By Miriam Raftery

Update March 30:  Rodriguez-Kennedy has been released from the hospital and contiues his recovery at home.

Three members of Congress, including Republican Senator Rand Paul, also test positive

Photo: Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, Kelvin Barrios and Steve Padilla are all hospitalized with COVID-19

Update March 26, 2020  - Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, the county Democratic Party Chair, is now out of the V.A. hospital after being ill for 13 days including nearly a week "fighting for my life"  in the hospital, including "terrifying periods where I struggled to breathe." On Facebook, he thanked his medical team adding, "If there is anyone out there who is not taking this seriously, change your opinion now. COVID19 could have killed me.

Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, Chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, is hospitalized in an intensive care unit at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. Chula Vista City Councilman Steve Padilla, who also chairs the California Coastal Commission, has also been hospitalized and on a respirator after testing positive. Kelvin Barrios, a candidate for San Diego City Council in District 2, is on a respirator as well.

Photo via Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association: screenshot of Gov. Newsom announcing statewide stay-at-home order

View the Governor's full speech

March 19, 2020 (Sacamento) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom tonight ordered all Californians to stay at home to stop the spread of coronavirus across the state. Only companies providing essential services may remain open.

He issued the statewide order after public health experts estimated that as many as 25 million Californians will be infected by the virus within two months, making it critical to stop the growth now.

While most will recover and some won't have symptoms, up to 20,000 would likely be hospitalized if nothing is done. That's double the 10,000 bed surge capacity of hospitals statewide, though the state is requisitioning faciliities to fill the gap and working with the private sector to increase the supply of ventilators, which the federal government has failed to provide.

By Miriam Raftery

File photo at an earlier hearing, courtesy of Ken Stone, Times of San Diego

March 17, 2020 (San Diego) – Disgraced former Congressman Duncan D. Hunter was sentenced today in federal court after pleading guilty in December to a felony count of conspiracy to spend campaign funds for personal use. 

Hunter will have until May 29 to report to federal prison, where he will serve an 11-month term. Known for heavy partying in Washington D.C., Hunter must also undergo and alcohol and drug treatment program. In addition, after his release he will be on three years of supervised probation.

 The location where Hunter will serve his sentence has not yet been announced. Judge Thomas Whelan left open the possibility of a later start to Hunter’s imprisonment if warranted by the COVID-19 emergency.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: President Donald Trump, via WhiteHouse.gov

March 13, 2020 (Washington D.C.) – After issuing a national emergency declaration today, President Donald Trump in a rare moment of bipartisan agreement urged Congressional Republicans to pass economic relief legislation authored by House Democrats.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi negotiated the economic relief deal with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin following days of plummeting stock prices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden

March 13, 2020 (Washington D.C.) -- Former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential contenders, criticized President Donald Trump's handling of the COVID-19 panedemic and offered plans of their own to address the crisis.

Biden and Sanders will also square off in a debate Sunday on CNN starting at 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. The debate was moved from Arizona to CNN's studio in Washington D.C. due to the coronavirus outbreak.  You can tune in via cable TV, as well as on the CNN website, the Univision website, and both networks’ mobile apps.

Update March 13: The President today declared a national emergency, freeing up some $50 bilion in federal aid for states.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Airport medical screening; CC by SA

March 11, 2020 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump today announced a travel ban on most foreign nationals from Europe and also proposed economic aid to Americans impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

East County News Service

March 10, 2020 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will begin endorsing candidates for elective office in the November 2020 general election, those found to be aligned with the Chamber’s goals of promoting business in East County.

The Chamber will consider endorsements for candidates to elected offices that serve the East County region. 

Candidates seeking endorsement should submit a statement of no longer than 500 words that should address the question, “Why should the Chamber endorse you?”

Candidate statements should be submitted to Diana Senica by email at events@eastcountychamber.org, no later than May 1, 2020.

"Human Trafficking is a heartbreaking crime that can destroy lives, families, and communities." – Brian Jones

By Miriam Raftery and Jonathan Goetz

Photos: East County News Service

March 4, 2020 (San Diego) --Congresswoman Susan Davis is retiring in order to spend more time in San Diego. 

In the 53^rd Congressional District, her shoes will be filled by a Democratic woman, as Sara Jacobs and Georgette Gomez, both captured the #1 and #2 slots, respectively to make the November run-off out of a 13-candidate field. The 53rd Congressional district includes the heart of the city of San Diego as well as La Mesa, Lemon Grove, part of El Cajon, Jamul, Chula Vista, and more.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

March 5, 2020 (San Diego) Measure S, which was designed to raise sales taxes by ¾ of a cent and bring in an estimated $3 million to the financially strapped city of Lemon Grove, is failing.

According to the San Diego Registrar of Voters the primary had a 28% voter turn-out. With 100% precincts reporting, 59%,or 2,069 voted no on the measure and 41%, or 1,421 voted yes. There are 350,000 outstanding ballots to be counted as of early Wednesday.

Without more revenues to fund needed services, Lemon Grov could be pushed to seek disincorporation as a city, reverting back to county control.

ECM obtained reactions to the election outcome from the measure's leading advocate and staunchest opponent.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo: Creative Commons NC-ND via Bing

March 4, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- El Cajon and Lakeside voters gave solid thumbs down on Tuesday night to school bond measures put on the ballot by the Cajon Valley Union School District (CVUSD) and by the Lakeside Union School District.

Cajon Valley

Cajon Valley’s ballot measure, which would have issued $220 million dollars in school bonds went down in a major defeat with 100 percent of precinct votes counted and only late mail-in ballots remaining. 12,301 votes were cast against the bond measure (55.65%) with 9,803 (44.35%) votes cast for it. The bond measure required 55% in favor to pass, but throughout the evening, never came close to gaining traction needed for passage.

The district said that the new bond issue was necessary to finance basic infrastructure improvements and to implement installation of advanced security technology at its schools as recommended last year by a County of San Diego Grand Jury report.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: C.J. Mody at Golden Hall, was pleased with his victory.

March 4, 2020 (San Diego) -- Three contested Superior Court judicial races were won outright in yesterday's election, while a fourth will head for a run-off in November in one of the night's closest races.

Michelle Ialeggio trounced Shawn McMillan  76% to 24%, with 100% of precincts reported but mail-in ballots remaining to be counted. McMillan was rated lacking qualifications by the San Diego County Bar Association.

C.J. Mody won his race outright ovre Roberta Winston, 57% to 43%.  

Alan Wong Robinson (52%) defeated Mark Skeels (32%)  and Steve Miller (15%); Miller was also ranked lacking quaifications by the Bar Association.