March 15, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove School District will hold its second annual chess tournament and family day on Saturday, March 18 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Lemon Grove Recreation Center (3131 School Lane in Lemon Grove).
March 15, 2023 (Santee) -- The 7th annual Fido Fest was held Saturday, March 11 at the Town Center Community Park East. This event provided a great opportunity for dogs and dog lovers to enjoy themselves with giveaways, an agility course, contests, and much more for a tail-waggin’ good time.
Originally, Fido Fest was supposed to take place on February 25. However, it was rescheduled to March 11th due to weather concerns, according to the City of Santee.
March 14, 2023 (El Cajon) – Parkway Plaza shopping mall in El Cajon will host its annual Easter Eggstravaganza on Tuesday, April 4 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office
March 14, 2023 (San Diego) - County officials want San Diegans to help turn a house―or rather, the County’s draft housing blueprint―into a “home” by filling it with their opinions and advice.
March 14, 2023 (El Cajon) – A male pedestrian died after being struck by a Kia the morning of March 12 on I-8 in El Cajon. He has not yet been identified.
The white 2016 Kia was changing lanes on westbound I-8 near West Main St. when the pedestrian “walked into the path of the Kia,” according to Officer Jared Grieshaber with the California Highway Patrol.
March 14, 2023 (San Diego) -- Investigators from the Santee Sheriff’s Station and Crime Stoppers want your help in identifying and locating two suspects involved in a series of vehicle burglaries throughout San Diego County.
Updated March 22 with responses from East County cities and the County.
March 13, 2023 (La Mesa) – Two failed banks have been taken over by federal regulators. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has taken control Silicon Valley Bank on Friday and Signature Bank on Monday. That’s sent ripples of concern through the financial community, also prompting La Mesa’s Treasurer to assure residents that at least 99% of the city’s assets are safe.
How did the bank failures happen?
The failures are tied to the Trump administration’s rollback of Dodd-Frank banking regulations, an action that eased restrictions on banks with under $250 billion in assets. That measure passed Congress in 2018 with overwhelming Republican support, though a few Democrats also backed the regulatory rollbacks. Both failed banks had under $250 billion in assets and would have been subject to stress tests and other regulatory scrutiny before the rollback of regulations.
Silicon Valley Bank got in trouble when many of its tech industry and business start-up customers needed money and made large withdrawals. So SVB had to start selling assets, mainly bonds, at a loss to free up funds for those withdrawals until its losses became too high, fueling a bank run by customers fearful of losing their money. That prompted the FDIC to take action. Like SVB, Signature Bank had over 90% of its deposits that were unisured, over the federally insured amount. Now, the federal government is stepping in to help restore funds for investors -- but will not bail out the banks, leaving shareholders and holders of unsecured corporate bonds to absorb the losses.
March 13, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Carrolle Jean-Murat., M.D., a Mt. Helix resident, announces publication of her latest book, Strengthening Your Spiritual Foundation for Optimum Health: 18 Ways to Unleash Your Innate Healing Powers.
March 12, 2023 (Ramona) -- The Ramona Garden Club is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The club was founded in 2003 by a group of ambitious gardeners who wanted to bring the Ramona community together by teaching folks the many benefits and value horticultural brings to each of us.
The Ramona Garden Club will recognize the many volunteer hours members have given to improve such gardens as the Chandler Herb Garden at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the lovely Collier Park Children’s Garden, as well as the many grants and educational scholarships to those entering the fields of horticulture. The public is welcome to come celebrate, enjoy refreshments and tour the Collier Park Garden on April 5 from 1 to 3 p.m.
March 12, 2023 (San Diego) -- Sunrise in Saigon is the first book by local author Patrick Greenwood in a new series about cybersecurity, passion, and international espionage.
The main character develops a passion to travel to Vietnam as a youth. Greenwood writes:
On April 30, 1975, eleven-year-old Jack Kendall lay in his bed, listening to a radio program discussing recent events, which included President Nixon’s departure from the White House the year prior, gas shortages, and protests over the long-lasting Vietnam War. “This is WIEE 1310 AM radio—we have confirmed that Saigon has fallen. The Vietnam War has finally ended after ten years. Thank God!”
This newsflash caught Jack by complete surprise. Still, he had no idea how this event would shape the direction of his life, setting a lifelong journey in motion, driving a desire to understand what happened to the Vietnamese people before and after the war.
March 11, 2023 (Cuyamaca) -- Campspot, a campsite booking website, has named Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District the fourth best place for tent campers in America. The contest is Campspot’s second annual competition, which includes various categories from glamping to RV parks. View award winners.
March 11, 2023 (Spring Valley) - The Saps at Sea, the San Diego chapter of the Sons of the Desert, the official Laurel & Hardy fan organization, will host its April gathering, "A Very Special Night," on April 15 at Williams Hall at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Spring Valley.
