By Miriam Raftery

Image: Funds are being raised through LaunchGood to restore damage at the mosque.

March 26, 2019 (Escondido) – An arson fire at the Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque in Escondido on Sunday has prompted heightened security at mosques throughout San Diego County, the Escondido Grapevine reports.

“Graffiti left behind by the suspect made reference to the shooting incident in New Zealand,” said Lt. Chris Lick with Escondido Police. The mass shooting at a Christchurch New Zealand mosque earlier this month killed 50 people.

By Miriam Raftery

March 24, 2019 (El Cajon) – You’re invited to a Warbird Expo and World War II collectors’ swap meet at Gillespie Field in El Cajon on Saturday, April 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Tickets for a ride in real WWII aircraft (a historic WWII SNJ-5 Trainer) can also be purchased online or at the event.

This is the largest fundraiser of the year for Air Group One to help keep these historic World War II aircraft flying and fund youth education programs.

By Miriam Raftery

March 23, 2019 (Spring Valley) – The San Miguel Fire Protection District board voted Feb. 27 to shift to “by division” elections instead of at-large elections.  On March 27 T 5:30 p.m., the board will hold the second of two hearings to solicit public input, after which maps will be drawn for proposed districts.

By Kathy Carpenter, Reviewer

Photos by Adriana Zuniga-Williams

March 21, 2019 (Anza-Borrego) -- Our editor, Miriam Raftery, took these two videos of Bighorn sheep along Montezuma Valley Road, the steep grade into Anza-Borrego Desert State park.  If you're heading to Borrego, which means "Bighorn," keep a sharp eye out for these desert denizens along rocky slopes.

March 20, 2019 (Viejas Reservation) -- Tom Hyde, revered tribal elder, passed from this earth and his beloved Viejas community, March 14, 2019, at 92 years of age.  He is survived by a large family of 200, both blood and chosen.  Born Thomas James Hyde to Prudencia and Valentine Hyde, of El Capitan Village, he’s the last of the original Viejas Reservation members, and last to have personally witnessed destruction of El Capitan Village, at age five. Thus, he began life as a bridge between the past and future of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

Story and photos by Liz Alper

March 20, 2019 (El Cajon) - El Cajon Valley and Steele Canyon baseball are both off to rocky starts as they begin conference play against each other this year.  The Braves are 2-3 while the Cougars teeter at .500 at 5-5. They started Grossmont League play today with a home-at-home series, starting in El Cajon. ECM Sports was there for our first baseball coverage of the season.  Senior Robert Verdugo took the mound for the Braves against senior Jack Schlotman for Steele.

East County News Service

March 20, 2019 (La Mesa) – A Pedal for the Planet Trail Ride, arts and crafts, vendors, STEM activities, educational materials, a bounce house and food trucks are all part of La Mesa’s Earth Day Festival.

Sponsored by the La Mesa Park and Recreational Foundation, La Mesa’s Earth Day Festival will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harry Griffen Park, 9550 Milden Street in La Mesa. The event promises “fun for all ages.”

For more information, contact ci.la-mesa.ca.us or call Misty at 619-667-1319.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Miriam Raftery, Editor, contributed to this report

Update March 27, 2019: The margin has narrowed slightly but Measure A still leads by 114 votes and a 7.96% margin: yes 53.98%, no 46.02%

March 19, 2019 (Julian) – The County’s last all-volunteer fire department may soon be history. With 1,294 ballots counted tonight, Measure A is passing with 55.56%, the Registrar of Voters reports.

The measure would affirm a decision made last September by the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to abolish the 35-year-old Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District. Fire and ambulance services would be shifted entirely to the County Fire Authority, under the direction of Cal-Fire.

The Registrar’s office will continue to accept ballots until Friday, if postmarked by today. It is unclear how many ballots mailed out have not yet been returned, or whether there could be enough to make up the 145-vote gap (719 to 575).

Cal-Fire firefighters’ union local #2881 posted on Facebook tonight, “Thank you to the Citizens of Julian and Cuyamaca for the opportunity to serve them.” (photo, left)

For backers of the JCFPD who have fought hard to keep their volunteer firefighters, however, the outcome sparked strong emotions.

Source:  Helix Water District

March 19, 2019 (Lakeside) - Helix Water District has launched its eighth annual Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest to share the beauty of its reservoir with the local community. The contest is open to photos taken at Lake Jennings between March 1 and May 31, 2019.

East County News Service

March 19, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Activists have announced plans for a “Rainbow Dance Party” to counter picketing by the hate group Westboro Baptist Church on Monday, March 25th. The counter-protesters will begin their event at 6:45 a.m. at El Cajon Valley High School, shortly before Westboro’s picketing starts at 7 a.m.  Then the rainbow dancers and marchers will proceed to Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley, arriving before Westboro’s picketing at 8:30 and remaining until 9:30 a.m.

Upcoming spring events April 10 and May 19 reap harvest of community opportunities

By Elisabeth Handley

March 18, 2019 (La Mesa) -- Spring heralds all things new, so what better time to plan a new garden or landscape renovation? La Mesa Beautiful’s spring events are the perfect venues to get ideas, talk to experts and have a lot of fun in the process.