December 22, 2023 (San Diego)—The Neighborhood Market Association (NMA) held a press conference on Dec. 18 outside the Emerald Convenience Store in La Mesa to announce that it is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in a series of armed robberies.
“A dangerous gang of gun-wielding criminals is terrorizing local small businesses in a series of armed `take-over’ style robberies at more than a dozen locations in the city and county of San Diego. Police have expressed concerns that these violent robberies could cause serious injury or death to innocent store employees,” a press release from the NMA states.
Last week, at least 13 convenience stores across San Diego County were robbed; new surveillance video shows thieves yanking out cash registers and fleeing with the cash.
This is the second straight year SDSU has won at least nine games in non-conference play
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
December 21, 2023 (West Palm Beach, Fla.) - The Aztec women’s basketball team (9-4) pushed their win streak to five games with a convincing 75-48 win over Florida Atlantic in the West Palm Beach Classic Thursday.
December 20, 2023 (Jamul)—"We’re shell-shocked!” CalFire San Diego posted on Instagram. “A family who was missing their pet, ‘Mr. T’, for approximately one month, was ecstatic when staff from #CALFIRE San Diego found him while completing fuel reduction work near Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area.” The preserve is located in Jamul.
Photo: Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College
Updated January 8, 2024 with comments from Dr. Michael Hager regarding Jennifer Pillsbury's resignation.
December 20, 2023 (Rancho San Diego)--The Water Conservation Garden will run out of money as early as mid-December, the nonprofit organization Friends of The Water Conservation Garden (Friends) stated at an October 24 meeting of the Water Conservation Garden Joint Powers Authority (JPA), the consortium of public utility and governmental entities that oversees the Friends.
The Friends group had not been able to put together a financial status report for a substantial period of time, ECM has learned. When the bookkeeping problems were finally resolved in September, they realized they were going to run out of money in December, Friends informed the JPA. JPA members voiced frustration and peppered representatives of Friends and the Garden with pointed questions over the financial situation, including controversy over loans secured by Friends that JPA members said they were not informed about.
December 20, 2023 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch starting tomorrow afternoon through Friday due to a major storm moving into San Diego County, with rain beginning tonight.
The storm is forecast to drop two to three inches of rain across mountains, valleys and coastal areas, with around an inch in the desert. Runoff from the storm may bring flooding to urban and low-lying areas. Thunderstorms are also possible.
It likely won’t be a white Christmas locally, with the snow level at 6,000 feet or higher through Sunday.
December 20, 2023 (Ramona)—The crew from Cal Fire’s Station 80 rescued nearly 20 animals from a barn fire in Ramona earlier this week, including these adorable puppies.
Unfortunately, one animal perished in the fire on Ramona Real.
CalMattersis a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
Photo: Gov. Gavin Newsom unveils his budget proposal for the 2023-24 fiscal year during a press briefing at the California Natural Resources Agency in Sacramento on Jan. 10, 2023. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters
December 19, 2023 (Sacramento) - Two seemingly diametrically opposed things were both true about California’s budget in 2023.
The state had to pare down its spending as it confronted a nearly $32 billion deficit for 2023-24. Nonetheless, the final spending plan for the general fund was still the second largest on record — $308 billion in total. As recently as 2019, the budget was less than $200 billion.
December 19, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
December 18, 2023 (Jamul) -- The largest cross in San Diego County was raised atop Rancho San Diego Hill, on 80 acres of private land, in Jamul on Friday, December 15.
The 36’ tall Chaldean cross, made possible by Samad (“Sam”) and Evone Attisha and their family, will serve as a symbolic memorial for persecuted Christians throughout Iraq and all of the Middle East.
"Over the last several decades, Christians in Iraq and throughout the Middle East have been persecuted simply because of their faith," said Samad Attisha, who established the project. "The Chaldean Cross serves as a symbolic memorial for those martyrs who were murdered because of their love for our Lord Jesus Christ. My family and I are blessed with the opportunity to have made this possible on behalf of the entire Chaldean Community."