March 11, 2023 (La Mesa/El Cajon) - The La Mesa-El Cajon AAUW Branch is hosting Susan Carol McCarthy, a Carlsbad resident, as the featured speaker at their 21st annual scholarship benefit and luncheon, held at the Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley, 950 Hotel Circle North on April 29 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Update: Video of the shooting has been released. Caution, content may be disturbing: click here
By Miriam Raftery
March 11, 2023 (El Cajon) – An Alpine man found in a stolen vehicle was shot in the legs by a San Diego Sheriff’s deputy in unincorporated El Cajon, rammed multiple vehicles and then fled. Following a pursuit that ended in a roll-over crash, the suspect was apprehended while trying to hide in a backyard shed in the city of El Cajon.
The suspect has been identified as Brenten Kinzenbaw, 25, of Alpine. NBC San Diego reports the suspect was spotted Thursday night in a stolen truck parked on Oro Street in El Cajon.
The Sheriff’s department has indicated the man disobeyed multiple orders to exit the vehicle and instead put the vehicle in reverse, crashing into a parked car. He then drove forward, nearly hitting deputies and a bystander, and struck a patrol vehicle.
San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team in Ramona treated coyote’s damaged leg and teeth
Source: San Diego Humane Society
March 10, 2023 (Ramona) - — A coyote, caught in an illegal jaw trap on a residential property in the City of San Diego, returned to the wild this afternoon after three weeks in care with San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team. The adult female was rescued by San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement on Feb. 17, 2023, after she was found in the Skyline neighborhood dangling on a chain link fence from a jaw trap attached to her left front leg.
Humane Officers rushed her to San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, where Project Wildlife’s medical team provided pain medication, took X-rays and tended to her wounds.
SNL Star Brings Comedy Brilliance to East San Diego County’s Top Destination for Entertainment and Fun
March10, 2023 (Jamul) – On Saturday, April 1, at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Jamul Casino will welcome Darrell Hammond to The Rooftop for a one-of-a-kind dinner and comedy show. Widely recognized for his sharp humor and masterful impressions of politicians, celebrities and newsmakers on Saturday Night Live (SNL), Hammond has been keeping audiences laughing for nearly three decades.
He comes to Jamul Casino as part of its Supper Club at The Rooftop series, which pairs “outstanding entertainment with exceptional cuisine at Jamul Casino's spacious outdoor event venue. The show demonstrates Jamul Casino’s commitment to offering its guests world-class entertainment, food, and fun,” according to a press release from Jamul Casino.
March 9, 2023 (Long Beach) - Jillian Celis hit a two-run double in the top of the eighth inning and San Diego State held on for a 4-3 victory at Long Beach Thursday night at the Louisville Slugger Classic.
“Cohousing is about living the good life while using less of the earth’s resources, and having a good time doing it.” --Charles Durrett
East County News Service
March 9, 2023 (Ramona, CA) -- Charles Durrett, a leading architect in the field of sustainable community and cohousing, will be hosting a free public presentation on the future of this innovative housing concept, with a focus on the potential for a new cohousing community in Ramona.
The event is open to the public and will take place on March 16 at 6 p.m. in the Ramona Community Center, 434 Aqua Lane in Ramona. You’re invited to come and be part of planning a sustainable community and cohousing in Ramona.
March 8, 2023 (Sacramento) - Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego), Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (D-Jackson), Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), and Assemblymember Megan Dahle (R-Bieber) have introduced the “Sexually Violent Predator Accountability, Fairness, and Enforcement Act” (SAFE Act), a measure aimed at preventing the state from continuing to try to secretly dump Sexually Violent Predators (SVPs) in unsuspecting communities throughout the state. Senate Bill 832 is the second SVP bill Leader Jones has authored in the last two years.
To sign the petition supporting SB 832, here. For more information on the SVP issue, please click here.
“Families in San Diego County and across California are being jolted by the state’s secret attempt to put an SVP in their neighborhoods. State Hospital officials have often tried to duck their responsibility by giving their vendors, such as East Coast-based Liberty Health Care, too much freedom in targeting regions such as East and North County. Unfortunately, this problem is not unique to San Diego,” said Jones. “A few weeks ago, I requested an audit of Liberty Healthcare to get to the bottom of their poor handling of SVP placements. Now, we’re announcing the bipartisan SAFE Act, which would require transparency in the SVP placement process, force state officials to own up to these decisions, and make public safety the highest priority.”
Specifically, Leader Jones’s Senate Bill 832 would:
Hearing April 5 for County Supervisors to weigh the Regional Decarbonization Framework
Public urged to speak at meeting and submit comments by March 31 deadline at project website
By Miriam Raftery
Hear our interviewwith Bill Powers, Protect Our Communities Foundation, recorded four days before the nonprofit group filed a lawsuit against the County. The interview originally aired on KNSJ radio. View video of interview.
