By Miriam Raftery

November 7, 2018 (Spring Valley) --- A trio of incumbents backed by the firefighters' union won reelection easily in the San Miguel Fire Protection District.

With 39% of districts counted, Theresa McKenna has 33.2%, Jim Ek 27.4%, and Michael Vaio 26.6%, defeating William A. Kiel II, son of board member William Kiel. The younger Kiel, a  trading card company owner with no fire experience, drew just 12.8% of the vote.

The stakes were high in the race, since the three incumbents who won reelection voted to return the district to independent operation, cancelling a contract with Cal Fire. The action passed by a slim one-vote margin, with Kiel, senior, voting against separating from Cal Fire.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Challenger Teresa Rosiak says even if she doesn't win, she hopes to restart a Chamber of Commerce to help bring new businsses to Lemon Grove and help improve the city's economy.

November 6, 2018 ( Lemon Grove) – With 14% of precincts counted, incumbent Councilmenbers Jennifer Mendoza and Jerry Jones appear headed for reelection in Lemon Grove. They are leading with 32.48% and 29% of the votes respectively.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Video courtesy goaztecs.com

November 6, 2018 (San Diego) -  Devin Watson made a career-high six 3-pointers and the senior guard scored 20 points as San Diego State opened its season with a 76-60 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Tuesday night.

November 6, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our reporting team will be at Election Central tonight and on the road where our local candidates will be congregating.  Internect connectivity may be spotty; we will be reporting results first @EastCountyMag on Twitter and then posting on our site later on tonight.

May the best candidates win, and congratulations to all who ran!

November 6, 2018 (San Diego's East County ) -- In the final days and hours before today's election, candidates have been working hard to get the word out about their candidacies. Here are some photos from the campaign trail:

In the hotly contested Santee City Council district 1, Evlyn Andrade Heymsfeld says she's knocked on 3,000 doors -- and taken to the streets with supporters to wave at passing motorists as she pledges to work on reducing traffic gridlock.(photo by Jonathan Goetz)

Her opponent, Councilman Rob McNelis, has been busy phone banking -- with support from Mayor John Minto. (photo by Jonathan Goetz)

East County News Service

Photo, Michael Schwartz, executive director, SDCGO



November 6, 2018 (San Diego's East County) – San Diego County Gun Owners (SDCGO), a Santee-based political action committee promoting Second Amendment rights, has announced its endorsement of East County candidates for the Nov. 6 election.

By Miriam Raftery

November 5, 2018 (San Diego) – President Donald Trump, in an interview with Axios, declared his intention to eliminate birthright citizenship by executive order – a move that reputable legal scholars on both the left and right agree would be unconstitutional.  Congressman Duncan D. Hunter (R-Alpine) has previously supported a bill in Congress to similarly end granting citizenship to most children of immigrants born here.

Trump stated,  "You can definitely do it with an Act of Congress. But now they're saying I can do it just with an executive order." 

But the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. is crystal clear that everyone born in the U.S. must be granted citizenship.  It states: "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." Moreover, the Supreme Court has upheld that the amendment does cover children of immigrants, regardless of their parents' legal status.

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

November 4, 2018 (San Diego) - SDSU men’s soccer is ready to close out the season at home and they did so today against Cal on Senior Day.  The Aztecs lost track of what could’ve been a great season, falling to 6-9 coming into today’s game. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Zack Gianino, Laura Koval, and Lynda Marrokal

November 4, 2018 (Santee) – There will be at least one new face on Santee’s City Council soon, since District 3 is an open seat with no incumbent.

Three candidates are running in a race where development issues, traffic, and the city’s looming deficit are key issues.  They are Zack Gianino, a community college district liaison, Laura Koval, parks and recreation director at Santee Lakes, and Lynda Marrokal, a retired manager. 

Hear our in-depth interviews with all three candidates by clicking the audio links (Gianino, Koval, Marrokal) and scroll down for highlights.

East County News Service

November 4, 2018 (Poway) – You’re invited to swing into your holiday season at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, November 30^th at 8 p.m. with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party.  So, break out the zoot suits and swing dance dresses to take a step back in time to the ‘40s and ‘50s.

By Miriam Raftery

November 3, 2018 (Poway) – A student at Poway High School has been arrested for threatening during an argument with other students to bring a gun to school and shoot them.

The Sheriff’s Poway station received information from several concerned parents via the Poway TIP line.  After an investigation by deputies, including the Poway School Resource Officer and juvenile detective, deputies identified the student and arrested him at his home.

East County News Service

November 3, 2018 (San Francisco) – “We want to hear from you about wildfires!” states a message from Agatha Wein at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).  “The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is examining how well California's electric utilities are prepared for wildfires and we want input from community leaders.”

SDG&E, PG&E, Southern California Edison, and several other utilities are required to develop wildfire mitigation plans that will include details on:

• wildfire prevention strategies for electric utilities,
• maintenance and inspection of lines,
• outreach to first responders and customers, including low-income, elderly, disabled, and those with limited English,
• restoration of service after a wildfire

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

November 3, 2018 (Santee) – An elderly, disabled man was found dead in a Santee mobile home that burned overnight.  The man called 911 to ask for help, telling the dispatcher he had difficulty moving around. 

Naje Murray & Mallory Adams had double-doubles

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 2, 2018 (San Diego) - The Aztec women’s basketball team knocked off Biola 63-53 in an exhibition contest at Viejas Arena Friday evening. After falling behind by double-digits in the first quarter, the Aztecs used a 15-2 run in the third quarter to take the lead and then held off the Eagles down the stretch.

East County News Service

November 1, 2018 (Santee) –  The race for Santee City Council District 1 pits incumbent Councilman Ronn Hall,  an insurance company owner and former Chamber of Commerce president, against Rudy Reyes, a San Diego State University program director, Cedar Fire survivor and advocate for burn victims.

We invited both candidates onto our radio show at KNSJ 89.1 FM.  Reyes accepted; you can listen to his full interview at the audio link and view highlights below. 

Councilman Hall declined, citing dental surgery, but did answer written questions earlier in the campaign which you can read here.