February 2025

By Miriam Raftery

File photo:  Ben and Jessica Kalasho

Updated Feb. 28 at 7:20 p.m. with additional details and clarifications.

February 28, 2025 (San Diego) – Former El Cajon Councilman Besmon “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica, appeared via video at a San Diego Superior Court hearing today, asking the court to set aside arrest bench warrants ordered back in May 2023.  Those warrants were issued after the Kalashos were found guilty of criminal contempt of court and ordered to report in September to serve eight days in jail, but failed to appear.

The judge refused to let the Kalashos off the hook, following arrguments on both side.

The Kalashos indicated at the time that they did not wish to travel to San Diego because it would be unsafe for Jessica was pregnant; she appeared in today’s court video with a toddler on her lap.

However, attorney and plaintiff Lina Charry said she had video of the Kalashos attending a wedding in San Diego County around that time.

She objected to any further delays, stating, “This is their sixth attempt to try and dismiss their warrants.”

Ben Kalasho fired back, “That’s not true.”

Judge Wendy Behan made clear that while she would  set aside the bench warrants, but this does not terminate their guilty convictions for contempt charges. The judge indicated that a new date must be set for the couple to appear and serve their jail sentence; failure to do so will result in reissuance of the arrest warrants.

Kalasho asked for a hearing in late November and December, when he said the couple planned to visit relatives over the holidays.

The judge insisted that such a long delay would not be allowed.

“I live half the year in North Carolina and half the year in Dubai,” said Kalasho, who has been working under the pseudonym Chef Benjamin Epicure at Smithmore Castle, a luxury hotel and wedding venue in North Carolina. 

According to a Facebook page for Benjamin Epicure, he is also currently employed at the Dubai Creek Gold & Yacht Club Residences in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Ultimately the judge ordered Ben and Jessica Kalasho to report in to Superior Court Department 66 on June 9 at 8:30 a;m. to serve out their eight-day sentences in jail.

The contempt of court charges came after Kalasho was found by the court to have defamed Charry by falsely claiming she had had sex in public places, in retaliation after she sued him for damages suffered when a car in a carwash he owned crashed into Charry’s business next door.The Kalasho's were found guilty of multiple counts of contempt for violating court orders, lying under oath, failing to comply with orders,intentionally failing to produce financial documents pursuant to court orders, failing to appear for mandatory court appearances, and unlawfully interfering with court proceedings by  providing false, misleading, or obstructive testimony under oath.

A court ordered the Kalashos to pay damages to Charry, but the couple stonewalled during a series of 15 judgement debtor examinations, where the Kalashos were supposed to answer questions on record about their financial assets. According to Charry, the couple refused to answer some questions and failed to produce account statements that they were required to bring.

Charry then filed an order asking the court to find the Kalashos criminally guilty of contempt  in the civil case, a tool that attorney Charry says is “rarely ,if ever, used” in a civil case. But in this instance, the judge concluded that the Kalashos’ failure to fulfill the requirements of the judgment justified finding them  guilty on criminal counts and ordering them both incarcerated.

If the pair shows up on June 9 as ordered, their eight-day incarceration is slated to commence. Left unresolved is the question of how Charry may recover assets to satisfy the civil judgment against the Kalashos, or what will happen if the Kalashos fail to appear.

East County News Service

February 28, 2025 (Jamul) – Jamul Casino will open the doors to its high-rise boutique hotel tower this spring, featuring 200 rooms, 52 spacious guest suites, 360-degree views and a curated collection of leisure experiences.

"This all-new hotel represents a proud moment in our tribe's journey and further supports our continued dedication to self-sufficiency," said Erica M. Pinto, Chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village. "We’re not just transitioning from Jamul Casino to Jamul Casino Resort – we're building a legacy that honors our community while inviting visitors to experience the beauty and hospitality of our ancestral lands."

The 16-story hotel tower was originally imagined as a crystalline jewel box floating against the Jamul mountains, ultimately allowing visitors to now stay where they play. Guests will have access to the state-of-the-art hotel and its offerings through a climate-controlled, enclosed pedestrian sky bridge. The rooms’ sleek and elegant design creates a calming place of tranquility with one-of-a-kind views.

