East County News Service

November 15, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- Effective yesterday, the burn permit suspension in San Diego County has been lifted. CAL FIRE / San Diego County Fire Chief Tony Mecham is formally canceling the burn permit suspension and advises that those possessing current and valid agricultural and residential burn permits can now resume burning on permissible burn days.

By Robert Gehr

November 15, 2022 (El Cajon) -- The driver of a white compact vehicle lost control early this morning around 6 a.m. while making a left turn from West Park Avenue onto southbound Magnolia Avenue. It crashed into a sign after jumping over the curb. Consequently the tall Knox House Museum sign was knocked down from its foundation and appeared to be broken into two pieces. 

Source: City of Santee

November 14, 2022 (Santee) -- Have a holly-jolly good time at the City of Santee’s annual Holiday Lighting Celebration on Friday, November 18 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Santee Trolley Square, located at 9884 Mission Gorge Road.

November 14, 2022 (La Mesa) -- The 7th annual La Mesa Holiday in the Village will once again be ringing in holiday cheer for everyone far and near on Saturday, December 3 from 12 to 9 p.m. The event takes place along La Mesa Blvd. between Spring Street and 4^th Street in the heart of downtown La Mesa.

La Mesa Village friends and family will have the chance to take part in free, festive fun with live music, cozy fires, craft vendors, food, holiday photo opportunities including selfies with Santa, and a kids’ area bigger than Santa’s Toy Shop.

East County News Service

November 13, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego County Medical Examiner has identified a body found on March 13 in La Mesa  as that of Cassidy Hopwood, according to El Cajon Police.  Hopwood, an El Cajon resident, was reported missing in February.

Both La Mesa and El Cajon Police have listed Hopwood’s age as 17. However, on Facebook, the RAD movement, an organization that helps families locate missing teens, states that she was 16 when she went missing and when she was found dead.

The group also leveled criticism at police handling of the case.

East County News Service

Photo: CC via Bing

November 12, 2022 (San Diego) -- As part of a joint investigation through the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Nov. 7 announced results of “Operation Century Week.” As a result of the four-day operation, 30 individuals were arrested for alleged solicitation in San Diego, Santee, National City, Encinitas and elsewhere.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Anthony Carnevale, Jolyana Jirjees and Jo Medina-Alegria will serve in CVUSD areas 1, 2 and 3.

November 11, 2022 (El Cajon) – In a surprising upset, Cajon Valley Union School District’s board chair Tamara Otero is losing her reelection bid to challenger Anthony Carnevale, a businessman.  Carnevale has 61.37% of the votes, while Otero has 33.63%, according to the San Diego Registrar of Voters.

Otero and Carnevale, both conservatives, ran in trustee area 1.

In area 2, an open seat due to Trustee Jill Barto not seeking reelection, Jolyana Jirjees was the only candidate running and has been appointed by the board to fill the vacancy.

Trustee Jo Medina-Alegria ran unopposed for her reelection in area 3.

Source: Mount Miguel High School Foundation

November 11, 2022 (Spring Valley) – The Mount Miguel High School Foundation is having its “Holiday Craft Fair” on Saturday, December 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 8585 Blossom Lane, Spring Valley.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Update Nov. 21, 2022 -- Ryan and Fox have retained their leads.  Ryan has 75.56%, far outposcing her opponent. Fox has 48.58% in his three-person race, well above Thill at 36.71% and Dolin at 14.7%.  This will be the final update from the Registrar of Voters before certification of the votes on Dec. 8.

Nov. 9, 2022 (Santee) The  Santee School District’s board of education had three seats up for election on its board of trustees. Campaign issues included school safety, catching up on pandemic learning loss and more.

The latest vote tally has incumbent Barbara L. Ryan vastly outpacing Ron Burner for seat 1. Ryan has 76.15% of the vote, versus Burner’s 23.85%. Ryan, a member of the Santee Board of Education, supports comprehensive language arts programs that include phonics, a zero-tolerance policy ensuring safety, curriculum standards that exceed state standards, and more. In her ballot statement, she says her leadership has brought significant additional funding to the district. Additionally, she has served on district committees, as a PTA president and school site councilmember as well as numerous other organizations.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, top left to lower right:  Andrew Hayes won reelection; newcomers Ron Kasper, Jim Bennett and Autumn Ellenson beat out a trio of other incumbents

November 9, 2022 (Lakeside) – Lakeside Union School District’s governing board will look dramatically different as a result of yesterday’s election.  Three full-term seats and one short-term seat were on the ballot. But only one of the incumbents up for reelection, Andrew Hayes, has won reelection.  Three others – Bonnie LaChappa, Holly Ferrante, and Don Whiseman, are trailing by substantial margins.

All of the leading candidates are endorsed by the Republican Party, though the race is officially nonpartisan. In addition to Hayes, challengers Jim Bennett and Ron Kasper appear poised to win full-term seats, while Autumn Ellenson is winning the short-term seat by a resounding margin of more than two-thirds.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and La Mesa Mayor Mark Araposthis are winning their reelection bids

November 8, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Early results after polls closed tonight indicate incumbents heading for reelection in La Mesa, El Cajon and Lemon Grove.

The power of incumbency proved stronger than partisan politics. Though city races are nonpartisan, political parties endorsed candidates and expended resources walking precincts to campaign for their parties' choices. But incumbents in both parties hold solid leads, though Democrats appear likely to pick up a seat in both the La Mesa and Lemon Grove Council races, following the retirement of Republican incumbents.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, a Republican, has a solid 71.25% of the votes tallied so far; his opponent, realtor Arnie Levine, a Democrat, has 28.75%. The Mayor ran on a track record of boosting revenues through bringing in new hotels and reopening the performing arts center, while Levine criticized Mayor Wells’ defiance of public health business shutdown mandates duringthe pandemic. El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick ran unopposed, drawing 100% of the votes.  But El Cajon’s Measure P which the Mayor supports, to increase the city sales tax to a penny per dollar, is losing 58% to 42%.

Giraffes, rhinos and wildlife safari truck represent Safari Park’s ability to connect people to wildlife

East County News Service 

November 7, 2022 (San Diego) – “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation” will be the theme of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s float on Monday January 2, 2023 in the 134^th annual Rose Parade® presented by Honda.  (The Rose Parade, customariliy held on New Year's Day, is never held on Sundays.)

The SDZWA is an international conservation organization that partners with the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

By Miriam Raftery

November 6, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Small businesses are struggling to recover from pandemic shutdowns, while consumers are feeling a financial pinch from inflation. So on November 1, Lemon Grove’s City Council voted to address both problems. The city will use federal relief funds to match residents’ purchase of gift cards up to $150 for local businesses – so $150 spent by a resident will be doubled, to a $300 value.

By Christianne McCormick

Screenshot: Mayor Mark Arapostathis

November 6, 2022 (La Mesa) -- Disgruntled and outraged residents of La Mesa at the October 11 City Council meeting voiced their concerns about a five-story, 64-unit apartment complex proposed to be built in the heart of the city’s village.  The building would be erected on the same land where the historic Randall Lamb Building burnt down during a riot following the May 30, 2020 protests after the tragic death of George Floyd.