Richard Bruce Cheney: January 30,1941— November 3, 2025

By Alexander J. Schorr

Tuesday November 4, 2025— Former Vice President Dick Cheney died on November 3, 2025, at the age of 84. According to a statement from his family, the cause of death was the result of complications with pneumonia as well as cardiac and vascular disease.

Cheney served two terms as Vice President under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009; he was considered one of the most powerful individuals ever to hold the office and a key architect of the post-9/11 “War on terror” and the US invasion of Iraq.

By Anita Lightfoot, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by José Eli Villanueva

November 6, 2025 (San Diego) - A groundbreaking ceremony was held today for The Grant at Mission Trails, a 48-unit affordable housing development dedicated to current and former military members and families.

East County News Service

November 5, 2025 (El Cajon) – A judge has set bail at $1.5 million for Dani Korkis, 35 of El Cajon,who fled the scene after hitting a 12-year-old boy with his SUV, causing serious injury.

After his arrest, Korkis was initially released on a lower bail but failed to show up at an October 28  court hearing on a separate charge of evading police back in July.He was charged with reckless driving in July and again in August, before the Oct. 22 accident on Ballantyne Street that left the 12-year-old boy with a head injury that left him in a coma initially, ABC 10 News reports, though his condition is reportedly improving. The boy also suffered missing teeth and is wearing a wire to hold his remaining teeth, according to NBC 7.

Korkis now faces additional charges including felony hit-and-run.

By Miriam Raftery

November 4, 2025 (San Diego) – Voters in California, including San Diego, have decisively approved Proposition 50, which will allow temporary redistricting of the state’s Congressional districts for the next five years.

Poway voters also opted overwhelmingly to oust scandal-plagued District 2 Councilmember Tony Blain by an 81% to 19% margin. Blain is facing felony charges including perjury and soliciting bribes.

East County News Service

Photo:  rendering from ECPD depicts victim, reconstructed based on her skull

November 4, 2025 (El Cajon) — Twenty-seven years after her body was found partially decomposed in a ravine off Avocado in El Cajon, Alicia Ledezma Sanchez has been identified as the homicide victim, thanks to a match to DNA provided by her son. The case is a testament to the persistence of El Cajon Police Department’s detectives and volunteer Cold Case Unit, which persevered over decades to solve the case.

The colleges offer award-winning programs that celebrate and honor veterans

Photo:  Grossmont College student veterans

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

November 4, 2025 (El Cajon) - Navy veteran Isaiah Nailon had one clear goal in mind when he enrolled at Cuyamaca College in the spring of 2018: taking the first step toward earning a bachelor’s degree.

By Venture Griswold, Institute for Public Strategies

Photo:  "Kitchen Table Conversation" by Peter Alfred Hess is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

November 4, 2025 (San Diego) -- If the world feels heavy to you lately, you are not alone. We are in a time of great political unrest, with attacks on marginalized groups, climate disasters, and misinformation spreading quickly. It is natural for these issues to spill into personal conversations with family, friends, or coworkers, but it can also be nerve-racking, since these topics can be so sensitive. So how can you navigate these complex topics without damaging relationships or causing harm? We suggest approaching these conversations from a trauma-informed perspective.

By Karen Pearlman

Nov. 4, 2025 (East County) – The Grossmont Healthcare District has a new Chief Executive Officer. 

Santee resident James Sly was unanimously approved by the five-member GHD board to be the Grossmont Healthcare District CEO and lead the organization on Tuesday afternoon.

Sly, who has been the CEO of the East County Economic Development Council since December 2020, will start as the GHD CEO on Dec. 15. His salary will be $270,000 a year with a yearly $5,000 stipend.

Aaron Byzak, who has been the interim CEO for the Grossmont Healthcare District since March 2025 following the GHD board's decision to not renew the contract of Christian Wallis, will stay as interim director until Dec. 19, and he will continue to be the communication strategy consultant for the GHD.

East County News Service

Photo via Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on X

November 3, 2025 (San Diego)  — International Relief Teams (IRT) in San Diego is actively responding to the widespread devastation in Jamaica caused by Hurricane Melissa. 

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 1, 2025 (San Diego) - Agriculture values rose by just over 1% to $1.67 billion, and vegetable and vine crops thrived in San Diego County’s Annual Crop Report released today.

By G. A. McNeeley

Image, left via Library of Congress:  interior of East Wing, now demolished; this hallway displayed portraits of first ladies.

October 31, 2025 (Washington D.C.) -- President Donald Trump is facing legal action and criticism from historic preservationists and others over demolition of the White House’s East Wing as part of his $300 million plan to build a new ballroom on the executive grounds, according to Newsweek. 

A Virginia couple went to court to try to block Trump from proceeding with demolition of the White House’s East Wing, POLITICO reports, but their lawsuit was unable to stop the destruction from happening. 

Although Trump initially said the project wouldn't "interfere with the current building" and would be "near it but not touching it," he contradicted that on October 22, stating that "in order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure,” according to NPR.