East County News Service

February 6, 2016 (El Cajon) – Registration is now open for East County’s St. Patrick’s Day Half Marathon, 5K Run/Walk, Green Mile and Tribes & Clans competition on Saturday, March 12 (the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day).  This event aims to involve the entire family in fun and fitness. The Green Mile Fun Run, an enjoyable, short distance, non-competitive event, is also available. 

By Mike Allen

January 30, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- The latest car-to-car shooting incident earlier this month on Interstate 8 brings the total to three in the last year, and four in the last three years, prompting the question whether this stretch of freeway from 70^th Street east to Los Coches Road is particularly dangerous.

East County News Service

January 28, 2016 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon Citizen of the Year Committee has selected Humbert Cabrera of El Cajon, founder of Cabrera and Associates, Inc., a design and drafting firm, as its 2015 El Cajon Citizen of the Year. Cabrera will be honored at a luncheon on Monday, Feb. 1 at the Elks Lodge #1812, 1400 E. Washington Ave., El Cajon. The luncheon event is scheduled to run from noon to 2:30 p.m. Cost to attend is $18 per person. To RSVP, visit www.eastcountychamber.org or call (619) 440-6161.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

January 28, 2016 (El Cajon) – A truck hauling 40,000 pounds of frozen chickens caught fire shortly after 1 a.m. on I-8 West in El Cajon. 

East County News Service

January 24, 2016 (El Cajon) — The San Diego Early Music Society will present  Dorothee Oberlinger on recorder, Florian Birsak on harpsichord, and Marco Testori on cello in “Flauto Veneziano,” a concert on Sunday, April 3 at 3 p.m. in the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Center.

ECM interviewed Officer Pak in December

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Kelsey Hauser, courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

January 19, 2016 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Department has identified Officer Samson Pak as the patrol officer involved in a fatal shooting of a woman passenger (photo, left) and a dog in the vehicle on Sunday following a high-speed chase. The identities of the driver and all three passengers have also been released, including two El Cajon residents.

East County News Service

January 16, 2016 (El Cajon) — Four children and an adult have been displaced by a house fire early this morning that left the family dog dead. 

By Liz Alper

January 14, 2016 (El Cajon) - An El Cajon homeowner arrived home to find a burglar in his home in the 2400 block of Chatham Street at 12:30 p.m. today, according to Sgt. J. Larson with the El Cajon Police. 

East County News Service

January 8, 2016 (El Cajon) -- Young women ages 9-22 who would like to represent the City of El Cajon are encouraged to participate in the 2016 Miss El Cajon Pageant.

January 6, 2016 (El Cajon) — A man in his 30s, whose identity is not known, suffered major life-threatening injuries last night when he was struck by a Nissan Pathfinder while crossing a street at Marshall and Arnele Avenues last night at 6:39 p.m.

East County News Service

January 4, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Thieves burglarized two ATM machines in Santee and Rancho San Diego overnight.

Update January 2, 2016: The Medical Examiner has confirmed that the victim was Mary Faanunu, 34, wife of the suspect. She died of a gunshot wound to her head. 

East County News Service

January 1, 2016 (El Cajon )—Six children apparently lost their mother early this morning and their father is behind bars. Hauati Faanunu, called police at 12:34 to report that he had shot his wife at their home at 82020 Melrose Lane in unincoporated El Cajon.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Lakeside substation responded and found a woman dead inside the residence with trauma to her upper body.  Soon after, Faanunu turned himself in at the El Cajon Police Department. KNSD 7 News reports that he dropped the couple’s six children, ages 2 to 13, off at a relative’s house; no one was home when police arrived at the family's residence.

East County News Service

Update December 28, 2015: The deceased has been identifed as Corey Akren, 47, a transient, according to the Medical Examiner.

December 25, 2015 (El Cajon) — A pedestrian and a friend pushing a bicycle were struck by a red Toyota Tundra pickup truck while crossing Naranca Avenue at Second Street in El Cajon last night at 5:45 p.m.  The pedestrian was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later despite aggressive rescusciation efforts. The bicyclist, a woman, was also taken to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Photo credit to Redden-McAllister on Flickr

East County News Service

December 18, 2015 (El Cajon) -- Country music singer Travis Tritt will be performing at Sycuan Casino & Resort in El Cajon on January 24 at 7 p.m.

East County News Service

December 18, 2015 (El Cajon) — The German American Societies of San Diego invite you to ring in the New Year during a gala at their headquarters in El Cajon (1017 S. Mollison Ave.) on Wednesday, December 31^st.   Come dressed up and enjoy dinner and dessert, the Blue Birds show band to put you in a dancing mood, party favors, a midnight snack and champagne.