February 7, 2024 (El Cajon) – Yesterday afternoon, a man entered Big 5 Sporting Goods on Fletcher Parkway, selected merchandise, and then exited the store without paying. A store employee attempted to stop the man from stealing.
According to El Cajon Police, the man swung a plastic bag containing a small metal propane bottle at the employee and struck her in the forehead, causing pain and minor injury. The employee was able to use her cell phone to photograph the man as he fled the area toward the trolley.
Photo: Sheriff’s Department booking photos are sought for Andrea and Jesus Cardenas (inset) by La Prensa San Diego publisher. Times of San Diego photo illustration
February 7, 2024 (Chula Vista) -- We’ve all seen booking photos of Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani and even sports figures like O.J. Simpson and soccer star Hope Solo.
But who has viewed the mug shots of arrestees Jesus Cardenas and his Chula Vista councilwoman sister Andrea Cardenas?
Winter storm warning in effect for mountains through Thursday, Feb. 8 at 12 p.m.
By Miriam Raftery
Photo: Laguna Mountain Lodge webcam
February 7, 2024 (San Diego’s East County)—Several inches or more of snow blanketed San Diego County’s mountains overnight. Snow fell in Julian, Pine Valley, and many other mountain communities, with more precipitation forecast today.
Due to weather and road conditions, several school districts are closed and have a snow day today, according to the San Diego County Office of Education: Julian Union Elementary , Julian Union High, Mountain Empire, Spencer Valley, Warner Unified.
February 7, 2024 (Pine Valley) – Crews from multiple agencies are searching for the crew of a military helicopter that went missing southeast of Pine Valley and north of Interstate 8 near Kitchen Creek Road. The helicopter has been located this morning as of 10:50 a.m., but the crew has not yet been found.
Heavy snow is making it difficult for searchers to access the area. Cal Fire San Diego is currently in unified command with the U.S. Forest Service, according to Cal Fire. Agencies helping in the search include the U.S. Border Patrol, San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept., and California Civil Air Patrol.
February 7, 2024 (Colorado Springs, Colo.) -- Reese Waters scored 15 points, making five of San Diego State's season-high 11 3-pointers, and the 24th-ranked Aztecs cruised to a 77-64 win over Air Force on Tuesday night.
“Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants.” – Louis Brandeis, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (1913)
By Alex Welling
February 6, 2024 (El Cajon) -- On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Cajon Valley Union School District’s controversial special meeting to approve former Board President Tamara Otero’s $60,000 golden parachute, current Board President Jim Miller undercut the will of the people again.
Cajon Valley is no stranger to violating its bylaws and California’s signature open meetings law, the Brown Act. Over the years, lawsuits have been threatened and filed; however, no violation has been as overt as what happened at Tuesday’s special meeting. Board President Miller called for a last-minute, improperly noticed meeting at an inconvenient time to force through more than 500 Board Policy updates.
These policies are critical as they define the roles and responsibilities of the Board and its only employee, Superintendent David Miyashiro. They're also extremely controversial in the case of Cajon Valley.
February 6, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Live music can be enjoyed in many places besides the infamous large stadiums in San Diego city. East County has various places to listen to live music and support local artists and businesses. From casinos to wineries to cafes, this article will provide a large variety of venues in East County for live music.
February 5, 2024 (Borrego Springs) -- The 18th Annual Plein Air Invitational in Borrego Springs, California promises to be a captivating celebration of art and nature. The event runs from March 4 to April 14, 2024.
While wildflowers typically start popping up halfway through February, the peak blooming usually occurs in March and continues through April. Given all this winter's rain this year's floral blooms in the Anza Borrego should be early and quite exceptional.
February 5, 2024 (El Cajon) -- The East County Honors Awards Gala is a prestigious and celebratory occasion that showcases the achievements and contributions of the East County community. The East County Regional Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the annual event, supports and promotes the economic development and community interests of the East County region of San Diego County.
Photo, top row: Democratic representatives Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee; bottom row: Republicans Steve Garvey, ex-baseball player, and attorney Eric Early
February 5, 2024 (San Diego) -- California’s U.S. Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched and pivotal contests in the upcoming election cycle, capturing the nation's attention as a dynamic lineup of contenders from different backgrounds and political ideologies vie for the coveted seat.
With the death of long-serving Senator Dianne Feinstein, a seat that has been held by Democrats for decades is now up for grabs. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to fill out the rest of Feinstein’s term ending in January 2025.The top-two primary winners will run in the November general election for the six-year term beginning on January 3, 2025. Also on the primary ballot is a special top-two primary for the remainder of Feinstein's current term,so be sure to vote in both.
