October 20, 2021 (San Diego) – East County Magazine interviewed Dr. Mark Sawyer, infectious disease specialist at Rady Children’s Hospital and an advisor to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on COVID-19 vaccines for children and booster shots. He also serves on an advisory commission for the Governor and advised County Supervisors on COVID-19 issues.
We asked him to address concerns raised by parents and others over vaccine mandates, to assess the safety of COVID vaccines compared to risks of COVID-19 for children and teens, and discuss the likely timetable for approvals of vaccines for young children and boosters for adults.
Dr. Sawyer revealed that hundreds of children have been treated at Rady Children’s Hospital for COVID-19, including 75 treated in the intensive care unit and another 75 diagnosed with multi-system inflammatory disease, a rare but serious complication of COVID-19 in children. “To say that COVID is not serious in children is underestimating the virus,” he said.
View Zoom interview with Dr. Mark Sawyer, infectious disease specialist at Children's Hospital and advisor to the FDA, responding to parents' concerns: https://youtu.be/qSlSxgWUQaU
October 20, 2021 (La Mesa) – Over 300 parents, teachers, staffers and students held a protest Tuesday against new mandates to require vaccines in public schools and against existing mask mandates.
Local demonstrators gathered on the Grossmont bridge over Interstate-8 in La Mesa, part of a statewide school walkout day over California’s public health mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants waved flags and held signs, slowing traffic on the freeway as some motorists honked in support.
ECM spoke with several parents regarding their concerns for their children's health, and also consulted a prominent pediatric medical expert on COVID-19 to respond to those concerns. In addition, we reached out to two East County school districts to assess the impact of the walkout on school funding and attendance.
Parents and school employees speak out; medical expert responds
October 20, 2021 (La Mesa) – The family of Corneilius Donte Brown is offering a $9,000 reward in addition to a $1,000 reward from Crimestoppers, bringing the total to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest for his killing.
The 22-year-old stationed at Naval Base Coronado was fatally shot by one of two men wearing ski masks and black hooded sweatshirts show came to the front door of his home on Echo Court in La Mesa on April 24 around 12:30 a.m.
Costumes, decorations and trick-or-treaters could pose risk to pets and wildlife
October 20, 2021 (San Diego) -- In an effort to spare pets and wildlife the spooks of Halloween, San Diego Humane Society is offering some safety tips ahead of the popular holiday to keep everyone safe.
Creepy costumes, glowing jack-o’-lanterns and candy make Halloween a treat for kids and grown-ups alike, but they can be scary for our pets and even harm wildlife. San Diego Humane Society recommends keeping the following tips in mind:
• Stay In: Keep pets inside away from trick-or-treaters and other Halloween activities. To reduce stress levels, keep pets in an enclosed room with their favorite toys and with the television or radio on.
October 20, 2021 (San Diego) -- Many people could use extra cash with the holidays approaching.That’s why the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office is doing all it can to reunite $713,585 in county refunds with its rightful owners. See if your name is on the list at sdttc.com.
“With many people cash-strapped, it’s essential to return this money to the citizens of San Diego,” said Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister. “The average refund is $386, and that can go a long way for those who are the rightful owners and who need it.”
The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office has 1,848 refunds in a list that is easy to search on its website.
Photo, left: September 30 protest at Barona reservation in Lakeside
October 19, 2021 (Lakeside) – Members of the Barona band of Mission Indians and other tribal nations have joined a fight aiming to stop the proposed Sandy Valley lithium mine in Arizona and proposed lithium mining at the Salton Sea in California that could adversely impact Native Americans.
Local activist Bobby Wallace led a local contingency of tribal members who traveled in late September to Arizona, where the Hualapai people are battling to stop the federal Bureau of Land Management from issuing permits for lithium mining that could threaten tribal water supplies.
Participants included tribal leaders and/or tribal council members from the Hualapai Nation and the Peach Springs tribe, as well as tribal youths and members of the Yavapai Apache People, Mohawk/Oneida tribe, Pueblo, Navajo, Zuni, and San Diego County tribal members from the Kumeyaay and Luiseno, as well as representatives of other activist groups.
