By Miriam Raftery

August 30, 2018 (El Cajon) – Approximately 20 elected officials and candidates running for local offices are slated to participate in tonight’s Poiltics in Paradise event.  Sponsored by five local Chambers of Commerce, the event will be held at the Water Conservation Garden from 5:30 to 8 p.m.  Attendees will have the opportunity to meet candidates and ask questions at their candidate booths.

By Helen Ofield, President, Lemon Grove Historical Society 

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo: Bessmon "Ben" Kalasho, August 2015

August 9, 2018 (El Cajon)--An exclusive investigation by East County Magazine has uncovered a criminal case in which El Cajon Councilman Bessmon “Ben” Kalasho pled guilty to two counts of workers’ compensation fraud in October 2015 (court case #MD094871).  View full documents. 

Kalasho was on probation for his crimes, both misdemeanors, when he ran for and won his seat on the City Council in 2016. He remains on probation until October 1, 2018. He was also fined.  

His criminal record did not come to light during the campaign because he ran for office as Ben Kalasho without listing his real name, Bessmon Kalasho, with the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

Kalasho has pulled papers to run for El Cajon City Council again in November.   

East County News Service

July 31, 2018 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invite you to enjoy great food from a dozen restaurants, enter for a chance to win 40 free door prizes, and meet spotlighted business members at the 5^th annual Summer Bash Business Expo. The fun takes place Thursday, August 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the La Mesa Community Center (4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa).

The next Unplugged Dining event is slated for August 21 at 5 p.m. at these four restaurants:  Fourpenny House Pub, Centifonti's, Trattoria Tiramisu, and San Pasqual Winery Tasting Room, all in La Mesa

East County News Service

July 24, 2018 (La Mesa) -- This past Tuesday, the La Mesa Village had quite a buzz emanating from Fourpenny House Pub.   People came to try out a new concept – unplugged dining.  As there are no TV’s, this cozy Scottish Brew Pub already has less emphasis on screens than many restaurants.  Taking it a step further on Tuesday, Fourpenny offered table games and displayed signs encouraging people to take a tech break while enjoying their meal.

East County News Service

Photo:  Michael Brueggemeyer of M2 Digital post Inc., director of Emmy award-winning campaign, accepts award wearing a dinosaur suit.

July 22, 2018 (Santee) – M2 Digital Post Inc. of Santee was awarded three Emmys at the 44th Annual National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Pacific Southwest Chapter Emmy awards show in Palm Springs last month.  The awards were in the category of Commercial Campaign and Photographer Short Form.

Source: Ramona Valley Vineyards Association

July 10, 2018 (Ramona) -- San Diego County winemakers picked up a record number of medals for outstanding wine at the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA) Awards Dinner for the ninth San Diego County Lum Eisenman Wine Competition on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 held at the San Vicente Resort.

By Miriam Raftery

July 5, 2018 (Jamul) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce and Alpine-Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce held a joint mixer beneath shady oaks at a new outdoor event venue at D&S Farms, home to Granite Lions Cellars in Jamul.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Robert Gehr and Miriam Raftery

June 24, 2018 (San Diego’s Est County) – Dozens of riders revved up outside Indian Motorcycles in El Cajon yesterday morning to start their journey on the  “Passport Through Time Fun Ride.” 

The event organized by the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce took a caravan of motorcycles and other vehicles along a road trip that included stops at sights along historic highways 67, 78, 79 and 80. Indian Motorcycles served up a light breakfast and swag including free bandanas, cookies, a commemorative event coin, and a multi-use tool complete with flashlight, screwdriver, and level. Then with the sound of rolling thunder, the group headed off to begin a day of adventure.

Participants collected stamps in a special passport at pit stops along the way, enabling them to vie for prizes drawn at a lunch at the destination’s end at Por Favor Restaurant in El Cajon.

Local business owners celebrate refugees’ positive economic contributions: over 64,000 foreign-born residents add $1.4 billion in business income to San Diego County

Source: Business For Good

June 20, 2018 (El Cajon) – On June 20, small business owners will gather at an immigrant-owned restaurant to honor the positive economic impact of immigrants and refugees on the San Diego economy. The event will take place on World Refugee Day, observed annually to honor the courage, strength and determination of people who are forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict and violence.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. at Suri Restaurant, 461 El Cajon Blvd, El Cajon, CA 92020. If you’d like to attend, check out the event link.

Business for Good San Diego, a local nonprofit that unites small business owners to drive policy that improves the community, works to support policies that recognize the importance of immigrants to our local economy. Staying true to this perspective, Business for Good partnered with International Rescue Committee San Diego to bring this summer mixer to Suri Restaurant, a Syrian restaurant in El Cajon.

Click here to listen to our interview on Passport Through Time with Eric Lund, president of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce, recorded in May and originally aired on KNSJ radio.

By Miriam Raftery

June 12, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce invites you to join in the Passport Through Time fun ride on Saturday, June 23 along Historic Highways 67, 78, 79 and 80 in San Diego’s East County.  Cars, motorcycles and other vehicles are welcome to participate.

The ride begins at 8:30 a.m. at Indian Motorcycle in El Cajon.  First stop is the Lakeside Rodeo grounds. Next, you’ll head north into the mountains through Ramona with a stop at the Oasis Camel Dairy, into Julian and a visit to the Julian Mining Company, down to Descanso and the Perkins Market, then on to Dana's Boutique, followed by the beautiful Summers Past Farms in Flinn Springs before ending up at Por Favor for lunch in El Cajon at noon.

Angela Moran recognized among local IT technology leaders

Source:  Cal Coast Credit Union

June 4, 2018 (San Diego) - Angela Moran, Chief Information Officer at California Coast Credit Union, which has several branches in East County, is among 13 leading IT professionals recognized with a 2018 Top Tech Exec Award for “forward-thinking and innovative approaches and programs” involving information technology.

By Miriam Raftery

May 30, 2018 (San Diego) – The FBI has issued a warning of Russian hackers infecting computer routers. The hack is linked to an espionage group loading malware that has already caused major attacks in the Ukraine and has now been found on home and office computer routers in the U.S.

Backcountry hidden pleasures:   Our guide to unique lodging adventures in San Diego’s beautiful backcountry

By Miriam Raftery

May 24, 2018 (Sycuan) – The Sycuan Casino held a topping off ceremony on Tuesday to celebrate placement of the final beam at the 12-story, 300-room hotel and resort slated to open in March 2019.

Sycuan Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez thanked tribal elders and members, the executive team, and Swinerton builders.  “It really is a collaboration,” he said, calling the tribe’s achievement “a family effort--everybody bringing together the vision of what it is going to take to bring Sycuan to the next level.”

The hotel will create 700 new jobs for the community, Chairman Martinez said.

By Miriam Raftery

May 18, 2018 (El Cajon) – Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, Hacienda Casa Blanco opened up its new outdoor patio earlier this month.  The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the occasion, where  Chamber members savored margaritas, festive music and authentic Mexican dishes.