August 1, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Each year, law enforcement agencies around the nation celebrate National Night Out events to help build community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Locally, some agencies are hosting their own free family-friendly events, with giveaways and everything from K9 police dog demonstrations to DJs and face painting. Others, such as La Mesa Police, invite residents to host their own neighborhood events such as block parties or barbecues which police or city representatives will visit to share information on things like crime prevention, as well as field questions and hear concerns.
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Skyler Okerman, USS Constitution Public Affairs
August 1, 2022 (Spring Valley) - Chief Petty Officer Elliott Fabrizio, a Spring Valley, California native, was awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal aboard USS Constitution, July 28. Fabrizio currently serves as a mass communication specialist.
July 31, 2022 (Spring Valley) – A San Diego man, 27, was killed after his black Toyota sedan veered out of traffic lanes and hit a white box truck parked on the shoulder of I-15 northbound, near Friar’s Road. The driver of the white box truck, a 25-year-old Spring Valley man, had stopped due to a flat tire. He was standing on the shoulder and suffered injuries after the collision pushed the truck against him Friday around 1:09 a.m.
July 31, 2022 (El Cajon) – Robert Gehr snapped this dramatic sky image on July 31 from El Cajon, as thunderstorms swept into East County’s mountain areas.
July 31, 2022 (San Diego) - The Twins evened the series with the Padres last night, both games of this series featuring big wins. They both looked for a series win today with Dylan Bundy on the mound for Minnesota against Sean Manaea.
Our radio shows from January through May 2022 are now online. For links to listen plus an index with full list of topics and interviews in each show,click hereor click the "read more" link and scroll down for audio links below the index. (Audio files may take a few moments to load.)
Highlights included interviews with candidates for Sheriff, opponents fighting to stop the Cottonwood Sand Mine, Joseph Rocha, who is running against Congressman Issa, and an SDSU professor on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We also covered actions by local city councils and supervisors, opening of a new park in Spring Valley, a visit to the Water Conservation Garden, protests over abortion rights and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, top festivals and events, and much more.
The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM. Note: The station is currently off air due to transmitter damage, but you can use the TuneIn app to listen to KNSJ online until the damage is repaired. Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. Note: Some shows are reruns; original run dates are listed below. Shows also include station IDs and public service announcements.
July 29, 2022 (Lemon Grove) — Starting on Saturday, July 30, Lemon Grove residents — many whocalled for restored public accessto the Recreation Center — will see a new step taken in that direction, as the City looks for a fresh start with its recreation offerings.
For the next six months, the City will run a Recreation Center Open Saturdays pilot program at the facility, during which they will collect data on its usage and either continue, modify, or discontinue the program in January based on what is learned.
This effort was added to the agenda on the heels of the City Council’s April priority-setting session. According toa staff report, the pilot program will cost $11,328.
July 29, 2022 (San Diego's East County) - This week’s Destination East County highlights upcoming East County events including the Julian Natural Wonderfest, an art show at a winery, a grape stomp in Julian, the Ramona Country Fair, a Star Party at Mission Trails, a Laurel and Hardy comedy night, community concerts and car shows in several communities, a concert to benefit the homeless in El Cajon, candlelight concerts, the Mt. Helix Food and Wine Festival and more.
California Senate now has bill that will dramatically change how crimes are reported
By J.W. August
Photo: CC via Bing
July 28, 2022 (San Diego) - The crime statistics don’t lie, not when it comes to domestic violence. It remains a “top of the list” top-of-mind crime of concern in California.
Update: The site came back up by early evening; the CDC has not announced what caused the outage.
July 28, 2022 (Washington D.C.) - The website for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov) has been down for at least half an hour, as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
ECM's editor found the site down while attempting to research travel vaccine requirements. She notified the CDC's media relations office, which was unaware of the outage.
July 28, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police have arrested a 22-year-old man who reportedly fled the scene after his vehicle struck and fatally injured a 20-year-old woman. Found with a signal light still hanging off his vehicle, the driver was found to be on a narcotic and faces multiple charges.
July 28, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” When Samuel Taylor Coleridge put that line into his Rime of the Ancient Mariner in 1798, he left out lawn watering. Being from Soggy Old England, having enough water for a proper garden or lawn wasn’t a priority for the author.
July 27, 2022 (Spring Valley) - The Saps at Sea, the San Diego chapter of the Sons of the Desert, the official Laurel & Hardy fan organization, will host their August gathering, "Caveman Comedies", on August 13 at 7 p.m. at Williams Hall at Trinity Church in Spring Valley.
July 27, 2022 (Ramona) – Luis Miguel Sanabria Rosas, 34, of Ramona died July 22 at the scene of a solo vehicle crash on eastbound San Pasqual Valley Road. Rosas’ vehicle plummeted down an embankment, striking a boulder.
A passing motorist saw the accident and called 911. Law enforcement and paramedics responded; paramedics pronounced him dead without medical intervention due to fatal trauma.
July 27, 2022 (Pine Hills) – The body of Terry Hughes, 76, has been found, according to a post by Cheryl Bakken on the Find Terry Hughes Facebook page. Hughes left his Pine Hills home near Julian for a walk Monday around 4 p.m.
July 27, 2022 (Santee) "Love" after-hours wedding ceremonies, or appointments to get married, are now offered for two upcoming Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at four locations at the County of San Diego Recorders in Chula Vista, Santee, San Marcos, and downtown. The next two dates for late appointments are August 10 and September 14.
Or, as Jordan Z. Marks, Esq., Assessor Taxpayer Advocate said, “Happiness begins here.” And, it did for couples like Peytan Teets and Samantha Wartelle who selected the first late appointment on July 20. Marks was on site to congratulate the newlyweds.
