Story and photo by Michael Howard

Photo: Tobacco retailers like this smoke shop will be subject to licensing later this year. 

January 15, 2024 (La Mesa, CA) - The La Mesa City Council adopted a new ordinance earlier this month that mandates tobacco retailers shall have a license to sell tobacco products.

The ordinance passed unanimously during the January 9,2024 City Council meeting upon Councilmember Jack Shu’s motion to adopt. Shu showed his support of the ordinance by wearing two lapel pins.

“One is ‘I love clean air’ and the other is a lung that was given to me for cleaner lungs by not smoking,” Shu said.

Source:  Mounarath-Powell Dance

January 13, 2024 (La Mesa) - Visionary Dance Theatre, an award-winning dance company and school for the performing arts in the heart of La Mesa, is thrilled to announce a rebranding initiative to celebrate its 15th anniversary and the long-standing partnership of its founders, Spencer John Powell and Mickey Mounarath.

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2024 (La Mesa) – La Mesa police seeks public help to solve the murder of 22-year-old Corneilius Donte Brown.  His family is offering a $9,000 reward, in addition to a $1,000 Crimestoppers award, for information leading to the identification and arrest of suspects in his murder, which occurred on April 24, 2021 around 12:26 a.m.

East County News Service

January 11, 2024 (San Diego) -- Join a Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Trail Guide on a special Martin Luther King Day nature walk Monday, January 15, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and learn about the plants, animals, geology, history, and ecology of the park on one of these scenic trails:

By Miriam Raftery

January 10, 2024 (El Cajon) – Wal Mart has announced that it will not renew its lease for the Walmart store in the Parkway Plaza shopping mall in El Cajon. The company plans to close the store on February 9.

By Jonathan Goetz

January 9, 2024 (Santee) -- Santee Chamber of Commerce and the East County Chamber of Commerce invite you to a joint mixer hosted by Sportsplex USA Santee 9951 Riverwalk Dr, Santee, CA 92071. Make new and strengthen current connections with other local business representatives. 

East County News Service

January 8, 2024 (Ramona) -- Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona invites you to open farm tours on Saturday, January 13 and January 27 from 12 to 2 p.m.  Enjoy a bird show and camel show, meet and feed camels and lambradoodles, take a camel ride, and enjoy camel milk products such as artisan soaps, lotions, chocolate and camel milk.

Tickets must be purchased online.

East County News Service

January 7, 2023 (El Cajon)—The parents of three children are dead of in an apparent murder-suicide at their home in the 1600 block of Hilton Head Court in unincorporated El Cajon. The deceased have been identified as Jose Benjamin Lopez Valle, 41, and his wife, Brenda Valle, 38.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call reporting an assault with a deadly weapon and gunshots. Inside the residence, they found the victims with a firearm nearby. Deputies and paramedics provided medical care but could not save the couple. 

“It appears that Jose’s injuries were self-inflicted,” says Lieutenant Joseph Jarjura with the Sheriff’s homicide unit.

They were parents to three children, ages 18, 16 and 11.

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By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2024 (La Mesa) — An affordable housing development on city-owned land at the site of the former police  station in downtown La Mesa is expected to be completed later this year.  You can now sign up on an interest list to received leasing events information this summer.

Renters must have a household income between $29,200 and $67,200, which is 30% to 70% of the area’s $97,000 median income. Rents will range from $685 to $1,591 per month.

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2024  (Jamul)—Rob Deason, a retired teacher in the San Diego Unified School District and husband of Deerhorn Valley Antler publisher Kim Hamilton, died last night after a long illness and several months in home hospice care.

Originally from  Los Angeles, Deason studied liberal arts at California Western University.  A talented woodworker, he also studied woodworking and electronics at San Diego Sate University California. He married Hamilton in 1987.

His articles and photos on backcountry life appeared in the Deerhorn Valley Antler.

 Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland

View video from County News Service

December 31 2023 (Lakeside) – County Parks and Recreation held a grand opening of the $16.9 million Dianne Jacob Equestrian Park on December 12 in Lakeside. Several hundred people attended, with Jacob as the guest of honor.

Jacob served 28 years as District 2 County Supervisor and is an avid equestrian. Her dream of a premier facility was unveiled to an enthusiastic crowd and local officials. Jacob was an advocate for many park projects during her tenure of 28 years in public office.

The excitement was obvious in Jacob’s demeanor as she cut the long red ribbon to open the beautiful facility. “This is awesome...It’s one-of-a-kind and it’s going to bring in events from all over the state of California,” said Jacob. “This is going to put Lakeside on the map.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via WTVT pool video: Donald Santini is led into a Tampa courtroom before pleading guilty in the 1984 slaying of Cynthia “Cindy” Ruth Wood.

December 28, 2023 (Lake Morena, CA) – A Florida judge has sentenced Donald Santini to 50 years in prison, with 15 years parole, after he pleaded guilty to the 1984 strangulation murder of Cynthia Wood, the mother of three young children, the Tampa Bay Times reported in November. A fugitive for 40 years, Santini 65, lived under the alias  Wellman Simmonds in Campo’s Lake Morena community and even held public office. He served on the Campo-Lake Morena Community Planning Group and as president of the Lake Morena Views Mutual Water Company.

His arrest in June by federal marshals for the murder of a Florida woman decades ago since shockwaves through the Lake Morena Community, as ECM reported.

December 27,2023 (East County) -- The San Diego Blood Bank will hold blood drives in January in Lemon Grove and Santee:

By: Jessyka Heredia

Watch video here

December 22, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove’s City Council on Tuesday voted 3-0 (with Councilmembers Liana LeBaron and George Gastil both absent) for a 3% raise for all non-contracted employees. The Council also approved an amendment for a 3% increase to the City Managers pay, a half percent increase above what her contract states as well as an additional 2.5 making a total of 5.5% increase.