Source: Toni Atkins, President Pro Tem, California State Senate
October 1, 2022 (San Diego) – State Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) released the following statement following Governor Newsom’sproposal to implement a windfall profits tax and his announcement directing the California Air Resources Board to immediately take steps necessary to allow early transition to winter-blend gasoline:
October 1, 2022 (San Diego) -- This year marks the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week. Fire Prevention Week is to bring heightened awareness to saving lives, preventing injuries, and protecting property. Start planning and sharing with family and friends now!
By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office
October 1, 2022 (Guatay) - A deer mouse collected in routine monitoring from an open area in Guatay near Pine Valley has tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus.
September 30, 2022 (Spring Valley) - ECM Sports covered Monte Vista last week, but this week, we went to their turf for the battle of Spring Valley as they hosted the Matadors of Mount Miguel. Both teams are struggling; the Monarchs are 1-4 on the season and 0-1 in league with their loss to El Cajon Valley last week. The Matadors are 2-4 and 0-2 in league.
The schedule is highlighted by games at Stanford, San Francisco (Chase Center) and the West Palm Beach Invitational
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
September 30, 2022 (San Diego) - Head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson has released the Aztecs’ non-conference schedule. The highlights include a game at Stanford, a clash with San Francisco at the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, and a trip to Florida for the West Palm Beach Invitational.
September 30, 2022 (Sacramento) -- A renewed lifeline is available for small business owners still struggling after the pandemic - as the California Rebuilding Fund has announced it is making an additional $15 million available to fund fixed-rate low-interest loans.
September 30, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Assemblymember Akilah Weber M.D. invites young people to participate in a virtual Youth Money Skills program on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 5 p.m. The program aims to teach financial independence skills to youths.
Photo via the Governor’s office: Governor Gavin Newsom signs the CARE Act into law at a ceremony in San Jose
September 29, 2022 (Sacramento) – East County’s legislators unanimously supported a measure signed into law Sept. 14 by Governor Gavin Newsom. It’s aimed at addressing a dire problem: homeless people suffering from untreated mental illness or substance abuse disorders.
"Oh, it's hard to give in! But it is worse to risk everything for stubborn pride." --Creon quote from Antigone by Sophocles.
September 29, 2022 (Poway) - PowPac is presenting Another Antigone. A wry, witty, drama written by AR. Gurney, the play portrays the battle of wills between a college professor and his student. The play compares collegiate life to a Greek tragedy. Four tremendous acting jobs, touches of humor, and thought-provoking moments guide us through this look at the repercussions of choice. Does anyone win when pride becomes involved?
September 29, 2022 (Spring Valley) – A suspect accused of assaulting a man parked in a vehicle has been arrested after a manhunt earlier today.
The assault occurred at 11:26 in the 3900 block of Conrad Road, Spring Valley. On social media, a resident posted that her brother-in-law suffered a head injury in the assault and was robbed; she indicated he has been transported to a local hospital.
Photos:f Alena Mitchem, known as Gracie; her hair was dyed green when she was last seen
September 29, 2022 (Spring Valley) – The family of 15-year-old Alena “Gracie” Mitchem is asking for public help to find her. She has been missing form her Spring Valley home since late at night on September 22. Gracie has green eyes and brown hair, but her hair was dyed green when she was last seen, according to a listing on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website. She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 155 pounds. (Note, some flyers had a misspelling. Her first name is Alena.)
Her sister, Aleena Christine Jones, posted on Facebook, “We believe she was lured out by someone online via the PlayStation platform...She took important documents that no child would think of…She’s had zero contact with anyone since her disappearance, no social media presence whatsoever… We have to bring her home.… Gracie we love you so much.”
Gracie’s mother, Shannon Hoffman, believes her daughter was lured by an adult. She is frustrated with the Sheriff’s initial response treating the matter as a runaway case, and by the lack of media notification, but added that detectives are now checking into the Playstation contacts. “As a mother, I know deep down something is wrong,” she posted, adding that she suspects someone enticed Gracie with a promise of a job, since the family has struggled financially.
