By Miriam Raftery

November 10, 2022 (San Diego) – Measure A, which would impose a tax on all cannabis businesses in San Diego County’s unincorporated areas, is passing by a healthy margin. Funds raised would go into the county’s general fund to be used for health care, fire safety, parks, infrastructure and more, as well as to shut down illegal marijuana operations.

East County News Service

November 10, 2022 (El Cajon) – Holiday Lights on Main Street will illuminate downtown El Cajon on Saturday, November 26.  Tree lighting is at 6 p.m., but activities to celebrate the season will take place from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

November 10, 2022 (Sacramento) – California voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional right to abortion, but soundly defeated legalized sports wagering both on and off tribal lands.  They also voted down taxing the rich to bolster wildfire protection, but voted in favor of increasing funding for arts and music education in public schools. 

Voters also approved banning flavored tobacco products, but once again voted down a measure to require presence of a doctor, nurse, or physician assistant during kidney dialysis treatment.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Update Nov. 21, 2022 -- Ryan and Fox have retained their leads.  Ryan has 75.56%, far outposcing her opponent. Fox has 48.58% in his three-person race, well above Thill at 36.71% and Dolin at 14.7%.  This will be the final update from the Registrar of Voters before certification of the votes on Dec. 8.

Nov. 9, 2022 (Santee) The  Santee School District’s board of education had three seats up for election on its board of trustees. Campaign issues included school safety, catching up on pandemic learning loss and more.

The latest vote tally has incumbent Barbara L. Ryan vastly outpacing Ron Burner for seat 1. Ryan has 76.15% of the vote, versus Burner’s 23.85%. Ryan, a member of the Santee Board of Education, supports comprehensive language arts programs that include phonics, a zero-tolerance policy ensuring safety, curriculum standards that exceed state standards, and more. In her ballot statement, she says her leadership has brought significant additional funding to the district. Additionally, she has served on district committees, as a PTA president and school site councilmember as well as numerous other organizations.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, top left to lower right:  Andrew Hayes won reelection; newcomers Ron Kasper, Jim Bennett and Autumn Ellenson beat out a trio of other incumbents

November 9, 2022 (Lakeside) – Lakeside Union School District’s governing board will look dramatically different as a result of yesterday’s election.  Three full-term seats and one short-term seat were on the ballot. But only one of the incumbents up for reelection, Andrew Hayes, has won reelection.  Three others – Bonnie LaChappa, Holly Ferrante, and Don Whiseman, are trailing by substantial margins.

All of the leading candidates are endorsed by the Republican Party, though the race is officially nonpartisan. In addition to Hayes, challengers Jim Bennett and Ron Kasper appear poised to win full-term seats, while Autumn Ellenson is winning the short-term seat by a resounding margin of more than two-thirds.

By Miriam Raftery

November 8, 2022 (San Diego) – The balance of power in Congress hangs in the balance this election, with Republicans currently looking likely to take back a majority in the House of representatives by a few seats – a narrower margin than pundits forecast; control of the Senate remains too close to call.  But in San Diego County, all five incumbent Congressional members have solid leads and appear set to hold onto their sets.

East County Congressman Darrell Issa, a Republican, has 58.12% of the vote in San Diego County over his opponent, Stephen Houlahan, a nurse with a masters in business degree who has 41.88% of the vote. The district also includes a small portion of Riverside County, which also has a large Republican voter registration advantage. Houlahan had criticized Issa's anti-abortion stance and accepting over $150,000 in federal loan forgiveness for his business, after voting against COVID-relief funds for others.

Victim was adopted daughter of Rock Church elder and ministry leader

By Miriam Raftery

November 8, 2022 (Spring Valley) -- Three people have been arrested and charged in relation to the death of 11-year-old Arabella McCormack of Spring Valley. Those arrested are the child’s adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, 49, and Leticia McCormack’s parents, Stanley Tom, 75, and Adella Tom, 49.  All are charged with torture and willful cruelty to a child; Stanley Tom and Leticia McCormack have also been charged with murder.

Giraffes, rhinos and wildlife safari truck represent Safari Park’s ability to connect people to wildlife

East County News Service 

November 7, 2022 (San Diego) – “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation” will be the theme of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s float on Monday January 2, 2023 in the 134^th annual Rose Parade® presented by Honda.  (The Rose Parade, customariliy held on New Year's Day, is never held on Sundays.)

The SDZWA is an international conservation organization that partners with the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

By Miriam Raftery

November 6, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Small businesses are struggling to recover from pandemic shutdowns, while consumers are feeling a financial pinch from inflation. So on November 1, Lemon Grove’s City Council voted to address both problems. The city will use federal relief funds to match residents’ purchase of gift cards up to $150 for local businesses – so $150 spent by a resident will be doubled, to a $300 value.

By Christianne McCormick

Screenshot: Mayor Mark Arapostathis

November 6, 2022 (La Mesa) -- Disgruntled and outraged residents of La Mesa at the October 11 City Council meeting voiced their concerns about a five-story, 64-unit apartment complex proposed to be built in the heart of the city’s village.  The building would be erected on the same land where the historic Randall Lamb Building burnt down during a riot following the May 30, 2020 protests after the tragic death of George Floyd. 

Source: Caltrans

November 6, 2022 (Pine Valley) -- Expect traffic delays if you’re driving between Alpine and Pine Valley for the foreseeable future. Caltrans construction crews working on the Interstate 8 pavement replacement and road improvement project from Viejas Creek to Pine Valley will be reconfiguring the lane reductions through the construction site.  Instead of two construction closures, crews will taper traffic into one single closure, taking motorists from three lanes to one for approximately three miles through the construction site, beginning the week of November 7.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 5, 2022 (San Diego) - The Aztec football team (5-4, 3-2 MW) forced four turnovers and held off UNLV (4-5, 2-3 MW) 14-10 at Snapdragon Stadium Saturday evening to extend their home winning streak to four games.