East County News Service

May 20, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego County Medical Examiner has identified the victim in a fatal crash that occurred May 2 on Interstate 8 near Lake Jennings Park Road in Flinn Springs.

Source: San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Photos:Ken Bohr, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

May 20, 2023 (Escondido) — The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has welcomed a new lion to the pride: Bo, a 7-year-old male African lion. On May 17, Bo curiously explored his new home at the Lion Camp habitat, showing confidence as he became comfortable in his new surroundings. Bo will eventually lead his own pride when he is introduced to the three female lions who reside at Lion Camp—Malika, Zuri and Amira.

Bo moved to the Safari Park from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, following a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for African lions, which is designed to help maintain a healthy, genetically diverse assurance population of this species.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Lilian Serrano, Director, Southern Border Communities Coalition

May 18, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs) —the U.S. Immigration Policy Center (USIPC) at the University of California, San Diego, issued a blistering report accusing Border Patrol of endangering migrants’ lives by depriving them of food, water, shelter, medical care and other necessities. The damning report is titled Lives in Danger:  Seeking Asylum Against the Backdrop of Increased Border Enforcement. It was published on May 16, two days after ECM broke the story of some 1,000 to 2,000 migrants in Jacumba Hot Springs who were aided by residents after Border Patrol failed to provide food or shelter.

In addition, the nonprofit humanitarian group Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) has filed a federal complaint with Homeland Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, alleging mistreatment of the Jacumba asylum-seekers and violations of both U.S. and international law.

Lilian Serrano, director of SBCC, told ECM in an interview for KNSJ radio that volunteers withessed ”families, children, elders waiting outdoors for days without access to food or water.”  Regarding filing the complaint, she said, ”Our hope is that we can find out why were there outdoor detention facilities in our area, what was the reasoning behind that, and why were agents in full, clear violation of their policy – but more importantly, what can we do to prevent this from every happening again? Because regardless of your situation, whether you are coming in for asylum or not, basic standards need to be met. We cannot allow another child to go hungry in front of a federal agent.”

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

May 16, 2023 (San Diego) - Cases of Hepatitis A in San Diego County continue to grow, with 28 reported so far this year and 18 of them among people experiencing homelessness (PEH). The County typically reports about two cases of the virus each month with only one case reported in the PEH population last year.

East County News Service

May 16, 2023 (San Diego) – Rail service remains suspended between San Diego and Orange County,  more than two weeks after debris from slope movement in San Clemente near Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens was spotted near the track by crews. Train service has been shut down in the area since May 28.

By Jacob Pamus

Miriam Raftery contributed to this report

Photo:  Writers Guild strikers picket a Disney show in New York on May 10;  by FabebK, CC-by-SA 4.0

May 16, 2023 (San Diego) – The Writers Guild of America strike which began May 2 is the largest disruption in production of TV shows and motion pictures since the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns in 2020. 

Productions impacted include Netflix’s Stranger Things, Marvel Studios’ Blade and late night TV comedy shows. However some studios are continuing without writers, such as Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which is wrapping up production overseas.

The key issue in the strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is revenues from streaming services, with writers contending that they are not being paid appropriately.

East County News Service

May 15, 2023 (Sacramento) – Senate Bill 31, a measure by  Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) which aimed to “compassionately clear homeless camps” according to Jones, has failed to win passage in the Senate Public Safety Committee.

East County News Service

May 15, 2023 (San Diego) – On August 15, a special election will be held to fill the District 4 seat vacated by Nathan Fletcher, whose resignation takes effect today.  If no candidate takes a majority of votes  in the Aug. 15 primary, then a special general election will be held Nov. 7.

Fletcher announced his resignation March 29 following a lawsuit filed by a Metropolitan Transit System employee alleging sexual assault and harassment.  He resigned from  MTS on April 4 but  has been on medical leave from his supervisorial position since announcing his intent to resign and has said he was undergoing treatment for PTSD and alcohol abuse. Fellow board members called on his to resign earlier, but he did not do so.

By Mike Allen

May 13, 2023 (Santee) – Soon after East County Magazine posted news that the 65-year old Santee Drive In Theater was in escrow, this website began hearing from people that the story was “wrong” and to stop publishing “fake news.”

The seller of the property, which doubles as the Santee Swap Meet on weekends, Susan Forte Boyd, sent an emailed statement to ECM that drive-in was not sold.  However, ECM has reconfirmed that the property is in escrow.

"It is a statement of fact that the Santee Drive-In Theatre has not been sold," ForteBoyd said in an email. She also said the reporter (me) and his sources got the facts wrong, and never contacted the sellers.

That is not true.

By Mike Allen

April 29, 2023 (Santee) - Santee’s City Council unanimously approved a four-story, 97-room hotel at the Trolley Square Shopping Center to be operated by either the Hilton or Marriott chains at its April 26 meeting.

East County News Service

April 23, 2023 (Ramona)-- The Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Unit is investigating a deadly fire in the unincorporated area of Ramona.

It happened on Saturday, April 22 just after 1 p.m. in the 17000 block of Voorhes Lane. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department received calls about a travel trailer on fire. 

Deputies and firefighters from Cal Fire/San Diego County Fire arrived to find the trailer fully engulfed and soon after unfortunately found a deceased woman inside the trailer.

East County News Service

April 22, 2023 (El Cajon) – After ECM reported on EBT scams involving skimming devices,  El Cajon Police Department revealed that it’s recovered 12 skimmers from retailers in the city and released a video with tips for consumers to avoid ID theft wherever you slide a credit card or EBT card.

ECPD included this message: 

By Miriam Raftery

April 22, 2023 (Boulevard) – For more than two decades,  Donna Tisdale has been a champion for residents in San Diego’s backcountry, leading battles against massive energy projects and a dump. She started a nonprofit, Backcountry Against Dumps and chaired the Boulevard Planning Group every year since joining it in 1991. She’s filed countless lawsuits against a seemingly endless array of Goliath-scale projects and organized community opposition after San Diego’s East County was declared an energy corridor by the federal government.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner NBC 7

April 18, 2023 (Julian) - An El Cajon handyman who waded into a pond left by rainwater in Julian to retrieve his dog contracted a rare flesh-eating bacteria.