San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector race features four candidates seeking to watchdog public money
San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Race Features Four Candidates By Paul Levikow May 20, 2026 (San Diego County) — The race for San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector in the June 2 primary election is drawing increased attention as candidates debate how best to oversee billions in public funds, modernize tax systems, and safeguard taxpayer dollars during uncertain economic times. Printer-friendly version
Al Awael Brings Authentic Iraqi Cuisine to El Cajon
Review by Philicia Tonangoye May 16, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) –On the corner of Avocado and Chase Ave in El Cajon, Al Awael is a new family-owned Mediterranean restaurant that offers a wide range of flavorful and affordable Middle Eastern food options for individual diners or family occasions. Al Awael, meaning “the first,” holds special significance for the owner. When leaving Iraq for Jordan, he chose to name the restaurant “the first Iraqi restaurant” to mark this milestone before moving to the United States. The menu has a variety of dishes from appetizers, salads, Al Awael cookies, sandwiches/ wraps, entrees, fries plates, and fish options. Prices range from $11 to $30 for single plates and combos and from $54 to $159 for catering/ larger options. We ordered a Mediterranean Fatoush salad for $10.99 and two cheese burek ($4 each) as appetizers, and a lentil soup is offered to every customer dining in before placing their order. The salad was good and fresh, well-seasoned but a bit heavy on balsamic vinegar, the cheese burek was also delicious; I recommend eating it when warm. Next, we ordered an Iraqi Kebab entree ($17.99) and a Qouzi Laham entree ($28.99); both plates were served with rice, salad, and the Qouzi had a curry stew on the side. Portions are reasonable, the food tastes very good, and is totally worth the price. I personally appreciate the plates’ presentation; there’s incredible work that goes into dressing up the plates when dining in. We were offered tea at the end of our dinner. The restaurant itself has a charming and warm atmosphere overall, the dining area is well-maintained, and the service is fast with a friendly staff. I returned a few days ago and had a take-out of Iraqi kebab entree, cheese burek, and gave a try to chicken burek. The amount of food is the same as dining in, reasonable portions, and the same nice service. Printer-friendly version
Firefighters hold Tusil Fire to 1,000 acres overnight despite difficult conditions; some evacuations remain in place
Story and Photos by Josh Stotler; Miriam Raftery contributed to this report May 20, 2026 (Campo) – Wind-driven flames crossed Interstate 8, forcing temporary shutdown of the freeway in both directions late yesterday as crews battled the #Tusil Fire in rugged terrain. As of this morning, the number lane on both eastbound and westbound I-8 are reopened, but other lanes remain closed. Overnight, crews held the fire to 1,000 acres; it is now 25 percent contained. Printer-friendly version
Educator Dr. Mark Jeffers honored as 2026-27 San Diego County Teacher of the Year
East County News Service May 19, 2026 (Spring Valley) — Longtime Mount Miguel High School English teacher Dr. Mark Jeffers was named a 2026-27 San Diego County Teacher of the Year. Dr. Jeffers is one of five educators selected for this honor from a large pool of teachers across the county. Dr. Jeffers was given his award during a surprise presentation on May 15 at Mount Miguel. The presentation was coordinated in part by the San Diego Community Credit Union, a key partner of the annual Excellence in Education program, and featured a gathering of distinguished guests, including San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gloria Ciriza, Grossmont Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Kirsten Vital Brulte, and GUHSD Governing Board Trustees Robert Shield, Gary Woods, Scott Eckert and Chris Fite. Printer-friendly version
Evacuations ordered due to Tusil Fire in Campo
Update 3:45 p.m.: The #TusilFire is now 500 acres and has burned within 1/4 mile of I-8, which is closed in both directions. Motorists can expect significant delays. A temporary evacuation center has been set up at Golden Acorn Casino. May 19, 2026 — Homes are immediately threatened and evacuations have been ordered in Campo due to the #Tulsi Fire. View evacuations at the Genasys Evacuation map. The fire began at Crestwood Road near Old mine Road in Campo. It has burned 30 acres with zero containment so far. It is approximately one-half mile from Old Highway 80 and is heading toward Interstate 8, according to Cal Fire. Printer-friendly version
‘I truly believe that’s what saved the 140 kids.’ SDPD details heroism of three Islamic Center shooting victims.
By Brooke Binkowski, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online Journalism Association Photo: A guard looks as on as a man and child leave flowers at the Islamic Center of San Diego the day after a mass shooting left three victims and two shooters dead. (Photo by Adrian Childress/Times of San Diego) May 19, 2026 (San Diego) — Officials have identified the three people killed in Monday’s shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont Mesa. Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad were killed Monday morning while protecting people inside the center from two gunmen, law enforcement officials outlined Tuesday. Printer-friendly version
Vehicle malfunction caused Mission Fire Series, Cal Fire investigators determine
May 19, 2026 (Fallbrook) — Cal Fire investigators have determined the causes of multiple fires within the Mission Fire Series in Fallbrook on May 2 to be fragments from a catalytic converter on a malfunctioning vehicle. This series of fires included 26 separate fire perimeters that burned nearly 20 acres along State Route 76 and Interstate 15. Printer-friendly version
Aging pipes, persistent breaks challenge Julian’s water system
Photo courtesy Julian Community Services District By Paul Levikow May 19, 2026 (Julian) — Residents and business owners in the East County mountain community of Julian have running water again, after water service was restored following a recent outage and boil-water advisory on Main Street. But local officials caution that the problems are not over yet. According to Julian Community Services District General Manager and Chief Operator Harry “Buddy” Seifert, the outages stem from an aging underground pipe system dating back six decades. “All water was back on as of 5/6/26,” Seifert told East County Magazine this week, while acknowledging that recurring failures remain a concern because “the pipe keeps breaking in different areas after repairs are made.” Printer-friendly version
Reader’s Editorial: Why Tom Steyer should be the next governor of the mega-state of California
By Bonnie Burns Price, Ph.D. Ma7 19, 2026 (La Mesa) — There is no state in the USA that houses nearly 40,000,000 people and hosts such a huge economy, the fourth largest in the world. To properly govern California at this time, a capable candidate with extraordinary vision, concern, and skills must be in place. To me, that person is Tom Steyer. Printer-friendly version
Reader’s Editorial: Xavier Becerra has the experience and courage needed to lead California as Governor
By Maria Lopez May 18, 2026 (El Cajon) — By far the most qualified candidate for California Governor is Xavier Becerra, who has served as California’s Attorney General, as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services during the Biden administration, as a member of Congress and the California Legislature. He has a long record of fighting against Trump administration abuses, protecting clean air and water in California, as well as standing up for healthcare protections, women’s rights, protecting immigrants and workers, and other important issues. His opponents have backed a smear campaign against Becerra filled with false and misleading information. Here’s what you should know about his actual track record. Printer-friendly version