November 13, 2022 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Uptick in flu cases prompts hospitals to put up overflow tents in parking lots to ease ER burden  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lemon Grove officials say a council member bullied employees. But the city is keeping alleged evidence secret (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Neighbors concerned about 64-unit apartment complex planned for La Mesa Village
• With Tuesday’s runoffs, San Diego Democrats will have a 9-0 City Council majority for the first time (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Republicans Won Big Races in Small Cities and That Could Change Regional Transportation and Development Plans (Voice of San Diego)
• Increased border crossings leads to influx of migrants in San Diego homeless shelters  (KPBS)

STATE

• California lost billions in COVID-related fraud and is trying to get some back  (NPR)
• Pipeline operator agrees to $50M California spill settlement  (AP)
• Audubon California says take down bird feeders to help stop avian flu  (KPBS)
• Congenital syphilis rates soar across California as public health funding dwindles (KPBS)
• Regulators propose $155M fine for PG&E for 2020 wildfire (KPBS)
• California enables sexual assault victims to track rape kits (KPBS)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  some of the weapons and drugs seized

November 12, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Harrison Lee Stone,18, was arrested Wednesday under suspicions of trafficking after SWAT teams seized large caches of guns and drugs at homes in La Mesa and San Diego, ECM news partner NBC 7 reports.

East County News Service

Photo: CC via Bing

November 12, 2022 (San Diego) -- As part of a joint investigation through the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Nov. 7 announced results of “Operation Century Week.” As a result of the four-day operation, 30 individuals were arrested for alleged solicitation in San Diego, Santee, National City, Encinitas and elsewhere.

East County News Service

November 12, 2022 (Lakeside) – Deputies at the Lakeside Sheriff’s substation are investigating the shooting of a juvenile shortly before 1 a.m. on  November 6 near El Capitan High School.

Deputies found the victim near the intersection of Mapleview and Ashwood streets, suffering from a gunshot wound in the back. The victim was transported by paramedics to a hospital.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Anthony Carnevale, Jolyana Jirjees and Jo Medina-Alegria will serve in CVUSD areas 1, 2 and 3.

November 11, 2022 (El Cajon) – In a surprising upset, Cajon Valley Union School District’s board chair Tamara Otero is losing her reelection bid to challenger Anthony Carnevale, a businessman.  Carnevale has 61.37% of the votes, while Otero has 33.63%, according to the San Diego Registrar of Voters.

Otero and Carnevale, both conservatives, ran in trustee area 1.

In area 2, an open seat due to Trustee Jill Barto not seeking reelection, Jolyana Jirjees was the only candidate running and has been appointed by the board to fill the vacancy.

Trustee Jo Medina-Alegria ran unopposed for her reelection in area 3.

By Julie Cart, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo by Naveen Nkadalaveni, Wikimedia Commons

November 11, 2022 (San Diego) - Describing California’s wildfires means running out of modifiers, adjectives and apocalyptic images. There are no more words. 

East County News Service

November 11, 2022 (San Diego) - Starting this Veterans’ Day, members of the U.S. military, veterans and Gold Star Families can be admitted free to all national parks.

A free lifetime Military Pass is available for Gold Star Families and US military veterans. A free annual Military Pass is available for current US military members and their dependents. The passes provide free access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests.

National Park Service Director Chuck Sams says, "This is a small token of appreciation for veterans who have bravely dedicated their lives to defending our freedom.”

Source: Mount Miguel High School Foundation

November 11, 2022 (Spring Valley) – The Mount Miguel High School Foundation is having its “Holiday Craft Fair” on Saturday, December 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 8585 Blossom Lane, Spring Valley.

Tribe doubles annual donation to organizations serving veterans

November 9, 2022  (Jamul) – Today, Chair Nathan Fletcher and Supervisor Joel Anderson of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors will join Jamul Casino and the Jamul Indian Village of California Tribe to commemorate Veterans Day with the sixth annual luncheon at Jamul Casino paying tribute to the 53 members of the Tribe and Jamul Casino team who have served in the military.  The event will also feature check presentations to veterans’ organizations: Saddles in Service and Zero8hundred. 

East County News Service

November 10, 2022 (El Cajon) – Holiday Lights on Main Street will illuminate downtown El Cajon on Saturday, November 26.  Tree lighting is at 6 p.m., but activities to celebrate the season will take place from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

November 10, 2022 (Sacramento) – California voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional right to abortion, but soundly defeated legalized sports wagering both on and off tribal lands.  They also voted down taxing the rich to bolster wildfire protection, but voted in favor of increasing funding for arts and music education in public schools. 

Voters also approved banning flavored tobacco products, but once again voted down a measure to require presence of a doctor, nurse, or physician assistant during kidney dialysis treatment.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Update Nov. 21, 2022 -- Ryan and Fox have retained their leads.  Ryan has 75.56%, far outposcing her opponent. Fox has 48.58% in his three-person race, well above Thill at 36.71% and Dolin at 14.7%.  This will be the final update from the Registrar of Voters before certification of the votes on Dec. 8.

Nov. 9, 2022 (Santee) The  Santee School District’s board of education had three seats up for election on its board of trustees. Campaign issues included school safety, catching up on pandemic learning loss and more.

The latest vote tally has incumbent Barbara L. Ryan vastly outpacing Ron Burner for seat 1. Ryan has 76.15% of the vote, versus Burner’s 23.85%. Ryan, a member of the Santee Board of Education, supports comprehensive language arts programs that include phonics, a zero-tolerance policy ensuring safety, curriculum standards that exceed state standards, and more. In her ballot statement, she says her leadership has brought significant additional funding to the district. Additionally, she has served on district committees, as a PTA president and school site councilmember as well as numerous other organizations.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, top left to lower right:  Andrew Hayes won reelection; newcomers Ron Kasper, Jim Bennett and Autumn Ellenson beat out a trio of other incumbents

November 9, 2022 (Lakeside) – Lakeside Union School District’s governing board will look dramatically different as a result of yesterday’s election.  Three full-term seats and one short-term seat were on the ballot. But only one of the incumbents up for reelection, Andrew Hayes, has won reelection.  Three others – Bonnie LaChappa, Holly Ferrante, and Don Whiseman, are trailing by substantial margins.

All of the leading candidates are endorsed by the Republican Party, though the race is officially nonpartisan. In addition to Hayes, challengers Jim Bennett and Ron Kasper appear poised to win full-term seats, while Autumn Ellenson is winning the short-term seat by a resounding margin of more than two-thirds.

By Miriam Raftery

November 8, 2022 (San Diego) – The balance of power in Congress hangs in the balance this election, with Republicans currently looking likely to take back a majority in the House of representatives by a few seats – a narrower margin than pundits forecast; control of the Senate remains too close to call.  But in San Diego County, all five incumbent Congressional members have solid leads and appear set to hold onto their sets.

East County Congressman Darrell Issa, a Republican, has 58.12% of the vote in San Diego County over his opponent, Stephen Houlahan, a nurse with a masters in business degree who has 41.88% of the vote. The district also includes a small portion of Riverside County, which also has a large Republican voter registration advantage. Houlahan had criticized Issa's anti-abortion stance and accepting over $150,000 in federal loan forgiveness for his business, after voting against COVID-relief funds for others.