Communities

By Karen Pearlman

Photos courtesy of Legalize Ferrets

Photo:  Pat Wright with a ferret friend

March 18, 2025 (La Mesa) -- Eight years after persuading the city of La Mesa to become a sanctuary city for ferrets, Pat Wright is on a mission next to legalize ferret ownership statewide.

Wright and his nonprofit group, Legalize Ferrets, have attained a key milestone in the quest to remove domestic ferrets from the state’s list of restricted species.

Wright said the California Fish and Game Commission has officially accepted the Legalize Ferret petition for a regulation change along with a comprehensive set of exhibits to back it up, and that the case will be heard at the commission’s meeting, held over the course of two days next month.

At the CFGC April 16 and April 17 meeting, Wright said the group will decide whether to move it forward for further consideration at its two-day meeting in June, set for June 11 and June 12.

The biggest challenge for the group since its start two decades ago has been overcoming bureaucratic inertia, Wright said.

“Fish and Game has resisted change for decades, largely due to internal bias rather than science,” Wright said. “We need the Commissioners to act independently rather than defer to the outdated position of their staff. Another challenge is ensuring that our petition is evaluated based on scientific evidence and legal precedent, not politics or misinformation.”

Legalize Ferrets began in 2005 as a way to fight back against the state of California’s ban begun in 1933 led by a push from lobbyists in the agriculture industry on the animals being imported, sold, bred or possessed.

The organization started because of limited progress in legalizing the animals in the state. Then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004 vetoed a ferret amnesty bill.

The main reasons given for ferrets being allowed as companion animals has been said about the concern over them escaping and forming invasive groups that could threaten native wildlife.

Photo, right: Huey the ferret

A 2022 report from the California Fish and Wildlife Scientific Journal said that “the impacts of ferrets upon native wildlife and ecosystems, agribusiness, and human health and safety were compiled from a thorough review of the published literature and the analysis of four surveys of U.S. state agencies...

“Results highlight two primary concerns: the ferret can easily escape confinement, and could impact native bird populations, as do feral cats; and human safety concerns, especially with infants, because of the proclivity of the ferret to bite.”

Wright called the acceptance of the group’s petition by the CFGC “a significant milestone.”

“In the past, our efforts to legalize ferrets were often dismissed outright without serious consideration,” he said. “This time, we have forced the Commission to acknowledge our petition under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), meaning they are legally required to respond. This is the closest we've ever been to getting a fair hearing on the issue.”

Wright said the APA requires government agencies to follow due process when making or changing regulations.

“This time, they can't just brush us off without a legitimate response,” he said. “We believe our petition is ironclad, backed by legal and scientific evidence proving domestic ferrets do not belong on the prohibited species list. However, we also know how creative they can be when it comes to dismissing us.”

Wright said the group’s strongest evidence includes the legal definition of domestication, that state law defines a domestic animal as one that has been selectively bred under human control for generations.

He said ferrets have been domesticated for more than 2,000 years and are recognized as domestic in every other U.S. state and country worldwide.

Wright also said the animals do not pose an environmental threat, that peer-reviewed studies and state wildlife agencies across the country confirm that feral ferret populations have never been established in the U.S.

As for public safety, he said, “Ferrets are no more dangerous than cats or dogs. Bite statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies show that ferrets are responsible for far fewer reported injuries than common pets.”

Additionally, a federally approved ferret rabies vaccine exists, “countering the outdated argument that ferrets pose a unique rabies risk,” he said.

Opponents of ferret legalization have cited concerns about ecological risks and public health, but Wright counters those arguments with legal and scientific data, including:

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has never provided evidence that domestic ferrets can survive in the wild; and Wright said that unlike wild mustelids (such as weasels and minks) domestic ferrets lack survival instincts, hunting skills and camouflage.

Wright said the CDC has never issued a public health warning about ferrets despite their legal status in nearly every state and that ferret bites account for less than 1% of all reported pet-related injuries.

If the Commission moves forward, it will begin the formal rulemaking process, and if the petition is rejected in June, Wright said Legalize Ferrets will pursue legal action under the APA.

