La Mesa Courier, June 26th, 2020 by San Diego Community Newspaper Group

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 6 June 26 – July 23, 2020

Reading about racism. Page 11

INSIDE

Rioting, rebuilding, reforming

THIS ISSUE B NEWS House project

NEWS BRIEFS LA MESA HIRES NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER After an extensive, national recruitment process, Carlo Tomaino has been chosen for the assistant city manager position for the city of La Mesa.

La Mesa Historical Society continues work on McKinney House. Page 4

B FOOD & DRINK From Lebanon with love Protests on May 30 against police brutality brought riots, looting and arson to La Mesa. (Photo by Erik Egelko)

Protests against police brutality hit home By JEFF CLEMETSON | La Mesa Courier

Alforon’s delicious dishes show why it attracts locals and media attention. Page 13

B EDUCATION

Drive-through diplomas

The last few weeks will undoubtedly be viewed as some of the most troubled in the city of La Mesa’s history. A perfect storm of events caused millions of dollars in damage to the city and local

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2020

By JEFF CLEMETSON | La Mesa Courier Graduations ceremonies at Helix and Grossmont held on four wheels. Page 18

B ALSO INSIDE

On Friday, May 29, La Mesa saw its first protest against its police

Tomaino comes to La Mesa after 13 years at the city of Lake Forest, California where he was the economic development/housing manager for the past three years. Tomaino was responsible for Lake Forest’s economic development

SEE PROTESTS, Page 2

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 14

hundreds of La Mesa residents together to clean up, rebuild and reform the city’s policing practices.

A PROTEST TURNS INTO A RIOT

Jacobs stresses readiness in campaign for congress Decision

Opinion Politics Arts Village Voices Business Directory Classifieds Puzzles

businesses; one protester to lose part of her vision; another protester to be arrested and charged in federal court; the police department to be accused of racism; and the city to be fractured along political, social and racial lines. At the same time, the events brought

Carlo Tomaino (Courtesy photo)

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[Editor’s note: La Mesa Courier spoke with Sara Jacobs prior to the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed, so this profile does not include the candidate’s positions on police reforms. For more information about the Sara Jacobs campaign, visit sarajacobsforca.com.] On March 3, voters in California’s 53rd congressional district made Sara Jacobs the

frontrunner with 29.2% of the vote in what was a crowded field of 15 candidates. Jacobs, granddaughter of Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs, credits her success to reaching out to the district’s constituents. “I love San Diego and I’m so proud of the primary campaign we ran where we talked to everyone and listened to everyone and built a broad coalition,” she said. “That’s what I plan to do in the general election and that’s what I plan to do in office — listen to everyone, work with people from all backgrounds and really make progress.”

B CONTACT US

www.sdnews.com San Diego Community Newspaper Group

CA-53 candidate Sara Jacobs

SEE JACOBS, Page 21

(Courtesy Sara Jacobs for Congress)

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Editorial (858) 270-3103 x130 jeff@sdnews.com Advertising (951) 296-7794 hfine@sdnews.com

Now that the race is down to a contest between Jacobs and City Council president Georgette Gomez — both Democrats with similar policy positions — Jacobs wants voters to focus on her experience working in politics at the federal level as reason to cast ballots for her in November. “[Voters need] someone who has experience making and implementing policy at the federal level who understands all the levers of power that the federal government has to really offer San Diego — someone who is not going to

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NEWS

June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

Protests CONTINUED FROM Page 1

department since a 2018 incident at Helix High School where an officer was filmed apparently throwing a handcuffed 17-yearold Black student to the ground. (That incident was ultimately resolved on June 11 of this year with the city agreeing to pay the woman $130,000.) The Friday protests, which drew about 100 mostly local residents, was in response to a May 27 incident caught on video between LMPD Officer Matt Dages and a young Black man at the Grossmont Trolley Station, which ended in the young man arrested for resisting arrest and assaulting a police

officer — charges that were later dropped. With the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis sparking nationwide protests and the media attention from the Grossmont Trolley incident, a much larger protest was planned for La Mesa on Saturday, May 30. Protesters — initially a few hundred, but eventually numbering over a thousand — gathered at the LMPD station and City Hall before taking to the streets and shutting down a section of Interstate 8. Witness accounts about how and when serious trouble began vary, but an official LMPD incident report on the protest released on June 9 said that around 4 p.m. there were “reports coming in that protests are morphing into violence and destruction.” By

nightfall, protesters at City Hall were met with pepper spray and beanbag guns and police were met with rocks and other thrown projectiles. Offices in City Hall were broken into and vandalized and several vehicles were set on fire. One protester, 59-year-old Leslie Furcron of La Mesa, was shot with a beanbag and taken to a hospital in a coma. She has since been released from the hospital but has lost sight in one of her eyes. From there, chaos spread to other parts of the city as rioters and looters took advantage of the situation and fires were set at multiple buildings in the downtown Village. In the midst of the chaos, LMPD arrested 28-year-old Zachary Alexander Karas of San Diego after being found in possession of glass bottles with wicks filled with gasoline. Karas now faces federal charges for possession of an unregistered destructive device that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. In the early hours of May 31, City Manager Greg Humora, acting as Director of Emergency and Disaster, declared a curfew. The protests finally subsided a few hours later.

COMMUNITY RESPONDS, REBUILDS

Artists donated their talents by painting boards covering broken windows following the May 30 riot. (Photo by Stacy Clemetson)

The next morning, Sunday May 31, residents began cleaning up the damage caused by the rioting and looting. Throughout the day, more and more people joined the effort as word spread through social media about the extent of

A Black Lives Matter protest on June 14 drew crowds but no violence. (Photo by Jeff Clemetson)

the damage to businesses in the Village and the La Mesa Springs Shopping Center. As the several hundred La Mesans painted over graffiti, swept broken glass, and helped business owners with boarding up broken windows or picking up merchandise, firefighters were still working to put out the last smoldering embers alight in the now destroyed Chase Bank, Union Bank and Randall Lamb buildings. In the days and weeks that followed, local artists took paint to the plywood sheets that cover broken windows and created art with messages of peace and unity, many showing solidarity with the Black community and protests over the deaths of George Floyd and others at the hands of

police. Those temporary art pieces are now coming down, thanks to the generosity of La Mesa Glass, which has offered to donate its services and replace broken windows. As for the painted boards, several local organizations and churches have expressed a desire to maintain and display them for their historical and educational value. All told, the damage done in the city will likely total in the tens of millions of dollars. To that end, the La Mesa community also quickly responded. A GoFundMe page started by East County Chamber of Commerce Foundation exceeded its goal of $50,000 in a matter of hours and currently has raised over SEE PROTESTS, Page 3

NEWS

sdnews.com

Protests

National Guard troops at City Hall

La Mesa Courier

Sail Bay Townhome Coming Soon!

CONTINUED FROM Page 2

$199,000. The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce also has its own business assistance fund, which has attracted donors like the Lions Club of La Mesa ($2,000), The Phair Company ($1,000) and Randall Lamb Associates, who’s building was destroyed by fire on May 30, but still donated $5,000 to help fellow La Mesa businesses that were damaged or robbed. A GoFundMe for one such store that was robbed, Crazy Fred’s Cards and Comics, has raised over $25,000 — well above its $5,000 goal. In the days and weeks following the protest and riot, the city and LMPD worked to restore order. A mandatory curfew went into effect throughout the city. The police ramped up investigations into the looting and vandalism — of particular interest are robberies of a jewelry store and a firearms store. LMPD is asking the public to come forth with any information involving crimes committed during the protest. On the evening of June 3, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore requested National Guard assistance for San Diego County and specifically La Mesa. Guard troops were stationed around City Hall for four days, leaving the evening of June 7. There have been no reported instances of rioting or looting since the May 30 protest, but for many days after, rumors of a second, more violent protest were shared on social media. In this atmosphere, a local group formed calling itself “La Mesa Civil Defense.” After the group’s formation was reported by the Times of San Diego, some residents applauded the group for volunteering to protect the city, others saw it as a mostly-white vigilante group that will further divide the city. At a LMPD press conference to discuss the incident report held June 9, Chief Walt Vasquez said his department does “not condone or encourage any type of vigilantism.”

June 26 – July 23, 2020

4023 Everts St. Panoramic Water Views! A prayer circle in the La Mesa Springs Shopping Center during the cleanup effort on May 31 (Photos by Jeff Clemetson)

LMPD also sent officers to speak with the group to inform members what they can and cannot do under the law, Vasquez said.

REFORM EFFORTS CONTINUED While groups like La Mesa Civil Defense believe increased patrolling is the answer to keeping the public safe, other groups have focused on police reforms. At the June 9 press conference, Mayor Mark Arapostathis announced that work on proposed citizen oversight of LMPD would resume. “Someone said to me, ‘I just want to get past this.’ I said, ‘No, we’re never going to get past this. It’s always going to be part of our narrative. But hopefully it can be a benchmark on how we move forward,’” he said. On June 17, the Citizen Public Safety Oversight Task Force met for the first time since the protests. The task force was initially approved by City Council following the Helix High incident in 2018, but after the events of May 30, the group found new urgency in completing its work. Task force vice chair Jack Shu proposed an aggressive timeline to make its recommendations to City Council by the end of July so that a proposal could be added to the November ballot. Having voters decide on the task force’s recommended plan is necessary because La Mesa is a general law city, which carries some obstacles to citizen oversight of police unless approved by voters. One obstacle to oversight involves an oversight commission’s ability to subpoena officers to testify — a wishlist item for reformers that is generally opposed by police officers associations. Shu also recommended presenting a dual proposal to City Council that will work within the general law framework in case voters reject the ballot initiative. Task force chair Jamal McRae stressed the importance of implementing citizen oversight by pointing out that La Mesa has recently “made the national news three times” over aggressive policing. On June 23, City Council narrowly passed the task force recommendation to put a proposal on the

ballot, with Council members Colin Parent, Akilah Weber and Mayor Arapostathis voting in favor of the plan and Council members Kristine Alessio and Bill Baber opposing it. The Council voted unanimously to remove some impediments to the task force’s ability to present a report and recommendations quickly, and also provided $50,000 from the budget to pay the City Attorney to help with legal questions and other staff support. The task force report is now expected to be presented to City Council in September. Although the Council will have to wait for September and voters until November to weigh in on how much public oversight LMPD will have in the future, some reforms have already been enacted. On June 3, La Mesa Police Department and 14 other law enforcement agencies in San Diego County announced they would ban officers from using carotid restrain chokeholds — the kind that killed George Floyd. At the June 9 LMPD press conference, Chief Vasquez recognized that further steps need to be taken to win back public trust of police. “I think that unfortunately nationwide the trust in police departments, especially starting with the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis, I think the trust has been impacted,” he said. “It’s impacted all of us. I can’t even watch that video. It was criminal. So I think every police department in this nation is looking into their souls and trying to figure out how to build that trust back up and La Mesa Police Department will build that trust back up. We will. That’s our responsibility. That’s our commitment.” For some, that trust is still a long way off. At a June 14 protest organized by Black Lives Matter in front of La Mesa Police Station, activists called for the firing of Officer Dages and for LMPD to release the name of the officer who shot the beanbag at Leslie Furcron. Other “non-negotiable” demands included a town hall meeting for the public to voice concerns and complaints about policing in La Mesa. The June 14 protest drew several hundred people and remained peaceful throughout. —Reach editor Jeff Clemetson at jeff@sdnews.com.

