East County News Service

August 28, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) --The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation will return with both its annual 35th Sycuan Powwow Sept. 6-8 and 3rd Fashion Show themed “The Fire Within” on Sept. 5. The theme will allow Native American artists to illuminate the beauty, talent and resilience of Native American culture, declaring “we are still here.”

The fashion show’s theme, inspired by the Kumeyaay greeting "may the fire (your spirit) burn bright within you," reflects the enduring spirit of indigenous people. The show will also feature 11 designers from Turtle Island, with their designs available for purchase.

The three-day powwow will showcase champion powwow dancers from across the United States, Canada and Mexico. We will celebrate the beautiful dance style of indigenous people representing their tribes. Chairman Cody Martinez will also be conducting an invocation before each grand entry. Arts and craft vendors will be selling their handmade authentic jewelry, pottery, basketry and paintings, and of course, there will be lots of food vendors.

East County News Service

September 1, 2024 (El Cajon) -- East County artists and galleries are banding together to host the 13th Annual Alley Cat Art Walk on Friday, September 13th. This free, family-friendly event will take place on Main Street and Rea Avenue in Downtown El Cajon from 4 to 8 p.m. 

Hosted by the art galleries, studios, museums, and small businesses in the Historic Downtown El Cajon District, the Art Walk is an annual celebration of the local art scene. All are welcome to stroll through Arts Alley to see the artisanal craft booths, boutique vendors, children’s interactive art booths, live music and entertainment. All venues participating are within walking distance, making it easy to scope around, shop, and take in all the different mediums and styles.

East County News Service

August 28, 2024 (San Diego) --  San Diego State University and California Coast Credit Union leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 21 commemorating the grand opening of the new Cal Coast Credit Union Student Financial Center. 

In 2023, California Coast Credit Union pledged $3 million to establish a financial center that would help students gain financial literacy and wellness skills. The Cal Coast Credit Union Student Financial Center, located on the second floor of SDSU’s Student Services West, has undergone renovations and expansions over the past year while remaining open to students. It serves as a hub for financial education, offering resources for financial aid, bill paying, budgeting, and more.

“I worked full time while I attended SDSU and I didn’t know where to turn on campus for personal financial advice,” said Cal Coast President & CEO Todd Lane (class of ’86). “I didn’t want students to experience that today. That is why it’s been a passion of mine to help develop a variety of free resources on campus to assist students with their personal finances, and make sure students are aware of them. I’m proud to know that through these efforts, we’ve helped students by setting them on a path to thrive financially in the long term.”

By Miriam Raftery

Updated August 29, 2024 with identity of the teen suspect who died at the scene following a pursuit.

August 28, 2024 (San Diego) –  A San Diego Police officer is dead and a second officer hospitalized in critical condition after their patrol vehicle was struck by a suspect following a high-speed chase. The suspect also died at the scene on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. west of I-805 around 11:30 p.m. on Monday.

Ironically, the chase initiated by other officers had been called off to protect public safety, shortly before the suspect slammed into the vehicle driven by Officer Austin Machitar, who was responding to a call to assist with the pursuit. A field training officer who appeared in SDPD recruitment flyers and videos, Officer Machitar had just celebrated his 30^th birthday when the deadly crash occurred. He died at the scene.

Officer Zach Martinez, 27, a Navy reservist trained by Machitar, was in the patrol vehicle’s passenger seat during the crash. As of yesterday, he remained hospitalized at Sharp Memorial with serious injuries.

The suspect has been identified as Edgar Giovanny Oviedo, 16, of San Diego.

By Mike Allen

Photo: Former Padre Dam Municipal Water District director Augie Scalzitti is challenging Councilman Dustin Trotter.

August 27, 2024 (Santee)-- This November, Santee voters are facing several choices on their ballots, one for mayor and one for District Four Council representative, as well as whether to enact a half cent increase to their sales tax.

In the 4th District, incumbent Councilman Dustin Trotter is being challenged by Augie Scalzitti. Development is emerging as a key issue in this race.