“The Fish and Game Commission cannot ignore our rights to petition for a rule change,” he said. “If necessary, we will take this matter to court to force them to follow the law.”

For now, ferret advocates and supporters can help push this effort forward by submitting public comments, contacting state legislators, spreading awareness and donating to Legalize Ferrets.

Fire safety and water purification among top issues to be discussed

East County News Service

March 15, 2024 (Alpine) - Alpine resident Anne Tillmond is hosting a Town Hall Q&A featuring Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board Members Kim Hales (Division 4) and Dr. Suzanne Till (Division 2) on March 30 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Alpine Club – 1830 Alpine Blvd. Alpine, CA 91901.

Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board Members Kim Hales and Dr. Suzanne Till welcome attending community members and customers to answer questions and discuss fire safety, engineering, planning, advanced water purification and more.   The Alpine Club, formerly the Alpine Community Center, will open its’ doors for the Town Hall starting at 2:00 p.m.
Director Till (Vice President of PDMWD, photo top left) was elected to her first four-year term in November 2020.  She has lived in Santee since 1991, and advocates for affordable drinking water for Santee residents and water sustainability. She served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps.  Suzanne has a Ph.D. in Water Resources Geography from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Masters in Geography and Urban Planning from San Diego State University.

Kim Hales (left) moved to San Diego from Michigan in 1996 to attend graduate school at SDSU during which time she worked at the San Diego Zoo to help pay for college. Kim holds a BS degree in Zoology and a Master’s Degree in Animal Behavior and has been a biology professor at Cuyamaca College for over 21 years. For the last 10 years she lives in Alpine where she owns and maintains a ranch with her husband, a retired US Navy Captain. 

By Jakob McWhinney, Voice of San Diego

File photos via ECM:  GUHSD trustees Robert Shields and Jim Kelly, who were caught on hot mikes. These images did not appear in the original Voice of San Diego article.

March 15, 2025 (El Cajon) -- For weeks now, Grossmont Union’s board meetings have been dominated by crowds of community members furious at the district’s plan to close its budget deficit by laying off more than 60 employees. Those layoffs, which the board approved by a four to one vote two weeks ago, include assistant principals, teachers and nearly every single one of the district’s librarians. 

The scene was the same at Tuesday’s board meeting, when hundreds of protesters packed into Grossmont High School’s gym to advocate the board rescind the layoffs. 

Gary Woods, who voted in favor of the layoffs, said the decision made them “heartsick.” But another trustee was more frank about what he thought about the librarians on the chopping block during a hot mic moment just prior to the meeting’s official start according to a screen recording of the meeting shared with Voice of San Diego. 

The person speaking was not on camera, but three district employees who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution identified the voice as that of Trustee Robert Shield. Shield was one of the board members who voted in favor of the layoffs. He did not respond to a request for comment.  

“When it comes to the librarians, they don’t have as big a role … They’re overpaid compared to … teachers. They don’t do lesson plans, they don’t grade papers but they get a 10 percent bump in their pay because they don’t have a prep period,” Shield said in the recording. 

But the librarians have been the primary rallying point for the protesters who’ve packed public meetings. Not only did students hold walk-outs at Grossmont Union campuses in solidarity with the impacted staff, nearly every single one of the dozens of the meeting’s public commenters argued the librarians were indispensable.  

The librarians facing layoffs are credentialed teacher-librarians, meaning they offer in-class lessons, aid to teachers with curriculum and student and technology support that exceed what the responsibilities of the librarians of yesteryear.  

“My child is a star example of how the support staff and the librarians make a difference. They went from struggling (with) mental health issues to an honor roll student,” one parent said during their public comment, holding back tears. “What creates revenue for these schools is students showing up for school. What is the point to them showing up to school when all their spaces, the staff they rely on are gone?” 

In his hot mic comments, Shield also said that while the majority who’d voted in favor of the layoffs had “more than a few,” supporters in the audience, they were “silent because they don’t want to get beat up.”  

