied car wash gutted by three-alarm fire in Escondido
Firefighters were called around 2:55 a.m. about heavy smoke and flames showing at the car wash on North Escondido Boulevard near West Mission Avenue

Oceanside police find drugs after plane makes emergency landing on freeway
Two Oceanside residents were arrested early Thursday after their plane made an emergency landing on state Route 76 near Canyon Drive

With more lithium-ion batteries comes more fire risk. San Diego now has an expert for that.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Rob Rezende became the region’s alternative energy emergency response coordinator in April

Teen on e-bike seriously injured in hit-and-run crash involving white pickup
The 16-year-old boy was hospitalized with internal injuries after being struck on his e-bike in San Marcos by a hit-and-run driver around 9 p.m. Tuesday

Federal officer wounds man with screwdriver at Otay Mesa Port of Entry
No commercial trucks were allowed to cross at the port for a few hours during the investigation Wednesday