Update July 28, 7 a.m. -- Roads have reopened, but drive carefully and watch for firefighters mopping up hot spots. Evacuation orders have been lifted. While forward spread is 35% contained with forward spread halted at 180 acres and no homes lost, North County Fire District this morning issued a smoke advisory due to the lingering effects of the #CasnerFire in Ramona.
Update 7 p.m. Forward spread has been stopped at 180 acres.
Update 2:25 p.m.: The Casner Fire is now 156 acres and 0% contained, per Cal Fire. The Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP) set up for the #CasnerFire has been moved to Olive Peirce Middle School located at 1521 Hanson Lane in Ramona.
View video of fire drop on Golden Eagle Rd. near Witch Creek fire station, taken by Brett Stalbaum: https://youtu.be/hkpqIhOhbtM
East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts
Photo, right, by Brett Stalbaum
July 27, 2022 (Ramona) -- Evacuation notices have been issued for homes on or near Rancho Ballena Road in the #CasnerFire, which has charred at least 40 acres in Ramona.
The fire began near the junction of Casner and State Route 78, which is closed eastbound at the Old Julian Highway. ECM photographer Brett Stalbaum reports the fire is near the Trumper's fruit stand close to Stage Coach Road and the Cal Fire Witch Creek station.
A temporary evacuation point has been moved to Olive Peirce Middle School at 1521 Hanson Lane.
July 26, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Do you recognize any of these jewelry pieces? El Cajon Police
detectives are working a burglary series associated with elder abuse. Victims who were being cared for by a caregiver had personal items stolen, ECPD reports on its Facebook page.
July 26, 2022 (Lakeside) – The owner of Shiloh Ireland Photography sent in these photos taken at the Lakeside Rodeo grounds on July 17, including an action shot of a junior barrel racer.
Photo: Miriam Raftery and Henri Migala (Elijah McKee, also a winner, was not present)
July 26, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Magazine continues to be recognized for its high quality reporting on news in the public interest in San Diego’s inland region.
On July 21st, the Society of Professional Journalists held its annual journalism awards presentation. East County Magazine received three awards, bringing our total number of professional journalism awards to 140 since our inception in 2008. The winning journalists are Elijah McKee, Henri Migala, and Miriam Raftery.
"Trump did what he did—and refused for hours to stop the violence—because it was part of a determined, months-long plan to carry out a coup. This was a crime."
July 26, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - The House January 6 committee's first series of public hearings came to a close Thursday with a primetime event featuring fresh evidence that former President Donald Trump gave a "green light" to the right-wing mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol last year and ignored pleas to stop the violence.
First live demonstration of bi-directional charging since launch of the federal cross-sector collaboration initiative to rapidly commercialize technology
Source: SDG&E
July 26, 2022 (San Diego) - Today, San Diego Gas & Electric announced that it has successfully deployed an innovative technology that enables eight electric school buses to put electricity back on the grid when needed such as on hot summer days. A collaborative effort between SDG&E, the Cajon Valley Union School District and locally based technology company Nuvve, this is the first vehicle-to-grid (V2G) project to become operational in Southern California, helping to advance clean air and climate goals while also bolstering grid reliability.
July 24, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service is forecasting cooler temperatures and possible thunderstorms today through most of next week in San Diego County’s mountains and deserts.
Gusty winds, lightning, heavy rain and small hail may also occur with afternoon thunderstorms. The odds are slight for today, but increase later in the week.
July 23, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee, successfully advanced five amendments this month during floor consideration of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 7900).
Volunteers also needed to help animals at Fry’s nonprofit, A Way Home For Dogs
By Karen Pearlman
Photo: Babs Fry and a rescued dog relax in a 2020 photo near Fry's van that recently was totaled. Fry is hoping for volunteers to step up and help out while her team is looking to raise money to replace the van. Photo courtesy of Babs Fry
July 23, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- Babs Fry is the one who gets the call from a frantic pet owner when a cat or dog goes missing, the one the California Highway Patrol calls when someone's pet is found wandering on a freeway.
July 23, 2022 (El Cajon) – The driver of a black 2012 Toyota Prius has died after the vehicle struck a parked SUV. The man, 38, was transported by paramedics to Scripps Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
July 23, 2022 (San Diego) - Monarch Butterflies have been declared an internationally endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The group has placed monarchs on their Red List and warns that the beloved orange and butterflies could become extinct unless actions are taken to protect them.
July 23, 2022 (Borrego Springs) -- Michael Martinez, a 69-year-old man classified by the state as a sexually violent predator, will be released and placed in a home on Running M Road in Borrego Springs
July 22, 2022 (Santee) -- Ronn Hall, a member of the Santee City Council for eight years, says he wants to keep the job and is running this November for another term.
By Miriam Raftery
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Skyler Okerman, USS Constitution Public Affairs
East County News Service
East County News Service
By Liz Alper
Our radio shows from January through May 2022 are now online. For links to listen plus an index with full list of topics and interviews in each show, 
By Elijah McKee
By Miriam Raftery
California Senate now has bill that will dramatically change how crimes are reported
By Miriam Raftery
By Pat Woodard
East County News Service
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
East County News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
"Trump did what he did—and refused for hours to stop the violence—because it was part of a determined, months-long plan to carry out a coup. This was a crime."
First live demonstration of bi-directional charging since launch of the federal cross-sector collaboration initiative to rapidly commercialize technology
By Miriam Raftery
Source: Congresswoman Sara Jacobs
Volunteers also needed to help animals at Fry’s nonprofit, A Way Home For Dogs
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
East County News Service
By Mike Allen
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