By Rebecca  Jefferis-Williamson and Miriam Raftery

Photo, left,by Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson: Marchers at Mollison near Broadway

September 28, 2016 (El Cajon) – Parkway Plaza regional shopping center is shut down for tonight after protests spilled into the mall over yesterday’s fatal police shooting of Alfred  Olango, 38, an unarmed African-American man with mental health issues.  Marketing director Ken Gray told  ECM the mall shut down for the night on advice of police.

“ Where I work, a lot of people were crying and screaming,” Gage Miller told  East County Magazine shortly after police evacuated the Walmart store where he works and escorted everyone outside. He said around 3 p.m., “lots of people were marching in the mall and going into the movie theatre…Walmart had to put its gates down. Protesters were spraying water from water bottles all around.”

Update:  The victim has been identified as Brandon Deguzman, 21.  Cause of death has been determined to be homicide by shooting,outside the victim's home. 

By Miriam Raftery

September 25, 2016 (Santee) – A fugitive wanted in connection with a deadly shooting in unincorporated El Cajon yesterday morning is now under arrest.

In partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank

East County News Service

September 19, 2016 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego Blood Bank will accept blood donations at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (2766 Navajo Road) in El Cajon on Sunday, September 25, 2016 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.  in the parking lot. All blood types are needed. Current inventory for the universal blood type, O negative, is at critically low levels.

You can listen now  to a podcast of our interview by clicking the audio link: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au..., or click "read more" and scroll down for highlights.

By Miriam Raftery

Mark your calendars for our candidate forum with Helix Water Board candidates and Lemon Grove Mayoral candidates on Wednesday, September 21 at the Lemon Grove Library.Meet candidates at 5 p.m. with the forum starting at 5:30.

September 16, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – John Linden has served on the Helix Water District Board since 2000.  He’s proud of his service and of the Helix district’s long history since its establishment back in the 1880s.  He’s running for reelection in district 1, against three challengers. We sat down for an interview with Linden that originally aired on KNSJ radio.

East County News Service

September 15, 2016 (El Cajon) - The Water Conservation Garden celebrates the fall planting season with the 2016 Fall Plantstravaganza! on Saturday, November 5 from 10am to 2pm, with a special members-only preview sale from 9am to 10am.   Garden memberships may be purchased at the gate.

By Robert Gehr

September 11, 2016 (El Cajon) -- After attending this year’s emotionally moving 9/11 remembrance ceremony in El Cajon at Centennial Plaza, I decided to share a few thoughts, facts and photos to awaken memories in all of us so we never forget.

East County News Service

September 11, 2016 (El Cajon) - The fifth annual “HauntFest on Main” is from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. in downtown El Cajon.

East County News Service

September 11, 2016 (El Cajon) - The city of El Cajon is offering three workshops on Measure S on Sept. 14 and 15, and again on Oct. 3.

If approved by voters, the measure would provide for district elections for city council seats, meanng each councilmember would represent a specific neighborhood, instead of city-wide elections for all seats.

Source: San Diego County Sheriff's Department

September 9, 2016 (El Cajon) - Keep your eyes open the next time you fill up at the gas pump. Someone has been installing scanning devices known as "skimmers" inside credit card readers at gas stations. They can steal your credit or debit card information, including pin numbers, and use it to make fraudulent purchases.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department has partnered with local and federal agencies to investigate these crimes, which include thefts at 7-11 stations in El Cajon. Several arrests have already been made. The investigation is ongoing.

Here are things you can do to protect yourself:

By the East County Eaters

September 4, 2016 (El Cajon) – Long known for its flame-grilled steaks, cattle rancher roots and Western-themed décor,  Black Angus restaurants have now added a new hand-crafted, fresh juice cocktail menu to their Bulls Eye Bar.   From a Brazilian margarita that may make you want to dance the Samba to a Citrus Pomegranate Mule, you’ll find plenty to whet your whistle during all-day Happy Hours each Sunday , or from 3-7 p.m. all other days except Saturday.

We stopped by the Black Angus in El Cajon, where we savored some refreshing libations as well as tasty appetizers that roped us in to stay for a full dinner feast. 

By Miriam Raftery

September 1,2016  (San Diego’s East County) – Beyond the blizzard of ballot measures statewide and candidates on your November ballot, East County voters will be asked to weigh in on a variety of local initiatives with big impacts.

Those include countywide measures:  one a tax to fund transportation, the other  a measure that would set a precedent for developers to  evade environmental reviews by taking projects directly to voters.   There are also medical marijuana dispensary measures on the ballots in Lemon Grove and La Mesa, a redistricting proposal in El Cajon, and school bond measures in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College, Grossmont Union High School, and Cajon Valley  Union school districts.  Here are details:

East County News Service

September 1, 2016 (El Cajon) -- A  rummage sale will be held on Saturday, September 10, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church, 501 Farragut Circle, El Cajon. The sale includes holiday items, jewelry, clothing, shoes, purses, craft materials, toys, gift items, etc.

By Miriam Raftery

August 24, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — A man with a prior conviction for lewd conduct has been arrested for allegedly photographing a 10-year-old girl in the women’s restroom at a Wal-Mart on Camino Canada in El Cajon, just off of Interstate 8, on August 17th.

By Miriam Raftery

August 18, 2016 (El Cajon) — Planners, business and marketing leaders, a teacher, a restaurant partner, and a mother/ex-deejay are among the ten candidates who have qualified for the ballot to run El Cajon’s City Council in November, the city clerk confirms.

East County News Service

August 13, 2016 (El Cajon) -- Who were the key personages that made the Reformation happen? Was it Martin Luther or a series of circumstances? This courtroom trial tells of Luther’s youth, his parents and his reasons for becoming a monk--and shows why he nailed his 95 theses to the church door.