The all-new boutique hotel tower at Jamul Casino Resort aims to earn the AAA Four Diamond Rating – North America’s premier hotel rating program recognizing the most important aspects of luxury such as cleanliness, comfort, cuisine and consistency.

Among the many amenities will be an approximately 4,800-square-foot restaurant with sweeping views of the surrounding area, retail space, meeting and banquet facilities, a full-service spa and salon with an outdoor deck, a fitness center, and an 11,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck with a jetted hot tub, cabanas and a rooftop bar.

"We are thrilled to unveil this beautiful new hotel that our guests have been eagerly anticipating," said Mary Cheeks, President and General Manager of Jamul Casino. "With exceptional dining destinations, wellness-focused amenities, and curated experiences, we have created a space that truly caters to gaming enthusiasts, business professionals, and leisure travelers alike. We invite all guests to visit, unwind, play, and discover the very best of San Diego.”

Opened in 2016, the Jamul Casino is owned and operated by Jamul Indian Village Development Corporation (JIVDC), a wholly owned enterprise of the Tribe. The $430 million, award-winning casino features nearly 1,700 slot machines, 46 live table games, a dedicated poker room, and various restaurants, bars and lounges.

Jamul Casino supports more than 1,400 permanent jobs throughout the region and is the closest casino to downtown San Diego, which is the eighth-largest city in the United States by population.

To learn more about Jamul Casino, visit www.jamulcasino.com.

Many people and their dogs came together at Town Center Community Park East for the ninth annual Fido Fest in Santee. 

By G.A. McNeeley 

Photos by Scott Lagace and G.A. McNeeley

February 26, 2025 (Santee) - The city of Santee invited lots of people (and their dogs) for fun times at this year’s Fido Fest. People were also able to adopt their own furry friend from one of the many rescue groups present at the event hosted by the city of Santee on February 22 at Town Center Community Park East in Santee. 

Contests were held for the smallest dog, the biggest dog, the best costume, and the best trick. There were also demonstrations for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit and the Santee Fire Department Search & Rescue Dog, as well as arts and crafts. 

Agility courses were also present for dogs of all sizes to show off their skills and abilities. There were also off-leash areas, and over 50 vendors that were offering pet-friendly products, services, treats, and more. 

Donation drives were also accepting unopened dog food, bedding, blankets, toys, and other items that got donated to the rescues who participated in the event. 

The San Diego Humane Society was offering free microchipping, and they were also offering paid pet licensing services on-site (at varying costs). Pet health experts and veterinarians were also available to provide attendees with helpful tips and information. 

ECM spoke with a representative at the Amazing Strays Rescue Booth, who said that the organization is non-profit, foster-based, and volunteer-run. The group also had binders for the dogs (and cats) that were available for adoption. The binders included success stories and “medical cases,” which are dogs and cats who need extra care. Their organization is also known for rescuing homeless and at-risk pets, providing safe environments for them as well as trying to combat the spread of diseases in pets. 

Event organizers from the city of Santee told ECM said that this was their ninth year organizing the event. The event used to be in the summer, but it was too hot, so the event was moved to February. Organizers gave us an event schedule, an activity guide for other events in Santee, and a park map (all of which can be found online). They also told us that they help organize all of the big events in Santee. 

“I think this a great event, because I can bring my dogs, Ella and Russel, with me to the park. There’s a lot for them to see and sniff,” said, an attendee. “They got to feast on all of the different treats that vendors had available.” 

We also reached out to the San Diego Humane Society, via email, after speaking to a representative at their booth who gave us their contact information. We asked what sorts of programs they have that our readers should know about. 

“San Diego Humane Society offers multiple programs to prevent unnecessary pet surrender and to keep pets with their families through challenging times,” said Nina Thompson, Director of Public Relations, San Diego Humane Society. “Services focus on all things related to pet care, including assistance with behavior and training, pet food and supplies and veterinary care. We also offer additional resources for military members and community members experiencing domestic violence and housing insecurity.” 

