October 16, 2012 (El Cajon)--The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters will be visiting Johnson Elementary School in El Cajon today to meet with students during two assemblies. They'll be teaching students about the "ABC*s of Bullying" - a Harlem Globetrotters pilot anti-bullying awareness program.

The ABC’s of Bullying Prevention program originated through partnership with the National Campaign to Stop Violence. Each year, the nonprofit organization hosts its Do the Write Thing Challenge.  Last year, 60,000 middle-school students wrote essays on violence in their lives—and the most frequent experiences described by students traced back to bullying.

College awarded two of nine grants funded by state chancellor’s office

October 11, 2012 (El Cajon) – If Cuyamaca College grant writers were members of a college sports team, they would be basking in the glory of a triple-season winning streak. You’ve heard of the Dream Team? Meet Cuyamaca’s Green Team.

Since June 2009, the crew has had had every one of its 39 grant proposals funded for a total of $7.3 million to train hundreds of students for solid-paying, dependable jobs, including those in up-and-coming green industries. The grants have also funded pilot programs, which have since been expanded and modeled by other colleges.

October 10, 2012 (El Cajon)--Eight candidates are vying for three seats on the El Cajon City Council in a hotly contested race: incumbents Tony Ambrose, Bob McClellan and Bill Wells and challengers Ben Kalasho, Lily Schworm, Kathy Spacone, Chris Shamoon and Duane Swainston.

ECM invited all candidates to be interviewed; six responded.  Below are our in-depth interviews with candidates, listed in alphabetical order. In addition, here are links to coverage of a candidate forum, as well as candidates’ websites and Smart Voter pages from the League of Women Voters, prior stories on candidates who ran before, and additional news stories.

October 8, 2012 (El Cajon)--At  tomorrow’s City Council meeting, the El Cajon City Council will consider the adoption of an ordinance making the sale of synthetic drugs a public nuisance in the City with the seller subject to civil penalties of up to $2,500 for each day said nuisance is in existence.

The ordinance came at the recommendation of El Cajon Police Chief Jim Redman at the August 14 City Council meeting. 

By Miriam Raftery

October 4, 2012 (El Cajon)—Three challengers running for office in the El Cajon Council race have made allegations including sign-stealing, racism and pressure on local merchants to back incumbents and suppress messages from other candidates.

On September 25, John Gibson with the Hamann Companies, a backer of  incumbents Bill Wells and Tony Ambrose,  made racially-charged remarks  about Iraqi Chaldean candidate Ben Kalasho in a City Council meeting.  The comments came after the Kalasho campaign accused Gibson, along with an incumbent Councilman, of involvement in removing and defacing Kalasho campaign signs.

October 4, 2012 (East County, San Diego) -- Heartland Fire & Rescue will be hosting three Fire Open House events on Saturday, October 13, 2012 in Lemon Grove, El Cajon and La Mesa. 

This is an opportunity to receive free safety tools and important lessons for you and your children.

"The more rental units we convert, the more demographics will change." -- Councilman Bob McClellan

By Miriam Raftery

October 2, 2012 (El Cajon)—For 20 years, Bob McClellan has been serving on the El Cajon City Council.  He’s now seeking re-election, one of seven candidates vying for three seats. In an exclusive interview with ECM, McClellan reflects on his accomplishments through the years as well as his goals for the future.

September 27, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College will offer a fire-wise gardening seminar with Greg Rubin, native plant expert from California’s Own Native Landscape Design. Cost is $20 for members, $28 for nonmembers. The program will be held on Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.thegarden.org/calendar/index.php

September 24, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont College Theater Arts program will present "Mauritius" on Oct. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. at the Stagehouse Theater in Building 21, Room 247 at the college, 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. General admission is $15 per person. Tickets are available at the door and online at the Theatre Arts Department website, www.grossmont.edu/theatrebrochure. The play features adult language and may not be suitable for young children. For more information, phone (619) 644-7234.

Please join us this evening to enjoy some cheer and help fund live reporting of wildfires and other hot news in East County! We now have THOUSANDS of dollars in great prizes!

Join us Wed. Sept. 26 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at El Cajon Brewing Co. for beer-tasting, great food, live music by Charlie Rae (she's opened for Sheryl Crow and other stars), tons of prizes, hot cars from Carrera Coachwerks and more during El Cajon's Classic Cruises' season finale.   

First 100 guests get a $10 voucher for FREE FOOD OR BEER!

Swainston is one of four challengers and three incumbents running for El Cajon City Council.

By Miriam Raftery

September 15, 2012 (El Cajon) – Duane Swainston wants to end the “good ole boy” network on El Cajon’s City Council.  “There seem to be a lot of back room deals and not enough transparency where people know what’s going on,” he says of the current council members. 

Swainston aims to bring his 16 years of experience in management at private sector manufacturing companies  to the job as councilmember if elected.   He holds a degree in business management and has worked for two of El Cajon’s largest employerse, Senior Aerospace Ketema and GKN Aerospace Chem-Tronics. 

“It’s a cost-conscious, schedule-dominant world focused on quality,” he told ECM in an exclusive interview.  “If you’re not doing things faster, better, cheaper, then you’re getting bypassed by your competition.”

Participants must post photos of their bites to win

September 17, 2012 (San Diego) – To promote the release of his new novel Shady Palms in October, San Diego author Allen Dusk is holding a contest to give away signed copies of his book, set in El Cajon. Victims of bedbug attacks are encouraged to post photos of their bites on Twitter and Instagram with the hastag #ShadyPalms. On October 1, 2012 Allen will announce the winners on his website http://www.allendusk.com.

September 13, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont College Career Center will present “Doing What Matters to Find a Job,” a free informational workshop for job seekers, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at the Career Center on the El Cajon campus. Speaking will be Pamela Benge, Grossmont College student services specialist.

Three incumbents and four challengers are vying for three seats on the El Cajon City Council. ECM has requested interviews with each. Below is the first in our series of in-depth candidate profiles.

By Miriam Raftery

September 6, 2012 (El Cajon)—Earlier this year, when a vacancy opened on the El Cajon Council due to a resignation, the Councilmembers refused to accept applications from the public – including an Iraqi Chaldean immigrant and an African-American woman who wanted the job. Instead, they appointed an insider like themselves--a white male, who served on Planning Commission. 

To Ben Kalasho, that action exemplifies what’s wrong in El Cajon –and why  the Council needs people from diverse backgrounds.

September 1, 2012 (El Cajon) – The  East County Cash Mob’s next target is Home & Soul, 229 E. Main St., El Cajon on September 8 at 12 p.m.  The group will meet at Prospect Promenade at 11:55 a.m. before heading to Home & Soul.  The purpose of a Cash Mob is to assemble a large number of people to support a local small business during tough economic times.