East County News Service

November 30, 2015 (Ramona) – On Tuesday, December 8^th, the Ramona Municipal Water District will consider options to fund ambulance services. Those options include keeping the same paramedic transport services and replacing three ambulances (requiring a public vote to raise a fire fee), or outsourcing service to  private company.  The 2 p.m. meeting will be held in the Ramona Community Center,434 Aqua Lane.

East County News Service

November 26, 2015 (Lakeside) – Santa and his elves are hard at work getting ready for the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce’s 17^th annual Spirit of Christmas on Maine Ave. in Lakeside.  The holiday tradition takes place on December 5^th from 4 to 9 p.m. and is free to the public.

With an atmosphere of an old-fashioned, hometown Christmas, the event features the sights and sounds of Christmas including local school performances, Santa Claus and photos with Santa, food and drink, kids activities, rides and jumpy jumps, booths, crafters, and lighting of the community Christmas tree.

Animals are safely en route, soon to find refuge at sanctuaries

November 24, 2015 (Alpine)--Bobbi Brink, Founder/Director of Lions Tigers & Bears (LTB) in Alpine, and her team are making a 5,000 mile round trip journey to rescue and provide transport to six exotic animals, including four tigers from Ohio. The animals are en route to reputable sanctuaries in Nevada and California.

November 24, 2015 (Ramona) -- San Diego Sheriff's Deputies assigned to the Ramona station working with FBI agents have made an arrest as a result of the investigation into the November 19^th robbery of the Bank of America branch located at 1407 Main Street, Ramona. Timothy Grahman, 64, was arrested Friday on Hanson Lane in Ramona and has been booked into San Diego Central Jail.

East County News Service

November 24, 2015 (El Cajon)--A fire at an El Cajon home could have been far more tragic – if not for the courage of a neighbor.

November 24, 2015 (Mt. Helix) - “Images of America: Around Mt. Helix” is on sale now. The Mt. Helix Park Foundation has partnered with La Mesa resident, author and historian James D. Newland to create this photographic history with evocative images.

November 24, 2015 (La Mesa)—La Mesa Police Chief Walt Vasquez has announced that after shoulder-tap operations using minor decoys led to three arrests, police will extend the operations through July.

East County News Service

November 22, 2015 (Jamul) –A car that ran a Border Patrol Checkpoint struck a bus on Highway 94 at Otay Lakes Road Saturday afternoon, sending four people to the hospital.

East County News Service

Photo, left: historic buildings at the Guy B. Woodward Museum in Ramona's Old Town

November 23, 2015 (Ramona)--The Ramona Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Christmas tree lighting event on December 5^th from 5-8 p.m. in Old Town Ramona. The event features sleigh rides, carolers, Santa’s Village, performers and Santa Claus.

The tree-lighting will be at the Guy B. Woodward Museum (645 Main St..),  which includes a collection of historical buildings form Ramona's western past. The Holiday Craft Village with Santa will be in Ramona’s Town Hall.  Around town, watch for other activities and shops competing for the best-dressed window contest.

In addition, Old Town Ramona shops invite you to join in a “Find the Elf” contest from 3 -8 p.m. on the same day.

By Robert Gehr © 2015

November 21, 2015 (El Cajon )—El Cajon’s first-ever Holiday Lights on Main celebration will be held November 28^th from 12 noon to 7 p.m.  Festivities take place at Prescott Promenade Park and in downtown El Cajon.

This special event features a Santa’s village complete with Santa Claus and an elf making an appearance just in time for Christmas! There will also be an ice skating rink, craft and food vendors, a train ride, community acts, plus live music featuring Danielle Tucker from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

A special Christmas tree lighting at 6:00 p.m. in front of Starbucks and Urbn St. Brewing Co. at Main St. and Magnolia Ave. will coincide with all the lights throughout downtown and Prescott Promenade Park being turned on to brighten the holidays for everyone.

November 21, 2015 (El Cajon)—St. Michael’s Chaldean Catholic Church will host its first annual “Gift of Giving Christmas Gala” on Friday, December 4 at 8 p.m.  The 21+ wine and cheese gala will feature a silent auction, raffle items, a selection of wines from local wineries, craft beers and donated foods.

East County News Service

November 20, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service is forecasting snow Wednesday and Thursday down to 3,000 feet, potentially including I-8 in East County.  Significant levels of snow are forecast above 5,000 feet, bringing a white Thanksgiving to our mountain areas. 

Holiday travelers should use caution due to slippery roads and strong west winds, as well as potential for ice, snow, and of course, wild turkeys!

Board also votes to incur debt to fight Alpine lawsuit—and gets legal warning of CA Voting Rights Act violations

By Miriam Raftery

“You should be proud that a school like this is helping students out. Are you thinking of the students and our futures, or just yourselves and your money?”—Jackie Ramirez, 16, young mother and student at Diego Valley Charter

November 19, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) –Wearing green shirts reading “Defend School Choice”,  over 100 parents, students and teachers turned out to protest the Grossmont Union High School District’s litigation that seeks to shut down multiple charter schools.  Speaker after speaker gave emotional testimony tonight, pleading with the GUHSD board to save their schools.

A lawsuit filed by the district seeks to shut down Diego Valley Public Charter, which serves at-risk  students including many Chaldeans and other minorities, drop-outs , pregnant students, and students who have aged out of the public high school system, as well as Julian Charter School-Alpine Academy. A hearing on the case is scheduled for June 10, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. before Judge Joan M. Lewis in San Diego Superior Court.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: U.S. Army marksmanship training

November 19, 2015 (Alpine) –The County Planning Commission last week voted to allow two additional appeals of an interim permit issued by the planning director for Covert Canyon to operate firearms training for military, governmental and law enforcement. The groups have 10 days to file appeals. A December 11^th hearing is set to hear all appeals.

The appeals requests were filed by Danielle Belliveau on behalf of 15 Alpine residents and from attorney Marco Gonzalez of Coast Law Group representing Cleveland National Forest Foundation, Save Our Forests and Ranchlands, and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation.  Those requests were in addition to a previously accepted appeal filed by neighbors Clark and Robin Williams, who live within 300 feet of Covert Canyon. (See ECM ‘s previous article on the appeals and on the County’s interim approval of a stipulated administrative enforcement order. )

East County News Service

November 16, 2015 (Lakeside) – On Sunday morning, employees at the Lakeside River Park Conservancy found their office had been broken into. A laptop computer had been stolen, the alarm dismantled, and food from the fridge scattered across tables.

A security camera revealed an image of the intruder eating and tampering with the alarm system The Sheriff’s department sent Deputy Darryl Patmon out to the scene to investigate.

The next morning, at 7:30 a.m, employees again arrived at work and discovered the same man seen in the video standing in the kitchen, drinking tea after sleeping in the office and apparently breaking some items, the River Park’s Facebook page indicates.