Photo by Miriam Raftery: Snow at Santa Ysabel

March 3, 2023 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service has released precipitation totals for the three days ending March 2.  Residents have been left snowed in at some San Bernadino mountain towns, with Bear Mountain receiving nearly 5 feet of snow and snow resorts such as Big Bear and Snow Valley around 40 inches.  Here in San Diego County, Palomar Mountain got another 20 inches of snow and Mount Laguna another 10 inches, atop multiple feet of snow already on the ground, while Julian got 4 more inches.

Across the country, storms the past three days also brought substantial rain. Lake Henshaw had 3.85 inches and Santa Ysabel had 2.21 inches. El Cajon, La Mesa, and Santee had between 1 and 2 inches, while Borrego’s Palm Canyon in the desert got .84 of an inch.

The storm also brought hail to much of the region, from coastal areas such as Encinitas, El Cajon and La Mesa.

Extreme weather also caused some power outages, with some Borrego Springs residents left in the dark for nearly a full day.

Don’t Press Your Luck This St. Patrick’s Day!

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

March 3, 2023 (San Diego) -- As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, we want everyone to celebrate responsibly. Here are some tips to help you safely navigate the festivities this year.

Teen driver who died was not wearing seat-belt

East County News Service

Updated March 3, 2023 with identity of the victim.

March 2, 2023 (La Mesa) – An 18-year-old El Cajon man, Eugene Nelson,has died after he lost control on I-8 west and struck a California Highway Patrol vehicle that had stopped to investigate a pair of unrelated solo-vehicle accidents on Feb. 25.

According to Officer Jared Grieshaber, the vehicles involved in those two accidents were blocking the center divider and the #1 lane of traffic. “The CHP officer on scene parked his patrol vehicle with the emergency lights activated, within the #1 lane, and partially within the center divider for scene safety,” Officer Grieshaber said.

By Christianne McCormick

March 2, 2023 (San Diego) -- The atrocities committed against African slave descendants, and how those very descendants are entitled to reparations by those who committed those atrocities, have sparked much debate since the prospect of reparations for the African American community came to fruition. On January 27th and 28th, the AB 3121 Task Force, which is an eight-member task force responsible for researching reparations and proposing ways to educate Californians on their discoveries, held one of its periodic meetings at San Diego State University. 

The panel’s discussion on the 27th explored five key questions that were posed by economic experts on five areas of harm and the time frames that the harm occurred including: mass incarceration from 1970 to the present, housing discrimination specifically from redlining from 1937 to 1977, discrimination against black owned businesses 1900 to the present, over policing from 1971 to the present, and health harms that occurred from 1900 to the present. 

March 2, 2023 (In-Ko-Pah) – Greg Curran sent in these photos of a rare snowfall blanketing In-Ko-Pah in the high desert, near the Desert View Tower and Boulder Park.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Williams' facial injuries, taken by Kathleen McLean

March 1, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – A civil lawsuit filed by Christopher Williams against the City of Lemon Grove and former Councilman David Arambula alleges that Arambula violently assaulted Williams at Arambula’s home in July 2017.  Williams contends that he was “attacked” after a meeting regarding an appeal filed by Williams over a cannabis dispensary application.  Attorneys for Arambula and the city contend that Williams’ injuries resulted from a “fight” and that Arambula acted in self defense.

In opening statements in Superior Court  on day one of the trial today, Williams’ attorney Cory Briggs stated that the evidence will show that “Mr. Arambula, unprovoked, beat my client almost senseless,” causing a visit to a hospital emergency room and resulting in serious physical and emotional damage.

Briggs told the jurors to focus on where the meeting took place at Arambula’s house and why was it held there, as well as how the meeting ended in violence, and why.  He cautioned that much of what the jurors would hear would be “noise” intended to distract them from the evidence.

Kathryn Lee-Colgan, attorney for Arambula, told the jury to focus on “responsibility, reasonableness and common sense. She stated that Arambula was the city’s first elected Latino councilmember and a former Marine. 

By Cassie Klapp, County of San Diego Communications Office

Adopted unanimously, the new department will allow the County to better address equity and improve outcomes for children and families in a more holistic way by focusing its effort and budget on child and family strengthening programs and community partnerships. 

