Oct. 29, 2025 (La Mesa) -- This past week has marked one of the most challenging stretches of time for the La Mesa Police Department as it mourns the loss of fallen La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven.
Candlelight vigil photos by Karen Pearlman
Craven, 25, died the night of Monday, Oct. 20 in San Diego's Grantville area, on Interstate 8 near Fairmount Avenue. She was returning from San Diego's Central Jail and stopped to assist a motorist who had been in an accident on the freeway.
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October 28, 2025— A San Diego County Sheriff deleted 57 hours of video footage that may have shed light on a 22-year-old man’s death in a San Diego County jail. US District Judge Dana Sabraw and Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard have sanctioned San Diego County for erasing this footage, which could have shown whether deputies or medical staff ignored the inmate William Hayden Schuck in the days before he died.
Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard, who has sharply criticized the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office failure to retain the footage, called this “shocking in the height of negligence.”
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Photo, left: Vince Kattoula displays hookahs, advocating for more space to display them in retail stores
October 28, 2025 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon City Council voted Tuesday to deny a proposal that would have increased the allowable display space for tobacco products such as hookahs in retail stores that are not designated smoke shops.
The 3-1 vote leaves intact the city code requirement that licensed tobacco retailers are limited to 16 cubic feet of display area. The El Cajon Planning Commission recommended earlier this month to allow stores to double the permissible display area to 32 cubic feet. Councilmember
Phil Ortiz, who asked that the issue be brought forth to the Council, was the lone no vote. He advocated for the increased allowable space. Mayor Bill Wells was absent.
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“The massive reporting effort on this piece is evident...The two reporters on this story are truly an asset to their community.” – Judge’s comments on ECM’s first-place Education article
October 28, 2025 (San Diego) – East County Magazine received six journalism awards, including three first place winners, in San Diego Press Club’s 2025 Excellent in Journalism competition. The awards were presented tonight at the Encore Events Center in San Diego. Five of ECM’s awards were in the daily and online news category, while the sixth was in the radio division. ECM has won 156 major journalism awards since its inception in 2008.
Scroll down for details and links to read our award-winning entries.
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Little Black Dress (LBD) Event featuring a custom gown by top designer Evan Hirsch
East County News Service
October 28, 2025 (San Diego) – Goodwill San Diego is proud to host its annual Little Black Dress Event, just in time for the holiday season. All Goodwill retail stores will showcase a wide selection of LBDs, shoes, and accessories at competitive prices.
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October 28, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove City Council reopened the process for filling a vacancy, after efforts to appoint a candidate failed the first time. The vacancy will fill the seat held by Councilmember Steve Faiai, who passed away in July. The difference in the next selection process will rely on ranked choice voting, in which councilmembers will list their top three choices for appointment in an effort to avoid another deadlock.
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Photo by Susan Massey: Bighorn rams on Bureau of Land Management property in Ocotillo, adjacent to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Oct. 28, 2025 (East County) – The Trump administration is proposing to repeal the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule in order to fast-track oil and gas exploration.
The rule protects habitat conservation and restoration. Repeal could threaten wildlife populations including bighorn sheep.
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October 28, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat advisory for San Diego County’s valleys and inland areas. Temperatures up to 94 degrees are forecast today and up to 96 degrees tomorrow.
Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. The County of San Diego's Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has opened cool zones (free air-conditioned spaces). Click here for all cool zone locations countywide and scroll down for cool zone sites in East County and San Diego County’s inland region:
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By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office
October 27, 2025 (San Diego) - You don’t have to wait until Election Day to vote in person. Voters can take advantage of early voting at nearly three dozen select vote centers starting Saturday, Oct. 25. The centers are located around the county and will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Oct. 27, 2025 (Lemon Grove) -- An early-morning, multi-vehicle crash Sunday, Oct. 26 on state Route 125 claimed the life of a San Diego man and left several others injured, the California Highway Patrol said.
At about 4:28 a.m. on Sunday, a Nissan Sentra driven by an unidentified individual, was traveling northbound just south of Spring Street with a 26-year-old male passenger from San Diego. At the same time, a 35-year-old man from Maryland had parked his 2007 Mercedes E350 on the right shoulder of stare Route 125 near Spring Street, accompanied by two female passengers.
For reasons still being investigated, the Nissan veered onto the shoulder and struck the rear of the Mercedes, pushing it forward. The Nissan then came to a stop in the northbound lanes, obstructing traffic. A 33-year-old San Diego woman driving a 2022 Ford Edge northbound was unable to avoid the disabled Nissan and collided with it. The impact forced both vehicles into the center median.
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By Karen Pearlman, with additional reporting by Miriam Raftery
Oct. 26, 2025 (East County) -- One of the original champions for First Nation independence through gaming on Native American reservations in California, Daniel "Danny" Tucker, longtime leader and tribal member of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, has passed away.
