Deer mouse tests positive for Hantavirus in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park
By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office October 29, 2025 (Cuyamaca) — A deer mouse collected in routine monitoring Oct. 22 at the Los Vaqueros Group Horse Campground in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park has tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus. Finding hantavirus in wild rodents is not uncommon in San Diego County. And people rarely come into direct contact with infected animals because wild rodents naturally avoid humans. Even so, County officials are advising people to take precautions, especially when pulling out those holiday decorations from sheds, garages or attics in case there have been infected rodents living in those areas. While exposure to the potentially deadly hantavirus is rare, people should be careful around wild rodents and places where they nest as there is no cure or vaccine for hantavirus. Symptoms of hantavirus usually develop between one to eight weeks after exposure and include: Severe muscle aches. Chills, fever or fatigue. Headache or dizziness. Nausea, vomiting or stomach pain. Difficulty breathing. If you think that you may have been exposed to hantavirus, seek medical attention immediately. Preventing Infection People can be exposed to hantavirus when wild rodents invade their living or storage areas. Infected rodents shed the virus in their urine, feces and saliva. Once the matter dries, it can be stirred into the air where people could inhale the virus. If people find wild rodents, nests, or their droppings in their living or storage spaces, they should always use “wet cleaning” methods — using bleach or other disinfectants, rubber gloves and bags. DO NOT SWEEP or VACUUM, which can stir hantavirus into the air where it could be inhaled. If you have to clean, use “wet cleaning” methods instead. Avoid Exposure to Hantavirus Seal up all external holes larger than a dime in homes, garages and sheds to keep rodents from getting in. Eliminate rodent infestations immediately. Avoid rodent-infested areas and do not stir up dust or materials that may be contaminated with rodent poop and urine. Clean up rodent poop and urine using the “wet cleaning” methods described below. “Wet-cleaning” Methods Do not sweep or vacuum infested areas. Ventilate the affected area by opening doors and windows for at least 30 minutes before starting to clean. Use rubber gloves. Spray a 10% bleach solution or other disinfectants onto dead rodents, rodent poop, nests, contaminated traps and surrounding areas, then let the disinfectant stand for at least 15 minutes before cleaning. Clean with a sponge or a mop that has been soaked in disinfectant. Place disinfected rodents and debris into two plastic bags, seal them and discard them in the trash. Wash gloves in a bleach solution, then in soap and water, and then dispose of them using the same double-bag method. Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water. For more information, contact the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) at (858) 694-2888 or visit the DEHQ hantavirus web page.
Apostille pop-up shop returns to San Diego for final 2025 event
East County News Service Oct. 29, 2025 (San Diego County) — Need international document authentication? Now’s your chance. San Diego County residents needing international document authentication will have an opportunity to have a one-stop-shop for it on Wednesday, Nov. 5, as the California Secretary of State’s Apostille pop-up shop returns for a fifth and final 2025 appearance. Hosted at the San Diego Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk’s Office inside the County Administration Center, this one-day event brings this vital Sacramento-based service directly to locals. The envent will go from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the center at 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 273, in downtown San Diego. More than 3,000 residents have already benefited from previous events — more than any other county in California, Marks said. From military families to international students, the service has proven indispensable for those navigating global responsibilities. “We are proud to once again cut red tape and put San Diegans first,” Marks said. “This event saves time, money, and the headache of government bureaucracy. San Diego is an international hub, and we’re making government work for you.” Free underground parking will be available at the center’s Ash Street entrance and there is also metered parking around Waterfront Park near the site. The line for service will formsat the south entrance of the building, and county leaders warn those coming to plan accordingly What is Apostille? And why it matters Apostille services authenticate the signatures of California public officials on documents intended for use outside the United States. This verification is essential for dual citizenship applications, studying or working abroad, military deployment overseas, estate planning involving international assets, and cross-border business with Mexico. Documents eligible for authentication include birth, marriage, and death certificates; educational transcripts; military records and business documents. Typically, residents must travel to Sacramento or Los Angeles, or endure a 4- to 6- week mail process, to obtain an apostille. This pop-up event eliminates that burden. What to bring To ensure smooth processing, attendees must bring the following: An original notarized or certified document signed by a California public official (no photocopies); A completed Apostille Request Cover Sheet; Payment via Visa, Mastercard, check or money order (no cash) County leaders note that on-site notarial services are not guaranteed. For faster service, documents should be notarized beforehand. Fees are $20 per document and $6 per verified signature Jordan Marks, San Diego Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk is appealing to interested persons to plan ahead due to high demand, noting that wait times may reach two to three hours. No appointments are required, but early arrival is strongly recommended. For more information, click here.
