By Jessyka Heredia

WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE

Article updated to clartify the views of applicant Pick Axe Holdings and not the opinion of ECM. 

December 6, 2023 (LEMON GROVE)— Lemon Grove is home to 12 massage facilities and is making new policies to cut the number of massage establishments down to eight, require background checks for all owners and managers and display of their therapist certificate issued by the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC). The ordinance will also regulate what hours they can operate and set other rules.

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2023 (La Mesa) --  A representative from District Attorney Summer Stephan's office and the La Mesa Police Dept. invite community members to a hate crimes forum with Q&A session on Dec.14 at 5:30 p.m. at the La Mesa Police Dept., 8085  University Ave., La Mesa.

The forum comes on the heels of anti-Semitic flyers repeatedly disseminated in La Mesa and the nearby San Diego communities of Del Cerro,  San Carlos and Allied Gardens in recent months, among other neighborhoods targeted. Some flyers blamed Jews for 9-11 attacks, among other false claims.

By Jacob Pamus

December 1, 2023 (La Mesa)-- Amanda Fagan is an accomplished 19-year-old musician who has written many songs during the past six years.  She lives in La Mesa with her parents and younger sister.  During a two-week stretch at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she wrote a 23-song musical in just two weeks. A New York musical producer was so impressed that he contracted with Amanda to produce the musical.  Amanda Fagan’s band will be performing at La Mesa’s Holiday in the Village on December 2 and  at Balboa Park’s December Nights on December 1.

By Miriam Raftery

December 1, 2023 (La Mesa) – An online petition started by Keep  La  Mesa Beautiful in opposition to the city’s plan to allow electronic billboards has attracted 338 signatures sent it launched on November 21.  Now, the new owner of Grossmont Center has sent a letter to the city’s mayor and city council opposing two proposed e-billboards along I-8 as detrimental to the regional shopping mall.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Erik Talavera at rally; screenshot from video by ECM media partner 10 News

View deputies’ body camera footage of the shooting (warning, disturbing content):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WErLDy2sSzc 

November 30, 2023 (Lakeside) – A Lakeside man who suffered permanent injuries from being shot 16 times has filed a lawsuit against San Diego County and two Sheriff’s deputies who opened fire. 

The civil lawsuit filed by Erik Talavera alleges that deputies David Lovejoy and Jonathan Young gave conflicting commands and used excessive force and negligence during the incident in El Cajon on Feb.16, 2022. The deputies were cleared of criminal wrongdoing following an investigation by the District Attorney.

By Michael Howard

Photo: Council Salary Adjustment Citizen Panel member Aaron Landua acknowledges his fellow panel members at the October 24 La Mesa City Council meeting

November 29, 2023(La Mesa) -- After 18 years without getting a pay raise, the La Mesa City Council members voted to give themselves a hefty 90% pay increase at their regularly scheduled November 14 meeting.

The ordinance passed unanimously and will amend section 2.04.010 of the La Mesa Municipal Code to increase each city council member’s salary from $1,000 per month to $1,900 per month.  The move also increases the mayor’s compensation by an additional $1,900, reflecting the dual role a mayor plays as both council member and mayor, bringing the mayor’s total monthly salary to $3,800 a month, or a 135% increase.

The increase doesn’t take effect until after the November 2024 elections, which means current pay rates remain the same until then.

East County News Service

November 27, 2023 (Dulzura) – A San Diego man, 29, sustained fatal injuries in a collision that occurred yesterday at 10:29 a.m. in Dulzura. The man was driving a 2004 Suzuki GSXR motorcycle eastbound on State Route 94, west of State Route 188 (Tecate Road) when he crossed double yellow lines and crashed into a 2015 Kia Sorrento.

By Shiloh Ireland

File photo:  Dr. David Jeremiah at a previous event

November 25, 2023 (El Cajon) -- After a long absence of  recovery from illness, Dr. David Jeremiah returned to his church, Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon on November 19^th..  The pastor was assisted with a walker and staff guided him to the pulpit. His congregation gave him a warm welcome back and the sanctuary was full. 

East County News Service

November 23, 2023 (Lakeside) -- Santa and his elves are hard at work, getting ready for Christmas and working together with the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce on their Spirit of Christmas event. The festivities will be held on Saturday, December 2 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. along Maine Ave. in the heart of historic Lakeside.

November 21, 2023 (Santee) -- A woman has been arrested in connection with the attempted kidnapping of a child in Santee.

On Monday, November 20 just before 6 p.m., a woman tried to remove a one-year-old child from a shopping cart in the 100 block of Town Center Parkway. The suspect was not successful, since the child was secured in the cart with a lap belt. She then took off on foot heading south toward Mission Gorge Road. Despite a thorough search of the area by Sheriff's Deputies and a Sheriff's ASTREA helicopter, the suspect was not located.

Detectives from the Santee Sheriff's Station immediately began investigating the incident. On Tuesday, November 21 around 7:30 p.m., detectives arrested Isela Ortega, 21,  in the 400 block of Orsett Street in Chula Vista.

By Miriam Raftery

November 21, 2023 (El Cajon) – Two suspects have been arrested for the fatal shootings of two teens on October 28 at a house party in the 700 block of Mahogany Drive in El Cajon. Thanks to the city’s new Flock Safety automated license plate readers, El Cajon Police detectives were able to identify the getaway vehicle used in the crime, according to Lieutenent. Will Guerin.

ECPD officers responded to a series of 911 calls reporting a loud house party and multiple gunshots shortly before midnight on Oct. 28.  Arriving officers saw numerous people fleeing the area and found two male shooting victims, ages 16 and 18. Both were critically wounded.  Despite swift medical attention, both victims died of their injuries after being transported to local trauma hospitals.

Two suspects, 21-year-old Bruce Luu and 24-year-old Dan Nalab, both city of San Diego residents, were identified. Nalab was taken into custody on Nov.19 by the Chula Vista Police Department for an unrelated firearm charge.  On Nov.20, with the assistance of the US Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and the East County Regional Gang Task Force, El Cajon Police officers and detectives apprehended Bruce Luu in San Diego.

By Shiloh Ireland

November 20, 2023 (Lakeside) -- In 2017, husband and wife Jose Ortiz and Claudia Ortiz purchased the Lakeside Cafe in Lakeside, offering home-cooked breakfasts and lunches. Since 2018, they have generously given complete Thanksgiving meals to people in need each year. But this season, they have received more requests than they can accommodate. So, they are asking help from the community for donations.