ABC 10News wants you to start your day on the right foot with our updated microclimate weather forecasts, the latest news from overnight and this morning, and more to help get you out the door informed and ready to go.
Here's what you need to know in the Thursday, March 20, 2025, edition of the 10News Wake Up Call newsletter.
TODAY'S TOP STORY:
President Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Thursday to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
The shutdown of the federal agency was one of Trump’s major campaign promises, as he wants to return the power over education to individual states.
Under the plan, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon will be directed to take any steps permitted by law to dissolve the department.
Congress, which created the agency in 1979, would have to sign off on completely shutting down the Department of Education.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration cut the federal agency’s workforce in half.
Locally, many of San Diego County’s school districts rely on Department of Education funds for programs that help low-income families and students with disabilities.
San Diego Unified School District is the second-largest district in California and the biggest Title I district in the county.
David Goldberg, the president of the California Teachers Association, said the Department of Education has been crucial in supporting the lives of the country’s most vulnerable, including the 800,000 in California with special needs and those who receive financial aid through Pell Grants to go to college.
While the Department of Education claims those programs won’t be impacted but Goldberg is skeptical.
He also expressed major concerns over the layoffs of hundreds of educators across California and the additional layoffs that are likely on the way.
“Everywhere we are, every community across this country … because this is going to have disastrous consequences and it can't be tolerated,” Goldberg said.
MICROCLIMATE FORECASTS:
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BREAKING OVERNIGHT:
(AP) — Israeli strikes overnight killed at least 85 Palestinians across Gaza, hitting multiple homes and killing men, women and children as they slept, according to local officials.
Hamas fired three rockets at Israel, without causing casualties, in the first such attack since Israel ended the ceasefire with a surprise bombardment on Tuesday.
Israel has blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected a new proposal that departed from their agreement.
Nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Tuesday, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Read the full story: https://www.10news.com/world/israel-at-war/israeli-strikes-across-gaza-hit-multiple-homes-killing-at-least-58-palestinians-medics-say
CONSUMER:
The impact of the Trump administration’s trade war is delaying the Federal Reserve’s ability to bring down U.S. inflation.
The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday it was holding interest rates steady at around 4.5% -- unchanged from the last rate cut in December 2024.
Because of the Fed’s decision, the cost of borrowing money for things like auto loans and mortgages will not change for now.
President Trump is not concerned about the interest rate, previously stating the U.S. has the strongest economy in the world.
However, there are some who are less confident.
“Confidence is very fragile. You can see it in consumer sentiment surveys, you can see it among businesspeople, the investments they plan to make; they're all pulling back,” said
Trump recently said the Fed should cut rates as U.S. tariffs impact the economy.
The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates later this year, with the next opportunity in May.
WE FOLLOW THROUGH:
Encinitas’ newly elected Mayor Bruce Ehlers is expected to layout his vision for the city’s future in his first State of the City address on Thursday night.
One of the main topics Ehlers will touch is Encinitas’ current infrastructure and how it will look in the next few years.
Within the city, there are some areas -- including Leucadia -- that deal with major flooding when heavy rain douses San Diego County
Over the past two years, several businesses such as the Mudd House have had to shut down multiple times due to severe flooding.
ABC 10News revisited the impacted areas this week and spoke with several business owners about the changes they would like to see.
Ehlers is set to speak at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center on Oakcrest Park Drive at 5:30 p.m.
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