October 21, 2021 (El Cajon) -- Visitors to El Cajon's first-ever Foodie Fest on October 9 had an opportunity to savor flavors from an array of restaurants and caterers, featuring cuisines from around the world.

East County Magazine intern Cristina Lombardo visited Foodie Fest and created a video to document the experience. She spoke with local restarurant owners and an event organizer of the successful event.

Among the offerings were Iraqi, Afghan, Mexican, Italian, Hawaiian foods and more.  Offerings ranged from spicy entrees to healthy smoothies to rich desserts.

By Miriam Raftery

October 10, 2021 (El Cajon) – On Tuesday, October 12, the El Cajon City Council will consider a city staff proposal to ask County Supervisors to opt out of the state’s Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) program. The proposal before the City Council, item 12 on the agenda, comes after Supervisors Joel Anderson and Nora Vargas introduced a MEHKO measure in September that was approved in concept by Supervisors, as ECM reported. 

The county measure asked staff to draft an ordinance by January 12 to legalize home kitchen operations to prepare, sell and serve up to 30 meals per day, or 60 meals per week and earn a maximum annual revenue of $50,000. Meals would be limited to foods that are consumed the same day that they are prepared.

By Miriam Raftery

File Photo: CYT production of Les Mis in the Mount Helix amphitheatre.

October 4, 2021 (El Cajon) – Two men have been charged with felony sexual assault against students at Christian Youth Theater in El Cajon.

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan today announced that David Hott, 34, has been charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a 13-year-old child in 2007.  Brad Christian Davis, 40, is charged with  a felony count of sexual penetration by a foreign object involving at 16-year-old in 2010.

San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit thanked victims for their “courage in coming forward,” adding, “We must hold these individuals responsible for their actions, so they don’t have the opportunity to harm more children in the future.”

East County News Service

September 28, 2021 (El Cajon) - Grossmont College’s Stagehouse Theatre, which has not permitted in-person performances for more than 18 months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reopens to live audiences when it launches its 2021-22 season September 30 with a staging of Into the Woods.

By Miriam Raftery

September 15, 2021 (El Cajon) – A Grossmont High School student who was in a coma after a car crash in Fletcher Hills has died, his mother, Abigail Reyes, told ECM news partner 10 News.

By Miriam Raftery

September 14, 2021 (El Cajon) -- An El Cajon man in custody for a separate assault and burglary has been additionally charged with the August 22, 2021 homicide of Patrick Heard. Heard was stabbed in the 400 block of Graves Ave in El Cajon.

East County News Service

September 11, 2021 (El Cajon) – You could say it’s the cat’s meow. The 10th annual Alley Cat Art Walk will showcase works of local artists on Friday, September 17, 2021 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the “arts alley” between Main Street and Rea Street in downtown El Cajon.

East County News Service

September 3, 2021 (El Cajon) -- Foodie Fest aims to reignite the City of El Cajon restaurant/food services industry while celebrating the community’s diversity, supporting a major local non-profit and increasing a presence in Downtown El Cajon. The event will be hosted on Saturday, October 9, 4:00-8:00 p.m.

Supervisorial district 2 may be split due to population increase; urban and rural residents voice concerns

By Mike Allen

Photo:  Ramah Awad of Majdal Center in El Cajon provides comment to the county’s Independent Redistricting Commission.

August 30, 2021 (El Cajon) -- The process of redrawing boundaries for San Diego County’s five supervisorial districts is underway and the independent commission that will determine those lines visited El Cajon Aug. 26 to listen to the public.

Source:  Helix Water District

August 26, 2021 (La Mesa) - On Tuesday, August 3, Fitch Ratings, a global independent credit rating organization, affirmed Helix Water District's AA+ rating with a stable outlook.

By Miriam Raftery

August 24, 2021 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police seek public help to identify an unknown male in dark clothing who fatally stabbed a man in the throat. The victim was in a parked car in the 400 block of Graves Avenue when the attack occurred around 11:21 p.m. Sunday night, August 22. 

East County News Service

August 23, 2021 (El Cajon) – The Ihsan Health Initiative will be hosting a free COVID-19 vaccination event this Tuesday, August 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 299 North Magnolia Avenue in El Cajon.

TEEN DRIVER HAD HISTORY OF STREET RACING

Update September, 12, 2021:  Passenger Jiovanni Solorio Roman, who was in a coma after the crash, has died, 10 News reports.

Update August 23, 2021:  The student killed in a high-speed crash has been identified by his father as Gady Cruz, NBC 7 reports.  One of the passengers, Jiovanni Solorio Roman, is in a coma, according to his mother. Identities of the other two injured passengers have not been disclosed. According to the Medical Examiner, Cruz was 16 years old and was not wearing a seatbelt when the vehicle crashed and overturned. CBS 8 reports that Cruz  previously posted videos on social media of himself racing at speeds over 100 miles per hour on local freeways.

By Miriam Raftery

August 21, 2021 (El Cajon) – A black 2018 Honda Civic crashed into a traffic light pole at the intersection of Fletcher Parkway and Navajo Road in Fletcher Hills around 2:11 a.m. The driver, a senior at Grossmont High School, died and three passengers were seriously injured, including two 11th grade Grossmont students.

In a press release, the Grossmont Union High School District stated, “Our district is working closely with the El Cajon Police Department as their investigation of the incident continues. Due to privacy,our district is unable to release further information regarding the students’ names or health conditions. We will release more information as we are able to do so. As our school community begins to deal with this tragedy, our district will be providing additional grief support on campus at GrossmontHigh School and will also make it available to students throughout our close-knit GUHSD community.”

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

August 3, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) –East County Magazine’s staff is shocked and saddened to learn that our beloved multicultural journalist Briana Paul Gomez, 31, died in a rollover vehicle crash Sunday morning, August 1, 2021.

“We are all devastated at this tragic loss of a young reporter passionate about diversity issues,” said Miriam Raftery, Editor of East County Magazine. “Briana always strived to tell all sides of the issues she covered and had a promising future as a journalist. She was generous, compassionate, and a cherished friend as well as a talented writer. Our hearts are with her family, especially her young daughter.”

Arabs, Jews, Black community, Latinos, and Whites divided between both groups

Story, video and photos by Briana Gomez

Photos, left: Latinos for Israel, photo by Briana Gomez, pro-Palestinian marchers, photo by Gary Fields

View a special ECM video report: https://youtu.be/YT4tOLvpGYA

July 27, 2021 (El Cajon) – Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups held large rallies Sunday afternoon in El Cajon that remained peaceful, though outside groups provoked skirmishes nearby. 

Shield of David hosted a “Stand with Israel” rally at 3 p.m. at Prescott Promenade in downtown El Cajon featuring Mayor Bill Wells and keynote speaker Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State under the Trump Administration.The event hosted a variety of other speakers as well as entertainment and Israeli food.  It attracted about 1,000 Jews and supportive community members who wanted to stand united against rising anti-Semitic violence, celebrate Israel, and listen to the speakers.

A counter rally took place at 2 p.m. at El Cajon City Park led by Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) in collaboration with other activist groups like Jewish Voice for Peace. Leaders of these groups leveled criticism at organizers of the pro-Israel rally, which they viewed as divisive at a time of intense conflicts between Israel and Palestine, including recent bombings.