FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS ONLINE WORKSHOP MARCH 22

ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: EASTER EVENTS, WILDFLOWER WALKS AND MORE SPECIAL SPRING HAPPENINGS

EAST COUNTY EATER: THE BARN HOUSE BBQ BRINGS KANSAS CITY FLAVOR AND FAMILY FUN TO LEMON GROVE

EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE WINS SANTEE CHAMBER FAVORITES AWARD FOR BUSINESS RESOURCES

REFUGE ON THE MOUNTAIN: SURVIVAL AFTER AN APOCALYPTIC DISASTER

WOMAN DIES IN EL CAJON HOUSE FIRE

SHARP-COLLINS SURPASSES VASQUEZ IN 79TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

BEAUTIFUL BORREGO BLOOMS: OUR GUIDE TO WILDFLOWER VIEWING

EARTH DAY 2024 FAIR IN LA MESA

COUNTY APPROVES PLAN TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES

COUNTY HOLDS HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS AND ELECTRONIC WASTE COLLECTION EVENT MARCH 30 IN SPRING VALLEY

News

CONSERVATIVE-BACKED JUDICIAL CANDIDATES WIN SEATS

By Miriam Raftery

March 6, 2024 (San Diego)—Republican-endorsed candidates won both contested judicial seats in yesterday’s primary election, prevailing over Democratic Party endosred candidates..

For seat 41, deputy district attorney Brian Erickson has 55.2% of the vote as of this morning, over senior assistant attorney general Jodi Cleesattle with 44.8% 

In seat 43, prosecutor Valerie Summers in the District Attorney’s office has soundly defeated family law attorney Koryn Sheppard by a 63.55% to 46.56% margin.


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SCHIFF AND GARVEY HEAD TO RUN-OFF IN PIVOTAL SENATE RACE, BUT GARVEY EDGES AHEAD FOR SHORT-TERM SPOT

Update March 6:  As of this morning, Steve Garvey has pulled ahead of Adam Schiff in the partial term Senate election.  Garvey is leading with 1,317,911 votes to 1,173,917 for Adam Schiff.  The two will run-off in November, with the winner seated as soon as votes are certified to serve the remaining few weeks in the late Senator Dianne Feinstein's term this November and December. 

Schiff  still has a narrow lead in the long-term race for the six-year term starting in January; currently Schiff leads in the long-term race narrowly with 1,247,753 over Garvey with 1,218,050 votes.  They will run-off in November as well for the long-term race to fill the next six-year term beginning in January.  

By Henri Migala

March 5, 2024 (San Diego) --With the balance of power in the U.S. Senate nearly equally split between Republicans and Democrats, the California race to replace the late Dianne Feinstein may decide the balance of power in the Senate and the Nation.

Currently, there are 49 Republicans, 48 Democrats and 3 Independents in the Senate. The Independents have chosen to Caucus with the Democrats, giving them a slight edge. Additionally, on January 20, 2021, Democratic vice president Kamala Harris took office. Her tie-breaking vote established a Democratic majority in the Senate.

With the death of long-serving Senator Dianne Feinstein, a seat that has been held by Democrats for decades is now up for grabs. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to fill the seat until an election could be held.

Today's ballot includes both a partial term election to complete the last two months of Feinstein's unfinished term, as well as a full-term election for the next six-year term beginning January 3, 2025.


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NIKKI HALEY SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN, BUT DOES NOT ENDORSE TRUMP

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Gage Skidmore: Nikki Haley in 2024

March 6, 2024 (San Diego) – Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced today that she is suspending her presidential campaign,  after losing 13 of the 14 primary races (winning only Vermont) on Super Tuesday.

Her withdrawal means former President Donald Trump is the Republican party’s presumptive nominee, with no other challengers remaining. But Haley pointedly did not endorse Trump, whom she has sharpy criticized.

In a speech this morning, Haley voiced “no regrets” adding, “I will not stop using my voice for the things I believe in.”


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MAYOR BILL WELLS TO SQUARE OFF AGAINST CONGRESSWOMAN SARA JACOBS IN 51ST DISTRICT

By Miriam Raftery

March 6, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, a Democrat, has finished first in the primary election in the 51st Congressional district, with 56.28% of the vote.  She will run-off against El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, a Republican, in the November general election. Wells captured 40.09% of the votes tallied thus far.