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June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

County supes approve mental healthcare team

NEWS McKinney House landscape project underway

New unit will respond to crisis without law enforcment KENDRA SITTON | La Mesa Courier

On Tuesday, June 23, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in support of creating a Mobile Crisis Response Team to respond to have clinicians respond to nonviolent behavioral health incidents rather than law enforcement. People with untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter than other civilians, with race and gender compounding those risk factors. The Black Lives Matter movement in San Diego was galvanized in 2016 when Ugandan refugee Alfred Olango was killed by police after his sister called for emergency psychiatric aid. The board approved a pilot program last year to respond to behavioral health calls in North County. After months of delays due to North County lacking behavior health facilities for the crisis team to take people to, that pilot program is close to launching. The pilot program is supported by District Attorney Summer Stephan and Sheriff Bill Gore to bring new options to address nonviolent situations.

Supervisor Nathan Fletcher’s proposal expedites bringing the program to the entire county, which was the long-term goal of the pilot program. Supervisor Kristen Gaspar, who spearheaded the pilot program, questioned why Fletcher was circumventing the phased in and targeted process the board initially planned on but ultimately voted in favor of the motion. The current system for responding to suicide calls, psychotic episodes and other behavioral health calls is the Psychiatric Emergency Response Teams (PERT) which pairs a clinician with a member of law enforcement. According to Fletcher, of the 54,000 mental health-related calls in the county in 2018, PERT responded to 10,000 of them. Half of those responses concluded with the person going to jail or the hospital. Law enforcement even being present can escalate a situation, make it unsafe and can add to the traumatic nature of the event. “When I had a friend in mental health crisis, the PERT clinician was mostly observing during the SEE MENTAL HEALTH, Page 8

By TRACEY STOTZ

[Editor’s note: This article appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of “lookout avenue,” the quarterly newsletter of the La Mesa Historical Society. To subscribe to the newsletter, visit lamesahistory.com.] There are so many facets to the McKinney House landscape project, which aren’t always apparent to someone driving by. The Landscape Committee, which includes Historical Society board members Kristin Dooley, Jim Newland, Alex Quintero and is chaired by Tracey Stotz, has been working behind the scenes for more than a year to pull together the overall plan, recruit donors, seek bids and schedule phases of work. After removing the beetle-infested and deceased historic pine, the rest of phase one was to demo the grass, take down and level the yard, add a small wall in the front of the house, add new water lines and irrigation valves, plant a new pine and install decomposed granite through out the site. Most of phase one is completed thanks to donations from Artistic Arbors Gardens, RCP Block and Brick, La Mesa Rotary and many

individual donors who made personal gifts and purchased bricks. The Historical Society already had $860 in gifts made in memory of Gordon Jones reserved for the landscape project, so all told we have raised $13,360 so far. That should get us through Fence posts up and ready for boards at the McKinney House. (Courtesy La Mesa phase one. Historical Society) As soon as the site dries out we will be compacting the yard and bringing in the de• Interpretive signage throughcomposed granite to provide the out the site yard a more historic ranch feel. The ongoing fundraising camAfter that, supporter Don Cary paign to fund the project is “Buy is ready to donate his services to A Brick.” The inscribed bricks, paint the McKinney House and each $100, will wind throughBehr paint is lined up to donate out the front yard of the property. product. From there we plan to The first order of bricks has been finish the fence (it won’t be as placed and will be installed after tall as the wood posts currently the decomposed granite is in. A out front which will be cut down) second order will be sent once we and add plants including moving reach the order minimum. To purthe memorial rose garden to the chase a brick, visit lamesahistory. front of the house. Fundraising com/product/buy-a-brick/. still needs to be done for these Our original intent was to and the additional phases of the have a ribbon cutting ceremony plan, which are spelled out on the this summer when phase one site schematic that reflects the was complete but at press time McKinney House’s interpretive we were unsure what virus safeperiod (1908-1920). ty guidelines would permit. The Future components include: website, lamesahistory.com, will • A trellis extending from have more details on upcoming the house to provide shade for events once the site is open. If you programming have would like to help with the • A large display structure near project please email info@lamesathe Archives Building to perma- history.com or call 619-466-0197. nently display large objects such as a printing press from The La —Tracey Stotz is vice president of Mesa Scout and historic signage the La Mesa Historical Society.

Albert S. “Al” Caldrone December 20, 1941 – April 26, 2020

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LA MESA – Albert Salvatore Caldrone, 78, passed away peacefully at his residence In La Mesa, California, on April 26, 2020. Al was born on December 20, 1941, a son to the late Albert D. and Carol (Carmel Dinard) Caldrone in Youngstown, Ohio. As a young boy, Al studied clarinet from his father, and throughout his life Al was proﬁcient in various woodwind instruments. Al received his Bachelor of Music Education at Youngstown State University in 1965. He then attended Ohio State University and graduated with a Master of Music degree in 1968. Aer college, Al remained in Columbus (Ohio) and became a member of the Columbus Symphony, and taught music privately. In the 1980’s, Al relocated to the San Diego area (La Mesa). He resided there for the rest of his life. In La Mesa, Al taught students privately and sold instruments at McCrea Music Company, then later at Alan’s Music Center, Inc. for many years. His students greatly admired Al and learned much from him. He received many expressions of gratitude over the

years, not only from his students but also from their parents. In 2019, Al retired from Alan’s Music Center. roughout his life, Al had a passion not only for music but also for cars, especially classic and custom cars. Recently, he had his 1976 Oldsmobile 442 Cutlass professionally customized to his own designs. Aer completion, Al was so proud of his car that he entered it into various car shows in the San Diego area. Al was also a huge NASCAR racing fan. His knowledge of NASCAR history always amazed fellow car-buﬀs! In addition, Al was an avid reader, artist, and writer. Al is survived by his sisters Patty Caldrone of Poland, Ohio, and Sally Caldrone (Tom Mahan) of Palm Coast, Florida. ere will be a private burial of Al’s remains at Resurrection Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio. ose who so desire may make memorial donations in memory of Al to the Albert D. Caldrone Scholarship Fund at the Youngstown State University Foundation, 655 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio 44502. Al will be remembered as a kind, gentle soul by all those who knew him.

Rest in peace, our dear brother.

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NEWS sdnews.com Mattress Makers celebrates three years in La Mesa

June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

Wave it wide and high

KENDRA SITTON | La Mesa Courier

Mattress Makers in the La Mesa Village is bringing in more customers as lockdown measures in the county ease. Staff are spraying down mattresses with special upholstery disinfectant to keep the store clean between customers and special appointments are available. The La Mesa store is coming up on its third anniversary on July 1, but Mattress Makers has a long history in San Diego. Pablo Hernandez, one of the current co-owners, explained that in the 1960s, his grandfather opened up a small mattress factory in Downtown San Diego. His dad took over the factory in 1984 and continues to run it today. The majority of their business was to hotels and other stores. Despite their growth, they continue to use only natural materials in their mattresses and avoid modern chemicals. In 2012, Hernandez and his brother opened the company’s first storefront in Miramar to bring natural, affordable mattresses directly to the public. In 2017, the second store was added in La Mesa. “We saw the La Mesa Village. We just love that area and a spot that opened up. It worked out perfect. We were able to get another location and we love the community,” Hernandez said. “It’s been good since we’ve been in there.” Like other retailers, the coronavirus caused a major hit for the business. At first, they were available by appointment only but have since opened back up. Immunocompromised and cautious shoppers can still book a one-on-one appointment online for the hour before the store opening and after its closure. Sales have been slower to return in La Mesa than Miramar, Hernandez said, partially because customers disappeared for a week or two after the riots. At this point, sales are steadily coming back though. Mattress Makers has a history of giving back to the community

(l to r) Mattress Mkaers founders Sam, Pablo and Gabriel Hernandez (Courtesy Mattress Makers)

and this period has been no exception. When the lockdown began, Hernandez said they brought a few seamstresses into the store to sew masks for the community. “We made about 5,000 face masks to give out to the community and to the frontline workers. That kept us busy. Even though

we’re not making money off it, it kept us busy,” he said. Currently, Mattress Makers is giving free custom pillows to police officers and other first responders at the La Mesa store. —Reach contributing edi tor Kendra Sitton at kendra@sd news.com.

Mattress Makers boarded up storefront with messages of unity following the May 30 protests (Facebook)

On Monday, June 22, the city of La Mesa celebrated Pride Month with a flag raising ceremony of a rainbow flag — a symbol of the LGBTQ community. The ceremony marked the first time the city raised the flag to honor Pride Month. (Photo by Jen Althof)

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OPINION / POLITICS

June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

Guest Editorials 1621 Grand Ave., Suite C San Diego, CA 92109 (858) 270-3103 LaMesaCourier.com Twitter: @LaMesaCourier

EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeff Clemetson x130 jeff@sdnews.com

Connie Baer Lynn Baer Jeff Benesch Pat Boerner Lynn Ceresino Neault Dianne Jacob Barry Lynn Linda Michael Jennifer Osborn Tina Rynberg Frank Sabatini Jr. Jake Sexton Tracey Stotz Genevieve Suzuki

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Kendra Sitton x136 Tom Melville x131 Dave Schwab x132

WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA Jeff Clemetson

PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Baker x107 chris@sdnews.com

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Heather Fine x 118

BUSINESS CONSULTANT David Mannis

ACCOUNTING

PUBLISHER

Heather Humble x120 accounting@sdnews.com

Julie Main, x106 julie@sdnews.com

OPINIONS/LETTERS: La Mesa Courier encourages letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please email submissions to jeff@sdnews.com and include your phone number and address for verification. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity and accuracy. Letters and guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or staff. SUBMISSIONS/NEWS TIPS: Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas to jeff@sdnews.com. For breaking news and investigative story ideas contact the editor by phone or email. DISTRIBUTION: La Mesa Courier is distributed free the fourth Friday of every month. COPYRIGHT 2020. All rights reserved.

Community colleges offer high school grads an alternative to a gap year By LYNN CERESINO NEAULT, ED.D.

