By Jessyka Heredia

July 17, 2024 (Lemon Grove) – Residents of Lemon Grove were told there would be a community forum tomorrow  to discuss the possibility of bringing 70 sleeping cabins to Lemon Grove to house homeless people. But County Supervisors voted 4-0 yesterday (with Nora Vargas absent) to move forward on the project just two days before the community forum, leaving residents to wonder if their input ever mattered.

The project was to be built with a $10 million dollar grant from the state originally slated for 150 sleeping cabins in Spring Valley, but that project was cancelled after objections from neighbors over proximity to homes and sensitive sites. Vargas said she “heard the concerns of the community” and backed instead building a smaller-scale project in Lemon Grove near the Spring Valley boundary.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of 10 News, an ECM news partner

November 8, 2023 (San Diego) – Monica Montgomery Steppe is poised to fill the vacancy in district 4 left by the resignation of Nathan Fletcher on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Steppe has 61% of the vote,  while her opponent, Amy Reichert, a private investigator who led efforts to block COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates, has 39%. Steppe, an attorney and San Diego city councilmember, stands to become the first black woman to serve as a San Diego supervisor.

Although the race is officially nonpartisan, her victory will also restore a 3-2 Democratic majority on the board of Supervisors, which has been split since Fletcher resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment and assault by an MTS employee. Fletcher has denied guilt but faces a civil lawsuit.

On social media, Steppe posted, “As your Supervisor, I look forward to teaming up with you to tackle homelessness, promote holistic public safety, and invest in the county.”

East County News Service

October 13, 2023 (El Cajon)-- The two finalists for the District 4 supervisorial seat will address issues of concern to East County residents at a public forum to be held Oct. 18 at Cuyamaca College. Monica Montgomery Steppe and Amy Reichert were the two top vote-getters in the primary election for the District 4 supervisor’s seat vacated by Nathan Fletcher. The general election is being held Nov. 7.

The candidate forum starts at 7 p.m., with a meet and greet session starting at 6:30 p.m.  The event will be held at the Samuel M. Ciccati Performing Arts Center at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon. Parking and admission are free.

The candidate forum will be moderated by the League of Women Voters of San Diego and conducted according to their guidelines. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions that could be selected for the candidates to answer. The forum will be video recorded and posted on the League’s YouTube channel for future viewing.

By Miriam Raftery

August 15, 2023 (San Diego) – Early results in the 4^th Supervisorial district special election show San Diego Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe, a Democrat, with a strong lead at 40.71%  However the race appears likely to head to a run-off in November, if no candidate receives more than 50%.

Republican Amy Reichert, a small business owner and founder of Reopen  San Diego, is in second place with 28.67%, followed by Marine veteran and veterans’ advocate Janessa Goldbeck at 25.51.  Trailing at a distant fourth is Paul McQuigg, a Republican and advocate for disabled vets. Steppe has 31,418 votes thus far, Reichert 22,126,  Goldbeck 19,681, and McQuigg 3,941.