Story and photos by Elijah McKee

Photo, left: Mayor Bill Wells lights menorah in El Cajon

December 1, 2021 (El Cajon) — Even the most thought-out plans can be derailed by a last-minute change, especially when a leader falls ill. This wasn’t true for the Chabad of East County on Sunday, though, as they pulled off their first night of Hanukkah event at the El Cajon Civic Center without a hitch, despite the absence of Rabbi Rafi Andrusier and his wife Chaya, who tested positive for COVID-19 the day before. 

They are both vaccinated, have mild cases, and will be back to normal soon — but instead of floundering in the unexpected changeup, a team of ten Chabad volunteers filled the void right away to execute the plans with the Rabbi’s virtual support. The event drew a large crowd two years ago but was skipped last year due to the pandemic — so it was all the more important for everyone to hold the tradition this year.

Source:  Congressman Darryl Issa

November 30, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) - The House of Representatives today passed legislation co-led by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) to reauthorize Johanna’s Law, which supports federal campaigns to raise awareness about gynecologic cancers among patients and health care providers. In committee and on the floor of the House, the legislation was approved with unanimous bipartisan support.

Update: An appellate court has lifted the injunction, allowing the vaccination mandate to remain.

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

Photo:  A San Diego Unified student is vaccinated in school. Courtesy of the district

November 29, 2021 (San Diego) - The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a last-minute injunction Sunday temporarily preventing the San Diego Unified School District‘s COVID-19 vaccine mandate from going into effect in December.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

November 28, 2021 (San Diego) -- I remember as a young firefighter responding on a structure fire in the south end of town. Upon arrival we had a single-story, single-family dwelling with heavy smoke from the bravo side. My Captain told me to pull a pre-connect and make entry. RIT teams, two in, two out were not policy.

Heartland Fire & Rescue

November 28, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- This is the time of year when many people will be picking out this year’s Christmas tree. Remember these safety tips when you choose your tree and throughout the holiday season. 

SELECTING YOUR TREE - Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.

PLACING YOUR TREE - Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 2” from the base of the trunk. 

By Kathy Carpenter 

East County News Service

November 27, 2021 (Pauma Valley) – The San Diego County Medical Examiner has identified Joaquin Romero, 34, of Banning, California as the worker who died on November 1^st after a fall a day earlier in Pauma Valley at the La Jolla Zip Zoom line operated by the La Jolla Indian tribe. 

By Miriam Raftery

November 27, 2021 (Alpine) – Vincent I. Esquivel, 29, of Descanso has been identified as the driver who died at the scene of a vehicle accident on the evening of November 13.

By Henri Migala, East County Eater

Photos by Henri Migala, Miriam Raftery and Sammy’s

November 27, 2021 (La Mesa) -- Having been reviewing restaurants in East County for nearly two years now I have been reporting that East County has become the new gastronomic center of San Diego.

Nowhere is this more evident than the recently renovated Sammy’s Food + Wine in La Mesa. With a full and varied menu that reflects the international background of founder Sammy Ladeki and the rich multicultural nature of our eclectic East County community, Sammy’s offers something for everyone.

By Miriam Raftery

November 27, 2021 (San Diego) – Mike Hancock, 59, traffic reporter for several local radio stations and former news director at KNSJ radio, was found dead in his San Diego residence by a friend on November 14 after an illness. His voice has also been heard on the East County Magazine Radio Show, where he was instrumental in mentoring interns and reporting on locations in East County.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Video courtesy goaztecs.com

November 27, 2021 (Anaheim) - Trey Pulliam scored 11 points, while Lamont Butler and Aguek Arop each had nine, but the No. 24 Southern California Trojans, were able to limit the San Diego State Aztecs to 32.1 percent shooting and defeated SDSU 58-43 in the championsip game of the Paycom Wooden Legacy on Friday night.

East County News Service

November 26, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – What could be merrier than a Holiday Wine Trail in the country featuring 17 local wineries? This year, the Ramona Holiday Wine Trail is extended for a full month, each Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 28 to Dec. 19.

Update 5:15 p.m. -- Power has been restored to all customers, according to the SDG&E website.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Fran Materra, via Facebook: Thanksgiving by lanternlight in Potrero

November 26, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – An estimated 2,520 SDG&E customers remain in the dark on Black Friday due to power-shut offs amid a red flag warning for high fire danger. About half the communities originally blacked out have power restored, but these areas remain without power:  Alpine, Boulevard, the Campo reservation, Descanso, Jamul, Potrero, the Viejas Reservation, and Warner Springs.

More than 50,000 customers remain at risk of outages yet to come.  View the list of communities at risk at https://www.sdge.com/psps-dashboard. SDG&E has set up community resource centers where residents without power can go to recharge devices, pickup ice, water, snacks and more. Find the closest CRC at SDG&E’s CRC look-up tool.

East County residents posted comments and complaints on social media regarding the outages. While some railed against SDG&E for cutting power on a holiday, others pre-cooked foods early, grateful for the warnings.  Others dined out at restaurants, brought in hot meals, or headed to relatives homes’ outside the blacked-out areas. Some also voiced thanks that no homes were lost to wildfires.

East County News Service

November 25, 2021 (Spring Valley) – Pedro Arturo Rodriguez, Jr., 22, has been arrested and charged with the shooting murder of Arnolfo Quinntero, 26.

Sheriff’s homicide detectives responded to the killing on November 3 in the 8700 block of Troy Street in Spring Valley. On November 23, the San Diego Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Rodriguez as he left his residence in the 5200 block of Quince Street in San Diego, says Lieutenant Thomas Siever.

Rodriguez was booked into San Diego Central Jail.

By Miriam Raftery

November 25, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – SDG&E has shut off power to 5,311 customers as of 10 a.m. Thanksgiving morning.  Another 47,934 are at risk of outages amid a red flag warning for extreme fire danger and high winds. 

So far, these are the communities without power:  Alpine, Boulevard, Descanso, Jamul, Pala, Pauma Valley, and Potrero as well as the Campo, Cuyapaipe, La Jolla, Pauma, and Viejas reservations.Many more areas are on a list of potential outages to come.

View an outage map and click on your community for estimated power restoration times:  https://www.sdge.com/residential/customer-service/outage-center/outage-map   Some areas are listed as likely to be without power until Saturday.

SDG&E has opened several community resource centers where residents can get water, ice, snacks, and preparedness supplies, car power inverters, solar-powered batteries, radios, and update on outages.  View map at https://www.sdge.com/resource-centers.