PASSAGES: EL CAJON’S LONG SERVING MAYOR MARK LEWIS (1948-2023), WHO LED EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE HEART OF THE CITY
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery October 19, 2023 (El Cajon) – Mark Lewis, who served El Cajon as mayor and city councilman for 25 years overseeing major changes the community, has died of complications from a stroke suffered last year. His family members were with him at a hospice center, where he passed away on October 12, 2023 at age 75. “He loved El Cajon and everyone in it,” his wife, Sarah Christine “Chris” Lewis, told East County Magazine. He led the city through a recession and a centennial, leading efforts to revitalize downtown, bring “fun” to city residents and create a cleaner, greener community for future generations. The affable mayor, known for his sense of humor and commitment to a clean environment, also served as the County of San Diego’s waste management coordinator, chaired SANDAG’s public safety board, was foreman of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Grand Jury, served on the Draft Board and on the Indian Gaming Commission. A complex, larger-than-life figure, Lewis also wrote poetry and authored a book of Haiku dedicated to mankind “in the hope that those who read it,will act in some way,as to improve the existence of man.” In his younger days,he enjoyed stints as a stand-up comedian. But he was most proud of leading efforts to revitalize downtown El Cajon and implement green programs that cleaned up the city’s air pollution. He was born on May 5, 1948 in Arkansas to Tina Mae Lewis and Joseph Hamilton Lewis, a descendant of founding father Alexander Hamilton, according to family lore. Joseph Lewis was in the Air Force, so the family left Arkansas when Mark Lewis was just two years old. They traveled to several places here he was stationed, before winding up in San Diego’s South Bay. When his family brought him to watch the Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon, young Mark Lewis turned to his father and said, ”I want to move here, Daddy!” according to his wife, Chris Lewis. So the family moved to El Cajon, living in the Chieftain Trailer Park. Lewis never outgrew his love of the parade; many years later when parade organizers suffered financial problems, Lewis brought in a Johnny Depp celebrity impersonator to help raise funds to save the parade, and rode on a float in the Mother Goose Parade that had delighted him as a child. He was first in his graduating class at W.D. Hall Elementary School in 1960, later graduating from Greenfield Middle and Granite Hills High schools. He attended Grossmont College for two years, then received a bachelor’s degree in speech from San Diego State University, where debate was his favorite topic. He met his wife right after college, when both were trainees at the May Company department stores sent to Los Angeles for training. “He was fun and good looking,” she recalls. “On our first date, going up to Grossmont Summit (in El Cajon) he said, `I’m going to be mayor of this city someday.” For years, the couple lived in an apartment and raised four children without much money, Chris recalls, “but he never forgot that dream.” Mark Lewis began volunteering at events to get involved in the city. While working at the county, in 1979 he started white paper office recycling program. “He delivered all the bins to every desk all over the county,” his wife recalls. The County issued a proclamation honoring him for those efforts, as well as helping to fund an ecology center. He won election to the city council, serving three terms, or 12 years, before winning election as Mayor in 1998. He ran on a platform that included “bringing fun back to El Cajon,” the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Lewis spent the next 14 years as El Cajon’s mayor, attaining many milestones including leading the city through its 75tth anniversary and its centennial in 2012, his last year in office. When Lewis first came to El Cajon, Old Highway 80 took travelers through the city’s downtown. But after Interstate 8 and the Parkway Plaza regional mall pulled traffic and shoppers out of the city’s core, the downtown area declined. Lewis dreamed of making El Cajon like San Diego’s Gaslamp district. He determined to focus on downtown revitalization, which included a major facelift such as new sidewalks, outdoor seating, streetlights, new signs, upgrading building facades along the historic district and remodeling Prescott Promenade to attract larger events to downtown El Cajon. New businesses, restaurants and a brewery came to town, drawn in part by large crowds flocking to new events such as Cajon Classic Cruise, Concerts on the Green, Wieghorst Museum Western Days, Alley Cat Art Walk, and a Parade of Lights. In his final term, Lewis told ECM he looked forward to the city’s newly planned “America on Main Street” festival celebrating cultural diversity and featuring a citizenship swearing in ceremony. As part-time Mayor also serving as the county’s waste