44 students from 22 local East County high schools were awarded scholarships at the March 18 board meeting 

East County News Service

March 27, 2022 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) awarded $111,100 in scholarships to 44 local high school students who have expressed interest in a career as a healthcare professional.

By Kylie Dees

March 18, 2022 (San Diego) -- "The war between Russia and Ukraine is absolutely barbaric...and unthinkable on its scale. We are all deeply devasted," Russian language instructor Dana Shembel at San Diego State University said in an interview with East County Magazine.

Source:  Mission Federal Credit Union

February 23, 2022 (San Diego) - The San Diego Council on Literacy (SDCOL) has launched its inaugural Financial Literacy Superheroes Competition to promote good money management habits among young people and families in the San Diego region. The competition, sponsored by Mission Fed Credit Union, Comic-Con Museum, San Diego Union-Tribune, the Society for Financial Literacy and Kaiser Permanente, invites local children and their parents and guardians to submit graphic art entries that are comic-book themed. Entries must include a financial literacy/money management message.

By Miriam Raftery

February 20, 2022 (El Cajon) – Valhalla High School in El Cajon, where students are known as Norsemen, sent the Valhalla Vocal Music Choir on a trip to Scandinavia and London. But when their British Airways flight out of San Diego was delayed, the choral members delighted passengers by singing an impromptu concert.

By Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo via Fresno State

February 18, 2022 (Sacramento) - ​​In a stunning fall from grace, California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro has resigned from his post, effective immediately, over accusations that he mishandled sexual assault and workplace initimidation claims against a former colleague while president of Fresno State University.

By Miriam Raftery

January 24, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Supervisor Joel Anderson’s staff has compiled an extensive and diverse list of scholarship opportunities to help students attain their higher education goals. Note: some have deadlines just days away, while others are later in the year. Scholarships are listed in chronological order by deadline dates.

“As school season is starting back up, I am aware of the financial barriers that many parents or students face. Having three children go through this process, I understand the value behind scholarship opportunities and the importance behind financial assistance,” Supervisor Anderson states in an email to constituents.

If you know of additional scholarships or financial resources for students, please send them to michael.botello@sdcounty.ca.gov to be added to the list.  The updated list can be viewed at https://www.supervisorjoelanderson.com/content/d2/us/en/community/scholarship-list.html.

By Miriam Raftery

January 9, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Major colleges, universities and community colleges across the region have temporarily shifted back to virtual instruction due to the COVID-19 surge fueled by the Omicron variant and holiday gatherings.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

Photo: Ding Manyang, South Sudanese refugee studying at George Washington University, via Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

January 5, 2022 (Sacramento) -- By next fall, refugee students may be able to apply to attend American colleges and universities. The State Department said it plans to pilot a new category for refugee admissions, known as P4.

East County News Service

December 13, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Mountain Empire Unified School District today announced that due to high winds forecast, all district schools will have minimum days tomorrow, letting out at noon for middle schools, 12:10 p.m. for high schools, and 1 p.m. for elementary schools. All after school programs are cancelled for Tuesday.

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

Photo:  A vaccination van operated by UCSD Health visited SDUSD sites and offices to provide COVID-19 vaccines last month. Photo via @sdschools Twitter

December 5, 2021 (San Diego) - A federal appeals court has denied a request to stop San Diego schools from enforcing the district’s vaccine mandate.

Update: An appellate court has lifted the injunction, allowing the vaccination mandate to remain.

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  A San Diego Unified student is vaccinated in school. Courtesy of the district

November 29, 2021 (San Diego) - The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a last-minute injunction Sunday temporarily preventing the San Diego Unified School District‘s COVID-19 vaccine mandate from going into effect in December.

By Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  The University of California system decided at a Board of Regents meeting to abandon standardized tests as part of its undergraduate admissions process. Image via iStock.

November 20, 2021 (San Diego) - The University of California will not require any kind of admissions test for students trying to gain entry as undergraduates, system leaders reiterated Thursday. 

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

Photo:  El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells warned against the “evil” of government mandates.  Photo by Chris Stone

November 11, 2021 (El Cajon) - Raging against “a plot to take over America and the rest of the world,” El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells spoke Wednesday at a rally of parents calling for freedom from vaccination mandates.