Graduate of El Capitan High in Lakeside became global advocate for sustainable design

By Miriam Raftery

September 6, 2019 (San Diego) - Jim Bell, ecological designer and internationally recognized expert on sustainable development who twice ran for mayor of San Diego, passed away in hospice at his home on July 31 at age 77 from complications of a stroke.

By Miriam Raftery 

Photo: SDSU Library

August 30, 2019 (San Diego) – Wadie P. Deddeh, former state Senator from San Diego and the first Iraqi-American elected to public office in the United States, passed away on August 27, just days before his 99th birthday.  Hailed as a statesman and an American success story by leaders on both sides of the political aisle, Deddeh;s legacy includes authoring the 1972 bill that established the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) and inspiring generations of immigrants to attain the American dream.

East County News Service

Photo via LinkedIn

August 4, 2019 (San Diego) – A powerhouse on the local political and civic scene, City Club founder and president George Mitrovich died July 24 at age 83. A graduate of Helix High School in La Mesa, where he played baseball and basketball, he maintained a lifelong love of sports and the principals of democracy, fostering civil dialogue and discussion.

East County News Service

July 11, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) - The East County backcountry lost one of its biggest cheerleaders on June 29, when Howard W. Cook passed away peacefully after a short illness. He gave selflessly to the community, serving as Chair and later Secretary for the Jacumba Sponsor Group and as Board Member of the Jacumba-Boulevard Revitalization Committee. 

Memorial gathering June 8 at 2 p.m. at Desert View Tower

East County News Service

Services set for April 27

By Miriam Raftery

March 17, 2019 (La Mesa) — Shortly after celebrating his 100th birthday, former La Mesa Mayor and San Diego County Supervisor died at his home on March 11th of congestive heart failure. He is remembered as a leader who left behind an indelible stamp on East County and the San Diego region, drawing respect from colleagues on both sides of the political aisle.

“Sad news about a big loss,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob posted on Facebook.  “But George Bailey’s decades of public service in East County and beyond will continue to inspire many of us.”

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2019 (Jamul) – Two young people were killed in a collision with a sport utility vehicle (SUV) that occurred around 11:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, December 31^st Campo Road (Highway 94) near Lyons Valley Road in Jamul, one mile north of the Jamul Casino.

Yannis Alekos Floros, 21, was driving east on the highway approaching the intersection when he lost control and spun sideways into oncoming traffic. The passenger side of the vehicle collided with the front end of a westbound SUV.  Floros was transported to a trauma center where despite aggressive resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead a short time later, on January 1, 2019, the County Medical Examiner’s office reports.

Tabia Watson, 20, was found unresponsive in the passenger seat of Floros’ vehicle; despite life saving measures, she died at the scene.

East County News Service

December 9, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) - They were prominent in business, government, nonprofit, educationand community activism – beloved local leaders who passed away in 2018, though their legacies live on. Click each name for a full obituary.

East County News Service

November 15, 2018 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – A celebration of life and spaghetti dinner will be held on November 16th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Jacumba Spa for friends and family to honor the memory of Richard Henry Alcorn.  

East County News Service

July 2, 2018 (La Mesa) -- Elizabeth Yeatts, 92, of Lakeville, Massachusetts, formerly of La Mesa, CA died on June 26, 2018 at home, surrounded by family and friends. Born in New London Connecticut, she graduated from the Williams School in 1943. Married to a Navy officer, Elizabeth lived in many different places including Rhode Island, Vermont, Florida, Hawaii and California during her husband’s Naval career and raised two daughters.

May 12, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Joyce Elizabeth Dunne, who taught school for many years in La Mesa and Lemon Grove schools, passed away on Friday, May 4th in Waco, Texas with her daughter Shannon at her side.  Beloved by all who knew her, she will live in our hearts forever.  She is survived by her brother: Donnie, four children: Greg, Grant, Guy and Shannon, and her six Grandchildren.

Memorial services in San Diego April 27 and May 1

East County News Service

April 27, 2018 (La Mesa) --- Gladys Palast (1921-2018), a beloved mother, former La Mesa resident, progressive activist and military veteran, passed away Friday at age 96 in Kaiser Permanente Hospital.  A life-long activist for union, education and civil rights, she is survived by her son, journalist, author and film producer Greg Palast and her daughter, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor Geri Palast. 

Gladys Palast was a union activist with SEIU and the San Diego Teachers Union.  Until the age of 80, she was also a school teacher in Los Angeles then San Diego.  She and her late husband, Gil Palast, were cofounders of the La Mesa Democratic Club and Activist San Diego, owner of KNSJ radio.

The first woman to enlist in the Coast Guard during World War II, she will be interred with full military honors at Miramar National Military Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego, CA 92122 today at 11 a.m. along with the ashes of her late husband, Gil Palast. A celebration of her life will follow at 1 p.m. in the rec room at 6780 Mission Gorge Road in San Diego, where friends are invited to bring memories, stories and songs to share.

By Miriam Raftery

March 7, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Greg Eichelberger, former editor of the East County Californian and East County Herald newspapers, passed away March 2^nd.   The writer known for his acerbic wit penned his own obituary, in which he wrote that he died of complications from heart disease, diabetes, an irregular heartbeat and “being a fat slob.”

By Miriam Raftery

February 18, 2018 (San Diego) – Sergeant Don Parker, who saved many lives as head of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue operations for many years, died on Valentine’s Day after battling glioblastoma brain cancer, with which he was diagnosed last May.

By E.A. Barrera

February 6, 2018 (San Diego) -- It is slightly less than 3,000 miles between the tiny village of Mompos, Colombia and Washington D.C. But of course it is in many ways farther then traveling to the moon. On a bright day in early 1961, my father, Ernesto Martin Barrera, and 16 other Colombian college students made the trip to America as part of a visiting tour of young leaders. They got to shake hands with a young American president who had his own dreams of trips to the moon, and they got to tour America.