By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Robert Gehr:  A homeless person's tent on grassy area along Main Street in downtown El Cajon

May 24, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The 2025 Point-in-Time count of homeless people conducted in January found large drops in homelessness countywide in nearly every community, with a 72% drop in families living on the streets-indicators that efforts to help the homeless are likely having positive results.

In East County, only El Cajon showed an increase. But the city argues that the count is inaccurate, including several census tracts that are not in the city limits or only partially in the city, as well as inflating the count in other areas within its city limits.

By Kathleen Finney 

May 20, 2025 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon made history when its city council unanimously approved an ordinance that would ban the sale of disguised vape devices in an effort to help local schools control the youth vaping epidemic. Now, they need to focus on strictly enforcing tobacco restrictions at the point of sale. 

The ordinance, which went into effect on April 10, is the first of its kind in California; the only other similar ban nationwide can be found in Minnesota, where a statewide ban on the sale of disguised vape products passed in 2024. This decision displays El Cajon’s eagerness to protect the health of East County youth but fails to address the issue at the root of teen vaping.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Naturalization citizenship ceremony, cc via Bing

May 16, 2025 (El Cajon) – This year, El Cajon’s America on Main Street celebration won’t include a mass swearing-in ceremony for new citizens.

“The City reached out to the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services to make our annual request for their participation,” city manager Graham Mitchell told ECM. “Our contact person informed us that due to operational needs they are unable to participate this year, but asked that we keep them in mind for next year. “

The federal government’s denial of the city’s request to swear in new immigrations comes amid the Trump administration’s expanded operational crackdowns and mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and some green card holders. Withholding swearing in of new immigrants dashes hopes of many who went through the long and costly process to become U.S. citizens.

America on Main Street began in 2017 as a “patriotic celebration of our diversity,” according to Councilmember Gary Kendrick, a cofounder of the event.

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: Bessmon "Ben" and Jessica Kalasho

May 11, 2025 (San Diego) – A last-minute effort by former El Cajon Councilman Bessmon “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica, to postpone their 8-day jail sentence has been rejected by Superior Court Judge Wendy Behan. The Kalashos have been ordered to surrender on June 9^th to begin serving their sentence, which was imposed for criminal contempt of court.

The action stems from a 2017 civil lawsuit against the Kalashos, who were accused of using false social media aliases, fake polls, and altered photos to defame plaintiffs including a beauty pageant queen, a taco shop owner, and attorney Lina Charry.  Kalasho resigned from the El Cajon City Council immediately after a settlement was announced with most plaintiffs in that case, amid calls by the public for Kalasho to resign.

Charry refused to settle her case and secured a hefty judgement against the Kalashos, who repeatedly failed to show up and provide financial records to enable Charry to collect the money for her judgement. The court charged and convicted the Kalashos with criminal contempt of court and issued bench warrants for their arrest in May 2023.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo,left: Heartland Fire Station 8 in  El Cajon, where two of the three hidden cameras were discovered.Heartland Fire & Rescue also provides fire services for La Mesa and Lemon Grove.

May 3, 2025 (El Cajon)—The city of El Cajon will hold an emergency closed-door meeting Monday over an anticipated lawsuit against the city over three hidden cameras found in two fire stations, including two cameras in the private dressing and sleeping areas for women first-responders.

A complaint filed against the city of El Cajon and American Medical Response (AMR) on behalf of four female first responders on March 20 by attorney Dan Gilleon claims that “one or more of its employees had used concealed cameras to secretly videotape, film, photograph, and record by electronic means the complainants and other victims, in states of full and partial undress, while inside their bunk rooms....”

Update:  Michelle Moden's body was found  Sunday, April 27,with her vehicle on Sequan Truck Trail,  says Officer Jared Grieshaber with California Highway Patrol.  Foul play is not suspected, he indicated, but anyone with information is asked to contact  CHP's Border Division Major Crimes Unit at 858-944-6300.

East County News Service

April 25, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The Alpine Sheriff’s station seeks public help to find Michelle E. Moden, 53. She was last seen on Sunday, April 20 leaving her home in the 6100 block of Dehesa Rd. in unincorporated El Cajon near Alpine.  She has a medical condition that requires medication and does not have her cell phone with her.

She was in a blue 2005 Chevrolet Silverado with Calif. license HVMETAL, silver wheels and a San Francisco Giants tow hitch cover.

East County News Service

April 24, 2025 (El Cajon)—On May 3, the Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival returns at the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College.  The event features plant sales nurtured by Cuyamaca College Nursery students as well as butterflies, live music, specialty garden-related vendors, food trucks, and family-friendly activities.

The festival coincides with the college’s Coyote Music Festival, with live bands in the amphitheater at the Garden.  In addition, Heritage of the Americas Museum next door will be hosting an arts and crafts fair.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Kaiser attorney Jennifer Lynch

April 23, 2025 (El Cajon) – For 23 years, ever since an old medical facility was torn down, Kaiser Permanente has been promising to build a new hospital at its property on Main Street near Greenfield Ave.in El Cajon.  Frustrated by the lack of action, the City Council yesterday considered changing the zoning to residential—a proposal that surprised Kaiser representatives.

