As La Mesans and those nearby welcome in 2023, there is much to look back on in regards to 2022.
From people looking for more normalcy in the COVID, San Diego State University celebrating its 125th anniversary, local celebrations, spring and fall elections and more, a lot occurred over the last 12 months.
Here is a snapshot of the last year and some of the highlights that we touched upon.
January
A winter surge of COVID cases led local schools, businesses and others to adjust more how they went about their daily affairs.
Several universities and schools in the area noted they would go back to virtual classes to kick off the 2022 spring semester.
* A February preliminary hearing was set in the death of a promising young medical student, a victim of a hit and run in La Mesa.
Jok “Michael” Joseph, Jok, 18, 
was struck by a vehicle on Feb. 27, 2021, on Bancroft Drive just south of Golondrina Drive in La Mesa. The La Jolla Country Day School grad (2020) died in an area hospital six days later from his injuries.
Scott Douglas Satterfield, 61, was taken into custody on April 8 and pled not guilty to a felony charge of hit and run in which someone died (see more below in March).
* Longtime La Mesa resident Alma Jaeger celebrated her 104th birthday on Jan. 14.
A Chicago native, Jaeger and her husband, Edward, and 10 children relocated to San Diego in 1957.
February
Students at both Grossmont High School and Helix Charter High School showed their love for fellow students and the community.
At GHS , a group of seniors under the banner of a program called Peer Listening have been supporting the school community with any arising social or emotional needs.
Krista Santoro, co-advisor for Peer Listening, noted there were many needs for students as they returned to campus in the wake of COVID and other matters. “Not only do these students meet one-on-one with students needing to talk to someone and host meditations with students in conflict, but also these seniors look for any way they can to affect the school community as a whole,” Santoro stated.
The peer listeners crafted more than 400 heart grams and hosted music at lunch where they handed out the free heart cards to any student who wanted to spread kindness. The group also hosted a door decorating contest. Each participating teacher was provided a quote related to kindness for the theme.
Meantime, a group of students at Helix were volunteering with the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program.
The efforts involves things such as transporting food to previously-unhoused senior citizens.
Helix students Brayden Pape and Lauren Rainey were among the students making the effort to help others.
Pape is a PATH San Diego volunteer and founder of PILT (PATH Interscholastic Leadership Team). Helix is tied to PATH through PILT and all projects for PATH at Helix are implemented through PILT. Rainey is PILT’s project director of kit projects.
“I get enjoyment from knowing that what we do is give people experiencing homelessness hope, put smiles on their faces, and provide them with necessary things all humans should have access to,” Rainey commented.
* La Mesa Councilmember Bill Baber announced he would not seek a third term during the midterm elections.
Baber won his first seat on the city council in 2014.
In announcing he would not seek another term, Baber noted he planned to retire and spend more time with family.
March
It was a memorable season for the Grossmont High girls’ water polo team. 
The Lady Foothillers were unbeaten in Grossmont Hills League action. They ended up ranked third in the Open section of CIF San Diego. While losing in the CIF Finals, the team made it the furthest any Grossmont Union high school team had gone before. They also went to states for the first time in the program’s history.
* La Mesa residents for the first time could take advantage of San Diego’s community choice aggregation program. The program from San Diego Community Power (SDCP) not only generates renewable power but could also lead to reduced electric bills over time.
La Mesa became one of five cities in the greater San Diego area to be part of the program (Imperial Beach, Encinitas, Chula Vista and the City of San Diego).
* Scott Satterfield pleaded guilty to felony hit and run in the La Mesa death of Jok “Michael” Joseph Jok.
Deputy District Attorney David Vallero said Satterfield faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison at his April 7 sentencing.
April
The celebration continues for San Diego State University as it celebrates 125 years of educating locals and those coming to the area to study. 
SDSU dates back to 1897. That is when the San Diego Normal School was in a building in Downtown San Diego. 
SDSU was set to graduate its 500,000th student this year during commencement ceremonies.
Among some famous students to attend SDSU are Tony Gwynn, Gregory Peck, Raquel Welch, Carl Weathers, Marshall Faulk, Kawhi Leonard, Art Linkletter and Marion Ross. Among those who’ve visited the campus over the years was President John F. Kennedy several months before his death in 1963.
