With 2025 off and running, it is time to take a look back at 2024 and some of the local news that made headlines in the Mensajero de Mission Times y Mensajero de College Times (online) circulation areas.
Among some of the items that got attention in print and online include:
JANUARY
Early in the month, the City of San Diego’s Councilmembers voted 6-2 against the All Peoples Church (APC) project as presented, which was to build a 900-seat church, parking structure and a large multi-purpose room. The church had hoped to build along the east side of College Avenue north of I-8 in Del Cerro.
Members of the California Faculty Association on all California State University campuses went on strike late in the month after months of unsuccessful negotiation meetings with CSU management. While the strike (including San Diego State University) was planned to go throughout the week, it was called off early on when the CFA announced that they had reached a tentative agreement with CSU management.
FEBRUARY
On Feb. 10, Council District 7 opened the off-leash dog park in the area between the Benjamin Library and the swimming pool.
ODS y E y ArtReach were collaborating to install a community-inspired public art mural in the Rolando and College Area just off El Cajon Blvd. They were hosting a public ribbon-cutting celebration on Thursday, Feb. 15.
MARCH
Sandra White, who has worked at Valhalla High School since 2006 as a school counselor and most recently as an assistant principal, began her new job as principal at Patrick Henry High School on March 4.
On March 25, All Peoples Church filed a complaint against the City of San Diego alleging that the city council’s rejection of the church’s large-scale project for a new 900-seat sanctuary on a vacant, 6-acre lot in Del Cerro violates federal protections provided to churches by the Religious Land Use And Institutionalized Persons Act. The suit further claims that the city is in violation of the church’s free speech and assembly and the free exercise of religious rights outlined in the First Amendment.
APRIL
El 26el Annual Rolando Street Fair is back on April 14 and is sure to make for a lot of good memories. The event tends to get around 12,000 people each year, but it is continuing to grow.
In catching up with a number of Universidad Estatal de San Diego students, they discussed the continuing rising costs to attend school. Many students cited tuition as their primary expense, a change from last year when students were most concerned with paying housing costs. The cost of attendance for a California resident is $8,290. For out-of-state students, an additional $396 is added per credit, adding nearly $6,000 to the base tuition fee.
San Diego State University’s chapter of Students for Justice hosted a walkout on April 30. The group aimed to pressure SDSU to disclose financial holdings, divest from Israel’s war on Gaza and defend Palestinian students.
MAY
The nonprofit Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Foundation announced it was excited to share that they recently closed escrow on 55 acres that will become part of the park. Both the MTRP Foundation and the City of San Diego are actively working to purchase land to expand the park; acquiring parcels is one of the 12 priority projects derived from Mission Trails’ 2019 Master Plan Update.
El San Carlos Library’s annual Robotics Showcase Extravaganza will be held May 18. Robotics teams from local schools and the San Carlos neighborhood will display their robotic creations and run mock competitions.
Benjamin Library, with the support of The Friends of the Library Allied Gardens/Benjamin chapter, held its Community Festival Extravaganza for its patrons and neighbors. Councilmember Raul Campillo and family along with 400 happy neighbors attended.
JUNE
Some San Diego State University students reflected on their newest accomplishment, graduation. The students and their loved ones took part weeks earlier in graduation ceremonies at the school. After all of the festivities, graduates become faced with the reality of a new chapter in their lives. They no longer have their familiar schedules of attending 10 a.m. classes, or visiting their favorite study spots.
District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo reminded residents that fixing local roads and improving infrastructure like parks and libraries is his number one priority for area neighborhoods.
JULY
Summer doesn’t always mean college students are lounging by the pool each day. Students at Universidad Estatal de San Diego are fairly busy during the school year. Between classes, working, internships and other extracurriculars, they barely have time to breathe. As if they didn’t have enough on their plates on campus in the fall and spring, many students continue their productivity into summer break.
The project to gather signatures calling for a vote on the proposed Enhance Del Cerro Maintenance Assessment District is well underway. By signing the petition, residents are merely stating they support having the City of San Diego conduct an election for all Del Cerro property owners to vote on the matter.
A former Grantville man was transferred to Wasco State Prison where he recently started serving a sentence of 75 years to life for first-degree murder in a 2019 slaying in Grantville. A jury convicted Richard Lamont Cowan III, 42, of killing Mario Bullard, 35, who was shot four times in his torso, stomach, and neck on May 21, 2019. His body was found in a street gutter at 2:52 a.m. Cowan was also convicted of two counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on other victims in 2020 and 2021 by the same jury which deliberated 2 1/2 days in February.
AUGUST
With a new school year comes a new principal at St. Katharine Drexel Academy in El Cerrito. Larissa Frost has taken on the position of leading the school which covers grades kindergarten through eight.
