November 27, 2013 (El Cajon) – The 7^th annual Jingle Paws Walk for Pets will be held on December 7 at Wells Park in El Cajon. 

This popular holiday event also features Santa’s Playground complete with games for dogs and their owners, an agility course for your pet.  New this year -- a lure course for dogs that love to run is available for an additional fee.

Santa’s Village features vendors with pet products, photos with Santa, refreshments and a silent auction. Plus guests can meet adoptable pets from local rescue organizations. 

November 15, 2013 (El Cajon) – The 67^th annual Mother Goose Parade will roll out at 10 a.m. on Sunday, November 24 complete with floats, marching bands, and radio personality Shotgun Tom Kelly as grand marshal.  Mother Goose Village will also be set up at the Prescott Promenade, 201 East Main Street, with fun actiivites from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The parade, a cherished East County tradition that draws hundreds of thousands of spectators, begins at the corner of Main and Magnolia in downtown El Cajon, continuing eastbound to Second Street and East Main.

Take the city’s survey (available in English, Spanish and Arabic)

November 18, 2013 (El Cajon) – The City of El Cajon receives approximately $1 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds and $420,000 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Funds each year for housing and community development projects.  The City invites the public to have input in how the City programs this money over the next five years.

To help brighten the holidays for families in need, the Salvation Army in El Cajon will be holding the 38^th Annual East County Toy & Food Drive. 

To apply for help, applications will be taken on Saturday, November 23^rd and on Saturday, December 7^th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Salvation Army offices, located at 1011 E. Main Street in El Cajon.  Toys are for children ages 12 and under.

November 16, 2013 (El Cajon ) --The final car show for the season in El Cajon is the “Parade of Lights” on Wednesday, December 4.

Get in the spirit of the holidays and enjoy a parade of vehicles decorated for the season on downtown El Cajon’s Main Street from 5-8 p.m.  You can also have a photo with Santa,  enjoy holiday music and carolers.

Display spotlighting works of the organization’s san diego chapter members will also feature educational programs for art enthusiasts

Photo: Grace Schlesier at her show at the Wieghorst Museum in 2012.

November 13, 2013 (El Cajon) – Members of the California Art Club’s San Diego Chapter and the Olaf Wieghorst Museum unveiled the “Landscapes of the West” exhibition with a gala opening at the Museum on October 5. The display will be on view through January 11, 2014.

Art enthusiasts at the opening enjoyed hors d’ oeuvres and wine, while viewing over 35 juried works by some of San Diego’s finest painters.  The event was also coveted by collectors, who appreciated the opportunity to have a first look at the paintings, all available for acquisition. A portion of proceeds from sale of artwork will benefit both the Club and the Museum.

Educational programming during the exhibition will include a November 14 presentation by CAC Artist Member Mark Fehlman on California Art Club’s history. Reservations are suggested for the lecture and the reception that will precede Fehlman’s talk, as space is limited.

November 9, 2013 (El Cajon) – Hookbill Hobbyists of Southern California will offer a free nail and wing trim clinic in El Cajon on Sunday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Mite Bingo Hall, 1365 North Johnson Avenue in El Cajon.

November 7, 2013 (El Cajon) – The City of El Cajon’s Special Events Committee, a group of city employees volunteering their time for city and community projects, is seeking item and monetary donations to mail care packages to military members serving overseas through the second annual “They Serve Us, Let’s Serve Them” campaign from “9-11 to 11-11.”  

“We’ve had an outpouring of care package item donations and will probably be able to assemble 30 care packages to help our military this year,” according to Ron Luis Valles, a coordinator and member of the special events committee.

By Miriam Raftery

November 6, 2013 (El Cajon)-- El Cajon City Councilmembers Bob McClellan and Tony Ambrose have released an official response to the resignation of former Mayor Mark Lewis on October 24, 2013. Both voiced pride in the community’s diversity , acknowledged that the Mayor’s remarks on minorities were “inappropriate and wrong,” then called for unity in El Cajon.  For the full text of their letter, click here.

