By Miriam Raftery

June 8, 2022 (Spring Valley) – A stabbing suspect has been apprehended following a  search yesterday in the Casa de Oro area of Spring Valley. Rene Soto, 41, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

Update June 8, 2022 - With 21.5% of votes tallied, Fletcher's lead has grown. The Supervisor now has 61.95%.  Reichert has 29..025 and will advance to the runoff in November.  Hooker trails with 9.02%.

By Miriam Raftery

June 7, 2022 (San Diego) – Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, whose redrawn district 4 now extends east into El Cajon, has a strong lead with 63.56%. Amy Reichert, with 27.35%, is posed to advance to the runoff in November, while Sidiqa Hooker has 9.09%.

Update June 8, 2022 - The Secretary of State's office has posted preliminary results  for the 48th Congressional including both San Diego and Riverside counties. With provisional and some mail-in ballots remaining to be tallied, Rep. Issa has 59.3%, Houlahan, with 29%, will advance to the November runoff.  Rascon has 10% and Lucinda KWH Jahn has 1.6%.

By Miriam Raftery

June 7, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Stephen Houlahan, a nurse with a masters in business administration and former Santee Councilman, is heading for a runoff election against Congressman Darrell Issa in November.

Update June 8, 2022:  With 21.5% of the vote counted, Undersheriff Martinez now has 38.09%, followed by Hemmerling with 20.42% and Myers with 17.85%. The top two will run off in November.

By Miriam Raftery

June 7, 2022 (San Diego) – Early results after polls closed tonight show Undersheriff Kelly Martinez with a strong lead in the race to become San Diego County’s next Sheriff. Martinez has 39.5% in a field of seven contenders. The top two will run off in November. Currently retired prosecutor, police officer and ex- Marine John Hemmerling has 19.9%, trailed closely by retired Sheriff Commander Dave Myers at 17.8%..

Martinez, a Democrat, has the endorsement of former Sheriff Bill Gore and the San Diego Gun Owners Association. Myers is endorsed by the Democratic Party, while Hemmerling is the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate.

By Henri Migala

June 5, 2022 (Alpine) -- One of East San Diego County’s great treasures, Lions, Tigers and Bears celebrated its 20^th anniversary on May 21 with a “Diamonds and Denim” themed Wild in the Country gala. The even featured a silent and live auction with items such as wildlife paintings and an African photo safari as well as a VIP cocktail party reception, opportunities to feed exotic animals, buffet luncheon, and entertainment by a Neil Diamond tribute artist.

Situated on 93 acres outside of Alpine, California, on the edge of the Cleveland National Forest, Lions Tigers & Bears is an animal sanctuary for rescued big cats, bears and other exotic animals in beautiful San Diego County.

East County News Service

June 4, 2022 (San Diego) – The House of Ukraine invites the public to join in a #SaveUkrainianChildren peaceful rally tonight at 5 p.m. followed by a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. as part of a worldwide effort to help Ukrainian children amid the Russian invasion.

Motorists advised to allow additional travel time for lane closures and detours

Source:  Caltrans

June 3, 2022 (El Cajon) - Construction crews will reduce lanes on Interstate 8 (I-8) at State Route 67 (SR-67)/Magnolia Avenue Monday through Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for ongoing electrical work, according to Caltrans. At least one lane will remain open for traffic. The work is part of the I-8/SR-67 Bridge Repair Project.

Source:  Rancho Helix de Oro Fire Safe Council

June 3, 2022 (El Cajon) - The Rancho Helix de Oro Fire Safe Council is sponsoring a free family-friendly education fair on June 12 to help residents prevent and prepare for devastating wildfires. The fair will be held from 1:30-4 p.m. at the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College, 2122 Cuyamaca College Dr West, El Cajon. Presentations will be given beginning at 2 p.m. by San Miguel Fire and Rescue, Cal Fire and the American Red Cross, with the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters. Displays will also be offered with home fire safety and safety information materials. San Miguel fire trucks and a brush clearing truck will also be on display.

By Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by James Kecskes

June 2, 2022 (San Diego) - The County of San Diego on Wednesday kicked off its 2022 Cool Zones program to help San Diegans beat the heat this summer. Cool Zones are free, air-conditioned locations, available throughout the region, where people can go to escape extreme temperatures.

By Mike Allen

Photo, left to right:  Allen Carlisle, Outgoing General Manager, Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Jeremy Bauer, Acting Deputy Director, Tribal, Intergovernmental and Policy Division, U.S. EPA Region 9, Deven Upadhyay, Chief Operating Officer and Assistant General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, David Gibson, Executive Officer at San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, Joel A. Scalzitti, Board Member, Helix Water District, Bill Pommering, Board President, Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Steve Goble, Joint Powers Authority Chair, East County Advanced Water Purification Program, San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson, Sandra Kerl, General Manager, San Diego County Water Authority, Jack Simes, Planning Officer, Bureau of Reclamation, Kyle Swanson, Incoming General Manager, Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Melissa McChesney, Communications Manager, Padre Dam Municipal Water District.  Photo courtesy East County Advanced Water Purification Program

June 1, 2022 (Santee) -- East County took a huge step toward greater water reliability and affordability today when regional officials broke ground on the $950 million Advanced Water Purification (AWP) project in Santee.

East County News Service

Photo by Miriam Raftery

January 24, 2022 (Alpine) – Marc Anthony Halcon, a firearms expert who owned shooting centers and the former Covert Canyon paramilitary training camp in Alpine, died of COVID-19 complications on January 14 at age 68.