By Miriam Raftery

January 2, 2024 (El Cajon) – Tow truck driver Dale Alan Pumphrey, 63, of El Cajon was struck and  killed on New Year’s Eve while working to remove a stranded vehicle on State Route 125 north of Jamacha Road.

Pumphrey was the owner of DAP & Sons Towing, according to his son, Nicholas Ordille, who has set up a fundraiser at GoFundMe to help Pumphrey’s wife, Shelley. According to the post, Pumphrey was the sole provider for his family; his widow is a cancer survivor currently in the hospital to have a toe removed due to complications of diabetes.

“My dad was one that really put everything he had into his family, “ his son says.”He would give you the last couple dollars he had, shirt off his back, couch to sleep on when needed. .. He is My Hero and role model that was taken from us too soon.”

Float features iconic wildlife from the San Diego Zoo that have inspired generations to care for and protect wildlife

January 1, 2024 (Pasadena) - Today San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance participated in the 135th Rose Parade® presented by Honda with a float celebrating the San Diego Zoo’s 107-year history. The float themed “It Began With a Roar” depicted iconic wildlife from the Zoo, including Rex the lion, whose mighty roar sparked a dream more than a century ago and inspired the world-renowned San Diego Zoo.

By Miriam Raftery

December 31, 2023 (El Cajon) – The City of El Cajon has filed a lawsuit against former Councilman Bessmon “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica Deddeh, for allegedly failing to address numerous code violations at an unauthorized bed and breakfast at the couple’s residence, NBC 7 reports.

According to the City’s complaint, the El Cajon residence has been listed on the Trivagosite as “The HIstorical Chamber House in East  San Diego with Optional Breakfast.” Code compliance officers found and photographed unpermitted construction of an outdoor stair, deck, and a second kitchen.

City code compliance investigators found violations on six visits from Sept.2019 to Jan.2022, the suite states. Multiple warning letters were sent and fines were levied, reaching $2,000 per day.  The total is now approximately $1.4 million.

The City is asking for injunctive relief including removing the unpermitted dwelling unit and movable properties within it sold under supervision of a court-appointed receiver. If rents and proceeds of selling the movable items do not cover the amount owed, the city asks the court to order that the home be sold.

December 31, 2023 --Our radio shows from August through December 2023 are now online. 

Highlights included coverage of Tropical Storm Hilary, the supervisorial special election, local representatives’ responses to the Israel-Hamas War, the e-billboard  controversy in La Mesa, financial troubles forcing cancellation of the Mother Goose Parade, interviews with GUHSD candidate Jay Steiger and CVUSD candidate Alex Welling, and Cailey Underhill from Solar Rights Alliance on efforts to repeal the utility tax.

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. Note: Some shows were reruns; original run dates are listed below. Shows also include station IDs and public service announcements.

For links to listen plus an index with topics and interviews in each show, click here or click the "read more" link and scroll down. Audio links are below the index. (Audio files may take a few moments to load.)

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 30, 2023 (Spokane) - - Reese Waters scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, Jaedon LeDee added 20 points, and San Diego State used a big second half to beat No. 13 Gonzaga 84-74 on Friday night.

East County News Service

East County News Service

December 27; 2023 (Campo) – A San Ysidro couple reported missing under suspicious circumstances a few days before Christmas were found dead in a vehicle parked outside the Golden Acorn Casino in Campo shortly after midnight on Dec. 26.

East County News Service

December 27, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – The driver of a red Ford Edge sustained fatal injuries in a solo-vehicle accident yesterday around 4:35 p.m.,  The crash also injured a passenger.  

The driver, a 52-year-old woman from  Wilmington, California, veered off I-8 westbound just east of McCain Valley Road in Jacumba Hot springs.  The vehicle rolled over multiple times, tumbling down an embankment.

By Melinda Myers

December 26, 2023 (San Diego) - There’s no need to visit a spa for a bit of soothing aromatherapy. Grow fragrant plants indoors to improve your mood and promote a sense of relaxation.

By: Jessyka Heredia

Watch video here

December 22, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove’s City Council on Tuesday voted 3-0 (with Councilmembers Liana LeBaron and George Gastil both absent) for a 3% raise for all non-contracted employees. The Council also approved an amendment for a 3% increase to the City Managers pay, a half percent increase above what her contract states as well as an additional 2.5 making a total of 5.5% increase.

This is the second straight year SDSU has won at least nine games in non-conference play

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 21, 2023 (West Palm Beach, Fla.) - The Aztec women’s basketball team (9-4) pushed their win streak to five games with a convincing 75-48 win over Florida Atlantic in the West Palm Beach Classic Thursday.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College

Updated January 8, 2024 with comments from Dr. Michael Hager regarding Jennifer Pillsbury's resignation.

December 20, 2023 (Rancho San Diego)--The Water Conservation Garden will run out of money as early as mid-December, the nonprofit organization Friends of The Water Conservation Garden (Friends) stated at an October 24 meeting of the Water Conservation Garden Joint Powers Authority (JPA),  the consortium of public utility and governmental entities that oversees the Friends.

The Friends group had not been able to put together a financial status report for a substantial period of time, ECM has learned. When the bookkeeping problems were finally resolved in September, they realized they were going to run out of money in December, Friends informed the JPA. JPA members voiced frustration and peppered representatives of Friends and the Garden with pointed questions over the financial situation,  including controversy over loans secured by Friends that JPA members said they were not informed about.

East County News Service

Photos courtesy of CalFire San Diego

December 20, 2023 (Ramona)—The crew from Cal Fire’s Station 80 rescued nearly 20 animals from a barn fire in Ramona earlier this week, including these adorable puppies.

Unfortunately, one animal perished in the fire on Ramona Real.

December 19, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• County school districts graded on bond spending (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Family Reunification Pilot Program launches in East County (CBS 8)
• Migrant advocates say county-funded center is mismanaged and lacks transparency (KPBS)
• Migrants falling from border wall with traumatic injuries spikes (10 News)
• Not your grandma's granny flat: How San Diego hacked state housing law to build ADU 'apartment buildings' (KPBS)
• At odds over where low-income homes must be built, City Council rejects sweeping package of housing incentives (San Diego Union-Tribune)
•  Fake badges sold by a San Diego County tribal police chief gave ‘VIPs’ cop privileges  (MSN)
• Urgent Care doctors sound the alarm over Imperial Beach water quality  (CBS 8)
• White gold’ could revolutionize Imperial Valley. Will locals be included?  (KPBS)
• El Cajon mayor calls on SANDAG to probe South Bay expressway tolls  (KPBS)
• SANDAG's online mapping tool aimed at improving street safety receives hundreds of submissions (CBS 8)
• Mayor Todd Gloria signs use of smart streetlights, license plate readers into law  (KPBS)
• Eric Kutsenda accepts role as Padres’ new chairman, interim control person ‘with a heavy heart’(San Diego Union-Tribune)
• After cyberattack, Tri-City Medical Center documents reportedly found on dark web (KPBS)

STATE

• Potentially Fatal Mystery Illness Is Sickening CA Dogs (Patch)
• California’s budget deficit swells to record $68B as tax revenue falls (Politico)
• As hospitals close labor wards, large stretches of California are without maternity care (KPBS)
• The Colorado River’s biggest user will conserve some water in exchange for federal dollars (KPBS)
• The Future of the Colorado River Hinges on One Young Negotiator (ProPublica)
• Utility regulators to defend new California solar rules in court this week  (KPBS)

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