By Henri Migala

December 4, 2021 (El Cajon) – Within a couple of blocks in downtown El Cajon, you’ll find an array of new boutiques, a salon, galleries, gift stores, a pastry shop and a coffee shop – all brand new.

For your holiday shopping needs, consider supporting our local economy and these new small businesses, many offering unique goods from around the world reflecting the owners’ multicultural backgrounds. 

This is part 2 in our series on new local retailers in East County.

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Communnity College District

December 4, 2021 (El Cajon) - Like a shot of Miracle-Gro to a houseplant, Cuyamaca College’s expanded Ornamental Horticulture complex is expected to invigorate the campus flagship program.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: cc via Bing

December 3, 2021 (San Diego) – On December 10, the San Diego Regional Association of Governments (SANDAG) board will consider the proposed Regional Transportation Plan.  But a per-mile tax proposed to fund the plan’s ambitious goals has run into strong opposition from residents and political leaders in East County, as ECM previously reported. Although SANDAG’s board voted in favor of the tax in late October, today SANDAG’s top leaders--San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear and National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis--announced that they will ask SANDAG staff to provide funding alternatives for the county’s Regional Transportation Plan that do not rely on a county-imposed road usage charge. 

Photos of the week.

Photos and story by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

December 2, 2021 --- The  2021 Hotel del Coronado’s Christmas lights have debuted a new look ---  shimmering, color-changing lights that resemble a castle. Their historic Norfolk Island Pines, located on their front Founders Lawn, draped with lights, created that illusion. 

“It looked like an Emerald City,” said visitor Jeff Nelson. “I was shocked to find out the lights were suspended on pine trees that have been there forever.”

According to staff this is the first year with this particular display noting they used a new contractor for the project.

The lights, named “At First Light” lightshow spectacular, feature lights that are draped over the historic pine trees that also include a coordinated music show and snow flurries. 

In addition to the "castle" the hotel is also decorated with thousands of lights on multiple roofs, buildings, fences and more. 

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image credit: Shutterstock

December 2, 2021 (San Diego) -- While the state’s first COVID-19 case caused by the Omicron variant has been detected in Northern California in a traveler from South Africa, San Diego County health officials are urging people to continue following existing guidance.

Collection can save 723 lives saved and provide 3,913 meals 

December 2, 2021 (La Mesa) – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, blood supply is critically low and new donations are continuously needed to help local patients. To help fill that need, San Diego County Credit Union teamed up with the San Diego Blood Bank and San Diego Food bank to hold the SDCCU Holiday Bowl Blood and Food at Grossmont Center in La Mesa on Thursday, November 18. The event collected a total of 4,215 pounds of food which is equivalent to 3,913 meals, and over 241 pints of blood, which will impact 723 lives throughout San Diego County.

“SDCCU is proud to support the SDCCU Holiday Bowl Blood and Food Drive benefitting the San Diego Blood Bank and San Diego Food Bank,” said Teresa Campbell, SDCCU president and CEO. “We are delighted by the amount of donations collected from our giving community members as we know it will help many people in need this holiday season.” 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner ABC10 News

December 1, 2021 (El Cajon) – A man who reportedly threatened another person with a gun during a domestic violence dispute in City Heights early this morning fled the scene when San Diego Police officers arrived shortly after 7 a.m. 

The suspect, who was driving a white SUV, led officers on a high speed pursuit first to Kearny Mesa. California Highway Patrol joined the chase but halted when speeds reached up to 100 miles per hour near a school, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Story and photos by Elijah McKee

Photo, left: Mayor Bill Wells lights menorah in El Cajon

December 1, 2021 (El Cajon) — Even the most thought-out plans can be derailed by a last-minute change, especially when a leader falls ill. This wasn’t true for the Chabad of East County on Sunday, though, as they pulled off their first night of Hanukkah event at the El Cajon Civic Center without a hitch, despite the absence of Rabbi Rafi Andrusier and his wife Chaya, who tested positive for COVID-19 the day before. 

They are both vaccinated, have mild cases, and will be back to normal soon — but instead of floundering in the unexpected changeup, a team of ten Chabad volunteers filled the void right away to execute the plans with the Rabbi’s virtual support. The event drew a large crowd two years ago but was skipped last year due to the pandemic — so it was all the more important for everyone to hold the tradition this year.