DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: HOT AUGUST NIGHTS BRING LATE SUMMER CELEBRATIONS

JULIAN MOUNTAIN BREWFEST SET FOR AUG. 23

MT. HELIX PARK FOUNDATION FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL AUG. 16 FEATURES GATSBY THEME

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MEETING ON LONG-TERM GAS SYSTEM PLANNING

UPGRADES TO RAMONA AIR ATTACK BASE PLANNED FOR NEW CAL FIRE TANKER

CONGRESSWOMAN SARA JACOBS HOSTS TOWN HALL JULY 27 IN ESCONDIDO, SINCE ISSA WON’T HOLD LIVE SESSION WITH HIS CONSTITUENTS

SUPERVISORS TO WEIGH IN ON COTTONWOOD SAND MINE IN SEPTEMBER

PEDESTRIAN DEATH IN RAMONA

THREE-VEHICLE CRASH ON DEHESA ROAD KILLS EL CAJON WOMAN

SANTEE TAKES HIGH ROAD, APPROVES FOUR CANNABIS SHOPS

FANITA RANCH CHALLENGED AGAIN IN NEW LAWSUIT

TRUMP SENDS SUPPLIES TO EUROPEAN ALLIES, WHILE PUTIN INTENDS TO KEEP FIGHTING UKRAINE

AZTEC SOFTBALL FALLS IN SERIES FINALE AT SAN JOSE STATE

 

SDSU is swept in its opening Mountain West series

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Courtesy goaztecs.com

March 18, 2018 (Los Altos, Calif.) - The San Diego State softball team ended its Mountain West opening series with a 9-1, five-inning loss at San José State Sunday afternoon at Foothill College in Los Altos, Calif. The Aztecs are now 9-20 and 0-3 in MW play.

READER’S EDITORIAL: PLANNERS SHOULD OPPOSE LA MESA SUMMIT, PROPOSED LUXURY HOMES ON CITY’S HIGHEST WESTERN HILLTOP

 

An open letter to La Mesa Planning Commission Chair James D. Newland

By Dr. Anthony D. McIvor

March 18, 2018 (La Mesa) -- As 60-year residents of La Mesa, our family objects to The Phair Company’s La Mesa Summit housing proposal. Luxury houses (at $1million+) usually offer green energy and amenities, but the sum of them, for just a handful of buyers, cannot begin to offset the loss to the larger community, if the plan were approved as is.  

JUDGE APPROVES PLACING SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR IN BOULEVARD

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 18, 2018 (Boulevard) – On Friday, Judge David Gill approved placement of Michael Joseph Martinez at 2135 McCain Valley Road in Boulevard, a small town in San Diego's East County, starting in late April. Martinez has been in  state mental hospital since 2009 but was approved last year for release. He was committed as a sexually violent predator and has been diagnosed with a pedophilia and personality disorder.

SEND IN YOUR BEST SHOTS: LAKE JENNINGS PHOTO CONTEST

 

East County News Service

March 17, 2018 (Lakeside) -- Do you love the great outdoors? Do you have a digital SLR or cell phone camera?  If so, you’re invited to come out and compete in this year’s Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest.

The shooting window is from March to the end of May and contest participants can get a free day pass to explore the reservoir to seek, find and capture eye-catching images.

LA MESA PLANNING COMMISSION TO CONSIDER TWO MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES MARCH 21

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 17, 2018 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Planning Commission will consider applications for two medical marijuana dispensaries during public hearings March 21st at 7 p.m. in the La Mesa City Council chambers (8130 Allison Ave., La Mesa).  

COLLEGE AREA ROBBER POSED AS TICKET SELLER

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 17, 2018 (San Diego) – San Diego State University campus police have issued an alert following a robbery that occurred yesterday at 11:05 a.m. in the east alley of 5100 College Avenue.  The suspect offered to sell basketball tickets to the victim, but instead reportedly stole the victim’s money.

SDG&E, AMERICAN RED CROSS, 2-1-1 SAN DIEGO HOST COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLES ADDRESSING WILDFIRE RISK AND POWER SHUT-OFFS

 

Upated March 16, 2018 with more meeting times and details added.

March 8, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- SDG&E announces five upcoming community forums from March 9 through April 6 in high fire risk communitie to get feedback from residents and share information on fire resiliency and power shut-offs.  Dates are March 9 in Pine Valley, March 16 in Descanso, March 23 in Valley Center, March 30 in Ramona, and April 6 in Warner Springs.

