Review by Kathy Carpenter

April 25, (La Mesa) - Everyone has a dream. Most of us do not get the opportunity to realize the dream. For George Bailey, director of Nine, at least one of his dreams came true. Many years ago he would go to the downtown library and check out albums from different musicals. One day he checked out the album for Nine and went home to listen on his parents’ stereo. He loved the score and identified with the story. A fleeting thought crossed his mind. If he was a director he would direct Nine. The thought was forgotten until Lamplighters brought his dream to life.

By Mike Van Bibber

April 14, 2019 (Julian) -- A message to our family, friends, and neighbors in the Julian-Cuyamaca community, throughout California, and across the United States:

The men and women of the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District are facing an illegal government takeover of our volunteer fire department — San Diego County’s last volunteer department — and that’s putting the public at risk. 

Throughout our history, JCFPD has been responding to emergency calls in our community: heart attacks, car crashes, wildfires, you name it. More than 60 members strong, we proudly serve everyone in the community — whether local or visitor, young or old, rich or poor, regardless of culture or creed. We are woven into the community’s fabric and remain in the station ready to serve in the event of an emergency. 

Legal documents and bureaucrats call this place a “special district.” We call it “home.”

Normally we’d be waiting here in the station until someone calls in need of help. Our history has always been responding to calls for help. But today is different. 

Today we are asking you for help. Today we are the ones who desperately need your help.

By Miriam Raftery

April 23, 2019 (El Cajon) – When the East County Performing Arts Center reopens later this year under management of Live Nation, it will have a new name:  Magnolia Performing Arts Center. Magnolia is the city of El Cajon’ official flower and its image appears in the city’s logo. The center, located on Main Street, is accessed off the Magnolia Avenue exit from Interstate 8.

By Allan Acevedo

April 23, 2019 (La Mesa) – Helix Water District’s Board of Directors held a sparsely attended meeting last Wednesday that covered major topics including establishing guidelines to develop next year’s budget—including possible rate hikes.  Other issues covered included reconciling current policies with unfunded state mandates and reviewing specific actions on parcels.

The District provides drinking water for over 273,000 people in the communities of La Mesa, Lemon Grove, El Cajon, Spring Valley and portions of Santee, Lakeside and San Diego County.

East County News Service

April 23, 2019 (La Mesa) – Toby the T-Rex donned bunny ears over the Easter weekend.  The statue, owned by Jeff Phair of the Phair Company, has fast become a holiday icon atop its hillside home at the planned site of La Mesa Summit Estates in La Mesa.

East County News Service

April 23, 2019 (El Cajon) -- On Wednesday, April 24, the Congressional Committee on Education and Labor’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment and the Committee on Veterans Affairs’ Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity will hold a joint field hearing entitled, “Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Ensuring the Success of our Student Veterans.”

Source:  Grossmont College

Aprill 22, 2019 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont men's swim and dive team captured the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship on Saturday at Southwestern College.  The Griffins won nine events, including four relay wins, to vault them to the top of the standings.

Swagit Productions, LLC provides EASE^TM hands-free Webcasting system for optimal meeting video delivery to the citizens of El Cajon

Source:  Swagit

April 18, 2019 (El Cajon) - The City of El Cajon provides their residents with an improved City Council meeting viewing experience via Swagit Productions and their EASE™ streaming solution. 

“The City of El Cajon had an existing video streaming product that was not meeting our needs,” said Sara Diaz, Director of Information Technology for El Cajon.  “The system had a high failure rate and our staff had to spend a lot of time on the phone with their support trying to get the system functional and videos uploaded from our personal copies. 

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 16, 2019 (San Diego) - A German shepherd mix who was rescued after she was trapped between boulders for at least four days will be available for adoption Tuesday. Special adoption applications will be accepted Tuesday through 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 19.

East County News Service

April 16, 2019 (El Cajon) - The El Cajon Valley Host Lions and the Winchester Widows present their annual fundraiser Gunsmoke IX on Saturday, May 18 at El Cajon Elks Lodge 1812 (1400 E. Washington Ave., El Cajon) from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Julian paramedics struggling after County freezes JCFPD funds

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Read the documents here: JCFPDCourtDocuments

View older ECM article on Brown Act violations: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/julian-cuyamaca-keep-fire-district-starts-path-healing

April 15, 2019 (Julian) -- The judge who ruled in favor of the Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District a week ago, San Diego Superior Court Judge Randa Trapp, late Friday afternoon was designated to preside over the ex parte hearing requested by JCFPD attorney Cory Briggs. The change of judge was noted in the legal case’s online Register of Actions on the San Diego Superior Court website.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo: JCFPD Attorney Cory Briggs talks with community supporters

April 12, 2019 (Julian-Cuyamaca) - The Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District (JCFPD) on Wednesday had hoped that it would get its day in court after the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) unanimously voted to dissolve the rural Julian fire and medical emergency district on Monday.