Flummoxed by a public health crisis that has bought a disappointing end to high school for many, along with uncertainties about starting college in the fall, today’s high school grads are feeling anxious and confused about what lies ahead. As the public health crisis prompts many colleges and universities to pronounce online learning for the coming fall semester, many students and their parents are pondering alternatives, including a “gap year,” while waiting to return to more a more traditional college experience. It’s easy to see why. For many, the pandemic has quashed the iconic scenes of college life: living in a dorm, packed lecture halls, fraternity or sorority pledges, or the excitement of college football. As tempting an idea that a gap year represents, the downside is that it only prolongs the process of acquiring a college degree at a time when more jobs are requiring at least some post-secondary education for workforce training. As leaders in transfer to San Diego State University and many other four-year institutions throughout the state and nation, Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges have robust transfer programs that provide a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree. In fact, more than half of CSU graduates and 30% of UC graduates began their studies at a community college. Community colleges, the leading source of workforce

training in the state, are also key to the economic recovery of the state and East County. Grossmont College programs like nursing, respiratory therapy and Administration of Justice, and Cuyamaca College programs such as paralegal studies, water studies, and ornamental horticulture are just a few of the many workforce training programs that thousands of residents throughout the county utilize every year to prepare for employment in good-paying careers. At just $46 per credit, Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are the logical alternative to paying the high cost of four-year universities. With many universities holding online classes in the fall, starting at a community college, albeit online, makes more sense now than ever before. Even better, recent high school graduates can now attend the first two years of community college for free under the College Promise Program. The Promise program also provides students with financial need $250 to pay for books and other expenses in their first semester. For new high school graduates unsure of your plans for the fall, I urge you to attend Grossmont or Cuyamaca College. You will get an excellent education at a fraction of the cost of a university. To learn more, go to cuyamaca. edu or grossmont.edu. —Lynn Ceresino Neault, Ed.D. is chancellor of the Gross mont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

Trump’s fight with Dorsey highlights dangers of concentration of power By BARRY LYNN

The Open Markets Institute has long held that a deeply flawed regulatory environment in the United States has allowed Google, Facebook, and other platforms to acquire a dangerous concentration of control over how Americans exchange ideas, opinions, and news. Moreover, the profits of these corporations are based in large part on building user “engagement” through false and inflammatory content while starving trustworthy and accountable information sources of ad revenue. The fight between President Donald Trump and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is a good illustration of the dangers that result from such concentration. The fight appears to present us with two options. We can support the idea that a private executive who controls one of most important information gates in the world should be allowed to censor the speech of the U.S. president. Or we can support the idea that a president who has routinely wielded lies and subverted norms has a right to force all communication platforms to broadcast his libels and hate speech. This is a false choice. We don’t have to be ruled by oligarchs or autocrats. A third option is to return to the principles and practices that Americans long used to promote true freedom of speech and of the press, by offering equal and open public access to any essential communications technology, even when it is privately owned. AT&T, for example, was a private company. But we didn’t let its executives make decisions about who could speak over its wires, much less censor the content of those messages. By the same token, we did not hold AT&T executives accountable for any libels

or hate speech that happened to cross their networks. We did insist that AT&T operate as a highly regulated public utility, meaning that it could not discriminate in price or terms of service and was forbidden from engaging in other lines of business. We need to apply the same principles to today’s social media platforms. As the Open Markets Institute detailed in a recent letter to the Antitrust Subcommittee of the House of Representatives, the key goal of government policy must be to ensure the complete neutrality of all essential communications platforms. The only way to achieve that goal is to a) ban the platforms from engaging in any personalized discrimination in the delivery of information and pricing or information, b) use antitrust law to restructure these corporations to eliminate dangerous conflicts of interest, and c) ban the platforms from selling advertising around information and news published by other companies. This will take time. To address the conflict between President Trump and Twitter, the Open Markets Institute calls on Congress to immediately create a bipartisan commission to provide guidance to executives at Twitter and other platforms on how to manage these complex challenges, and to begin the process of establishing common sense rules for regulating the most vital communications of U.S. citizens over the long term. —Barry Lynn is executive direc tor of the Open Markets Institute, an independent organization that works to address threats to our democracy, individual liberties, and our national security from today’s unprecedented levels of corporate concentration and monopoly power. Visit openmarket sinstitute.org.

News from your County Supervisor Dianne’s Corner By DIANNE JACOB

LA JOLLA

Our great outdoors: A huge thank you to San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Poway Mayor Steve Vaus for spearheading talks that led to the recent reopening of several lakes and reservoirs. The mayors and others crafted a city-county cost-sharing agreement that made the reopenings possible. These cityowned attractions are regional treasures that can again be

enjoyed by those who love boating and fishing, or just anyone who enjoys our great outdoors. El Capitan and Upper Otay reservoirs were among the first to reopen. Helping hand: At my urging, the county recently initiated a low-interest loan program for mom-and-pop shops and other small businesses in San Diego County’s unincorporated area. Businesses hit by COVIDrelated losses, and with 50 employees or less, have been allowed to seek loans of $5,500 to $50,000. For more information, go to us.accion.org/covidrelief.

The sooner these businesses can get some relief, the sooner they can get on the road to recovery. In the Zone: With summer temperatures bearing down, several county Cool Zones are back in business, including in Spring Valley, Potrero, Santa Ysabel and Lakeside. These spots are for seniors and others who may not have access to air conditioning and are looking to beat the heat. Locations include community centers and libraries. They are open from noon to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Face coverings

and other COVID-related safety measures are in place. For more information, visit CoolZones.org. The county created the Cool Zone program in 2001 at my recommendation. COVID-19: To keep up with the latest local developments regarding the pandemic, go to wcoronavirus-sd.com. —Dianne Jacob represents District 2 on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. For sugges tions or feedback about county government, call 619-531-5522 or email dianne.jacob@sdcounty. ca.gov.

POLITICS sdnews.com Republican Women grateful for economy reopening By PAT BOERNER

San Diego is leading the way in safely reopening, offering the blueprint for the rest of the state and country. The rallying stock market suggests optimism that the economy is reopening and people are getting back to work and the worst of the economic downtown may be behind us. While other places remain largely shut down, San Diegans have taken the appropriate steps to balance public health concerns and other serious implications. Former congressman and current CA-50 candidate Darrell Issa is working closely with Governor Newsom and pressing to assure that the best interests of San Diegans and our local communities are top priority. We are all united in our condemnation of racism and support of our communities in this tumultuous time. We are proud that our elected officials and leaders are working closely with each other to guide us through these challenging days, weeks and months. Violence does nothing to further the cause for reform, it only damages our local businesses both

in spirit and in a very material way. Businesses that have served us well in the past and we counted on have been damaged or destroyed. Peaceful demonstrations have been hijacked by those with nothing but destruction on their agenda. The need for justice and unity are clear, but committing crimes and inciting violence is a despicable way to address these problems. Many local businesses have suffered huge financial hardship from the shut down, and many have physical damage caused by the rioters and looters. Being united in an effort to restore peace and respect for all is the best goal we can set for ourselves at this time. Support our local businesses and help them get back on their feet. Re publ ic a n Wo me n of California – Navajo Canyon is continuing to grow in membership which reaffirms the Republican enthusiasm. When we get back in regular session, we will be stronger than before and ready to go to work to educate voters and help elect Republicans in November. For now, we have been sharing and enjoying stories from our members of what they have been doing during their “sheltering in place” time. With a little practice, we learned to conduct our board

meetings via conference call, and had a very successful ZOOM general meeting. When some of us were forced update our technology skills, we came through like champs! Liz Wheeler, host of “Tipping Point with Liz Wheeler” on One America News, is the featured speaker for our tentatively scheduled meeting July 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. The meeting will be held at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee. The cost is $30 which includes a gourmet burger bar dinner. We had this event previously scheduled for last April, and for obvious reasons that was cancelled. We are hopeful this meeting will be feasible in July, but we will have to wait and see. Please call Marjie at 619-9902791 as we get closer to the date for the latest information and to make reservations. Until then, please visit our website at rwcNavajo-Canyon.org and see our activity on Facebook at Republican Women of California-Navajo Canyon. We look forward to resuming our regular monthly meetings and always welcome new members. —Pat Boerner writes on behalf of the Republican Women of California – Navajo Canyon.

June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

Democrats Zoom while administration dithers By TINA RYNBERG and JEFF BENESCH

As new polling shows 80% of all Americans think the country is out of control, most of us are looking for stable leadership, a commitment to social justice and an end to inflammatory rhetoric from our leadership in Washington, DC. When peaceful protesters were driven out of Lafayette Park near the Whie House by tear gas, mounted police and flash bang grenades so the President could do a photo op in front of St. John’s Church holding an upside down Bible, Americans of all persuasions were shocked and dismayed. When Trump announced he was prepared to send in federal troops to put down demonstrations in states across America, even four-star generals were alarmed at our slide toward fascism. When Republican senators were asked if they were taken aback at the administration’s unconstitutional machinations, sanctioned by Attorney General Barr, they failed to register any protest at all. The Black Lives Matter movement now enjoys wide acceptance and support

among a majority of Americans, but you wouldn’t know it by the actions (and inactions) of the Congressional Republican caucus. So just a week after the nation watched the killing of a handcuffed black man suffocated for nearly nine minutes by the knee of a white Minneapolis cop while his fellow officers looked on, millions of Americans have marched, protested, registered their outrage, and called for police reform, in every state, and hundreds of communities, including many across San Diego County. On June 3, a couple hundred La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club members heard from our local leaders and inf luencers via a zoom meeting and YouTube broadcast that broke new ground for our active club. With our July 1 Party in the Park still up in the air at this time, it was astounding to see so many of our club favorites share news, observations and opinions about the state of our politics, protests, pandemic, and social justice issues at the forefront of every day’s news. Assembly member Shirley Weber kicked things off to SEE LMFDC, Page 10

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NEWS Helping hands for ‘Hope’ June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

(left) Marsha Darling and Bill Ashman; (right) Bonnie Welch and Jen Flynn (Photos courtesy La Mesa Rotary)

La Mesa Spring Valley School District students and families in need have been getting some relief thanks to a program run by City of Hope with partners Hope Alliance and La Mesa Rotary. Every Friday from 3 to 5 p.m.

food assistance is offered for pickup at Spring Valley Academy. “We have been receiving food, gift cards, checks, and donations of time to hand out the food,” said program coordinator Danielle Womack of City of Hope. “I always

enjoy seeing the community serve together to be the solution for community. It has been an honor to watch this happen!” To arrange for pick up or delivery or for questions about the program, call 619-319-4423.