And he wasn’t done. Shield continued, calling the protests political “opportunism,” and saying that while the crowds may be bad now, “they only have a half-life of only about two months.” They will eventually have “mission fatigue,” he said, and stop showing up. 

“It’ll dissipate if we have the stomach to endure it and just shake it off. I promise you as long as it’s not mishandled in three months, they’ll be lucky to have a quarter of this amount … I’ve been through this before,” Shield said.  

This is far from the first time board-related controversies have elicited community opposition. Last year, a former district administrator sued the district, claiming she’d been discriminated against because she was lesbian. Her suit included the claim that Trustee Jim Kelly referred to her and another lesbian district employee as “’witches’ who were part of an LGBTQ ‘coven.’”

The board’s conservative leanings have also stoked opposition. The year before that lawsuit, the board’s conservative majority voted to terminate multiple contracts with San Diego Youth Services to provide student mental health services. They cited concerns about the nonprofit’s care for LGBTQ+ youth, which includes counseling programs, despite those services being separate from what the nonprofit provided the district. When voting to end the services, Trustee Gary Woods said the nonprofit did not “reflect East County values.” 

Shield wasn’t the only trustee who had a hot mic moment during the meeting. During a recess, Kelly was caught calling the protesters the “rudest crowd,” he’d ever seen and saying, “Some of them are trying to vomit on us in public and trying to bully us and, you know, just humiliate us.”  

Protesters have argued they’re just trying to save the jobs of valued staff. They’ve also pointed out that the district has sizable reserves that would easily cover the balance. Even fellow board member Chris Fite – the lone “No,” vote on the cuts – has said they seem to far exceed what’s necessary. 

“They’re saying these are structural deficits, but they won’t say what they’re caused by,” Fite said. “To me, it doesn’t add up. It does not explain the severity.”   

Jakob McWhinney is Voice of San Diego's education reporter. He can be reached by email at jakob@vosd.org and followed on Twitter @jakobmcwhinney.

This story was first published by Voice of San Diego. Sign up for VOSD’s newsletters here.

LIVESTREAMING UPDATE:   For those unable to attend  in-person, here are platforms where organizers plan to livestream this event:  

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/indivisiblencsd/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@indivisiblencsd 
• Youtube Live - https://www.youtube.com/@IndivisibleNCSanDiego
• Twitch.tv - https://www.twitch.tv/indivisiblencsandiego; 

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2025 (Escondido) – After weeks of rebuffed requests for Congressman Darrell Issa  (R-48)to hold a community townhall to discuss constituents’ concerns, activists have scheduled an “Empty Chair Town Hall” at the California Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, March 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The event, hosted by Dr. Allison Gill from the "Mueller, She Wrote" podcast, will provide constituents with the opportunity to voice questions and concerns they would typically address directly to their congressional representative, particularly regarding potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Veterans Services.

Following recommendations outlined in the "Indivisible Guide" (indivisible.org/resource/guide), this Empty Chair Town Hall is part of a nationwide effort encouraged by Indivisible National during the congressional recess from March 13-23.

"When our elected officials refuse to engage with their constituents, democracy suffers," said  Pamela Albergo of Indivisible North County San Diego. "Rep. Issa hasn't held a town hall since 2017, but the concerns of his constituents haven't gone away."

San Diego’s four other Congressional members, all Democrats, have not held live town halls in the past year, Times of San Diego recentlyreported. But Issa, the lone local Republican representative, has not held a townhall since 2017. Issa has been a vocal supporter of the Trump administration and has refused pleas from constituents to hold one,  despite regular protests outside his Escondido Congressional office since Trump took office.

The event will feature a panel of five to six community leaders, including a veteran advocate, school board member, city council member and other local experts.

Each panelist will be briefly introduced by Dr. Gill, and panelists will take turns answering questions. Attendees are asked to bring their 60-second questions written on paper. Selected questioners will be invited to the front of the room to ask their question, followed by a three-minute response from a panelist.

The venue has 375 seats, which are filling quickly. Community members can register at eventbrite.com/e/darrell-issa-empty-chair-town-hall-presented-by-indivisible-tickets-1274626525249. A waiting list is also being established.

