East County News Service

February 4, 2024 (Santee) -- The City of Santee’s eighth annual Fido Fest will take place Saturday, February 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Town Center Community Park East, located at 550 Park Center Drive, Santee 92071. Join the City of Santee for tail-wagging fun at one of San Diego County’s most popular dog events.

This family and dog-friendly event is an opportunity for attendees to view adoptable dogs from about 20 local rescues, shop from various vendors, watch amazing demonstrations, and enjoy giveaways. If walking or shopping through the excitement works up your appetite, 5 food vendors will be serving delectable eats for all to enjoy. There will be a variety of arts and crafts to paw-take in, including: yappy hour, treat finder, doggy tattoos, an off-leash area, fly ball demonstration, an agility course, and a sniff station.

Show off your four-legged friend in costume, size, and trick contests for a chance to win a giveaway item! In addition to the showcase of contest entries, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Santee Fire Department will demonstrate their canines’ capabilities.

East County News Service 

January 31, 2024 (El Cajon) – A 20-year-old Lemon Grove man was shot and killed last night around 8:35 p.m. after exiting his vehicle, which had crashed and gone down an embankment off I-8 in El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

January 31, 2024 (San Diego)—On the heels of last week’s severe storm, another atmospheric river is moving into our region, bringing widespread rain, mountain snow as low as 3,500 feet, gusty winds, cold temperatures and possible thunderstorms.  A flood watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for Thursday morning through Friday morning for San Diego County’s mountains, deserts and valleys, with potential for flooding in some urban and low-lying areas as well as along rivers and streams.

The NWS has also issued a wind advisory for valley areas, a high surf and small craft advisory for coastal areas where waves could reach 10 feet.

Mountains and foothills have a 60% chance of 2-4 inches, a 10% chance of 4-6 inches, and a 5% chance of over 6 inches of precipitation.  Deserts could receive as much as 2 or more inches of rain, with .5 to 1 inch likely.  Valleys and coastal areas have a50%chance of 1-2 inches, a 40% chance of 2-3 inches,and a 5% chance of over 4 inches.

JPA to discuss options in a closed-door meeting with legal counsel

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Dr. Michael Hager, President, Friends of the Water Conservation Garden, and Lauren Magnuson, Interim Director of the Garden

January 30, 2024 (El Cajon) – Friends of the Water Conservation Garden and the garden’s new interim director, Lauren Magnuson, made impassioned pleas at a January 23 meeting,  asking the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to allocate additional funds through June to help alleviate a financial crisis.

The Water Conservation Garden is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year. Magnuson. said, “We supported the community during the pandemic. Now we are hoping that the community will support us.”

The Garden has over $1 million in financial obligations, including large loans taken out during the pandemic and some smaller grant funds slated to be returned. Questions have been raised by the JPA over years of inaccurate record-keeping practices and borrowing by Friends to cover the Garden’s operating expenses, among other concerns.

“The Garden has significantly cut our monthly budget by more than half,” Magnuson told ECM in an interview earlier this month. “We unfortunately had to furlough a good portion of our staff and lean on current staff to absorb those furloughed positions.” She has pledged full transparency and open communication with staff and volunteers, scrambling to pull together financial records and options to help the garden grow and thrive in the future—though the task is daunting.

By Jonathan Goetz

January 29, 2024 (El Cajon) -- The City of El Cajon is going to the dogs! Literally! They are trying to break the world record for the most dogs to watch a movie screening together. The current record of 219 dogs was set by a bunch of bored pooches in September 2023. 

Organizers in El Cajon will attempt to break the record with Beethoven, a 1992 American family comedy film that features a St. Bernard dog who causes all kinds of trouble for his human family. Maybe he didn’t hear his owners yelling at him to stop!

East County News Service

January 28, 2024 (Lakeside) -- Solana Center for Environmental Innovation will host a Vermicomposting Basic workshop on Feb. 19 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Olde Community Church, 9906 Maine Ave. in Lakeside. Join Solana Center for this one-hour workshop to discover why red wiggler worms are composting superstars! Vermicomposting has a benefit for everyone, whether you want to divert kitchen scraps from the landfill, compost in small spaces, or create a natural fertilizer for your plants. This workshop will teach you how to get started and maintain a happy home for red wiggler worms.

East County News Service

January 27, 2024 (San Diego) – Monsters on the Loose—a true crime novel by award-winning author and historian Richard L. Carrico—is set in San Diego in 1931. With forensic evidence at the time not quite what it is today, many murders went unsolved. In this gripping novel, San Diego historian and anthropologist Richard L. Carrico details the unsolved murders of three young women including one crime that took place in today’s Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP). In Monsters on the Loose, the author walks readers through the victims’ last days, the search for their killers, and the criminal trial of one suspect.

East County News Service

January 27, 2024 (San Diego) -- Supervisor Joel Anderson asked his staff to compile a list of scholarship opportunities and financial resources to assist students.

“I am aware of the financial barriers that many parents or students face. Having three children go through this process, I understand the value behind scholarship opportunities and the importance behind financial assistance,” says Supervisor Anderson.  “We have made an effort to find a diverse set of scholarship opportunities that will be useful and relevant to you. It’s important to note that many of these opportunities have upcoming deadlines, so we recommend being mindful as these dates approach. Also, if there are any other resources you would like to see included in the list, please send them to paige.bounds@sdcounty.ca.gov and we would be happy to add them.”

Below are the scholarships available for spring 2024:

January 27, 2024 (Ramona) -- Joe Cortez photographed this pair of coyotes chilling out in the Ramona Grasslands County Preserve. This biologically diverse 3,541 acre preserve also supports 23 butterfly species, 21 reptile species, six types of amphibians, 37 mammals, over 100 types of birds, and 408 plant species. You can visit on your own, or join a docent-led guided excursion.

East County News Service

January 27, 2024 (Spring Valley)—A Local Assistance Center for those impacted by recent flooding will be at the Spring Valley Library,836 Kempton St. in Spring Valley.  Hours for the two-day center will be Sunday, Jan. 28 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday through Wednesday, Jan. 29-31 from 10 a.m.to 7 p.m.

No appointments are needed. Flood victims can walk in for help with services such as:

East County News Service