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Mental health CONTINUED FROM Page 4

interaction. The mere presence of police sirens and a police car escalated the situation. I could visibly see my friend becoming less comfortable and less interested in talking through her feelings. She was handcuffed, searched and put in the back of a police car for expressing suicidal thoughts during a psychiatric crisis,” Chrissy Croft, a mental health professional, said about a time she needed emergency care for a friend who was eventually taken to a psychiatric hospital. “The mental health care she received likely saved her life, but I can’t help imagining other possibilities that would have eased her into receiving help that night instead of simulating arrest,” Croft said. For people who have interacted with PERT and law enforcement mental health responses regularly, they noted the difference between someone being booked for assault or being checked in to a hospital is usually left to the officer’s discretion — which can lead to bias playing a role in the decision. “Are they 5150 — a danger to themselves and others — where they go to the hospital or is what they’re doing criminal and they go to jail seems in so many instances such a judgment call,” Luke, a social worker specialized in homeless care, said. [Editor’s note: Luke is remaining anonymous so he can speak openly about his in teractions with PERT.] He explained that when someone is yelling and spitting at people whether that is treated as assault or a mental health episode too often depends on who made the call and where the person is. For instance, law enforcement officers responding to call from a business about a homeless person are incentivized to get the person out of the business district as fast as possible. However, when a similar call is made from a shelter or community meal area where the only people who are being affected are also homeless, the response is usually much slower. A staff member at a local college library explained that while she was not told directly, officers insinuated that whether a homeless person having a mental health episode was booked in jail or received a different response largely depended on whether the person “pissed off” enough people. “That’s really subjective,” said the staff member. Many of the people at the library show up again as soon as they are released from jail or the hospital. The lack of long-term care and shelter makes the law enforcement interactions a recurring

issue for the police, library staff and homeless people. “The police hate doing it too. They get annoyed. It’s just a bad system. It’s a bad system for everyone,” the staff member said. During the supervisor’s meeting, many members of the public called in support of Fletcher’s package of racial justice and law enforcement realignment proposals. Bishop Cornelius Bowser called to oppose them because they did not do enough to address the major police reforms needed. While Luke sees having a non-police emergency response team as a necessary move to better serve the communities he works in, he believes more is needed because there is very little that can be done during a psychiatric episode in the first place other than going to the hospital or jail or the police leaving because there is nothing they can do. “It just sucks that those are the options we currently have available to us as a mental health system,” Luke said. Luke wants the county to invest in street psychiatric medicine teams so homeless people can be connected to ongoing care that prevents major psychiatric episodes. Without robust mental health care and wraparound services, people with recurring mental health issues take up a huge portion of police, emergency room and hospital resources. The details of how the new Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) would be deployed are still foggy, but the teams would not replace PERT as law enforcement would still be utilized to respond to violent situations. The number of PERT units could be cut in the future if they are less needed. Supervisor Jim Desmond questioned whether there would be a separate phone number for the non-violent calls or if the system would be simplified with only one number for PERT and MCRT. Clinicians would then decide if they felt safe enough to send a response team without law enforcement. Luke and Croft both support having a designated phone line for the MCRT so they can ensure a response from mental health professionals rather than law enforcement. “We don’t need people weighing the pros and cons of getting help for their loved ones. When police brutality is a real issue, we have to think twice before getting emergency psychiatric help for loved ones under the current PERT structure,” Croft said. PERT could not be reached to comment on this article. —Reach contributing edi tor Kendra Sitton at kendra@sd news.com.

For up-to-date news follow us on Facebook and Twitter LaMesaCourier.com

June 26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 23, 2020

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POLITICS

June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

LMFDC

history with a real opportunity to reform how the police engage with our communities, especially communities of color. We cannot let this opportunity slip by. Never again should any family or community have to suffer through what has become a recurring nightmare in America.” Davis also shared some of her future plans after closing out her term in office in January. Professor Carl Luna enlightened us with his reaction to the turmoil in American politics, and how it has made a significant change in his prediction for the November election. Prepandemic, and before the country was rocked by the untimely and racially-tinged deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, Luna

CONTINUED FROM Page 7

discuss her efforts at police reform and other state bills, including limiting police use of force. She was followed by La Mesa City Council member Dr. Akilah Weber, who addressed the rioting and civil unrest in La Mesa, and the rough arrest of an apparently innocent African American La Mesa man at a trolley stop near Grossmont Center. Charges have since been dropped. Rep. Susan Davis followed with an update on congressional efforts to transform policing in America to combat police brutality and racial injustice. She has since commented: “We are at a pivotal moment in American

figured Trump would run on the economy and achieve re-election. He now feels that Trump’s shortcomings in handling both the pandemic response, and his inability to address social injustice and institutional racism across America, will lead to his loss this November to former Vice President Joe Biden. Current polling supports Luna’s suppositions as Biden enjoys not only a large national lead, but also leads in most key battleground states. Supervisor Nathan Fletcher updated county efforts on several fronts including protest reactions by the Board of Supervisors; San Diego’s COVID-19 progress made in slowing the spread of the virus; and his profound disgust at the military-style excessive force

being used against those protesting excessive force. He related that he has called on Sheriff Bill Gore to eliminate the carotid neck restraint, and that has since happened! San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez related that she joined Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Council member Monica Montgomery and San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit in announcing an end to the Police Department’s carotid restraint (chokehold) protocol. Gpmez also announced plans to move forward with a ballot measure to expand police oversight by creating an Independent Police Practices Commission which will review community complaints of police misconduct and recommend reforms. Her opponent for the CA-53

seat, Sara Jacobs, went into great detail about her views on criminal justice reform, and also the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and protests in major cities affecting small businesses and the economic recovery. The La Mesa Footh i l ls Democratic Club meets, usually in person, but lately just virtually, the first Wednesday of every month. We think our return to the La Mesa Community Center may come as soon as August. Check out our last couple virtual meetings on our Facebook page, or visit our website at lamesafoothillsdemocraticclub.com. —Tina Rynberg is president and Jeff Benesch is vice president of pro gramming for the La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club.

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It takes a Village! After the events of the past few months, we are so thankful that our small businesses are reopening and looking towards the future thanks to the continued support from our amazing community! Several of our restaurants now offer dine in service, many with outdoor seating options. Our retails shops and businesses are also welcoming shoppers and guests into their stores. Additionally, the Farmers Market is returning to La Mesa Blvd. today, June 26th from 3 - 7 pm! We encourage you to shop, dine & explore our beautiful downtown Village and support the small businesses you have come to enjoy so that we can continue to thrive! Please remember to wear a mask, social distance and adhere to current county health guidelines that our businesses must enforce.

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BOOKS / ARTS

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June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

July featured artist: Judy Sawyer By LINDA MICHAEL

Reads about race and racism By JAKE SEXTON

While this is a monthly column about books, we’ve got to start out by acknowledging that life is difficult for many of us right now. We face the social and economic impacts of a global pandemic, and people of all identities are also taking action against racial injustice on a scale not seen in decades. As the community is challenged to reunite and rebuild, protests calling for justice for Black people continue worldwide, with special focus on the relationship between police and the Black community. So here are some books about racism, and struggles that America has long been facing, and seeking to overcome. I sincerely hope that everyone reading this is healthy and safe. Ijeoma Iluo’s “So You Want to Talk About Race” is a powerhouse of a book. It very clearly explains the United States as a racialized society, in which a person’s past experiences are heavily influenced by interracial dynamics, and those experiences then shape their present and future interactions, successes and failures. For people who have not dealt much with racism in their lives, it is eye opening. For people who have, it might show them the ways in which many of racism’s injustices are baked into a lot of our policies, institutions and culture. Alex S. Vitale’s “The End of Policing” has been mentioned frequently in the past several weeks. Vitale focuses on a shift in the nature of American police in the past 40 years. Not only are police officers asked to handle a wide variety of social ills that never used to be their duty, but that the culture of policing is tainted with racist assumptions and a warrior mentality that can make things worse rather than better. This book makes a compelling argument that not only do core aspects of the police need to change, but that many other American institutions and priorities have to change as well, if we want a more just and safe society. The Black Lives Matter movement began in 2013, after George Zimmerman was acquitted after

shooting and killing Trayvon Martin. One of the movement’s founders, Patrisse Khan-Cullors tells her story of her experience in this movement, as well as other struggles she has faced in her book “When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir.” While the other books listed are more about society at large, this is the story of one person: her childhood days watching family face discrimination and police brutality to her early days as a political organizer, to her current work as a professor and prison reform advocate. Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be An Antiracist” tries to move the reader from understanding racial injustice to doing something about it. While many Americans will proudly proclaim that they aren’t racist, we all do live in a society

with many racist beliefs, practices and systems. To make for a more just world, Kendi argues, we must be anti-racist. The book combines an intellectual look about the meanings and history of racism, and Kendi’s personal story of seeking to overcome his own internalized racism. It’s a compelling work about having to change ourselves to change our world. Have you been missing the library? We’ve been missing you too! And now, you can start making some safe steps to use the La Mesa Library once again using door-side pickup. Visit sdcl.org/ covid19-services.html for more details. —Jake Sexton is a librarian at the La Mesa branch of the San Diego County Library.

Grossmont Adult School. She continues to study art with local teachers Drew Bandish and Marsha Austin-Rogers. Years ago, Judy received a scholarship to the Hillcrest Beauty College and since 1967 has been a talented stylist. She owns two salons in the community of Kensington.

Judy Sawyer, a talented artist and longtime member of the Foothills Art Association, is the Foothills’ Featured Artist for the month of July. Her exhibit will be on display on the Foothills’ website at foothillsartassociation.com. While in more normal times her artwork would hang in the Foothills Gallery for the month, the current restrictions of the coronavi- “White Dog” by Judy Sawyer rus have caused the organization to move its shows The Foothills Art Gallery reonline. mains closed at this time beOver the years, Judy has de- cause of COVID-19, but you can veloped a unique perspective view Judy’s work, as well as the on everyday items and her work of other local artists, on work covers a range of styles the Foothills website. We plan to and subjects. Her paintings re-open the gallery in the near of leaves, branches, pottery, future, but in the meantime we and animals are unique and invite you to visit our website at foothillsartassociation.com. charming. Judy studied art in high school, then at Mesa College. —Linda Michal writes on be She also took classes at San half of the La Mesa Foothills Art Diego Community College and Association.

Connecting generations through technology 2. Video Chat Video chat makes you feel as though everyone’s in the same room. Use apps like Skype or FaceTime to have a video conversation from virtually any device, and share life events such as graduations or weddings.

Four easy ways tech can help grandparents bond with younger family members Grandparents: a word often associated with presents, special outings, yummy food and unconditional love. Yet many Americans don’t talk to, or see, their grandparents as often as they’d like. Here are four ways technology can help you connect with your grandparents.

1. Messaging Apps A recent study revealed that 73% of grandparents own smartphones. Messaging apps like WhatsApp or Talkatone are a great introduction to texting for grandparents. With messaging apps, you can send and receive text updates, photos and videos in one place. When there’s time for a longer conversation, you can use these apps to chat for free, as most don’t use cell minutes.

3. Gaming and Creativity Apps Apps like Magisto and PhotoFunia allow you to personalize photos and videos. Looking for some friendly competition with your grandparents? Try a gaming app like Wheel of Fortune or Minecraft. Or keep your grandparents updated with an app like Keepy, an interactive platform for sharing school projects and artwork. Use family tree apps like Ancestry to discover photos and stories together as you navigate your family history.

4. Social Media Start a private Instagram account where you can post photos and videos. Grandparents have lots to share as well, so encourage them to make their own Instagram handles and record their stories. This can be a unique way to learn about your grandparents’ past, pass down family memories or share family recipes.

Snapchat is another option for sending and receiving custom pictures or videos with a variety of fun filters and lenses.