Information about livestream channels will be distributed as the event date approaches.

Members of the media are invited to attend. Rep. Issa's office has been formally invited to the event.

Indivisible North County San Diego is a grassroots organization dedicated to advocating for progressive policies and holding elected officials accountable to their constituents.

Update January 7, 2025 A GoFundMe site has been set up to help the victims' families with funeral costs, emotional support, and legal costs to pursue justice.

East County News Service

January 6, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The victims of a fatal pedestrian crash on New Year’s Day in Lemon Grove have been identified as Nadia Charles and Junior Joseph Juste.  Both 20 years old, they were cousins who immigrated here from Haiti last year in hopes of a better life in the United States, after surviving earthquakes,poverty, violence and political instability in their homeland.

The cousins were killed when two vehicles collided at the intersection of Buena Vista and Broadway shortly after 11 a.m. on January 1^st. .The impact sent one of the cars into the path of the victims, who were crossing the street.  Despite life-saving efforts by paramedics and deputies, both victims died at the scene.

The drivers of the vehicles and a passenger were not injured. Sheriff’s investigators say that speed was a factor in the collision.

Pastor Johny Oxeda at the First Haitian Baptist Church in City Heights said both of the young immigrants “dreamed to do more,” ECM news partner NBC 7 reports.

The cousins had planned to attend a church workshop led by San Diego Police for new immigrants on Sunday to help them adapt to the new culture in America. Instead, a Sunday church service was held to honor the memories of the two young people.  A public memorial is planned for Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the intersection where they lost their lives.

East County News Service

Photos by Ken Jacques

March 13, 2025 (Scripps Ranch) -- Scripps Ranch Theatre continues its Season 45 with Mary’s Wedding, written by Stephen Massicotte. Directed by Kate Rose Reynolds, the production runs April 4th - 27th on the campus of Alliant International University. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There will be a preview performance on Friday, April 4th with a Press Opening on Saturday, April 5th at 7:30 p.m. Patrons can purchase Tickets online at https://scrippsranchtheatre.org/showtickets/ or contact SRT Patron Services at 858-395-0573. 

Synopsis: Mary and Charlie meet in a deserted barn and begin a whirlwind romance. But World War I is looming, and the lovers must part as Charlie joins the war effort and Mary is left alone with her dreams. This deeply romantic dream-play is an exquisitely personal examination of the cost of war. The talented cast includes Dennis O’Connor and Lilliana Talwatte.

Director Kate Rose Reynolds  shared, “I have had a decade-long love affair with Mary’s Wedding, ever since I was lucky enough to perform in it in upstate New York. The show is a powerful, poignant balancing act - deeply romantic without veering into melodrama, heart-wrenching while still feeling hopeful, highly theatrical without seeming contrived. Even the writing reflects this dichotomous nature; Massicotte transports us with rich, poetic narration, and then grounds us with charming, everyday dialogue.”

She adds, “It’s a rare gem of a play that feels both familiar and entirely fresh and inventive, that can speak to us of love and war (two tales as old as time) and yet leave us in suspense, waiting for the next moment. The dream play structure, with its nonlinear storytelling and charged surreality, deepens the already profound emotional resonances. This highly theatrical framework allows all of the artists involved to shine - it’s a tour de force not just for the actors, but for each member of our incredible design team as well. I am thrilled to invite audience members to dream this dream with us.”

By Leorah Gavidor

March 13, 2025 (Campo) -- When Urban Timber partners Jessica Van Arsdale and Dan Herbst learned they had just a few months to move their well-established tree salvage business, the couple had to scramble to find a place to move hundreds of tons of logs that they had saved from the landfill. The company that saves trees from urban displacement was itself facing displacement. After a few weeks of major stress and uncertainty, Urban Timber found its rural salvation in East County.

Van Arsdale and Herbst found a 13-acre piece of land listed for sale in Campo, and then they found real estate agent Carol Snyder. She championed the purchase knowing Urban Timber’s plans for the property were to bring new business and new energy to the town. The vision is to build community in Campo, with resources, materials, and tools on site for artists and woodworkers to design and build projects using salvaged wood from around San Diego County.