Thompson also told that we can visit the following link to learn more about these services: 

sdhumane.org/supportservices

Rescue Groups that attended this year’s Fido Fest included 4 Patas, A Way Home for Dogs, Amazing Strays Rescue, Friends of Cats, Friends of Humane Services Tijuana, Frosted Faces Foundation, Heart of Gold’s Shelter, K9 Connection Pet Adoption, Leonberger Rescue Pals, Lionel’s Legacy Senior Dog Rescue, Mutt Luv, Open Arms Rescue, Passion for Pitties, Paws 4 Thoughts Animal Rescue, Rescue Fenix, Ruger’s Rescues, The DeTommaso Dogs, and Woofs and Wags. 

For more information on the adoption groups, other events in Santee and additional information: 

https://www.cityofsanteeca.gov/calendar/events/fido-fest/45710

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2025 (El Cajon) -- At 4:30 today, the Grossmont Union-High School District is holding a special meeting to considering firing 49 employees including all high school librarians.  Others targeted include English teachers, psychologists and more.

Opponents of cutting librarians have set up a website at  https://sites.google.com/view/save-guhsd-librarians/home. It includes a petition which has gathered over 1,100 signatures as of late this afternoon.

“The Grossmont Union High School District Board majority is pulling the same shady tricks as last year. They are planning layoffs claiming no money when they are holding a 13% reserve fund. This is well over state requirements,” says Jay Steiger, former GUHSD candidate who previously served on the district’s bond oversight committee.

 View the full list of 49 positions on the chopping block.  The 4:30 p.m. meeting of the GUHSD board will be held today at El Cajon Valley High School’s multipurpose room, 1035 East Madison Avenue in El Cajon.

On Facebook, Steiger states, “Teacher librarians are essential to support student research, digital literacy, responsible use of AI, helping find reading material that matches student interests (so they are more likely to read!), managing a library and tech budget, supervising Chromebook laptops, and building essential trust with students.”

The district’s agenda states,” On February 27, 2025, the Board of Trustees determined it needs to reduce or eliminate 49.2 full-time equivalent certificated administrative and/or teaching positions at the end of the current school year, and that potentially impacted certificated employees be provided written notice prior to March 15, 2025. Potentially affected employees were notified by the deadline.” The agenda adds the seniority will be taken into account in eliminating positions.

Trustee Chris Fite has indicated he opposes these cuts, as he has previously voted against other recent controversial staffing cuts including teachers and the district’s public safety director, but the other four members have supported those cuts.

By S.E. Michael

Photos: CC via Bing

February 27, 2025 (San Diego) -- Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress ran on a pro-life platform. But it’s clear from recent actions of the Trump administration that its leaders don’t care about babies. Its actions are putting lives and wellbeing of millions of infants and children at risk, both around the world and here in the U.S.

Cutting off U.S. Aid including food in famine-stricken areas, clean water and medical supplies without notice, for instance, means that “millions of children will suffer and thousands may die” around the world, according to an analysis by First Funding for Children. Ships laden with food were prohibited from unloading, leaving food to rot rather than save lives of starving children, CBS reports. The United Nations warns of “mass death” in Sudan from starvation and is seeking donations after the U.S. abruptly cut off all aid.

Similarly, Republicans’ Congressional budget cuts to Medicaid, school lunch programs, and the child tax credit will all harm children.

Mass federal firings by the Dept. of Government Efficiency (DOGE) include workers who ran childcare and Head Start programs and also ended a program to improve maternal healthcare for pregnant women, threatening the wellbeing of their unborn  babies.

Cuts to medical research will “will limit access to effective health care treatments and diagnostics for patients” and “threaten the ability of children’s hospitals to provide future groundbreaking cures for children,” according to a press release from the organization representing children’s hospitals.

Robert F. Kennedy Junior, the anti-vaxxer named Secretary of Health and Human Services, is considering changing recommendations for childhood vaccines such as measles and polio, an action that if carried out could put children at risk of dying or being left paralyzed from devastating and preventable childhood diseases.

