By Mike Allen

July 10, 2023 (Santee) -- Already paying some of the highest water bills in the nation, customers of Padre Dam Municipal Water District as well as 22 other agencies could see their rates increase even more if two North County water districts secede from the San Diego County Water Authority (CWA).

Both the Fallbrook Public Utilities District and the Rainbow Municipal Water District have been trying to leave the CWA because they say the costs for the purchased water is too high, and they can get it cheaper by joining the Eastern Municipal Water District in Riverside County.

An independent government agency, the Local Agency Formation Commission of San Diego County, better known as LAFCO, will determine the outcome of this issue, and scheduled to take a vote today.

By Miriam Raftery

July 8, 2023 (Rancho San Diego) – Firefighters found the body of a woman inside a home in the 9100 block of Lavell Street in Rancho San Diego this afternoon, the San Diego Sheriff’s watch commander reports.

Road closures are at San Juan Place /Lavell Street, and Bancroft Drive /Edgewood Drive. The intersections will be closed for the next several hours.

East County News Service

Update July 10, 2023: The Medical Examiner has identified the deceased as Gary Zing, 59.

July 5, 2023 (El Cajon) – Heartland Fire & Rescue responded to a 9-1-1 call at 11:10 a.m. requesting help for a man who fell while cutting down a large tree at his property at 1962 Altozano Way in El Cajon.  Fire crews found that the tree had fallen onto the victim.

“Paramedics attempted to render aid but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene,” says Andy McKellar, emergency preparedness coordinator at Heartland Fire & Rescue.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo; Left, Cottonwood Golf Course pond, before it was drained; right, a sand mining operation

July 5, 2023 (Rancho San Diego) – The County of San Diego has issued a revised draft environmental impact report (EIR) on the proposed Cottonwood sand mine. View documents and details. 

The public has until August 14 at 4 p..m. to submit comments on the revised EIR.

Comments can be sent via email to Christopher.Jacobs@sdcounty.ca.gov.  The County will also hold an in-person public meeting regarding the Recirculated Draft EIR on July 25, 2023, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Hillsdale Middle School (1301 Brabham Street, El Cajon).

Story and photos by Christianne McCormick

Photo, left: Director of Finance Clay Schoen presents budget breakdown

June 25, 2023 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon’s City Council on June 13 received a presentation on the Preliminary Annual Budget for fiscal year of 2023-2024.  Council also moved forward on a ban on homeless camping on public property that would be similar to the City of San Diego’s new ordinance.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of 10  News, an ECM news partner

June 23, 2022 (El Cajon) – The San Diego Sheriff’s homicide unit is investigating the deaths of a man and woman found dead in their home in the 200 block of East Bradley Ave. in El Cajon yesterday morning.

According to Lieutenant Joseph Jarjura, “Both victims appeared to have head trauma.”

ECM news partner 10 News reports that the couple was found by their daughter, a minor, around 9:47 a.m.

By Miriam Raftery

June 22, 2023 (El Cajon )  -- A man who swung a sword at neighbors and threatened violence prompted a SWAT team to respond today ending in his arrest 

Around 8 a.m., El Cajon Police began receiving calls reporting a man swinging a large sword at people in the parking lot of 1018 East Lexington.

“The man with the sword went back inside an apartment, and then returned to the parking lot making threats to shoot people, while simulating a gun in his waistband,” says Lieutenant Jeremiah Larson, adding that no gun was seen by any of the victims or witnesses.

Story and photos by Josh Stotler

Photo, left: Crews battle the heat and smoke of the Murray fire Tuesday afternoon.

June 20, 2023 (El Cajon)-- A small vegetation fire was sparked off Interstate 8 near Murray Drive and Dennstedt Place in El Cajon this afternoon. While East County crews were battling two other wildland fires, calls came into Heartland Fire & Rescue’s dispatch just after 2:20 p.m. reporting a fire on the hill adjacent to Grossmont High School.

Engines were sent to the scene and Interstate 8 was closed to westbound traffic as crews battled the flames.

By Jessyka Heredia

View interview on Youtube

June 12, 2023 (El Cajon) -- On Thursday, ECM sat down with former Los Angeles Lakers’ basketball star Lamar Odom and Dontae Ralston, Executive Director / Founder of West Urban Outreach in El Cajon, to talk about their new substance abuse treatment centers called Odom Wellness Treatment Centers set in a residential recovery environment.

There are three treatment centers expected to open in San Diego County at this time. El Cajon and Lemon Grove as well as one in the city of San Diego. 

When asked about the type of clients they will be servicing, Odom said, “I’m sure we will have a high-profile celebrity clientele, but of course anybody is welcome with a substance abuse problem. Addiction doesn’t discriminate, so we’ll be ready to help them.”

Odom said his inspiration to open these treatment centers was due to his own very public battle with addiction. Odom told ECM that when he overdosed, he had “12 strokes and six heart attacks,” adding that his purpose is “to help people.” At the time of his near-fatal overdose in 2015, Odom had just retired from the NBA and was going through a divorce with Khloe Kardashian.

East County News Service

June 12, 2023 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Historical Society is hosting an open house to celebrate its 50^th anniversary. The public is invited to commemorate this special occasion on June 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Knox House Museum, 280 North Magnolia Ave. in El Cajon.

Source:  AAUW

May 29, 2023 (La Mesa/El Cajon) - The June 10, 2023 installation meeting of the La Mesa-El Cajon Branch of the American Association of University Women will be held at the Bay Club Hotel and Marina at 2131 Shelter Island Dr. in San Diego. The luncheon meeting begins at 11:00 and dress is Tropical. The new officers will be led by President Elect, Jane Drinkwalter. For more information, lunch selections and reservations go to AAUW La Mesa-El Cajon (CA) Branch. The cost of the luncheon is $40.00.

East County News Service

May 27, 2023 (El Cajon) – The Biden-Harris administration has announced over $4.8 million in grants to Southern California to cleanup polluted brown field sites and provide technical assistance. That includes a $500,000 grant to the East County Economic Development Council Foundation to address contamination cleanup in the city of El Cajon.

According to the EPA site, the target area for this grant is the 1.4-square-mile El Cajon Opportunity Zone Corridor. Priority sites include a 1.1-acre former commercial and lumber operation; a 3.06-acre former ice house, lumber operation, and garage; and several sites formerly used for auto repair centers, a dry cleaner, a gas station, and a current restaurant and motel.

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) says, “Safely cleaning up and reinvesting in properties with potentially hazardous materials strengthens our local tax base, promotes job growth, and protects public health and the environment. That’s why I’m so glad East County Economic Development Council Foundation will receive a much-needed $500,000 from the EPA to invest in properties and frontline communities that have been ignored and neglected for far too long.”

East County News Service

May 16, 2023 (El Cajon) –

The San Diego County Medical Examiner has identified two homicide victims killed in unincorporated El Cajon on April 27 and determined that gunshot wounds caused their deaths.