By Janis Mork

April 28, 2013 (El Cajon)- This past Tuesday, Michael Griffiths from the El Cajon Public Works Department gave a PowerPoint presentation to El Cajon City Council about the pavement maintenance program underway since 2006 and set for completion in 2014. City Manager Doug Williford stated that this program affects businesses and residents.

Before Griffiths began, he acknowledged junior engineer Katie Odiorne, who put the PowerPoint slides together. First, he presented a scale of old to new street pavings from 1-100.

April 3, 2013 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego Army Advisory Council (SDAAC) presents their second-annual, “Community Salute to Heroes: Benefiting First Responders and Military Families,” on Saturday, April 6, from 7:00 a.m. to noon. The occasion is being held at Grossmont High School, located at 1100 Murray Drive, El Cajon.

This special event will include a 5k Crossfit Competition for all age groups. Check-in begins at 7:00 a.m., with races from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The 5K race will include individual competitors as well as teams. Age groups will be (1) under 17, (2) 17 to 24, (3) 25 to 40 and (4) over 40.

At 11 a.m., El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis will receive a special “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his many years in public service.

By Janis Mork

January 8, 2013 (El Cajon)--By a unanimous vote, El Cajon’s City Council voted to condemn former Councilwoman Jillian Hanson-Cox’s embezzlement of funds from her former employer, Century Design. Council also added language to strip Hanson-Cox of any recognitions received from the City.

“Stealing is wrong, no matter what,” said Councilman Gary Kendrick, introducing the resolution. “I want to give an opportunity for the council to collectively and individually condemn her actions…I want to personally say I’m sorry to the Basso family and to what’s happened to them.”

By Miriam Raftery

December 19, 2012 (El Cajon ) –The Mother Goose Parade wasn’t the only beneficiary of funds stolen by former El Cajon Councilwoman Jillian Hanson-Cox, who pled guilty to embezzling more than $3.6 million from Century Design, Inc (CDI), her former employer.  

Court documents reveal that she also spent purloined money to hire celebrity impersonators to appear at her campaign fundraiser in 2004. She treated the city’s former Chief of Police to a vacation at a Hawaiian resort hotel. Plus she hosted city public information officer Monica Zech at a Beverly Hills hotel, including manicures and other spa treatments.

By Rebecca J. Williamson

October 6, 2012 (El Cajon)--El Cajon, indeed, will have chickens in their town – not just in ovens---but on hats! Where?  Oktoberfest -- held this weekend at the German-American Societies of San Diego, Inc. facility on South Mollison.

  By Bill Crotty

March 13, 2012 (El Cajon) – El Cajon City Council approved Mayor Mark Lewis' motion to appoint a replacement for recently-resigned Mayor Pro Tem Jillian Hanson-Cox at yesterday's council meeting, despite numerous community members who asked to be considered for the slot. 

The Mayor has indicated that he intends to choose a replacement, to be approved by Council, and will not accept applications from the public.

By Jonathan Goetz

October 27, 2011 (El Cajon)--The City of El Cajon may become another in a string of cities to remove itself from the safeguards of state law and give “supreme authority” in municipal affairs to the city council. The measure is touted as a cost-savings step. But in some areas, charter city status has led to abuse and even fleecing of taxpayers—notably in Bell, California.

By Jeremy Los

“This issue has received band-aid approaches to fix it when it needs a tourniquet.” – La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid

“We look at them as a resource… they are the eyes and ears of the community… they certainly know when something is going on.” – El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis, on the homeless in his town

 "I do not feel there needs to be a regional center for the homeless in East County." -- Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Sessom

"I am not in the homeless business." - Santee Mayor Randy Voepel

April 26, 2011 – Four East County mayors shared their reactions on a new study on the many homeless in our region. Their views differed dramatically on how to address the homeless problem.  In addition, three of the four mayors questioned the study findings and voiced doubts on the numbers of homeless people listed in their cities. 

According to the 2011 Point-In-Time Count by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless, East County is now home to 8.9% of San Diego County’s homeless population, with El Cajon staking claim to the highest number of homeless people. However, the majority of El Cajon's homeless are in shelters--while in other East County communities, the homeless are living on the streets, in cars, or camped along riverbeds.  

By Miriam Raftery
 

October 24, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A rash of sign-stealing and defacement has marred the campaign trail in East County communities including Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon. The latest targets are large signs criticizing gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman.

Vandals in Santee cut the name “Meg” out of numerous 4 x 8 foot signs that read: “What’s Meg Hiding? $200 million to buy election; didn’t vote for 28 years; caters to the rich and corporations. What’s her REAL agenda?” ECM photographer Dennis Richardson spotted at least four of the damaged signs this afternoon--and noticed several others had gone missing completely.

East County Magazine Editor Miriam Raftery was interviewed on KPBS Radio’s “These Days” program today regarding several East County political races: 77th Assembly, La Mesa Mayor, El Cajon Mayor, Padre Dam Municipal Water District, and 52nd Congressional District. Here is a link to the program: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/oct/11/east-county-election-races-heating/
 

Here are links to recent ECM articles with in-depth coverage of the races discussed:

By Miriam Raftery
 

October 7, 2010 (El Cajon) – Mayor Mark Lewis grew up in El Cajon, served three terms on the Council and is now running for his fourth term as Mayor. “I was on the 75th anniversary committee, and now I look forward to the 100th,” he said, referring to the City’s upcoming centennial in 2012.

Measure backed by 2 big out-of-state oil companies would rollback air pollution standards and repeal incentives for clean, green-tech jobs

La Mesa Council to consider No on 23 resolution on Sept. 14

By Miriam Raftery

September 6, 2010 – La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid and El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis have joined with over 30 cities including Los Angeles and Sacramento, hundreds of business leaders, and many public officials to oppose Proposition 23, the deceptively titled “California Jobs Initiative.”  A whopping 97% of funds come from the oil industry, with most from two large out-of-state oil companies, Valero and Tesoro.