Laura Lothian

LA MESA LEADERS END E-BILLBOARD PLANS

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 13, 2023 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Mayor Mark  Arapostathis and Vice Mayor Laura Lothian introduced a motion at the Dec. 12 City Council meeting directing staff to terminate the request for proposals  (RFP)  for electronic billboards. By a unanimous vote, the City Council voted to reject electronic billboards and end the RFP,  following an ECM investigation that found a history of many serious traffic accidents where the billboards were proposed to be installed.

“After considering substantial citizen commentary and careful evaluation regarding this matter, we believe that the placement and installation of digital billboards in La Mesa is inappropriate at this time,” the agenda attachment for item 8.1 stated. “Therefore, rather than expend valuable staff time, resources, and effort processing the RFP, we request that the Council immediately (at this meeting) redirect staff to terminate the RFP and all related actions.”


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LA MESA COUNCILWOMAN'S FLAG-BAN IDEA SHREDDED BY PRO-LGBTQ SPEAKERS, DIES

By Ken Stone,Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  La Mesa Councilwoman Laura Lothian, seeing no chance of council OK, made no motion for her policy proposal. Image via Facebook

May 25, 2023 (La Mesa) - La Mesa Councilwoman Laura Lothian ran a proposal up the flagpole but saw it shot down in a hail of public scorn and derision.


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VIEW OUR INTERVIEW: LA MESA COUNCILWOMAN LAURA LOTHIAN SEEKS REELECTION, AIMS TO "CLASS UP" LA MESA

By Henri Migala

View the full interview by clicking the image below, and scroll down to read highlights.

October 7, 2022 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Councilwoman Laura Lothian spoke with ECM via zoom about her run for re-election. Council. The interview also aired on KNSJ radio, 89.1 FM.

Lothian is one of four candidates running (a fifth, Kathleen Brand, has dropped out); ECM will be publishing and airing interviews with all the candidates over the next several days. She aims to "class up" La Mesa, bucking the trend toward high-density housing downtown, while also working to reduce homeless and crime, as well as cut regulations for businesses and homeowners with permit applications for new construction or remodeling.


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READER'S EDITORIAL: PLEASE DO NOT EXPORT YOUR HOMELESS PROBLEM TO CAMPO

This letter was written in response to La Mesa City Councilmember Laura Lothian's proposal to purchase land in Campo to house La Mesa's homeless population. The item is slated to be heard tonight, May 10. Tisdale sent copies of her letter to the city of La Mesa, Supervisor Joel Anderson, and Campo-Lake Morena's planning group chair Billie Jo Jannen.

By Donna Tisdale, Chair, Boulevard Planning Group (photo, left)

First and foremost, It would be the courteous and ethical thing to do to provide timely notice and ask the Campo - Lake Morena Community Planning Group to weigh in on your proposal to export your problem to their predominantly low-income rural community where most residents are already struggling to survive the pandemic, government-induced inflated cost of living, and a basically open US/Mexico border with daily smuggling activities. They don't need an additional problem foisted on them.

Rural residents have the added burden of an expensive commute due to the increasing cost of gas. We make many sacrifices in order to enjoy the benefits of quiet country living.  A serious lack of local services is one of those sacrifices ,including very limited medical and law enforcement .  In some cases, it may take days for law enforcement to answer a call to a rural home.

Exporting your homeless problem to Campo's underserved rural area is neither justified nor warranted for local residents or the homeless population. Shelters / alternative housing should be placed close to services, not an hour away.


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LOTHIAN WINS LA MESA COUNCIL SPECIAL ELECTION

 

 

 

Update November 2, 2021:  The final, official results give Lothian the win with 4,474 votes, or 38.43% of the vote, a comfortable margin of nearly 2,000 votes. Out of 39, 346 registered voters, 11,686 cast votes. Afghsan too, 21.67%, Dillard 20.36%, Stieringer 10.95%, Brand 6.84%, and Louden 1.76%.

By Miriam Raftery

November 3, 2021 (La Mesa) – Realtor Laura Lothian appears poised to win the La Mesa City Council special election.  Preliminary results posted by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters show Lothian with 39.18% of the vote in the six-candidate race, more than double the vote tally of the next highest candidate.