Lithium is prized for use in cell phones, computers, batteries and other technology devices -- but at a high environmental price for those impacted by hard-rock and open-pit mining used to extract it. Now tribal members are urging the federal government to prioritize metal and rare earth mineral recycling over issuance of new mining permits. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that metal mining accounts for 41 percent of toxic substances released and hard rock mines may have already contaminated 40% of watersheds in the West, the Arizona Republic reported on October 2.
October 19, 2021 (San Diego) -- The County of San Diego today announced 11 new shigella cases associated with an ongoing outbreak, bringing the total to 15 confirmed and three probable. The cases are all among individuals experiencing homelessness who resided at multiple locations in central San Diego; none have been identified in East County.
No source of the outbreak has currently been identified, says County spokesman Jose A. Alvarez. The continuing investigation shows onset of illness dates between Aug. 16 and Oct. 14. The 18 cases in this outbreak represent 6.8 percent of the 266 total cases reported to date in San Diego County.
The County is working closely with the City of San Diego to:
Oct. 19, 2021 (Santee) A candlelight vigil was held late last week in Santee near the site of the October 11 plane crash that killed an on-duty UPS driver, Steve Krueger and the pilot, Dr. Sagata Das, of Yuma. The plane crash destroyed two homes.
The vigil had hundreds of attendees including neighbors, community members, dozens of UPS employees, and city officials.
Jeff Krueger, Steve’s brother, spoke during the vigil, “Steve would not want anyone to be upset about his passing." He passed along an anecdote to the residents who knew his brother from his UPS route. “Every Thursday we would meet at Lakeside’s Boll Weevil,” he said. “He would tell stories. He loved working for all you (Santee) guys.”
Photo, left: San Vicente Dam in Lakeside underwent the largest dam raise in the nation, rising 117 feet to its currrent 337 feet in height -- one of several steps undertaken in recent years to increase our region's water storage capacity.
October 19, 2021 (San Diego) -- California is no stranger to droughts, and while much of California is straining to conserve water, San Diego is in no such predicament.
A recent analysis from the New York Times found that San Diego, over the course of nearly 30 years, has become adept at conserving water and at preparing for dry years. The San Diego Water Authority—the agency that manages the county’s water supply—announced that the agency, "would have sustainable water supplies through 2045, even if dry conditions persisted for years."
This is good news for San Diegans, since the dry conditions that have plagued California are not expected to abate any time soon.
October 19, 2021 (San Diego) -- The San Diego Foundation announced today that it has awarded $315,000 in grants to 11 nonprofit organizations leading local efforts to support and improve quality of life for older San Diegans.The grants fund projects ranging from initiatives to help homeless seniors to efforts that provide access to food, housing, medical care, dental services and jobs training for older area residents.
CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
Photo: Dalal Erekat at her home in El Cajon on Oct. 14, 2021. Ariana Drehsler for CalMatters
October 19, 2021 (El Cajon) - On days she forgets to pack her lunch, 17-year-old Dalal Erekat has to resort to a few vegetarian options like carrot sticks and tater tots. Her school, Valhalla High, has never provided halal entrees permissible to eat by her Muslim faith.
October 19, 2021 (San Diego) -- Sunny San Diego is the perfect spot to harness the sun’s power and light up your home’s exterior. Why go solar? Because solar lights are energy-efficient, economical, and free you from electrical outlets. They also add beauty while saving you money on your electric bill. Here are some ideas for using solar lighting to help your home’s exterior shine.
October 18, 2021 (La Mesa) - Is There a Perfect Crime? Lamplighters in La Mesa presents the classic "Dial M For Murder." The play is based on a 1954 movie starring Ray Millank and Grace Kelly, directed by Hitchcock--a thriller perfect for this time of year. Written by Frederick Knott, directed by Calvin Manson, the play combines to bring us a story with both plot and delicious characters--a detailed plot for murder. Will the would-be killer get away with it?
The plot centers around a tennis star who married a wealthy socialite for her money. He can no longer play tennis and discovers his wife has cheated on him. Now he plans to murder her for her fortune. He concocts quite the plot. The man his wife cheated with is a writer, but her husband's imagination makes them equals.