management coordinator, he proudly proclaimed the nickname “Captain Trash” and drove a car with license plates that read “CPT TRASH.” He implemented a recycling program that recycled 2,000 tons a day; El Cajon became the county’s only zero-waste city. El Cajon converted its fleet of 125 trash trucks to run on natural gas from landfills. Lewis credits that with reducing the city’s smoggy air in the first three decades after its inception. “You can see the difference,” he said in an interview with ECM in 2010. He also led efforts to make El Cajon a Tree City USA, raising a half million dollars to start the program. He purchased a giant Sequoia seedling that he named “Woody,” which he carried to many public meetings to tout the importance of planting trees across the city. “Woody” still exists, in a secret location for the tree’s protection, Lewis’ widow assures. “One of the stars next to my name is that we have a no-kill animal shelter,” Lewis once said. He was known for bringing homeless animals into Council hearings, including a pot-bellied
SDSU WOMEN’S SOCCER: AZTECS EARN CONVINCING WIN OVER WYOMING 5-1
Printer-friendly versionFour different Aztecs scored at least one goal in the win Source: goaztecs.com Photo courtesy goaztecs.com October 20, 2023 (San Diego) – San Diego State women’s soccer scored three goals in the second half to earn a 5-1 win over Wyoming at the SDSU Sports Deck on Thursday evening. Four different Aztecs scored at least one goal in the win, including Olivia Sekimoto who scored two and tallied an assist on the night. The Aztecs (12-3-2, 7-1-1 MW) had 26 shots on the night in another impressive offensive showing on the Sports Deck. Of those 26 shots 14 were on frame, including a game-high three on target from Sekimoto. SDSU also limited the Cowgirls (6-8-4, 2-7-1 MW) to just six shots on target and the one goal. Carlin Blake got the Aztecs on the scoresheet in just the 11th minute. The junior from Overland Park, Kansas, picked up a ball from Sekimoto and then fired a shot on the ground from just outside the box that nestled into the bottom left corner of the net to give SDSU a 1-0 lead. However, the Cowgirls would respond with a goal of their own in the 33rd minute to tie the match at 1-1. With the match tied at 1-1 the Aztecs earned a corner with just five minutes to go in the first half. Goalscorer Carlin Blake sent the ensuing free kick to the near post where Kiera Utush had a free header which she put in the back of the net to give the Aztecs a 2-1 lead heading into the halftime break. After the break it was all Aztecs. San Diego State had 15 shots in the second half to go along with their trio of goals. In the 54th minute Dori Savage got in on the action and scored her sixth goal of the season to give the Aztecs a 3-1 cushion. Winger Alexys Ocampo found space down the left side, flashed the ball across the box to Savage, who turned and then fired it into the top left corner of the net for the goal. With a two-goal advantage the Scarlet and Black kept their foot on the gas and in the 66th minute Sekimoto tallied her first of two on the night. After the Aztecs earned a corner, the ball bounced around in the box before Sekimoto latched onto the loose ball and slotted it home to give SDSU a 4-1 lead with just over 20 minutes to play. Sekimoto then completed her five-point night with her second goal of the match in the 72nd minute. The junior from Chula Vista, California took a shot from distance that took a deflection that carried it into the back of the net to give SDSU a 5-1 win. It was a relatively quiet night for keeper Alexa Madueno in goal for SDSU. She tallied five stops on the night, with all five coming in the second half of play. With the win the Aztecs remain tied with Boise State for first place in the Mountain West standings on 22 points apiece. Up Next: San Diego State hits the road for the final time in conference regular season play when they travel to Fort Collins, Colorado to take on Colorado State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. MT./12 p.m. PT. Game Notes: With her two goals and an assist Sekimoto tallied five points on the night, a career high for the forward. With her two goals Sekimoto notched her first career brace. Carlin Blake’s goal and assist was the first time in her career she had both a goal and an assist in the same match. The goal was also Blake’s first of the season and second of her career. Dori Savage scored her sixth goal of the season in the win, putting her second in total goals scored this season for the Aztecs (Denise Castro leads the squad with eight goals). Goalkeeper Alexa Madueno now has 291 career saves after making five stops on Thursday. SDSU improves to 12-3-2 on the year, their best start to a season since 2015. Box Printer-friendly version
HEALTHY HALLOWEEN AT THE GARDEN OCT. 26
