By Miriam Raftery

September 4, 2022 (El Cajon) –  The El Cajon nonprofit License to Freedom has been counseling nine children in a Syrian refugee family traumatized first by war in their homeland, and now by the death of their mother, who was found shot in the family’s home. In an interview with East County Magazine originally aired on KNSJ radio,

Dilkhwaz Ahmed, founder of License to Freedom, provides an update on the children’s situation, also sharing information on the stresses facing refugee families. The  children’s father, Abdulhannan Abdurazaq Al Rawi, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.

“It’s so hard,” Ahmed says, when asked how the children, ages 2-17, are doing. “In a situation like that, the community gets together.” She says other Syrian refugees in the community worked to help the children, as did people in the Sudanese community, since the babysitter is from Sudan. “One of their close friends, a family from Syria, decided to take the kids, and they have seven kids,” Ahmed said.  “The wife was best friends with the mom…it’s heartbreaking.”

108 Rescued Beagles reach El Cajon animal shelter and prepare for adoption

Story & photos by Josh Stotler

August 31, 2022 (El Cajon) -- As the wheels of the Embraer Brasilia touched down on the runway of Gillespie Field at 1:43 p.m., 108 rescued beagles officially became San Diegans. The dogs, rescued from Envigo, a Virginia-based company that breeds animals for sale to scientific research & testing facilities, arrived on time and in good spirits.

Update:  The suspect's last name as Al Rawi, not Al Wari. The earlier misspelling was provided by El Cajon Police based on a a translation error. Friends of his have voiced shock at his arrest and doubts about the accusations against him, calling him a good father and pillar of the Syrian community locally who has helped other refugees, 10 News reports.

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Abdulhannan Abdurazaq Al Rawi is under arrest for allegedly shooting and killing his wife, 37, in the bedroom of their El Cajon home at 1599 Soma Place. The couple's nine children, ages 2 to 17, were in the home at the time, according to Lieutenant Randy Soulard with EL Cajon Police.

Dilkhwaz Ahmed with License to Freedom, an El Cajon social services agency supporting refugees, posted on Facebook tonight “Please pray for these kids who lost their mom today. Out team of therapists and myself stayed with them all day to make sure they have a safe place to go. If you would like to support them, please let me know. They are refugees from Syria.”

East County News Service

August 20, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department seeks public help to identify a suspect in a fatal shooting last night. 

Officers responding to a report of one or more gunshots found a man with a gunshot injury in the parking lot at 441 Dominguez, El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

August 19, 2022 (El Cajon) -- A man was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a three-hour standoff and garage fire in the unincorporated area of El Cajon.

Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

August 18, 2022 (El Cajon) -- If you haven’t registered for fall classes at Grossmont or Cuyamaca colleges – there’s still time! Both colleges will welcome back students on campus beginning Monday, August 22.For help registering for classes, students are invited to:

Grossmont College: In-person Class Assistance events August 22-23 12 – 6 p.m., August 24-25 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and August 26 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Student Services Building computer lab; A Student Fair in the Main Quad on August 24 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., with a College Hour 12 – 1 p.m.; or the Virtual Help Center (https://www.grossmont.edu/help-center).

Cuyamaca College: Online Find Your Pack events, where students can meet faculty and staff to hear about programs and services, August 16-17 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.; Online Student Help Center (https://www.cuyamaca.edu/help-center) or How to Register for Classes webpage (https://www.cuyamaca.edu/admissions/how-to-register-for-classes);

Financial aid information is also available online through the Grossmont College Financial Aid Office (https://www.grossmont.edu/financial-aid) and the Cuyamaca College Financial Aid Office (https://www.cuyamaca.edu/financial-aid/index.php). If you are a first-time college student planning to attend full time, you may be eligible for free tuition through the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise program (https://www.gcccd.edu/promise/index.php)

Both colleges are offering a variety of compelling courses and programs this fall:

By Elijah McKee

Photo:  former Councilmember Kristine Alessio will challenge La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis.

Updated August 15 with additional candidates qualified

August 10, 2022 (San Diego's East County) — Each city in East County will have elected seats up for grabs in the approaching November election — but the deadline to file for candidacy ends this week on August 12.

Along with each city’s elected positions, filing periods for school, fire and water districts will close too, as well as community planning groups. 

Incumbents can be granted a five-day extension for filing their nomination, but time is almost up for challengers and political newcomers. Those interested in running for an office can refer to the appropriate city or board clerk for nomination paperwork.

Local councils and staff members have a wide scope of impact on ground-level development and policy changes that matter to residents, as they are tasked with designing priorities and implementing budgets. City council terms are typically four years, while staff positions may be longer.

ECM asked East County's four cities for information on who has filed to run so far. Below are the responses.

East County News Service

August 5, 2022 (San Diego) – On August 10, East County’s first safe parking site for people living in their vehicles will be open beneath a freeway overpass on Magnolia in unincorporated El Cajon. The county-run safe parking area will be on the same site where homeless people have camped out for years.

East County News Service

August 3, 2022 (El Cajon) – Joshua Lee Martinez, 32, of El Cajon has been arrested after allegedly stabbing a man in the head aboard a trolley near the Marshall Avenue station in El Cajon.

Story by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

(Photo at left of Keithan Jones by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson) 

August 2, 2022 (San Diego) -- Keithan Jones, a resident of El Cajon, was celebrated at San Diego International Comic-Con as a featured special guest artist.

He displayed his work, a comic book series titled “Power Knights,” at a booth in Artist Alley in the San Diego Convention Center. Additionally, he appeared on several panels, did multiple interviews, and greeted fans, attendees, and friends during the run of Comic-Con 2022.

How did he get to that celebrated spot? Talent and recognition by an elementary school teacher.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC via Bing

July 28, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police have arrested a 22-year-old man who reportedly fled the scene after his vehicle struck and fatally injured a 20-year-old woman. Found with a signal light still hanging off his vehicle, the driver was found to be on a narcotic and faces multiple charges.

East County News Service 

July 26, 2022 (El Cajon) – Two El Cajon Police officers suffered fentanyl exposure and had to undergo a decontamination procedure today.

East County News Service

July 23, 2022 (El Cajon) – The driver of a black 2012 Toyota Prius has died after the vehicle struck a parked SUV.  The man, 38, was transported by paramedics to Scripps Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

By Miriam Raftery

July 16, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and his 7-piece band will perform a concert at the Magnolia performing arts center on Saturday, August 6 to benefit the East County Transitional Living Center. The Center provides shelter and services to help homeless families and individuals transition off the streets.