The Trump administration is also pushing to deport undocumented children who entered the U.S. alone, putting their lives and safety at risk and to cut off infant assistance funds for migrant babies, as well as legal assistance for unaccompanied minors.

Cuts to the department of Education, which Trump eventually hopes to eliminate, would harm children with disabilities, PBS reports. NBC reports that if Trump is successful in eliminating the department of Education, it would harm the most vulnerable students,  such as by ending federal funding of schools, increasing class sizes for all public school students, eliminating federal funding for students with disabilities, ending civil rights protections for minority students, and grants to assure equal access to education for all children.

Eliminating waste, fraud and abuse is best accomplished by a careful, extended examination of individual programs—not slashing and eliminating entire programs and departments such as USAid and the Department of Education, nor gutting funds for children’s health research and successful childhood vaccine programs, nor eliminating childcare options for working parents, or taking away all protections for vulnerable immigrant children unaccompanied by parents or guardians.

These are politics of cruelty, not compassion. If you care about the lives of babies and children, now is the time to speak out and let your elected members of Congress know that policies harming children are unacceptable and must change.

S.E. Michael has written about medical issues for trade journals and newspapers, and is the parent of child cured of a life-threatening condition through a procedure at a children’s hospital made possible by federally funded medical research.

The opinions in this article reflect the views of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – Tomatomania returns to the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College on Friday and Saturday, March 7-8.  The free, two-day event celebrates 75-80 incredible varieties of your favorite summer treat—tomatoes. You can purchase tomato plants including some rare varieties, cherished heirlooms and legendary classics—plus get tips from experts on how to grow the most flavorful tomatoes.  Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 7 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 8.

Admission to Tomatomania is free, though there is a $25 charge to reserve space in the “Totally Tomato Cooking Demonstration” on March 7 from 12-1 p.m. Garden chef and instructor Nicolai Winkler will showcase tomato soup paired with a fresh tomato Panzanella salad.  Class includes a personal portion of soup and salad, take-home recipe and up-close demonstration. REGISTER HERE

You can also sign up for a free workshop titled “That’s Swale” on March 8 from 10-11 a.m. with Eric Saline of Wild Made Design.  Soil is the most efficient water storage you can have on your property, and building good healthy soil benefits every level of a garden ecosystem. Before you install plants, rain tanks, and grey water systems, be sure your landscape is designed to handle and harvest as much water as possible – passively.  REGISTER HERE

Registration is required for both special classes.

Cuyamaca College is located at 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive, El Cajon, CA 92019. For more information, visit Events at The Garden - The Water Conservation Garden

Bidders must register at sdttc.com by March 6th to participate in auction featuring 640 properties

February 26, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister reminded those interested in participating in the County’s 2025 online property tax auction that bidder registration must be completed by March 6. This year’s auction features more than 600 properties for sale.

Brain Surgeon: A Doctor’s Inspiring Encounters with Mortality and Miracles, by Keith Black, MD (Wellness Books, trademark of Hatchette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY 2009, 226 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

Photos of Author by: Kareem BH Photography

February 26, 2025 (San Diego - Having written more than 400 book reviews, two of which contributed towards the authors winning the NAACP Image Award in Literature, this book by Dr. Keith Black is foremost the most intriguing and insightful book that I have ever read, for it deals with life and death. I am truly honored and inspired!

Brain Surgeon: A Doctor’s Inspiring Encounters with Mortality and Miracles delves into the realm of what actually constitutes life and death, and it places Dr. Keith Black in a place that few if any could ever dream or hope for. Having written all those book reviews, from that of former Vice-President Hillary Clinton, President Donald Trump, Lakers’ Owner Jeanie Buss, and former Barack Obama White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett, I say this with the most humble of intentions as a book reviewer.

Dr. Keith Black, who serves as chairman of the department of neurosurgery and director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, has an extraordinary ability to combine cutting edge research and an extremely busy surgical practice. Since 1987, he has performed more than 5,000 operations for resection of brain tumors, up until the publication of this book in 2009. One can only marvel and guess at the number of operations since then.