Wells has served as the city's mayor since 2013, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy left by resignation of Mayor Mark Lewis. He was later elected and twice won reelection. Should his Congressional bid be unsuccessful he would remain as mayor, since his term ends in 2024.*


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VASQUEZ AND PARENT SPEAK OUT AS EARLY RESULTS SHOW THEM LIKELY HEADED TO RUN-OFF FOR ASSEMBLY RACE

By Jessyka Heredia and Miriam Raftery 

March 6, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- La Mesa Councilman Colin Parent and Lemon Grove Mayor Racquel Vasquez are maintaining their first and and second place positions in the primary race for the 79th Assembly district seat. If their leads hold, the two East County elected official will run-off in the November general election, leaving their current council and mayoral positions to be filled in the November election, since both have terms of office ending after this year.

As of 11:30 p.m. on Election night, Parent has 41.01%, Vasquez 31.53% and Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins, County Office of Education’s community engagement specialist and adjunct professor at SDSU trails close behind with 27.43%. 

As last night’s Lemon Grove City Council meeting adjourned, ECM’s  reporter approached the dais to let Vasquez know she was number two in the early voting numbers so far and asked if she would like to give a statement.


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EARLY RESULTS POINT TO REPUBLICAN KRISTIE BRUCE-LANE AND DEMOCRAT DARSHANA PATEL IN 76TH ASSEMBLY PRIMARY SHOWDOWN

By Michael Howard

 

March 5, 2024 (San Diego) – As the California State Assembly primary election results begin to unfold, it appears that the race for the 76th Assembly District seat is shaping up to be a face-off between Republican candidate Kristie Bruce-Lane (photo, left) and Democrat Darshana Patel (photo, right). The departure of incumbent Brian Maienschein has opened the door to a competitive contest with the two candidates vying for the vacant seat. 

 

With 19.9% of precinct’s reporting, Kristie Bruce-Lane received 26,271 votes, and Darshana Patel 17,918. Trailing behind the two top contenders was Democrat Joseph Rocha with 9,877 votes. 


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STEPHEN HOULAHAN LEADING LONG LIST OF CHALLENGERS FOR SHOWDOWN AGAINST DARRELL ISSA

By Michael Howard

 

March 5, 2024 (San Diego's East County) - In the race for the 48th Congressional District, early results from the primary election suggest that Democratic candidate Stephen Houlahan is on track to secure a spot in the general election, where he will face off against Republican incumbent Darrell Issa for the second consecutive election. 

With 19.9% of all precincts reporting, Issa held the lead among all candidates with 41,284 votes followed by Houlahan with 11,811. The remaining candidates trailed the two top contenders. Democratic candidates Whitney Shanahan received 7,833 votes, Mike Simon 6,411, Matthew G. Rascon 1,718, and no-party preference candidate Lucinda Kwh Jahn garnered 738 votes.


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BIDEN AND TRUMP DENIED SWEEPS THIS SUPER TUESDAY, BUT MOVE CLOSER TO CLINCHING NOMINATIONS

Jason Palmer wins American Samoa, Nikki Haley wins Vermont

Update: Nikki Haley will suspend her campaign, reports Associated Press

By Jonathan Goetz

March 5, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- On Super Tuesday, President Joe Biden won all 16 states holding Democratic contests for President, while former President Donald Trump won at least 12 of the 14 states holding Republican primaries or caucuses today. Neither secured enough delegates yet to secure their party’s nominations, though both appear on track to do so. This is Biden's first loss to primary challengers in the 2024 election cycle and Trump's second, following Haley's victory in Washington, D.C.

Jason Palmer, a venture capitalist and former staffer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, defeated Incumbent President Joe Biden by 51 votes to 40, in American Samoa's caucus. As a result, Palmer secured all six Democratic delegates from American Samoa. Palmer told NBC news after his surprising win, “You can never expect to beat an incumbent president, but I love the people of American Samoa, and they’ve been so wonderful to me this past month.”

Trump was denied a sweep by Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Governor (ret.) of South Carolina, who won the Republican primary in the State of Vermont, picking up at least 9 of 17 Republican delegates.


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INCUMBENTS HAVE STRONG LEADS IN SAN DIEGO CONGRESSIONAL RACES

By Miriam Raftery

March 5, 2024 (San Diego) – All five San Diego Congressional members have strong leads in the primary election, unsurprisingly given the power of incumbency and name recognition.

