East County News Service

March 17, 2018 (Lakeside) -- Do you love the great outdoors? Do you have a digital SLR or cell phone camera?  If so, you’re invited to come out and compete in this year’s Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest.

The shooting window is from March to the end of May and contest participants can get a free day pass to explore the reservoir to seek, find and capture eye-catching images.

By Miriam Raftery

March 17, 2018 (Boulevard) – A driver, 67, from the Salton Sea was killed last night shortly before 7 p.m.  He was driving a 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 truck and towing a three-axle flatbed trailer loaded with concrete blocks on I-8 eastbound near Ribbonwood Road when he lost control and plunged down an embankment.

By Miriam Raftery; photos by Monica Zech

Photo: El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis, left, and Officer Jordan Walker, right

March 15, 2018 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Officer Jordan Walker was named Top Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year countywide by the Auto Theft Advisory Committee out of 33 officers honored yesterday in Balboa Park.

By Joyce Strand

Photo from left to right: Democratic candidate for Congress Ammar Campa-Najjar, Republican candidate for Congress Shamus Sayed, Luawanna Hallstrom and Warren Bacon.

March 15, 2018 (Ramona) - The topics of water, farm labor, and NAFTA dominated presentations at Indivisible Ramona’s second community meeting to understand issues of importance to San Diego County, held at the Ramona Library Community Room on February 27th.

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Paul Hanks, a La Mesa resident, real estate broker and attorney with an office in Santee, was found by rescuers today in Joshua National Park.  He had fallen some 20 feet off a trail and suffered a head injury, but was conscious when found and is expected to have a full recovery, CBS 8 reports.

East County News Service

March 14, 2018 (Ramona) -- Indivisible Ramona invites the public to attend a forum on Solutions to Gun Violence on Sunday, March 25^th beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Ramona Library Community Room, 1275 Main St., Ramona, CA 92065.

Updated March 17. 2018 with photos of Williams' injuries and quote from his wife, courtesy of Candid Chronicle.

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2018 (Lemon Grove) – Last week, the San Diego Reader published an article revealing that a claim has been filed against the City of Lemon Grove by Christopher Williams.  Williams, who has applied to open medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, seeks punitive damages and medical costs resulting from what he alleges was an assault by Councilman David Arambula. Now Councilman Matt Mendoza is calling for an investigation.

East County News Service

March 14, 2018 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Department has identified Joseph Mercurio, 31, as the vehicular burglary suspect shot and killed on March 11^th.  Investigators have since learned from their investigation that “Mercurio was driving a stolen vehicle and had been involved in at least two vehicle burglaries the night of this incident,” Sgt. Forster said. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2018 (La Mesa) – After 14 years as Superintendent of the La Mesa0Spring Valley School District, Brian Marshall will retire on December 31^st, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Marshall has a long career in East County and San diego.  After receiving his Masters of Arts degree in Educational Administration from San Diego State University and a teaching credential at the University of San Diego, he became vice principal of Lakeside Middle School in 1993 and in 1995 was named principal of Tierra del Sol Middle School in the Lakeside Union School District.

Source:  San Diego Sheriff's Department

March 13, 2018 (Santee) - San Diego County Crime Stoppers and investigators from the Santee Sheriff’s Station are asking for the public's help to locate two unknown suspects wanted in connection with using a stolen credit card and identity theft.   

By Mary Harris

Photo courtesy SimonP on Wikipedia

March 12, 2018 (Alpine) - The next meeting of the Alpine Community Plan Update is around the corner. Look for information that will be posted soon here on ACN. People living in Alpine need to attend and let their county representatives know what is on their mind. Let your voices be heard loud and clear ! Tell them what YOU want and what you don't want.Some say that in the next twenty years, Alpine's population may double. Development is on the rise. What do you want to see preserved in Alpine ? What do you value here enough to fight for?

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2018 (El Cajon) -- Agents from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and the El Cajon Police Department arrested five suspects in El Cajon on March 10th for ABC violations, including three who furnished alcoholic beverages to minors. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 11, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – A new storm is set to hit our region starting Wednesday, along with cold temperatures.  Rainfall is forecast to be heaviest Friday and Saturday, with snow at higher elevations.

East County News Service

March 11, 2018 (Ramona) -- The Ramona Valley Vineyard Association presents Meet the Winemaker Weekend, taking place at 10 local Ramona wineries on April 7^th, 2018 and April 8^th.  The event features a behind the scene taste, tour and exclusive meeting with the winery owners and winemakers.

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

March 10, 2018 (Spring Valley) - While college March Madness is fun, high school March Madness is proving to be just as exciting as tonight, the Patriots of Christian High School traveled to Spring Valley to face the Matadors of Mount Miguel in a 12 vs. 13-seed Division IV matchup in the CIF Southern Sectional state playoff quarterfinals. A tough but fun contest awaited; the Patriots were an almost spotless 11-1 in league play coming into tonight’s game and 22-9 overall.  Compare that to Mount Miguel’s perfect 8-0 record in the Grossmont League and 31-4 record and this was going to be a fun game.