Update: The cause of death for Goffeney and his wife was fentanyl addiciton, Goffeney's daughter posted.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Mark Goffeney, Creative Commons image via Wikipedia

March 14, 2021 (El Cajon) – Mark Goffeney, the internationally acclaimed armless musician known as “Big Toe” who inspired people around the world, was found dead on March 2nd in his El Cajon apartment along with his wife, Annmaree. Both were 51. An autopsy will determine their causes of death.

Born without arms in 1969, Goffeney inspired millions with his can-do attitude. He learned to play the guitar and bass with his feet, strumming with his left foot and forming chords with his right.  He was nominated in an Emmy award in 1999 for his role in a Fox commercial, “Feet”, which later aired during the Superbowl in 2000 and 2001.  He’s performed around the world with many top celebrities, also appearing on an array of TV shows.

By Donald H. Harrison, San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Graffiti drawn on a residence hall at San Diego State University, March 2021

March 14, 2021 (San Diego) - Earlier this week, an unidentified resident advisor at South Campus Plaza North, a large dormitory serving hundreds of students at San Diego State University, found scrawled on the exterior of the building three swastikas and coded messages often associated with white supremacist philosophy.  She immediately got some poster board to cover the offensive messaging, and drew hearts upon the poster board along with the message “Spread Love.”  After campus police were called to the scene and photographs taken of the offending material as part of an ongoing investigation, the antisemitic message was eliminated.

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2021 (San Diego) – Starting Monday, March 15, people ages 16 and up in Tier 1C will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, if they live or work in San Diego County and have certain serious health conditions. The County has sharply expanded the number of health conditions, disabilities, and illnesses on the list that put people at higher risk for COVID-19 serious illness.

In addition, the County has added homeless people and those in congregate living situations such as jails, mental health facilities, or detention centers to the list.

Below is the full list of everyone who is eligible for vaccinations, starting Monday:

Phase 1C – Effective March 15

Eligible High-Risk Medical Conditions and Disabilities - Effective March 15

• Cancer, current with weakened immune system­­
• Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or above
• Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent
• Down syndrome
• Solid organ transplant, leading to a weakened immune system
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension)
• Severe obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 40 kg/m²)
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus
• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
• Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
• Liver disease
• Overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m², but < 30 kg/m²)
• Obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2, but < 40 kg/m²)
• Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
• Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)

In addition, people over age 16 can get the vaccine if, as a result of a developmental or other significant, high-risk disability, one or more of the following criteria applies**:

• A COVID-19 infection is likely to result in severe life-threatening illness or death; OR
• Acquiring COVID-19 will limit the individual’s ability to receive ongoing care or services vital to their well-being and survival; OR
• Providing adequate and timely COVID care will be particularly challenging as a result of the individual’s disability.

Additional Eligible Groups - Effective March 15

• Congregate residential settings, such as an incarceratio­n/detention facilities, homeless shelters, or behavioral health facilities
  • Includes people experiencing homelessness, who may transition into congregate settings at short notice­­­

The County is also continuing to vaccinate people n phases 1A and 1B:

By Mike Allen

Photo via San Diego River Park Foundation, via Facebook

March 12, 2021 (Santee) -- The number of homeless people camping in and around Santee increased over the past year, according to a recent report given to the city.

At this week’s meeting of the Santee Community Oriented Policing committee, a representative from the San Diego River Park Foundation presented the results of a point-in-time count conducted last month.

The count, done over a week in February, focused on the San Diego River and adjacent areas and included the city of Santee.  It did not include direct contact with people because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, said Jennifer Frey, program manager for the SDRPF.

Source: Serving Seniors

March 11, 2021 (San Diego) -- One year ago, on March 12, 2020, Serving Seniors was ordered to shut down one of its core services to impoverished San Diego county seniors. As the largest provider of meals to San Diego County’s older adults, it could no longer keep its 11 congregate meal sites open due to the public health crisis.

By Miriam Raftery

March 11, 2021 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police seeks public help to identify who injured Jok Joseph Jok, who later died of his injuries. A possible vehicle of interest is also sought: a white 2009-2014 Ford F150. The vehicle is an extended cab, with a silver metal tool box, and possibly missing a front bumper. 

On Feb. 27 around 9:10 p.m., police responded to a call and found Jok lying on the eastern edge of the roadway on Bancroft Drive just south of Golondrina. He was unresponsive with injuries to his head and shoulder. He later succumbed to his injuries; the manner and means of his death remains under investigation.

Video surveillance shows vehicles in the area at the time of the incident. The La Mesa Police Department is actively looking for witnesses or any other information regarding this incident. 