How to Help Your Grandparents Only 44% of grandparents identify as tech-savvy. Teaching non-tech-savvy family members how to use video chat and social media can be a bonding experience. You can also set your grandparents up with useful home features like the SURE Universal Remote, which allows them to control their TV and other devices from their smartphone. Less tech-savvy grandparents may not realize they can watch their cable TV content from their mobile device or schedule DVR recordings with apps like Cox Connect. Giving your elders the power to connect helps build relationships with the people you love most, and that’s priceless at any age.

June 26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

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FOOD & DRINK sdnews.com The fantastic rise of Alforon Restaurant Review By FRANK SABATINI JR. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t long ago that San Diegoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eminent Lebanese restaurant was just an obscure blip on the culinary scene. After opening in 2010, Alforon attracted faint trickles of curious neighborhood residents and students from nearby SDSU. With its non-flashy facade barely blinking from a small strip plaza, the place was easy to miss â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it still is despite expanding into an adjoining storefront since then. Word eventually began spreading about the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique Old World cuisine as well as the ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; charming front-line style of hospitality. Local food critics picked up on the buzz, and soon after, so did Guy Fieri of the Food Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.â&#x20AC;? Twice. The first time Fieri came knocking was in 2013. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;noâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to doing the show because we were still too small,â&#x20AC;? said George Salameh, a native of Lebanon who owns and operates the restaurant with his delightfully outgoing wife, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sam.â&#x20AC;? It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until this past year that the Food Network contacted Alforon 5965 El Cajon Blvd. 619-269-9904, alforon.com Prices: Lunch dishes, $12.95 to $16.50; dinner items, $15.95 to $22.95

June 26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

Salameh again. This time, he was ready. And the cameras got rolling in July. The segment (season 30, episode seven) already aired a couple of times, and it will surely repeat throughout the coming year. It has so far resulted in a 20% bump in business, according to Salameh, whose accolades also include numerous framed reviews and write-ups on the walls by local and national print media.

chilies. Though simple, every bite is novel and comforting. In other visits I tried the â&#x20AC;&#x153;zaatar supreme,â&#x20AC;? which enlivens the palate with an exotic blend of earthy spices imported from Lebanon. They include wild thyme, sumac and fresh mint. Dollops of soft Kefir cheese add the right touch of creaminess. The chicken tawook flatbread features minced breast meat set within plops of house-made garlic paste, which slightly dominates Alforon owner George Salameh (Photos by Frank Sabatini Jr.) whatever spices are used for marinating the poultry. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deliâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Tzatziki is Greek and it has wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find it anywhere else becious nonetheless. onions and shallots in the recipe. cause itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an original creation by Alforonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thinnest flat- This doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? he noted. Salameh. Served in large squares, bread is the lahm bajeen. The menu extends to lamb ouzi; the base is an eggless custard carIt uses only 2.1 ounces of clay-pot sausages; baked portobel- peted with crushed pistachios and dough that gets stretched lo mushrooms with feta cheese; kissed by nutmeg, cinnamon and out to 10-12 inches. The and excellent house-made hum- a modicum of rosewater. paper-thin crust becomes the mus and baba ghannouj served Alforonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expanded dining room vessel for ground beef speckled with puddles of fruity-tasting still feels as cozy and intimate as with bits of tomato and onions, Lebanese olive oil. (Notice how the day it opened. It offers a rustic, Pistachio-rich â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;aaysh essarayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for dessert plus wisps of cinnamon and much smoother-tasting the oil is almost Medieval-style charm that After eating here on three dif- other spices. It melts in the mouth compared to California varieties.) sets the stage for meals with historic Middle Eastern roots. ferent occasions, I fully under- and sits lightly in the stomach. stand the hoopla. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until a few years ago Undoubtedly, the restaurant is a For example, I most recently that Salameh introduced true gem, just no longer a secret fell madly in love with soujouk kebabs to his expanded anymore. flatbread, as did Fieri, who said, menu. I ordered the â&#x20AC;&#x153;People come here from all combo plate featurâ&#x20AC;&#x153;I could eat 100 of these.â&#x20AC;? over â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from North County The flatbread is one of many ing a chicken and and South Bay, and all the hot, puffy discs baked in the al- filet mignon kebab. way from Los Angeles,â&#x20AC;? said foron (oven) from unbleached The meats are mariSalameh in preparation for â&#x20AC;&#x153;hardâ&#x20AC;? flour with assorted meat nated in different spices even more fanfare once the Food toppings and stunning combi- that I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t identify; the Network starts randomly re-airnations of spices. The recipes chicken for three days, and the Chicken and beef kebabs ing his episode down the road. are hand-downs from Salamehâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beef overnight. father and grandmother, alBoth titillated the taste buds There are also six different types â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Frank Sabatini Jr. is the author though they supposedly date back with the support of fluffy basma- of â&#x20AC;&#x153;kibbie,â&#x20AC;? which are blends of var- of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Secret San Diegoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (ECW Press) centuries. ti rice, a grilled tomato, a charred ious meats, bulgur wheat, onions and began his local writing career The soujouk features finely onion, garlic paste, and a sauce and spices shaped into balls that I more than two decades ago as a staffÂ ground beef with Lebanese white of yogurt, cucumber and mint, trust live up to their many raves. er for the former San Diego Tribune. cheese. The meat is accented with which Salameh stresses isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t For dessert, look no further You can reach him at fsabatini@san. than the â&#x20AC;&#x153;aaysh essaray.â&#x20AC;? You rr.com. sumac, fenugreek and hints of red tzatziki.

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thaw if frozen â&#x20AC;˘ 4 ounces red cherry tomatoes cut in half â&#x20AC;˘ 8 ounces yellow cherry tomatoes cut in half â&#x20AC;˘ 1/2 cup or one jar of sun-dried tomatoes sliced into slivers â&#x20AC;˘ 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced (Kalamata, Nicosia or ordinary canned black olives) â&#x20AC;˘ 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese â&#x20AC;˘ Handful of Arugula drizzled with olive oil â&#x20AC;˘ Handful of fresh basil â&#x20AC;˘ Salt and pepper

(Photo courtesy Julie White)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Put a baking or cookie sheet into the oven to heat up. Roll puff pastry into a 10by 12-inch rectangle. Prick all over dough with a fork. Mix all of the tomatoes and olives together and add salt and pepper. Place the dough on preheated tray and cover with the tomato mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the cheese and Arugula. Serves four.

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has worked on private property development negotiations. CONTINUED FROM Page 1 Tomaino holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a programs, including business at- master’s degree in public admintraction and retention strategies, istration. He began employment marketing outreach, and com- with the city of La Mesa on June 15. munication. He coordinated the economic development function with city departments and outside GROSSMONT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT EXPANDS agencies. Tomaino was also responsible SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM for managing the city’s affordable As the COVID-19 pandemic housing fund, entitling affordable exacerbates statewide healthhousing projects and managing care workforce shortages, the the city’s real property. In addi- Grossmont Healthcare District tion, he oversaw Lake Forest’s (GHD) recently announced response to homelessness and $227,000 in scholarships to

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promising local students pursuing health careers in fields of growing demand. A recent report by the California Future Workforce Commission stated that California faces an overall shortage of about 4,100 primary care providers by 2030 as many prepare to retire, including a 34 percent decline in the number of practicing psychiatrists. While COVID is today’s healthcare crisis, these shortages will reach epidemic proportions tomorrow, particularly concerning for residents in underserved and rural areas already struggling to access care.

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In 2020, two new programs were created as a response to looming shortages of professionals who can prescribe medication, with emphasis on building an adequate supply of advanced degree professionals in behavioral health, nursing, and primary care. Six $10,000 scholarship awards were announced to local behavioral health professionals and five $7,000 scholarships were announced to local registered nurses pursuing advanced degrees as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The GHD has also been an active supporter of healthcare education

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and training for the benefit of future generations through scholarship programs since 1999. Each year, a portion of the overall grants and sponsorships budget has been allocated for annual scholarship programs offered to local high school and college students living or attending school within GHD boundaries, with emphasis on building health technicians and new Registered Nurses. This year, six students pursuing careers as health technicians in cardiovascular and respiratory health received a total of SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 15

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VILLAGE VOICES / NEWS sdnews.com Showing up to heal a community Gen-X in La Mesa By GENEVIEVE SUZUKI

Five days after a Minneapolis police officer murdered 46-yearold black American George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes, ignoring Floydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pleas for breath, our relatively quiet city of La Mesa, a town mostly known to outsiders for antiquing and its Oktoberfest, made national news. Demonstrators stood outside the La Mesa Police Department May 30 calling for recognition that Black Lives Matter and an end to police brutality. What began as a peaceful protest slowly morphed into something else, however, when individuals set fire to a La Mesa Fire Department vehicle, vandalizing the police department and an LMPD armored car. At around 6 p.m., police fired pepper balls and tear gas into the crowd to try to quell the growing chaos. By nightfall, La Mesa wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so quiet anymore as a different kind of upset hit the town. Rioters and looters ravaged La Mesa Village, setting fire to the Chase and Union banks on Spring Street and burning down the Randall Lamb buildings. They looted local stores and defaced city buildings. As my family and I watched everything unfold for hours on the local TV news, we heard the police helicopter flying overhead. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sound Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be happy to never hear again as the chopper flew above well into the night, even as we finally fell asleep at around midnight.

The next morning, I woke bleary-eyed and spent. As I scrolled through the comments on the Facebook La Mesa Happenings page, I saw that local realtor Laurie MacDonald, a friend and the president of La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation, had posted an invitation to everyone to meet downtown at 9 a.m. to help clean up. Ordinarily, I would have immediately gotten dressed, no questions asked. But these are not ordinary times. No, friends, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re quite extraordinary. See, like most La Mesans, we have been sheltering in place since our children were sent home from school March 13. Because, in addition to the social pandemic that rebirthed a movement for change, we are also trying to survive Covid-19, which has, at print, killed more than 120,000 Americans. I wanted to go, but I also wanted to keep my family safe from a virus we still donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand. I walked into my 11-year-old daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room to tell her about my dilemma. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to go,â&#x20AC;? Quinn said, simply. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go.â&#x20AC;? As a parent, there are moments where you think, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wow, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud of this kid.â&#x20AC;? This was one such moment. Quinn didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waffle. She wanted to join the community clean-up, because La Mesa is our city. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our community, where we live and work. I opened my office here. My kids go to school here. We shop for groceries here. We go to church here. La Mesa is here for us and we needed to be there for it.

