Source:  Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber

December 12, 2022 (San Diego) -  Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-79) held a community recognitions ceremony on Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the George Stevens Senior Center in Encanto. The purpose of the year-end event is to honor community leaders and small business owners in District 79 who were recognized for their hard work and public service during the year. Each honoree was nominated by their fellow community members and invited to attend the in-person ceremony with their family. Students who completed Asm. Weber’s Young Legislator’s Program were also invited to the celebration.

East County News Service

November 21, 2022 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce seeks donations of items to help 16 homebound seniors locally, which will be assembled in large gift baskets and gift bags.

The gifts will be delivered by the La Mesa Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol. To allow time for wrapping and delivery, all donated items must be received by Friday, December 2. Please bring items to Fran Smith at the La Mesa Chamber’s office, 8080 La Mesa Blvd., Suite 214 between Monday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Mary England, Chamber President, can also meet donors seven days a week to pick up items directly from you by calling her at 619-251-7730.

Suggested items to purchase or donate:  Canned soups, canned vegetables, canned fruits, crackers, pasta, marinara, macaroni & cheese, instant cereals, bars of soap, tubes of toothpaste, tissues, bottles of hand soaps, hand sanitizer, socks, pens and pads of paper. Gift cards in any denomination from the following locations: Walmart, Target, or any grocery store. Please double check expiration dates, If you have another item you believe will put a smile on their faces, drop them off.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 15, 2022 (San Diego) - One of the best feelings anyone can get during the holiday season comes when you put a smile on someone else’s face—especially when it’s on the face of a child.

East County News Service

Photo: Shane Harris, President of the People's Association of Justice Advocates, Tayari Howard, and Mayor Racquel Vasquez raise gold shovel to plant tree in Howard’s honor.

View video: https://fb.watch/ggcAWhC1OD/

November 13, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Community leaders and elected officials gathered at Treganza Heritage Park in Lemon Grove last month to honor Tayari Howard, founder of Legacy Media Publishing, Promotions and Production. The award-winning broadcaster, legendary smooth jazz radio voice and host of the “Music for Lovers” program   and activist was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.

East County News Service

November 2, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- During November and December, the Rock Church will host eight food distributions throughout the San Diego region, including El Cajon in East County.  The distributions are free and open to the community and will include frozen ground turkey, food, diaper and supplies distribution. Additionally, there will be 400 gallons of Hollandia milk distributed at the San Marcos location.

Source: Lemon Grove Lions Club

Photo: Ken Burke,  JoAnne Burke, Tobi Gary, Cathy Froelicher, Barbara Sala and Jeannie Lopez

October 23, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove Lions proudly presented a $1,000 donation to Fisher House San Diego, on Thursday Oct 14, 2022.  

The Lemon Grove Lions Club serves their community, hosting fundraising events which allow for donations to be given, such as the one just presented to Fisher House San Diego. This donation was from the proceeds from their recent Cornhole Tournament.  

Donation challenge kicks off today as the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres face off on the field 

Source:  Feeding San Diego

October 22, 2022 (Philadelphia) - Feeding San Diego, the county’s leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization, has accepted a challenge from fellow Feeding America organization Philabundance – Philadelphia's food bank – to see who can raise more funding to help feed their communities during the baseball series between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres. This friendly fundraising challenge will raise critical funds and awareness for the hunger-relief organizations during a challenging economic period that has made the cost of operations skyrocket.  

East County News Service

October 9, 2022 (La Mesa) -- Long-time La Mesa resident Garry Armacost, a Vietnam veteran, will be flown to Washington D.C. on November 4 aboard an Honor Flight to be hailed as a hero. He will spend two days in our nation’s capital, where he will visit war memorials.

By Shiloh Ireland

September 16, 2022 (Lakeside) – On September 12, Hope for the Homeless Lakeside (www.hope4homelesslakeside.org) organized an outreach event held in the parking lot next to the Parks and Recreation Building in Lakeside. Also present was a mobile unit from the county, HHSA-Health and Human Service Agency and several deputies from the HART -Homeless Assistance Resource Team of the San Diego Sheriff Department.

Judy Scheuer (photo, right) is the executive director, spoke with East County Magazine about how she came to establish the organization to help homeless people in the community – help needed now more than ever, after the August 31 Willow Fire destroyed homeless encampments in the riverbed and one homeless man was found dead in a pond days earlier.

“Three years ago, it started as a grassroots effort; then I hired a homeless woman and then began taking water, food, blankets tents and also hauled out trash weekly in the riverbed,” she said.  “Showers were offered weekly and  Otay Mesa Detention Facility fixed broken bicycles for us.”  Now bicycles are going to be repaired by a resident she knows.

108 Rescued Beagles reach El Cajon animal shelter and prepare for adoption

Story & photos by Josh Stotler

August 31, 2022 (El Cajon) -- As the wheels of the Embraer Brasilia touched down on the runway of Gillespie Field at 1:43 p.m., 108 rescued beagles officially became San Diegans. The dogs, rescued from Envigo, a Virginia-based company that breeds animals for sale to scientific research & testing facilities, arrived on time and in good spirits.

Source: San Diego County Humane Society

August 29, 2022 (San Diego) -- A deaf dog is safe this evening, after falling 100 feet down a steep ravine in Sorrento Valley. 

San Diego Humane Society’s Emergency Response Team deployed to help just before 2 p.m., after a call from the owners of the dog asking for help.

Facility trains therapy dogs for people with epilepsy, autism, hearing impairments, physical and mental disabilities

By Henri Migala

August 23, 2022 (Jamul) -- Little Angels Service Dogs, an Assistance Dogs International (A.D.I.) accredited organization based in East County, is entering into a creative and exciting two-year partnership with San Diego-based Neurelis to help people suffering from epileptic seizures obtain life-changing companionship and other benefits provided by service dogs specially trained to care for people suffering from epilepsy.

East County News Service

July 13, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- San Diego County Clerk Ernie Dronenburg expanded office hours this summer to offer a new “Love After Hours Evening Wedding Services” program. Couples may book an appointment for an evening wedding on the following Wednesdays this summer: July 20, August 10, and September 14, between 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.