Candlelight vigil, funeral procession held for fallen LMPD Officer Lauren Craven
East County News Service Oct. 29, 2025 (La Mesa) — This past week has marked one of the most challenging stretches of time for the La Mesa Police Department as it mourns the loss of fallen La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven. Candlelight vigil photos by Karen Pearlman Craven, 25, died the night of Monday, Oct. 20 in San Diego’s Grantville area, on Interstate 8 near Fairmount Avenue. She was returning from San Diego’s Central Jail and stopped to assist a motorist who had been in an accident on the freeway. As she was helping the motorist, Craven was hit by a Toyota Camry, along with the motorist she was assisting, De’Veonte Morris, in a suspected DUI crash. Morris, 19, was killed in the same crash Craven was. The driver of the car suspected in the DUI crash that happened around 10:30 p.m. is Antonio Alcantar, 38, a La Mesa resident. In all, five vehicles were involved in the Monday night crashes on the freeway, with two dead and several others hospitalized with various injuries. On the night of Monday, Oct. 27, the La Mesa Police Department held a candlelight vigil to honor Craven. Craven’s colleagues and friends shared memories of the young officer and talked about how she was a quiet leader. One friend said she hoped people would not dwell on what happened at the end of Craven’s life, but rather stay focused on all that she had accomplished before being struck and killed. Attendees were given candles until they ran out and those without candles were prompted to use the flashlights on their cellphones in a moment of silence. Lana Del Ray’s “Say Yes to Heaven” was then played on a loudspeaker. The following morning, vehicles driven by more than 700 first responders were part of a funeral procession motorcade from Mission Valley in San Diego to Skyline Church in Rancho San Diego, where Craven was eulogized and memorialized. Photos from La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven’s funeral via screenshot from Skyline Church video With bagpipes playing outside the church, uniformed officers lined up in formation as a group of pallbearers carried Craven’s casket. The service went more than two hours and was livestreamed on YouTube and through Skyline Church. There was a 21-gun salute outside and an “end of watch” call for Craven over the police radio. Craven leaves behind her parents and a younger sister. A campaign to raise funds for Craven’s family by the Police Officers Research Association of California continues, with a goal of raising $100,000. It has already raised $57,000 as of mid-day Wednesday.
A lethal pattern of neglect in San Diego county jails
By Alexander J. Schorr October 28, 2025— A San Diego County Sheriff deleted 57 hours of video footage that may have shed light on a 22-year-old man’s death in a San Diego County jail. US District Judge Dana Sabraw and Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard have sanctioned San Diego County for erasing this footage, which could have shown whether deputies or medical staff ignored the inmate William Hayden Schuck in the days before he died. Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard, who has sharply criticized the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office failure to retain the footage, called this “shocking in the height of negligence.” Additionally, Judge Sabraw rejected arguments from a county attorney that they video was irrelevant because it didn;t show the inside of the cell and would have only briefly shown Schuck being moved to a different cell: “It ought to trigger a process where all recordings— no matter how many days leading up to the death from that detainee’s time in custody— ought to be preserved,” Sabraw said. Judge Goddard’s ruling noted that the Sheriff’s Office has a policy requiring that surveillance video relevant to an in-custody death must be preserved for at least two years. The Sheriff’s Office saved 36 hours from the camera outside Schuck’s cell, but the remaining 57 hours were overwritten, even though the county received two preservation letters from the family’s lawyers between April and September in 2022. What happened William Hayden Schuck had been arrested on March 10 after a car accident for being under the influence of drugs and in possession of a controlled substance. According to an investigation by CBS 8 and the San Diego Union Tribune, he was placed in a temporary holding cell without a mattress for nearly five days. According to a deputy who escorted Schuck back from court the day before he died, he said he had to physically guide Schuck from wandering. Another officer recalled Schuck slurring the word “thirsty” and being unable to stand without assistance. In spite of this, Schuck was not taken to an infirmary. Back in 2023, ABC10News covered the lawsuit filed by the Schuck family, claiming that despite them following correct protocol to preserve it, video of the area around Schuck’s cell before he died was deleted. Before his death, footage that was recovered showed Schuck collapsing twice as he was being moved to a different cell, and was found unresponsive in the morning on March 16 of 2022. An autopsy concluded that he died from complications of drug intoxication and dehydration. A medical expert hired by the family said that severe dehydration was the primary cause of death, whose report also described bruises, scrapes, and open sores across his chest, back, and limbs. “The circumstances of this case strongly raise the inference that Hayden was forgotten about in that cell,” said Lauren Mellano, one of the lead civil rights attorneys representing the family of William Schuck, and is a partner at the law firm McKenzie Scott, PC. Last month, Judge Sabraw refused to dismiss the family’s lawsuit against San Diego County— one of at least 19 the county is currently facing over jail deaths, with available evidence suggesting possible negligence. The Board of Supervisors, or CLERB, concluded that deputies and medical staff did, in fact, fail to recognize and respond to Schuck’s medical distress, which contributed to his death. The CLERB report made recommendations to the Sheriff’s Department, suggesting that jail video cameras be better positioned for greater coverage. However, CLERB’s recommendations are non-binding, and