Tucker, born Feb. 5, 1952 at Mercy Hospital, died Friday, Oct. 24 due to complications from diabetes, at the home he shared with his wife, Lori, in El Cajon.
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By Taina Fonseca, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association
Photo: Mildred Falls. Photo by Alexander S. Kunz
October 26, 2025 (San Diego) - The San Diego River Park Foundation has successfully purchased a 58-acre parcel from a private owner, the organization announced this week.
Why is that important?
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By Sir Milo Loftin, County of San Diego Communications Office
October 26, 2025 (San Diego) - County Animal Services is asking for the public’s help to learn more about a puppy found with a severe neck injury caused by a collar that had become embedded in his skin.
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The Women in Leadership Luncheon, with more than 450 attendees at Sycuan Casino, honored seven women who excel professionally and as community leaders -- women who demonstrate exemplary character, integrity and leadership.
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
La Mesa officials say to expect major traffic delays
East County News Service
Oct. 25, 2025 (La Mesa) -- A funeral procession is planned for fallen La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven starting at 7:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28, according to the La Mesa Police Department.
Craven, 25, was killed in the line of duty on October 20, 2025, after being struck by a drunk driver while assisting at another crash scene on Interstate 8. She was returning from the San Diego Central Jail when she came upon a collision involving several vehicles.
Craven stopped to render aid to the drivers involved in the initial crash, but while assisting, a 38-year-old man, who has been arrested on suspicion of DUI, struck Craven with his car. She died at the scene, along with 19-year-old De'Veonte Morris, one of the drivers from the first crash.
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Oct. 24, 2025 (El Cajon) -- Local public safety officials have arrested the person who is believed to have been the driver of a car linked to a hit-and-run collision on Wednesday night, Oct. 22 in El Cajon that put a 12-year-old boy in the hospital.
Dani Korkis, 35, of Lakeside was arrested by authorities and booked into San Diego County Jail on felony hit-and-run charges, according to a Friday news release from the El Cajon Police Department.
The 12-year-old boy, who was hit around 8 p.m. in the 300 block of Ballantyne Street, remains hospitalized and is in stable condition.
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Oct. 24, 2025 (San Diego County) -- The name and look of the emergency information app for the County of San Diego has changed, and now has new features to help keep residents safe.
Known previously as SD Emergency, it is now called Alert San Diego. The updated app is part of the County Office of Emergency Services’ (OES) modernized emergency communication system. The app provides a one-stop place for quick access to official alerts, interactive maps, preparedness tips and recovery resources.
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Oct. 23, 2025 (La Mesa) -- At least three events are planned to honor fallen La Mesa Police officer Lauren Craven, one tomorrow night at Pink Rose Cafe in La Mesa and another Wednesday, Nov. 5 at Casa Gabriela in La Mesa.
The La Mesa Police Department is also having a candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27 at LMPD headquarters at 8085 University Ave., La Mesa. A program is going to be held with brief remarks, a moment of silence and a closing. Candles will be provided.
Craven, 25. died while trying to save motorists involved in a car crash on eastbound Interstate 8 near Grantville. Craven was struck and killed the night of Oct. 20 after stopping to assist motorists involved in the multi-vehicle crash on I-8 East at Fairmount Avenue at 10:24 p.m.
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The SDZWA announced his appointment on Thursday, Oct. 23, which came following an extensive global search.
Dixon served as interim president and CEO of the SDZWA for the past seven months, and previously had nine years of service to the organization as its chief operating officer.
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In its inaugural Major League Soccer season, the team is headed to the playoffs.
San Diego FC will host its first playoff match Sunday, Oct. 26, at Snapdragon Stadium when the team faces the Portland Timbers in Game 1 of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-Three series.
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
As the shutdown continues, the hunger relief non-profit ispreparing for a massive surge in need with the delay of November CalFresh benefits
Source: Feeding San Diego
October 23, 2025 (San Diego) - As the government shutdown enters the fourth week, Feeding San Diego has expanded food assistance services to federal workers impacted by the loss in pay, including the over110,000 members of the military that call San Diego home.
Now, it’s preparing for another surge in need with the announcement that CalFresh benefits will be delayed should the government shutdown go on after today. More than 400,000 San Diegans receive CalFresh benefits and will experience an interruption in funds loaded onto their EBT cards.
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Photo, left: Supervisor Jim Desmond sought to restrict foreign investors from buying homes and driving up prices.
October 23, 2025 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors this week rejected a proposal by Supervisor Jim Desmond to support statewide bans or restrictions on foreign investment in entry-level and single-family housing, particularly when located near sensitive military installations and other critical infrastructure.
