All that and pumpkins, too: 50 years and counting at Christmas Tree Farm in El Cajon

Governor signs bill letting relatives care for children if parents are deported

Five tribes announce formation of new Chuckwalla National Monument Intertribal Commission

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza and release of all hostages

Senator Weber Pierson holding Town Hall on Oct. 16

Chili Cookoff Nov. 8 to benefit Circle TLC Ranch

Governor Newsom signs Senator Weber Pierson’s first-in-the-nation reparative justice bill

La Mesa aims to have new city hall by 2029, but library expansion remains stalled

Dia De Los Muertos Open House at Horses of Tir Na Nog

Gov. Newsom signs bills to stop the 'Puppy Mill Pipeline' in California

Governor Newsom signs groundbreaking bills expanding access to veterinary care in California

Indigenous Peoples’ Celebration at San Diego Zoo Safari Park Oct. 13

RED CHAOS: THRILLER FROM THE RED HOTEL SERIES BY ED FULLER AND GARY GROSSMAN

Reviewed by Pennell Paugh 

January 1, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Red Chaos details events across that sound very much like events that have happened across the globe. All the crimes have but one perpetrator but it’s not a person, it’s a nation.

“Hello, Mr. Reilly. Please hold for Mr. Shaw.”

 

The call was from Chicago—Nancy Barney, the assistant to E.J. Shaw, President and CEO of the Kensington Hotel chain, one of the world’s largest hotel corporations. Shaw was Dan Reilly’s boss.

 

“Dan, we have a program,” Shaw said.

 

We. Reilly immediately knew the we was about to become he, his problem.

 

“Where: What?”

 

“A murder in our Mayfair property. In a London suite.”

 

“Oh God!” Reilly’s mind raced. The hotel was hosting a regional oil conference. He stated to ask for detail, but Shaw interrupted.

 

“A visiting oil minister….”

HAWK TALK AT MISSION TRAILS JANUARY 8

East County News Service

Photo: Harris Hawk by Alan Vernon, cc via Wikipedia

January 1, 2022 (San Diego) – Mission Trails Regional Park will host “Hawk Talk with Huxley the Harris Hawk” on Sunday, January 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Stop by the Visitor Center Lobby to meet local falconer, Bob Gordon, and his feathered friend, “Huxley” the Harris’ hawk. Get up close and personal with this majestic bird of prey, while learning all about what makes it so special.

WINTER FESTIVAL IN POWAY JANUARY 13-14 FEATURES SNOW SLEDDING, SKATING AND MORE

East County News Service

January 1, 2023 (Poway) – Bring the kids for a day of snow-filled fun at a Winter Festival complete with sledding down a snow hill, building a snowman, roasting marshmallows by a campfire, making silly faces in a photo booth, and taking a spin around a synthetic ice skating rink.

The Winter Festival will be held at the Poway Community Park and Auditorium, 13094 Civic Center Drive in Poway on Friday, January 23 from 5 p.m.to 9 p.m. and Saturday, January 14 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m.

There will also be food vendors and shuttles available.

BORREGO ART INSTITUTE SHOW FEATURES CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICAN ART JANUARY 7-29

East County News Service

January 1, 2023 (Borrego Springs) – The Borrego Arts Institute gallery will host a show of contemporary Latin American art featuring selected works by artists of Latino heritage or art that has been strongly influenced by the Latino Culture January 7-29.

The exhibit includes a special showing by Barbara Rivera titled Viva La Vida and an opening reception January 7 from 3-5 p.m. featuring music by Mariachi Mixteco.

SANDBAGS AVAILABLE FOR UPCOMING STORMS

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

December 30, 2022 (San Diego) - The County and CAL FIRE are offering sandbags to residents and businesses in the unincorporated areas as another round of storms prepares to hit the region on New Year’s Eve. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and high winds.

TWO JUVENILES ARRESTED FOR SHOOTING TEEN GIRL IN EL CAJON MOTEL

East County News Service

December 30, 2022 (El Cajon) – Two teen boys, ages 15 and 17, have been arrested for the attempted murder of a 16-year-old girl at an El Cajon motel on Dec. 12. The victim, left alone for hours after being shot, is alive but in critical condition.

SHOOTING DEATH IN POTRERO

Update 12/30/2022 12 p.m. – Richard Arnold, 38, has been arrested for murder and booked into the San Diego County Jail. The victim has been identified as Kevin Stewart, 35.  Stewart and Arnold were acquaintances that lived in separate motor homes on the same property.

East County News Service

December 30, 2022 (Potrero) – The San Diego County Sheriff’s Homicide Unit is investigating the shooting death of a 35-year-old man in Potrero. A possible suspect has been detained.

NEW LAWS AFFECTING MOTORISTS AND ROADWAY SAFETY

By Miriam Raftery

December 28, 2022 (San Diego) -- The California Highway Patrol has provided a summary of new laws rolling out in 2023 that will impact drivers, vehicle owners and roadway safety. The new laws include measures aimed at increasing bicycle safety, cracking down on sideshow and high-speed contests, and establishing alerts for missing indigenous persons and for fatal hit and runs. Other new laws aim to address the shortage of peace officers, limit jaywalking tickets, cut down on catalytic converter thefts and make it easier to report stolen items offered for sale online.

SOUTHWEST'S WINTER MELTDOWN BLAMED ON OUTDATED CREW SCHEDULING TECHNOLOGY

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  San Diego International Airport website shows departing flights status at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

December 28, 2022 (San Diego) - The departure board for San Diego International Airport makes it clear than almost all of the air travel problems now are due to Southwest Airlines‘ operational meltdown.

ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE OF TEEN GIRL AT EL CAJON MOTEL

East County News Service

December 27, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Dept. is investigating an attempted homicide at the El Cajon Inn & Suites Motel, where a 16-year-old girl was found with a traumatic head injury on December 12.  Hospital staff believes the head wound was likely caused by a gunshot, says ECPD Sergeant Tenaya Webb.

MOTORCYCLIST SUSTAINS MAJOR INJURIES IN EL CAJON COLLISION

East County News Service

December 27, 2022 (El Cajon) – Two people were injured when a motorcycle rear-ended a Volkswagen on Christmas Eve in El Cajon.

The motorcyclist, a 62-year-old El Cajon man, was riding a 2017 Harley Davidson motorcycle eastbound on Broadley Avenue over State Route 67 when he struck a 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan that was stopped at a red light, directly in front of the motorcycle, according to Officer Matthew Baranowski with the California Highway Patrol.

SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY NEEDS COMMUNITY'S HELP

With shelter locations over capacity, community is asked to assist in caring for animals
 
December 27, 2022 (San Diego -- This holiday season, San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) is facing unprecedented challenges in housing animals who need help and is turning to the community to assist in creating much-needed space in their shelters.

READER’S EDITORIAL: USDA, FOREST SERVICE, CONGRESSIONAL AND SWEETWATER AUTHORITY CHRISTMAS GIFT

Sweetwater Water Authority has drained Loveland Reservoir to dead pool status despite community objections loss of recreational resources, wildlife habitat and firefighting impacts, as ECM reported.  Activist and fisherman Russell Walsh sent in photos and this message in response. 

 

Photos:  left, Loveland Reservoir after being drained to dead pool level; right, before the draining, maintained at 75 year minimum pool level.

 

By Russell Walsh

 

December 27, 2022 (San Diego's East County) - Happy Holidays. This will be for my Grinch of 2022 Christmas Card. "Caring For The Land And Serving People 2022."

ANDERSON RAISES CONCERNS OVER COUNTY’S PROPOSAL FOR CANNABIS BUSINESSES IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS

East County News Service

December 27, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- In early 2021, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors directed staff to develop a "socially equitable" cannabis program as the first step towards implementing commercial cannabis at the County level. The County contracted Womxn’s Work Consulting to create a report called the "Social Equity Assessment for Commercial Cannabis."

MOUNTAIN LION EXPERT TO SPEAK JAN. 20 IN ALPINE

East County News Service

December 26, 2022 (Alpine) – Robin Parks, field representative with the Mountain Lion Foundation, will give a “Mountain Lions 101” presentation on January 20 at 1 p.m. in the Alpine branch of the San Diego County Library (1752 Alpine Blvd., Alpine). 

 

“Some of this interest has been prompted by the whole P-22 matter,” says Parks, referencing the mountain lion that gained fame for surviving in the Hollywood Hills before being euthanized at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park earlier this month due to injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle and other health conditions including a skullyfracture and kidney failure.  

10TH ANNUAL BORREGO SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL JAN. 12-16 ADDS COMMUNITY AND FILMMAKER PANELS TO LINEUP

East County News Service

December 26, 2022 (Borrego Springs) - The 10th Annual Borrego Springs Film Festival will take place on January 12 – 16, 2023, in Borrego Springs, California - a small town in the northern end of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, in San Diego County.  The five-day festival presents screenings of selected short films, features, documentaries, animated shorts and Hispanic/Latin films, shown in Blocks at the Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center.  

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: OUR NATIONAL BIRD

East County News Service

December 26, 2022 (Lakeside) – Scott Lagace snapped these photographs of a Bald Eagle, our national bird, over the holiday weekend at Lake Jennings in Lakeside. Though no longer federally endangered, Bald Eagles are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act as well as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. They remain rare in San Diego County, however, where there are only a handful of nesting pairs, making such a sighting a special thrill.

ONLY REP. ISSA IN SAN DIEGO DELEGATION VOTES AGAINST FUNDING GOVERNMENT, UKRAINE AID

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  U.S. Capitol, cc by SA

December 24, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on Friday passed a $1.66 trillion government funding bill that provides record military spending and sends emergency aid to Ukraine, hours before a midnight shutdown deadline.

SMALL PLANE LANDS SAFELY AFTER EMERGENCY OVER GILLESPIE FIELD

By Miriam Raftery

December 24, 2022 (El Cajon) – A small plane experienced an emergency over Gillespie Field in El Cajon last night, when its landing gear failed to lock into place.  Heartland Fire Department responded in preparation for a potential emergency landing while the plane, which had an hour and a half of fuel, circled repeatedly over the area for nearly an hour looping left to right, struggling to manually lower the landing gear. 

A BEAUTIFUL CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TRADITION

By Assemblymember Marie Waldron

December 24, 2022 (Sacramento) - Holiday celebrations began in the State Capitol in1869. Though the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington DC is well-known, many may not be aware that a similar ceremony continues to take place each December in Sacramento at our State Capitol.

 

Past Governors decorated the Capitol with wreaths and their offices with trees, but in 1931 the tree was moved from the Governor’s office to the Rotunda and later to a spot near the Lt. Governor’s office, where it remained until 1984. Concerns about fire safety resulted in the tree being moved outside, where it has remained ever since. Despite a brief hiatus as a `Holiday Tree’ under former Governor Gray Davis, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who succeeded Davis, decided the tree was indeed a `Christmas Tree,’ and so it remains.

 

On December 1st, Governor Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel Newsom hosted the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the State Capitol’s West Steps. This year’s tree is a 65-foot white fir donated by the U.S. Forest Service from Camino California, which is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in El Dorado County. 

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