By Miriam Raftery

Photo  left:  water drains from Loveland Reservoir in Alpine to Sweetwater Reservoir in Otay;

Photo, right: bare mudflat at Loveland, once  400 surface acres, now doomed to be dropped to just 10.

November 23, 2022 (Alpine) – Without any regard to impacts on wildlife, fire danger, rural residents or recreational users at Loveland Reservoir near Alpine in San Diego's East County, the Sweetwater Water Authority (SWA) on November 16 began draining down the lake with an intent to reduce it to “dead pool” level – less than one-half of one percent of the reservoir’s capacity, once draining is completed over the next couple of weeks or so.

The water is being transferred to Sweetwater Reservoir in Spring Valley. From there, it will be used to provide drinking water and other water needs to residents in the South Bay communities of Chula Vista, National City and Bonita.

But critics say  the action is destroying habitat for wildlife, perhaps forever, also eliminating fishing at the area's only reservoir with free fishing access, and threatening firefighters' ability to combat fast-moving wildfires .  Critics also contend that draining the reservoir so low is unnecssary at current drought levels. Yet the people most negatively impacted have no representation on the SWA board, which doesn't include East County.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Billy Ortiz: El Capitan Dam in Lakeside, ranked “fair” for safety, has an “extremely high “downstream hazard status for potential loss of life and property damage.

September 2, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - The State of California on Friday released data on dam safety in California which found nine percent of dams statewide fall below satisfactory and could pose potential hazards in severe storms or earthquakes—including nine dams in San Diego County.

By Elizabeth Alper

September 3, 2015 (Bonita) – The Sweetwater Valley boys may have lost a heartbreaker, but to their families and friends, they’re winners.

San Diego County News Service

October 7, 2014 (San Diego) -- More than two dozen neglected horses rescued by County Animal Services are now healthy enough to be put up for adoption on Saturday.

July 18, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - It’s raining cats – and more cats – over at the County animal shelters.

To help ease this overabundance, the shelters are offering up a special to help these felines find their forever homes.

March 24, 2014 (Bonita)--On Sunday, March 23, 2014, Sheriff's Deputies in the Bonita area responded to a report of a domestic assault, at 2900 Briarwood Road, in Bonita. James Kang , 29, allegedly assaulted his wife who escaped their apartment with injuries and called a friend for help.

By Nadin Abbott

December 5, 2013 (San Diego and Bonita)—Fast food workers in more than 100 cities went out on strike today, calling on employers to pay living wages. Locally, strikes were held in Bonita and in downtown San Diego.

Raquel Neri told ECM that she has been working for Wendy’s for 10 years. After a decade, she is paid $9.55 an hour. “I work 24 hours a week,” she said. She also has to pay all her costs, including rent, food and transportation costs--while she raises seven children.

May 15, 2013 (Bonita) – A man has been arrested for sexual assaulting a teenager in the 3200 block of Bonita Road at 10:48 on May 13. The victim reportedly fought off the attacker and flagged down a motorist who gave her a ride.  They called law enforcement while maintaining visual observation of the subject, who was on foot.

The victim reported that she believed the suspect grabbed her with the intent of pulling her into the bushes to be sexually assaulted. The suspect, a 20-year-old African American man, was captured after briefly attempting to elude deputies in heavy vegetation, according to Sgt. D.M. Ting.

March 6, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The County of San Diego is hosting a variety of unique events at parks countywide, include several East County and inland area locations: Agua Caliente Regional Park in the Anza Borrego Desert,  Lake Morena, Lakeside Community Center, Spring Valley Community Center,  Sweetwater Summit Regional Park and Campground in Bonita, Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch Preserve, Vallecito County Park, Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve, Wilderness Gardens Presere, and William Heise County Park in Julian.

Scroll down for detailed listings of activities at each park. For information on park locations and more, also see http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/

By Miriam Raftery

December 13, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Following today’s heavy rains, snowfall is forecast to blanket local mountains as low as the 4,000 foot level tonight with several inches of snow at higher elevations. 

Flooding caused several serious accidents, including a semi-truck collision in the Bonita area and a fatal school bus –car collision on I-805.  Normally dry culverts and flood channels in the Mount Helix, Spring Valley and Bonita areas overflowed.

Update June 22:  Joe Rodrigues is safe after walking into a medical clinic; he was hospitalized overnight for observation.

June 21, 2012 (Bonita) – The Sheriff seeks public help to find Joe Rodrigues, an 80-year-old Hispanic man who uses oxygen at night and walks with a cane. He walked away from his residence at 3709 Glen Verde Court in Bonita between 4 and 7:50 p.m. yesterday.

Although his destination is unknown, authorities say he may be heading toward his prior residence in downtown San Diego. He may have been wearing a dark baseball cap, long-sleeve blue shirt and glasses.  He is 5 feet 10 and weighs about 180 pounds.

 November 16, 2011 (San Diego)--San Diego County Crime Stoppers and investigators from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s Imperial Beach Station are asking for assistance from the public to help identify and locate two unknown suspects wanted for burglary in Bonita.