“We received no notice,” Kaiser representative Skyler Denniston told the Council.  “We would like the site developed as a hospital,” he said, adding that Kaiser representatives had just spoken with the City Manager and felt they were making “good progress.”  He asked for a 30-day extension of any proposed rezoning.

Mayor Bill Wells indicated that while he was open to an extension of 30 days or more, he wants to see a development agreement to assure that construction will commence soon. “I have no confidence that a hospital will be built within five years,” he said, adding that the vacant property attracts homeless camps and is an eyesore.  “Our constituents are screaming at us to do something,” he said.

Latino and labor groups submit records request on communications between city, ICE and federal officials

By Miriam Raftery

View video of the press conference

April 2, 2025 (El Cajon) – A coalition of advocacy groups and El Cajon residents held a press conference today outside El Cajon City Hall to denounce the March 27 immigration raid on a painting company in the unincorporated part of El Cajon.

El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell, in response to a request for comment from ECM, stated via email, “El Cajon staff (police, management, elected officials, etc.), had no involvement in the Federal law enforcement action that took place outside the city limits last week. I learned about the event when I saw a media alert. Further, the City's involvement would have been a violation of Prop 47 and we are committed to abiding the law.”

But speakers called for “accountability” from the Mayor and three councilmembers who recently voted on a resolution to allow the city’s police to cooperate with federal immigration officials regarding undocumented immigrants in the city accused or convicted of crimes.

Latinos en Acción and the National Day Labor Organizing Network also submitted a public records request to the city seeking all communications of city elected officials and employees with U.S. Customs and Immigration (ICE), the Dept. of Homeland Security, Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, the San Diego County Sheriff, State Senator Brian Jones, and the anti-immigrant group America First Legal between Nov. 2024 and the present regarding enforcement of immigration law, the immigration enforcement resolution, and the immigration raid.

Update March 29:  Company owner John Washburn has been charged with conspiracy to harbor aliens; employees Gilver Martinez-Juanta, Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez and Fernando Casas-Gamboa are charged with falsifying documents to obtain employment in the U.S., according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office in San Diego.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of Sky 10 via ABC 10 News, an ECM news partner

March 28, 2025 (El Cajon) – Federal immigration authorities raided the San Diego Powder and Protective Coatings company on Magnolia Ave. in El Cajon yesterday afternoon.  A search warrant accuses the company of hiring undocumented workers, as well as fraud and misuse of visas, ECM news partner 10 News reports.

By Karen Pearlman

Photo:  Rabbi Scott Meltzer said his synagogue in San Diego has twice been vandalized with antisemitic graffiti.   

March 26, 2025 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon City Council took a step toward condemning hate by unanimously voting for a resolution to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism.

East County News Service

March 20, 2025 (El Cajon) -- The Circle Players will be performing the dinner theatre production of “Everyone’s A Critic” on April 5^th at 6:30 p.m. and on April 6^th at 1:30 p.m.  Performances will be held in Richardson Hall, 551 Farragut Circle, El Cajon.  All seats for this mystery dinner theatre show are $30 and includes a 3-course French-themed meal.  

By Jakob McWhinney, Voice of San Diego

File photos via ECM:  GUHSD trustees Robert Shields and Jim Kelly, who were caught on hot mikes. These images did not appear in the original Voice of San Diego article.

March 15, 2025 (El Cajon) -- For weeks now, Grossmont Union’s board meetings have been dominated by crowds of community members furious at the district’s plan to close its budget deficit by laying off more than 60 employees. Those layoffs, which the board approved by a four to one vote two weeks ago, include assistant principals, teachers and nearly every single one of the district’s librarians. 

The scene was the same at Tuesday’s board meeting, when hundreds of protesters packed into Grossmont High School’s gym to advocate the board rescind the layoffs. 

Gary Woods, who voted in favor of the layoffs, said the decision made them “heartsick.” But another trustee was more frank about what he thought about the librarians on the chopping block during a hot mic moment just prior to the meeting’s official start according to a screen recording of the meeting shared with Voice of San Diego. 

Update April 4, 2025:  The text of the bill is now available here.

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2025 (El Cajon) – Four members of El Cajon’s City Council yesterday voted to send letters of support for H.R. 1680 to its author, Colorado Republican Gabe Evans, and ask local Congressman Darrell Issa to co-sponsor the bill--even though the text of the bill has not yet been released.

The only description on the Congressional website states that the measure will “amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to expand the prohibition on State noncompliance with enforcement of the immigration laws, and for other purposes.”  But according to Congress.gov, no text of the bill has yet been submitted to the Legislative Analyst. So we don’t know how the bill would affect immigrant enforcement locally, nor what “other purposes” might be included.

Two members of the public spoke, both opposed to the action. 

Rebecca Branstetter called the bill “a pig in a poke” since there’s no text on the Congressional website yet. “If we can’t read and understand the text of the bill, we can’t know what Council is asking for in its letter to Darrell Issa.” She asked that the measure be tabled until text is available for residents and Councilmembers to review.