Butler is not seeking election. But 22 others are on the March 5 primary ballot vying for the Senate seat, including five well-known names—three Democratic members of Congress and two prominent Republicans, an attorney/businessman and a former baseball player.
.East County Magazine takes a closer look at the top five major contenders vying for this influential position to represent the golden state in the U.S. Senate.
February 5, 2024 (La Mesa) – Need a laugh with a cause for Valentine’s Day? La Mesa’s Journey Community Church hosts their 9th annual night of clean comedy Wednesday, February 14 at 7 p.m. to benefit their Local Impact efforts. Doors open at 6:30. The show will be hosted by Josh Lawson featuring comedians Collin Moulton and Kellen Erskine. Tickets are $24 per person.
Childcare is provided as a fundraiser for their Summer Camps by their High School group, and is $15 per child, including dinner, with sibling discounts. Please RSVP for childcare with ticket purchase.
February 5, 2024 (Julian) -- Julian Tea and Cottage Arts’ Valentine’s Teas will be held seven days Thursday February 8 through Wednesday, February 14. These teas will be served indoors and are also available to go.
February 5, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- Looking for some creative ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your special someone? East County has some great getaways and romantic rendezvous retreats, winetasting events, adventures to remember and culinary experiences to savor.
February 5, 2024 (San Diego) -- We are having a cold spell here and a lot of times during these cold spells, or during the wintertime, we respond to an increased call of natural gas odors in a home. But carbon monoxide is a silent poison. It’s a colorless and odorless gas. You can’t smell it. But there are warning signs if there is a leak in your home.
If you start feeling flu-like symptoms or achy or you just feel very tired, there’s a good chance you may be having carbon monoxide symptoms. I say that with hesitation because right now is flu season, and we have COVID 19 that’s running and starting to spike a bit. If you start feeling that way, and maybe several people start feeling that way in your house, I would get out of the house, open the house up, air it out and call 911.
However, there are many ways people can prevent these leaks before they happen.
February 5, 2024 (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:
By David R. Shorey, East CountyProgram Director, Institute for Public Strategies
February 5, 2024 (San Diego) - Tara Stamos-Buesig hit rock bottom one Sunday night while working the streets on El Cajon Boulevard near Hoover High School. She was a sex worker wearing a mini skirt and fishnet stockings. She was snared in a San Diego Police sting operation in an area notorious for prostitution. It was after she had filled her hypodermic needle with the drugs she recovered off the dirty floor of a fast food restaurant restroom and injected them into her system. That’s when she decided to change her life.
February 5, 2024 (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:
February 5, 2024 (Jamul)—Charges against Travis Bodle, 53, have been upgraded from attempted murder to murder after the victim, his mother, 77-year-old Vicki Bodle, died of her injuries. A memorial for Vicki Bodle will be at the Jamul Community church at 11am on Saturday, February 17.
Deputies responded on January 19 at 1:33 p.m. to the 14400 block of Hillside Estates Drive in Jamul at the request of firefighters because Vicki Bidle showed signs of a physical assault. Shew was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died.
February 5, 2024 (San Diego)—A powerful storm fueled by a “Pineapple Express” atmospheric river is pummeling much of California and is slated to reach San Diego County later today. The Governor has declared an emergency in eight counties including San Diego to support storm response and recovery efforts. A flood watch for San Diego County issued by the National Weather Service will be in effect starting at 4 p.m. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has issued evacuation warnings for Encanto, Southcrest Mountain View--east San Diego communities along the flood plain.
A new city-run local assistance center for flood victims at the Mountain View Community Center is closed today due to the severe weather and will reopen when weather permits. For updates in the city of San Diego, visit http://sandiego.gov/storm . For storm recovery in the County, visit https://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/recovery.html.
Neither the County nor any East County cities have yet issued evacuation warnings, though residents in low-lying areas especially those that previously flooded should stay vigilant as the heaviest rains and winds hit our region late today, tonight and tomorrow.
February 5, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
February 4, 2024 (Spring Valley) - The Saps at Sea, the San Diego chapter of the Sons of the Desert, the international Laurel & Hardy fan organization, will host their February meeting, entitled "Good Help is Hard to Find," on February 17 at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Spring Valley.
February 4, 2024 (Sacramento, CA) -- More and more Californians are going to college, earning an associate degree or higher but racial gaps persist, according to a new report.
Researchers from Georgetown University found degree attainment went up almost 6% between 2010 and 2020 but the gap between white adults and Latino or Black adults getting those degrees widened slightly.
February 4, 2024 (Julian) – The California Wolf Center in Julian invites you to book a guided tour of their facility to see their resident wolves and learn about wolf conservation. Various tours are offered each weekend this month at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations are required.