The key question is who will run off against them in November--and the early results have strong indicators of those outcomes.


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BENJAMIN HAROUNI VIGIL IN EL CAJON CALLS FOR PEACE AND DEEPER INVESTIGATION

By Nadin Brzezinski
 
Photos: Tom and Nadin Abbott
 
March 5, 2024 (El Cajon) -- On Thursday February 29, Dr. Benjamin Harouni (photo within a photo, left), a Jewish American dentist of Mizrahi extraction, the family is originally from Iran, was murdered in El Cajon. The alleged shooter was 29-year-old Mohammed Abdulkareem. The reality is that this shooting, in the environment of antisemitism we live in, triggered fear in the local community.
 
Jake Harouni (photo, left) is Dr. Benjamin Harouni's younger brother. Understandably, he was emotional when he read a prepared statement, a eulogy to his brother. He asked anyone who faced loss, “Where do I even begin? My brother, Doctor Benjamin Harouni, was beyond life. Those who knew him knew he was one of the most empathetic, selfless, dear souls they have ever known.”

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DEMAIO AND JUZA AHEAD IN CROWDED 75TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT FIELD

By Miriam Raftery

Updated March 6th with latest results.

March 6, 2024 (San Diego's East County)-- Conservative firebrand Carl DeMaio, the leader of Reform California, now has 43.8% of as of today for the 75th Assembly race.  Kevin Juza, a business consultant who is the Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate, is in second place with 19.02% of the vote, followed by Republican Andrew Hayes, a Lakeside school board member and long-time aid to legislators Brian Jones and Joel Anderson with16.28%.

Juza got a boost from deceptive campaign tactics by DeMaio, whose campaign funded full-color mailers and a website urging voters to support Juza, whom DeMaio would prefer to run off against in the November general election.


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PARENT, VASQUEZ LEAD IN 79TH ASSEMBLY RACE

By Miriam Raftery

March 5, 2024  (San Diego's East County)--Incumbency counts. That's the takeaway from tonight's early results in the 79th Assembly district race, where two prominent East County elected officials hold the lead over an educator endorsed by the Democratic Party.  All three candidates are Democrats.

La Mesa Councilman Colin Parent has a hefty lead, with 41.04% of the votes tallied so far.  Lemon Grove Mayor Racquel Vasquez has 31.53%, while educator LaShae Sharp-Collins has 27.43% of the vote. The top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff in the November general election.


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LA MESA BANS PUBLIC REMOTE COMMENTS AFTER ANTI-SEMITIC RANTS; OTHER CITY COUNCILS AROUND NATION POINT TO AI GENERATED ASSAULT


By Michael Howard

 

Screenshot from City Council video: La Mesa City Attorney Gleen Sabine advises Council on free speech rights

 

March 3, 2024 (La Mesa, CA) - The La Mesa City Council in its February 27 meeting voted 4-1 to ban remote public comments moving forward, with Councilman Jack Shu casting the dissenting vote.


The agenda item cites a memo by City Clerk Megan Wiegelman that suggested “in the aftermath of COVID, remote public comment is no longer necessary.” But the move to disallow call-in and Zoom public comments during City Council meetings seems to be in response to theFebruary 13 Council meeting, in which several remote participants listed Jewish government officials and unleashed a barrage of anti-Semetic speech. 


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FLOOD VICTIMS CAN NOW APPLY FOR FEDERAL HELP AT FEMA DISASTER RECOVERY SITES IN SPRING VALLEY AND SAN DIEGO

East County News SErvice

March 2, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has two local disaster recovery centers that are open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Residents who had damage from the floods that occurred January 21-23 can visit the centers or register online for federal disaster relief to help pay for repairs, temporary housing and property losses,  as well as business loans, now through April 19.

The federal aid comes after President Joe Biden issued a federal disaster declaration for our regionl.

The centers are located at the Spring Valley County Library (836 Kempton St, Spring Valley) and at the Mountain View Community Center (651  South Boundary St., San Diego).


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MURDER VICTIM DESCRIBED BY RABBIS AS "SWEET" AND "EXTREMELY SPIRITUAL"

By Donald H. Harrison, San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

March 2, 2024 (El Cajon) -- Dr. Benjamin Harouni (photo, left), a recent dental school graduate who was murdered Thursday at the dental offices of his father, Dr. Jack Harouni, in El Cajon, was described by members of the Jewish community who knew him as “sweet,” “extremely spiritual,” and “wise beyond his years.”
 