October 19, 2021 (San Diego) -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the eradication of nearly 1.2 million illegally cultivated marijuana plants and the seizure of more than 180,000 pounds of illegally processed marijuana as part of the California Department of Justice’s annual Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) program. That includes 22,497 plants at two sites in San Diego County including Cleveland National Forest land.
The Attorney General also directed the California Department of Justice to initiate a six-month review of the CAMP program in light of changes to the law since the program was first initiated with the goal of building on existing efforts to address the environmental, labor, and economic impacts of illegal cultivation.
Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
October 19, 2021 (El Cajon) – Grossmont College’s 43rd annual Career Expo will be virtual again this year to avoid the crush of attendees the popular event typically draws, but organizers are making the online environment as interactive as they can.
Grossmont College, the San Diego Workforce Partnership, and the East County Chamber of Commerce will host the free, public event 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Remo is an easy-to-use virtual conference platform that will allow job-seekers to visit multiple “tables” and be interviewed privately in real time by potential employers. When the conference switches to presentation mode, attendees can visit as avatars. A digital room with tables will be available where they can sit and listen to presentations. They can also take part in chat and networking sessions among themselves and vendors.
October 18, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) - The House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) has awarded Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53) the prestigious Thomas Paine Award for being among the most effective speakers and communicators in the Democratic House Caucus. Congresswoman Jacobs was one of just five members, out of 220 House Democrats, to receive the award.
October 18, 2021 (San Diego) – Cleanup crews worked throughout the weekend to remove remaining tar balls and assess beaches after the recent Huntington Beach oil spill. Workers removed all boom in Orange and San Diego counties with the exception of Talbert Marsh. All public beaches in Orange County and San Diego County are open, San Diego County’s Office of Emergency Services announced today.
October 18, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- Billie Faye Owens, 63, a journalist in San Diego from the mid-1980s until 1996, died at Rochester General Hospital in New York on Oct. 15 from complications from congestive heart failure.
She was taken to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, NY, with health issues on July 26 and remained hospitalized for 81 days. At no time did she test positive for COVID-19.
She was born in 1958 in Charlotte, N.C., to Barbara Jean Carter and Billie Eugene McSwain. Her mother moved her when she was 5 to San Diego where she would eventually attend San Diego State University, earning a B.A. in Journalism.
She went to work for the Daily Californian in El Cajon, Calif. in 1989, where she met her second husband, Howard Owens, then a wire and copy editor at the Daily Californian, and currently publisher of The Batavian inBatavia, NY. They were married on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene College in 1993.
October 17, 2021 (La Mesa) – A memorial service for long-time local umpire and newsman Michael “Mike” Jon Hart will be held on November 9 at 11 a.m. at the La Mesa National Little League Field. Hart spent years as an umpire behind the plate at the field where he also played baseball in his youth. A 1970 graduate of Grossmont High, where he also coached, Hart spent decades umpiring local youth and college sports, became President of the San Diego County Umpires Association, and was inducted into the San Diego Sports Officials Hall of Fame.
“It would really mean a lot to our family, and a true honor to Mike, if we saw a lot of umpires in the audience,” says Carlynne Albee, sister of Hart’s wife, Michelle Harvey. Umpires are invited to dress in uniform as a tribute.
Hart, also known locally as the long-time publisher of the Julian News , died September 14 after battling brain and lung cancer.
West Hills High School math and aerospace engineering teacher wins California’s highest honor
East County News Service
October 16, 2021 (El Cajon) - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Friday that West Hills High School math teacher Tiffany Jokerst is one of five 2022 California Teachers of the Year.
October 16, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- If you’ve ever seen the classic 1972 movie, Jeremiah Johnson, played by Robert Redford, about the golden age of Mountain Men, you might remember the last line of the movie, “…. and some men say, he’s up there still.”
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.
October 15, 2021 (La Mesa) -- Four candidates participated in a lively forum last night hosted by East County Magazine on Zoom and streamed live on Facebook. Mejgan Afshan, Kathleen Brand, Patricia Dillard and Laura Lothian participated. (Note, Lothian joined a minute late due to techincal issues and is not shown in the screenshot)
shared their diverse views on issues including homelessness, equity/police reforms and public safety, affordable housing and development, the downtown district and neighborhood revitalization, the potential for a new library and/or community meeting space, public health mandates, the role of the new Arts and Culture Commission, and candidates' endorsements.
