By Miriam Raftery

January 24, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – County Supervisors on Tuesday approved a proposal to accept bids from outside animal welfare organizations seeking to compete against the County’s Animal Services Department to provide services in the County’s unincorporated areas, including rural, desert and mountain regions in East County as well as neighborhoods such as Spring Valley, Alpine, and Lakeside. In East County, the city of Santee will also be impacted.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos:  HPWREN images of Chariot Fire in 2013

January 23, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Five more cameras will soon be positioned atop mountains in East County to help spot wildfires and help firefighters douse flames early to prevent firestorms.  Supervisors on Tuesday approved funds to expand the UCSD Scripps Institute’s High-Performance Wireless Research and Education Network, or HPWREN.

Third Session in a Series of Subregional Community Engagement Meetings

January 23, 2018 (Santee) -- The San Diego Association of Governments Board of Directors is conducting a nationwide search for a new executive director to lead the agency. As part of that process, the Board is seeking input from the community at a series of public meetings and through an online survey hosted by the firm hired to conduct the recruitment.

Board also names West Hills Gymnasium for David C. Hunter

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo: Steele Canyon High School 2017 CIF-SDS Football Champions - Division II, 2017 CIF SoCal Regional Football Champions - Division 3-A and 2017 CIF State Champions – Division 3A, January 22, 2018

January 23, 2018 (El Cajon) - At Monday’s Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Board Meeting, recognition was given to top sports teams for their victories and their “sportsmanlike” conduct.

Helix Charter, Monte Vista and Steele Canyon high schools all won CIF-SDS 2017 Champions, and West Hills Gymnasium is named in honor of David C. Hunter after a GUHSD vote, while the Steele Canyon 2017 SoCal Regional Football Champions and “West Hills Way” were accoladed as being “sportsmanlike.”

By Miriam Raftery

January 22, 2018 (Lake Jennings) – I went to Lake Jennings today hoping to see bald eagles recently spotted there. Instead, I found an osprey perched atop a eucalyptus tree. Nearby, a migratory white pelican in the lake was quickly joined by another pelican swooping in for a landing; I later saw several more.

By Raymond Lutz, Citizens Overnight

January 22, 2018 (El Cajon) - Greetings:

I am writing today about the failed policy to cite or arrest people who are sharing food at parks, and the related Hepatitis A outbreak.

El Cajon is getting a national reputation, and it isn’t a good one. I noticed a recent Facebook video on the subject – https://www.facebook.com/NowThisNews/videos/1778159485607501/ – received more than three million views. We can’t afford to get this type of publicity!

Source: Campo Railroad Park & Museum

January 22, 2018 (Campo) -- The Campo Railroad Park & Museum has set up a donation page to help offset the costs of relocating and reconstructing the former Alpine train lovingly operated for children of all ages by Roy Athey. 

The Museum is committed to keeping the legacy alive in Campo with a dynamic exhibit of not only the train ride but also to include a faux mine complete with mining equipment to explain San Diego County’s many gold and precious metal mines.  Moving the train and setting it up was an unexpected gift and funds are simply not available today to put it back together. 

By Sue Strom, Advocates of Safe Airport Policies (ASAP)

January 21, 2018 (El Cajon) -- We hope your year is off to a happy and healthy start.  However, for those of us concerned about heavy local traffic, safety, noise, toxic air and lead overhead, with protections for homeowners few and far between, the new year is already daunting.

FAA approval for an increase in air traffic... a state of the art flight training center... the lengthening of the 27L training runway...the redesign and enlargement of the Bradley Street interchange off hwy 67... and the development of 9 five acre parcels of land for aviation usage called the Cajon Air Center are all coming together step by step over the next several years to form the perfect storm.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 20, 2018 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Planning Commission voted 6-1 Thursday to recommend that the County’s Board of Supervisors approve the County’s revised Climate Action Plan, with some modifications.

NAN is also organizing a “100 ministers and the people” march Jan. 15

By Miriam Raftery

January 15, 2017 (Lemon Grove) – National Action Network (NAN) San Diego announces two events in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

“Where are we 50 years later?”  a celebration honoring civil rights leaders will be held on January 19 at the Lemon Grove Community Church “the Lagoon”, 3122 Main Street in Lemon Grove.  Doors open at 6 p.m. with a 7 p.m. start.  The event will feature guest speaker Jane Elliott, an anti-racism activist who will discuss her historic brown eyes-blue eyes exercise. Honorees will include BAPAC State President Dr. William Blair, Dr. Cheryl Morrow of the San Diego Monitor newspaper, Alan Cabrera of Ideas Cabrera, and Raymond Wiley, a 67-year-old African-American man who has contended he was racially profiled by a San Diego police officer in 2017.

For tickets ($15), visit http://www.nansd.net/janeelliottevent.

Update: Services are scheduled for February 8 at 11 a.m. at Foothills Christian Church. 365 West Bradley in El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

January 18, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Charles “Chuck” Hansen passed away suddenly on Monday night, January 15^th.  A civic leader active in many organizations for decades, Hansen mentored and befriended many people , leading numerous charitable efforts as well as promoting East County.

He is remembered by San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce president/CEO Eric Lund as a community icon whose “years of knowledge and experience has helped to make San Diego East County a better place to live, work and play.”

By Miriam Raftery

An East County Eaters review from East County Magazine

Join the East County Dining Club in a feast Jan. 25 at Village House Kalina! 

Read details & RSVP by Jan. 25.

January 17, 2018 (La Mesa) – Each time I’ve dined at Village House Kalina in La Mesa, the Russian, Ukranian and other Eastern European dishes have been delicious. These hearty and flavorful foods have nourished the creative powers of Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Tolstoy and other great Russian novelists, energetic Cossack dancers, tsars and peasants alike.

Cozy and filled with authentic décor from Russian samovar teapots to a balalaika on the wall, Village House Kalina is the perfect place for a hearty winter feast or filling fare year-round.

Update January 18, 2018:  Alaya Michelle Jenkins has been arrested and charged with first degree murder in this case.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

January 17, 2018 (El Cajon) — A woman stabbed near a bus stop in the 100 block of West Madison Avenue in El Cajon by another woman yesterday at 3 p.m. was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead.  According to Lt. Walt Miller with El Cajon Police, the victim and her pet pit bill dog had exited a vehicle to confront another woman. 

By Jillian Hymer

An "East County Eaters" review from East County Magazine

January 16, 2018 (La Mesa) -- Light Bulb Coffee is a bright new spot in La Mesa’s downtown village. Opened three months ago at 8138 La Mesa Blvd., the business is filling the shoes that Starbucks outgrew when it moved into an expanded location a couple of blocks.

Their menu holds classic coffees, lattes, and teas alongside a variety of healthy smoothies and specialty drinks, as well as a wide variety of breakfast and lunch food items.  There are several house specialties, such as Turkish Hazelnut, which was subtly sweet when I savored an iced version.  Our editor sampled a hot California Pistachio, which had a nutty and minty flavor.

By Miriam Raftery

January 15, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) — Deputies from the Sheriff's Alpine, Lakeside, and Santee Station responded to request for assistance from the California Highway Patrol with a traffic pursuit this afternoon around 4:30 p.m. The driver was wanted for speeding and was driving westbound Interstate 8 through Alpine.