By Henri Migala

March 10, 2021(Casa de Oro) -- A car travelling westbound on State Route 94 in Spring Valley lost control around 8:30 tonight and veered off the highway and into a Casa de Oro neighborhood below.  Described on the CHP incident page as a silver Mitsubishi, the vehicle tumbled down a hill, crashed through a fence and continued across the intersection of South Barcelona Street and Buena Vista Drive, into the grounds of an apartment building at 9938 Buena Vista Dr. The vehicle plowed through a fence and hedges at the apartments but did not damage the building.

No other cars were involved.

The driver of the vehicle, a man in his 50s, was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Source: County of San Diego

Photo: CC by SA

March 10, 2021 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) has issued a General Rain Advisory to avoid water contact at all coastal beaches and bays due to recent rainfall. Swimmers, surfers, and other water users are warned that rain brings urban runoff, which can cause bacteria levels to rise significantly in ocean and bay waters, especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers, and lagoon outlets. Urban runoff may contain large amounts of bacteria from a variety of sources such as animal waste, soil, and decomposing vegetation. Bacteria levels can remain elevated after a rainstorm depending upon the intensity of the storm, volume of runoff and ocean conditions. Many coastal storm drains have permanent warning signs; however, additional warning signs are not posted for General Rain Advisories. Water contact such as swimming, surfing and diving should be avoided during rain and for 72 hours following the rain event.

By Alexa Oslowski

March 9, 2021 (La Mesa) – On January 26, the La Mesa City Council voted unanimously to pass a temporary emergency ordinance placing a cap on commissions that can be charged by delivery apps (Postmates, Uber Eats, etc.) to restaurants.

“People have been using delivery services during the pandemic at higher rates than they have in the past, myself included,” Councilmember Colin Parent said during the City Council meeting. “One of the things I’ve come to understand is some of those apps can charge really exorbitant fees.”

The ordinance, which was proposed by Parent, received overall support in comments by members of the public, which were read in the meeting by City Clerk Megan Wiegelman.

Update March 11, 2021:  President Biden has signed this measure into law.

Read full text of the American Recovery Act 2021

By Miriam Raftery

March 8, 2021 (Washington D.C.) – By a 50-49 margin without a single Republican vote, Senate Democrats passed a COVID-19 relief measure that now heads back to the House to approve changes. The House is expected to approve the bill as early as Tuesday, which President Joe Biden has said he will sign into law immediately.

The measure includes a new round of stimulus checks for most Americans and extension of unemployment benefits, but also many less-publicized forms of aid ranging from expansion of child tax credits to relief for restaurants, event venues, and other businesses hardest hit by the pandemic and much more.

One major element removed in the Senate version of the bill is a minimum wage increase, which the Senate Parliamentarian ruled did not fit the rules required to pass the stimulus bill by a simple majority vote needed to avoid a filibuster. The Biden administration is expected to propose a separate bill to address the minimum wage issue in the future.

Here are highlights of what the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill includes:

Story and photos by Briana Gomez

Photo: Congressman Darrell Issa meets with Bellus Academy student Jessica Yerkey

March 6, 2021 (El Cajon) – Congressman Darrell Issa (R-San Diego)  visited Bellus Academy in El Cajon yesterday after receiving pleas from students and staff at the beauty and wellness school for help to obtain licenses needed for jobs.

California's State Board of Cosmetology halted licensing exams in March 2020 due to the pandemic. According to Issa and the staff at Bellus, the State Board of Cosmetology is operating at half-capacity due to COVID-19 closures and furloughs, causing some students who graduated during the pandemic to be delayed up to a year in taking their state board exams – a delay that is preventing students from obtaining jobs.  That’s created a backlog of 7,000 graduates waiting for exams now being offered at half-capacity at a limited number of locations.

Issa has sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom calling on the state to come up with a solution to “offer a final licensing exam,” such as waiving requirements for part of the exam to be in-person, or allowing graduates to work under supervision in licensed spas, salons, or barber shops. “Now that the students have fulfilled their obligations, it is time for the State of California to do the same,” Issa’s letter states. 

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association 

Photo:  artist’s rendering of SeaWorld San Diego’s new dive coaster under construction. Image via SeaWorld

March 5, 2021 (San Diego) - Petco Park, SeaWorld and other major outdoor attractions and sports/performance venues across the state can reopen as early as April 1 subject to counties’ rates of COVID-19 spread and with strict capacity-control mandates and required mask-wearing, state officials announced Friday.