By Miriam Raftery

April 22, 2017 (Rancho San Diego) – During the Spring Garden Festival at Cuyamaca College, Heritage of the Americas Museum is offering entertaining and education presentations including tops on NASA, the National Parks, and Native American fire building:

Journey through the Cosmos with the Art of NASA - 11 a.m.

Adventure & Discoveries in Your Nearby National Parks - 1 p.m.

Kumeyaay Fire-Making & Artifacts - 2 p.m.

Scroll down for details.

East County News Service

April 21, 2017 (El Cajon) -- As natural disasters continue to grow and become more destructive, emergency responders, such as CAL FIRE San Diego, are becoming increasingly dependent on community volunteer organizations. One such organization that has been called on to assist is San Diego County’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). When activated through their sponsoring agency, CERT members can find themselves working in close cooperation with local first responders; augmenting their numbers and aiding their neighbors that have been affected by a disaster. Skills that CERT members have been trained in can include basic first-aid, volunteer organization and search and rescue. CERT members were activated as recently as last year during the Border Fire in Potrero and quickly became an integral part of the community response by helping families and property owners that were impacted by the fire which ultimately grew to nearly 7700 acres over two weeks.

By Miriam Raftery

April 19, 2017 (El Cajon) – A 9-year-old autistic girl who went missing from her home in unincorporated El Cajon yesterday morning was found on an onramp to State Route 67 at Bradley Avenue.

Source: Heartland Fire & Rescue

April 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Are you prepared for a disaster? An earthquake or firestorm? Consider attending a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) academy. Free disaster training will be taught by members of Heartland Fire & Rescue and Santee Fire Department in classes that begin May 6^th. 

Does your son or daughter play a sport at a level other than varsity?  Drop a line on this story or tweet @ECMagSports to request coverage!

Like our sports coverage?  Donate to help support ECM’s sports section!

Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories!

Story and photos by Liz Alper

April 17, 2017 (San Diego) - Granite Hills girls lacrosse traveled to a sort-of East County school, Patrick Henry High, to take on the Patriots.

East County News Service

April 17, 2017 (El Cajon) — “Every Mother’s Son,” an Investigation Discovery TV show episode about the disappearance of Elija “Bear” Diaz, will air on April 23^rd at 7 p.m.

Diaz vanished in the middle of the night of August 29, 2015 from his El Cajon home and his family suspects he met with foul play. A member of the Barona Band of Mission Indians, he was 20 years old at the time.

“We are encouraged that this national focus on Bear’s case will spark someone to remember any clues that might help us find him,” said LeLanie Thompson, Bear’s mom. “We miss our son and won’t stop looking for him until we have some answers about his disappearance. We appreciate the community’s continued support.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Amaziah Lord Knox, courtesy El Cajon Historical Society

April 16, 2017 (El Cajon) -- For 36 years, the El Cajon Historical Society has sponsored a Third Grade Contest. This year, over 350 public and private school students participated in a poster contest titled, “A Visual History of El Cajon.” All participants receive certificates and 23 will be honored with trophies for special awards in a ceremony on May 1^st at 6:30 p.m. at Greenfield Middle School, 1495 Greenfield Drive in El Cajon. 

By Miriam Raftery

April 15, 2017 (San Diego) -- A woman, 60, was driving south on I-15 near Miramar Road Thursday at noon when she inexplicably came out of her vehicle and landed on the roadway, Officer E. Colunga with California Highway Patrol reports.  She was struck by a vehicle whose driver fled the scene.

By Miriam Raftery

April 13, 2017 (El Cajon) – A Syrian refugee family in El Cajon who fled war-torn Syria to give their only son a brighter future is now grieving over his loss. On his first trip ever to a beach, 17-year-old Mohammed al-Mustafa was pulled under by a rip current and has not been found.

Source: El Cajon Police

April 12, 2017 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police has issued a bulletin warning that the department is investigating a report of an attempted abduction in the Walmart parking lot at Parkway Plaza.  A 3-year-old girl and her mother were walking to their vehicle yesterday between 12 noon and 1 p.m. when the attempted abduction occurred, said Lt. Royal Bates.

East County News Service

April 11, 2017 (El Cajon) -- Grossmont Union High School District is seeking applications to fill a vacancy for a “community member at large” on the 11-member Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC).

East County News Service

April 8, 2017 (Rancho San Diego) -- In conjunction with the Spring Garden Festival and the Butterfly Festival at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, the Heritage of the Americas Museum holds a very special drawing each year:  the "Five-Choices Dream Drawing."  The drawing will take place at the museum on Saturday, April 29, at 2:30 p.m.  Tickets can be bought in advance or the day of the festival.  You don't have to be present to win.  The cost of a drawing ticket is $1.00.  The Heritage of the Americas Museum is located on the campus of Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego.  Admission to the museum and parking will be free that day. 

Kathryn Worley and Daemein Patterson to represent GUHSD in prestigious San Diego County Teacher of the Year Competition

East County News Service

April 8, 2017 (El Cajon) -- At the Governing Board meeting on Thursday, April 6, 2017, the Grossmont Union High School District honored Teacher of the Year nominees from each of its schools. This is a great honor, as each nominee was selected by their peers.

East County News Service

Update:  The deceased has been identified as Christopher John Kuhlmann, 37, of El Cajon.

April 2, 2017 (El Cajon) — A motorcyclist who drifted over the center line of Jamacha Road near Vista de la Valle struck an oncoming vehicle and died at the scene at 3:50 p.m. yesterday.  A second motorcyclist lost control and was transported to a hospital with serious injuries.