Each candidate gave a two minute opening statement and a one minute closing statement. (Two other candidates, Jim Stieringer and Michelle Louden, did not participate in the forum but Stieringer sent candidate information. Read more about the candidates at https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/ecm-host-la-mesa-city-council-candida... .
October 16, 2021 (Carson, Calif.) - ECM Sports doesn’t have high school football tonight, but we have some college ball as the Aztecs traveled up to San José for an old-fashioned Friday night showdown against the San José State Spartans.
October 15, 2021 (Santee) -- The joint powers agency creating the East County Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Program is using a new virtual reality video to inform local citizens about the project as it moves toward construction.
October 15, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- The La Mesa-El Cajon Branch of the American Association of University Women is sponsoring the annual Speech Trek, speech contest, open to all high school students in grades 9-12. The in-person contest is open to all high schools including public, charter and private.
Each year, a critical topic is selected and students, along with a branch/teacher coach, create, prepare and present an original, 5-6 minute speech. This year’s topic is "Has the United States lived up to its pledge of “liberty and justice for all? Would requiring the study of diversity, equity and inclusion in a high school setting help ensure liberty and justice for all?”
Prospect of a pro-pot industry ballot measure leaves some members fuming
By Mike Allen
Photo: Kathleen Lippett
October 14, 2021 (Santee) -- The Santee City Council held a third workshop Oct. 13 examining whether to allow cannabis businesses in their city, while making it clear they aren’t fond of the prospect
Image, left: Artist's rendering of the apartment project slated to be built on the former police station site on Allison Avenue
Oct. 14, 2021 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council voted 3-0 on Tuesday to approve development of the old police headquarters' site, where an apartment project is slated for construction.
Mayor Mark Arapostathis, Vice Mayor Jack Shu, and Councilman Colin Parent voted in favor. Councilman Bill Baber abstained due to a conflict of interest. One seat remains vacant, with a November 2 special election set to fill the vacancy.
The council also approved creation of an arts and culture commission during the October 12th Council meeting.
In addition, Juneteenth, a new federal holiday, will now be officially observed in La Mesa, commemorating the emancipation of African Americans from slavery. The order reached Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865.
October 14, 2021 (Lemon Grove) - Lemon Grove Lions Club, the nonprofit organization, is hosting a rummage sale on November 6, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at 7580 Roosevelt St. All proceeds will go toward Lions Club service projects.
There will be plenty of pre-owned items and must-haves at affordable prices. Items will go quickly, so come early to not miss out on the great deals. The Lions will also have snacks and water for sale. For more information, call Tobi Gary at 619-248-1387.
Photo: Participating candidates, left to right: Mejgan Afshan, Kathleen Brand, Patricia Dillard, and Laura Lothian
October 13, 2021 (La Mesa) – East County Magazine will host a virtual forum for La Mesa City Council candidates running to fill the vacancy left by Dr. Akilah Weber’s election to the state Assembly. The candidates will be Thursday, October 14 at 7 p.m. It will be recorded via Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EastCountyMagazine. A podcast will also be posted at www.EastCountyMagazine.org after the forum.
Six candidates are running and four have agreed to participate: Mejgan Afshan, Kathleen Brand, Patricia Dillard, and Laura Lothian. A fifth, Jim Stieringer, provided detailed information on his experience and goals if elected.
By Miriam Raftery
Costumes, decorations and trick-or-treaters could pose risk to pets and wildlife
Source: San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector
By Miriam Raftery
Source: County of San Diego
Story and photos by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson
Source: San Diego Foundation
By Joe Hong, CalMatters
By Barb Ambrose
East County News Service 
Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
East County News Service
Source: County Office of Emergency Services
East County News Service
West Hills High School math and aerospace engineering teacher wins California’s highest honor
By Henri Migala
East County News Service
By Liz Alper
Contest open to all high school students
Prospect of a pro-pot industry ballot measure leaves some members fuming
East County News Service
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