This essay won second prize in the East County Leadership Council (ECLC) 2021 COVID-19 essay contest. Prize money has been provided through the generosity of ECLC donors and a grant from the Foundation for Economic Justice.

By Anonymous Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) student in East County Leadership Council’s (ECLC) COVID-19 Essay Contest (Second Prize)

July 14, 2021 (San Diego's East County) -- Every single one of us has been affected by the current COVID-19 virus whether it was in a positive or negative way. However, the pandemic has affected people differently depending on our social status and our income. While some are adapting to school online and staying home for quarantine others are adapting to losing their jobs. COVID-19 has caused many businesses to go out of business, resulting in an overall of 25% of U.S. adults being laid off or losing their job. This doesn’t only have an effect on the adults but even on the children. From personal experience, I constantly think and stress about bills being paid because the idea of being homeless again is terrifying. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused low-income families to struggle to put food on the table and struggle with paying household bills as well as medical bills. It has been proven that the pandemic has hit low-income families the hardest, specifically African American and Hispanic households. 

After getting shot at, Sheriffs obtain a search warrant and allegedly find guns, drugs and flammables

Source: San Diego County Sheriff's Department Bureau of Media Relations

By Miriam Raftery

July 3, 2021 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services is asking all County residents to fill out a survey about the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program.  The SDG&E program to shut off power during high fire-risk conditions has sparked controversy across the backcountry among residents left without electricity to power their homes, businesses, wells pumps, and other vital needs. The deadline to complete the survey is July 13.

The survey asks residents whether they received adequate notification of such outages and whether they experienced financial losses, among other details – the first step toward documenting impacts of the program and potentially leading to changes.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via El Cajon Police

July 3, 2021 (El Cajon) – A paroled felon prohibited from possessing firearms was arrested on June 28 by El Cajon Police after officers found a massive arsenal of weapons at his home in unincorporated El Cajon.

“Many of the firearms found in Fencl’s home are illegal to possess in the state of California and other parts of the United States,” says Lt. Randy Soulard with El Cajon Police.

Source: City of El Cajon 

June 30, 2021 (El Cajon) -- The City of El Cajon City Council will host a series of public hearings to gather input as part of its redistricting process. Cities with district-based elections must evaluate and adjust City Council voting districts every ten-years following the US Census to ensure that each district has roughly the same number of residents. 

By Briana Gomez

View City Council meeting: https://elcajonca.new.swagit.com/videos/122576

Photo:  Vice Mayor Gary Kendrick, screenshot from Council video

June 11, 2021 (El Cajon) – At its June 8 meeting held in person at 50 percent capacity, El Cajon’s City Council addressed several major agenda items including encouraging transparency in elections by assuring that mayoral and council candidates live in the districts where they run.  In addition, Council members present voiced unanimous support for using $100,000 from the city’s reserves to fund de-escalation training for police and a half million dollars of federal funds to launch a pilot program to outsource responses to non-violent emergencies to social workers. 

By Miriam Raftery

June 4, 2021 (El Cajon) – A 60-year-old man has died after being struck by a gray Nissan Altima last night shortly after 10 p.m. in the 1900 block of East Main Street.  

The El Cajon Police Department reminds drivers to be on the lookout for motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, and to share the road.

By Miriam Raftery

May 30, 2021 (El Cajon) –  A 23-year-old man has died after being struck by a white Chevrolet truck at 8:00 Friday morning in El Cajon. El Cajon Police officers and paramedics from Heartland Fire Department treated the victim at the crash site in the 200 block of North Johnson Avenue but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

By Miriam Raftery

May 22, 2021 (Mt. Helix) – Residents on Horizon Hills near Mt. Helix are reveling in a ruling by Superior Court Judge Theodore Weathers which blocks the state from placing Douglas Badger, a sexually violent predator (SVP) in the community. Earlier this month, another judge blocked placement of a second SVP, Merle Wakefield, at the same site.

The residents have announced a "Super Victory Party" on May 31 to celebrate keeping their neighborhood safe.

By Kathleen Hedberg, PE, MPH

May 17, 2021 (San Diego) - Whenever there’s a news report that a sexually violent predator is proposed to be placed in a community, the neighbors are always outraged – even though a Superior Court judge has heard the evidence and determined the person is safe to be conditionally released. Then why are the neighbors so upset?

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Supervisor Joel Anderson organized a press conference opposing the measure

May 15, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – An association representing landlords has filed a lawsuit against San Diego County and County Supervisors, one week after the Supervisors voted 3-2 to enact a temporary ban on most evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

East County Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond opposed the measure, with Anderson joining several East County city officials in a press conference speaking out on behalf of rental owners. Supervisors Nathan Fletcher, Nora Vargas and Terra Lawson-Remer voted in favor of the ordinance, which drew nearly five hours of impassioned testimony on both sides.

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

May 13, 2021 (El Cajon) - With the turning of shovels at a groundbreaking ceremony this morning, construction has officially begun at Grossmont College on the second phase of a science, math and career technology complex, which will also house a new Veterans Resource Center.