By Jonathan Goetz

July 23, 2017 (Lemon Grove) - The Lemon Grove City Council voted 5-0 on Tuesday to deny a zoning clearance appeal for a medical marijuana dispensary in the 7300 block of Broadway because it is within 1,000 feet of two small daycare centers, one on Broadway and the other on Citrus.

East County News Service

July 22, 2017 (Lakeside) – Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy will present its 11^th annual Once in a Blue Moon Gala and Auction at the River Valley Equestrian Center on September 16.

You’re invited to help honor partners in conservation and raise funds for science programs for kids. This year’s event includes an exhibition polo match starting at 5 p.m., with the night concluding at 8 p.m.

July 22, 2017 (San Diego's East County)-- Our June 2017 radio shows are now online. For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics an interviews,  click here, or click "read more" and scroll down. (Sound files may take a few moments to load).

Our newsmaker interviews included El Cajon’s new Councilman Steve Goble, Morgan Cook, the San Diego Union-Tribune Reporter named Journalist of the Year by the San Diego Union-Tribune for her investigation of  Rep. Duncan Hunter,  Glenn Jensen, a Democrat and information  technology specialist running against Hunter, and Dr. James Veltmeyer, a doctor with a conservative proposal for healthcare reform. Plus we had coverage on hot local, state and national issues. 

 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.  Read more and listen to our June shows:

East County News Service

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

July 21, 2017 (La Mesa) – An argument ended in fatal gunfire last night around 7 p.m. in the parking lot of a La Mesa shopping center at Baltimore Drive and El Cajon Boulevard. The center houses Burlington Coat Factory, an El Torito restaurant and other retail outlets.

By Miriam Raftery

July 21, 2017 (Jamul) – At last month’s Jamul-Dulzura Planning Group meeting, concerns were raised over Sunrise Powerlink Mitigation grants – specifically, why some homes near the high voltage line in Deerhorn Valley received no grant money, while homes in Alpine further area where added to the eligible area for grants and did receive funds. Questions have also been raised as to why Alpine has representation on the Sunrise Powerlink Fire Mitigation Board, but Deerhorn Valley/Jamul does not.

By Miriam Raftery

July 21, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Recently, Glenn Jensen joined us on the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ to talk about his candidacy against Rep. Duncan Hunter in the 50^th Congressional District.  A Democrat who calls himself a “recovering Republican”, he’s a lifelong resident of the district,  a graduate of Helix High School who raised his family in East County, helped save homes in the Cedar Fire, and works in information technology sales.  You can hear his full interview by clicking the audio link or scroll down for highlights.

Jensen says he’s running to “set this country back on track” with integrity and a progressive but fiscally responsible agenda.  He’s also concerned about the criminal F.B.I. and Justice Department investigations against Hunter. 

“It’s obvious to me he’s been enriching himself …but has not introduced any legislation to benefit his district,” says Jensen, who calls Hunter's lavish spending of campaign funds on personal uses "pretty damn close to embezzlement." Those expenses included a family vacations to Europe, jewelry, dental bills and airfare for the Hunter family's pet rabbit.  (Hunter has denied wrongdoing, but did borrow money to repay $62,000 to his campaign. Hunter has since spent nearly all of his recent campaign contributions on his legal defense.)

By Miriam Raftery

July 20, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain tumor, after having a large blood clot behind his eye removed on Friday.

Glioblastoma is the same type of cancer that claimed the life of Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy.  The average life span after diagnosis is only 14 months, with the cancer nearly always returning, but some have survived for five years or more.

According to a CBS report,  McCain is undergoing gene sequencing to see if there could be a potential for gene therapy.  He will likely also undergo chemotherapy and radiation.

By Jerry Fisher, Santa Ysabel

Photo: Power poles stacked in Pauma Valley

July 20, 2017 (Pauma Valley) -- Living in the peace and quiet of San Diego County rural lands has been a great joy since our retirement in 1997. It certainly is a different world from Point Loma. It is like being in heaven having 3-4 deer, within a flock of 20 wild turkeys, greet my wife, myself, our cat and dog in our yard.

In my first summer after high school, my introduction to our forest lands was with the Laguna Hotshots, fighting forest fires in the 1950's. We were re-introduced to fire in the 2003 and 2007 fires near our home.

Seeing the SDG&E steel poles, stacked in a field in Pauma Valley, caused me to reflect. Those wires are potentially dangerous and lethal; similar wires have caused ignition in other places including the 2007 firestorms.

By Miriam Raftery

July 20, 2017 (La Mesa)—A high-speed pursuit from Santee to La Mesa ended early this morning in the laundry room of a La Mesa apartment complex, where SWAT teams from La  Mesa and San Diego police departments helped capture the suspect, Randy Hanks, 37.

By Miriam Raftery

July 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – San Miguel Fire District has launched a Facebook page to alert residents about daily fire and rescue incidents within the district.  You can view the page here: https://www.facebook.com/SanMiguelFireRescue/

East County News Service

July 19, 2017 (San Diego)—Gayle McLaughlin, former mayor of Richmond, California, says she’s running a corporate-free progressive campaign for Lieutenant Governor of California.  She will hold a town hall meeting to discuss her campaign on Thursday, July 20 at 7 p.m. at the IBEW 569 hall, 4545 Viewridge Avenue, Suite 100 in San Diego.

Copyright 2017 by Sam Warren



July 19, 2017 (San Diego) -- Like a zombie rising from the grave, Crown Books has come back to life. Like Borders and a number of other book sellers who were killed off by the likes of Amazon, they bit the dust in 2001 after being the third largest bookstore in the country. But the spirit was still alive and was bought lock stock and barrel including the loco and name by Rancho Penasquitos businessman Andy Wiess and reincarnated in Encinitas. They now sell used books at low prices.

But if you want to find a book more current and even meet the authors, look below and give an author some support by visiting one of the following book signings.

East County News Service

July 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes the Jungle Book Movie at La Mesita Park,  a Museum Roadshow at Cuyamaca College,  a family hike and falconry presentation at Santa Ysabel Preserve, plus community concerts in La Mesa, Lemon Grove, El Cajon and Santee.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including Mariah Carey and Lionel Ritchie in concert at San Diego State, a murder mystery dinner theatre in Julian, Pine Valley Days, the Pomerado Jazz Quintet at Mission Trails, a Sip of Julian, the HeART of Mt. Helix, the Ramona Country Fair,  and a Laurel and Hardy film presentation in Spring Valley.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

Potential 500-megawatt pumped storage project at the San Vicente Reservoir site could help stabilize water rates

Source:  San Diego County Water Authority

July 19, 2017 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Water Authority this week issued a Request for Proposals for a potential joint energy storage project with the City of San Diego that could lessen upward pressure on water rates and also increase opportunities for renewable energy penetration throughout the region by leveraging existing infrastructure at San Vicente Reservoir.

Review by Kathy Carpenter, Associate Reviewer sdtheatrereviews.com, Freelance writer Splash Magazine

July 19, 2017 (La Mesa) - Laughter is the best medicine and makes for great plays. George Bailey, president of the board at Lamplighters says they are not out to wow the critics, but entertain their audience. As such, they are pretty much crushing it. If a play at Lamplighters sounds like you would enjoy it, you probably will.

Women in Jeopardy is a laugh out loud comedy that gives you a couple hours of complete escape and entertainment. With that name you might think it's something entirely different. Don't let the name fool you. It's comedy pure and simple. Totally entertaining.