A La Mesa look-back at 2025

I love year end roundups, both reading and writing them. I’ve already read the New York Times’ roundup of “Best Comedy of 2025” among other niche topics, and wrote my own article on Times of San Diego’s most popular Arts stories of 2025. To give me more of that sweet, sweet roundup dopamine, I’ve gathered the three biggest news topics in La Mesa this year as reported in the La Mesa Courier.

1. La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven killed on the job

It was significant when La Mesa lost its first police officer in the line of duty. A lot of things were written about Lauren Craven, of course, but I found this piece of news from editor Jennifer Vigil the most gutting: She joined the force to help other women in trouble after Craven was a victim of a serial rapist in Hollywood. A senseless loss.

2. Grossmont Union High School District — everything

It’s a daunting task to succinctly summarize all the twists and turns at the Grossmont Union’s board this year. They laid off almost all the district’s librarians, hired an inside man to a cushy new admin job, then he departed with a payout when the board came under fire. Students planned a mass walk out. The board promised to follow the Brown Act guiding transparency in government and no longer strategize district business in private texts. The teacher-developed Ethnic Studies curriculum was suddenly abandoned. The formersuperintendent died. There was a failed recall of La Mesa’s representative, Scott Eckert. Then the board had to pay a six-figure settlement for alleged anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination against the top special education administrator. This doesn’t even cover it all, the list could go on.

3. Shopping center sale

This one surprised me but the numbers don’t lie: The most popular article about La Mesa this year was editor Jennifer Vigil’s story on a shopping center on Severin Drive being sold for $21 million. The most notable part was the buyer being the Institute for Effective Education, which operates five schools in San Diego.

In related news, I’d also like to highlight our former intern Swasti Singhai who reported on La Mesa City Council approving renovations to Grossmont Center. It was also in the top 10 list, just below the sale and news about Craven. Other intern stories that made the list of top 10 most read La Mesa Courier articles included Sophia Sleap on an eyesore gas station and Calista Stocker on Gino & Gianni’s Pizzeria. Ok that’s the last two unrelated articles I’m going to sneak onto this list.

Have a Happy New Year and thanks to all who contributed to our year-end fundraising campaign!