Below is the press release from SDG&E:

DRIVER TOWING CONCRETE BLOCKS KILLED IN I-8 CRASH AT BOULEVARD

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 17, 2018 (Boulevard) – A driver, 67, from the Salton Sea was killed last night shortly before 7 p.m.  He was driving a 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 truck and towing a three-axle flatbed trailer loaded with concrete blocks on I-8 eastbound near Ribbonwood Road when he lost control and plunged down an embankment.

VIDEO SHOWS THIEVES STEALING $200,000 IN JEWELRY: EL CAJON STORE OWNER UNINSURED FOR LOSS

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Screenshot from surveillance video, courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

March 16, 2018 (El Cajon) – The owner of Forever Fine Jewelry has suffered a devastating loss after thieves stole $200,000 worth of gold and silver jewelry. A group of nine people, including five men and women with babies, distracted the owner while a woman dressed in black, shown on surveillance  video, crawled on the floor to snatch jewelry from display cases and a safe in a back room, 10 News reports.

The owner, an Iraqi immigrant who came here a decade ago,borrowed money from family to start the business and had no insurance for the losses, NBC 7 reports.

ON THE SILVER SCREEN: LARA CROFT RETURNS IN ACTION-PACKED BIG SCREEN FUN (TOMB RAIDER)

 

By Liz Alper

Photos via jeddjong.wordpress.com

March 13, 2018 (San Diego) - When I was a kid, my best friend had a PlayStation.  On that PlayStation, he had the original Tomb Raider game.  Gaming was simpler back then; feminists didn’t have to complain about the “sexualization of women” (there is none) in games because, you know, this was the 90s; women and men in video games were just...blocks (Goldeneye, anyone?).  So, I went to see Tomb Raider under the premise of nostalgia.

EL CAJON POLICE OFFICER WINS COUNTYWIDE AWARD

 

By Miriam Raftery; photos by Monica Zech

Photo: El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis, left, and Officer Jordan Walker, right

March 15, 2018 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Officer Jordan Walker was named Top Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year countywide by the Auto Theft Advisory Committee out of 33 officers honored yesterday in Balboa Park.

GROSMONT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ADVANCES TO POETRY OUT LOUD STATE FINALS

 

East County News Service

Photo by Ron Logan:  Write Out Loud Executive Director Walter Ritter, San Diego Regional Champion Kylie Greaves and Write Out Loud Artistic Director Veronica Murphy

March 15, 2018 (San Diego) -- Kylie Greaves, a Senior at Grossmont Middle College High School in El Cajon took first place in the 2018 countywide Poetry Out Loud competition on February 6th at The San Diego Central Library downtown. Greaves will represent San Diego at the upcoming state finals March 18 and 19 in Sacramento.

KEY FARMING ISSUES HIGHLIGHTED AT COMMUNITY EVENT SPONSORED BY INDIVISIBLE RAMONA

 

By Joyce Strand

Photo from left to right: Democratic candidate for Congress Ammar Campa-Najjar, Republican candidate for Congress Shamus Sayed, Luawanna Hallstrom and Warren Bacon.

March 15, 2018 (Ramona) - The topics of water, farm labor, and NAFTA dominated presentations at Indivisible Ramona’s second community meeting to understand issues of importance to San Diego County, held at the Ramona Library Community Room on February 27th.

CRASH DAMAGES URGENT CARE IN LA MESA

 

East County News Service

Photo: ECM news partner 10 News

March 15, 2018 (La Mesa) – The Marque Urgent Care Center on Lake Murray Boulevard in La Mesa was evacuated and shut down yesterday, after an out of control SUV knocked out two pillars at the facility.

The burgundy-colored Honda Pilot also knocked over signs and hit a tree before being halted by a railing outside a nearby barbecue restaurant.

SDSU MEN'S BASKETBALL OUT OF NCAA TOURNEY AFTER CRUSHING DEFEAT BY HOUSTON

 

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Story by Liz Alper

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com and Derrick Tuskan

March 15, 2018 (Wichita) - SDSU men’s basketball started their journey to the Big Dance tonight against Houston.  It’s the Cougars’ first at-large NCAA Tournament bid since 1990.

EAST COUNTY ATTORNEY FOUND WITH HEAD INJURY IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Paul Hanks, a La Mesa resident, real estate broker and attorney with an office in Santee, was found by rescuers today in Joshua National Park.  He had fallen some 20 feet off a trail and suffered a head injury, but was conscious when found and is expected to have a full recovery, CBS 8 reports.