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El Cajon Police seek help to find white or silver SUV with front-end damage
East County News Service
October 23, 2025 (El Cajon) – Around 8 p.m. last night, a 12-year-old boy was struck by an SUV in the 300 block of Ballantyne Street, suffering major head trauma. The vehicle, described by witnesses as a white or silver SUV with front-end damage, fled the scene.
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Overall, this affects not only SNAP, but also WIC, federal workers, food banks, senior citizens, and grocery stores.
By G. A. McNeeley
October 22, 2025 (California) -- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the critical food assistance program, being halted is one of the biggest impacts of the ongoing government shutdown, and it’s about to affect tens of millions of the poorest Americans. Several states are warning that they’ll be forced to suspend SNAP benefits by November 1 if the shutdown continues, according to ABC News.
SNAP, also referred to as "food stamps," serves about 42 million low-income Americans. The program, run by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, issues electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food.
Governor Gavin Newsom warned on Monday, October 20, that millions of low-income Californians who rely on public assistance to feed their families may be unable to access food benefits next month because of the federal government shutdown, according to POLITICO.
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October 14, 2025 (Sacramento) – They risk their lives to battle wildfires. Yet California’s inmate firefighters are currently paid just $1 to $10 for an entire day’s work, plus $1 an hour during active duty. A bill signedby Governor Gavin Newsom will raise the rate to $7.25 an hour (the federal minimum wage) during active duty.
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Oct. 21, 2025 (Santee) – Making others happy was something Mary Hennessy did naturally, with no holds – or holes – barred.
As founder and owner of the iconic Mary’s Donuts in Santee, Hennessy sprinkled joy to others – and not just by way of diverse donut toppings, fruity fritter fillings and cinnamon-dusted donut holes, but also through her generous spirit, spreading positivity through acts of kindness and by virtue of making connections.
Mary Hennessy loved interacting with people. chatting with customers, helping behind the counter and especially seeing children come in.
“Handing out stickers to kids was one of her small joys,” said her granddaughter, Kelly Hennessy.
And she did it all for nearly 95 years.
Born Mary Churchill in the small farming town of Dexter, Minn., on May 3, 1931, Hennessy died at her La Mesa home on Oct. 19, 2025, surrounded by family members.
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Image, left: Rendering of Troy Street Sleeping Cabins Project
October 22, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to approve negotiations with Caltrans to purchase land for the Troy Street Sleeping Cabins Project in Lemon Grove, after hearing comments overwhelmingly in opposition from residents and two City Councilmembers.
The project plan calls for building tiny homes on an undeveloped lot at 2800 Sweetwater Road and Troy Street, which the County expects to pay about $2 million to buy from the state. It’s part of the County’s Compassionate Emergency Solutions and Pathways to Housing efforts for people experiencing homelessness.
There were 26 requests to speak in person in the board chambers or on the phone. There were 78 e-comments in opposition submitted, while 5 e-comments were in support of the plan. Opponents warned of the potential for an increase in crime in the area, or said the project was too expensive and too close to an early childhood education center, or that the Board should focus on permanent solutions instead of temporary ones.
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October 22, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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By Miriam Raftery, with additional reporting by Karen Pearlman
Photo: LMPD Officer Lauren Craven, courtesy of La Mesa Police
Updated Oct. 21, 4 p.m. with comments from Chief Ray Sweeney, City Manager Greg Humora, and Governor Gavin Newsom
October 21, 2025 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven, 25, was struck and killed last night after stopping to assist motorists involved in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 8 east at Fairmount Avenue at 10:24 p.m. last night. One of the motorists also died, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Craven was on duty returning from Central Jail when she stopped at the scene of the crash, where one vehicle had lost struck another, then lost control and rolled over, according to the California Highway Patrol. A third vehicle then struck the disabled vehicle, 10 News reports.
The CHP told 10 News that after LMPD Officer Craven got out of her vehicle to assist the motorists, she was struck by an oncoming vehicle, after which a fifth vehicle struck those involved in the original crash.
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October 21, 2025, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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Candlelight vigil photos by Karen Pearlman
By Alexander J. Schorr
Little Black Dress (LBD) Event featuring a custom gown by top designer Evan Hirsch
By Paul Levikow
East County News Service
By 
East County News Service
By Karen Pearlman, with additional reporting by Miriam Raftery
By Taina Fonseca, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association
By 
East County News Service
La Mesa officials say to expect major traffic delays
East County News Service 
East County News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
As the shutdown continues, the hunger relief non-profit is
By Paul Levikow
El Cajon Police seek help to find white or silver SUV with front-end damage
Overall, this affects not only SNAP, but also WIC, federal workers, food banks, senior citizens, and grocery stores.
By Miriam Raftery
Story and photos by Karen Pearlman
October 22, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
October 21, 2025, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
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