By Mike Allen

August 28, 2022 (Santee) -- In a first for the city of Santee, two incumbent members of the City Council were appointed to another four-year term and will avoid the November election, because no challengers in either district filed papers to challenge them.

By Helen M. Ofield, Treasurer/Historian to the Board, Lemon Grove Historical Society 

On the road with the East County Eater

Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland

August 26, 2022 (Santee) -- On the road and in Santee-Yesterday I returned to my favorite Thai restaurant. When I have Thai Cuisine, it has to be authentic, fresh and delicious. Thai Thai Restaurant is located at 10251-B, Mast Blvd; Santee. Phone:  619.335.3453. Thai Thai features dine-in and carry-out, offers reservations and has reasonable prices.

What I especially enjoy, too, is the friendliness of staff and willingness to explain or recommend any dish as there are many. I love curries and their yellow, red and green is a pleasant surprise. One month ago, they added a sushi bar to their operation and it looks very popular also. Thai beer is also on the menu.

East County News Service

August 24, 2022 (Pine Valley) – Victoria Casteel captured this heavenly image of the sun’s rays radiating through clouds after this evening’s storm in Pine Valley.

By Miriam Raftery

August 24, 2022 (La Mesa) – Good job, La Mesa drivers.  A DUI checkpoint conducted by the La Mesa Police Department Saturday night of 427 vehicles found nobody driving under the influence. No arrests were made for DUI or any other criminal charges.

By Miriam Raftery

August 23, 2022 (Fallbrook) – Jacob Daniel Oberg, 29, is under arrest after San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies found Molotov cocktails, or handheld firebombs, in his vehicle this morning.

Update:  The suspect's last name as Al Rawi, not Al Wari. The earlier misspelling was provided by El Cajon Police based on a a translation error. Friends of his have voiced shock at his arrest and doubts about the accusations against him, calling him a good father and pillar of the Syrian community locally who has helped other refugees, 10 News reports.

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Abdulhannan Abdurazaq Al Rawi is under arrest for allegedly shooting and killing his wife, 37, in the bedroom of their El Cajon home at 1599 Soma Place. The couple's nine children, ages 2 to 17, were in the home at the time, according to Lieutenant Randy Soulard with EL Cajon Police.

Dilkhwaz Ahmed with License to Freedom, an El Cajon social services agency supporting refugees, posted on Facebook tonight “Please pray for these kids who lost their mom today. Out team of therapists and myself stayed with them all day to make sure they have a safe place to go. If you would like to support them, please let me know. They are refugees from Syria.”

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alert Service

Photos by Josh Stotler

Update 6:10 p.m. -- Dozers and hand crews will work through the night to make progress on containment. The bulk of the aircraft have been sent back to their bases and only a few will be on scene tomorrow if needed. A radio report from the Incident Commander to USFS indicates fire is 175 to 200 acres.

August 22, 2022 (Pine Valley) --  The #ValleyFire has scorched over 120 acres in the Pine Valley area and is 0% contained as of 4:40 p.m. The blaze began near Pine Creek Road and Noble Canyon. Pine Creek Road is closed while firefighters battle the blaze.

The fire is spreading away from structures and there are no evacuations at this time. The terrain is steep and isolated and conditions are moderately breezy; the fire is spreading at a moderate rate in heavy brush.

ECM reporter Josh Stotler reports that multiple agencies have responded; there are at least four helicopters and five fixed wing tankers currently dropping water and retardant on the fire as hand crews are trying to cut lines to slow the spread.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Diane Granander

Update August 21, 2022: The victim has been identified as Joseph "J.C." Curtis, 44, a father of four who lived nearby the gas station.

August 12, 2022 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police are asking for public help to locate a man suspected of shooting and killing another man this morning in front of the Speedway Express gas station at the corner of University and Park avenues.

Officers responded to multiple calls reporting the shooting. They found the victim on the sidewalk and immediately provided aid.  The victim, a 44-year-old man from La Mesa, was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital, but “tragically was pronounced deceased,” says Lieutenant. Katy Lynch.

She adds, “Initial information gathered by investigators has revealed that the victim and suspect were involved in a verbal altercation that turned into a physical fight. The suspect then shot the victim several times before fleeing the scene in a dark colored smaller SUV or similar style vehicle, westbound on University Avenue.” 

The suspect is described as a Black male adult in his early to mid-30s. He was wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans and was accompanied by a heavy-set Hispanic female.

Source:  Dr. Akilah Weber

August 20, 2022 (San Diego) -  Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-79) hosted District 79’s 10th annual Backpack Giveaway on Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Lemon Grove Recreation Center located at 3131 School Lane, Lemon Grove, CA 91945.

Story and photos by Josh Stotler, 2412 Fire Photo

Updated 4 p.m. with information from California Highway Patrol

August 19, 2022 (El Cajon) -- A small plane crashed Thursday morning on Greenfield Dr. in El Cajon. The pilot of the 1951 Cessna 195 attempted to land on Interstate 8 around 10:25 am and ended up between the East and West bound overpasses of interstate 8, coming to a rest on Greenfield Dr.

Eyewitnesses say the plane hit a car before coming to rest under the bridges. It is not immediately clear what caused the crash and the accident is still under investigation. California Highway Patrol conforms that a Hyundai Santa Fe driven by a 57-year-old Alpine woman sustained moderate damage.

The vehicle was traveling eastbound on Greenfield Drive under I-8 when it was struck, but fortunately the driver of the Hyundai, Carrie Zub, was not injured. Her dog was in the SUV and is also safe.

"I was like, 'Oh, my God, and I pulled to the right and stopped," Zub said, NBC 7 reports. "I'm just so grateful I'm OK."

East County News Service

August 17, 2022 (Lakeside) - This brilliant bloom on a Hong Kong orchid was taken at the Lakeside Ranch home of Shiloh Ireland Photography.

East County News Service

August 15, 2022 (Lakeside) -- Shiloh Ireland Photography sent in this horseback-view image of the San Vicente Reservoir in Lakeside.