Many friends of the family are expected at the funeral service, which tentatively has been scheduled for 10 a.m., Sunday, March 3, at El Camino Memorial Park, 5600 Carroll Cayon Road, San Diego.

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SAN DIEGO FLOOD RESPONSE FUND RAISES AND GRANTS MORE THAN ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO ASSIST FLOOD SURVIVORS

 

More than 1,100 individuals, businesses & organizations contributed to the fund

Hundreds of flood survivors assisted by nonprofit grantees

With FEMA assistance now available, fund will sunset

March 1, 2024 (San Diego)  – San Diego Foundation (SDF) Wednesday announced that $1,353,000 has been raised for the San Diego Flood Response Fund, including a second earned match of more than $215,000 from the San Diego Foundation Board of Governors. In total, San Diego Foundation is the largest contributor to the response fund with more than $300,000.


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VICTIM KILLED BY SHOOTER AT EL CAJON DENTAL CLINIC WAS JEWISH; FBI JOINS INVESTIGATION

 

Update 7 p.m.: The Medical Examiner has confirmed the death of Benjamin Ariel Harouni, 28, of gunshot wounds.

By Miriam Raftery

March 1, 2024 (El Cajon) – Multiple Jewish media outlets report that the man killed at the Smile Plus Dentistry & Orthodonics clinic in  El Cajon late yesterday  was Dr. Benjamin Harouni, an Orthodox Jew at the clinic run by Harouni and his father. Authorities have not yet confirmed the victim’s identity, however the Jewish publication Yeshiva World News first published his name along with a photo confirming that Misakim members from  Los Angeles spent the scene at the scene watching over the body to assure that Jewish law was respected.  Jewish News Syndicate has also named Harouni as the fatality victim.

The shooting suspect, Mohammed Abdulkareem,29, was arrested after an intensive manhunt. He has been charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, for two other workers who were injured.  El Cajon Police have indicated the suspect was a disgruntled former patient, but an investigation into his motives continues, with speculations raised online over whether these may have been anti-Semitic hate crimes.

Fabienne Perlov,  Regional Director of the The Anti-Defamation League in San Diego, has issued a statement indicating that its  Center on Extremism "has not identified any extremist or hate-related motivation behind the shootings at this point." 

The carnage might have been worse, if not for a swift response by El Cajon Police. After receiving reports of gunshots in the clinic at 4:14 p.m., officers arrived two minutes later and found the three gunshot victims, an ECPD press release indicates.  According to Yeshiva, Harouni “was found inside the office as the shooting was still ongoing and was taken outside by officers, where they attempted to perform lifesaving measures,” however he died at the scene.


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ACTIVE SHOOTING SUSPECT IN EL CAJON ARRESTED: 1 DEAD, 2 INJURED

 

Update  March 1, 2024:  Officers and a mobile forensic lab remains on scene. Police have not revealed details, however a city official told  ECM that the shooting suspect was a digruntled patient. He has been charged with first degree murder.

Update 10  p.m.: The suspect is in custody,  per El Cajon Police post on X.

February 29, 2024 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police seeks public help to locate Mohammed Abdulkareem, 29, who is considered armed and dangerous. He is the suspect in an active shooter event tonight at the Smile Plus dental office in the 400 block of Magnolia Avenue.

He is described as light-skinned, wearing all black clothing. He fled the scene in a white U-haul pickup truck with Arizona license plate  AM 14894, last seen heading north on N. Mollison. If you see him or have any information, please call El Cajonj Police at 619 579-3311 or call 911.


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COUNTY SUPERVISORS VOTE TO SUPPORT PROPERTY TAX PROPOSAL FOR FLOOD VICTIMS BROUGHT FORTH BY SHANE HARRIS

East County News Service

February 20, 2024 (San Diego) --On Tuesday, San Diego County Supervisors voted unanimously in support of a proposal that Shane Harris, President of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, brought forth. Harris issued it to county supervisors on January 25th just three days after the San Diego floods that decimated several neighborhoods throughout southeastern San Diego, Southcrest and Barrio Logan as well.

