April 28, 2021 (El Cajon) - The American Public Works Association has named the City of El Cajon’s North Marshall Dog Park as its Project of the Year. The dog park, located adjacent to the El Cajon animal shelter, creates a new space for gatherings and activities.
Photo:Duncan McFetridge is a climate activist and artist. He carved this sculpture to honor the mountain lion, a keystone species in the Cleveland National Forest ecosystem. The Alpine Plan is a threat to the lion, symbol of the forest, under consideration forthreatened species statusin Southern California.”
April 28, 2021 (Alpine) -- With a new and improved Board of Supervisors now at the helm of our county government, San Diegans finally have hope that we may make progress on the housing and environmental crisis gripping our region. San Diego County continues to fall far short of its state-mandated housing production goals, especially when it comes to affordable housing. Rents in the area are some of the most expensive in the country, and it takes eight to ten years for applicants to secure federal housing subsidiesdue to high demand and long waiting lists. It’s clear that San Diego County’s approach to affordable housing is failing.
Local child care provider Shaunte Brown will be Jacobs’ virtual guest
April 28, 2021 (San Diego) -- Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-53) will hold a virtual watch party for President Biden’s address to the Joint Session of Congress tonight at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
At tonight’s event, Congresswoman Jacobs will speak and invite constituents to share their thoughts on what they hope President Biden will discuss in his remarks.
April 27, 2021 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police have identified Cornelius Donte Brown, 22, as the victim shot and killed April 24 after answering a knock at the door of his apartment at 4306 Echo Court. Originally from South Carolina, Brown was on active duty with the U.S. Navy, stationed at Naval Base Coronado.
Witnesses inside the apartment told police that two black men in ski masks and black hooded sweatshirts were outside; one fired three shots at the victim, striking him twice, according to Lt. Gregory Runge with La Mesa Police.
The shooting occurred at 12:26 a.m. Police officers responding to several 9-1-1 calls reporting gunshots found Brown unresponsive, with gunshot wounds to his chest and neck.
April 27, 2021 (La Mesa) - Visionary School for the Performing Arts presents Matilda, Jr summer camp at the Visionary Studio (8674 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942) directed by Spencer John Powell and Lendia Wylie.
April 27, 2021 (La Mesa) -- On Tuesday April 20, the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce joined members of the community and vendors at the grand opening of EMBR Dispensary. This new 35,000 square-foot dispensary at 8300 Center Drive in La Mesa is the largest dispensary in San Diego county.
April 27, 2021 (Santee) – The East County Advanced Water Purification (East County AWP) Program released a new video, The Clear Solution, that can be viewed on the Program’s website at www.eastcountyawp.com/videos. The four-minute video educates viewers about the importance of the East County AWP Program and how it will create a new, local, reliable and drought proof drinking water supply by recycling and reusing the region’s wastewater. The East County AWP Program is a collaborative partnership between Padre Dam Municipal Water District, County of San Diego, City of El Cajon and Helix Water District.
April 27, 2021 (Spring Valley) – San Diego resident Karmen Dionne Anderson, 40, known as Karmen Hicks, has died of a gunshot wound she received Saturday night while seated in a parked car in Spring Valley.
On Saturday, April 24 around 11:30 p.m., Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of the shooting in the 3600 block of Bancroft Drive in Spring Valley. When deputies arrived, they learned a woman had been shot while seated in a parked vehicle, but she was no longer at the scene.
File Photo: Senator Brian Jones, an avid off-road enthusiast
April 27, 2021 (Sacramento) -- Senate Bill 227, a measure by Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) to save off-highway vehicle (OHV) competitions in California, cleared the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee.
“SB 227 had another successful committee hearing with more bipartisan backing for our efforts, this time from the members of the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee,” said Senator Brian W. Jones. “We’ve worked hard for the past two years with OHV stakeholders and affected governmental agencies, including State Parks and the Air Resources Board. SB 227 is a true consensus measure that will allow OHV competitions to continue operating and being a strong part of the recreational economies in rural and suburban California.”
April 27, 2021 (El Cajon) -- CSA San Diego County, an El Cajon-based nonprofit, invites you to participate in its Fair Housing Symposium on April 28 and 29. The online Symposium aims to raise the alarm about “COVID-19 Conundrums”.
Speakers will discuss the impact the pandemic has had on community access to social justice, economic wellbeing, health and housing as well as potential avenues to address such disparities.
