An East County Eater review for East County Magazine
By Henri Migala
Photos by Miriam Raftery
July 25, 2023 (Julian) – If you live in San Diego, you have probably taken a leisurely country drive to enjoy the historic mountain town of Julian. But now there’s another exciting reason to visit Julian – Kali’s Garden Café &Juice Bar.
Open just a few weeks ago in a charming little cottage with relaxing outdoor seating at 1921 Main Street, Kali’s Garden is already enjoying nearly 900 followers on Instagram, a 4.5-star rating on Yelp – and a 5-star rating from this reviewer.
The restaurant features entirely plant-based foods, such as jackfruit-based tacos and mock-pulled pork sandwiches with jackfruit. I love meat, but found jackfruit an entirely satisfying substitute with the taste and texture of real pork. The jackfruit tacos came with mangoes and more for a delicious burst of flavor.
July 25, 2023 (Ranchita) -- The #WilsonFire in Ranchita was ignited by a lightning strike around 4 p.m. today, according to a witness, Miguel Estrema. Cal Fire reports the fire has burned 2-3 acres at a slow rate of spread 2 miles south of Old Wilson Rd & Montezuma Valley Rd.
Multiple helicopters are making air drops on the fire, per Cal Fire.
July 24, 2023 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Village Association (LMVA) announces that September marks the 30th Anniversary of the La Mesa Village Farmers Market (LMVFM) in downtown La Mesa, and we are inviting the community to help us celebrate.
To celebrate 30 years, the La Mesa Village Farmers Market will host weekly giveaways starting on September 1, 2023. Weekly prizes include: $50 in LMVFM “Market Bucks” to be given away on the LMVFM Instagram page (@officiallamesafarmersmarket); 30th Anniversary canvas shopping bags will be given out by different vendors each week; free 30th Anniversary stickers available at the LMVFM information booth; and a surprise vendor-filled 30th Anniversary shopping bag to be given away on the LMVFM Instagram page.
July 21, 2023 (Lemon Grove)—On Tuesday, members of the Lemon Grove public works department, their family members and union representatives filled the audience during public comment at the Lemon Grove City Council meeting. They asked for the city’s support in negotiations currently underway with the city and Local Union 127 that represents city workers.
July 24, 2023 (Mt. Helix) – The Mt. Helix Food and Wine Festival returns on August 19 to benefit the Mt. Helix Park. The event takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. at the historic and inspiring Mt. Helix amphitheater and 7-acre nature preserve atop one of our region’s tallest peaks, with 360-degree views.
This year’s event features a Wild West theme. Whiskey Ridge band will entertain on the main stage and The Tradesmen up at the cross location as guests savor food and beverages from over 40 sampling booths. The park will be transformed with a secret Speakeasy Saloon and line dancing.
Don’t miss the auction with everything from Legoland Tickets and golf outings to yacht experiences and overnights in exotic places, to private parties for you and your friends at Mt. Helix Park.
The historic partnership will amplify the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System
Souce: Pala Band of Mission Indians
July 23, 2023 (Pala) -- On July 20, the Pala Band of Mission Indians and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) entered into a historic agreement for the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System. Pala is the first Tribal government to contract with CalOES and to be formally recognized as a partner in the State’s overall emergency response infrastructure.
July 23, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)—Ballots have been mailed for the special election in the 4th Supervisorial District to fill the vacancy left by Nathan Fletcher’s resignation. East County Magazine hosted a forum for the candidates, who spoke out on issues including homelessness, housing, energy, policing, drug addiction, sand mines, wildfire safety, and more. ECM editor Miriam Raftery moderated the forum.
August 15 is the last day to vote in the special election primary.
The three candidates who participated are Monica Montgomery Steppe, an attorney and president pro tem of the San Diego City Council, Amy Reichert, a private investigator and founder of Reopen San Diego, and Janessa Goldbeck, a former Marine and CEO of a nonprofit helping veterans. (A fourth candidate, Paul McQuigg, a military veteran and U.S. Labor Dept. employee, RSVP’d that he would attend but said he was unable to get connectivity for the forum on Zoom while traveling overseas.)
Click the video to view highlights of the forum, listen to audio for the version aired on radio (edited slightly for length), and scroll down to read highlights.
July 23, 2023 (Detroit) - The Padres went for the sweep this morning in Detroit. Grossmont High alum Joe Musgrove started against Alex Faedo for the Tigers.
Image: Plan for roundabout by Dokken Engineering. Santee spent about $800,000 on engineering and design work since 2015, funds that will be lost if city doesn’t build it.
July 22, 2023 (Santee) -- Last month, the Santee City Council eliminated a project to build a roundabout at the Highway 67 off ramp at Woodside Avenue, costing the city about $800,000 it had spent on design and engineering plans going back to 2015.