With 2,000 votes yet to be tallied, Lothian has a lead of 1,451 votes over Patricia Dillard, who has 20.85% of the votes.


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ECM TO HOST LA MESA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM THURSDAY, OCT. 14

By Miriam Raftery

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.

Find information on  these five candidates below.


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FOUR WOMEN RUNNING FOR LA MESA CITY COUNCIL, FIFTH CANDIDATE DROPS OUT

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left to right: Mejgan Afshan, Letitia Dickerson, Patricia Dillard, and Laura Lothian

July 20, 2021 (La Mesa) – So far, the lineup of candidates seeking to serve on La Mesa’s City Council have one thing in common: all are women who filed papers to run for a vacancy on the Council left when ex-Councilmember Akilah Weber won election to the state Assembly.  Dr Weber, a Democrat, was the first Black woman to serve on the Council.

The filing deadline opened July 12 and will close on August 6, so more candidates may yet file. The candidates who have filed to run so far are:


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PARENT, SHU LEAD IN LA MESA CITY COUNCIL RACE

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: left to right: Allan Durden, Colin Parent, Mark Papenfuss, Kristine Alessio, Jack Shu, Laura Lothian

November 3, 2020 (La Mesa) – Councilman Colin Parent and Jack Shu, both endorsed by the Democratic Party, are leading in the La Mesa City Council race with 25.15% and 24.76% respectively in a field of six candidates with two seats up for grabs.  If the current lead holds, incumbent Kristine Alessio may lose her seat.

While some feared an anti-incumbent backlash in the wake of the May 30 riot, that does not appear to have impacted the leaders in this race.  However, both Parent and Shu supported formation of La Mesa’s Citizens Police Oversight Board and a citizens advisory committee on homelessness. Parent appears to have weathered controversy over developer donations over a proposed homeless shelter that was later withdrawn by the county. 

Shu told ECM, ""The early results look very good but I'm waiting for more ballots to be counted before presuming anything.  However, there is a clear message that La Mesa is ready for positive change. I'd like to thank the community for the tremendous outpouring of support we've received and my campaign team and volunteers who did a phenomenal job."


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LAURA LOTHIAN AIMS TO BRING BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE TO LA MESA CITY COUNCIL

By Miriam Raftery

October 11, 2020 (La Mesa) – Laura Lothian is one of six candidates running for La Mesa City Council. ECM recently held a video interview via ZOOM with Lothian, she since was unable to participate in our candidate forum due to a scheduling conflict.

A realtor with a business in the downtown village, she is running to bring a business perspective to the City Council. She wants to reduce regulations and provide more freedoms for business owners. Beautifying the village area is also a priority of hers. Lothian serves on the La Mesa Village Association board  and has previously run for both council and mayor.

The interview covered a wide range of issues including the needs of local businesses, beautifying  La Mesa, police issues, housing and homelessness, and more.

Scroll down for highlights of our interview, or click here to view the full video interviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HCss3QqeEk


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VIEW INTERVIEWS WITH LA MESA COUNCIL CANDIDATES KRISTINE ALESSIO AND LAURA LOTHIAN

By Miriam Raftery

September 10, 2020 (La Mesa) – ECM held ZOOM virtual interviews with La Mesa City Councilwoman Kristine Alessio and realtor Laura Lothian, who were unable to attend our candidate forum last week. The candidates discussed the major issues facing La Mesa including the city’s response to protests, housing and homeless, downtown redevelopment, help for local businesses, racial justice and policing and more. 


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LA MESA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES TO APPEAR IN VIRTUAL CANDIDATE FORUM THURSDAY, SEPT. 3

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: La Mesa City Council candidates Allan Durden, Colin Parent, Mark Papenfuss, Kristine Alessio, Jack Shu, and Laura Lothian.  Four of the six candidates have agreed to participate.

August 29, 2020 (La Mesa) – Six candidates are vying for two seats on the La Mesa City Council. East County Magazine invited all candidates to participate in a candidate forum this Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m. Have a question for the candidates?  You can send it to editor@eastcountymagazine.org by 12 noon on Thursday.