Speakers for the two day sessions include Fair Housing Advocates Amy Nelson, the Executive Director Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Christopher Brancart, Attorney of Brancart and Brancart, Joshua V. Barr, Director of the Civil and Human Rights Commission. Others include public housing and health advocates Dr. Rakesh Patel, the Chief Executive Officer of Neighborhood Healthcare, and Laura Nunn, Chief of Policy and Education for the San Diego Housing Federation.
April 27, 2021 (La Mesa) -- The California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) announced at its annual conference held virtually this month that Ed and Sandy Burr were recipients of the organization’s 2020 Champion of the Community Service Award of Excellence. The award honors individuals or organizations who have contributed significant effort to influence and improve the quality of their community through parks and recreation. This statewide award recognizes the contributions of those who volunteer and/or provide support and services that furthers the mission and quality delivery of park and recreation services, programs and facilities.
April 27, 2021 (Ramona) – Hatfield Creek Winery in Ramona is offering several delightful Mother’s Day options including a May 9 Mother’s Day outdoor dinner, catered courtyard lunches all weekend, and treats with Mother’s Day weekend wine tastings.
April 27, 2021 (El Cajon) Helping to build community relationships via a game of hoops, the El Cajon Police Department’s team played a team of kids at the East County Transitional Living Center on Monday, April 19. The center houses formerly homeless families transitioning to begin new lives.
April 26, 2021 (Santee) – A man driving on State Route 125 north near the Mission Gorge Road exist was shot in the neck by an occupant in a black SUV shortly before 8 a.m.
Aztecs post 9-1 victory; five players finish with two hits each
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
April 25, 2021 (San Diego) - Behind a balanced offense and solid pitching effort, San Diego State completed a weekend sweep of Dixie State with a big 9-1 victory in the series finale on Sunday at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
April 25, 2021 (Logan, Utah) - The San Diego State softball team scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning, including four with two outs, to rally past Utah State 13-10 for head coach Kathy Van Wyk’s 800th career victory Sunday afternoon at Laree & Legrand Johnson Field. The Aztecs (22-13, 7-8 MW) have now won three consecutive series.
April 24, 2021 (Alpine) -- Lions Tigers & Bearsin Alpine, San Diego’s only accredited big cat and bear sanctuary, is rescuing three exotic cats – the last animals left at a facility in Southern California that will shutter at the end of the month. The new residents will be Lily, a female white tiger, Eli, a male African serval and Savannah, a female African serval.
April 24, 2021 (La Mesa) – A 22-year-old man has died after answering a knock on the door of his apartment shortly after midnight. Witnesses inside the apartment told police that two black men in ski masks and black hooded sweatshirts were outside; one fired three shots at the victim, striking him twice, according to Lt. Gregory Runge with La Mesa Police.
April 24, 2021 (Julian) – Betty Birdsell has served as an elected member of Julian’s community planning group, secretary of the Julian Chamber of Commerce, owner of the former Bad Betty’s boutique and helped organize relief efforts after the Cedar Fire. Her husband, Jim, is a long-standing Julian resident whose family has been in the community since the late 1800s. An engineer and contractor for the National Forest Service, he is also a ham radio operator and along with Betty, helped many residents after the devastating 2003 firestorm.
But now the couple has fallen on hard times due to health issues and the pandemic. So a fundraiser has been set up at GoFundMe to help save the home that the couple shares with their dog, Buddy. Thefundraising pageis titled “Help us save Buddy’s home.” But so far, only about 10 percent of the $25,000 goal has been reached.
Click to view a video tour by Angela Kurysh including full interview with Pam Meisner, or view the embedded video below this story.
April 24, 2021 (El Cajon) - The Water Conservation Garden, a beautiful and serene East County treasure located on Cuyamaca College’s campus, is open to the public for educational and recreational enjoyment.
The Garden hosts events for people of all ages. Adults can enjoy outdoor yoga classes, educational workshops and online seminars. Children can spend time with Ms. Smarty-Plants, a character created by the Director of Operations Pam Meisner.
Recent death of a dog underscores potential consequences
East County News Service
April 23, 2021 (Salton Sea) – The California Water Boards has issued a warning for people and their dogs to avoid water contact in the Salton Sea, located in Imperial and Riverside Counties. The warning is due to multiple Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) detected at numerous sites in the Salton Sea after a dog died following a swimming excursion there.
April 23, 2021 (La Mesa) -- Heartland Fire & Rescue units from La Mesa and Lemon Grove, with assistance from San Miguel Fire, were dispatched to a residential structure fire in the 8800 block of Mariposa St. in La Mesa this morning around 6:20 a.m.