“Equity and the safety of our community’s children have always been at the core of our efforts,” Kim Giardina, director of Child Welfare Services said. “This transformation allows us the flexibility to respond to the changing landscape and needs of our neighbors to best support them now and many years into the future.”

View video 

By Jessyka Heredia 

February 28, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), federal stimulus funds were given to the city of Lemon Grove back in late 2022 in the amount of $6.4 million aimed at giving cities direct relief after the impacts of the COVID19 pandemic. A gift card program initiated by Lemon Grove with federal funds has been a success, generating over $122,000 in gift cards redeemed at local businesses. So at it’s February 21 meeting, the City Council addressed ways to extend the program with two additional phases.

Suzanne Potter, California News Service

February 28, 2023 (Sacramento) -- Two million children and adults in California could lose health-insurance coverage over the next year - as the state winds down the continuous-coverage requirements in place during COVID, according to a new report from Georgetown University. The pandemic health emergency officially ends May first, but on April first California will start re-determining eligibility for 50-million people on Medi-Cal.

Mike Odeh, senior director of health with the non-profit Children Now and report lead author, said recipients must make sure the program has their current address.

"The state has been proactive in asking families to make sure that their contact information is up to date. And we know that they have launched a campaign," Odeh said. "So families can visit keepmedicalcoverage.org to sign up for email and text message alerts with updates about medical renewals."

Children who are still eligible could lose coverage if the renewal notice goes to the wrong address or if there is an administrative error. During the pandemic emergency, the state was required to keep all Medi-Cal recipients on the program. But now the income requirements will kick in once again. More than 56% of kids in California and 52% nationwide are covered under Medicaid or CHIP.

Story and photos courtesy of Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D.

February 28, 2023 (San Diego) – Black History Month is a time tocelebrate and reflect on contributions that individuals of the African Diaspora have made throughout the world. This time also affords the opportunity to recognize some of the tremendous accomplishments marked through the many endeavors of Black Americans in U.S. history. Below is information about honorees chosen by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (CA-79) in celebration of Black History Month this year.

400+ properties offered; register by March 2 to participate

Source: Treasurer-Tax Collector of San Diego County

 February 28, 2023 (San Diego) - San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister announced bidder registration for the 2023 online property auction closes this Thursday, March 2. A total of 404 properties are currently for sale.   

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Henri Migala and Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2023 (Santa Ysabel)-- The weekend storm brough snow to unusually low levels in San Diego County's mountains. With  popular destinations such as Julian, Cuyamaca and Mount Laguna blocked except to residents and chains required in the morning, followed by traffic jams when some highways later opened, ECM's editor and photographer headed to Santa Ysabel instead.

Visitors pulled off alongside the highway were enjoying building a snowman and tossing snowballs, with dogs frolicking in the snow. Several motorists paused to pose for pictures with horses standing just behind a barbed wire fence.

Blue skies,puffy clouds and sunbeams warming the terrain completed this idyllic scene.

By Jacob Pamus

February 27, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Near the end of February San Diego has experienced unusually high amounts of snow, rain, hail, and high winds.

This video by Jacob Pamus for East County Magazine explains what we've had to deal with so far and what is to come this upcoming week.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

February 26, 2023 (San Diego) -- Though the heavy rains have subsided, more rain is in the forecast. However, the danger will lurk with mudflow and erosion problems. Make sure you are prepared!

In the next few days, you might find your home and property damaged and you’ll be wondering how do I get this put back together?

Where do I start? 

"God allows U-turns." -- Kathi Torres

By Miriam Raftery

View video interview by clicking image, right

February 26, 2023 (San Diego) – Kathi Torres with Freedom from Exploitation, an organization that helps survivors of human trafficking, is also a survivor of sex trafficking. In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine originally aired on KNSJ radio, Torres speaks out on her own experience, how to protect teens from traffickers, and how to get help for victims here in San Diego County, a national hub for human trafficking.

She also calls for repeal of a state law, Senate Bill 357, that decriminalized loitering to solicit prostitution, which she says has cut off the main avenue for victims to get help. 

“Because of this new law, police can’t stop, cite or arrest anyone for loitering to solicit prostitution,” including victims as well as men driving around looking to pick up prostitutes. But when police can’t detain trafficking victims, the victims don’t get referred to programs that can help them escape from being trafficked, says Torres, who was also a panelist at a recent presentation of “Stolen,” an NBC San Diego investigative series on trafficking.