East County News Service

June 16, 2019 (El Cajon) – Yariela Freeman, a graduate from Steele Canyon High School in El Cajon (class of 2008), has been named marketing director at SDX, San Diego’s oldest and one of the largest San Diego networking and professional groups for advertising and marketing executives. She will be involved in overseeing the business operations, marketing strategy and implementation, event planning and coordination, member relations, membership growth and partnerships with other local trade organizations.

By Miriam Raftery

June 14, 2019 (Campo) – After Border Patrol agents stopped two vehicles in Campo on June 2^nd that were traveling in tandem and suspected of smuggling undocumented immigrants, drug paraphernalia was observed during examination of the vehicles.  “Shortly after, one of the agents began coughing and complained of nausea,” says Justin Castrejon, public affairs officer for the Border Patrol in San Diego.  The agent reported an odor from inside one of the suspect vehicles.  The San Diego County Hazardous Incident Response Team responded, ECM news partner 10 News has learned.

By Lisa Marcolongo

Photo:  Camp Spero campers and their counselors, Kiana, Ashley, Lily, Victoria, Citlalli and Lorraine. Carrie Vines Photography

June 14, 2019 (Julian) - From May 31 through June 2, 100 children and teens from San Diego and Southwest Riverside Counties attended Camp Spero, a free bereavement camp hosted by The Elizabeth Hospice that is open to the community. Campers spent a fun-filled weekend in Julian, CA, where they honored and memorialized their loved one, learned coping skills and made friends with others who are facing similar challenges. Camp Spero is open to all youth in the community, ages 7 to 17, who are grieving the death of a significant person in their life.

By Miriam Raftery 

June 13, 2019 (El Cajon) -- At its June 11th meeting, the El Cajon City Council received a presentation from Hasan Ikhrata, Executive Director of the San Diego Regional Association of Governments (SANDAG) about the new vision being formulated by the regional planning agency. After Mr. Ikhrata presented SANDAG’s “Five Big Moves” presentation, the City Council unanimously voted to support Mayor Bill Wells, sending a letter to SANDAG spelling out El Cajon’s position on the TransNet future spending.  

East County News Service

June 12, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- An excessive heat warning remains in effect through today. The heat wave which prompted an excessive heat wave on Tuesday brought record-breaking temperatures across East County. So how hot was it?

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor; Editor Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

Photo: Board President Tamara Otero

June 11, 2019 (El Cajon) -- The high drama and hijinks which have been commonplace lately at Cajon Valley Union School District (CVUSD) board meetings continued at the May 28^th session. At one point the meeting was adjourned during a fracas among individuals outside the board room, overshadowing reports on district accomplishments. The action of adjourning, then reconvening the meeting for subsequent discussion and voting on agenda items raises new legal concerns.

By Miriam Raftery

 

June 9, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for San Diego County’s deserts from Tuesday morning through Wednesday, when high temperatures are forecast to reach 110 to 114 degrees.  

Leak is now controlled; trolley service has resumed and streets have reopened

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

June 7, 2019 (El Cajon) – A 2-inch diameter gas line ruptured by construction crews at North Marshal Ave. and Petree Street shortly after noon today prompted evacuations of the Rock Church and multiple businesses including The Lexus car dealership and Black Bear Diner. 10 News reports diners were given just five minutes to flee.

By Miriam Raftery

Listen to audios of CVUSD meetings from Dec.-March (scroll down)

Photos: unobtrusive recording device on tripod used by ECM reporter at two recent meetings does not obstruct views or traffic.

June 6, 2019 (El Cajon) – It took cease and desist letters sent by two attorneys to the Cajon Valley Union School District for ECM to obtain recordings of public meetings previously denied, along with assurances that our reporters will not be threatened for recording school board meetings ourselves. But other important records requests remain pending beyond the time frames mandated by state law.  

More than five months after our initial Public Records Act request for tapes of public meetings, the Cajon Valley Union School District has turned over all but one recording from December 2018 through March 2019.  Miraculously, those include a Dec. 11, 2018 recording that the district previously informed ECM had been destroyed. The one missing audio file, for March 12, 2019, was not available to a technical difficulty, the district claims in a letter sent to Californians Aware attorney Terry Francke.  

The records were provided to Francke after the attorney notified the district that its refusal to provide copies of recordings violated the Ralph M. Brown Act (California’s public records act) to ECM reporter Paul Kruze and to board member Jill Barto.  The district’s purported destruction of the December recording after 30 days despite a records request made just one day after the meeting, as claimed by executive assistant Naomie Rodriguez, was also illegal, Francke informed the district.

The district sent its recordings only to Francke, with a short window to download copies, but never did provide copies directly to either Kruze or Barto, both have confirmed. Barto says the district has refused to provide CDs for any meeting prior to May, and that they told her they won’t provide CDs unless a request is made within 30 days of a meeting – backtracking off their vote in  late March to retain recordings for a year and make them available on CD, as ECM reported.

East County News Service

June 5, 2019 (La Mesa) – It began with unexplainable fatigue then weakness in his left arm and shoulder for Jessy Ybarra of La Mesa. “I regularly worked out with my trainer 3 days a week and it seemed like one day, my left side just couldn’t keep up with shoulder presses and pushups anymore,” said Ybarra. “Then, my left pinkie finger started curling up. Then, there was a twitch on my left triceps.”

By Miriam Raftery

June 5, 2019 (Campo) – Public participation is needed at two upcoming meetings on Terra-Gen’s proposal to install 60 wind turbines, each 586 feet tall and capable of producing 4.2 megawatts of power.  The turbines are proposed on the Campo tribal reservation, from north of I-8 to near the border in the south. 

“These turbines are about twice the size with twice the harmful energy and noise as existing local Kumeyaay Wind and Tule Wind turbines. If new turbines are approved, life for many area residents will change for the worst.” Says Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Planning Group which represents nearby communities. She adds, “People are already sick around existing turbines.”        

Below are details on upcoming meetings June 6 and June 19, where the public can learn more and speak out:    

East County News Service

June 4, 2019 (La Mesa) – Was your home built before 1984?  If so it may qualify for historic preservation, with tax benefits and other advantages.  La Mesa Conservations and the La Mesa Historical Society will host “Historic Preservation in La Mesa: Myths, Realities and Benefits” including the city’s historic property update. The event will be held this Thursday, June 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge, 4731 Date St., La Mesa.

This event is free. but please RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/historic-preservation-in-la-mesa-tickets-61773023777?mc_cid=a883f98a8a&mc_eid=54e8d2ba08