By Branda Gorgies

Photos by Branda Gorgies and via Creative Commons Google

August 26, 2024 (Lemon Grove) -- On August 6, the Lemon Grove City Council held a meeting that lasted seven hours, until 1 a.m. Public comments were moved to the end of the meeting for non-agendized items, so residents had to stay late to speak out on the proposed sleeping cabins for the homeless.  

Two other items that were on the agenda also drew controversy: approval of a Quick Quack Car Wash and a Raising Cane’s chicken restaurant.

The room was filled with protestors holding signs. First to speak against the sleeping was Bryan Delgado, who called them “tin cans.” He cited concern that  constituents were not being consulted, but his main concern was bringing down the neighborhood. After Delgado’s comments, Mayor Racquel Vasquez clarified that the project is county-based..

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2024 (Chicago, IL) – In an unprecedented action, numerous prominent Republicans have spoken at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President—including top Trump administration leaders, a conservative judge,and elected Republican officials. These speakers urged Americans to put country over party, warning that their former boss poses a threat to American democracy and is unfit to hold the nation’s highest office.

Many other prominent Republicans have also endorsed Harris and/or warned that Donald Trump should not be president again, including his former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his former national security advisor, Trump’s White House chief of staff, other administration insiders, and 15 former Republican members of Congress.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos, top left to lower right: Kristine Alessio, Genevieve Suzuki, Lauren Cazares, and Shawn Townsend.

August 22, 2024 (La  Mesa) – Former La Mesa City Councilmember Kristine Alessio is the latest to file papers to run for the La Mesa City Council. The three other candidates in the race, previously profiled by ECM, are Lauren Cazares, Genevieve Suzuki, and Shawn Townsend. 

La Mesa’s City Council will have two new members after the November election.  That’s because Councilman Jack Shu is retiring and Councilman Colin Parent, whose term  expires, is running for State Assembly. The top two vote-getters will fill the seats.

Here are highlights of the four candidates vying for the two open seats, hoping to represent La Mesans.

View video of full acceptance speech by Tim Walz

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2024 (Chicago, IL) – Cheered on by Democratic National convention delegates and many of his former students, Minnesota GovernorTim Walsh accepted the vice presidential nomination as Kamala Harris’ running mate last night. “I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this,but I have given a lot of pep talks,” the former high school football coach, teacher, former Congressman and military veteran told the crowd.

He likened the 76-days until Election Day to a football game in the fourth quarter, adding, “We’re on offense and we’ve got the ball...and boy, do we have the right team.” He called Harris tough, experience and ready to “build a country where workers come first, healthcare and housing are human rights, and the government stays the hell out of of your bedroom.”

Walz said it was the players he once coached and his students who first inspired him to run for Congress.  “They saw in me what I had hoped to instill in them: a commitment to the common good, an understanding that we’re all in this together, and the belief that a single person can make a real difference for their neighbors.”

East County News Service

Update August 21, 2024:  The victim has been identified as Arthur Stephen Andreatta, 74.

August 19, 2024 (Boulevard) – The Sheriff’s homicide unit is investigating the death of a 75-year-old man found dead with head trauma inside his home in the 900 block of Tierra Del Sol Road in Boulevard.

Cal Fire  called for deputies from the Pine Valley Sheriff’s station to assist after finding the man unresponsive and later pronouncing him dead.

Source: Sharp Healthcre

August 18,2024 (La Mesa) -- Hospice care is a vital service that offers support, comfort and compassion for people with life-limiting medical conditions. But despite its importance, many myths and misconceptions surround hospice, often deterring people from seeking the help they need.

“More than 1.5 million people receive hospice care each year in the United States, but it’s still a service many people don’t know they’re eligible for or don’t think can help them,” says Suzi K. Johnson, vice president of Sharp Hospice and Palliative Care.

From when and where to seek care to how much it costs patients, Johnson addresses the five most common misconceptions about hospice.