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 20, 2023 (El Cajon) — Enjoy a healthy Halloween and free admission to The Water Conservation Garden on Thursday, October 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. courtesy of the Grossmont Healthcare District. Drop by any time to enjoy some time in The Garden, join in free activities that are scheduled throughout the day, or just wander the Trick-or-Treat Trails and enjoy some healthy sweets along the way. Activities include a Ms. Smarty-Plants™ performance, garden tours, guided meditation and more. For more information, visit https://www.thegarden.org. Printer-friendly version
STATE DEPT. ISSUES WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR AMERICANS
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 19, 2023 (Washington D.C.) – Today, the US State Department issued a worldwide travel advisory. “Due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution.” The State Department advises that U.S. citizens should stay alert in locations frequented by tourists; enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)) to receive security updates and make it easier to locate you in an emergency; and follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter. There is also currently a do not travel advisory for Gaza and Lebanon, and a reconsider travel advisory for Israel and the West Bank. The U.S. government has authorized the departure of family members of U.S. government personnel and some non-emergency personnel on a case-by-case basis from Mission Israel and Lebanon. It advises US citizens, who wish to leave Israel to go to Ben Gurion International Airport terminal three, where are US Embassy personnel can direct them to US chartered flights, through at least Sunday, October 22. U.S. citizens who wish to depart with U.S. government assistance must express their interest via the crisis intake form. U.S. citizens have successfully departed the West Bank and Israel into Jordan via the border crossings, including Sheikh Hussein and Allenby Bridge, and the State Department encourages U.S. citizens to take advantage of those options if possible and safe to do so. The State Department said it is working on potential options for departure from Gaza for U.S. citizens, and recommended “if you have not already done so, please complete the crisis intake form to provide contact information should we need to reach out to you on short notice.” It characterized the situation at the Rafah crossing as fluid and unpredictable, and states “If you assess it to be safe, you may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing – there may be very little notice if the crossing opens, and it may only open for a limited time.” Printer-friendly version
ECM THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: MONARCHS COME OUT ON TOP AGAINST NORSEMEN
Printer-friendly versionStory and photos by Liz Alper October 19, 2023 (Spring Valley) – ECM Sports is back to work after a long break and we’re finally in Spring Valley for our first-ever Thursday night football game, as the Norsemen from Valhalla head to Monte Vista to face the Monarchs. Both teams are a little worse for wear; Valhalla is 2-7 overall and winless at 0-3 in Grossmont League play. Monte Vista is 2-6, 1-1 in league. We had barely started when the Monarchs strung together a long touchdown run by senior Jaidyn Ellison and Monte Vista led 6-0 after one. After senior quarterback Mayar Oqdeh flexed his arm and completed a long pass in the second, Ellison punched it in again for his second touchdown of the night. The Monarchs tallied one more time in the final seconds of the half and completed the two-point conversion to take a big 21-0 lead to the locker room at the half. Senior Adrian Gonzalez joined in on the running touchdowns with a fight through coverage in the third. The Norsemen finally started making some noise, though, with some nice moves from senior running back Dominic Silva and the Monarchs led 28-7 after three. The orange and white kept fighting in the fourth. Dom punched it in again for his second score despite a big hit, but Ellison tallied his hat trick touchdown to keep the Monarchs up by three scores. But Valhalla made it two again after a run after an epic long pass from quarterback Braxton Estes. But the Monarchs returned an onside kick to the house to go up by three again. The Norsemen recovered a fumble and Estes found senior wide receiver Angelo Rafo in the endzone on a slant to make it two again, but the Monarchs reigned and took this one with a 42-29 win. They’re now 3-6 overall and 2-1 in the Grossmont League. The Norsemen fall to 2-7 and remain winless in league play, falling to 0-4. UP NEXT Monte Vista ends the regular season with a clash against their crosstown rival Mount Miguel at 7 p.m. next Friday. Other East County scores: Christian 19, Mira Mesa 28 Patrick Henry 14, La Jolla 45 Santana 21, Grossmont 46 Del Norte 42, Ramona 28 Steele Canyon 49, West HIlls 7 Like our sports coverage? Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Follow @ECMagSports on X for live sports coverage and stories! Does your child play a sport at a level other than varsity? Comment on this story or tweet @ECMagSports to request coverage! Printer-friendly version