The decision was made June 14, during a discussion of the city’s capital improvement program (CIP), essentially a wish list of projects over the next five years. While no formal vote was taken, at least three Santee councilmembers said the roundabout or traffic circle wasn’t necessary and would likely cause more traffic problems than the current, four-stop configuration.
Image: Rendering of a proposed digital billboard created by Clear Channel, via City of La Mesa documents
July 22, 2023 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council will discuss a digital billboards proposal this Tuesday evening.
At a prior meeting, the City Council appointed Council members Pat Dillard and Jack Shu to form an “ad hoc” committee to consider a proposal by Clear Channel Outdoor Advertising company to erect a huge new, two-sided digital billboard along the north side of the I-8 freeway as it runs past the Grossmont Center shopping center. The committee has met and has now made a recommendation, which the Council will take up at its 6 p.m. meeting on Tuesday.
Item 14.2 on the Council’s Tuesday agenda says “The Digital Billboard Negotiating Ad-hoc Subcommittee recommends the Council direct staff to develop and circulate, within 30 days, a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the placement and installation of digital billboards in the City, to include: (1) a statement of facts identifying the process to authorize digital billboards; and (2) a listing of questions and concerns (for response) raised by the Digital Billboard Negotiating Ad-hoc Subcommittee”.
So instead of just discussing the proposal with Clear Channel, the ad hoc committee now wants to open up a bidding competition to see who is willing to pay the most to be allowed to erect a digital billboard. In effect, they are interested in selling the safety of La Mesa residents to the highest bidder!
The committee’s recommendation shows a surprising lack of due diligence. It also seems to ignore a number of facts, and tries to put the cart before several horses.
July 23, 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:
July 23, 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:
July 22, 2023 (San DIego's East County) -- As late July sizzles into hot August nights, there are some hot happenings coming up across San Diego’s inland region.
The fun includes the Ramona Country Fair, Pine Valley Days parade and festival, a comedy night, farm tours, party with police at Parkway Plaza, the Julian Star Fest, outdoor concerts and car shows, and the Mt. Helix Food and Wine Festival with a Western theme this year plus dancing under the stars.
Scroll down for details on these events and many more, coming up across San Diego’s inland region.
July 22, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove Lions Club will host Quartermania, a cross between an auction, a raffle and bingo,on August 12. The event will feature Preview Shopping at 10:30am, Quarter Auction from 11 a.m.-2: p.m., and a light lunch at 12 p.m.. Bring plenty of quarters as you will need them to bid on auction items.
July 21, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – The Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson unit is investigating a fire that occurred at Grove Motel in the 8000 block of Broadway in Lemon Grove. Deputies on patrol noticed smoke coming from the motel and found a unit fully engulfed in flames.
July 22, 2023 (Santee) – Catalytic converter thefts off vehicles have been on the rise regionally. To help protect motorists from losses and increase the chances of being able to return stolen parts to their owners, the San Diego County Sheriff is hosting a free catalytic converter engraving event on Saturday, July 29 from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. at 8891 Railroad Ave. in Santee.Reservations are required.
July 22, 2023 (Pala) -- The United States Senate this week passed H.R. 423, the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2023, by unanimous consent. H.R. 423, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), places approximately 721 acres of sacred land the Pala Band of Mission Indians currently owns into trust.
“On behalf of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, we thank Congressman Issa, Senator Padilla, Senator Feinstein and their colleagues for supporting this very important piece of legislation,” said Chairman Robert Smith of the Pala Band of Mission Indians. “With the passage of this legislation, our ancestral grounds, which are central to our spiritual and cultural traditions, will be forever protected as part of the Pala Reservation.”
"Republicans are making clear they will defend their corrupt allies on the Supreme Court no matter what," said one campaigner. The bill is not likely to become law, due to opposition in the GOP-controlled House.
Photo: Justice Clarence Thomas,via Library of Congress 2012. Thoms has drawn criticiism for accepting lavish trips and other gifts from a billionaire, actions which would be illegal for judges at any other level of the court system.
July 20, 2023 (Washington D.C.) -- The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday advanced legislation that would require the U.S. Supreme Court to adopt an enforceable code of ethics and adhere to stronger disclosure rules following a series of revelations about the luxury trips and other gifts justices have received from right-wing billionaires.
July 21, 2023 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick sent in this photo of his reaction to a monster he encountered at Comicon. A childhood fan of comic books, Councilman Kendrick credits reading Superman comics with teaching him the important of being respectful to everyone, a value he strives to follow in his civic duties as an elected official.
July 22, 2023 (El Cajon) – A stolen vehicle suspect barricaded himself in an El Cajon motel Thursday evening and threatened to set the building on fire, prompting evacuation of nearby rooms, says Lieutenant Darrin Forster with El Cajon Police Department.
