East County News Service 

Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland

Photo:  Steve White's body location on trail

November 6, 2022 (Santee) – Authorities have not yet identified the man found  last week on a trail near a homeless camp in Santee. But two men who live at the camp told East County Magazine that the deceased was Steve White, who was homeless.

East County News Service

November 6, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The second Pacific storm of the season will bring cold weather and heavy rainfall with potential for atmospheric river conditions this week, the National Weather Service predicts.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Tiny homes at Meridian Baptist Church in El Cajon

November 5, 2022 (San Diego) – The County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a proposal by Supervisors Joel Anderson and Nora Vargas to purchase sleeping cabins or other emergency shelter structures. The structures will be made available to community partners like churches and non-profits who want to step up and provide shelter options in their community.

By Mike Allen

November 5, 2022 (Santee) -- The Tin Fish at Santee Lakes, open for about a year, is closing this weekend, but why is a mystery. Padre Dam Water District, the agency that controls Santee Lakes, indicated only that a new vender is being selected.

Melissa McChesney, spokeswoman for Padre Dam, said that the owner of the business, Ed Kim, notified the agency in September “he intended to cease operations at Santee Lakes.”

She said the agency and owner determined the best course of action for both parties was to assign the licensing agreement to another vender, which Padre Dam’s CEO would oversee and select. But she provided no reason why Kim was exiting his contract early. In May of 2021, he signed a three-year lease with Padre Dam and opened the restaurant in June.

This is the 5^th year that SDG&E is supporting educators through the DonorsChoose Crowdfunding Platform

Source:  SDG&E

November 4, 2022 (San Diego) - Ahead of STEM/STEAM Day on Nov. 8, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced today that it is providing $250,000 in shareholder funds as matching dollars to help teachers supplement classroom learning with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects, as well as racial equity and inclusion education. This is the fifth year that SDG&E is partnering with DonorsChoose, a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that empowers public school educators to post their projects online and raise donations to fund them. 

By Susan Taylor and Miriam Raftery 

November 3, 2022 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District will soon have a majority of new faces, since incumbents Megan Epperson and Charda Bell are not seeking reelection in trustee areas 1 and 3. In addition, the resignation of Sarah Rhiley resulted in the Board appointing Nathanial Allen last month to complete her term in trustee area 5. 

 

Six candidates are vying for three seats on the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Board. In trustee area 1, business owner and former board member Jim Long is running against Tiffany Caitlin, a teacher.  In area 2, board president Rebecca McRae, an elementary school teacher, seeks reelection and faces challenger Myriam Moody, a community college professor.  In area 3, La Mesa Planning Commissioner Brianna Coston is running against teacher and university administrator Hermann Kyle.

The California Teachers Association has endorsed Caitlin, McRae, and Coston. So has the San Diego County Democratic Party.  The San Diego County Republican Party has endorsed Moody and Kyle.

East County Magazine sent questionnaires to all candidates running but disappointingly, only one candidate, Jim Long, replied. His responses are published below.

Opponents say merger of grocery giants would create monopoly

East County News Service

November 2, 2022 (Sacramento) -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined attorneys general from the District of Columbia and Illinois in asking the D.C. District Court to temporarily block Albertsons' planned $4 billion payment of a special dividend to shareholders on November 7. The action is due to concerns that the payment would dramatically hamper Albertsons' ability to compete, at a time when a proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger grocery corporations is under scrutiny by federal regulators.

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.

East County News Service

November 2, 2022 (Rancho San Diego) – The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego invites you to its Fall Garden Festival and annual plant sale on Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

East County News Service

November 1, 2022 (Lakeside) – This morning shortly before 6 a.m., a 61-year-old man from Lakeside died at the scene of a solo motorcycle crash.

According to Officer Travis Garrow with the California Highway Patrol, the victim was driving a Harley Davidson motorcycle north on Morena Avenue to westbound Vigilante Road in Lakeside, when he failed to negotiate a curve. He struck a raised curb, a street sign and a fence.

By Miriam Raftery

October 31, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Cooler weather is coming, with a chance of rain showers and snow showers in San Diego’s mountain areas from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening. Snow could fall to 4500 feet in elevation by Thursday, which could include Julian, Cuyamaca and Mount Laguna.

By Miriam Raftery

October 31, 2022 (Santee) – A 66-year-old man was found dead early yesterday morning on a dirt trail near a transient camp in Santee.  According to the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit, the deceased  man is a “known transient” who “appears to have some trauma to his upper torso, but it is unknown if the trauma played a factor in his death.”