Perhaps most insightful to me about this book, and endearing to me about the author, is one simple passage which states: “We take care of people. Part of what we are doing is God’s work, and what I like about the way it is set up now is that there is no conflict of interest for me. There is no incentive to do surgeries, but there is no incentive to turn people away, either.” Talk about compassion!

The author states in this book, in further regard to his statement of “we take care of people”: “Cedars has been incredibly supportive of what I do. I am fortunate to have a formidable group of dedicated fund-raisers in my corner. Maxine Dunitz gave the founding gift for the Neurosurgical Institute. Another group of remarkable women who support our work call themselves the Brain Trust, and they are truly a force of nature. Headed by Pauletta Washington, Keisha Whittaker, Johnnie Cochran’s widow, Dale, and several other remarkable women, they have raised more than $20 million for us to date. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”

An example of what Dr. Black means when he says that they couldn’t do what they do without them, is clearly stated here: “I worked on a young Ethiopian boy who was brought to the United States by a relief organization called Save the Children. Elijah was getting headaches and was becoming unresponsive. The local doctor said that he needed a CT scan, but apparently there is only one CT scanner in all of Ethiopia. When he finally got the scan a couple of months later, they found a huge posterior fossa tumor, and no neurosurgeon in the country would operate on him.” Fortunately, Pauletta Washington, Denzel Washington’s wife, and the “Brain Trust” came to the rescue! The Brain Trust is pictured here!

The Foreword to this informative and intriguing book by renowned actor, Forest Whitaker, perhaps says it best as he states: ‘”What can we do.”’ This was my mother’s reaction when she was told of the tumor that had invaded my grandmother’s brain. “Where do we go from here?”’

"As my mother pondered these questions she was reminded of a magazine article she had saved years before. There was a surgeon on the cover who was described as the best neurosurgeon in the world. She had saved it for its historic value, since the man on the cover of this magazine was black. Now she proceeded to search through her things to find the clipping, and then she made a call to the hospital to see if she could speak with Dr. Keith Black.” From there, everything else is history, the creation of a medical icon!"

Mr. William Tao, a wealthy Hong Kong real estate entrepreneur, who divided his time between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, praised Dr. Black for the surgery that he performed on his brain. Mr. Tao’s cancer in the brain was diagnosed as a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM)-the most malignant of all brain tumors. It is inspiring how the surgery for Mr. Tao is described in this book, and the team that Dr. Black utilized to perform it.

An insightful and interesting passage in Dr. Keith Black’s book relates to the surgery of Tionne Watkins in regard to a “vestibular schwannonoma”, which states: “Now it was time to close. After we got a good water-tight seal on the dura, small titanium plates were used to anchor the portion of Tionne’s skull we had removed back in place. The scalp was then closed in layers with a subcutaneous plastic surgery closure that would not leave a scar. No one would know that we had ever been there.”

In further regard to Tionne Watkins, of the famed musical group “TLC”, Dr. Black indicated in his book that “Tionne’s operation had taken six hours, but it looked like there was good news all around.” Additionally, Dr. Black stated in this warm and heartfelt book that: “Twenty-six years ago, as a young intern, I had watched a surgical team take thirty-two hours to remove a vestibular schwannoma. The patient survived the operation, but was neurologically devastated. I thought briefly on how far we’d come in just a generation.” This says more about Dr. Black’s skill and expertise as a neurosurgeon than the medical profession itself.

Throughout this book, the author gives examples of patients that he has brought back from despair and possible death. He also gives examples of different forms of cancer, and how to attack and defeat them. He gives an example of something that we might want to ponder, stating: “Because we know that X-rays can induce brain tumors, dental X-rays should be minimized. Every time I go to the dentist I am asked if I want to have my teeth x-rayed, and I routinely refuse. I haven’t had a dental X-ray in twenty years.” He certainly has put something on my mind, going forward! As a matter of fact, just recently while in the dentist’ chair, the dental assistant (Dr. Evelyn Hersel) told me that Dr. Black had performed surgery on her mother for cancer! How ironic, but then again this book is full of tantalizing ironies!