December 18, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
December 18, 2023 (Pine Valley) -- Postmaster Jessie Hoffman delights in seeing the Pine Valley branch of the U.S. Postal Service office decorated to fit the spirit of the holiday season. This year, volunteers lent a hand.
“It was such a nice addition to have the community helping this year to have the town decorated.” she exclaims. “I came in on Monday to find the gingerbread men lining the sidewalk. Then, during the week others came to hang the snowflakes.”
She continues, “We love to make the office festive and welcoming to the community… This past year we had a seasonal tree up year-round. It is Pine Valley, after all, and having a pine tree in the lobby gives a special touch. Each Christmas we try our best to go all out. My Clerk, Annette Ramirez, added a cardboard fireplace to our decorations to help make the office feel more welcoming.”
Friends of Loveland Reservoir invite public to meeting, hike Dec. 28
December 17, 2023 (Chula Vista) – Monday, the Sweetwater Water Authority held a public workshop to see how the community would like to use the $750,000 in state funding recently awarded by Assembly Bill 102 (AB 102) to Sweetwater Authority for Loveland Trail Improvements.
Carlos Quintero, General Manager of Sweetwater Authority, started off the workshop stating, “It’s very rare to get a grant with very few strings attached. So, we are looking at the community, certainly the East County community and our rate payers to give us feedback.”
December 18, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
December 15, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove Toy Drive is on its fourth year of providing free toys to Lemon Grove kids. Kids Fashion Week Network’s (KFWN) annual Toy Drive and Giveaway has become a staple in the community of Lemon Grove. Last year over 700 toys were collected at local businesses throughout Lemon Grove and were later distributed to residents at a festive holiday giveaway.
Photo: Rep. Darrell Issa at Gold Star Family hearing last August in Escondido. Photo by Chris Stone
December 14, 2023 (Washington, D.C.) - The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to formally authorize its ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden as Republicans unite behind the effort even though they have yet to find evidence of wrongdoing by the Democrat.
December 13, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)--The Padre Dam Municipal Water District says it has filed a lawsuit against one of its biggest customers, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, over allegedly taking water through unmetered lines without paying for it.
Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
December 13, 2023 (El Cajon) - For the second year in a row, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District got a perfect grade of A+ from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association for the East County college district’s transparency relating to its $398 million Proposition V bond program.
By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office
December 13, 2023 (San Diego) - Poll workers, especially those who are bilingual in any one of 10 specific languages, are needed for the March 5 Presidential Primary Election.
December 13, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs, CA) -- Local volunteers in isolated East county border towns Jacumba and Boulevard are seeking support for humanitarian aid for migrants via a new crowd-funding campaign. Volunteers set up this fundraising account in the face of a lack of support by government entities such as Border Patrol and the National Guard and nonprofits such as the Red Cross, which have failed to utilize their resources to help masses of border crossers still arriving on U.S. ground. Border Patrol has directed them into barren detention sites with zero supplies. Water, shelter and food resources are being supplied mostly by volunteers through donations.
December 12, 2023 (Lakeside)-- Thousands of merrymakers attended Lakeside’s Spirit of Christmas on Maine event December 2.
The event along Maine Avenue featured vendors, local merchant displays, food trucks, dance and vocals from local middle schools, community information booths, animals, local dignitaries, a band, classic car show, Lakeside Rodeo And Bulls Only Queens, Lakeside pre-teen and teen queens, Lakeside Fire Department, Lieutenant Katra of San Diego Sheriff Lakeside office and much more.
December 12, 2023 (Lemon Grove)—Back in October, founding member of the Lemon Grove Improvement Council (LGIC) Teresa Rosiak received 100 sleeping bags that convert into warm coats for the unsheltered. Rosiak has already distributed over 75 of them directly to the homeless in Lemon Grove during her group’s weekly volunteer outreach.
On Thursday, December 7th; several hundred people participated in an enchanting Rally for Light: event in solidarity with Israel, organized by Chabad House at San Diego State University. At the event, one of the largest menorahs in the United States was unveiled, replacing a menorah that was previously vandalized.