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As we drove into downtown, face masks and garbage bags packed, we realized we were already late. It was only 9 a.m., but people had begun cleaning up more than an hour before. Determined to show up, we parked in front of the La Mesa Fire Department and headed toward the Village. Along the way, we found Laurieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister, Tracy Giordano, and her daughter, Bella. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hug, thanks to social distancing, but we Eleven-year-old Quinn Suzuki (front) insisted on shared looks, grate- joining the community May 31 in cleaning up La after vandals defaced city buildings. (Photo ful we were there Mesa by Genevieve Suzuki) together. Tracy and her husband, Gabe, whose family has been in La Learning black parents teach Mesa for generations, helped get their sons how to behave around us painting a wall in the parking the police so they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t unfairly lot in front of the police depart- targeted is heartbreaking. The ment. We met a couple there, statistics are astounding. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dan and Chelsea, who painted so much many of us donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know alongside us. Wish I could tell or understand, but we need you I would recognize them if I to start listening to our black saw them again, but the masks brothers and sisters to figure that covered half their faces guar- out how to unwind the knots of anteed anonymity. oppression. By the time we left a couple of Change is never easy, but we hours later, Quinn and I felt bet- need to take steps. The May 31 ter. The night before was fright- community effort assures me we ening, but the morning brought can do it when we show up and reassurance of better days. work together. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still so much more â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Genevieve Suzuki is a family work to do. In the days that followed Floydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death, people law attorney and former editor of are having vital conversations. the La Mesa Courier.

$18,000 in scholarship funds. In 2020, one $5,000 Richard J. Bea, RN nursing scholarship recipient was announced, a San Diego State University student studying to become a registered nurse. GHD also recognized 44 local high school students interested in a healthcare career with scholarship grants totaling $108,900. These recipients were selected by school administrators representing 22 local high schools. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now more than ever before, Grossmont Healthcare District recognizes the financial obstacles facing todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students as a potential barrier for would-be future healthcare providers,â&#x20AC;? said Randy Lenac, board president. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see our role as removing that barrier for district residents by investing in access to education and training programs.â&#x20AC;? More information about this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scholarship recipients is available at grossmonthealthcare. org/scholarships.

FRAZIER FARMS TO HOST JOB FAIR Natural grocery store Frazier Farms will host a job fair on Tuesday, June 30 and Wednesday, July 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5335 Jackson Drive. The grocer will be hiring for positions at its future La Mesa location at 8401 Fletcher Parkway. The new store is slated to open later this summer. Frazier Farms is hiring for both full-time and part-time positions. SEE NEWS BRIEFS,Â Page 16

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According to a flyer about the job fair, applicants can expect an interview process that is “fast paced” and “intense.” Applicants must bring a resume printed out and/or a printed and completed application form and should arrive early due to expected lines. Frazier also suggests applicants bring their “best attitude” and research the company culture on its Instagram and Facebook pages. For more information, visit frazierfarmsmarket.com

VIRTUAL SENIOR CENTER FEATURED IN NATIONAL CAMPAIGN At the onset of the shelter-inplace orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March 2020, the leaders at the nonprofit San Diego Oasis had to make very quick decisions on how to continue to deliver their classes and workshops virtually. Until then, all of their classes were delivered in-person at more than 40 locations throughout the San Diego County region. Although San Diego Oasis’ mission is to change the way people experience aging, adjusting to a 100% fully online environment was a big change and risk. The team trained and coached their professors and experts in history, humanities, language, technology, art, finance, fitness, and more

to bring their presentations online. It has paid off for the nonprofit, in ways they could never imagine, and created a virtual senior center, replacing their physical community presence temporarily. “Today’s older adults are more vibrant and busier than seniors of yesteryear,” says Simona Valanciute, president and CEO, San Diego Oasis. “Some of our students jumped in to take on the challenge of taking classes online, others were hesitant, but with coaching from volunteers from Qualcomm and the community at large, we have been able to be there every step of the way to transition how students take classes and how instructors present them. We are also attracting new students who haven’t had an opportunity to come into our physical location at Grossmont Center, but through the new ‘virtual senior center’ model, they can. The classes we offer allow students to continue with their studies and participate in new ones, while not physically being together.” A new social media campaign from Cox Communications features the virtual senior center created by San Diego Oasis, as part of the technology company’s Connection Project initiative, a non-branded campaign which began the COVID-19 period by reaching people with messages of connection. A short film (youtu.be/yRm_oViv-ek ) captures the importance of connection SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 20

NEWS Advanced Water Purification program moves forward The East County Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Board of Directors have unanimously approved water and wastewater service agreements, moving the drinking water project one-step closer to reality. These water and wastewater agreements are deemed critical to the JPA’s eligibility for key program financing opportunities. The East County Advanced Water Purification Program is a regional water and wastewater solution. This program is a collaborative partnership between Padre Dam Municipal Water District, the County of San Diego, the City of El Cajon and Helix Water District. It will create a new, local, sustainable and drought proof drinking water supply using state-of-the-art technology to purify recycled water and diversify East County’s water supply while reducing our dependence on imported water. This Program will provide up to 30 percent of East County’s drinking water demands while reducing wastewater discharge into the Pacific Ocean. “Approval of these service agreements bring us another step closer to securing this new local water supply source for East County,” said JPA Chair Gary

Kendrick. “This innovative and collaborative project has significant water and wastewater benefits for our community and will ensure necessary water reliability for future generations.” The JPA’s execution of service agreements The Advanced Water Purification demo system for wastewater and at Padre Dam (Courtesy photo) water supply are a prerequisite to obtaining a cred- Wastewater Treatment Plant, it rating for the JPA, which is where it is currently treated and required for many financing op- then discharged into the ocean. tions. The agreements also proThe procurement process for vide the necessary financial com- the East County AWP is well unmitments to ensure long-term derway. The project has three security of the JPA’s revenues. Progressive-Design-Build packagOnce complete, the $528 miles. The final request for proposals lion East County AWP program (RFP) have been issued to shortwill generate up to 11.5 million listed firms for Packages 1 and 2 gallons per day of new drinking and statement of qualifications water. The project uses four ad- (SOQ) for Package 3 were due vanced water purification steps on June 1. Additionally, the JPA to produce water that is near-dis- Board approved the release of the tilled in quality. After treatment, RFP for Owner’s Advisor Services the purified water will be blended for the Project at its May 21 meetwith water in Lake Jennings and ing. The Owner’s Advisor is intreated again at the R.M. Levy tended to provide experience and Water Treatment Plant before be- insight through the procurement, ing distributed as drinking water. design and construction process In addition to providing a new lo- to ensure a successful project. cal water supply, the program will For more information about eliminate the need to send most of the East County Advanced Water East County’s wastewater to the Purification Program, please visCity of San Diego’s Point Loma it eastcountyawp.com.

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Good Luck at your colleges universit Mohamed Abdi Sumayo Abdi Griffin Adams Omari Adams Ariana Adamson Elijah Adamson Ahmed Adde Suraiya Adde Hamza Ade Rhys Aiem Skyler Akers Valasi Alailima Shirley Alegria Ochoa Elaine Alfaro Jaren Christian Alilain Kira Alkana Jourdyn Allison Diego Almanzar Anthony Alonso Sari Alonso Aguilar Johnny Altamirano Liliana Altamirano Diego Alvarez Penelope Amado Allen Amaya Lopez Christian Anderson Eva Anderson Edgar Daniel Andrade Montoya Tristan Arechiga Haydee Arellano Christina Arredondo Camiela Ashley Zaineb Ashraf Isaac Baber Breanna Baker Emma Barajas Moreno Brandon Barillas Deviyon Bates Butler Russell Baxt Guldana Bazarkhanova Axumawit Belay Nicholas Benitez Veronica Berg Gabriel Bermudez Rafael Bernal Gonzalez Katherine Bibbiani Jessica Bonilla Ramirez Deja Bowen Erykah Brannigan Alexis Brathwaite Jade Brooks Ahmir Brown Erin Brown Kamryn Brown Darian Buchanan Steven Bui William Burcks Braydan Burkhardt Jayden Burney Samuel Burrough Eduardo Cabrera Diana Cacelis Flores Edsel Cacelis Flores Diego Cain Alysia Calhoun Mario Camacho Alyssa Campos Thomas Caneday Jovanni Caraway Thacker Brenda Cardenas Gabriel Cardenas Jayden Cardo Nicklas Carlson Julia Carrasco Esteban Carrillo Reyes Maritza Carrisoza John Carroll Brian Castaneda Alexa Castaneda Alcaraz Jennifer Castellanos Kasey Castro Donaji Catalan Alyssa Catarino Viktoria Cecena Marko Cervantes Alejandro Chacon Perez Connor Chase Alex Chau Jenny Chau Priscilla Chavarin

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EDUCATION Drive-through graduation a surprise success June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

Helix Highlights By JENNIFER OSBORN

On June 4, Helix Charter High School proudly celebrated its 69th commencement, featuring more than 500 members of the class of 2020. With strict guidelines from the state and the county of San Diego in place prohibiting a traditional graduation ceremony, the administrative team had to put a plan in place quickly to ensure these deserving students had a memorable experience for this milestone occasion. Prior to the big day, it was clear that students and their families were disappointed that they would not have a processional onto the football field with their family and friends in the stands, but would instead have a “drivethrough” diploma pick up in the parking lot, with a pre-recorded ceremony airing later in the day. Both portions were streamed on the Helix YouTube channel so even family members out of town were able to watch. Many students weren’t aware what was waiting for them. An hour before the ceremony, staff members dressed in caps and

gowns began to fill the parking lot, each stationed at their cars (properly distanced, of course), some decorated with signs, balloons, and streamers. Students and their families lined up in their cars and drove into the parking lot, then drove up and down each aisle of the lot lined by staff members shouting their congratulations, clapping and cheering, and taking photos. At a designated point, each student left their car and picked up their diploma cover. As they approached the stage set up for official graduation photos, their names were read over a loudspeaker. Parents/family had this to say following the ceremony: “It was so great to be able to see all the teachers — much more persona. I think this should be the new Helix tradition, much better than fighting for seats in the hot sun. Loved it — good job Helix,” said Leah Laing “I thought it was fantastic, so special for these seniors that have missed so much, wouldn’t mind doing it again in 2023 for my granddaughter,” said Karen Thada Decker. “I have so much gratitude and thanks for the Helix staff and our GLT (Grade Level Team). It was amazing! I would love to see Randy walk down the middle of all the teachers in their cap and gowns. But I also know I didn’t have to sit for hours waiting in

2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR While there is much uncertainty surrounding plans for the 2020-21 school year, the Helix team is working diligently to ensure the school is prepared for whatever situation presents itself in August. Multiple schedules and approaches have been drafted, including a plan for a structured distance-learning-only plan, a hybrid plan that involves students doing mostly distance learning with some on camHelix High graduation senior Haydee Arellano sits in pus activity, and a a car window during the drive through graduation hybrid plan that inceremony. (Courtesy Charter Helix High School) volves students doing mostly on-camthe stands. The teachers knocked pus learning with some distance it out of the park with their enthu- learning included. It is far too siasm. My mom and I had tears,” soon to speculate which plan is most likely, but school officials said Stephanie Jones. “It was truly amazing and ev- will continue to inform stakeholderyone that helped and partici- ers as more information becomes pated, please know that you made available. With distance learning being a our seniors feel extra special and we appreciate it. It was so fun and likely component of the upcombeautiful,” said Shawna Jimenez. ing school year, Helix has schedHelix wishes the class of 2020 a uled teacher training during the sincere congratulations and best summer. The training will be done through the Leading Edge wishes for their futures!