the department is not required to implement them. What a report shows about jail conditions The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department provides law enforcement services to the unincorporated areas of El Cajon and as well as its county jails. The department, under both current and previous sheriffs, has faced significant controversies— particularly concerning the operation of its jails. Many San Diego County jails have faced more recent reports of unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, and even inadequate medical care. Reports have appeared which have detailed widespread issues in San Diego county jails, including some that hold individuals in El Cajon. An environmental health expert submitted a report as a part of a January 2025 lawsuit, which found that six out of seven San Diego County jails failed to meet minimum health and safety standards. The expert, Debra Graham, characterized those conditions as “filthy” and “deplorable,” and stated that these obvious problems appeared to be ignored. In an interview with KPBS back in February of 2025, Sheriff Kelly Martinez acknowledged that the jail’s aging infrastructure makes it difficult to keep clean. Martinez cited the 49-year-old Vista Detention Center, where a housing unit was closed because its doors would not open or close correctly. Between January and May of 2024, Graham determined the prison conditions for inmates as unsanitary conditions, and said that it was “perplexing” how they had been allowed to deteriorate without intervention. Despite a Sheriff’s Office policy of conducting weekly hygiene inspections, with Graham’s report stating that if they occurred, then they were not “meaningful” or sufficient. The report was prepared as a part of a class-action lawsuit that was originally filed in 2022 by the law firm Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld (RBGG). The suit challenges the county on various civil rights violations, including conditions for disabled inmates and inadequate medical and mental health care. The Sheriff’s response In the case of William Hayden Schuck, San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez has made no public statement due to pending litigation. A federal judge noted in September of 2025 that the county’s lack of response and failure to discipline staff after Schuck’s death showed potential “systemic deficiencies.” In March 2023, Sheriff Martinez told ABC 10 News that the department was working to streamline the conservatorship process for inmates who refuse treatment, allowing officials to make medical decisions on their behalf. Sheriff Martinez illustrated that when it comes to the opioid crisis and potential police intervention for addicts and even inmates, she stated that “it’s important also
El Cajon City Council denies request to increase size of retail tobacco displays
By Paul Levikow Photo, left: Vince Kattoula displays hookahs, advocating for more space to display them in retail stores October 28, 2025 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon City Council voted Tuesday to deny a proposal that would have increased the allowable display space for tobacco products such as hookahs in retail stores that are not designated smoke shops. The 3-1 vote leaves intact the city code requirement that licensed tobacco retailers are limited to 16 cubic feet of display area. The El Cajon Planning Commission recommended earlier this month to allow stores to double the permissible display area to 32 cubic feet. Councilmember Phil Ortiz, who asked that the issue be brought forth to the Council, was the lone no vote. He advocated for the increased allowable space. Mayor Bill Wells was absent. “I’m in support of an increase in the area for hookah devices,” said Ortiz (photo, right). “I don’t think there should be an increase in space for the actual tobacco products, but the devices itself. They’re legal in the state of California.” The El Cajon Municipal Code regulates the sale of tobacco products, including hookahs and related accessories. The code allows for the sale of these devices and products with a tobacco retailer’s license. The sale of such products is incidental to a primary use, and is not subject to any spatial or distance standards from sensitive uses such as residential neighborhoods, religious organizations, or schools. There are 89 retail stores in El Cajon that are licensed to sell tobacco products, such as convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores and others that are not smoke shops. Kate Duffy (photo, left) is a public health advocate for the nonprofit Community Action Service Advocacy (CASA). She appeared on behalf of members of the youth group Students Together Against Alcohol ‘N Drugs (STAAND) at El Cajon Valley, Valhalla and Granite Hills High Schools. “Many students are concerned about the long-term health affects their family members may face from using hookah products, and effects their peers may face if they have access and exposure to hookah products as minors,” Duffy said. “The stores that would be affected by changes to the allowed display area are frequented by families and youth and increased display space would directly cause undue exposure to harmful products for kids and teens.” Photo, right: Hookah devices targeting children Vince Kattoula appeared before the City Council as the only public speaker advocating for the allowable space increase. ‘We agree that kids should not have access to tobacco. We wholeheartedly agree with that,” Kattoula said. He was advocating for the El Cajon Cash ‘N Carry store. He said the extra space is needed to accommodate large hookahs. “This product is a legal product and should be accessible,” Kattoula said. “What we’re asking for today is equity and equality for the different types and sizes of cultural tobacco products, such as hookah.” Councilmember Michelle Metschel (photo, right) had joined with Ortiz in bringing the proposal to the City Council after meeting with a hookah retailer. “Sometimes, once we receive more information, we are entitled to change our opinion about something or how we felt about certain decisions that maybe we made six months ago, or what we were thinking six months ago and to where we are now,” Metschel said. “Why should hookah retailers get special dispensation over other tobacco retailers?”
