By Miriam Raftery

November 3, 2021 (Alpine) – A rollover crash in Alpine shortly at 12:03 a.m. killed the driver, a 32-year-old El Cajon man, and seriously injured his passenger, a 40-year-old woman from Escondido.

“After months of teamwork, a brave family is finally coming home.” – Rep. Darrell Issa

 Nov. 2, 2021 (El Cajon) --  Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) announced that a seventh family and schoolchildren from the El Cajon school district has escaped Afghanistan and will be returning to their home in California.

“For months, my staff and I have joined an unprecedented community wide effort to bring this family and these kids home. Today, we can say that they are for certain on their way back to us,” said Issa. “There are so many people to thank for making this possible.”

East County News Service

Oct. 29, 2021 (El Cajon) A Grossmont College campus visitor died on Friday, October 29 due to what appears to have been natural causes. The individual, whose identity has not been released, appears to have collapsed while exercising on the campus’ track, according to a statement issued by the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

The individual was found unresponsive by a campus employee about 10:35 a.m. The employee called 911. 

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of Parkway Plaza

October 28, 2021 (El Cajon) – Parkway Plaza regional shopping mall in El Cajon invites you to bring the family to a free Fall Fest on Saturday, October 30 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  The event features “adventure throughout the plaza to say hi to your favorite live characters such as Wonder Woman and Captain America, and partake in a variety of activities throughout the mall,” according to Parkway Plaza.  Guests can also enjoy carnival games such as ring toss and skee ball, visit a face painting table, or stop at the arts and crafts station to make skeletons, bats and more.

Parkway Plaza is located at 415 Fletcher Parkway in El Cajon. 

By Henri Migala, East County Eater

October 26, 2021 (El Cajon) -- East County is quickly becoming the new mecca in San Diego for sumptuous culinary adventures with an array of international cuisine, thanks to our region’s many immigrants and refugees. Adding to East County’s already rich diversity of restaurants is Kabul Kabob House in El Cajon, specializing in delicious and authentic food from Afghanistan.

Owned and operated by Ajrudin Nabizada, an Afghan immigrant, Kabul Kabob House offers probably the tastiest and most genuine Afghan food in San Diego County. The portions are generous and the prices affordable.

Nabizada came to the U.S. with his wife and two children in December 2014 on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) after serving as a translator for US Special Forces in Afghanistan. He came to San Diego because his wife’s cousin was living here. Since arriving, his family has enjoyed the birth of their third child.

UPDATE:  Due to rain, the Ornamental Horticulture ribbon-cutting has been rescheduled for  Friday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Source: Cuyamaca College

Photo:  The Cuyamaca College Ornamental Horticulture Complex & Building M Renovation includes a new nursery sales office for the campus’ retail nursery that will be open to the public.

October 21, 2021 (Rancho San Diego) -- A ribbon-cutting ceremony to be held Monday, Oct. 25 for Cuyamaca College’s expanded Ornamental Horticulture complex marks a new chapter for one of the campus’ flagship programs.

By Miriam Raftery

October 20, 2021 (El Cajon) – U.S. District Court Judge William Hayes has issued an order ruling on behalf of the Cajon Valley Union School District and dismissed a lawsuit filed against the district in 2019 by Trustee Jill Barto. 

Barto declined comment. Her attorney, Michael Aguirre, told ECM, “We are appealing,” but did not elaborate. 

East County News Service

October 16, 2021 (El Cajon) – Studio C Gallery is merging with Silver Creek Fine Art and Custom Framing.  Carlos Castrejon, owner of Studio C, announced that he will close his Kearny Mesa location October 31 and move services to the new location in downtown El Cajon, which is already open at 128 East Main Street in downtown El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of the Pentagon: U.S. troops help evacuate Afghan refugees

October 8, 2021 (San Diego) – San Diego Supervisors voted unanimously this week to adopt a proposal by East County Supervisor Joel Anderson to have the County Office of immigrant and Refugee Affairs work with refugee resettlement agencies to assist with a wave of Afghan refugees arriving in our region. The board also approved Anderson’s plan to ask the federal government to spend part of $9.5 billion in frozen Taliban assets to pay for refugee resettlements.

In addition, Supervisors approved a proposal by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to create an Afghan Resettlement Task Force.

With the Taliban takeover of the country, those who helped American troops as translators or in other capacities faced risk of death if they remained, as did women’s rights and human rights advocates. Many fled Afghanistan with few personal possessions.

Anderson stated, “I am thankful that my colleagues recognize the importance of this measure that will ensure San Diego County is ready to welcome these refugees into our communities.” He added that his East County district has a large population of Afghans and others with Middle Eastern heritage.”

By Miriam Raftery

File Photo: CYT production of Les Mis in the Mount Helix amphitheatre.

October 4, 2021 (El Cajon) – Two men have been charged with felony sexual assault against students at Christian Youth Theater in El Cajon.

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan today announced that David Hott, 34, has been charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a 13-year-old child in 2007.  Brad Christian Davis, 40, is charged with  a felony count of sexual penetration by a foreign object involving at 16-year-old in 2010.

San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit thanked victims for their “courage in coming forward,” adding, “We must hold these individuals responsible for their actions, so they don’t have the opportunity to harm more children in the future.”

By Miriam Raftery

September 22, 2021 (El Cajon) – A nine-hour standoff has ended peacefully in rural East County.  The incident began shortly after 1:30 this morning when a woman called 9-11 to report that her husband had a gun and was threatening to hurt himself in front of their children at the family’s home in the 1400 block of Wilson Road in unincorporated El Cajon near Dehesa.

Source:  Home of Guiding Hands

September 14, 2021 (El Cajon) - Home of Guiding Hands, an El Cajon based nonprofit providing programs and housing for men, women and children with developmental disabilities in San Diego and Imperial Counties, said its board unanimously named Edward Hershey president and chief executive officer.

By Miriam Raftery

September 14, 2021 (El Cajon) – The German American Societies invite the public to celebrate Oktoberfest in El Cajon the weekends of September 24-26 and October 1-3.  Festivities include Oom-Pay music by the Guggenbach-Buam from Germany, German beers, food and desserts, dancing, kids’ activities, vendors and a raffle with a round-trip flight for two to Germany as grand prize.

Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

September 10, 2021 (El Cajon) -- On a cloudless morning with the San Miguel Fire & Rescue’s massive 70-foot flag serving as a backdrop, the Cuyamaca College campus community and East County firefighters gathered Friday for an early commemoration of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.