Certification/Flex program and will provide K-12 distance learning certification for the entire staff. This will ensure they will be well-prepared to give high-quality education to students, regardless of how they are teaching it.

SPEECH AND DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIPS Junior Lucas Osborn was a national finalist in Student Congress in the Senate at the 2020 National Speech and Debate Association’s National Championships, finishing in the top 10 in the country. Almost 200 students qualified from their local areas to compete in the Senate. This is Helix’s first national finalist under coach Gregg Osborn. Four additional members of the Helix Speech and Debate Team qualified to compete, as well. Jackie Hammack (12th) competed in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Extemporaneous Debate, and finished tied for 22nd in Extemporaneous Debate; John Garcia (12th) competed in World Schools debate; Owen Dahlkamp (10th) competed in Dramatic Interpretation; and Stone Eastman (11th) competed in Humorous Interpretation. The tournament was scheduled to take place in Albuquerque, but was ultimately held virtually. Thousands of students from SEE HELIX HIGH, Page 20

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June 26 – July 23, 2020 EDUCATION La Mesa Courier 19 sdnews.com Grossmont’s 2020 graduation one for history books By CONNIE and LYNN BAER

Foothiller Footsteps This year, 454 seniors became part of an amazing group: 38,000 Foothiller graduates. For 99 years, Grossmont High School’s students and staff have taken great pride in the traditions surrounding graduation. The challenge this year was to honor those traditions in a socially distant way.

2020 DAISY CHAIN Brian Alba Murtadha Alrubaiee Joseph Asaro Heidi Babcock Jaden Banawa Nicole Basco Sierra Bergeleen Autumn Black Kimberly Bond Olivia Branan Helaena Calimlim Kurt Campbell Ty Case Cybele Castillo Jessica Chammas Nicholas Collantes Madison Conrad Abigail Crew William DeGirolamo Ethan Dilgard Jeffrey Do Abigail Dubrow Lily Ehrenfeld Grace Freeman Jennifer Giovengo Mclean Hall Ariana Hamid Olivia Hunter Alexsandro Luna Alissa Martin Christopher Martinez Madilyn Mayo Caden McCulloch Shelvy Millado Madeline Minutelli Damien Ochoa Summer Oraha Kassidy Patino Toula Payan Ximena Paz Arrevillaga Eric Ramirez Jazell Richardson Alyssa Rosales Grace Sachariason Angel Soriano Charles Sotelo Carly Starkey Evan Vasiliou Olivia Wangler Aurelia Willett Cannon Zamora Miles Zawadzki Kyle Zoellner

First, through appointment, seniors were able to have a photo taken on the traditional castle stage which was set in the senior parking lot. Wearing their caps and gowns, driving up in cars accompanied by cheering family, and holding their diplomas, the moments were captured through a photograph taken by Boyd Anderson Photography. The actual graduation ceremony was presented on June 10th at the Santee Drive In via a video. If you would like to view the video, you may log in at bit.ly/2Z1TKwr. (It begins with photos taken from Senior Awards Night, also celebrated in a socially distant setting.) At the beginning of the ceremony, Principal Dan Barnes reflected on this historic moment: “Grossmont perseverance has been around for 99 years since the Spanish Influenza first hit our country. Our alumni have fought and died in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and more recently wars in the Middle East. Fifteen of our students and one teacher were sent to Japanese Internment Camps during WWII. Many survived the Great Depression. “In all of these events, including our last 84 days in a pandemic, seeing our continued struggle as a nation with racism, and just recently the rioting in our local streets … our students, staff, and community continue to show the courage and resilience of how great it is to be young and a Foothiller. As we celebrate your achievements tonight, I want to encourage you to make sure to take special pride in that tradition, continue to be proud, respectful, involved, disciplined, and most importantly show empathy towards others in all that you do.” During the celebration, the five retiring teachers were recognized for their decades of service to Grossmont: Frank Foggiano, Mike Holcomb, Gary Pennefather, Rob Ridgway, and Ray Webb. Since 1936, the graduating seniors have been led into the ceremony by students carrying the Daisy Chain, an 84-year tradition, created from the historic ivy and daisies. Obviously, this year there was no physical chain, but juniors were still honored. Led by Daisy Chain advisors Yvonne Vellone and Matt Flisher, via email and a Zoom conference, the teaching staff selected 50 outstanding juniors on the basis of their school activities, scholarship, and citizenship; being selected is the highest honor awarded juniors. Each student received a personal phone call from a teacher to congratulate them on their selection. During the graduation ceremony, three outstanding seniors were recognized for their academic achievements: Valedictorian Alexander Elliott (4.805 GPA) and Salutatorians Neil Mashruwala (4.780 GPA) and Alexander Oleksyn (4.756 GPA).

Grossmont High School Class of 2020 Valedictorian Alexander Elliott gives his speech for an online audience. (Courtesy

GHS Museum)

In his Valedictorian speech, Elliott shared with his classmates: “As much I’d love to continue talking about our time together, issues larger than ourselves need to be addressed. … And I’m sure some of you have heard this before, but it’s worth repeating, it’s simply not enough to not be racist. We must be vehemently anti-racist. So stop being silent. Educate yourself, educate those around you, actively seek out ways to be an outlet of change and magnify the voices of those

that are speaking up. Hell, even use this as an opportunity to start a dialogue with those around you.” This year as in years past, three perpetual graduation trophies are awarded to seniors. The most prestigious service award given at graduation is the Norman Freeman Award, first given in 1953 as a memorial to Norman Freeman, ASB President, Class of 1947. The trophy is engraved “For the Grossmont student who has most strengthened

democracy through participation and leadership in student government.” This year’s recipient is Jade Manuel. Since 1927, two identical silver loving cup trophies have acknowledged one outstanding young woman and one outstanding young man. Each trophy is engraved with the names of the 91 previous recipients. Joining them this year are Mallory Smith and Diego Velarde. SEE FOOTHILLER FOOTSTEPS, Page 20

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La Mesa Courier

Helix High CONTINUED FROM Page 18

all over the country participated in various events at the tournament.

GRAMMY MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD Helix Vocal Music Director Michelle Tolvo-Chan is a quarterfinalist for the 2021 Music Educator award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. Nearly 2,000 nominations were submitted for the award, and 216 music teachers from 199 cities have been announced as quarterfinalists.

EDUCATION / NEWS Foothiller Footsteps

The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The recipient will be recognized during Grammy Week 2021.

ACE SCHOLARSHIPS

St udent s f rom Hel i x’s Architecture, Construction and Engineering Club (ACE) were recognized recently by the ACE Mentor Program of America. ACE is a national program that pairs

mentors with schools to help students explore careers in design and construction. Thirteen Helix students were awarded with a total of $18,000 in college scholarship money. Congratulations to all of the students, and to advisor Jennifer Bullock. $1,000 winners: Andrew Ayap, Bryan Quezada, Christan Reel, Isaac Reveles, Jose Romero, Ryan Trainor, Ruben Vaca $1,500 winners: Uriel Lopez, Fernando Pluma, Miguel Talamantez $2,000 winners: Olivia Havluciyan, Nick Smith $2,500 Winner: Alex Chau —Jennifer Osborn writes on be half of Helix Charter High School.

CONTINUED FROM Page 19

In 1925, outstanding seniors were first recognized with a Circle G, which was the highest award then given to graduating seniors. In 2020 six seniors were honored for their all-around excellence in academics, leadership, citizenship, and service: Rwzan Adwer, Lucie Cishugi, Dawwod George, Jaye La Bruno, Devin Provence, and Maya Zimmer. Each student received a gold pin, a G enclosed in a circle, a reminder of the legacy binding GHS graduating seniors. Since 1965, the Principal’s Letters of Commendations have been awarded to students who have demonstrated leadership in many areas. This year, Principal Barnes recognized 17 students: Ivana Bivens, Jordyne Burnett, Gabriella Contreras, Mia Foster, Ghaith Ishaq, Ruby Lytle, Patricia Gonzalez Ochoa, Jaime Odom, Alexander Oleksyn, Judy Mohamad, Breann Pavich, Kiera Smeenge, Elizabeth Sweeten, Vivian Votel, Kailey Wilkens, Andrew Zeller, Cameron Zeller. As Barnes shared with the graduates, “Certainly this has been

one of the most challenging years in a long time for our nation, our school, our community, and this senior class, one that will never be forgotten by us. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, ‘We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.’ You, the Class of 2020, will go on, you and your families have all faced disappointments, especially this spring, but we will soon see that it was a finite moment that does not define who you are as an individual or as a class. Never give up that infinite hope. Continue to seek opportunities to change for the better, grow in knowledge and skill, and create a society that we can all be proud of … and then let that define who you are.” Appropriately, the graduation ceremony video ended with a visual display of each of the 454 graduates’ senior photographs labeled with their names. Then, led by Senior Class President Kiera Smeenge, with a turning of their tassels, the Class of 2020 left GHS with unforgettable memories. —Connie and Lynn Baer write on behalf of the GHS Museum. Visit foothillermuseum.com. Due to the coronavirus, the GHS Museum is currently closed, contact ghsmuse um@guhsd.net or 619-668-6140.

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COVID-19 pandemic. The PSA calls upon the community to support Feeding San Diego and ensure it CONTINUED FROM Page 16 can continue to meet the rising and the real power of technology demand for critical food assistance. to bring us closer to one another Professional skateboarder Tony at a time when it is needed. The Hawk, retired professional basproduction team also created ketball player Bill Walton, and a second short film (youtu.be/ Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman BMvMkjGz1Yg), which focuses on appear in the video to inspire one student’s story. Vickie Daleo the community to get involved. from Escondido was a caregiver Donors, big and small, ensure that for her husband, and after his every San Diegan in need has acdeath, she sought new connec- cess to the nutrition they need to grow and thrive. tions through San Diego Oasis. “We are humbled that these beloved and notable San Diegans COMMUNITY, LOCAL stand with us in our mission to end CELEBRITIES RALLY TO hunger. Feeding San Diego relies SUPPORT FEEDING SAN DIEGO on the generosity of the communiFeeding San Diego has tapped ty to fund our critical work across three high profile and influential San Diego County. An estimated San Diego County residents for its 50 percent increase in hunger is latest public service announce- unprecedented — it’s even more ment (bit.ly/FSDPSA20). The video important now to come together aims to raise awareness and funds and unite our community during to help vulnerable San Diegans facing hunger during the ongoing SEE NEWS BRIEFS, Page 22

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Jacobs

CONTINUED FROM Page 1

take time to get their sea legs, but hit the ground running on day one and make sure San Diegans gets the representation they need as these incredibly important decisions are being made.”

