Source:  San Diego Public Affairs

March 15, 2022 (Rancho Bernardo) - The San Diego FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the San Diego Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the individual wanted in connection with an attempted bank robbery in Rancho Bernardo.

On Monday, March 14, 2022 at approximately 4:29 p.m., an unknown male entered the California Bank & Trust located at 16796 Bernardo Center Drive and presented a note to the victim teller demanding money from the bank. The robber did not receive any money and fled the bank.

East County News Service

March 15, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove residents with proof of residency are invited to a drive-through food distribution this Saturday, March 19 at the Lemon Grove Recreation Center at 3131 School Lane.  The distribution starts at 9 a.m. and will continue while supplies last.

Please stay in your car and make sure your truck is clear so food and be loaded.  No walk-ups are allowed.

March 14, 2022 (Descanso, CA) -- Ana Lilia sent in this video of a mountain lion spotted in the backyard of her home in Descanso, a rural community in San Diego's backcountry.  “I love how the last shot of him/her is just as he passed by our statue of St. Francis of Assisi -- the patron Saint of Ecology & Animals," she says.

Source: I Love to Glean and Senior Gleaners 

March 14, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- On Wednesday, March 16, 2022,

starting at 1:30 p.m., I Love to Glean will be providing a monthly drive through food distribution with food provided by Feeding San Diego.  This will be their  fifth consecutive month of distributing food to families at the VFW located at 2885 Lemon Grove Avenue, Lemon Grove.  

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department has released body camera video of a baseball bat-wielding suspect who attacked an ECPD officer on March 4 at Parkway Plaza. The man had reportedly committed theft and threatened citizens with the bat. After the officer calmly asked the shoplifting suspect to drop the bat, the suspect can be heard stating, “I want to kill you, bro” as he swung the bat at the officer.

The suspect, Julian Kurko, wo was arrested and charged with attempted murder.  He has a long history of criminal offenses, including convictions for two prior violent assaults on police officers.

By Mike Allen

Photo:  Santee Vice Mayor Ronn Hall

March 11, 2022 (Santee) -- While it’s legal to use and even grow marijuana for personal use statewide, the sale of the still-federally prohibited drug is not permitted in Santee.

That could change given the path that the City Council has been on since last year, when it began exploring the potential of allowing some type of marijuana-linked business within its 16.5 square miles.

Council backs off censure of Councilmember LeBaron after her supporters weigh in and an attorney questions legality of proposed action

By Elijah McKee

March 10, 2022 (Lemon Grove) — “It’s a sad day in Lemon Grove. We’re better than this,” expressed Mayor Raquel Vasquez near the end of her remarks during Lemon Grove’s special City Council meeting on Tuesday night.

"This brings me no joy,” echoed Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza, though the two voted on opposite sides over whether to censure Councilmember Liana LeBaron.

The meeting was held for one reason only — to debate a resolution that would have formally condemned LeBaron’s behavior. The severity of the resolution was evident by its verbs, which included condemn, reject, admonish, refrain, cease and desist. (See ECM’s prior coverage of the proposed censure resolution.)

By Miriam Raftery

March 10, 2022 (Flinn Springs) – What could be more delightful than strolling through the beautiful gardens at Summers Past Farms, then sipping and savoring tastes from over 40 local restaurants, wineries and breweries?  It’s all for a good cause, too, benefitting the Kiwanis Club of Alpine Foundation, which supports services and programs for children in San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Russ T Nailz on Facebook

March 10, 2022 (San Diego) – He often said he’d been making people laugh since June 1957, when he was born. Yesterday, the laughter stopped when Russ Stolnack, Jr., aka Russ T Nailz, died at age 64. The long-time East County resident was a multiple Emmy award-winning entertainer best known as a comedian, radio host, musician and celebrity auctioneer for charities.

On his Facebook page, he celebrated “making a living doing what I love.”

He also died doing what he loved, while filming "On The Air."  His  long-time TV and radio cohost, Robert “Sully” Sullivan, said Stolnack “was signing a song with the house band when he had a heart attack, and – just like that – he was gone.”

Source: Rancho San Diego Sheriff substation

March 10, 2022 (Spring Valley) -- Take a good look at this sketch.  The man you see here is suspected of approaching a student and demanding she get in his car while she was walking to school in the Casa de Oro area of Spring Valley.

By Miriam Raftery

March 9, 2022 (Julian) -- The Julian Daffodil Project was started by Sally Snipes in 1990 as a memorial to her father Jack Snipes. Now there are 4 million bulbs planted in Julian, according to the Julian Daffodils page on Facebook.

Each year, the group hosts the Julian Daffodil show. This year, the free event will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20 from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at the Julian Town Hall, 2129 Main Street in the heart of historic Julian.

In addition, you can enjoy U-pick daffodils on Saturdays and Sundays from March 19 through May 1 during Daffodil Days at Julian Farm and Orchard, 4381 Highway 79, Julian.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Vince Kattoula, President, Chaldean Coalition (Screenshot via CBS 8 video)

March 9, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The nonprofit Chaldean Coalition has filed a lawsuit contending that Chaldeans are being disenfranchised by San Diego County’s supervisorial redistricting in East County, where most of this ethnic and religious minority group resides.

The lawsuit, filed March 4 in Superior Court, claims the division of the close-knit community between two supervisorial districts is illegal under the California Election Code, which incorporates other state and federal statutory and constitutional law.

The suit was filed by attorneys from LiMandri & Jonna LLP, a Rancho Santa Fe firm with a specialty in civil rights, against the County of San Diego, its Independent Redistricting Commission, and its Registrar of Voters. The Chaldean Coalition seeks a stay, as well as preliminary and permanent injunctions, to restrain application of the County’s new Supervisorial Districts and require the redrawing of such maps in compliance with the law.

East County News Service  

March 8, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove Lions Club is having a See’s Candy Fundraiser online at the service club’s “Easter Goodies Store” https://tinyurl.com/2s3s9ryj.