Universidad Estatal de San Diego students prepare to head back to classes on Monday, Aug. 26. One aspect of the 2024-25 school year students are excited about is the opportunities within their majors. SDSU provides many different avenues outside of academic classes for students to get involved on campus and connect with their fellow peers.
El San Diego Realtor Association has been sending out regular emails to its members about getting ready for the upcoming changes to the online listing service regarding buyer commissions. As per the new rules going into effect this month, the MLS (multiple listing service) will no longer include offers of compensation to buyer’s agents. A seller can still offer a commission to the buyer’s agent but listing agents can no longer advertise what that commission is and instead buyer’s agents need to request compensation from the seller as a term within their buyer’s offer. The fear is that this may result in buyer commissions potentially being reduced or eliminated.
SEPTEMBER
Recently, the nonprofit Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Foundation announced its partnership with the office of San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo (D-7) and San Diego Parks and Recreation Open Space Division to present the first hike-a-thon fundraiser for Mission Trails: Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon for Mission Trails. Participants will recruit support from their networks, then track their activity from Oct. 15, 2024, to Jan. 15, 2025.
There is talk again directed towards local political leaders that parking for the Colegio-Biblioteca Rolando is important, and that the loss of parking will result in a non-functional library. For four long years, the library’s interests have reportedly been ignored. Patrons of the library say it’s time to tell the mayor how upset they are.
Over the summer, the San Carlos Community Garden (SCCG) launched its first-ever Summer Youth Ambassador Program, aiming to inspire a sense of community, responsibility, and a love for nature among local high school students. The 11-week volunteer initiative not only introduced young participants to the art and science of gardening but also offered them a chance to give back to their community in a meaningful way. Among the inaugural participants were three students from Patrick Henry High School (PHHS) Lily Hawking, Gweneviere Frenzel, and Eva Ramon.
OCTOBER
With the Nov. 5 election right around the corner, a number of Universidad Estatal de San Diego students spoke about their desire to vote. For a lot of SDSU students, the upcoming presidential election will be the first such election they are eligible for. Students plan to vote because they feel the outcome of the election will impact the younger generations the most.
Universidad Estatal de San Diego announced in mid-September that it would be departing the Mountain West Conference and accepting an invitation to join the Pac-12 as of July 1, 2026. SDSU has made great strides in the MWC as one of its founding members over 25 years ago. The school holds a conference record of 96 league titles across all of its athletic teams, with the most being in the last three years.
And just like clockwork, the Condado de San Diego median home price increased again last month. Despite a year over year 37% increase in inventory, elevated mortgage rates in the mid 6’s, a 31% increase in days-on-market, a 13% increase in new listings, and a 33% increase in months of supply, the median home price still ticked up 10% year over year to $1,050,000 for detached properties locally.
NOVEMBER
Universidad Estatal de San Diego announced in September its plans to significantly expand student housing in the coming years. The project, subject to approval by the California State University’s Board of Trustees in mid-2025, includes constructing up to seven residential buildings with around 4,500 beds, along with an amenities building on campus.
The investigation continues into the recent Montezuma Fire. The brush fire extended along the south side of Montezuma Road, between Fairmount Avenue and Collwood Blvd. Winds eventually carried flyimg embers across the road to the opposite hillside, threatening homes in Alvarado Estates.
After 13 years of dedicated volunteer service, Jeanne Bauer has retired from the Board of directors at the San Carlos Community Garden (SCCG). Reflecting on her 13 years with SCCG, Jeanne said she was most proud of the transformation of the garden itself.
DECEMBER
Members of the Amigos del Cerro y Enhance Del Cerro committees recently met with Salvadore Serrano, the City of San Diego Grounds Maintenance Manager for City’s Open space and the Gas Tax Revenue funds regarding upgrading the downtown area of Del Cerro on Del Cerro Blvd. This includes the city property adjacent to the intersection of Del Cerro Blvd. and College Avenue. The goal of the meeting was to work on ways to improve the community.
The 2024 fall season is over for 1,501 competitive and recreational cruzados futbol players. By the end of the season, combined, the two programs played over 900 games.
Patrick Henry High School’s Spirit of 76 Marching Patriots had a great finish to the season recently at the 20el Annual Rancho Buena Vista Band and Color Guard Field Tournament. Both the PHHS Band and Color Guard earned first place in the 2A Division.
Editor’s note: Jay Wilson, Natali Gonzalez, Karen Austin, Jessica Mills, Shain Haug, Angelica Tilton, Neal Putnam, Sarah Ward, Jan Hintzman, Kelly Wood and Dominique Rocha contributed to this story.
Courtesy photos