March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – The Protect Our Communities Foundation (POCF) has filed a lawsuit against the County of San Diego contending that the County hired a biased utility industry consultant direct the County’s Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF) and that the RDF’s conclusions are skewed toward utilities’ interests over consumers’ interests based on flawed data. The suit also names the University of California as a defendant, contending that UCSD concealed researcher David Victor’s financial ties to the utility industry when it won a no-bid contract from the County to prepare the report that Victor co-authored.
In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine aired on KNSJ radio four days before the suit was filed in late February, Bill Powers, an engineer and board member on the Protect Our Communities Foundation, discussed why the organization is taking a stand against the RDF. He contends that if approved by Supervisors as written, it could result in fast-tracking industrial-scale wind and solar projects in our backcountry, even waiving environmental impact reviews, when it would be more economical to build rooftop and parking lot solar in urban areas – without harm to local communities and environmental habitats.
March 9, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – With springtime fast approaching, East County has an array of events coming up, including St. Patrick’s Day festivities, a butterfly jungle, Easter extravaganza, a harmonica festival, classic cruise nights, a charity golf tournament, an Earth Day fair, Coyote Music Festival, Spring Garden Festival, Vintage Alpine and more.
“Really crazy stuff,” Rupert Murdoch, CEO of Fox, on Donald Trump’s stolen election claims.
“I did not believe it for a second.” – Sean Hannity, Fox broadcaster, on stolen election theory pushed by Trump’s attorney.
March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – Fox News Network LLC, the parent company of Fox News, is being sued by Dominion Voting Systems for allegedly broadcasting misinformation about voter fraud during the 2020 election. Dominion Voting is seeking $1.6 billion for defamation in the lawsuit. Fox News is also being sued by Smartmatic Voting Machines, for $2.7 billion. Evidence presented shows that Rupert Murdoch knew that Fox News was endorsing misinformation about the 2020 election. Murdoch is the head of Fox Corp and Fox News as well as many other media outlets in the U.S and Australia. In a deposition while under oath, Murdoch acknowledged that some commentators on Fox News endorsed the idea of a stolen election on the air, knowing this was false.
When asked if Fox News spread false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, as Donald Trump claimed, Murdoch stated, "Some of our commentators were endorsing it." Murdoch also said in an email that the election denial is “Really crazy stuff.”
March 9, 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:
March 10, 2023 (San Diego) -- 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:
Winners will be recognized and receive a $250 SDCCU Visa® gift card
Source: SDCCU
March 9, 2023 (San Diego) - San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU), one of San Diego’s largest locally-owned financial institutions, is proudly honoring San Diego County teachers through SDCCU Classroom Heroes, launched in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education.
March 9, 2023 (La Mesa) - Individuality versus conformity is an eternal conflict and in the case of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, man versus institution. More than that, this is a story of people, with a huge, wonderful cast full of characters to connect to and learn from. The play is emotionally impactful and well-acted; you leave Lamplighters theatre with an impression of right or wrong and individuality at all costs.
March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – San Diego County residents, along with residents in most other California counties, can delay filing their state and federal taxes until October 16 – if you were impacted by the recent winter storms.
``As communities across the state continue recovering from the damage caused by the winter storms, California is working swiftly to help recovering Californians get back on their feet,'' Gov. Gavin Newsom said. ``The state is aligning with the Biden Administration and extending the tax filing deadline in addition to the tax relief announced earlier this year.''
Those with storm damage can also claim a deduction for disaster loss.
March 8, 2023 (Lakeside) -- An East County man has been arrested on multiple felony charges after he was pulled over by deputies from the Lakeside Sheriff’s substation shortly before 10:30 p.m. last night for driving with an expired registration. A license plate check confirmed that the motorcycle he was driving was stolen.
Hooleyfest, the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in East County, will return next weekend after a hiatus—and that’s no blarney. The celebrating will span three days from March 17th through 19th at Hooley’s Irish Pub and Grille in La Mesa’s Grossmont Center.
Plus, you can enjoy live Irish music such as the Rebel Celts and Piper Ben, other music by bands such as 80’Z All Stars and Whiskey Ridge as you hoist a pint of Guinness and savor traditional Irish foods and cheer.
East County News Service
East County News Service
By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office
East County News Service
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
By Pennell Paugh
By Ada Wildberger, Ramona Garden Club
By Miriam Raftery
East County News Service
Source: American Association of University Women 
March10, 2023 (Jamul) – On Saturday, April 1, at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Jamul Casino will welcome Darrell Hammond to The Rooftop for a one-of-a-kind dinner and comedy show. Widely recognized for his sharp humor and masterful impressions of politicians, celebrities and newsmakers on Saturday Night Live (SNL), Hammond has been keeping audiences laughing for nearly three decades. 
SDSU improves to 15-7 on the season
“Cohousing is about living the good life while using less of the earth’s resources, and having a good time doing it.” --Charles Durrett
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
East County News Service
March 9, 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:
March 10, 2023 (San Diego) -- 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:
Winners will be recognized and receive a $250 SDCCU Visa® gift card
By Kathy Carpenter
March 9, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
By Miriam Raftery
East County News Service
Recent comments