East County News Service

February 6, 2026 (Spring Valley) – Shortly before 1:30 a.m. yesterday, Sheriff’s deputies from the Rancho San Diego station found a vehicle illegally parked in the1000 block of Grand Avenue in  Spring Valley with several people inside. Deputies discovered that the driver, Dominique Lewis, was a convicted felon on parole.

East County News Service

January 30, 2026 (Spring Valley) – A stolen car pursuit on January 22 ended with a San Diego Police officer shooting and injuring the suspect.  SDPD has released video on the department's YouTube channel within hours of the shooting.

East County News Service

January 26, 2026 (Spring Valley) — A three-alarm fire that broke out around 2:45 a.m. destroyed two businesses in a strip mall at 8300 Paradise Valley Road in Spring Valley, causing water and smoke damage to two others.

“A total of 18 businesses were saved due to the quick response from everyone involved,” San Miguel Fire District posted on Facebook.

East County News Service

October 7, 2025 (Spring Valley) – Public help is sought to local Angel Mauricio Reyes Mejicanos, 15, who vanished after walking his sister to school on September 29.  He was reportedly sighted in the Encanto area on October 1.  His family is pleading for public help to find him according to the RAD Movement, which helps families of missing children.

East County News Service

July 5, 2025 (Spring Valley) -- San Diego County Animal Services has identified the person responsible for the horrific July 2 incident in Spring Valley in which a dog was dragged behind a vehicle. 

After seeing video coverage of the incident on television, the dog’s owner contacted County Animal Services and admitted that it was his truck and his dog involved. Animal Control Officers confirmed that he was indeed the individual seen driving the truck in the video.

Tragically, due to the extent of the dog’s injuries, the animal had already been euthanized by a veterinary clinic prior to officers’ arrival. Animal Services was able to intercept the dog’s remains before cremation to preserve evidence for the investigation.

East County News Service

May 12, 2025 (Spring Valley) – A fire on Saturday, May 10 cause significant damage to an apartment building in the 400 block of Grand Avenue.

San Miguel Fire and Sheriff’s deputies from the Rancho San Diego station responded at 9 a.m. and found two rear patios of the apartment building in flames.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

April 4, 2025 (Spring Valley) – An assault suspect with a warrant for his arrest fled when a deputy approached him midmorning north of Sweetwater reservoir. He holed up in a home in the 900 block of Gillespie Drive in Spring Valley and refused orders to surrender, prompting a SWAT standoff, 10 News reports.

East County News Service

February 15, 2025 (Spring Valley) -- The Casa de Oro Alliance invites members of the community who have been affected by flooding to a community dialogue to help bring the community together and build resilience.

View video (viewer discretion advised)

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner ABC 10 News

November 27, 2024 (Spring Valley) – The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has released video from November 15,  when seven deputies opened fire and killed Victor Rendon, Jr., 34.  Rendon had fired shots inside his ex-girlfriend’s home on Leland Street in Spring Valley and later pointed a gun at deputies, according to the Sheriff’s department. The video appears to show Rendon waving a gun shortly before deputies opened fire.

Deputies responded to a call at 3:18 p.m. from Rendon’s former girlfriend reporting that he was trespassing and behaving erratically, while children were present. He was reportedly suffering from mental issues and under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Deputies removed the children from the home to protect their safety. The suspect then fired his gun several times in the backyard shortly before 5 p.m. with deputies just 15 feet away, though it’s unclear in what direction he was firing, according to a press release from the Sheriff.  An initial report that the suspect fired through the front door, however, was inaccurate. The investigation found that he did, however, throw items including luggage at the front door. When he later came out and raised the gun toward deputies, the deputies fired their weapons, striking the suspect multiple times.

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: San Diego Sheriff’s Department

November 17, 2024 (Spring Valley) – Seven sheriff’s deputies opened fire on an armed man who fired shots in the backyard of a home on Leland Street in Spring Valley on Friday evening, ECM news partner 10 News reports.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, law enforcement indicated that a woman called report that her boyfriend, armed with a gun, had entered the home and was acting in an erratic manner with four children present. She told authorities that he had mental health issues and was under the influence.

East  County News Service



September 23, 2024 (Spring Valley, CA) – Ther Spring Valley Community Alliance (SVCA) and New Seasons Church are sponsoring a forum for candidates running in November for the 79th State Assembly District. The forum will take place on Monday, September 30 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the New Seasons Church,2300 Brancroft Drive in Spring Valley.

Both candidates, LaShae Sharp-Collins, PhD, and Colin Parent have confirmed their attendance.  Sharp-Collins is the County Office of Education’s community engagement specialist and an adjunct professor at San Diego State University. Parent is a La Mesa City Councilman, attorney, and general counsel for the nonprofit Circulate San Diego.

They will give opening statements and take questions from the audience. Take this opportunity to hear the candidates and learn where they stand on issues important to you.

The forum will be moderated by the League of Women Voters of San Diego and conducted according to their guidelines.

Story and Photos by Josh Stotler



August 12, 2024 (Spring Valley)--A vegetation fire threatened homes on Millar Ranch Road north of Millar Anita Ln in Spring Valley today. Some residents were ordered to evacuated and others asked to shelter in place amid flying ash and debris, with firefighting vehicles lining the roadway. Emergency responders helped escort evacuating residents to safety while crews worked to bring the blaze under control.

The fire was first reported at 1:24 pm and crews responded to find a fire in dense vegetation moving at a moderate rate of spread. Homes on Millar Ranch Rd were immediately threatened and more resources were ordered. Air and ground resources worked under a unified fire command to attack this fire head on and keep the loss of life and property to zero.

Cal Fire crews lit a back fire to eliminate fuel between the head of the fire and houses.

One homeowner, Grace Russo, stayed behind to help save her home. “I sent my daughter and my 90 year old mother to safety and I stayed behind with my labs,” she said of the family's dogs.