“Each time I get to visit I'm amazed at the progress Dan has made in the shop and the outbuildings. Dan is one of a few true craftsmen left in this world. Jessica, with her hard work and artistic finesse has transformed the house into a cozy, welcoming home … you can be assured this property will be a showplace in a short time,” said Snyder.

In its previous location, Urban Timber transformed a blighted piece of land on Bay Boulevard in Chula Vista into a hub for an artistic and sustainable-minded community where trees came to be upcycled and people came to turn imagination into reality. Through partnerships with the city, word of mouth, and a network of tree-lovers, the business amassed a beautiful collection of logs that would have otherwise gone to the woodchipper but instead were turned into custom furniture, shelving, siding, benches, sculptures, and even a one-of-a-kind Fender guitar called the “Timbercaster.”

“We are so thankful to be here in Campo,” Van Arsdale said. “It feels like our future came and got us, and took us here, to a place we can stay and call home, and retire someday.”

But retirement is way off for the couple, who have big plans for their new home. Now that all the wood has been transported from Chula Vista to Campo—a feat that took two weeks, five 38-foot dump trucks, and several 48-foot flatbeds—Herbst said they will “put down good roots and branch out.”

“Maybe we can have demonstrations, tours, info sessions, workshops, art classes. We want to host landscape architects, designers, builders. Soon we’ll create a living catalogue of our landscape design materials. We want to put all this material and space to use,” said Van Arsdale.

There’s redwood from Balboa Park, bunya-bunya from UCSD, various eucalyptus that had to be cut down due to age or development, and much more. Herbst is also looking forward to the opportunity to use wood from fallen oaks, which he couldn’t use while in the city: oak can’t be transported due to spread of oak borer beetles. He had heard of oak removals around the county but had not been able to salvage them. Now he can collect local fallen oaks and dry them in his kiln to kill the bugs before using the wood.

For now clients can visit Urban Timber by invitation; eventually the wood catalogue will be organized in a more shop-ready format, or possibly showcased locally in partnership with Campo businesses, so customers can see what’s available. With kilns and mills on site, logs can be dried, cut, and fashioned for various purposes. Lumber and cut pieces are also still for sale at Urban Timber’s separate woodshop location on Industrial Boulevard in Chula Vista, where the business will continue to maintain a presence as it transitions to home-based in Campo.

Van Arsdale is especially excited about forging partnerships with local businesses and organizations. Liberty Rising Healing Sanctuary of Boulevard came to the property to set the right vibe for moving in, and Rose Acre Farms was also on the welcoming committee. They’ve met their neighbor who keeps a donkey and rides his horse to visit friends, and befriended staff at East County Lumber and Feed.

“We want to do this in a considerate way,” said Dan. “We’re not coming here with deep pockets and a splashy mansion. We want to stay in rhythm with nature. The first step in permaculture is observation.”

As Urban Timber gets its footing in Campo, Van Arsdale and Herbst see the business as an integral part of the town’s economy.

“But I think we’ll need a new name,” Van Arsdale said. “Not-So-Urban Timber?”

By Karen Pearlman 

Photo, left, by Miriam Raftery:  El Cajon's downtown district

March 12, 2025 (El Cajon) – A new city vibe is expected to come to the more than 100-year-old city of El Cajon. 

Earlier this month, the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting a safe and prosperous downtown El Cajon, announced that it had hired New City America to lead a renewal effort in the area. 

The group that helped revitalize Little Italy is being tapped to be executive director of the group and work to make downtown El Cajon a vibrant community hub.

The final contract – set in an original request for bid for $150,000 annually -- has not been signed yet, said Downtown El Cajon Business Partners Board Member and Treasurer Cathy Zeman (photo, right). 

New City America is a nationally recognized urban revitalization firm that among other things, helped transform the Little Italy area in San Diego into a vibrant and popular destination. It did similar work in Chula Vista’s historic Third Avenue district, launching new public events and improvements. 

Downtown El Cajon Business Partners is a group that is funded through a Property-Based Improvement District authorized by the city of El Cajon in 2015 to support downtown improvements via assessments made on property owners. 