The Wolf Conservation and Behavioral Enrichment Tours are both 1 hour in length and offer an unforgettable experience where you will have the opportunity to see critically endangered wild wolves and learn all about them from an expert at the center’s Conservation Facility on KQ Ranch Rd. in Julian.
February 4, 2024 (Lakeside) -- Susan Hewitt, an artist and resident of Lakeside, California, has won the first-place award in the highly competitive February 2024 San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS) Member’s exhibition “Treasures”, an in-gallery show of the SDWS at 2825 Dewey Road in Liberty Station, San Diego, CA.
Hewitt’s painting titled “A Thinking Woman” was selected by prominent Escondido artist Suzanne Nicolaisen for this honor, out of over 250 entries. Nicolaisen said of the painting:“A picture of elegance and grace, kindness and wisdom clearly displayed in this beautifully executed work. The attention to detail is flawless. The limited palette, excellent color choice, composition and design depicts the artist’s ability to share an emotional connection. There is warmth and compassion throughout the creation.”
February 4, 2024 (Santee) -- The City of Santee’s eighth annual Fido Fest will take place Saturday, February 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Town Center Community Park East, located at 550 Park Center Drive, Santee 92071. Join the City of Santee for tail-wagging fun at one of San Diego County’s most popular dog events.
This family and dog-friendly event is an opportunity for attendees to view adoptable dogs from about 20 local rescues, shop from various vendors, watch amazing demonstrations, and enjoy giveaways. If walking or shopping through the excitement works up your appetite, 5 food vendors will be serving delectable eats for all to enjoy. There will be a variety of arts and crafts to paw-take in, including: yappy hour, treat finder, doggy tattoos, an off-leash area, fly ball demonstration, an agility course, and a sniff station.
Show off your four-legged friend in costume, size, and trick contests for a chance to win a giveaway item! In addition to the showcase of contest entries, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Santee Fire Department will demonstrate their canines’ capabilities.
Photo, left: Forensic artist PJ Puterbaugh created this sketch of the unidentified woman found in Santee and a tattoo of a winged dolphin and hearts on her leg.
February 3, 2023 (Santee) -- The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office needs assistance identifying a woman found unresponsive in the brush on the southern border of Forester Creek in Santee. Paramedics responded to help on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 22, but she could not be resuscitated.
A forensic sketch artist created this drawing of the woman. Photographs of the tattoo and jewelry are also provided.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
February 3, 2023 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 30, 2024, took new actions to help people in communities flooded by the Jan. 22, 2024, torrential rains, including putting into place temporary additional tenant protection measures. The approved ordinance prohibits people who were affected by the floods from being evicted without just cause. The ordinance also restricts certain rent increases on eligible properties from January 22, 2024, to March 30, 2024.
The flood affected areas specified in the ordinance include residential units located in the following ZIP codes: 92102, 92104, 92105, 92111, 92113, 92114, 92115, (San Diego); 91977 (Spring Valley); 91950 (National City);91945 (Lemon Grove); and 92118 (Coronado).
CalMattersis a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
File photo: Fire in Grossmont area
February 2, 2024 (California) -- The fire-insurance premium for Bill King’s home has risen 145% since 2017 — from $399 to $979 — under the California FAIR Plan, the state’s last option for homeowners seeking fire insurance.
Photo via CalFire: Firefighters fill sandbags. Sandbags are available at most fire stations countywide.
February 2, 2024 (Spring Valley) -- The mood was one of somber preparation, mixed with some fear – and a palpable lack of optimism.
Around the corner from the Local Assistance Center set up last week for flood survivors at the Spring Valley library branch, firefighters at the San Miguel Fire District station heaved shovels all day last Thursday. They packed bags with sand, and then delivered them to the long line of cars idling at the corner of Gillespie and Orville Streets.
People searched for ways to prepare for more line, while others stood by to support the many families already impacted by the floods of January 22.
For the displaced people awaiting a fresh deluge of rain the following day, the question had remained the same: “Where can we go?”
East County News Service
By 
“Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants.” – Louis Brandeis, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (1913)
Live music can be enjoyed in many places besides the infamous large stadiums in San Diego city. East County has various places to listen to live music and support local artists and businesses. From casinos to wineries to cafes, this article will provide a large variety of venues in East County for live music.
By Jonathan Goetz
By Henri Migala
By Jonathan Goetz
February 5, 2024 (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:
By 
February 5, 2024 (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:
East County News Service
February 5, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
East County News Service
By Suzanne Potter, California News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
Source: County News Service
Source: goaztecs.com
By 
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