April 23, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – Thousands of residents signed petitions, sent letters and/or testified against placement of sexually violent predator Douglas Badger at 10957 Horizon Hills in unincorporated El Cajon. Public officials also spoke out to oppose the plan. While the community awaits the judge’s decision on the proposed release of Badger, which would be supervised by Liberty Healthcare, placement of a second SVP, Merle Wakefield, at the same address has triggered new outrage and a planned rally tomorrow to oppose the action.
The community plans a “Sexual Violent Predator Placement Protest” on Saturday, April 24 at 3 p.m. in the cul-de-sac at Horizon Hills Drive and Estates Way. Comments on placement of Wakefield are due by April 26 and can be sent to sdsafe@sdsheriff.org or by calling (858)495-3619. Residents may also contact Governor Gavin Newsom to ask that he issue an order requiring Wakefield and Badger be housed in a trailer at a state correctional facility instead of at the Horizon Hills site near Mt. Helix.
April 23, 2021 (Stockton) – California is putting the final touches on longstanding plans to close the state's juvenile prisons and start serving all justice-involved youth at the county level. The last three state juvenile facilities, two in Stockton and one in Ventura, will stop accepting new youths on July 1, and close in 2023.
Dan Macallair, executive director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice based in San Francisco, said rehabilitation efforts work best at the local level.
Growing demand in the healthcare field is met with local investment in training and education of frontline workers
April 22, 2021 (La Mesa) – As the demand for frontline workers surges, the Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) continues to invest in the future of East County health care students through its annual scholarships.
The health care and social assistance sector is estimated to have the most accelerated growth through 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, with a 3.1 percent growth per year. Several areas are experiencing hiring surges, including nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, dentistry, and physician assistance.
Since 1999, the district has awarded scholarship grants to East County high school and college students, worth more than $1 million in higher education tuition. This year, a total of $205,400 was awarded to 59 students working or living in East County: 44 high school students and 15 pursuing higher education.
Photo: sophomore Riley Shaw scores against Ramona.
April 22, 2021 (El Cajon) - The Valhalla girls' lacrosse team is off to an impressive start to the 2021 season. The East County team has won five of their first six games, with their lone defeat coming in an overtime thriller at Mission Bay.
April 22, 2021 (Santee) -- Spurred by negative press resulting from two ugly incidents involving racist maskers inside local grocery stores and later, violent clashes at demonstrations following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the city of Santee set out to deal with its image as a less than welcoming place for minorities.
April 21, 2021 (Washington D.C.) -- Consumer Reports (CR) is calling on Congress to pass legislation just introduced by Representatives Debbie Dingell and Fred Upton that aims to protect the public from the growing health threat posed by PFAS “forever chemicals.” PFAS are widely used by manufacturers to make products resistant to stains, grease, and water, and are so pervasive that 95 percent of all Americans have trace amounts of the chemicals in their blood.
The bill mirrors the PFAS Acton Act of 2019, which passed with a bipartisan vote in the House, but did not advance in the Senate before the end of the last session.
April 21, 2021 (Sacramento) – With California Governor Gavin Newsom facing a recall election, several measures have been introduced in the Legislature that would make it harder to recall state officials in the future.
However yesterday, State Senator Josh Newman, a Democrat, announced that he has withdrawn his Senate Bill 663, which would have required all county elections officers to publicly release names and contact information of each voter who signs a petition to recall a state official or put an initiative on the ballot.
Carl DeMaio, a Republican and Chairman of Reform California, issued this statement. “In the light of the justified public outcry, SB 663 has been withdrawn for now, but we know that Sacramento politicians will not stop their assault on citizens initiatives and recalls in California.” DeMaio accused the measure of being “designed to punish voters who dared to sign petitions on recalls and ballot measures that politicians oppose.”
Current law allows gives signers up to 30 days to change their minds; SB 663 would have extended that to 45 days.
Source: City of El Cajon
By Duncan McFetridge
By Briana Gomez
By Miriam Raftery
East County News Service
Source: La Mesa Chamber of Commerce
East County News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
Story and photos by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson
East County News Service
Aztecs post 9-1 victory; five players finish with two hits each
Aztecs beat Utah State 13-10 to claim series
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
By Miriam Raftery
Recent death of a dog underscores potential consequences
East County News Service
By Suzanne Potter, California Public News Service
Growing demand in the healthcare field is met with local investment in training and education of frontline workers
East County News Service
By Mike Allen
By Miriam Raftery
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