SANTEE-BASED POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE TO HOST PUBLIC MEETING ON NEW GUN LAWS

 

East County News Service

March 15, 2018 (La Mesa) – The San Diego County Gun Owners (SDCGO), a Santee-based political action committee promoting Second Amendment rights, will host its 2018 California Gun Laws Convention, an event open to the public, from 4 to 7 p.m., Saturday, March 17, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Surfside Race Place, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. 

ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

 

March 15, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views.  Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

 WORLD

 For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

INDIVISIBLE RAMONA HOSTS FORUM ON SOLUTIONS TO GUN VIOLENCE MARCH 25

 

East County News Service

March 14, 2018 (Ramona) -- Indivisible Ramona invites the public to attend a forum on Solutions to Gun Violence on Sunday, March 25th beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Ramona Library Community Room, 1275 Main St., Ramona, CA 92065.

RAMONA H.E.A.R.T. MURALS PROJECT TO SPONSOR PAINTING OF RAMONA UTILITY BOXES

 

East County News Service

March 14, 2018 (Ramona) – Utility boxes in Ramona will soon be sporting murals painted by local artists, sponsored by the Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Murals Project.

The 17 SDG&E utility boxes on or near Main Street in Ramona will be painted started this spring.

LEMON GROVE COUNCILMAN DISPUTES ASSAULT CLAIM, SAYS HE ACTED IN SELF DEFENSE

 

Updated March 17. 2018 with photos of Williams' injuries and quote from his wife, courtesy of Candid Chronicle.

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2018 (Lemon Grove) – Last week, the San Diego Reader published an article revealing that a claim has been filed against the City of Lemon Grove by Christopher Williams.  Williams, who has applied to open medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, seeks punitive damages and medical costs resulting from what he alleges was an assault by Councilman David Arambula. Now Councilman Matt Mendoza is calling for an investigation.

IS IT TIME FOR YOUR SECOND DOSE OF HEPATITIS A VACCINE?

 

If you were among the San Diego County residents to receive a hepatitis A vaccine during the recent local outbreak, it could be time for your second dose of vaccine.

Anyone who received their first hepatitis vaccination before mid-September 2017 should get a second dose now to complete the series and assure long-term protection.

HOMELESS ARRESTED FOR CAMPING AT RAMONA CREEK

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2018 (Ramona) -- Nine homeless people were arrested last week and charged with trespassing for camping along the Santa Maria Creek in the Ramona area.

According to the Ramona Sentinel, those arrested were warned during prior sweeps and a cleanup of the area that they would have to relocate, but did not do so.

TRUMP BASHES BROWN IN VISIT TO BORDER WALL

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Frank Gormlie, San Diego Free Press

March 14, 2018 (San Diego) – In a visit to San Diego on Monday, President Donald Trump toured prototypes of a border wall in Otay Mesa.  Hundreds of protesters turned out, San Diego Free Press reports, at the border as well as downtown. 

Trump supporters also came to greet the president including rallies by the anti-immigrant organization San Diegans for Secure Borders, a group led by former San Diego Minutemen organizer Jeff Schwilk.

IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUPS SPEAK OUT AS TRUMP VISITS CA

 

Suzanne Potter, California News Service

March 14, 2018 (San Diego) -- Even as President Donald Trump wraps up his first visit to the Golden State since the election, immigrant-rights groups are embracing California's new nickname as the "State of Resistance."

EL CAJON POLICE RELEASE IDENTITY AND DETAILS ON FATAL SHOOTING

 

East County News Service

March 14, 2018 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Department has identified Joseph Mercurio, 31, as the vehicular burglary suspect shot and killed on March 11th.  Investigators have since learned from their investigation that “Mercurio was driving a stolen vehicle and had been involved in at least two vehicle burglaries the night of this incident,” Sgt. Forster said. 

EL CAJON POLICE PLAN DUI PATROLS ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY

 

East County News Service

March 14, 2018 (El Cajon) — St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most popular holidays in the United States. With a plethora of Irish immigrants and many, many more St. Paddy’s Day well-wishers, the holiday is heavily celebrated by most Americans with friendly pinches, bangers n’ mash, and green beer galore. Sadly, all this merry-making can lead to dangerous driving conditions as party-goers head home. 

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