The Partners is a not-for-profit organization made up of local businesses and other stakeholders who want to improve the downtown area. It manages the PBID funds for about 300 parcels with a budget around $560,000 and among other things, coordinates the car show. 

Once the contract is finalized in the coming weeks, New City America President Marco Li Mandri (photo, left) will serve as Executive Director of the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners.  

The collaboration is expected to reinvigorate the downtown area by attracting new businesses, expanding nightlife opportunities and bringing solutions to those who are experiencing homelessness. 

Chris Berg (photo, right), Board Member of Downtown El Cajon Business Partners and Marketing Manager for the city of El Cajon, said the partnership with New City America will be transformative for the city. 

“Our business community has long needed a dedicated, experienced leader to unite property owners, merchants and City Hall around a common vision,” Berg said.  

In the coming months, Li Mandri and the Partners are expected to engage local merchants and residents to develop an action plan for downtown, including building on the Cajon Classic Cruise. 

The weekly car show in downtown El Cajon has got the green light for 2025 and will start its collective engines this Spring, though the season will be shorter than in the past.

Zeman said the show will start its collective engines starting in May.  

The full schedule for the season is still in the works and should be completed within a few weeks. A noon meeting is scheduled to discuss the car show on Wednesday, April 9, at a site to be determined, she said. 

The Cajon Classic Cruise has been a tradition along Main Street since 2001, and has become one of Southern California’s largest weekly car shows.  

Photo, left by Karen Pearlman:  Vintage autos on display at Cajon Classic Cruise

Every week’s three-hour show is focused on different types of vehicles -- from low riders, trucks and convertibles to Volkswagens to Mustangs and British-focused cars. 

But the event has run into some scrutiny recently. 

Some business owners in the downtown area have expressed concern to the city that those showing their vehicles were parking in spots that customers needed long before the shows would start at 5 p.m., and it was impacting their businesses. 

“We’re trying to put some plans place so that the car show people don’t park or stage too early,” Zeman said. “Businesses don’t want to see the cars parking there at 10 or 11 in the morning.” 

Earlier this month, the city of El Cajon held a workshop that addressed that and well as other complaints and concerns.  

The workshop stemmed from a city staff report and related discussion October 22, 2024 that included concerns about revenues from PBID assessments, consideration of not renewing the PBID and expanding the PBID boundaries. 

The October discussion also included discussion about considering another venue in the city for the car show and concern for the management of the car show.  

A city staff report said that the car show “consumes between $72,000 and $80,600 of the PBID’s budget,” and added that in the past two years, the city has received a higher volume of complaints about the car show from businesses located on Main Street.  

The staff report said that the city receives a quarterly sales tax report, with part of that report analyzing the downtown area. But it also noted that using sales tax as a metric to determine if businesses generate more sales tax during the car show quarters, the data showed no impact from the car show. 

Zeman said the Partners are looking for ways to better monetize the car show. Auto buffs are not charged to show their vehicles at the show, and that won’t change but she said the group is looking for ways to make the event profitable. 

By Mike Allen

March 12, 2025 (Santee) -- Kristen Dare, who led the Santee Chamber of Commerce as CEO for the past six years, resigned from the position to take a new job at Waste Management Corp.

In an email sent to chamber members March 3, Chamber Chair Susie Parks said she is grateful for Dare’s decade of experience at the business association. She joined at the nonprofit on St. Patrick’s Day in 2014.

“Under her guidance, we have seen much growth and success even during challenging times.  While we will certainly miss Kristen's leadership, we fully understand and support her decision,” Parks said.

Parks, the owner of Coffee Corner on Town Center Parkway, said the chamber is retaining Dare in a consulting capacity as the organization goes through a transition and searches for a new chief executive.  Particularly she will assist in the group’s signature spring events and ensure a seamless experience for our Santee business community, she said.

The Santee Chamber, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, has about 250 members and an annual budget of about $350,000, Dare said.

In addition to regular networking events to foster support for local businesses, the chamber puts on annual community events