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District fall surplus property auction now live
Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District October 29, 2025 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District has officially launched its fall surplus property auction, now live. The auction is open to the public, and both businesses and individuals are encouraged to bid on the inventory. The District conducts regular surplus sales as part of its sustainability efforts in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, repurposing equipment and technology that would otherwise remain unused or go to a landfill. This season, the auction is split into two separate events, held simultaneously at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. All items can be viewed and bid on at http://calauctions.com. Grossmont College’s auction ends: November 17, 2025 Cuyamaca College’s auction ends: November 18, 2025 A wide variety of surplus items are available for bid, including Dell and Apple computers, laptops, monitors, utility carts, vehicles, printers, sports equipment, office furniture, and miscellaneous electronic equipment. Featured items include: Pommel horses Balance beam Air purifiers Additional donated items from academic and operational departments include: Industrial refrigerator Medical training equipment: dummies, stethoscopes Other gymnastics equipment: uneven bars, spring-loaded platforms Vehicles Office equipment: printers, desktops, laptops, industrial coffee makers Chemistry lab equipment And much more! Items will be sold both individually and by the pallet. Winners can pick up their items between 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on the following day: Grossmont College: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Cuyamaca College: Thursday, November 20, 2025 Item descriptions and lot numbers will indicate the designated pick-up location. All sales are final. For more information, visit http://calauctions.com. About the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (the District) The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (the District) includes Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, which offer hundreds of degree and certificate programs, including Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Advanced/Basic Certificates. The District is the largest provider of higher education and job training in East County, and is a top transfer pathway to San Diego State University. The colleges lead the way in developing educational programs, classes and services that meet the needs of the community of learners, and prepare students to meet changing community and workforce needs, while advancing social justice and economic mobility. Learn more and enroll at www.gcccd.edu/enroll.
ECM wins 6 awards in San Diego Press Club’s Excellence in Journalism competition
East County News Service “The massive reporting effort on this piece is evident…The two reporters on this story are truly an asset to their community.” – Judge’s comments on ECM’s first-place Education article October 28, 2025 (San Diego) – East County Magazine received six journalism awards, including three first place winners, in San Diego Press Club’s 2025 Excellence in Journalism competition. The awards were presented tonight at the Encore Events Center in San Diego. Five of ECM’s awards were in the daily and online news category, while the sixth was in the radio division. ECM has won 156 major journalism awards since its inception in 2008. Scroll down for details and links to read our award-winning entries. Alex Schorr and Miriam Raftery won first place for Education reporting in their article, Recall effort launched against four GUHSD trustees who refuse to rescind mass firings. The story detailed conflicts of interest of three Grossmont Union High School District trustees involved in private and religious schools, as well as homeschooling programs, including some financial ties not disclosed on economic interest disclosure forms required of political candidates. One of the judges commented, “The massive reporting effort on this piece is evident. As an education reporter for 15+ years, I found it riveting to read. It’s also well written. The two reporters on this story are truly an asset to their community. Well done.” Raftery also won first place for a radio interview with immigration attorney Nora Milner titled Who will be there when they come for you? In addition, she took first for an editorial titled As we celebrate Independence Day, our democracy is at risk. Henri Migala took third place for his coverage of Syrian-Americans in East County reacting to the fall of the Assad regime in their homeland in his article, Syrian community celebrates liberation of Syria. Raftery won third place in public service journalism for interviewing homeless people in Lemon Grove while a county proposal was under consideration to build tiny homes to house unsheltered people on state-owned land in Lemon Grove. Her story was titled Homeless people in Lemon Grove hope for dignity and homes. In addition, she took third pace in the election coverage category for her in-depth analysis in What is Project 2025—and how could it impact you, your family and your community? More than 500 awards in 130 categories and 10 divisions were awarded to San Diego’s finest reporters, writers, artists, photographers, videographers and public relations professionals. College media were also honored and scholarships were presented. Members of 15 journalism professional organizations from around the country, including press clubs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Long Island, Southeast Texas, Rochester, Florida, Cleveland, Orange County, Milwaukee, Tulsa and Alaska assisted with the judging. “Never before have journalists faced so many challenges,” said Elaine Masters, event chairperson. “Nevertheless, despite cutbacks, the pace of technology, and threats to the First Amendment, our dedicated members of the San Diego region’s news media are producing outstanding work. It is our privilege to honor and recognize them with our awards.” View the complete list of winners: 2025 Press Awards Program.docx – Google Docs