Story and photos by Henri Migala

Video links of the event are found at the end of the article.

December 31, 2024 (El Cajon) - On December 21, the Syrian community of San Diego County held a community gathering in Kennedy Park in El Cajon to celebrate Syria’s liberation. Approximately 300-400 members of the Syrian community, including men, women and children, including elderly, attended the gathering to share their excitement for the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in Syria by dancing, sharing food, waving Syrian and US flags, and sharing stories.

East County News Service

December 31, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) - Our region lost civic leaders and luminaries this year in fields including a basketball superstar, an astronaut, a famous architect, a retired Sheriff’s deputy and Chamber of Commerce chairman, a World War veteran, an HVAC industry leader, a noted philanthropist, a former college president, a retired teacher, an engineer and newscaster, a political party chairwoman and a community theatre cofounder.  They are gone but not forgotten, leaving lasting legacies and memories.

Read more about their remarkable lives below; each title links to a full obituary.

By Ana E. Ibarra, CalMatters

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

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

December 28, 2024 (Sacramento) - Everyday people across the country skip medical care because of cost. Those who do seek medical help may end up with a balance they can’t pay off. That debt can hurt people’s credit scores, resulting in long-term financial burdens.

Source:  Santee School District

December 26, 2024 (Santee) - At the Organizational Meeting on December 17, 2024, Tracie Thill was sworn in to Seat No. 4 on the Santee School District Board of Education, with her term expiring in December 2028.

By Miriam Raftery

December 21, 2024 (San Diego) – Our guests on our East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM this week were Brigette Browning, President of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, along with Ollivia Aguirre, a striking worker, mother of two young children, and psychosocial clinician currently on strike at Kaiser Healthcare in El Cajon. She is also a representative of the National Union of Healthcare Workers. We also spoke with Chris Chavara, a single father of three teenagers and member of the Ironworkers Local 229.

Our guests spoke about the Labor Council’s recent holiday food and toy drive, including how it helped their own families. A downturn in the construction industry and the healthcare strike impacted their households directly, yet both Chavara and Aguirre volunteered at the holiday drive to help give back to others, as well as receive much-needed help.

Browning, also president of UNITE HERE Local 30, also spoke about successes won by unions recently, including unionizing all Sharp Healthcare Workers and landing a historic contract for hotel workers following a strike at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel.

You can listen to our full interviews here and scroll down for more information.

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo courtesy of the CDC

December 21, 2024 (San Diego) - County public health officials are warning San Diegans not to eat or drink raw milk products or give them to their pets because of the heightened risk for H5N1, or bird flu. 

By Mike Allen

Photo: Workers at GKN opening ceremony

December 18, 2024 (El Cajon) -- The site that was once planned as an Amazon warehouse is taking shape to house some of the most sophisticated machinery in the world, as well as the skilled workers to run it.

Just across the street from Gillespie Field at the confluence of Cuyamaca Street and Weld Avenue is the new home for GKN Aerospace, a top tier aircraft components supplier and refurbisher of engines for such customers as Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, General Electric and Boeing.

GKN has been operating in El Cajon for more than 70 years, but its two segments, OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and Repair Solutions, have been growing at such a nice clip, soit needed added room.

East County Eater

December 18, 2024 (El Cajon) – The tradition of skewered meats slow-grilled over a wood-burning fire arose in southern Brazil’s Pampas region, where gauchos, or Brazilian cowboys, would then take knives worn on belts and cut thin slices known as churrascos. Now you can savor this tradition at Rodizio Grill, an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse in downtown El Cajon. 

You can savor no less than 15 different cuts of meat served tableside by gaucho-clad waiters, including tender slices of steak, tri-tip, bacon-wrapped chicken, mint lamb  cooked with white wine and garlic, Portuguese sausage called Linguicia, ham, fish, and more. There’s also a grilled pineapple that will have you craving more.

Even vegetarians will find plenty to savor, since Rodizio also has an impressive salad bar featuring over 30 different salads plus an array of tasty hot side dishes such as Brazilian black bean stew, potatoes, rice seasoned with yucca flour, grilled vegetables and cinnamon-glazed bananas.

