Applications accepted May 1 through May 31

East County News Service

April 19, 2023 (San Diego) -- The Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund: Tribal Facility and Residential Grant Program catalyzes the growth of solar energy and expands solar job opportunities in tribal communities across the United States. TSAF's Tribal Facility and Residential Grant Program provides grants of up to $200,000 for the purchase and installation of solar energy systems.

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2023 (El Cajon) — Eddie Faulkner, 53, was arrested by El Cajon Police on November 7th last year on charges of failing to register as a sex offender and parole revocation. Last night, he died in the Vista Detention Facility.

Family friendly event brings together residents, businesses, and local services

East County News Service

April 17, 2023 (Spring Valley) — You’re invited to join a community celebration at Spring Valley Day in front of Bancroft Elementary School on April 29 from 10a.m. to 3 p.m.  Spring Valley Day is a free, street-fair style event that will feature merchants, arts and crafts, food, live entertainment, Cars and Community car show, free pony rides, free kids’ zone, first responder displays, and multiple San Diego County services.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Kupa, one of the last dozen descendants of San Diego's heritage herd, has died of a rattlesnake bite. His owner is asking the County to protect  the remaining herd descedants under the County's MultipleSpecies Conservation Plan.

April 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Kupa, one of only a dozen descendants of San Diego’s heritage herd of wild horses, has died. Kathleen Hayden made the announcement “with a breaking heart” on Facebook yesterday, stating that “during the night, our four-year-old Coyote Canyon stallion, Kupa, was bitten in his eye by a rattlesnake and died.”

Hayden is cofounder of Coyote Canyon Caballos d’Anza, a nonprofit in Santa Ysabel.  For years, she and her foundation have been fighting to gain protection for the heritage herd. The federal government has long refused to recognize horses as native species worthy of protection, believing they were brought here by European explorers.

But on March 23, 2023, Science published a report by 84 researchers who concluded that horses evolved first in North America and later crossed a land bridge over the Bering Strait to Eurasia. There are ancient fossils found in the Anza Borrego desert and Carlsbad  predating the early Spanish and English explorers to bolster that claim, as well as references to Native American horses in writings of Sir Francis Drake in 1580.

Those findings have reignited the urgent call to save wild horses and try to repopulate San Diego’s heritage herd on public lands, before it is too late.

Advocates describe "crisis," call for state, county and city of San Diego to take action

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview aired on KNSJ

April 16, 2023 (San Diego) – Last year, hospitals in San Diego County discharged over 500 vulnerable patients onto the streets late at night in violation of state law, according to Amnie Zamudio and Joanne Standlee, co-founders of Housing 4 The Homeless (H4H).  In an interview with ECM, they described dumping of homeless or indigent patients, many wearing only hospital gowns and booties. Those discharged after midnight included seniors with dementia,  people in wheelchairs,  patients with catheters, and an elderly man with a broken hip. 

By Marisa Kendall, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters 

Photo:  notice of cleanup and property removal. Photo via @HomelessnessSD Twitter

April 16, 2023 (San Diego) - Technically, the encampment of about a dozen tents at W Street and Alhambra Boulevard in Sacramento is illegal.