East County News Service

November 1, 2016 (El Cajon) --- El Cajon Police are searching for a late model Honda Accord, grey or silver, with possible front end damage following a hit-and-run accident Friday night shortly before 9 p.m.  The eastbound vehicle struck and seriously injured a 45-year-old man who was crossing the 1100 block of East Main Street outside of a controlled intersection.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Devorah Fox,  left,  and Ramona Irwin, right

October 31, 2016 (El  Cajon)—East County Magazine invited all five candidates running for the Cajon Valley Union School District to be interviewed on our radio show. Two responded.  

Hear our interview with  Ramona Irwin and Devorah Fox: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au... , and scroll down for more information about the candidates.

Source: Lions, Tigers & Bears

October 29, 2016 (Alpine) - Lions Tigers & Bears (LTB) - an accredited big cat, bear and exotic animal rescue sanctuary, in San Diego County, Calif., held it's 6th annual Halloween Spooky Campover from Friday, October 28 to Saturday, October 29, for guests of all ages to come and spend a wild and goulish night under the stars with the 60+ rescued animals that call the sanctuary home.

East County News Service

October 29, 2016 (Spring Valley) -- The Casa de Oro Community Alliance announces the first annual Fall Festival on Saturday November 19th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The festival will be held in the Casa de Oro Plaza (across from Starbucks) in the 9700 block of Campo Road.

Family fun, games, live music, children's interactive crafts and the Fern Street Circus with face painting and entertainment for all will be provided.

East County News Service

October 28, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Authorities seek public help to identify two men who robbed gas stations and 7-11 stores Sunday night and early Monday morning.  The two masked thieves threatened clerks with a pistol, then stole cash from numerous locations in Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, Hillcrest, La Jolla and Lemon Grove.

By Miriam Raftery

October 28, 2016 (El Cajon) — The City of El Cajon is moving forward with plans for a new animal shelter.  A public hearing on a proposed conditional use permit for the new facility will be held by the city’s planning commission on Tuesday, November 1 at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers (200 Civic Center Way, El Cajon).

October 21, 2016 (La Mesa) -- East County Magazine invites you to our Halloween Eve Masquerade Party! 

On Sunday, October 30, 4-8 p.m. our party at a private home in La Mesa will be the “happening haunt” complete with Halloween Eve feast,  costume contest, live music with the "Bad Randies" string band & Paul Nichols' variety music (Monster Mash and more!) local ghost stories, a trove of prizes, spooky surprises, & a frightfully good time!

This party is open to our weekly newsletter subscribers, our wildfire alert subscribers, and invited guests age 21 and up.  Subscriptions are free!  Click here to subscribe. 

Cost: $12 and bring a dish to share  ($10 for Editor’s Club members/sustaining donors)

By Miriam Raftery

October 27, 2016 (Santee) – A 67-year-old woman crossing the 10500 block of Mission Gorge Road this morning at 9:30 a.m. was struck by a Cadillac driven by an 82-year-old woman.  Santee Fire Department and Sheriff’s deputies responded.

Loans are available to help people with dry wells due to the drought

By Michele Clock, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 27, 2016 (San Diego) -- Do you own a property with a well in San Diego County? Is it dry due to our prolonged statewide drought? Help is available.

A new emergency water distribution program is offering assistance to residents without access to running water for drinking and sanitation due to a dry well. Residents who qualify can receive low-interest loans to replace individual water well systems and install temporary water tanks. The water assistance is not for landscaping or agricultural needs.

Delays are expected Thursday night during one-way traffic control operations

Source: Caltrans

October 27, 2016 (San Diego) - Caltrans crews have scheduled lane closures at the intersection of State Route 67 (SR-67) and Dye Road/Highland Valley Road near Ramona on Thursday night from 7 until 5 Friday morning.

By Billie Jo Jannen, Chairman, Campo Lake Morena Community Planning Group

October 27, 2016 (Campo) -- The Campo Lake Morena Community Planning Group has voted unanimously to formally oppose Proposition B – a developer-proposed initiative that would allow over 1,700 homes to be built on what is currently farmland, and does so in opposition to both the county general plan and the wishes of community planners and residents.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

October 25, 2016 (El Cajon)—A 14-year-old football player at Grossmont High School was injured  by lightning that struck nearby while walking toward the locker room after football practice yesterday around 6:15 p.m. 

In 2010,  we reported on a coach at El Capitan High School who kept players on a field during a lightning storm in violation of district policy. “The policy of the GUHSD in thunder/lightning storm conditions would be to immediately seek safe shelter at the first sound of thunder and to remain in said shelter until at least ½ hour after the last sound of thunder,” Larry Pear, director of extended and co-curricular activities at the Grossmont Union High School District,  told us at the time.

Numerous witnesses report seeing lighting strikes throughout the afternoon in the community, right up until the time the student was struck. So why wasn’t yesterday’s football practice at Grossmont High, in the same school district, cancelled?

East County News Service

October 25, 2016 (El Cajon) - The Mission Arts & Crafts Fair will be this Saturday, October 29 fro 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

East County News Service

October 25, 2016 (El Cajon) – A hearing is set for tomorrow at 3 p.m. in U.S. District Court in downtown San Diego on a restraining order sought by the NAACP and several individuals who claim they were falsely arrested for holding peaceful protests and vigils in the wake of the Alfred Olango shooting by an El Cajon Police officer.