September 29, 2022 (Sacramento) -A measure by Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee), which will expand the job opportunities for Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), was signed into law last night.
September 28, 2022 (El Cajon) – A man on probation for a violent assault was placed in an El Cajon motel under the county’s voucher program for homeless people. Today, he was arrested for a new assault with a deadly weapon after reportedly ramming an El Cajon Police officer’s patrol car with his vehicle.
El Cajon police officers, responding to recent narcotics activity, were conducting enforcement on West Main Street when officers recognized 33-year-old Ruben Quintana, from another assault with a deadly weapon. He was seen coming out of a room at the Travelodge motel at 425 W. Main Street, then leaving in a vehicle.
September 28, 2022 (San Diego) - The Board of Supervisors today approved additional water tanks and backcountry helicopter hydrants to give firefighting helicopters more water sources during wildland firefighting.
September 28, 2022 (Normal Heights) - The Adams Avenue Street Fair was back in Normal Heights on September 24 and September 25. This was the 40th year of the annual event and featured 65 musical acts. The Fair is Southern California’s largest free two-day music festival and is held every year in September. Included in the fun were carnival rides, beer gardens and beer tastings, arts and crafts and plenty of tasty food.
September 28, 2022 (Sacramento) -- Governor Newsom has signed the California Women’s Caucus priority package of bills aimed at expanding and protecting reproductive healthcare in California. Included in the package is Assembly Bill (AB) 2134 by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. which will provide funding to reimburse providers serving the uninsured and underinsured. The actions come in the wake of the supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade and multiple states imposing bans or severe restrictions on abortion access, with some states weighing bans on birth control access as well.
Photo by Shiloh Ireland: homeless man pores through rubble of burned encampment along San Diego River in Lakeside
September 23, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- In an internal memo to County Chief Administrative Office, Helen Robbins-Meyer sent on September 12, Supervisor Joel Anderson, who represents East County communities of District 2, asked if staff had looked into the possibility of establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and jurisdictions along the San Diego River, such as the San Diego River Park Foundation, and the Cities of San Diego and Santee. The goal of this MOU would be to address homelessness along the San Diego River.
The shallow rental subsidy program is designed to prevent low-income seniors from losing their homes
East County News Service
Photo: Supervisor Anderson greets Cunya Wu, a 102-year-old San Diego resident who joins Serving Seniors for breakfast and lunch daily.
September 28, 2022 (San Diego) – San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday to establish a rental subsidy pilot program for seniors who are at risk of becoming homeless. This motion came at the recommendation of Supervisors Joel Anderson (District 2) and Terra Lawson-Remer (District 3) earlier this year at the February 8th, 2022 board meeting to address the crisis of rising senior homelessness.
September 28, 2022 (San Diego) – San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors today approved Vehicle-Miles-Traveled (VMT) guidelines for new development in unincorporated communities aimed at fighting climate change while still allowing approximately 7,700 homes to be built faster and without expensive traffic studies.
CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
Photo CC by ND via Bing
September 28, 2022 (Sacramento) - A controversial bill aimed at fixing aspects of California’s broken nursing home licensing system was signed Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who faced dueling pressure from advocates who typically are aligned.
CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
Photo: an exam room at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties’ health center. Image courtesy of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties
September 28, 2022 (Sacramento) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of 12 bills Tuesday, establishing some of the strongest abortion protections in the nation — a direct reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn federal abortion guarantees earlier this year.
Aztecs Hall of Fame coach Steve Fisher will receive the Nice Guy of the Year Award on Saturday, Oct. 1
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
Septemeber 28, 2022 (San Diego) - Steve Fisher, former San Diego State men’s basketball head coach and an Aztecs Hall of Fame inductee, will be the recipient of the 2022 San Diego Nice Guy of the Year award on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Nice Guys of San Diego’s 42nd Annual Nice Guy of the Year Gala.
September 28, 2022 (El Cajon) -- The East County Transitional Living Center (ECTLC) in El Cajon announced that it has appointed a new CEO to take over after the passing of its previous CEO and founder, Harold Brown.
