By Leorah Gavidor

Photos by Irvin Gavidor

June 19,2025 (Campo)-- Veterans have a friend in Campo: his name is Kevin Martin, and he’s a Vietnam-era Marine veteran himself.

Thanks to Martin and a group of volunteers, along with a grant from San Diego County, vets in Campo will soon have a new place to hang out. VFW Post 2080 is moving from its old dilapidated building to freshly renovated quarters down the block on Sheridan Road, at the edge of Camp Lockett. Martin was recently elected commander of the post.

“These veterans, they fight for us, our families, our rights, and then they get home and get treated like crap. I’m not letting that happen on my watch,” Martin said. 

Update: The hearing has been postponed until July 9. 

By Karen Pearlman

June 13, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – Technical difficulties with audiovisual needs postponed the San Diego County Planning Commission meeting today, delaying for at least a month an agenda item about a controversial sand mine being planned for East County.

The 9 a.m. meeting at the county’s Operations Center on Overland Avenue had three items on the agenda, including the sand mine proposed for part of the Cottonwood Golf Course in Rancho San Diego.

The County’s Planning & Development Services department, which analyzed the project with plans, zoning ordinances and other regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), is recommending denial of the project.

The group wrote in a report that they found the project “to have a harmful effect on desirable neighborhood character and that the site would not be suitable for the proposed type of development.”

Photos and story by Karen Pearlman

June 11, 2025 (El Cajon) – He spent more than 50 years helping close to 10,000 stranded motorists along all stretches of freeways across San Diego County, and now Thomas Weller could use some assistance of his own.

While health issues forced him off the road in 2017, Weller (photo left, Weller in front of his El Cajon home) still goes by the name “San Diego Highwayman” for his decades of service changing tires, replacing batteries, filling up empty gas tanks, standing watch over drivers and passengers in need – all at no charge.

The calling card he always handed out to those whom he helped reads: “Assisting you has been my pleasure. I ask for no payment other than for you to pass on the favor by helping someone in distress that you may encounter.”

By Karen Pearlman

June 10, 2025 (La Mesa) – Leaving behind a legacy of service, prolific leadership and unwavering commitment to civic matters, longtime La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid has passed away at age 90.

His leadership shaped the city, earning admiration and respect from residents, businesses and civic leaders around the region and across the country.

He passed away in his home in La Mesa on Friday, June 6, according to his daughter, Lisa Madrid.

Madrid was elected to public office in La Mesa six times, including two terms as a City Council member from 1981-1990 and four terms as mayor, leading the city from 1991-2014, including during the city's centennial celebration in 2012. He previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including a stint in Korea, then spent 35 years working for Pacific Bell before entering politics.

Controversial Headline Performer, Safety Concerns Cited as Reasons for Withdrawal

By Karen Pearlman

June 7, 2025 (San Diego) – Many local Jewish organizations from across San Diego County that have traditionally been part of the annual San Diego Pride event will not be joining in this year.

Jewish community leaders say that because the Pride Festival chose musical artist Kehlani to be a headliner at the annual July festival, there will be no official, organized Jewish presence there.

According to a media release shared last week from the Jewish Federation of San Diego, the groups and synagogues that will not be participating in San Diego Pride include the Federation, ADL-San Diego, Lawrence Family JCC, Temple Emanu-El of San Diego, Congregation Dor Hadash, Congregation Beth Israel of San Diego, Congregation Tifereth Israel Synagogue and Temple Adat Shalom of Poway.

It also includes the festival’s current volunteer director of medical operations and assistant director of medical operations, Dr. Jennifer Anger and Eliyahu Cohen-Mizrahi. Both individuals are Jewish and have also stepped away from their roles with Pride.

By Alexander J Schorr

Photo,left: GUHSD's new Superintendent, Dr.Kirsten VitalBrulte

June 2, 2025  (El Cajon) -- Following Mike Fowler’s departure from the GUHSD governing board due to cancer, and with Sandra Huezo taking the role of Acting Superintendent, the board selected a candidate finalist for the role of board Superintendent behind closed doors, with no public comment allowed and press barred from the room.

Governing Board President Gary Woods announced Dr. Kirsten Vital Brulte as the Superintendent Finalist for GUHSD. She recently served for eight years as Superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD), the largest district in Orange County, serving more than 44,000 students. The official approval is expected on June 10: read the full description and announcement details here.

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Exhibit from defendants' closing brief in which the Kalashos claimed substantial unpermitted changes to first, third and fourth floors of their Fletcher Hills rental property are each a "nothng burger."

June 1, 2025 (El Cajon) – Former El Cajon Councilmember Bessmon “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica Deddeh, made major unpermitted construction changes using unlicensed contractors at the Fletcher Hills home that they are currently renting to a family with children,  That’s the finding of San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil.

However, the judge this week also ruled against the City of El Cajon’s request to impose over $2.5 million in fines and denied without prejudice the city’s request to put the home into receivership to be sold to pay the fines, meaning fines or receivership could be allowed in the future if the Kalashos fail to comply with the court orders.

Instead, the judge ordered Kalasho to allow a city inspector access to determine whether health or safety hazards exist and prohibited occupancy including rental of the property  until any code violations found are corrected, and until the Kalashos comply with building, housing and zoning codes.

By Miriam Raftery

May 31, 2025 (Poway) – A 22-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene of a head-one crash with a Ford Truck hauling a boat along State Route 67 north of Poway Road today. 

Deputies from the Poway Sheriff’s station responded to a report of the collision at State Route 67 and Ellie Lane around 11:45 a.m. Poway Fire and paramedics arrived and performed life-saving measure, but the motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Sara Siebers posted on Facebook that the motorcyclist “hit the pylons and crossed over into oncoming traffic. Hit us head on.”

East County Wildfire & Alerts

May 31, 2025 (San Diego) – The #HendersonFire has burned 300 acres and is 15% contained, Cal Fire reports.  The fire began last night along Henderson Road in the Pala area, burning in both San Diego and Riverside Counties.

Visit AlertSanDiego.org for the latest updates. For an interactive map with updated emergency evacuation information visit: OES Emergency Map  The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents, who may go to a reception and care site at Temecula Valley High School,31555 Rancho Vista Rd., Temecula.

By Mike Allen

May 30, 2025 (Santee) -- After more than six months of being vacant, the concession stand at Santee Lake No. 4 will reopen June 14 under a new name and operator: Topwater Grill and Pacific Dining Group.

 The San Mateo-based firm, which operates 28 locations in California, was selected by the board of directors of Padre Dam Water District to be the park’s concessionaire, the third such vender at the site in the past four years.

Story and photos by Karen Pearlman

April 24, 2025 (Mount Helix) – There are no rides or parades in its magical atmosphere, but a local garden in Mount Helix area has been influenced by a famous amusement park in Anaheim.

Bob Caparas and his childhood sweetheart, Carole, have channeled the magic of Disneyland to help them create a unique space along the 1 1/3 acres of hills and valleys adjacent to their home on Grandview Road.

Their garden allows visitors to meander along a main path of cobblestones, bamboo and dirt, with  side paths that branch out from it leading lead to several distinct “lands.” The different lands pay tribute to different areas around the globe, and honor different times and eras as well --- from Mayan/Aztec culture to the African plateaus to Greco-Roman to Polynesia and event prehistoric days of dinosaurs.

Community resource pop-up events, like this one in Santee which meet people where they are, have become an important part of the County’s homeless outreach strategy