Four of the six candidates have confirmed they will participate.  Shown in the photo above, they are Allan Durden, Mark Papenfuss, Councilman Colin Parent, and Jack Shu.  Councilmember Kristine Alessio and Laura Lothian are not available but agreed to do an interview with ECM via Zoom, which we will post when completed.

The forum, held virtually via Zoom due to COVID-19,  will be live-streamed on Facebook here:  https://www.facebook.com/EastCountyMagazine   Video will also be recorded and posted at www.EastCountyMagazine.org after the forum. We thank the #FacebookJournalismProject for supporting our virtual candidate forums during the pandemic.

Below is information on all candidates running, listed in alphabetical order:


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STERLING, ALESSIO WIN LA MESA COUNCIL RACE

By Miriam Raftery

November 7, 2012 (La Mesa) – Councilwoman Ruth Sterling won reelection to the La Mesa City Council, with 28.06% of the vote.  Attorney Kristine Alessio  also won election with 25.27% of the vote, replacing retiring Councilman David Allan, the Council’s only Democrat, for the second of two seats.

Despite more than $37,000 in special interest money from real estate interests poured into an independent expenditure campaign in support of her candidacy, realtor Laura Lothian finished last out of five candidates, with 10.15% of the vote.


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LAST MINUTE SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY POURS INTO LA MESA COUNCIL RACE

By Kristin Kjaero

November 5, 2012 (La Mesa) -- ECM reviewed the October 25 final financial reports before the election, and discovered that special interest money from out of town and out of state has poured into the La Mesa City Council race.

The California Real Estate Committee PAC located in Los Angeles filed an Independent Expenditure Report that showed they spent $30,000 on mailers for Laura Lothian, and had received a $7,716 contribution for a poll from the National Association of Realtors Fund located in Chicago.


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LA MESA MERCHANT CLAIMS 'DECEITFUL' DEPICTION OF LOCAL BUSINESS IN COUNCIL CANDIDATE LOTHIAN'S CAMPAIGN MATERIAL

By Miriam Raftery

October 29, 2012 (La Mesa)—The owners of Hunter’s Carpet in La Mesa have sent a letter to Council candidate Laura Lothian, with a copy to the City Attorney, contending that Lothian’s campaign falsely represented the carpet company’s property as an eyesore. 

“The picture you promote as “typical trash” in the city is a gross misrepresentation,” the owners wrote.  “Evidently it’s your practice to be deceitful during your political campaigns,” the letter added, noting that the tactic is “similar to your last election campaign.” Lothian displayed a photo of the property in campaign materials touting a need to eliminate blight. 


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ONE STOP SHOP FOR VOTERS: LA MESA CITY COUNCIL ELECTION

By Kristin Kjaero

October 10, 2012 (La Mesa) -- Absentee Ballots went out yesterday. Do you have a particular topic that would influence your vote for La Mesa City Council? See what the candidates have said in their own words at candidate Forums.  Topics are organized alphabetically in categories, to make it simple to find what you are looking for.

 

We also provide links to their websites and articles from prior campaigns, for those who want to know more about the candidates themselves and their histories.


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IN THEIR OWN WORDS: VIDEO OF THE 2ND LA MESA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM

 

Forum offers candidates a chance to touch on more topics from Parking in the Village, to the Homeless at the Library, to Global Warming.

 

By Kristin Kjaero

September 29, 2012 (La Mesa, Ca.) – The League of Women Voters hosted the second City Council Candidate Forum.

East County Magazine was there to record so you can hear the candidates in their own words, and we have provided separate video links so you can peruse their responses topic by topic. 


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DEVELOPMENT ISSUES DOMINATE LA MESA CANDIDATES’ FORUM

 

Candidates Clash Over Their Visions for City’s Future

By Mark Gabrish Conlan

September 15, 2012 (La Mesa)--Five candidates for two seats on the La Mesa City Council — Kristine Alessio, Patrick Dean, Laura Lothian, Shannon O’Dunn and 20-year incumbent Ruth Sterling — met September 13 for the first candidates’ forum of the campaign. Held at the La Mesa Community Center on Memorial Drive and sponsored by the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the 90-minute forum centered mostly around finances and development, specifically around downtown and the La Mesa Village area, but it also touched on issues like the city’s responsibility towards homeless people and whether it should declare itself a fair-trade zone.


