East County News Service

July 31, 2022 (El Cajon) – Robert Gehr snapped this dramatic sky image on July 31 from El Cajon, as thunderstorms swept into East County’s mountain areas.

East County News Service 

July 26, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Do you recognize any of these jewelry pieces? El Cajon Police

detectives are working a burglary series associated with elder abuse. Victims who were being cared for by a caregiver had personal items stolen, ECPD reports on its Facebook page. 

First live demonstration of bi-directional charging since launch of the federal cross-sector collaboration initiative to rapidly commercialize technology

Source: SDG&E

July 26, 2022 (San Diego) - Today, San Diego Gas & Electric announced that it has successfully deployed an innovative technology that enables eight electric school buses to put electricity back on the grid when needed such as on hot summer days. A collaborative effort between SDG&E, the Cajon Valley Union School District and locally based technology company Nuvve, this is the first vehicle-to-grid (V2G) project to become operational in Southern California, helping to advance clean air and climate goals while also bolstering grid reliability. 

East County News Service

July 17, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Parkway Plaza regional shopping mall in El Cajon will be hosting a Christmas in July Vendor Market on July 23 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on July 24 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. You’re invited to come show your support for local businesses and spread some early Christmas cheer.

By Elijah McKee

Photo: CC via Bing

July 15, 2022 (El Cajon) — It is no secret that 9-1-1 medical calls are sometimes not placed for life-threatening emergencies — yet for lack of any other system, those moments are often forced to be treated with urgent responses, such as ambulance rides to emergency rooms. 

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

July 14, 2022 (El Cajon) - The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and campus security officials have determined that Grossmont Campus is safe, following a bomb threat phoned into the Sheriff’s Department at about 11:30 a.m. today. 

By Mike Allen

July 9, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- The agency managing the East County Advanced Water Purification (AWP) program took another step toward legally confiscating a sewage pumping station that now belongs to the city of San Diego.

East County News Service

June 29, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- SDG&E estimates that power will be out until midnight for 190 customers who lost power at 9:21 p.m. The areas without power are in Casa De Oro/ Rancho San Diego/ Jamacha/ W Jamul/ Indian Springs/ La Presa/ Spring Valley/ Rancho San Diego/ El Cajon/ Granite Hills/ Singing Hills/Mt. Helix.

By Miriam Raftery

June 18, 2022 (El Cajon) – Bidding is now open online for a special auction of two signed, limited edition, framed and matted prints by Olaf Wieghorst, an internationally recognized artist considered one of the top painters of Western art.  Some of his works sold for over a million dollars during his lifetime.  Proceeds will benefit both the East County Art Association and East County Magazine. Now you can own one of Wieghorst’s  exceptional works, Spring Rain and Beef Herd. View video for a close-up look at these impressive artworks:  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7V496dpqHSw.

About the auction:

The auction opens online (see below to bid),  and will close on Saturday, June 25  at 3 p.m. during the ECAA’s upcoming event, “Ocean Love” at the Courtyard Marriott in El Cajon. View event flyer. If you wish to view the works in person, you can visit the ECAA gallery at 124 East Main St. in downtown El Cajon, Wed.-Sat. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  60 percent of proceeds will benefit the East County Arts Association and 40% will benefit East County Media, the nonprofit that supports East County Magazine.

How to bid:

Send your name, mailing address, phone number, and email along with your bid amount to editor@eastcountymagazine.org and the words "AUCTION BID" in the subject line, along with which art piece you wish to bid on, and the amount of your bid.  You will receive a bid number and confirmation your bid was received. Bid numbers and amounts will be posted online at the bottom of this page and updated regularly. (No personal information will be posted.) The online auction bids will be accepted until June 25 at 11 a.m., after which the auction will continue at the event from1-3 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

June 15, 2022 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) and El Cajon Police have launched investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct by a Granite Hills High School teacher.

Motorists advised to allow additional travel time for lane closures and detours

Source:  Caltrans

June 3, 2022 (El Cajon) - Construction crews will reduce lanes on Interstate 8 (I-8) at State Route 67 (SR-67)/Magnolia Avenue Monday through Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for ongoing electrical work, according to Caltrans. At least one lane will remain open for traffic. The work is part of the I-8/SR-67 Bridge Repair Project.

East County News Service

May 20, 2022 (El Cajon) – Chase Folkes, 55, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his mother, 88-year-old Carolyn Jean Folkes. 

Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from a man requesting help at a home in the 1200 block of Corto Lane in unincorporated El Cajon at 1:30 a.m. on May 19.  They found Carolyn Folkes dead in the home with trauma to her upper body.

By Miriam Raftery

May 12, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- County Supervisor Joel Anderson has sent a formal request to the County’s Chief Administrative Officer and Sheriff, urging them to take action mirroring recent action by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to remove encampments along public roadways that pose critical safety concerns. Caltrans’ clearing of an encampment in the Berkeley area was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on April 27.