East County News Service

November 12, 2023 (Alpine) — You’re invited to Christmas with the Animals, a fundraiser for the Lions, Tigers and Bears sanctuary in Alpine, where you can witness the heartwarming spectacle of animals unwrapping their Christmas presents. It's a delightful moment that will warm your heart. The event takes place on Saturday,  December 9 from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m., with animal feedings from 3 to 4 p.m.

November 5,2023 (Alpine) – For a roaring good time, you’re invited to a Turkey Bash at Lions, Tigers and Bears, where you can watch rescued big cats and bears savor their Thanksgiving feast. This special event will take place on November 24 and 25,  the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, at 10 a.m.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Supervisor Jim Desmond at press conference calling for border closure

October 28,2023 (San Diego) – The Israel-Hamas war has inflamed anti-U.S. sentiments around the world, sparking protests outside U.S. embassies in several nations,. NBC news reports. That’s led some local conservative politicians including Supervisor Jim Desmond and Supervisorial candidate Amy Reichert to call for closure of the border to new immigrants, citing fears that militants allied with terrorist groups supporting Hamas could potentially cross the border into the U.S. with an aim to harm Americans.

How credible are those concerns?

Weapons seized included handguns and parts to make AR-15 rifles

Story and photos by Miriam Raftery

Updated 10 p.m. with additional details from the Sheriff's department

October 16, 2023 (Spring Valley) – Roger Bell, 38, a suspect who prompted a  five-hour SWAT team standoff in the Casa de Oro area of Spring Valley, is under arrest. 

The incident began shortly after 11 a.m. when the Rancho San Diego and Lemon Grove Sheriff’s substations responded to a call reporting a stabbing in the 9600 block of Campo Road.  They spoke with the victim, who said he was stabbed in the hand with a 10-inch knife by his roommate. 

"The victim and a friend were reportedly threatened with a gun and held against theirwill by the suspect for two hours," saysDetective Guadalupe Catano. 

East County Supervisors, candidate for vacant seat split on views over migrant aid

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Migrants in Jacumba Hot Springs in May 2023

October 12, 2023 (San Diego) – By a 3-0 vote,  San Diego County Supervisors on Tuesday approved allocating $3 million in federal American Rescue Act funds to aid nonprofit groups that have become overwhelmed by waves of migrants in our region. Agencies through the region’s  Rapid Response Network are handling hundreds of asylum seekers daily in recent weeks. The funding will provide immediate aid with a goal of consolidating resources into a proposed migrant center in the future.

An estimated 98% of these migrants have family in the U.S., according to the proposal. But after being processed and screened by Border Patrol agents, many are being dropped off at transit stations without food, water, translation services, or any means of contacting relatives or traveling to reunite with their families. Recently, many migrants have been held temporarily in scorching desert heat in areas such as Jacumba and Boulevard without shade, water or food; community volunteers have stepped up to provide tarps, water, and sandwiches in what ECM reporter Rebecca Person termed “peanut butter diplomacy.” One immigrant called a volunteer offering food “an angel.”

An award-winning ECM report in May led the Southern Border Communities Coalition to file a federal complaint with Homeland Security over alleged mistreatment of migrants in violation of U.S. and international laws.

The use of the federal funds approved by Supervisors, intended as a three-month stopgap measure while the  County pushes for more federal money, will be used to help migrants and asylum seekers with translation help, transportation, food, water, hygiene kits, restrooms, access to Wi-Fi and equipment to reach relatives and move beyond San Diego to their destination, while asylum seekers await hearings in immigration court.

October 2, 2023 (Jamul) -- Fabrice Borel of Jamul snapped a photo of this beautiful bobcat, which was so close he says he thought it might jump into his vehicle.

California, where hunting bobcats has been illegal since Jan. 1, 2020, now has an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 bobcats, according to the California Fish and Wildlife Dept. 

East County News Service

October 1, 2023 (Potrero) -- Two people have been arrested after more than 50 firearms were seized in a search of a  Potrero residence.

East County News Service

 

September 28, 2023 (Spring Valley) -- A man is in custody in connection with a shooting in Spring Valley. The shooting happened on September 4 around 1:00 a.m. near the 10000 block of Chavacan Lane. 

Deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station arrived at the location and found over a dozen gun casings, along with multiple bullet holes to a nearby home. No one was hurt

East County News  Service

September 26, 2023 (Dulzura) – A motorcyclist  missed a curve and was ejected onto State Route 94 just east of Roma Road at 10:49 Saturday morning. He was transported by air ambulance to Scripps Mercy Hospital, where he died of his injuries.

The 28-year-old Chula Vista man was driving a 2024 Kawasaki ZX-6R motorcycle westbound on 94 when the crash occurred.

By Jacob Pamus

Everybody Dies by the End is a feature film written by Ian Tripp and directed by Ian and Ryan Schafer. The film was partially shot in Jamul and downtown. The film stars East County locals such as Brendan Cahalan and Vinny Curran, who owns a bar called Thrusters Lounge in Pacific Beach. Other local actors include Brendan Cahalan from El Cajon and Ian Tripp of San Carlos.

The synopsis of the film is: “A documentary crew follows cult classic horror director Alfred Costella as he makes his final film - An all-practical masterpiece...with a dark twist.” 

When asked about his experience during the production of the film, Ian Tripp told ECM, “You have to be agile to problems coming at you every minute, but the crew itself was why we surpassed any problems we had.” He went into further detail, explaining how well the crew worked together in an environment that could be very stressful.

By Branda Gorgies

Photos from Branda Gorgies, Brenda Ramirez and Creative Commons via Google Images

September 6, 2023 (Spring Valley) -  Teachers at Steele Canyon High School, a charter school in the Grossmont Union High School District, are seeking a salary increase because many of them feel they’re not being paid a competitive salary. On August 16, at the high school’s library, Steele Canyon’s independent governing board held a meeting with public comment from five teachers. On Monday this week, students held a walkout to show support for the teachers. 

By Miriam Raftery

By Miriam Raftery

File photo of past spillover at Loveland Dam, via Sweetwater Water Authority

August 20, 2023 (Alpine) – Warning letters have been sent by Sweetwater Water Authority to residents downstream from Loveland Reservoir, in anticipation of “unplanned water release, or spills”  due to anticipated heavy rains from tropical storm Hilary. “These potential unplanned water release, together with expected abundant storm runoff, could cause flooding in areas downstream,” the district’s website cautions.

Residents downstream are urged to relocate livestock, equipment and materials out of the floodway, to inspect their properties, and clear critical culverts as soon as possible to reduce potential property damage.

Flooding could continue even after Monday, when rains are forecast to end, due to storm runoff into the river.