* Daniel Joseph Corona, 62, pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter in the death of a worker at an adult daycare center in La Mesa. Corona crashed his SUV into the building. He was reportedly impaired at the time and under the influence of illegal drugs.
Braden Jockmyhn, 41, died as he worked in the Golden Life Center at 7373 University Avenue in La Mesa on July 28, 2021.
Corona was to face a maximum sentence of 12 years and four months in prison, according to Deputy District Attorney Hailey Williams.
May
It had been three years since Helix Charter High held a traditional prom. 
This changed in 2022 as students approached a pandemic head on and came out on the other side smiling.
San Diego’s famous US Grant was the hotel setting as students took in the beautiful venue, music, food, photos and more. Among class officers in attendance and responsible for organizing the evening were Owen Dahlkamp (treasurer), Claire Tran (president), Sienna Baird (secretary), and Jada Ferguson (vice president).
* La Mesa Courier caught up with the three candidates running for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Fourth District seat in the June 7 primary. The district is made up of La Mesa, Lemon Grove and a big portion of central San Diego including the College Area.
Incumbent Nathan Fletcher and challengers Amy Reichert and Sidiqa Hooker were on the ballot.
All three talked about the challenges facing area residents, businesses and more.
Fletcher (top vote getter) and Reichert finished one-two to square off in the November election.
June
The celebration was on at Helix Charter High School as the students, staff and families rejoiced in the school’s 70th graduation. 
It was the school’s largest graduating class ever with 566 students receiving degrees.
* Neighboring school Grossmont High also had reason to celebrate, with 471 graduates being recognized for all their hard work. 
For 101 years, GHS students and staff have taken great pride in the traditions that surround graduation, many begun in its first decade. To date, some 39,000 have graduated from the school.
July
Entrepreneurs in San Diego now have an incentive to open up shop in La Mesa.
On July 1, applications for the La Mesa Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program (LEAP) opened.
LEAP is the first program of its kind in California and, potentially, the nation to allocate a portion of federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – a 2021 economic stimulus bill – to support up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis and James Sly, president of San Diego’s East County Economic development Council (ECEDC) created the program with hopes of helping the La Mesa business community overcome the setbacks that resulted from COVID-19 and welcome more local businesses.
* City Tacos founder Gerry Torres recently became a U.S. citizen.
Torres, originally from Mexico, moved to San Diego in 1992. He opened his first City Tacos in North Park in 2014. He later expanded to other areas including La Mesa.
* La Mesa’s San Pasqual Winery recently received five medals at the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. 
The area business took home one gold medal, three silvers, and one bronze medal.
Co-owner Mike McWilliams noted that the winery has always prioritized the customer experience at their tasting rooms in addition to training staff to emphasize customer service.
August
The City of La Mesa said it would partner with the San Diego Regional Green Business Network to offer a local green business certification program and implement the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) measures.
“The La Mesa Green Business Network is a great way for businesses in La Mesa to learn new ways to be more environmentally friendly and receive recognition for their efforts,” said Hilary Ego, La Mesa’s Environmental Program Manager.
New area businesses signing up for and completing certification with the program by Oct. 31 would reportedly be eligible to receive priority support and a $500 cash or rebate incentive.
* The Special District Leadership Foundation announced recently that Helix Water District was the recipient of the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence. That is in recognition of the district’s outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance. The district has consistently received this reward since 2015.
Helix Water District treats and delivers water to 277,000 people in various communities including La Mesa.
September
La Mesa’s annual Oktoberfest celebration was set to get underway Sept. 30 and run through Oct. 2. 
The 49th annual event attracts visitors from all over the area, offering plenty of events, attractions, music, great food and drink and more.
* Helix Charter High School made it a point to emphasize security for the campus grounds.
In the wake of a number of tragic school shootings over time, more schools were looking at how to better protect students, staff and visitors to their campuses.
According to Executive Director Kevin Osborn, the school has some 2,500 students on campus on any given day and some 200 teachers.