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LA MESA CANDIDATE FORUM SEPT. 27

September 15, 2012 (La Mesa)--The League of Women Voters will sponsor and moderate a candidate forum for La Mesa City Council candidates in the 2012 election. The forum will be held on September 27 from 7 to 9 pm at the La Mesa City Council Chamber.


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VIDEO: LA MESA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM

By Kristin Kjaero

September 15, 2012 (La Mesa, Ca.) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosted the first City Council Candidate Forum, and East County Magazine was there to record so you can hear the candidates in their own words.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: ON ELECTION TUESDAY, LA MESA VOTERS HAVE A CLEAR CHOICE


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SUSPICIOUS CAMPAIGN MAILER HITS LA MESA MAILBOXES

Legality in question

East County News

Update: A Union-Tribune article here revealed that Peter Cuthbert, 83, admitted responsibility for the mailer, which he says was sent to 15,000 addresses in La Mesa. A less than repentant sounding Cuthbert was quoted, saying, "If I get in trouble for doing this, I'll pay the fine."


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POLICE RECORDS REQUEST SHOOTS HOLE IN CANDIDATE'S STORY ABOUT TEEN DRINKING PARTY

 

By Kristin Kjaero and Miriam Raftery

East County Magazine News Service

 

October 27, 2010 (La Mesa) – Reader comments on local news sites and blogs have had accusations flying in the La Mesa Mayoral race, but how much is really true?

In an ECM exclusive we provide a fact check on the social host ordinance violation that occurred at candidate Laura Lothian’s home on June 23, 2010.


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SIGNS OF THE TIMES: THEFT, VANDALISM OF CAMPAIGN SIGNS TAKE NEW TWISTS IN EAST COUNTY

By Miriam Raftery
 

October 24, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A rash of sign-stealing and defacement has marred the campaign trail in East County communities including Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon. The latest targets are large signs criticizing gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman.

 

Vandals in Santee cut the name “Meg” out of numerous 4 x 8 foot signs that read: “What’s Meg Hiding? $200 million to buy election; didn’t vote for 28 years; caters to the rich and corporations. What’s her REAL agenda?” ECM photographer Dennis Richardson spotted at least four of the damaged signs this afternoon--and noticed several others had gone missing completely.


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FIGHTING DIRTY BACKFIRES FOR LA MESA MAYORAL CHALLENGER

 

Lothian accused by local business owner of staging photo shoot to trash Madrid

 

East County News Service

October 21, 2010 (La Mesa) -- La Mesa Mayoral challenger Laura Lothian generated headlines yesterday when her campaign was seen piling trash and draping it over a wall so she could pose in the midst of the trash, smiling proudly with a campaign sign for a photo shoot.


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KPBS RADIO INTERVIEWS ECM'S EDITOR ON EAST COUNTY'S HOTTEST POLITICAL RACES


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CHURCH INVITES CANDIDATES TO FORUM ON SOCIAL ISSUES

Homelessness, crime, affordable housing, youth and senior issues among topics discussed

By Kristin Kjaero

October 5, 2010 (La Mesa) – La Mesa residents got a chance to see a different side of the City candidates last night, when the La Mesa First United Methodist Church invited them to a forum on social issues, in what has become a Church tradition for the last three election cycles.


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LA MESA SPOTLIGHT: MAYORAL CANDIDATE LAURA LOTHIAN

 

Candidate's troubled past leads to new beginnings

 

By Kristin Kjaero and Miriam Raftery

In part one of this series on election races in La Mesa, East County Magazine spotlights Mayoral challenger Laura Lothian.

 

August 27, 2010 (La Mesa)--Currently a successful real estate salesperson for Windermere Pacific Coast Properties in La Mesa, Laura Lothian is challenging incumbent Mayor Art Madrid in the November election. Her qualifications include serving on the La Mesa Parking Commission, on the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and as a member of the Village Merchant’s Association and La Mesa Historical Society. She has been endorsed by Councilwoman Ruth Sterling.

 


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