By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC via Bing

November 11, 2022 (San Diego) -- The California Public Utility Commission today released a revised version of its Net Metering 3.0 proposal to regulate rooftop solar. The agency will hear testimony at a public meeting on Wednesday, November 16^th and is slated to vote December 15^th on the measure. If adopted, the new rules would take effect next April.

Wild Holidays festivities begin Nov. 25 on select nights through Jan. 1

Source: San Diego Zoo Safari Park

November 11, 2022 (Escondido) -- ‘Tis the season! Wild Holidays returns to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido on select dates beginning Nov. 25, 2022 ,through New Year’s Day. The annual celebration invites guests to experience the wonders of the Safari Park, with a special holiday twist.

By Miriam Raftery

November 10, 2022 (San Diego) – Measure A, which would impose a tax on all cannabis businesses in San Diego County’s unincorporated areas, is passing by a healthy margin. Funds raised would go into the county’s general fund to be used for health care, fire safety, parks, infrastructure and more, as well as to shut down illegal marijuana operations.

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 10, 2022 (San Diego) - San Diego County’s local health emergency for monkeypox (MPOX) is expiring today, Thursday, Nov. 10.

Application period is open through January 20, 2023

Source:  Superior Court of San Diego

November 10, 2022 (San Diego) - The San Diego Superior Court is now seeking dedicated residents with sound judgment from throughout the county to serve on the 2023/2024 San Diego County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury investigates citizen complaints and performs its traditional function as a “watchdog” over government agencies. It does not conduct criminal investigations.

By Editor, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

November 9, 2022 (San Diego) - Kelly Anne Martinez established a substantial lead in early returns Tuesday in her run for San Diego County sheriff, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

By Susan Taylor and Miriam Raftery

Photo: Caitlin Tiffany, Rebecca McRae and Brianna Coston are leading in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District races

The Governing Board of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District will likely have a Democratic majority if early election leads hold for Caitlin Tiffany, Rebecca McRae and Brianna Coston .They would represent Area 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and were endorsed by both the California Teachers Association and the San Diego County Democratic Party.

McRae, an incumbent, has a solid 56.89% of the vote over Myriam Moody at 43.11% and appears to have won reelection.

Tiffany, an assistant biology professor at Mesa College and assistant dance coach at Santa High School, has 63.6% of the votes in her race against former board trustee Jim Long.

Coston, a La Mesa Planning Commissioner, has a slimmer lead over Kyle Hermann, a history and political science professor at Chula Vista Christian University.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Marie Waldron has defeated Randy Voepel in the redrawn 75th Assembly district

November 9, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Redistricting pitted two incumbent Republican Assemblymembers against each other in the 75^th Assembly district.  Assemblyman Randy Voepel has been ousted by Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, the Assembly Republican leader and former Escondido councilmember. Waldron received 66.76% of the votes tallied so far, while Voepel drew just 33.24%.

A staunch conservative and pro-life legislator, she is a member of the Mental Health Caucus and has served on the Assembly Health Committee.  A former member of the San Diego County Opoid Task Force, she now serves on the Stanford 5-Year Initiative on Neuroscience, a group fostering communications between policymakers on mental health, addiction and opioid drugs. She was honored as legislator of the year by both the California Life Sciences Association and the California Chronic Care Coalition.

In the 40^th State Senate district, Senator Brian Jones, a Republican, leads by nearly 11 points over challenger Joseph Rocha, a Democrat and military veteran. Jones has long won his Senate and before that, Assembly races by large margins, but redistricting resulted in a nearly even party registration balance. Democrats had poured money into the race for TV ads and other campaign messaging, but were unable to defeat Jones, a former Santee Councilman and Chairman of the Assembly Republican Caucus.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and La Mesa Mayor Mark Araposthis are winning their reelection bids

November 8, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Early results after polls closed tonight indicate incumbents heading for reelection in La Mesa, El Cajon and Lemon Grove.

The power of incumbency proved stronger than partisan politics. Though city races are nonpartisan, political parties endorsed candidates and expended resources walking precincts to campaign for their parties' choices. But incumbents in both parties hold solid leads, though Democrats appear likely to pick up a seat in both the La Mesa and Lemon Grove Council races, following the retirement of Republican incumbents.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, a Republican, has a solid 71.25% of the votes tallied so far; his opponent, realtor Arnie Levine, a Democrat, has 28.75%. The Mayor ran on a track record of boosting revenues through bringing in new hotels and reopening the performing arts center, while Levine criticized Mayor Wells’ defiance of public health business shutdown mandates duringthe pandemic. El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick ran unopposed, drawing 100% of the votes.  But El Cajon’s Measure P which the Mayor supports, to increase the city sales tax to a penny per dollar, is losing 58% to 42%.

Giraffes, rhinos and wildlife safari truck represent Safari Park’s ability to connect people to wildlife

East County News Service 

November 7, 2022 (San Diego) – “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation” will be the theme of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s float on Monday January 2, 2023 in the 134^th annual Rose Parade® presented by Honda.  (The Rose Parade, customariliy held on New Year's Day, is never held on Sundays.)

The SDZWA is an international conservation organization that partners with the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

By Miriam Raftery

November 6, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Small businesses are struggling to recover from pandemic shutdowns, while consumers are feeling a financial pinch from inflation. So on November 1, Lemon Grove’s City Council voted to address both problems. The city will use federal relief funds to match residents’ purchase of gift cards up to $150 for local businesses – so $150 spent by a resident will be doubled, to a $300 value.

By Christianne McCormick

Screenshot: Mayor Mark Arapostathis

November 6, 2022 (La Mesa) -- Disgruntled and outraged residents of La Mesa at the October 11 City Council meeting voiced their concerns about a five-story, 64-unit apartment complex proposed to be built in the heart of the city’s village.  The building would be erected on the same land where the historic Randall Lamb Building burnt down during a riot following the May 30, 2020 protests after the tragic death of George Floyd. 

Source: Caltrans

November 6, 2022 (Pine Valley) -- Expect traffic delays if you’re driving between Alpine and Pine Valley for the foreseeable future. Caltrans construction crews working on the Interstate 8 pavement replacement and road improvement project from Viejas Creek to Pine Valley will be reconfiguring the lane reductions through the construction site.  Instead of two construction closures, crews will taper traffic into one single closure, taking motorists from three lanes to one for approximately three miles through the construction site, beginning the week of November 7.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 5, 2022 (San Diego) - The Aztec football team (5-4, 3-2 MW) forced four turnovers and held off UNLV (4-5, 2-3 MW) 14-10 at Snapdragon Stadium Saturday evening to extend their home winning streak to four games.