According to a press release from organizers,” This event symbolizes the strength and unity of our community in the face of adversity, as well as a response to the recent act of anti-Semitism experienced at SDSU. The event also comes at a time when global support for unity and resilience is more crucial than ever, particularly considering the current situation in Israel.”
December 12, 2023 (San Diego) -- East County Magazine recently interviewed Cailey Underhill, Advocacy and Development Director for the Solar Rights Alliance, on our radio show aired on KNSJ. The topic was AB 205, which the Legislature passed to create what supporters called a fixed charge for utility rates, but which opponents call a utility tax. It’s poised to become the largest utility tax in the nation.
Solar Rights Alliance say this will be unfair to consumers—and they’re fighting to get the utility tax repealed. They are urging ratepayers to ask legislators to repeal the utiliity tax provision of AB 205 in January when the Legislature returns to session in Sacramento.
December 12, 2023 (San Diego)—Anat Tour, host of the East County Magazine Radio Show’s Bookshelf, recently interviewed Cherie Kerr on her award-winning book, Charlie’s Notes. This moving memoir of her father, jazz musician Carluchi (Charlie) DePietro, chronicles his struggles from his roots in a New York immigrant family to his experiences in Hollywood performing alongside some of the top celebrities in the music and the film industries.
December 11, 2023 (Ramona) – A Ramona man, 59, suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by a 2023 Nissan Altima yesterday morning around 6:15 a.m. According to the California Highway Patrol, the man was crossing State Route 67, also known as Main Street near the intersection of 14th street in Ramona against the “don’t walk” illuminated sign.
December 11, 2023 (San Diego) - The County’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ) has launched a new initiative that will invest $2 million over two years into community-driven initiatives that address inequity.
December 11, 2023 (La Mesa) – After La Mesa Police responded to a call reporting a burglary in a vacant apartment in the 8500 block of Chloe Avenue, the suspect barricaded the door and claimed to have a hostage inside.
“The suspect was known to officers and was known to have an outstanding felony arrest warrant for a theft-related charge,” says Lieutenant Katy Lynch.
Residents of adjacent apartments were evacuated and additional resources were requested, including the La Mesa Police Department’s Special Response Team, the San Diego Sheriff Department’s Crisis Negotiation Team, and a K9 from the San Diego Police Department.
December 10, 2023 (San Diego County)—Friday, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) unanimously voted in both the Executive Committee meeting and the Board of Directors meeting to approve adding an advisory member to represent the unincorporated areas of San Diego County.
Source: Christopher Pierce, Chair, Spring Valley Community Planning Group
December 10, 2023 (Spring Valley) -- The Spring Valley Community Planning Group advises San Diego County regarding planning and land use matters. The group’s responsibilities include discussion, voting, and advising the County on decisions regarding construction projects or just changes to commercial and residential properties.
This is the second straight year SDSU has won at least nine games in non-conference play
"We’re shell-shocked!” CalFire San Diego posted on Instagram. “A family who was missing their pet, ‘Mr. T’, for approximately one month, was ecstatic when staff from 
East County News Service
By Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters
December 19, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
December 18, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include: 
Monday, the Sweetwater Water Authority held a public workshop to see how the community would like to use the $750,000 in state funding recently awarded by 
December 18, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
The 
By Ken Stone, 
The Padre Dam Municipal Water District says it has filed a 
Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
By 
Local volunteers in isolated East county border towns Jacumba and Boulevard are seeking support for humanitarian aid for migrants via a 
Back in October, founding member of the
View video of interview
View video
A Ramona man, 59, suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by a 2023 Nissan Altima yesterday morning around 6:15 a.m. According to the California Highway Patrol, the man was crossing State Route 67, also known as Main Street near the intersection of 14
By 
East County News Service
Friday, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) unanimously voted in both the Executive Committee meeting and the Board of Directors meeting to approve adding an advisory member to represent the unincorporated areas of San Diego County.
Source: Christopher Pierce, Chair, Spring Valley Community Planning Group
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