AN EARLY PATH TO PUBLIC SERVICE Jacobs proudly says she is a third generation San Diegan, born and raised. When talking about her famous family, she focuses more on their early struggles than on their financial successes. “When my great grandparents first moved to San Diego, they lived in College Area and that was one of the few areas that Jewish families had been allowed to live. Obviously a lot has changed in San Diego and in my family since then,” she said. “I was always taught about how much San Diego has given us and that it was my responsibility to do everything I could to give back and make sure that every kid in San Diego has the kind of opportunities that I was able to have.” Unlike many other children raised in families with extreme wealth, Jacobs attended public schools growing up. “My parents felt very strongly that they wanted us to be in public schools and getting an education that was more than just academics — that we interacted and got to have friends from all different walks of life and that was something that they felt very strongly about,” she said. When Jacobs entered Torrey Pines High School, she expected that she would follow in both of her her grandfathers’ footsteps and become an electrical engineer. During her high school years, Jacobs was involved in community service, such as leading the youth group at her synogauge and volunteering for San Diego Youth Services to serve the homeless. In her junior year, she took part in a program bringing Israeli Jewish teens together with Israeli Arab teens that inspired her to want to work with people over working in a lab. With that as inspiration, Jacobs studied Political Science with a focus on international issues at Columbia University.

“There are some problems where there’s a solution but we just don’t have political will to do it, and there are some problems that even if we had the political will, we wouldn’t know what to do,” she said. “And those are the kinds of problems I got really interested in in college. I spent a lot of time studying some of the smaller conflicts around the world that weren’t getting much political attention and studying peace-building interventions and peace-keeping approaches.” Jacobs earned her Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia and then took “a little bit of time off to celebrate” before going to work at the United Nations in the Department of Peackeeping Operations, helping write policy based on research she did in grad school. After her stint at the UN, she went to work for UNICEF’s innovation unit, then went to work in the State Department’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations during the Obama administration, where she was tasked with helping the State Department better solve conflicts. In 2015, Jacobs went to work on the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, helping the former Secretary of State draft foreign policy. For Jacobs, the Clinton campaign’s loss in 2016 still stings. “I’m pretty much frustrated and angry every single day because I know exactly what Hillary Clinton and our team would have been doing to prevent us from getting to the position we’re in with coronavirus,” she said. “I wrote the pandemic prevention plan and actually was working with members of Congress on setting up new funding streams for preventing and rapidly responding to pandemic threats.”

A FIRST RUN FOR OFFICE

Although Jacobs’ job for the Clinton campaign was more policy wonk than campaign strategist, she said she did learn some lessons about running for office from her time working for Team Hillary. “I will say the thing I learned the most is that you have to find a way to let yourself be as vulnerable and authentic as possible, even when it’s really hard. I

think the generation of women who ran for office before us had to be so perfect because they were held to such a standard,” she said. “When I first started running for office, I actually wrote down all the mean things I though could be said about me and I made my friends read them to me over and over again to desensitize myself to it. Forcing yourself to just continue to be as open as possible even as difficult things are being said about you, I think is very important and something I learned during 2016.” Those lessons were put to the test in Jacobs’ first run for congress — a 2018 bid to unseat Rep. Daryll Issa in California’s 49th. Jacobs said she never thought she would run for office, but circumstances changed in 2017 while running a nonprofit organization after the Clinton campaign ended. “I was spending a lot of time overseas and it was kind of the perfect thing to be doing [then] because I was doing really tangible good work around the world and it had nothing to do with Donald Trump,” she said. “But eventually I started feeling while the work I was doing was really important, everything I cared about was at risk here at home.” Jacobs recalls returning from a work trip and landing at JFK the day the Muslim ban was announced and feeling disempowered. Also during that time, the Trump administration’s stance toward the LGBT community was affecting her youngest sibling who is transgender and her middle sibling who is gender-nonconforming. That prompted Jacobs to want to do more. “I looked at the races here at home and saw the 49th and reached out to Emily’s List and asked if they were going to get a woman to run because I would love to support her and help her run,” she said. “They eventually called me back and told me that if I wanted there to be a woman in the race I had to run, so I did — after much heartache. They say you need to ask a woman seven times to run and I think that was pretty true for me.” Jacobs lost the primary, coming in third behind Republican Dianne Harkey and Democrat

June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

Mike Levin who would go on to win the seat. “One of the things I’m proud of is we ran a totally positive campaign, even in the midst of a very difficult primary,” she said, adding that after losing she spent the rest of the campaign season helping Mike Levin win, as well as lending support to other campaigns and other candidates at the local level. After her run for the 49th, Jacobs started another nonprofit — San Diego For Every Child — because of what she learned while campaigning around the region. “It became clear to me that here in San Diego County we have a huge issue with childhood poverty,” she said, adding that even pre-COVID, 40% of San Diego kids live in poverty. Jacobs also joined the Kroc School of Peace at USD as a Scholar in Residence.

A SECOND RUN

When Rep. Susan Davis announced she was retiring, Jacobs said there were two reasons she decided to throw her hat in the race. One, was that the 53rd was losing 20 years of government experience with Davis leaving and that her previous work in federal and international organizations would help ease the transition. The other reason was to bring a more youthful perspective to government. “I think it’s really important that we have a new generation of leaders,” Jacobs said. “My generation are the ones who are really going to be dealing with the consequences of the decisions we are making right now and so we should have a seat at the table.” During her primary campaign, Jacobs focused on issues included addressing gun violence, acting with urgency to address climate change and the high cost of living in San Diego. “Those are still incredibly important, but I really believe that the next congress will entirely be focused on rebuilding and recovering from the [COVID] crisis that we’re in right now,” she said, adding that the current legislation passed so far only amount to “stabilizing bills” and that more stimulus is needed to regrow the economy. Jacobs sees future legislation as a chance to make some systemic

changes and shape the future for “what we want it to look like” — especially when it comes to dealing with issues of climate change and protecting workers. “We have a real opportunity here I think to do things differently,” she said. “Part of that is making sure that other priorities are imbued in any recovery and thinking about how we can make sure that we are prioritizing companies that have emissions targets in line with the Paris Agreement. “Also, as we’re doing quantitative easing or bailouts, [we should be] thinking about what the unemployed sector really looks like,” she continued. “A lot of folks are harkening back to the programs that came out of the Great Depression which are really good models in some ways but I think we need to realize that the construction industry has become much more technical than it was then and unlike then, the vast majority of people that are out of work right now are in the service sector.” And despite the enormous cost of rebuilding the economy after the COVID crisis passes, Jacobs still favors support for large government initiatives, including a Medicare for All plan. “I not only believe that it will still be possible to do Medicare for All but actually it is more important than ever,” she said. “We’re seeing 20-30% unemployment and people’s healthcare is directly tied to their employment, which means we’re going to have a de facto public option when all of the people who lose their employer-sponsored health care still need care in the middle of a pandemic. And if that’s the case, we might as well do it in a strategic way.” To deal with the costs of programs, Jacobs favors repealing the GOP tax bill “that didn’t do anything to grow the economy,” raising taxes on very wealthy people and cutting tax loopholes. “My generation will be the one that will have to deal with the consequences of this deficit down the road,” she said, adding that despite its costs, the government needs to use the current zero Fed rate to keep states afloat and provide stimulus to jumpstart the economy. —Reach editor Jeff Clemetson at jeff@sdnews.com.

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Call Heather @ 951.296.7794 hfine@sdnews.com

News briefs CONTINUED FROM Page 20

this difficult time,” said Vince Hall, CEO of Feeding San Diego. “Amidst the insurmountable challenges of this difficult time, it’s beautiful to be a part of a community that comes together to meet real needs and to bring hope,” says Jon Foreman, of the Grammy award-winning band Switchfoot. In addition to appearing in the PSA, Foreman and his Switchfoot band members have been incredibly supportive of the Feeding San Diego mission. When the band canceled this year’s Bro-Am events because of COVID-19, they made a gift to Feeding San Diego and launched a #HomeFoodChallenge to help raise money and awareness for the organization. In response to soaring unemployment levels and school closures, Feeding San Diego continues to meet the needs of people facing hunger across San Diego County. Since the pandemic began in mid-March, the hunger-relief organization has distributed over five million meals through emergency regional food distributions, rural mobile pantries, drive through distributions, and youth meal sites. The community is encouraged to share the PSA on social media to garner support for Feeding San Diego. Donations can be made at feedingsandiego.org.

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LA MESA POST OFFICE ANNEX RELOCATES Out of an abundance of caution, USPS has suspended retail services and PO Box service until further notice at the La Mesa Station located at 8064 Allison Avenue, La Mesa, 91942. Customers with P.O. Boxes located at the Allison Avenue facility can pick up mail at the Grossmont Post Office located at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa, 91942. Hours of operation are: Saturday (temporary hours) 9 a.m.–1 p.m.; Monday through Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Nearest retail services are available at these locations: • Grossmont Post Office 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa, 91942. Hours: Monday– Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday (temporary hours) 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. • La Mesa Annex located at 6055 Lake Murray Blvd. Hours: Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Senior Tuesday: Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.–10 a.m. (seniors 60+ only). Retail services are also available online 24/7 including weekends and holidays at usps.com. Manage your incoming mail by signing up for Informed Delivery at informeddelivery.com.

CLASSIFIEDS / PUZZLES

sdnews.com

June 26 – July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

SERVICE DIRECTORY

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Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

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SOLAR

CONT.

Fill in the blank cells using number 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row column and 3x3 block. Use logic and process elimination to solve the puzzle.

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CLUES ACROSS 1. African nation 7. __ fi (slang) 10. Not arranged according to size 12. A demand for a show of hands in a card game 13. Having a play of lustrous rainbowlike colors 14. Panama has one 15. Taking legal action 16. Top of the body 17. Part of (abbr.)

18. Soul and calypso song 19. Murres 21. Irish river 22. Accepts as true 27. The Bay State 28. 1950s Hollywood icon 33. Blood type 34. In a way, became lost 36. Large primate 37. A spongelike cake leavened with yeast 38. Mama __, folk singer

CLUES DOWN 1. Cylindrical sacs 2. Extinct North Germanic language 3. Late rocker Allman 4. Word element meaning ear 5. Amino acid (abbr.) 6. Promotions 7. Actress Lathan 8. Clothed 9. Unwell 10. Loosen

11. Cephalopod mollusks 30. Electronic musical style (abbr.) 12. __ at Obdurata: Harmful papal bull 31. Furniture with open shelves 14. Musical composition 32. Clouds of gas in outer space 17. Irish bar 35. Indian midwife 18. Greek island 36. Packers’ signal caller 20. Afflict 38. Secret political clique 23. Goes by 40. Cry weakly 24. Ambience 41. Gomer __, marine 25. Video game manufacturer 42. Academic Bill of Rights 26. Surplus Marketing Administration 43. Negatives 29. Football position 44. Hip hop icon Kool Moe __

39. Visual metaphor (computers) 40. Trim by cutting 41. Small group of people 44. Pulitzer-winning scientist 45. Unique S. American mammal 48. Energy, style and enthusiasm 49. One who works for you 50. Snakelike fish 51. Consumers

June 26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 23, 2020

La Mesa Courier

sdnews.com