By Miriam Raftery 

October 4, 2021 (La Mesa) – Lightning from tonight’s storm sparked several fires across East County tonight, including this one in the Casa de Oro/Mt. Helix area.  Dawn Hough Sebaugh captured a series of dramatic images showing lightning striking vegetation with an explosive force, sending a shower of sparks swirling up into the night sky.

“It sounded like a bomb went off!” Sebaugh posted, noting that she thought a lightning bolt had struck a home.

Pulse Point indicates the strike was on Calavo just north of Louisa. A dispatcher at Heartland Fire & Rescue confirms that fortunately, the lightning did not strike a structure, but instead ignited a grove of palm trees.

By Miriam Raftery

September 26, 2021 (San Diego) – The 18^th annual San Diego Restaurant Week starts today and runs through October 3.  This year, the 90 participating restaurants include six in East County. La Mesa’s emergence as a dining destination is evidenced in its five options: Antica Trattoria, Farmer’s Table, Oyster & Pearl Bar, Pioneer BBQ, and Smokey & the Brisket.  Lemon Grove’s Giardino Neighborhood Cucina is also included. All have outdoor dining options.

By Miriam Raftery

September 22, 2021 (Julian) – Michael Jon Hart, long-time publisher of the Julian News and past president of the San Diego County Umpires Association, died September 14 after battling brain and lung cancer. His wife, Michelle Harvey, confirmed Hart’s passing on her Facebook page.

“Mike and I have so many friends,” Harvey posted. “I am glad that we spent our lives working to help others.”

The newspaper has been for sale for months; Hart’s death leaves the future of Julian’s newspaper in limbo.  A newspaper listing in July asked $300,000 for the publication, which was described as “highly profitable” despite pandemic lockdowns.

Hart and Harvey acquired the independent weekly newspaper on July 4, 2004; the paper has been the voice of Julian, CA since 1984. It’s been a labor of love for Hart, who covered major news stories ranging from the 2007 Witch Creek Fire that ravaged the region to controversies involved the county’s acquisition of Julian’s formerly all-volunteer fire department. Hart sometimes took heat for his coverage but took pride in covering all sides of community issues, according to Harvey.

By Kathy Carpenter 

East County News Service

Photo credit: Mounarath-Powell Productions

September 9, 2021 (La Mesa) -- Mounarath-Powell Productions presents “Movement Makers,”  a choreographer’s showcase, Thursday through Saturday, September 16-18 at 8 p.m. in the Visionary Performance Space, 8674 La Msea Blvd. in La Mesa.   

By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2021 (La Mesa) – A suspect accused of striking an 82-year-old man on the head and carjacking his Jeep Cherokee in La Mesa yesterday morning is under arrest.  Tymody Wallace, 29, was arrested in Irvine on unrelated charges.

Source:  Helix Water District

August 26, 2021 (La Mesa) - On Tuesday, August 3, Fitch Ratings, a global independent credit rating organization, affirmed Helix Water District's AA+ rating with a stable outlook.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

ECM file photo, left, of Karas.

Aug. 16, 2021 (La Mesa) Twenty-nine-year-old Zachary Alexander Karas was sentenced to 33 months in Federal custody on Aug. 13, according to court documents, for possessing explosive devices, Molotov cocktails, during the La Mesa riots in May of 2020.

The protests were in response to racial justice and policing issues.

In court documents Karas claimed he made the decision to make Molotov cocktails while he was under the influence of alcohol.

According to the U.S. attorney’s office Karas could have faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. An appeal has already been filed.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  LMPD Chief Ray Sweeney

August 8, 2021 (La Mesa) – At the first of four town hall meetings held by La Mesa Police billed as community outreach and listening sessions, newly appointed Chief Ray Sweeney promised to work with community members to make changes. The Chief spoke of changes in the work, then fielded questions from the public.

East County News Service

August 6, 2021 (La Mesa) – Shortly after 10 p.m. last night, the La Mesa Police Department received a report of a robbery that had just occurred at the Excalibur Liquor Store at 5575 Baltimore Drive. The clerk reported that the suspect entered the store, walked around the counter, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the clerk. The suspect then fired one round into the wall and pushed the clerk to the ground. 

The clerk was not injured during the incident. The lone suspect stole money from the register and personal property from the clerk, according to police. The suspect fled on foot in an unknown direction. 

By Miriam Raftery

July 30, 2021 (La Mesa) – A 41-year-old man believed to be inside his workplace died at the scene after an SUV struck the building on Jul 28 at 5:30 p.m. According to La Mesa Police, drugs or alcohol are suspected of being a factor in the fatal crash.

The SUV was traveling eastbound on University Avenue when it left the roadway for unknown reasons and struck the building at 7373 University Avenue. The Medical Examiner’s Report indicates the victim worked in unit 101.

East County News Service

July 28, 2021 (La Mesa) – You’re invited to bring the family for a three-day “Family End of Summer Palooza” hosted by Grossmont Healthcare District at Briercrest Park, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa.

By Miriam Raftery

July 26, 2021 (La Mesa) – Brian Jeffrey Raymond, 45, of La Mesa has pleaded guilty to "sexual abuse and admitted to the abusive sexual contact of numerous women, as well as photographing and recording dozens of nude and partially nude women without their consent during his career as a U.S. government employee" while working at the U.S. embassy in Mexico, according to a U.S. Justice Department press release.  The release indicated that some of the women who have accused Raymond lost consciousness.

By Miriam Raftery

July 25, 2021 (La Mesa) – Candidates have until August 6 at noon to file papers to run for La Mesa’s City Council in a November special election. The field is growing crowded, with eight candidates who have pulled papers to run so far, though one told ECM he has decided to drop out.

The candidates are vying to fill a vacancy left by Dr. Akilah Weber's election to the state Assembly. The election follows a turbulent year that included civil unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In alphabetical order, the eight candidates who have thus far filed papers to run  are:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left to right: Mejgan Afshan, Letitia Dickerson, Patricia Dillard, and Laura Lothian

July 20, 2021 (La Mesa) – So far, the lineup of candidates seeking to serve on La Mesa’s City Council have one thing in common: all are women who filed papers to run for a vacancy on the Council left when ex-Councilmember Akilah Weber won election to the state Assembly.  Dr Weber, a Democrat, was the first Black woman to serve on the Council.

The filing deadline opened July 12 and will close on August 6, so more candidates may yet file. The candidates who have filed to run so far are: