Bond measure narrowly losing

By Jonathan Goetz

November 9, 2016 (El Cajon) -Conservative Republicans have won election in the five-person race for Cajon Valley Union School Board. Both are  endorsed by the Republican Party though the race is nonpartisan.

Clark-Mejia serves as the lead marriage and family therapist intern at New Day Women’s Center and Counseling Services, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves women and their families.

By Miriam Raftery

November 9, 2016  (El Cajon) – With 43.6% of precincts counted,  a 10-candidate race for El Cajon City Council is still too close to call. There are three seats up—and currently, two challengers have edged ahead of incumbent Star Bales.

However voters handily approved Measure S, the redistricting proposal to establish district elections.  Measure S  has nearly 69% of the vote with 43.6% of precincts counted.

By Miriam Raftery

November 8,  2016 (La Mesa)—It’s rare for incumbents to be unseated.  But Chuck Muse and John Linden,  two incumbents who voted for repeated rate increases including an unprecedented five-year rate hike, appear to have lost their reelection bids.   

The apparent wins for Mark Gracyk and Dan McMillan are also victories for the  local Democratic party, which endorsed both over the Republican incumbents,  though the race is officially nonpartisan. It's also a win for ratepayers ired over repeated hefty rate hikes by incuments who promised fiscal conservatism. 

By Miriam Raftery

November 8, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – For many Americans,  this presidential election poses the most difficult choice ever.  Whoever you choose for president—even if you leave the top of the ticket blank – remember that there are many other down ticket races that matter.  Recent local elections for school board and fire board have been decided by a single vote.

I can’t tell you who to support for president.  But as a news editor,  a mother, and a long-time political observer,  I can share thoughts on factors to weigh before you cast your vote--an analysis of the pros and cons of the two major candidates and even some third party alternatives.

East County News Service

Photos, left to right: Stephen Houlahan, Mason Herron, and Dustin Trotter

November 7, 2016 (Santee) — Santee City Council candidate Mason Herron has raked in $58, 246 in campaign contributions from 131 individuals, of whom only 6 live in Santee, including himself.  That’s 95% of donations coming from outside Santee.

East County News Service

November 7, 2016 (San Diego) - Listen to San Diego Combat Veterans share their experience fighting for our country at a town hall hosted by Congresswoman Susan Davis at the Balboa Park Club at 2144 Pan American Road in San Diego from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. November 10.

November 7,  2016  (San Diego’s East County) – Oday Yousif Jr. is a graduate of Valhalla High School in the Grossmont Union High School District and a current student at San Diego State University. Now he’s running for the Grossmont school board,  seeking to bring a student’s perspective to the board and serve the needs of multi-lingual and multi-cultural students.  You can hear our interview, originally aired on KNSJ radio,  by clicking the audio link: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au... . 

Yousif asked for an interview to clear up information on a  mailer with misleading information on candidates' party endorsements. He is the only candidate endorsed by the county Democratic Party in Grossmont’s  Trustee Area 2, which includes La Mesa, Mt. Helix,  and portions of surrounding neighborhoods. He also spoke out in support of Measure BB,  Grossmont's school bond measure, which he backs despite some flaws in the measure because he believes "our schools need more money" to better serve students.

By Miriam Raftery

November 6, 2016 (Washington D.C.) - FBI director James Comey today announced that Hillary Clinton should not face any criminal charges with regard to emails recently found on a computer that belonged to former Congressman Anthony Weiner, who was married to top Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

By Gene Carpenter and Anthony Mc Ivor

November 4, 2016 (La Mesa) -- Earlier this week, many La Mesa residents found a rude surprise in their mailboxes. It was a particularly vile attack mailer targeting La Mesa Council candidate Colin Parent.  The piece is slick, but  intellectually dishonest and shabbily written.  After three polite debates in city venues, who would use the post for such a vulgar purpose? 

By Miriam Raftery

November 4, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The future of the San Miguel Fire District hangs in the balance.  Should San Miguel keep its contract with Cal-Fire or return to being a stand-alone district, as the current board recently voted by a slim margin?  We interviewed a representative from  each of the two slates running for our East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ. Listen now by clicking the orange audio link.

 In this heated session,  incumbent Bill  Kiel, a retired engineer, makes the case for staying with Cal-Fire, while retired fire chief Kim Raddatz argues for giving Cal-Fire the boot and returning to an independent district.  Each side claims their position will be best for taxpayers and public safety.  One side is backed by Cal-Fire firefighters, the other by leaders of the former San Miguel firefighters.

By Miriam Raftery

October 29, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Multiple candidates in the Grossmont Union High School District Board race have complained of mailers containing false or misleading information on candidates' party endorsements or affiliations.

Below is information on which parties have endorsed candidates in the race,  as well as which candidates have teachers' union backing and which seem to be running stealth campaigns--offering little or no information for voters.

Update with comments from the Lincoln Club President and links to prior concerns raised about the PAC by the FPPC.

By Miriam Raftery

November 3, 2016 (La Mesa) — A hit piece mailer on La Mesa City Council Colin Parent has been sent by a shadowy political action group tied to his opponent.

The mailer deceptively states Parent moved to La Mesa only to run for Council and mentions he’s lived in Sacramento and San Diego.  It fails to mention his long and deep ties to East County.  Parent went to Fuerte Elementary School near Mt. Helix, had his first job on La Mesa Blvd. with the East County Development Council, grew up going to local La Mesa hang-outs such as the Aquarius roller rink, was active in Boy Scots and graduated from Valhalla High School in the Grossmont Union High School District before attending UC San Diego and later, getting a law degree in New York.

By Miriam Raftery

November 1, 2016 (La Mesa) – Someone with access to confidential files at Helix Water District violated state law and district policy by anonymously mailing part of a board candidate’s personnel file to East County Magazine.

We will not violate privacy rules by publishing the contents.  However, we did speak with the candidate, Louis Tejeda, who gave permission for us to disclose the leaking of his confidential record: a notice of proposed disciplinary action sent 21 years ago, when he was an employee of the district.

East County News Service

November 1, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) –  The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a 2,500-member trade group for San Diego-area realtors, has released its list of endorsed candidates vying for seats in East County city and special district election races in November. PSAR operates an office and conference center in El Cajon at 1150 Broadway.

By Miriam Raftery

October 29,2016 (Washington D.C.)—FBI Director James Comey has notified Congress that it is renewing its investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of e-mails on a private server.

The action comes after emails were found on a computer shared by top Clinton aide Huma  Abedin and her estranged husband,  ex-Congressman Anthony Wiener. Huma had used the computer to send e-mails to Clinton.  The computer was seized as part of an investigation into Wiener for allegedly sexting a teenage girl.  It is unclear whether any of the emails were sent by Clinton, or whether they are new or duplicates of e-mails already examined before an earlier probe was dismissed, or if any contained classified material.

Both Democratic and Congressional leaders have called on Comey and on Attorney General  Loretta Lynch to promptly provide further disclosure and clarity.