In addition, Councilmember Gary Kendrick issued his own letter praising Mayor Lewis on his accomplishments including balanced budgets, economic stability and economic development.   While he joined with  Ambrose and McClellan in making clear that he did not agree with or support Lewis’ controversial comments, he stated, “Mark will always be my friend...”  To read Kendrick’s letter, click here. 

Kendrick told ECM,” The Mayor Lewis that I knew would never have made those statements before his stroke.”

November 6, 2013 (El Cajon) – Exceeding expectations, the second Annual HauntFest on Main celebration, held on Friday, October 25, was deemed as an overwhelming success by City officials. The Halloween themed event drew an estimated 20,000 people to downtown El Cajon. 

Festivities were from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. with free admission.  Partygoers enjoyed live bands on multiple stages, such as: Paul Cannon, Fuzzy Rankins, Rockola, Jason Weber and Back to the Garden.  Families enjoyed the Terror Truck, the classic cars, the trick or treating booths, the movies on the giant movie screen, rides and games, pumpkin patch, craft booths, costumes, art show, and more.

By Miriam Raftery

November 2, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Here’s a heads up for some key items coming up soon on the agendas in Lemon Grove, El Cajon, and at the San Diego Supervisors.

Lemon Grove’s City Council meets on Tuesday, November 5.  This week, the agenda includes proposed locations for a dog park, an expert panel on community gardens, and a report on economic development challenges and opportunities in Lemon Grove.

By Miriam Raftery

October 26, 2013 (El Cajon ) –Following the resignation of  El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis for racial remarks, Chaldean community leader Mark Paul Arabo, head of the Neighborhood Markets Association, is calling on Council members to denounce statements by Lewis and further, to implement district elections at the next city council meeting.

Currently, all El Cajon residents vote for all council candidates, with the top vote getters overall winning seats. Under Arabo’s proposal, the city would be divided into districts each electing its own representative-a move that could result in one or more districts with a majority of Iraqi Chaldeans or other minority populations. 

In a press statement, Arabo voiced relief at Lewis’ resignation but added, “We will not stop here.”

Full tape of interview  reveals comments praising Chaldeans in addition to remarks deemed culturally insensitive by cricis

By Miriam Raftery

October 24, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – At Tuesday’s El Cajon City Council meeting, a crowd of Irarqi Chaldean community members denounced  remarks made by Mayor Mark Lewis in an interview with Progressive Magazine for an article published in May.  Critics denounce the remarks as insensitive and reinforcing racial stereotypes. 

Supporters say the comments were taken out of context.  An audiotape of the full one-hour interview posted by RawStory in fact reveals many positive statements made by the Mayor about Chaldeans, as well as the remarks that stirred controversy.  Some backers of the Mayor have suggested a financial motive behind the criticism emerging months after the story first ran, noting that a leading critic represents Chaldean store owners chafing under a newly enacted city policy restricting alcohol sales.

By Miriam Raftery

October 22, 2013 (El Cajon ) – By a unanimous vote, El Cajon’s City Council today voted to enter into an exclusive negotiation agreement with Excel Hotel Group to develop a Marriott Courtyard hotel at the northeast corner of Magnolia Avenue and Rea Street in the Civic Center block. 

The proposal hinges on the state selling and to the city of El Cajon at the corner of Magnolia and Rea.  The City would then sell the land to Marriott for a dollar and give up a portion of the transient occupancy tax (TOT) for a few years.  At the end of ten years, the city expects to receive enough revenue from property taxes and TOT to repay the city the cost of the land.

“It sweetens the pot for them to spend several million dollars,” Councilman Gary Kendrick told East County Magazine.  He calls the deal a “win-win” for all parties.

Photo: Dog Dreaming, by Marc Kitaen

October 22, 2013 (El Cajon) – East County artist Marc Kitaen, El Cajon, won third place in the 10 annual Digital Art Show of St. Mark's United Methodist Church.

The show, which has the theme "Visions of Peace," includes 28 works by 12 San Diego County artists. It will run October 13 to November 10 in the church sanctuary, 3502 Clairemont Drive. The juror was Professor Craig Carlson, SDSU.

The other winners are: first place, Michael Sussna, La Jolla; second place Rachelle Farber, Carlsbad; and Honorable Mention T. Antoinette Fassel, University City, and John Valois, Mission Hills.