By Jessyka Heredia

November 21, 2023 (El Cajon)—Outside El Cajon’s city hall  on Nov. 16, youth activists gathered with the local outreach group Home Start to show the need for more housing for homeless youths, as well as funding to get kids off the streets and stop a cycle of lifelong homelessness.

By Shiloh Ireland

November 20, 2023 (Lakeside) -- In 2017, husband and wife Jose Ortiz and Claudia Ortiz purchased the Lakeside Cafe in Lakeside, offering home-cooked breakfasts and lunches. Since 2018, they have generously given complete Thanksgiving meals to people in need each year. But this season, they have received more requests than they can accommodate. So, they are asking help from the community for donations.

By Miriam Raftery

November 19, 2023 (Spring Valley)—Detectives with the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station are asking for public help to identify the suspect or suspects responsible for shooting and injuring five people last night,including one in serious conditoin.  

Witnesses told deputies that a birthday party was being held at a home in the 9000 block of Ildica Street around 8 p.m. when they suddenly heard gunshots.Deputies from the Rancho San Diego, Santee and Alpine Sheriff's Stations, as well as Lemon Grove, Lakeside and Imperial Beach Sheriff's Substations responded and found a frantic scene.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 19, 2023 (San Jose) -  Jaylon Armstead ran for 134 yards to lead the offense but the Aztecs dropped their final road game of the season, 24-13, at San Jose Sate on Saturday night.

By Cristina Johnson

November 18, 2023 (San Diego) -- The U.S. armed forces employed asbestos-containing products throughout much of the 20th century. All five military branches used frequently contaminated products and as a consequence, many service members were exposed to asbestos while defending our nation. Today, as these brave men and women transition into civilian life after their service, they risk developing life-altering diseases that may be linked to their military years. Asbestos exposure remains a compelling concern for all veterans but remains a critical issue among those who served in the Navy.

Once praised for its fire-resistant and insulating properties, asbestos was widely used in naval construction during the last century. It was in every compartment on naval ships, and nobody thought about asbestos being a potent threat when its microscopic fibers were released into the air and inhaled.

November 16, 2023 (Santee) -- The city of Santee will host its holiday lighting celebration on Friday, November 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Santee Trolley Square (9884 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee).

Visitors can enjoy sledding, live music by the Bayou Brothers, holiday photo opportunities with Santa, face painting, and a tree lighting at 6:15 p.m.

East County News Service

November 17, 2023 (Julian) — Julian Farm and Orchard is celebrating the opening of its first-ever ice rink. The new rink is set to be the centerpiece of the “Holidays at the Farm” event, happening Fridays Saturdays and Sundays through January 1. Guests are invited to skate with friends and family and wind down after with a seasonal drink by the fire.  The farm is open from 11a.m. to 4p.m. with Ice Skating into the evening depending on the day.   

Holidays at the Farm will feature the ice rink as well as local food and drink vendors. Guests will also have the opportunity to enjoy activities on the farm including the petting zoo and hayrides, rock climbing wall, haybale maze among others. Visitors can also wind down next to  warm fire pits while sipping on their favorite holiday beverages.

November 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- 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

• 3 cities (including Santee) face a climate dilemma: to build or not to build homes in risky places (NPR)
• San Diego Selling Back Some Pricey Colorado River Water for Cheaper Met Water (Voice of San Diego)
• What's that smell? Some East County residents complain of strong odor in the air  (10 News)
• San Diego County asks organizations to host ‘sleeping cabins' on their property in homelessness fight (NBC)
•  San Diego residents charged up about high electricity prices (KPBS)
• San Diego Tourism Authority celebrates over $14 billion in visitor spending last year  (KPBS)
• San Diego gets closer to zero waste goal, but is still behind schedule (KPBS)
• How the Union-Tribune’s new owners could impact democracy in San Diego County (KPBS)
• How big will the Cardenas fallout be? (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego man's car insurance retroactively canceled after he got in an accident (NBC 7)
• The Supposed Volunteers Keeping Major San Diego Venues Staffed Are Often Paid Under the Table and Below Minimum Wage (Voice of San Diego)
• Restoring Cuyamaca’s tree canopy is years away. Some birds may never return. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Thousands Forced To Switch Insurance As Yet Another Provider Leaves CA (Patch)
• Newsom pushes California universities to boost campus safety as protests rage over Mideast war (Politico)
• California's electricity bills could soon be based on how much you make — and some people are furious (Business Insider)

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

“We could’ve been burned out last night. Nobody would have known, and it was windy.” -- Lora Devault,  Pine Hills resident

”I think we are going down a slippery slope...and I have a problem telling people what they can do with their properties.” --Katy Morelli, planning group member

By Jessyka Heredia

WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE

November 17, 2023 (Julian)—Campers at a short-term rental (STR) property in Julian’s Pine Hills neighborhood started an unauthorized campfire on Sunday and failed to properly extinguish it. The embers sparked a brush fire, causing damage to the owner’s property and panic for nearby neighbors.

On Monday, residents spoke out at the Julian Community Planning Group (JCPG) meeting to voice concerns about the growing number of short-term vacation rentals in Julian and disruptions some guests have caused in the community.  The most heated concern focused on off-site owners, such as the vacation site in question, which has rentals both inside a home and outside at tent camping sites. Some vacation rental owners also spoke up in defense of property rights for responsible STR owners.

Parade site claims event will return in 2024, but city manager says foundation is “defunct” ; tax records reveal financial troubles

Story and photos by Miriam Raftery

November 16, 2023 (El Cajon) – For the fourth year in a row, there will be no Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon. An ECM investigation into the El Cajon Valley Mother Goose Parade Association reveals troubling findings, including financial losses, consulting fees paid out with no tangible results, the association's donation page taken down, and no apparent fundraising events. The parade association’s officers have refused  to respond to media questions.

The El Cajon Valley Mother Goose Parade Association website claims, “This beloved event shall be re-imagined as a new classic in 2024.”  If true, why wouldn't they respond to media inquiries to publicize ways that the public could support the parade?

The parade, a tradition since 1947, has long been billed as the largest parade of its type west of the Mississippi. It went virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.  In 2022, the website announced cancellation of a live parade due to “unprecedented staffing, logistics and supply chain challenges” but promised that the annual tradition” will be back bigger and better than ever in 2023.” 

That didn’t happen, and the lack of transparency raises serious questions over whether there will be a parade in 2024, or ever again--unless the public steps forward to save the parade and provide a fairy-tale resolution.

East Count News Service

November 16, 2023 (Alpine) -- The largest outdoor ice rink in southern California will be open at the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine from November 23^rd through January 7^th from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Skate rentals are available.

You can also enjoy holiday shopping at the outlet center’s many shops. 

By Mel Gurtov

November 17, 2023 (San Diego) -- Appeals for a cease fire in Israel’s war with Hamas are growing louder. Along with many governments and international and nongovernmental organizations, the UN General Assembly, by a 120-14 vote (with 45 abstentions), has called for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.” 

So far that call has only yielded an Israeli decision on a daily four-hour humanitarian pause for north Gaza. I have seen very little detailed discussion of how a lengthy cease-fire might be achieved. So here are my thoughts on the complications of implementing a cease-fire as well as the opportunities it might create.