East County News Service

August 30, 2016 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove Historical Society’s next “History Alive” program will feature Donna Vitale Lupinacci, bringing life to the story of American nursing during the Civil War. The event will be held Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. on "History Alive" in the H. Lee House, 3205 Olive, Lemon Grove.

By Jonathan Goetz

Scroll down for complete ballot statements from all candidates

August 23, 2016 (Lemon Grove)-- The Lemon Grove City Council is undergoing some major changes. Mayor Mary Sessom is stepping down. Council members Racquel Vasquez and George Gastil are running for the open mayoral seat, along with Teresa Rosiak, former president of Lemon Grove’s Chamber of Commerce.

Although the races are officially nonpartisan,Gastil has won endorsement from the County Democratic Party, an advantage in Lemon Grove, a heavily Democratic community.  Vasquez is also a registered Democrat,while Rosiak is a Republican. 

Both Gastil and Vasquez have their terms end this year, meaning they are giving up their seats by running for Mayor and there will be no costly special election to fill their seats. Five candidates are hoping to fill those slots.

Below are highlights on all Mayoral and Council candidates' qualifications, along with their full ballot statements submitted to the cities. (Note,  statements are within the public review period which ends August 29; statements may change on official ballots if any information is challenged.)

East County News Service

August 21, 2016 (Lemon Grove) – Mexican Consul General Rafael Laveaga will hold a Mobile Consulate at the Lemon Grove Library (3002 School Lane, Lemon Grove) on Saturday, August 27^th from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

August 19, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – For the first time,  the Grossmont Union High School District will elect its board trustees by individual trustee districts this fall, not at-large elections.  The two seats up for grabs have each attracted four candidates (eight total) offering candidates some diverse choices.

By Miriam Raftery

August 2, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The deadline to file as a candidate to run for local offices is August 11. But so far, many East County races have no candidates declared or qualified for the ballot, according to the Registrar of Voters candidate list for the November election.  Most community planning groups have nobody running.  The same is true in some school, water and fire districts. Races with no candidates will be filled by appointment. In other districts, people are running unopposed—even incumbents on some of the most controversy-riddled boards.

No candidates are listed yet for the city councils in El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove or Santee, nor for the mayoral seats open in Lemon Grove and Santee, nor the La Mesa City Clerk or Treasurer seats.  Candidates have been actively campaigning in some of those races and some will likely file before deadline, but it’s also common for candidates to drop out before qualifying for the ballot.

In the Grossmont Union High School District, incumbent Jim Stieringer is thus far running unopposed in district two (La Mesa/Mt. Helix/Rancho San Diego); in district one (Lemon Grove/Spring Valley) which is an open seat, only one candidate has filed: Pastor Steve Babbitt from Spring Valley Community Church.

By Miriam Raftery

August 3, 2016 (La Mesa) – With scarcely any public notice, Helix Water Board passed a 10.3% rate hike by a slim one-vote majority. The stated reason was because water use has dropped due to customers conserving water--just as the district asked them to do.

Directors Kathleen Coates-Hedberg and Joel Scalziti voted against jacking up rates, while directors John Linden, Chuck Muse and Deana Verbeke voted for the rate hike over public objections.

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo (L-R):  Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza, Mayor Pro Tem George Gastil, Mayor Mary Sessom and City Manager Lydia Romero

July 26, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- San Diego State University has chosen Lemon Grove for its 2016-2017 Sage Project, in which students partner with cities on a variety of projects ranging from helping the homeless to recreation programs and public art. Council unanimously approved the Sage Partnership.

No filing fees, ballot statement costs  $315 to $360 in smaller trustee districts

By Miriam Raftery

July 24, 2016 (San Diego’s East County ) – For the first time, the Grossmont Union High School District will hold elections in November for individual trustee districts.   There are no filing fees, though modest fees are charged for candidates to publish ballot statements. With smaller districts, the cost for ballot statements is far less than in the past --just $315 in Trustee Area 1 (Lemon Grove/Spring Valley/La Prensa),which is an open seat, and $360 in Trustee Area 2 (La Mesa/Casa de Oro/Mt. Helix and part of Rancho San Diego) currently represented by Jim Stieringer.

The candidate filing period opened July 18 and closes August 12^th.  August 12 is also the deadline for candidates to submit ballot statements, which for the first time will be accepted electronically.

East County News Service

July 5, 2016 (Lemon Grove) — A carjacker wound up knocked to the ground by a boxer whose vehicle the assailant attempted to steal.

East County News Service

June 25, 2016 (Lemon Grove) - On June 30 from 5 - 8 p.m. Porcella in China, a celebration of artist Don Porcella's sensational debut in Shanghai as the dazzling designer of four windows for the new flagship store of French couturier Hermès, will be held in the H. Lee House Cultural Center, 3205 Olive, Lemon Grove. The kicker: Don built the fabulous creatures in this exhibit right here in Lemon Grove. See and hear how they did it from Don and ace studio manager Samantha Wilson, and quaff a little bubbly with the fans.

East County News Service

June 20, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- The smooth sounds of the Cat-illacs will entertain a crowd at Lemon Grove’s Summer Concert Series on Thursday, June 30^th. The summer concert series takes place each Thursday night all summer long at Berry Street Park starting at 6:30. 

East County News Service

June 10, 2016 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation is holding a Coffee with the Community on Wednesday, June 15^th from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.at the Lemon Grove Community Center, 3146 School Lane in Lemon Grove.

East County News Service

May 26, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- The Lemon Grove Historical Society will be back in the Lemon Grove Library, 3001 School Lane, on May 28 at 2 p.m. with part II of its remembrance of the Vietnam War.  The event honors our military on the Memorial Day weekend and is an opportunity to learn more about the war that many would prefer to forget, but that scarred an entire generation in both the U.S. and Vietnam.

East County News Service

May 23, 2016 (Lemon Grove) - On Saturday, May 28^th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Heartland Firefighters of Lemon Grove Local 2728 will be hosting their annual BBQ and Open House at Fire Station 10, 7853 Central Avenue to raise money for the MDA and local charities.

By Helen Ofield, President, Lemon Grove Historical Society