Source: I Love to Glean and Senior Gleaners 

March 14, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- On Wednesday, March 16, 2022,

starting at 1:30 p.m., I Love to Glean will be providing a monthly drive through food distribution with food provided by Feeding San Diego.  This will be their  fifth consecutive month of distributing food to families at the VFW located at 2885 Lemon Grove Avenue, Lemon Grove.  

March 12, 2022 (San Diego) -- 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

• Bioluminescence Back at San Diego Beaches and Dolphins Are Enjoying the Blue Waves (NBC 7)
• Two La Mesa Neighbors Say Gas Thieves Drilled Holes in Their Tanks (NBC 7)
• Homeowners in Julian frustrated with not getting discounts for fire mitigation (CBS 8)
• San Diego County COVID Community Transmission Rated ‘Low' by CDC (NBC 7)
• Souplantation May Return to San Diego...Well, Sort Of  (SanDiegoville)
• San Diego company helping Ukrainian employees stuck here and in war zone (KPBS)
• A man was arrested after hiding 52 reptiles under his clothes at the Mexican border (NPR)

STATE

• Newsom wants mental health court for severe mental illness  (KPBS)
• What we know about Newsom’s plan to compel care for homeless, mentally ill Californians (Los Angeles Times)
•  Average California gas prices now over $5 a gallon (Los Angeles Times)
• Gov. Gavin Newsom will face little-known challengers for a second term (Los Angeles Times)
• Report: Reducing Voting Locations 'Discouraged Participation' for California's Black and Latino Voters in 2020 (KQED)
• Gavin Newsom appoints new director of Cal Fire, a 31-year department veteran (Sacramento Bee)

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

More than a dozen East County organizations receive funding for ongoing projects

East County News Service

March 12, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) — San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson awarded more than a dozen organizations in East County with funds from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program (NRP) grant at the March 1, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting. These organizations received amounts ranging from $800 to $75,000 for ongoing projects. The goal of the NRP grant is to reinvest taxpayer money into our communities for the benefit of the public.

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department has released body camera video of a baseball bat-wielding suspect who attacked an ECPD officer on March 4 at Parkway Plaza. The man had reportedly committed theft and threatened citizens with the bat. After the officer calmly asked the shoplifting suspect to drop the bat, the suspect can be heard stating, “I want to kill you, bro” as he swung the bat at the officer.

The suspect, Julian Kurko, wo was arrested and charged with attempted murder.  He has a long history of criminal offenses, including convictions for two prior violent assaults on police officers.

By Sam DiGiovanna

Tips to avoid gas theft and maximize your mileage

March 11, 2022 (San Diego) -- Feeling gas pains? If you haven’t felt it, you will soon! With gas prices climbing once again, the last thing anyone wants is to find their gas tank unexpectedly empty. But it’s happening. Gas thieves are starting to siphon gasoline from vehicles.

Any time there is a short supply, the demand goes up. When demand goes up, and supply gets low, crime goes up. Look out for thieves possibly looking to score free fuel at your expense.

By Mike Allen

Photo:  Santee Vice Mayor Ronn Hall

March 11, 2022 (Santee) -- While it’s legal to use and even grow marijuana for personal use statewide, the sale of the still-federally prohibited drug is not permitted in Santee.

That could change given the path that the City Council has been on since last year, when it began exploring the potential of allowing some type of marijuana-linked business within its 16.5 square miles.

By Kevork Kurdoghlian, California Urban Forests Council

March 11, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – AMPlifying the Urban Forest is coming to El Cajon and Santee on Saturday, March 12 to empower El Cajon, Santee and 26 municipal agencies and other organizations throughout California to plant nearly 2,000 trees with the help of volunteers. The program is developed and presented by the groundbreaking partnership between the California Urban Forests Council (CaUFC), West Coast Arborists (WCA), Taylor Guitars, Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (WCISA) and the Britton Fund.

Tree planting in El Cajon starts at 8 a.m. at Wells Park located at 1153 E Madison Ave, El Cajon, CA 92021.

In Santee, volunteers will start planting trees at 10 a.m. at Woodglen Vista Park located at 10250 Woodglen Vista Dr. Santee, Ca 92071.

By Miriam Raftery

March 11, 2022 (San Diego's East County) - This week’s Destination East County includes a look ahead at some of the most iconic festivals and events coming up this week, from St. Patrick’s Day fun to springtime celebrations, historical reenactments, wine and food festivals and more.

Scroll down for the full slate of events coming up. 

Source:  City of El Cajon

March 10, 2022 (El Cajon) - The City of El Cajon Teen Coalition is accepting nominations for the 2021 “Youth of the Year” award. The award recognizes outstanding students who go above and beyond to serve the El Cajon community.