“Helix parents should feel confident that student safety is one of our top priorities,” Osborn stated. “Developing a warm, respectful, and supportive environment where staff, students, and our community feel comfortable coming forward to share their concerns is paramount in maintaining a safe school.”
* Both Grossmont High School and Helix Charter High School celebrated Homecoming festivities.
The GHS Homecoming Court was made up of Ashlee Austin, Sophia Carrasco, Lexi Zaenger, Sarah Niskey, Piper Tatum, Justin Tucker, Brandon Case, Austin Mitchell, Scott Roberts and Patrick Jones.
The HCHS Homecoming Court included Wayne Akpakpan, Nate Flores, Wyatt, Loorya, Timothy Nguyen and Fa’atui Schwalger.
October
La Mesa Courier chatted with the candidates running for the mayoral seat and a pair of city council seats, respectively.
Incumbent Mayor Mark Arapostathis was set to face challenger Kristine Alessio in one race. In the council race, four candidates would battle it out for two seats. They included incumbent Laura Lothian, Mejgan Afshan, Patricia Dillard and Tony Orlando. Kathleen Brand, who had earlier dropped out of the race, was also on the ballot (see December below).
Candidates in both races stressed the need to focus on improving business opportunities in La Mesa, making necessary repairs to bad streets, meeting the needs of the police and fire departments, working to lower homelessness in the community and more.
* Helix Charter High School was designated a Blue Ribbon School. 
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes outstanding public and non-public schools for their achievements.
Helix was one of 297 schools nationwide and one of only four in California to be recognized this year.
* Plans were underway for the 16th Annual La Mesa History Center home tour on Nov. 5.
The tour was to feature a mixture of classic, revival, contemporary, and modern designs emblematic of these rural suburban “foothill” neighborhoods.
November
Plans for a proposed apartment complex where the former historic Randall Lamb building once stood (southeast corner of Palm Avenue and Allison Avenue) awaited a verdict.
The plan is for a 5-story building with 64 units, 8 of which would be affordable, low-income units. There would also be 29 off-street parking spaces on the ground floor, and various landscape and hardscape improvements, according to a report presented to the Planning Board.
* Authorities continue to seek answers in the death of an El Cajon juvenile.
Cassidy Hopwood, 16, was found deceased in La Mesa earlier in the year.
La Mesa Police Department officials met with Hopwood’s family in November to learn additional information that may assist them in determining the circumstances leading up to her death.
* A feature on the La Mesa Village Farmer’s Market looked at this weekly Friday event that is a crucial part of the community for nearly 30 years.
It is estimated that 2,000 to 3,000 people frequent the weekly event on any given Friday.
December
It took a good month to certify the results, but Mayor Mark Arapostathis was re-elected to office.
Arapostathis defeated challenger Kristine Alessio 11,386 votes to 8,989 votes.
In the race for La Mesa City Council (two seats available), Patricia Dillard was the top vote getter, while incumbent Laura Lothian also secured a seat.
Dillard tallied 8,600 votes, with Lothian coming in second with 8,414, votes. 
Mejgan Afshan received 8,403 votes, while Tony Orlando captured 6,598 votes. Kathleen Brand, who had earlier dropped out of the race, secured 3,938 votes.
* The City of La Mesa took the first step toward a Public Arts Plan.
“Promoting the Arts in La Mesa is a long-time passion of mine,” Mayor Mark Arapostathis commented. “Art experiences and cultural opportunities inspire creativity, provide educational benefits, encourage economic development, build community and so much more.”
* The La Mesa Village Association (LMVA) reported that it is continuing to fundraise for the much-anticipated downtown district sign 
that will be a new focal point in the La Mesa Village.
The Downtown District Sign will be located in the heart of the Village at La Mesa Blvd. And Palm Ave. and will consist of two columns of brass plaques around the top and a total of 1,512 hand-painted 4” x 4” ceramic tiles.
Those are but a few of the happenings in La Mesa this past year.
La Mesa Courier wishes you a Happy New Year and thank you as always for reading our publication.
Editor’s note: Neal Putnam, Jack Jaeger, Kendra Sitton, Connie and Lynn Baer and Elaine Alfaro contributed to this article.