The proposal requested that County Assessor and Supervisors establish a countywide ordinance that would defer the April 10th property tax delinquent deadline for flood victims, which would further support unincorporated areas like Spring Valley. Property taxes are usually due by April 10th before a delinquent notice is issued.


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SDSU STUDENT NEEDS HELP FOR INJURIES, LOSS OF VEHICLE DUE TO HELPING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM

By Miriam Raftery

February 28, 2024 (San Diego) -- A San Diego State University student who intervened to help a victim of domestic violence has suffered injuries including a sprained back and neck, as well as loss of the vehicle he relies on for his livelihood.


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COMMUNITY WORKSHOP ON LOVELAND TRAILS MARCH 14 IN ALPINE

By Miriam Raftery

February 28, 2024 (Alpine) -- A community workshop on trail improvements at Loveland Reservoir will be held on Thursday, March 14 at the Alpine Women’s Club (2156 Alpine Blvd) in Alpine from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

State Senator Brian Jones convened the workshop along with the Sweetwater Water Authority to hear from residents concerned about trail erosion and limited public access due to erosion caused by severe winter storms in January of last year.  


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IRS EXTENDS TAX FILING DEADLINES FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY SEVERE STORMS

East County News Service

Photo: CC by SA via Bing

February 28, 2024 (San Diego) -- The Internal Revenue Service has announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in areas with disaster declarations designated by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This includes San Diego County residents and businesses impacted by the severe storms and flooding that began January 21st


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BOARD OF SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT SPENDING PLAN

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office
 
February 28, 2024 (San Diego) -- The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today on how to spend the final $102 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. 
 
In 2021, the County got $650 million in ARPA funds from the federal government and adopted a framework for spending it. ARPA is a stimulus bill meant to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and social impacts.  

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WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN REOPENS TODAY; JPA TO TAKEOVER OPERATIONS

Tomatomania event restored, will take place March 8-9

By Miriam Raftery

Photo,left by Andy Franks:  Lauren Magnuson and Tim  Townsley are all smiles at entry of reopened Water Conservation Garden.

February 27, 2024 (Rancho San Diego, CA) – The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College reopened to the public today, after the Garden’s  Joint Powers Authority agreed to takeover operations from the financially struggling nonprofit group, Friends of the Water Conservation Garden. Following a brief closure,  Interim Executive Director Lauren Magnuson announced that she is “thrilled” that the Garden will be  “in bloom again.”

Hours will be limited initially to Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m.to 2 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.to 4 p.m.  Education programs such as  Ms. Smarty Plants are temporarily paused until the operational transition is completed. 

The popular “Tomatomania” event has been restored and will be held as originally scheduled March 8-9.


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A TSUNAMI OF EVIDENCE: SDPD'S SIX MILLION VIDEOS

Body-Worn Cameras Ten Years after Ferguson
 
By JW August, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association
 
Photos Courtesy San Diego Police Department. Warning: Photos contain graphic violent content.
 
February 25, 2024 (San Diego) -- Ten years ago, angry widespread protests erupted after Michael Brown was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, MO. Called the Ferguson uprising, Brown’s death and the aftermath of unrest and anger brought immediate attention to law enforcement methods in Ferguson and in time was seen as an indictment of policing in the country and here in San Diego1.

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WOMAN FOUND DEAD NEAR CREEK IN SANTEE IDENTIFIED AS FAITH ANGLE

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Forensic artist PJ Puterbaugh created this sketch that helped to identify the deceased woman. 

 

February 25, 2024 (Santee) -- A citizen’s tip helped the County Medical Examiner’s Office identify a woman who died in the Jan. 22 storm. The body of Faith Angle, 46, was found in brush along Forester Creek in Santee.


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ECM HOLDS IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH ALL THREE CANDIDATES RUNNING IN 79TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, top left to lower right:  Dr. LaShea Sharp-Collins, Mayor Racquel Vasquez, and Councilman Colin Parent.

February 25, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – ECM reporter Jessyka Heredia has done in-depth interviews with all three candidates running in the 79th Assembly District.

All three are Democrats, and each has substantial public service experience.  LaShae Sharp-Collins, PhD, the party’s endorsed choice, is  the County Office of Education’s community engagement specialist, an adjunct professor at SDSU, and former district director for Assemblymember Shirley Weber, PhD.  Racquel Vasquez is Mayor of Lemon Grove and previously served on the city council and planning commission.  Colin Parent is a La Mesa Assemblyman and former director of external affairs for the California Department of Housing and Community Development, as well as past director of policy at the San Diego Housing Commission.

