By Karen Pearlman

Photos, left by ECM photographers:  La Mesa protest, riot and arson May 30-31, 2020.

May 30, 2025 (La Mesa) – It’s been five years since the last Saturday in May 2020, when the city of La Mesa found itself smack in the epicenter of racial justice protests and civil unrest that mirrored a nationwide outcry against police brutality. The protest later exploded into violence, ending with buildings in flames and a small-town community often likened to Mayberry left shell-shocked.

Since then, the city has made strides to improve communications, public outreach and policing, as the city's Mayor, Police Chief and City Manager told ECM in exclusive interviews shortly before the five-year anniversary of those turbulent events.

By County News Center

County of San Diego Communications Office

May 28, 2025 (Santa Ysabel) -- The San Diego County Board of Supervisors recently approved the purchase of about 540 acres of property in North County for $5.1 million to expand its conservation efforts.

Order ignores science, which shows pregnant women and newborns have high risk for serious COVID complications

By Miriam Raftery

May 27, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Health leaders are reacting with alarm to Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s  announcement that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have removed the COVID vaccine from its list of vaccines recommended for pregnant women and healthy children.

“That is a dangerous and irresponsible statement,” says Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist who heads up the pediatric and adolescent gynecology division at Rady Children’s Hospital. “Pregnant women and children have faced real, documented risks fromCOVID-19. Dismissing science only puts lives at risk and undermines public trust.”

Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, shares that concern.  “The science has not changed. It is very clear that COVID infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability...The COVID vaccine is safe during pregnancy, and vaccination can protect our patients and infants,” CNN reports. “In fact, growing evidence shows just how much vaccination during pregnancy protects the infant after birth, with the vast majority of hospitalized infants less than six months of age—those who are not yet eligible for vaccination—born to unvaccinated mothers,” Fleischman added.

East County News Service

May 25, 2025 (Lakeside) – It's starting to warm up in Lakeside, so it's about time for another Ice Cream Social.

The Lakeside Historical Society invites you to savor the third annual Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., Saturday May 31.

The event will be held in the courtyard of the Olde Community Church at the Lakeside Historical Society at 9906 Maine Ave. in Lakeside.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Robert Gehr:  A homeless person's tent on grassy area along Main Street in downtown El Cajon

May 24, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The 2025 Point-in-Time count of homeless people conducted in January found large drops in homelessness countywide in nearly every community, with a 72% drop in families living on the streets-indicators that efforts to help the homeless are likely having positive results.

In East County, only El Cajon showed an increase. But the city argues that the count is inaccurate, including several census tracts that are not in the city limits or only partially in the city, as well as inflating the count in other areas within its city limits.

May 24, 2025 (San Diego) -- Pulitzer  Prize winning author Chris Hedges will speak at a fundraiser for KNSJ radio on Friday, May 30 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2728 6^th Avenue in in San Diego.

Hedges, is a journalist, author, commentator and Presbyterian minister who has worked as a war correspondent and New York Times Middle Eastern Bureau Chief, winning the 2002  Pulitzer Prize for coverage of global terrorism.

 He has written numerous books on war, fascism, and the rise of the Christian right in American politics. He currently hosts  The Chris Hedges Report podcast.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

May 22, 2025 (San Diego) –Supervisor Joel Anderson today offered a statement on the deadly plane crash that occurred in a Tierrasanta neighborhood near Murphy Canyon, along with advice on organizations helping collect donations and items to assist residents displaced by the crash.

"My office is closely monitoring the situation in our district where a small plane crashed into a Murphy Canyon neighborhood,” Sup. Anderson says.”Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have been killed and we wish those who have been injured a full recovery. Thank you to our incredible first responders who helped evacuate more than 100 people to safety in the early hours this morning."

The following organizations are currently collecting donations for the families impacted by this devastating crash. For more information, residents can contact:

Zero8Hundred - 858-944-0800

Support The Enlisted Project (STEP) - 858-695-6810

Get ready for a whirlwind of mistaken identity, tangled romance, and laugh-out-loud confusion in this timeless Shakespeare comedy. 

