By Miriam Raftery

November 12, 2018 (San Diego) – The Camp Fire that turned Paradise, California into a scene out of hell has impacted family members of several local residents. A fundraiser to help the Camp Fire victims has been set up here:  https://www.facebook.com/donate/552862868514901/

East County News Service

November 12, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – SDG&E’s outages site reports power outages in multiple rural communities, some planned to prevent fires during high winds, others unplanned. Power is currently out in the vicinities of Alpine, Campo, Jacumba, Potrero, Jamul, Mount Laguna, Descanso, Cuyamaca and Pine Valley.

Here are some steps you should take to be prepared for outages and evacuations. If you have additional tips to share, please post them in our comments section:

Update November 14, 2018:  Updated information from Cal Fire indicates there are now at least 48 people confirmed killed in the Camp Fire, with over 100 still missing.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  U.S. Forest Service has 250 firefighters helping to battle the Camp Fire.

November 11, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – A red flag warning for San Diego County and much of Southern California has been extended through Tuesday as three major wildfires continue to scorch the state.  Terrified evacuees posted videos such as this one, shot by a woman escaping through tunnels of fire along a freeway north of Los Angeles: https://twitter.com/i/status/1061430443134734339.

East County News Service

November 10, 2018 (La Mesa) – Clayton Marlow Anderson, Jr., a former La Mesa attorney disbarred in 2015, was sentenced Friday to serve 18 months in federal prison for defrauding clients and investors. He was also ordered to pay over $1.5 million in restitution to his victims. 

By Miriam Raftery

November 9, 2018 (San Diego) – Three major, fast-burning wildfires have forced more than 100,000 evacuations in southern and northern California and shut down a major freeway, with the entire state now under a red flag warning. 

By Miriam Raftery

November 9, 2018 (Julian) – This week brought good news and bad news for Julian residents fighting to halt a county takeover of the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District and save the county’s last all-volunteer fire department.

A citizens’ protest petition seeking to reverse the vote by the Local Agency Formation Agency (LAFCO) to dissolve the fire district obtained enough signatures to qualify for a future ballot, the Registrar of Voters informed advocates this week.  That’s a tough hurdle, since the requirement is more than 50% of property owners in the district. 

“We did it! We are the only ones in the history of LAFCO to ever get this far!” Lori Foss, a supporter of the petition and survivor of the Cedar and Witch fires, stated in an email to East County Magazine on Election Day.

By Miriam Raftery

November 8, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Two East County school districts appear to have reached the 55% majority needed for passage, but a third failed to meet the mark, with 100% of precincts counted but some mail-in and provisional ballots still to be tallied.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

November 8, 2018 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for high fire danger, in effect from 10 a.m. today through 10 p.m. Friday in San Diego and Orange Counties.  Northeast winds of 20 ot 30 miles per hour are forecast near passes and canyons, with gusts up to 65 miles an hour possible.  Humidity is expected to fall into the 5 to 10 percent range Friday.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Brian Jones, shown at Politics in Paradise, has returned to the Legislature

Update December 13, 2018:  In the final count, Jones won with 53% of the vote to 47% for Griffith, the closest margin in recent history for this district.

November 8, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Brian Jones, a familiar face in East County Politics, will be the new State Senator in the 38^th State Senate District. Jones, a Republican former Assemblyman and current Santee City Councilman,  has defeated Cal Fire Captain Jeff Griffith a Democrat, by a 56 to 44 percent margin with 72% of precincts counted.

Update November 9, 2018:  An Arizona Senate race has flipped, with a Democrat now leading, reducing Republican gains to 2 seats if that holds.  A recount is also looming in Florida, where a Republican stlll leads.

By Miriam Raftery

 November 7, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – Democrats flipped over 30 seats from red to blue nationwide, regaining control of the House of Representatives in Congress by a 223 to 200 margin.  Only 218 seats are needed for a majority in the 435-seat House, where a handful of races have not yet been decided.

In the Senate, by contrast, Republicans picked up three seats to boost their majority from 51 to 54 in the 100-seat body.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos, left to right:  Rebecca McRae, Charda Fontenot, and Megan Epperson

November 7, 2018 (La Mesa-Spring Valley) – Three seats are open in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District due to three conservative Republicans stepping down.  Two slates have been vying for those seats and with 63% of precincts tallied, voters appear to have split among the conservative and reform slates. The common factor among the three currently in the lead is gender: all three are women in an election season that’s seen women winning races across the nation.

Teacher Rebecca McRae and lactation consultant/parent Charda Fontenot, both endorsed by the district’s teacher’s union and by the Democratic party in the official nonpartisan race, are currently in first and second place with 21.25% and 15.34%.  Megan Epperson, a parent backed by the Republican Party, has 15.19%.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo by Jesse Kendrick: Mayor  Wells and Councilman Kendrick savor Election Night victories

November 7, 2018 (El Cajon)--El Cajon voters returned Mayor Bill Wells and Councilma/Mayor Pro Tem Gary Kendrick to their positions on the El Cajon City Council on Tuesday night with veritable knockout punches against their challengers.

With 86 percent of precincts reporting, incumbent Mayor Bill Wells maintained his lead all evening with 66% (7799 votes) while his challenger, East County businessman Joel A. Scalzitti garnered only 26% (3064 votes). Robert M. Weaver, Jr., in spite of dropping out of the race early and not mounting a campaign because of federal Hatch Act conflicts with his position with the federal government, garnered 8% of the vote with 905 votes.

With nearly 88% precincts reporting, Councilman Kendrick was successful in staving off a challenge from fellow Councilman Ben Kalasho by a landslide. Kendrick got a whopping 85% (3408 votes) with Kalasho only getting 15% (621 votes). 

By Miriam Raftery

November 7, 2018 (La Mesa) --  La Mesa Voters have overwhelmingly approved Measure V by a 74.26% to 25.64% margin with 15% of precincts counted.  The measure will levy an excise tax on cannabis dispensaries.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Zack Gianino and Evlyn Andrade-Heymsfeld await final election results in Santee

November 6, 2018 (Santee) – A grassroots effort to elect slow-growth, progressive candidates to the Santee City Council appears unsuccessful, with a conservative slate leading handily for all three seats and two Republican incumbents headed to reelection.

This was Santee’s first election since dividing the city into districts instead of at-large elections.

Update November 7, 2018:  With 39% of precincts tallied, Weber and Baber maintain the lead with 27.43% and 25.94% respectively over McWhirter at 24.79% and Myers at 21.84%. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Dr. Akilah Weber and her sons at Democratic Party celebration downtown

November 6, 2018 (La Mesa) — One of the closest races in East County is unfolding in La Mesa, where incumbents Bill Baber and Guy McWhirter face tough challenges from physician Akilah Weber and retired Sheriff’s commander Dave Myers.  Weber is currently in first place with 27.06% of the vote, narrowly leading over Baber at 26.22% and McWhirter at 25.03%, with Myers at 21.68%.  But only five of 33 precincts have been counted as of midnight.

The offices are officially nonpartisan, but Weber and Myers are endorsed by Democrats while Baber and McWhirter are backed by Republicans.  The “blue wave” that swept Democrats into control of the House of Representatives thus far appears to have split in La Mesa.