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.

Source:  Grossmont College

Photo courtesy grossmont.prestosports.com

April 8, 2019 (El Cajon) - Grossmont College women's tennis sealed the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Championship after its final conference match against Southwestern College April 4, 2019. The Griffin women defeated the Jaguars 9-0 and arrived home with their seventh consecutive conference title.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 7, 2019 (Lakeside) - Día de los Niños and Día de los Libros is more than a one-day affair at the County Library. Events celebrating Children’s Day/Book Day will take place throughout the month of April.

Mexico and many Latin American countries celebrate Día de Los Niños on April 30 but libraries across the U.S. now tie Children’s Day to the importance of books and literacy for children.

Residents weigh legal challenge as election paves way for County Fire Authority and CAL FIRE to assume fire protection and medical emergency services

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

April 5, 2019 (Julian-Cuyamaca) - After nearly two years of controversy, Julian residents voted on Mar. 19 by mail ballot to abolish the 34-year old Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District (JCFPD) and replace it with fire and medical emergency services provided by the San Diego Fire Authority and Cal Fire.