East County News Service

Feb. 26, 2026 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Police Department is sounding the alarm to the community about rising thefts of recent models of Jeeps.

The police department shares that residents in La Mesa as well as surrounding East County neighborhoods need to be informed of a sophisticated spike in vehicle thefts targeting high-end, newer-model Jeeps.

They say that thieves are pivoting from traditional "smash-and-grab" tactics to high-tech electronic hacking that allows them to drive away in a stolen vehicle in under three minutes.

The primary targets are 2020 and newer Jeep Wranglers and Jeep Rubicons.

Unlike older theft methods that involved hotwiring or physical damage, tech-savvy criminals are using portable electronic devices often marketed as locksmith tools to bypass security. By accessing the vehicle's On-Board Diagnostic port, thieves can communicate directly with the car's computer.

Once connected, the device "tricks" the vehicle into thinking a new key is being programmed. Within moments, the thief has a fully functional electronic key fob, allowing them to start the push-to-start engine and drive away without ever having the original key.

By Paul Levikow

Photo via San Diego Fire Protection District

February 25, 2026 (Crest) – The Crest Dehesa Granite Hills Harbison Canyon Planning Group is seeking public input on the safety of La Cresta Road, following a recent fatal head-on collision in Crest.

Josefina Sanchez, 72, was killed by an alleged drunk driver in the crash Feb. 11, 2026 while visiting her son in Crest. She was in town to mourn the death of her husband who passed away 12 days earlier in Mexico.

Source: Lemon Grove Lions

February 24, 2026 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove Lions Club and Lemon Grove Forward Club, organizations devoted to volunteering and supporting the local community, will be hosting a Chili Cookoff on March 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at VFW Post 2082, 2885 Lemon Grove Ave, Lemon Grove, 91945. Admission to the event is $30 and proceeds will go toward the Lions Club’s local service projects. 

By Miriam Raftery

February 23, 2026 (San Pasqual Valley) – Who knew that giraffes sleep only 5 to 30 minutes a day, while standing up? Or that some flamingos are white, not pink, to stay cool during extreme heat?  Those are just some of the fun facts my husband and I learned while visiting the San Diego Safari Park on Saturday, taking advantage of free admission for seniors age 60 and up (with ID proof of age) throughout February.

“I love Lemon Grove, and I always like to think the glass is half full, not half empty.” - David Eckler, newly appointed Lemon Grove planning commissioner.

Photo by Armando Rasing II:  The Lemon Grove City Council introducing the new planning commission candidates one-by-one on Tuesday night

By Armando Rasing II

February 23, 2026 (Lemon Grove) - David Eckler and Jennifer Morrisey were chosen by the Lemon Grove City Council on Tuesday to fill the two vacancies in the city’s Planning Commission. 

Eckler and Morrisey were unanimously both voted into the commission. Eckler was voted into the longer first term role, with his term beginning on Tuesday and ending June 30, 2027. Morrisey was voted into the shorter first term role, with her term also beginning on Tuesday and ending on June 30, 2026. 

By Kevin A. Green 

Miriam Raftery contributed to this report

Photos via elcajon.gov 

The mayor and city officials outline planned actions to benefit the community

February 23, 2026 (El Cajon) — El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells addressed public safety, homelessness, the economy and more during his State of the City address February 3 at the Ronald Reagan Community Center.  The mayor recapped progress made in 2025, addressed challenges and outlined goals for 2026.

By Miriam Raftery

February 16, 2026 (Borrego Springs) – Heavy winter rains have brought an early start to wildflower blooming season in the Anza Borrego Desert. During a trip there on Super Bowl Sunday, I found flower fields abloom with purple verbena on Henderson Canyon Road, as well as some white evening primroses, purple lupine and various yellow blossoms all against a dramatic backdrop of rugged mountains.

Desert dwellers say that more rains in recent days have resulted in even more flowers blooming over the past week, leading to hopes of a possible super bloom. 

If you go, here are some tips.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Roberto Sanchez, via ECM news partner 10 News

February 14, 2026 (Crest) – Roberto Sanchez, an only child, is grieving the loss of his mother, Josefina Sanchez, who died in a crash on La Cresta Road Feb. 11, just 12 days after his father passed away of a heart attack in Mexico.

His mother had come for a visit, with hopes to stay in the United States, when a driver under the influence of alcohol, according to the California Highway Patrol, crossed the center line, and struck Sanchez’s vehicle head-on, destroying the family’s dreams.

East County News Service

Photo via San Diego Fire Protection District

February 12, 2026 (Crest) – A Ramona woman, 72, has died of injuries sustained in a head-on crash that occurred February 11 in the Crest area of unincorporated El Cajon.  An El Cajon woman, 30, driving a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado eastbound on La Cresta Road east of Coyote Ridge crossed the solid, double-yellow center lines, striking a 2012 Volkwagen Jetta driven by the Ramona woman head-on.

Source:  California Highway Patrol

February 11, 2026 (La Mesa) - On February 11, 2026, the California Highway Patrol, in conjunction with Helix Charter High School and La Mesa Police Department will be conducting a simulated drunk driving crash as part of the Every 15 Minutes program. The crash will be staged on Highlander Way and will begin at approximately 10:27 am. The mock crash will take place for approximately one hour; however, Highlander Way will be closed for several hours to allow for scene set-up and breakdown. During the mock crash, there will be a high concentration of emergency vehicles in the area. We would like to ensure that the public is aware this is a mock emergency incident, and that no real emergency exists. Numerous pre-designated students will be pulled from class and at the same time a mock obituary will be read by law enforcement personnel to the class. These students represent the number of people who will be seriously injured or killed at the hands of a drunk driver while they are in school that day.