Source:  City of El Cajon

October 31,2016 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Police Department has been awarded a $170,000.00 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program of special enforcements and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries.  The El Cajon Police Department will use the funding as part of the city’s ongoing commitment to keep roadways safe and improve the quality of life through both enforcement and education, according to a release issued today.

“The El Cajon Police Department is looking forward to working with OTS, our partners in Law Enforcement, and our community stakeholders to reduce injury and death related to traffic collisions,” stated El Cajon Police Lieutenant Randy Soulard. “With an emphasis on the prevention of pedestrian and bicycle-related collisions, we will work collaboratively using a multi-pronged approach in addressing education and enforcement aspects of collision reduction.”

East County News Service

October 28, 2016 (Spring Valley) — The Federal Aviation Administration is hosting a meeting in Spring Valley Tuesday on a proposal to change flight paths to both Lindbergh Field and Brown Field airports, which could sharply increase airliner traffic over East County.  The meeting will be at La Presa Middle School, 1001 Leland Street, on November 1 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Attorney for white nationalist group developed computer program to drop minority voters off voting rosters in 30 states

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Miriam Raftery with Greg Palast at film debut in San Diego

Listen now to our interview with Greg Palast, originally aired on KNSJ:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Scroll down for highlights.

October 28, 2016 (San Diego)--Investigative reporter Greg Palast’s Academy Award-nominated documentary, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy:  A Tale of Billionaires and Ballot Bandits, pulls back the curtain to expose a dark conspiracy to steal votes from millions of minorities across America. A seasoned gumshoe detective turned award-winning investigative reporter, Palast leaves no room for doubt as he masterfully reveals the powerful players behind this insidious scheme.

East  County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery sat down for an exclusive interview with Palast,  in town for the debut of his film in San Diego on Monday.  You can hear our interview by clicking the orange audio link,  and scroll down to  read our review of this must-see documentary.

By Miriam Raftery

October 27, 2016 (Santee) – A 67-year-old woman crossing the 10500 block of Mission Gorge Road this morning at 9:30 a.m. was struck by a Cadillac driven by an 82-year-old woman.  Santee Fire Department and Sheriff’s deputies responded.

Delays are expected Thursday night during one-way traffic control operations

Source: Caltrans

October 27, 2016 (San Diego) - Caltrans crews have scheduled lane closures at the intersection of State Route 67 (SR-67) and Dye Road/Highland Valley Road near Ramona on Thursday night from 7 until 5 Friday morning.

Update October 26, 2016: Defense Secretary Ash Carter has ordered a halt to this action, so  California National Guard members won't have to payback bonuses paid out erroneously years ago. President Barack Obama applauded Carter's decision. Read more.

East County News Service

October 24, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – California National Guard soldiers have been ordered to pay back reenlistment bonuses paid a decade ago, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The bonuses of $15,000 or more  were offered to encourage reenlistment.  The Pentagon intended those bonuses to retain experts in intelligence and other high in demand services during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

East County News Service

October 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — Yesterday’s storm dropped only minimal rainfall but over 4,000 lightning strikes occurred across southwestern California.  But a new storm Thursday evening through Friday could bring heavier rain, hail, thunderstorms and dangerous lightning, the National Weather Service predicts.

East County News Service

October 25, 2016 (El Cajon) – A hearing is set for tomorrow at 3 p.m. in U.S. District Court in downtown San Diego on a restraining order sought by the NAACP and several individuals who claim they were falsely arrested for holding peaceful protests and vigils in the wake of the Alfred Olango shooting by an El Cajon Police officer.

Update:  KNSD reports Teresa Hudson has been found and is safe.  Authorities have not provided further details.

East County News Service

October 23, 2016 (La Mesa)—The family of missing La Mesa woman Teresa Hudson is pleading for help to find her.  She left home near  Dallas  Street and Lubbock  Avenue Saturday morning shortly after midnight and is believed to have driven her daughter’s car, a gray Kia Sportage, license plate 6RQX374.  She suffers from a psychiatric condition and left without her medication,  money, cell phone, food, or water.  She was last seen wearing a pink nightgown.

On Sunday, her husband, John, asked people to check back roads in East County. “We’ll be looking in the Dehesa area ourselves,  believing she went for a joy ride and got lost and ran out of gas with no way to get help.” The car was low on gas, the family has indicated.

By Miriam Raftery

October 20, 2016 (Crest) – The stakes are high in the San Miguel Fire Board race. In July, the board majority voted to axe a contract that outsourced firefighting to Cal Fire, entered into back when property tax revenues had plummeted in the recession and the district had shut down a fire station.  Now four candidates want to undo the recent vote and keep the deal with Cal Fire, while four others are running to restore local control.  The ninth candidate says he hasn’t made up his mind.  There are four seats up for grabs.

All nine appeared at a candidate forum tonight in Crest, a town that burned in the 2003 fires and where residents pay a higher assessment for fire services than any other fire district locally.

Update 2 p.m.: Police this afternoon are blocking access to the site that has been the focus of protests where  Alfred Olango was shot on Sept. 27.

East County News Service

October 18, 2016 (El Cajon) — El Cajon Police declared an unlawful assembly and arrested eight protesters last night at 800 Broadway near Mollison, the site where Alfred Olango was shot by police over two weeks ago.

According to a press release, the trouble started last night around 5 p.m. when two people arrived and became angry that a makeshift memorial had been removed. Police say the strip mall’s owner hired a security company to help return to business as usual. Earlier in the day, the release states, ”participants in the memorial, who had been asked to leave the property returned and asked to collect their items. They removed the tents, grills and other memorial and personal items. Neither the property owners nor the police department removed memorial items.

By Miriam Raftery

October 16,2016 (San Diego)—The state Commission on Judicial Performance has filed 11 counts of judicial misconduct against San Diego Superior Court Judge Gary G. Kreep,  following a preliminary investigation.   View the charges and notice of formal proceedings here.

 Judge Kreep has 20 days from the date of service (October 7, 2016) to file a written response to the charges,  which include conduct while serving as a judge as well as ethical violations during his campaign.  California’s constitution provides remedies that could include removal from the bench, censure, public or private admonishment.

By Miriam Raftery

October 13, 2016 (La Mesa) – By a 3-1 vote, with Councilwoman Ruth Sterling opposed and Councilman Guy McWhirter absent, La Mesa’s City Council on Tuesday voted to approve a measure that requires signatures of two council members to place any measure on the ballot. 

Councilmember Ruth Sterling blasted the action in an e-mail to ECM. “They diminished the people’s right to know, the government’s transparency, “ she said of the Council majority.”This is the people’s government. That fact was ignored.”

Sterling said City Attorney Glenn Sabine  indicated there are conflicting writings on whether such action might violate the Brown Act,  making it a “gray area.”

By Miriam Raftery

October 13,2016 (Lemon Grove)—The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has voted to rescind its prior endorsement of Measures U and V, which would legalize and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries in Lemon Grove and La  Mesa.

The Chamber website states, “The Board considered additional information and supports both cities’ rights to ban marijuana dispensaries.”

East County News Service

October 12, 2016 (El Cajon) — A man walking along Interstate 8 between the first two lanes Sunday night was struck and killed by a motorist.  The victim is unidentified, said Officer Kevin Pearlstein with the California Highway Patrol.

The deadly accident occurred shortly before midnight near the Greenfield onramp.