Event helps kids stay active and keep learning all summer long

Source:  East County YMCA Press Release

April 25, 2016 (Santee and Rancho San Diego)--On Saturday, April 30, the Cameron Family YMCA in Santee and McGrath Family YMCA in Rancho San Diego are holding free community events to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active. This year marks the 25^th annual YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day^®, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families.  The day-long event features activities such as games, arts, crafts, wellness education, fitness demonstrations, and water safety in preparation for the upcoming summer months. All activities are designed to motivate and teach families how to develop healthy routines at home.  

East County News Service

April 24, 2016 (Rancho San Diego) -- Six local bands with styles ranging from flamenco jazz to country rock will be featured at the 2016 Coyote Music Festival on the afternoon of Saturday, May 7, at Cuyamaca College.

Source: TEDxKids ElCajon Press Release

April 21, 2016 (El Cajon) - Cajon Valley Union School District hosted the community’s second annual TEDxKids@ElCajon event on Saturday, April 16. Speakers included students in grades 1-8, as well as featured speakers Aidan Fay, a local student who built a flight simulator in his bedroom, Brynjar Karl, the “Lego Boy” from Iceland who built a 20-foot replica of the Titanic using over 56,000 Legos, and Chula Vista teen Tae Ho, a Master Chef Junior contestant. Over 1500 children and families listened to inspiring talks from our youth, engaged in a unique Innovation Park, and participated in workshops such as hip hop dance and Minecraft modeling.

East County News Service

April 9, 2016 (El Cajon) – The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the arrest of an El Cajon couple charged with forcing an Indonesian woman to work in their El Cajon home up to 18 hours a day without pay.  The victim was rescued after giving a note to a visiting nurse asking for help.

Story and photos by Robert Gehr

April 7, 2016 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon has something new on the horizon. It’s a Courtyard by Marriott luxury style hotel, which is scheduled to be opening soon and will accommodate visitors choosing East County for  our region’s many attractions. The location is 141 N. Magnolia Ave. on the corner of Rea Ave. near the El Cajon Police station.

East County News Service

March 31, 2016 (El Cajon) -- As part of a Capital Campaign that will improve the lives of thousands, The Salvation Army in El Cajon will build a $5.4 million social services facility that will help to assist 1,500 families in East County every month. In a community where the poverty rate is approximately 30%--and 7,395 children living within two miles of our corps qualify for free or reduced price meals--the Salvation Army is there offering hope and a hand-up.  More than 40,000 are served from our El Cajon Corps annually with programs including: 

By Mimi Pollack

March 30, 2016 (El Cajon) - It is not easy leaving your home and moving to a new country as an immigrant or refugee. Many immigrants and refugees’ lives are shattered by political or religious conflict and they have to flee their countries. The ones who arrive in the United States have to learn a new language, and get accustomed to a new culture and different types of food. Not only that, many immigrants and refugees go from living in a rural place where they had land, or perhaps a house in the city with a garden to living in  small, urban apartments. Sometimes, they feel homesick and long for what they had back home. 

By Robert Gehr

March 25, 2016 (El Cajon) -- Check out the face done in mosaic tile. Simply amazing!

By Miriam Raftery

Updated March 31 with new info from the County Office of Education.

March 15, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The County Committee on School District Organization will hold six hearings to get public input on the Grossmont Union High School District’s proposed shift to electing governing board trustees by districts.  The GUHSD board voted 4-1 to adopt a controversial map and seek a waiver of a public vote despite opposition from members of the public who spoke, some alleging gerrymandering to oust a dissenting board member and break up a vocal minority voting block, as ECM reported.

The six hearings are set for March 17 in La Mesa, March 28 in El Cajon,  April 4 in Alpine,  April 5 in Jamul, April 6 in Lemon Grove, and April 11 in Lakeside.  The public can testify at the meetings and also submit written comments up until April 7.  The County’s committee will vote to approve or disapprove the district’s request at its April 13 meeting. The Alpine hearing was added after ECM and community members asked that Alpine be added as a location due to the many controversies involving the Alpine area.

For the full schedule of meetings, rules and details, click "read more" and scroll down.

To view the San Diego County Office of Education hearings announcement in English, Spanish and Arabic, click here.

To view data on the GUHSD redistricting plan including demographic details and maps, click here.

Also featuring: Lyonhearted 5K walk/run & Green mile fun run

By Robert Gehr

March 12 - 2016 (El Cajon) -- Let the races (and games) begin!

East County News Service

March 4, 2016 (El Cajon) -- Tomatomania!, the renowned Heirloom tomato seedling sale, returns to excite an enthusiastic group of gardeners in El Cajon this spring at the Water Conservation Garden, on March 12 and 13.

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2016 (Rancho San Diego)—Construction on a sewer replacement project along Campo Road through Rancho San Diego is slated to begin this summer and continue until spring 2018.  The project extends from Avocado to the Rancho San Diego Town Center near Cuyamaca College along the State Route 94 right-of-way.

Most work on the two-year project will be done at night between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. to lessen impacts on traffic, staff from Otay Water District have indicated.  Construction will also be restricted from March through August to protect birds from disruption during nesting season.

East County News Service

March 1, 2016 (El Cajon) – A new fire station on Pepper Drive in El Cajon will cost up to $1.8 million to build, including the land acquisition cost. The San Miguel Fire District approved the expenditure last week of $1.4 million for construction costs – more than double the original cost projection.

By Miriam Raftery

Controversial plan outrages Alpine voters, Chaldeans and other district residents

Priscilla Schreiber (photo, left) will be forced off board

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Grossmont Union High School District voted 4-1 to ditch district-wide elections and switch to electing trustees from each of five districts. (View map)  The board also voted to ask the San Diego County Committee on School Board Reorganization to waive a requirement that would ordinarily allow the public to vote on redistricting. (View map at bottom of this article)

District board expected to vote on redistricting plan today at 4 p.m.

"...Our Chamber will not accept any gerrymandering or divisive planning for political purposes and would be readily committed to engage either legally or politically to ensure a fair and equitable approach for the betterment of our community.” -- Ben Kalasho, Chaldean American Chamber president

By Miriam Raftery

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Ben Kalasho, president of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce in East County, has issued a press release calling on the Grossmont Union-High School District board to be “transparent and pragmatic” in its decision on how to transition from at-large to district elections. A vote on which map to approve is expected at today’s GUHSD board meeting at 4 p.m. at the East County Regional Education Center, 924 East Main St. in El Cajon.