The incident began at 6:38 p.m., when El Cajon Police received information that the GPS system on a vehicle reported stolen showed it was parked at the Best Inn & Suites at 1274 Oakdale Avenue. Officers found the vehicle in the parking lot unoccupied. The driver of the stolen car was observed on surveillance video entering a motel room, which paid for by the San Diego County Homeless Voucher Program administered through EQUUS.
July 21, 2023 (Detroit) - After a good series in Canada, the Padres came back to America for a weekend in Detroit. Seth Lugo started against Reese Olson for the Tigers.
Reported incident may be a hoax, but workers in the field are urged not to accept water or food from strangers
July 21, 2023 – A flyer with SDG&E’s logo circulating on Facebook claims two workers for a local flagging company during extreme heat were given water bottles by a stranger. “Apparently, the water bottles were laced with Fentanyl. Sadly, one of the flaggers died and the other is in critical condition after ingesting the water,” the flyer headlined “Non-SDG&E Contractor Incident Alert” states.
However, SDG&E spokesman Alex Welling told ECM, “We have been working on this since yesterday and we cannot verify the information. We sent out an alert to contractors; this is true. But after further information we have been unable to verify the source.”
July 20,2023 (San Diego) -- San Diego resident Erik C Martin has written Storm Crows, a story about crows and their relationships.
A young crow leads his friends fleeing their flock’s oppressive leadership. They want freedom and they seek a new home near the ocean. They escape their flock’s vicious Black Wing guards and reach the coast, but their trials have only begun.
July 20, 2023 (El Cajon) -- A dog who went missing from his home in Las Vegas on July 3 was reunited with his family at noon today at San Diego Humane Society’s El Cajon Campus.
July 20, 2023 (Toronto) - Maybe the Padres should replace the old Expos because they’re having more success in Canada than in America. Today, they tried to sweep the Blue Jays with Blake Snell on the hill against Chris Bassitt for Toronto.
July 20, 2023 (Alpine) – Alpine resident and realtor Steven Sladek was recently honored with the Realtor of the Year award from the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), one of San Diego County’s largest real estate trade organizations for San Diego-area realtors.
Black woman-owned business won 3 months free rent and $20,000 business investment in mall’s Taste for the Space Competition
Source: Parkway Plaza
July 20, 2023 (El Cajon)-- Parkway Plaza held its first-ever Taste for the Space competition in June, offering one local food business the opportunity to win three months of free rent at Parkway Plaza’s food court, plus a $20,000 business investment. Chef Char’s Seafood N Soul is the lucky recipient of the prize package and will be moving into the shopping center’s food court latet this month.
Over 600 people came out to taste food from 12 selected local businesses to vote on whose cuisine was the best. The winner was chosen by a combination of votes from the community and a panel of tastemaker judges that included El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, Chef Phillip Esteban (Open Gym, White Rice and Weapon Ramen), Christina Ng (local culinary personality and Foundation Cultivator for Berry Good Food Food), and Sabrina Medora (freelance writer and novelist). The judges helped decide the winner based on taste as well as overall fit for the center.
Winner Charlene Plummer launched Chef Char Seafood N Soul (formerly known as ChefChar2020) amidst the Covid-19 pandemic when her then 16 year-old was unable to find employment. Creating the business not only helped provide her child with work, but also an opportunity to play a large role in the company which she could help cultivate and design.
An East County Eater review for East County Magazine
July 25, 2023 (Sycamore Fire) -MCAS Miramar reports the #ShotholeFire is burning in Sycamore Canyon between Poway and Santee.
Source: La Mesa Village Association
On Tuesday, members of the Lemon Grove public works department, their family members and union representatives filled the audience during public comment at the Lemon Grove City Council meeting. They asked for the city’s support in negotiations currently underway with the city and Local Union 127 that represents city workers.
The historic partnership will amplify the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System
Story by Liz Alper
uly 23, 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:
, 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:
July 23, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
Lemon Grove Lions Club will host Quartermania, a cross between an auction, a raffle and bingo,on August 12. The event will feature Preview Shopping at 10:30am, Quarter Auction from 11 a.m.-2: p.m., and a light lunch at 12 p.m.
The Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson unit is investigating a fire that occurred at Grove Motel in the 8000 block of Broadway in Lemon Grove. Deputies on patrol noticed smoke coming from the motel and found a unit fully engulfed in flames.
East County News Service
El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick sent in this photo of his reaction to a monster he encountered at Comicon. A childhood fan of comic books, Councilman Kendrick credits reading Superman comics with teaching him the important of being respectful to everyone, a value he strives to follow in his civic duties as an elected official.
East County News Service
Story by Liz Alper
A dog who went missing from his home in Las Vegas on July 3 was reunited with his family at noon today at San Diego Humane Society’s El Cajon Campus.
Story by Liz Alper
Alpine resident and realtor Steven Sladek was recently honored with the Realtor of the Year award from the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), one of San Diego County’s largest real estate trade organizations for San Diego-area realtors.
Source: Parkway Plaza
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