The author of this book, BRAIN SURGEON, states in regard to cancer: and its development: “One of the most exciting developments in cancer research is the discovery of the cancer stem cell. Within the body, stem cells are primitive, undifferentiated cells that evolve into heart cells, lung cells, brain cells, and other kinds of cells specific to our body’s various organs. From our earliest moments until we die, stem cells are hard at work, replenishing our dying cells with new ones. The cancer stem cell, it seems, functions in much the same way, enabling the tumor to grow by populating it with new cells.” I didn’t know that!!

In further regard to stem cells, Dr. Black states in his book: “Researchers in Canada first discovered cancer stem cells in 1997. The first cancer stem cells to be identified were those of leukemia, but additional studies documented the existence of stem cells in other types of cancers. At Cedars-Sinai we have isolated stem cells in glioblastoma tumors. This discovery may have far-reaching implications.”

In another aspect of this book, which is rich in irony, in a phone call from Dr. Black’s office to me set up by his executive assistant Teresita Casipe-Bellon, I took the liberty to suggest to Dr. Black that this excellent book should be made into a movie with the actor Courtney Vance of my West Angeles Church of God here in Los Angeles playing the role of Dr. Black, realizing that may have been a bit presumptious of me. Incidentally, Courtney Vance is the husband of noted actress Angela Bassett.

Additionally, aforementioned Pauletta Washington and Denzel Washington were members of my West Angeles Church family, the first 27 years that they were out here. The author, Dr. Keith Black, had no way of knowing that 15 years after writing this amazing book that Denzel Washington would be ordained as a minister. Talk about ironies! My son Julien actually had a very small part in Denzel Washington’s movie, “The Little Things!

This amazing book should be required reading for all medical students, especially those going into the field of Neurology, for a variety of reasons, and someone should nominate Dr. Keith Black for the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine! This, a man of humble beginnings, from Auburn, Alabama!

To sum up this incredible book, the author states: “It was yet another reminder that my patients fight their disease with the greatest dignity and spirit one can ever imagine. Their courage inspires me to focus every drop of energy I have in myself to provide them with the best odds possible to beat this disease, or at least give them as much quality life as our surgeries and medicines will allow. They are my heroes, and I hope one day all of their bravery and determination will help lead them to a cure.”

I too, am a cancer survivor, having been cured from Leiomyosarcoma in my hometown of Chicago in 1999! My brother Ronnie in Chicago has recently contracted prostrate cancer.    

Dennis Moore has been the Associate Editor of the East County Magazine in San Diego and the editor of SDWriteway, an online newsmagazine in San Diego that has partnered with the East County Magazine, along with being the President of the Bethel A.M.E. Prison Ministry in San Diego.He is also the author of a book about Chicago politics, “The City That Works, Power, Politics and Corruption in Chicago”. Mr. Moore can be contacted at contractsagency@gmail.com or you can reach him on Twitter(X).

By Miriam Raftery

February 26, 2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police responded to a call yesterday from a man who found his mother’s body in the trunk of her car, a black Hyundai Sonata. The caller said he had gone to check on his mother after she didn’t return home from visiting her other son, Richard Leyva, 24, who was staying at the motel.

Following an altercation between the two brothers, Leyva got into the Hyundai and drove off, striking his brother, who was not injured.  Officers responded and attempted a stop, by Leyva fled, initiating a pursuit that ended when Leyva crashed into two other vehicle.  He was taken into custody after officers deployed a Taser to subdue him, according to Lieutenant Nick Sprecco.

“Upon inspecting the vehicle, officers discovered a deceased woman in the trunk. The woman has been identified as 51-year-old Jamison Webster and her death is being investigated as a homicide,” Lt. Sprecco says.

Leyva has been booked into San Diego County Jail on charges of homicide, assault with a deadly weapon and evading law enforcement. 

Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the woman's death.

The other drivers involved were uninjured.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call El Cajon Police at 619-579-3311 or anonymously at sdcrimestoppers.org.