Source: City of El Cajon

January 4, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon City Council is now accepting applications for its Planning Commission, Veterans’ Commission, Personnel Commission, and Public Safety Facility Financing Oversight Committee.

East County News Service

January 3, 2017 (La Mesa) – About 100 people gathered on New Year’s Day afternoon at Mount Helix Park Amphitheater for a “Prayer Summit,” hosted by Unite San Diego, an East County-based coalition of pastors, elected officials, business owners and community leaders.

East County News Service

January 2, 2017 (El Cajon) – A man wielding a knife was shot last night shortly after 9 p.m. by an El Cajon Police officer and is being treated at a local trauma center for the gunshot injury. According to Lieutenant Randy Soulard with ECPD’s special enforcement division, the officer was wearing a body camera and footage has been retained as evidence.

East County News Service

January 1, 2017 (Lakeside) – A man found in a burned home this morning on Woodland Vista in Lakeside has died. Firefighters from the Lakeside Fire Department rescued and revived a Labrador retriever dog, using a special pet oxygen mask.

By  Laura Ball

January 1, 2017 (La Mesa/Mt. Helix) -- I have very active hummingbird feeders and have noticed a few birds with tumors on their beaks (see photo). I have been in contact with a specialist at the University of California-Davis Vet Med Center about this, and she had some suggestions on how to help them. The hummingbirds probably have avian pox, which is contagious - to birds only, not humans - and can spread through the feeders we all have in our yards.

East County News Service

December 30, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) - Two storms are set to douse our region this weekend. The first is forecast to arrive Friday morning and continue Friday night, followed by the second storm Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy Bob Perry

December 29, 2016 (Mount Laguna) – The Laguna Mountain Volunteers (www.LMVA.net) are looking for more volunteers to man the visitor center and do other good works.  There are no minimum obligations, “just opportunities to seize,” says Bob Perry, who sent us these photos of a visit this week to the winter wonderland complete with  six inches of snow:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/rudyperry/albums/72157678384403265

He adds, “Louise and I drive up from El Cajon two Sundays a month to open the visitor center.  It's just the two of us having fun at 6,000 feet.  We've been doing this for six years.” 

East County News Service

December 27, 2016 (La Mesa) - Lamplighters Theatre in La Mesa will present “What the Butler Saw," a classic British farce opening January 20^th and running through Feb. 19^th. 

When a psychiatrist tries to seduce an aspiring secretary, his botched efforts lead to comic bedlam involving his insatiable wife, a randy bellhop, a befuddled police officer and Sir Winston Churchill. Psychiatry, religion, marriage, government, definitions of gender and even language are all targets of British playwright Orton's poison pen. His sly jokes and hilarious shenanigans will have you shaking with laughter from start to finish.

Source: Alpine Fire Dept.

Photos:  District Legal Counsel Steve Fitch administers oath of office to incumbent Alpine Fire Board member Thomas “Jim”  Mann (left) and new member Steve Taylor (right).

December 27, 2016 (Alpine) -- The Alpine Fire Protection District swore-in two Board members at the December 20, 2016 Board meeting.  Incumbent Thomas “Jim” Mann took the oath for his second 4-year term on the Fire Board.  New Board member Steve Taylor was sworn in for a 4-year term as well. Both Board members were the top two vote getters in a 5 person race for two seats on the Fire Board.  Both Board members were sworn in by District Legal counsel Steve Fitch.  Outgoing Board member Mary Fritz did not seek re-election.  Board member Fritz was thanked by staff, the firefighters and her fellow Board members for her many years serving on the Fire Board. 

East County News Service

Photo: George Runyan

December 27, 2016 (La Mesa) – Unite San Diego, a coalition of pastors, elected officials, business owners and community leaders, will host a New Year’s Day “Prayer Summit” from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Sunday, January, 1, at the Mount Helix Park Amphitheater, 4901 Mt. Helix Dr., La Mesa. The public is invited to attend. Admission is free. The program will include music, worship and prayers. A prelude to worship will begin at 1 p.m. Several hundred people are expected to attend, said Michael Griffiths of Unite San Diego.

East County News Service

December 24, 2016 (Ocotillo) – Parke Ewing sent this stunning shot, perfectly composed, of a rainbow arcing above wind turbines in the desert at Ocotillo on Christmas Eve after the storm.

Residents have long complained about the turbines marring desert views.  So when Ewing posted this image on Facebook, it received some equally creative comments.

East County News Service

December 24, 2016 (Boulevard) – “Check out the three inches or so of snow we woke up to in the Tierra Del Sol area of Boulevard!”  writes Donna Tisdale, who sent in these photos taken on Christmas Eve morning.

Drive sober or get pulled over

East County News Service

December 23, 2016 (El Cajon) -- This holiday season, El Cajon Police will be out looking for drunk & drugged drivers as part of a special year-end Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization.

East County News Service

December 22, 2016 (Lakeside) – A 23-year-old San Diego woman driving a Toyota Solara eastbound on I-8 east of Los Coches Road last night at 11:50 p.m. lost control of her vehicle while changing lanes on the rain-slicked highway.  Her vehicle struck a metal guard rail, then overturned.

East County News Service

December 20, 2016 (Julian) – The public is invited to start the New Year off on the right foot in a California State Park with a “First Day Hike” guided by Park Interpretive Specialist, Michele Hernandez at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.  The hike will begin on January 1, 2017 at 10 a.m.