By G. A. McNeeley 

Photography By Kristin Campbell 

May 22, 2025 (El Cajon) — Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy that was created by William Shakespeare, and directed by Linda Libby. This is one show at the Grossmont College Stagehouse Theatre that you’ll definitely want to check out. 

If you’re not familiar with the story, it follows shipwrecked twins, Viola and Sebastian, as they find themselves lost in the strange land of Illyria. Violet, disguised as the young Cesario, falls in love with the noble Orsino, who is in love with the beautiful Olivia. But, Olivia falls in love with Cesario, who’s idolized by the pompous Malvolio. Meanwhile, Sebastian’s unexpected arrival only adds to the confusion, as he embarks on a quest to find his sister. 

If you enjoy period pieces or comedies, then this show is definitely for you. This bold and stylish reimagining of the beloved comedy will transport you into a 1920s speakeasy, where mistaken identities, unrequited love, and mischievous revelry take center stage. 

 East County News Service

May 21, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The San Diego Sheriff’s department today announced the arrest of Pierre Martel Terry, who is charged with conspiracy to commit murder. He is the fourth suspect arrested in relation to the September 18, 2024 murder of Darron Willie Singleton Jr. in Lemon Grove. 

Deputies responding to reports of gunshots found Singleton lying in the street on Dain Court in Lemon Grove, suffering from  at least one gunshot wound to his torso. Despite emergency efforts by deputies and San Miguel Fire department personnel, he died at the scene.

Singleton, the victim, was 23 years old when he was brutally gunned down. According to his obituary, he was attending Mesa College while working in security and for furniture moving companies. He played football at Morse High School and had played basketball, football and baseball in various local leagues. He also enjoyed writing rap music and singing.

Source:  FBI San Diego

May 21, 2025 (El Cajon) —The FBI San Diego’s Violent Crime Task Force is asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating the man behind a bank robbery in El Cajon, dubbed “The Blue Glove Bandit”.

The robbery occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 1235 Avocado Avenue, El Cajon, CA. During the robbery, the suspect entered the bank, approached the counter, and grabbed a customer, using him as a hostage. The suspect then demanded the teller give him money.

By Miriam Raftery

May 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – June is jam-packed with summer fun, including outdoor concerts in El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee,  and Viejas. You can also cheer on Flag Day Parade, enjoy the Descanso Day Parade and  Fair, laugh along with comedian Arsenio Hall at Sycuan, learn about our region's western heritage at Campo Days, and visit Julian’s Town Square Music Festival.

You can also savor a Father’s Day barbecue in Jacumba Hot Springs or Father’s Day tours at the Ilan Lael Center in Santa Ysabel. Meet local artists at the new Artival festival in El Cajon, see birds of prey up close at Mission Trails Regional Park, watch movies in the park, stroll through classic car shows, or watch a poolside concert at Sycuan.

Scroll down for details on these sizzling summer events and more.

May 20, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• FDA sets new requirements for COVID vaccines in healthy adults and children (ABC)
• Common Energy Drink Ingredient Linked to Blood Cancer (People)
• Trump EPA Guts Rules Against Toxic Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water (Common Dreams)
• The FDA approves first U.S. at-home tool as a Pap-smear alternative (KPBS)
• Measles math: What to know about 1,001 measles cases across the country (KPBS)
• The US hasn't seen a human bird flu case in 3 months. Experts are wondering why (AP)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• A Baby Received a Custom Crispr Treatment in Record Time  (Wired)
• Trump bans 'revenge porn': Melania Trump co-signs the document (USA Today)
• Victims of explicit deepfakes will now be able to take legal action against people who create them (CNN)
• Insight: Rogue communication devices found in Chinese solar power inverters (Reuters)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Kathleen Finney 

May 20, 2025 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon made history when its city council unanimously approved an ordinance that would ban the sale of disguised vape devices in an effort to help local schools control the youth vaping epidemic. Now, they need to focus on strictly enforcing tobacco restrictions at the point of sale. 

The ordinance, which went into effect on April 10, is the first of its kind in California; the only other similar ban nationwide can be found in Minnesota, where a statewide ban on the sale of disguised vape products passed in 2024. This decision displays El Cajon’s eagerness to protect the health of East County youth but fails to address the issue at the root of teen vaping.