Update December 17, 2024 7 p.m.:  The victim has been identified as Jane Hannah Cronin of San Diego.

East County News Service

December 17, 2024 (Descanso) – The body of a 29-year-old woman was found on December 11 near the intersection of State Route 79 and Wildwood Glen Lane in Descanso.

December 17, 2024 -- As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Trump vows new Canada, Mexico, China tariffs that threaten global trade (Reuters)
• China bans exports to US of gallium, germanium, antimony in response to chip sanctions (AP)
• Trump plans to replace current FBI director with firebrand Kash Patel, drawing bipartisan fire (CNN)
• Christian Nationalism’s First Item on the Agenda: Repeal Women’s Right to Vote (Ms. Magazine)
• Incoming Trump administration plans to deport some migrants to countries other than their own (NBC)
• After court loss, Albertsons backs out of merger with Kroger, sues grocery chain (Washington Post)
• Mystery drones flying over New Jersey have residents and officials puzzled  (NPR)
• President Joe Biden Pardons His Son Hunter After Previously Saying He Wouldn’t (Time)
• Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to become US ambassador to France (AP)

WORLD

• Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? (CBS)
• Syrian government falls in stunning end to 50-year rule of Assad family (AP)
• Ukraine kills Russian chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov in Moscow (Reuters)
• 0French lawmakers oust the prime minister after just 91 days, toppling the government (NPR)
• Romanian top court annuls presidential election result (Reuters)
• Notre-Dame Cathedral rises from the ashes in grand reopening ceremony (France 24)
• Legendary Medellin cartel drug lord released from U.S. prison after serving 25 years  (NPR)

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

By Miriam Raftery

December 17, 2024 (San Diego) – Joan Jones, Vice Chair and Executive Director of the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, has been named Mid-Size Nonprofit Executive of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal.

According to the Journal, Jones has raised $10 million for the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, with a grant success rate of nearly 100%, helping to reach the Foundation’s goal to make San Diego the safest county in the nation.

Through new partnerships, the Foundation has significantly expanded support of regional fire departments and fire safe councils, providing valuable protection to residents across our region.In addition, the Foundation provided a grant to support East County Magazine's Wildfire and Emergency Alerts, helping to keep people safe and informed during emergencies across our region.  In 2024, the Foundation's grant funds also provided:

December 16, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Mysterious car-sized drones spotted in night sky above San Diego County (CBS 8)
• Desert sculptor who created iconic Borrego Springs creatures hospitalized (NBC 7)
• San Diego's Ponzi Scheme Queen, Gina Champion-Cain, Seeking Early Release On 15-Year Sentence Due To 'Horrific' Sexual Abuse At Infamous Prison (SanDiegoville.com)  
• Decades old clothing store will remain open with help of another business owner (10 News)
• What Cajon Valley Board Member Anthony Carnevale Won’t Say (Voice of San Diego)
• Julian-based nonprofit says property managers don't want them at low-income community (10 News)
• South County Report: ‘Forever’ Chemicals Discovered in South County Water (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• California’s plan to stabilize its home insurance market is now law. Will it work?(San Jose Mercury News)
• The price tag on Project 2025’s abortion plan: $300 million cut to Medi-Cal (Cal Matters)
• Battle Over Trans Student-Athletes Roils California High School Sports (Patch.com)

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

East County News Service

Image: angels and devils prepare for an epic battle for the souls of humanity in the Teatro Pastorela production of "La Pastorela de Coraje," broadcast through January 1 on KNSJ 89.1 radio. The holiday musical comedy has run for 34 years on San Diego County stages and airways. It features (from top l) Ella Aldridge, Alexa Luna, Syara Platero, Chantal Branscomb and David Rivas.  

December 17, 2024 (San Diego) -- Lucifer has made a comeback.

Once tossed from Heaven, the Prince of Darkness is planning an ambitious global revenge tour.

The good guys are ready. Armed with courage fueled by hope and love, they are prepared to push back in a big way.