Michael Branch, the center’s new CEO, is a Navy Veteran who has an extensive career in treating those with addiction, mental health and those experiencing homelessness. The center held a meet-and-greet on September 14, which marked his official fourth week as ECTLC’s new CEO. In an interview with ECM, Branch shared how ECTLC helped him during a difficult time in his own life, and his goals as leader of the nonprofit that helps homeless people transition off the streets.
September 28, 2022 (Alpine) – Barbara Bry has a long history of empowering women to break glass ceilings. Now she’s set her sights on becoming San Diego County’s first woman to serve as the County Recorder, Assessor and County Clerk.
Speaking at the Candidates to Constituents Townhall on Sept. 18 in Alpine, Bry pledged her priority will be “excellent service” to the public as well applying her skills in business, high tech, journalism and local government to “bring new technology and innovation” to the office.
Photo, right: Councilmembers Phil Ortiz and Steve Goble
September 28, 2022 (El Cajon) – At yesterday’s El Cajon City Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously to create a subcommittee to help draft regulatory policy for motels operating with homeless vouchers. Councilmembers Steve Goble and Phil Ortiz will serve on the subcommittee.
Councilmembers and the City Manager also voiced frustration over problems caused by the county filling up motels in the city with homeless individuals using county-issued vouchers, concerns echoing those raised in a recent press conference. City leaders also expressed disappointment in the county’s failure to respond to complaints and by a threat from the Attorney General demanding that the city rescind warning notices sent to hotels exceeding a city limit on long-term occupancy by homeless instead of short-term travelers. As ECM reported, the AG accused the city of violating California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
The City also made its case that it has done more than its fair share to help the homeless in our region – far more than the county or neighboring cities in East County.
August 26, 2022 (El Cajon) - Tired of sitting home with nothing to do? Try square dancing! This social activity engages groups of eight people to form "squares" while doing a series of moves "called" by a square dance caller to a variety of toe-tapping music. Square dancing is easy to learn. And once you've learned the basics, you can dance at any square dance club in San Diego--or around the world!
September 28, 2022 (Lemon Grove) — “I really want to talk to as many people as possible, and find out how I can best represent everybody, not just one group or what people think I represent,” reflected Stephanie Klein, in the middle of her first political campaign.
She is one offive candidates vying for open seats on the Lemon Grove City Council this election year. After officially qualifying for the ballot last month, she was endorsed by the East County Chamber of Commerce.
“We can show other cities that we’re capable, and to lean into Lemon Grove as an opportunity,” she continued. “Not as some afterthought, or maybe a town that they go through to get to Home Depot.”
September 27, 2022 (San Diego) - The Padres are home for the rest of the season and trying to get that elusive wild card spot. They faced the Dodgers for three games. Tyler Anderson started tonight for L.A. against Blake Snell.
September 27, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon’s City Council received some upbeat news in a report on the financial performance of The Magnolia (formerly known as the East County Performing Arts Center). In a presentation during today’s Council hearing, representatives of the city and the Magnolia confirmed that the theater has exceeded projections and attained profitability in its third year – despite mandated shutdowns in 2020 and part of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Toni Atkins, President Pro Tem, California State Senate
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna
By 
Story and photos by Liz Alper
The schedule is highlighted by games at Stanford, San Francisco (Chase Center) and the West Palm Beach Invitational
By Suzanne Potter, California News Service
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
By Kathy Carpenter
By Miriam Raftery
Source: Senator Brian Jones
By Miriam Raftery
By 
By Miriam Raftery
By Susan Taylor
East County News Service
East County News Service
The shallow rental subsidy program is designed to prevent low-income seniors from losing their homes
East County News Service
By Jocelyn Wiener, CalMatters
By Kristen Hwang, CalMatters
Aztecs Hall of Fame coach Steve Fisher will receive the Nice Guy of the Year Award on Saturday, Oct. 1
By Christianne McCormick
By Miriam Raftery
East County News Service
By Liz Alper
By Miriam Raftery
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