Each has many accomplishments and goals, which they highlight in our exclusive interviews. Vasquez and Parent tout their successful tract records of bringing new housing to their cities, while Sharp-Collins emphasized her expertise in education issues.. All spoke of their approaches to the state’s top issues including housing, homelessness, healthcare and education, as well as commenting on how the state might help the 79th Assembly district prevent future flooding.

Each candidate has faced controversy at times. Parent, who serves as general counsel for Circulate San Diego, has helped raise funds from developers for that nonprofit organization and has drawn criticism for supporting developer/donor interests on the City Council. Vaquez has drawn complaints from some residents over the city’s flood response and  storm drain issues . Sharp-Collins raised controversy, according to the Daily Aztec for a slave persona assignment.

Below are links to our exclusive interviews with each candidate for the March 5 primary election, listed in alphabetical order:

Colin Parent

LaShea Sharp-Collins

Racquel Vasquez


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MIGRANT CENTER CLOSES DESPITE SURGE IN IMMIGRANTS; DROP-OFFS AT TRANSIT STATIONS RESUMES

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner KGTV 10 News.

February 25, 2024 (San Diego) – Bipartisan calls for federal help are escalating after closure of a local migrant welcoming center due to lack of funds amid an unprecedented surge in migrants from around the world.

The migrant center run by SBCS (formerly known as South Bay Community Center) closed its doors Thursday night.  Kathie Lembo, the nonprofit’s president and CEO, stated,  “As the number of migrants arriving at the center has increased significantly over the last few weeks, our finite resources have been stretched to the limit.”

San Diego County had allocated $6 million to fund the welcome center as an alternative to Border Patrol dropping off massive numbers of migrants at transit centers. The welcome center had provided temporary shelter, food, Wifi connections, and travel information for the vast majority of migrants seeking to rejoin family members elsewhere in the United States. The funds were expected to last until March.

But with more than 100,000 migrants arriving in our region since September, the center ran out of funds.  Now Border Patrol, which lacks sufficient facilities to detain migrants, is once again dropping many of them off at transit centers to fend for themselves, or accept help from volunteers.


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FAMILY OF TODDLER CRITICALLY INJURED BY WRONG-WAY DRIVER IN EL CAJON NEEDS HELP TO PAY MEDICAL BILLS

By Miriam Raftery

February 24, 2024 (El Cajon) – The family of Akeel Robinson, a 17-month-old toddler critically injured by flying concrete in a crash caused by a wrong-way driver Jan. 28 in El Cajon have launched a GoFundMe drive to help pay medical expenses. The boy remains hospitalized with serious head and neck injuries.Donate here:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-expenses-for-baby-akeel?utm_campaign=...

Akeel’s father, Anthony Robinson, was stopped at a traffic light in El Cajon with his three children in the family’s SUV, including Akeel, who was asleep in a car seat. Then a woman driving  a pickup truck the wrong-way on I-8 crashed into a concrete guardrail and plunged off the overpass.  It struck a wall below and burst into flames next to Robinson’s SUV. The wrong-way driver, Katy Frausto Aguilar, died at the scene.

Robinson was able to help his two older children out of the vehicle, but Akeel was slumped over, his head bleeding. He was rushed to Rady Children’s Hospital, where he underwent surgery for a fractured skull. To reduce brain swelling, he was put into a medically induced coma with part of his skull temporarily removed.

Ashleigh Jarrell, a cousin of Akeel’s mother, Kayte Blocker, has organized the GoFundMe page as the family’s medical bills mount.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SBA OPENS BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTER TO HELP BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS IMPACTED BY SEVERE STORM AND FLOODING

February 23, 2024 (San Diego) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration will open an SBA Business Recovery Center in National City on Monday, Feb. 26, to provide a wide range of services to businesses countywide impacted by the severe storm and flooding that occurred Jan. 21 - 23.

No appointment is necessary. All services are provided free of charge. The Business Recovery Center will be located at :

Southwestern College, Higher Education Center National City

First Floor, Room 7100 - Center for Business Advancement

880 National City Blvd., National City, CA  91950

It will be open starting Monday, Feb. 26 at 12 p.m. and thereafter Mondays-Fridays from 8:30 a.m.. to 5 p.m.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

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