East County News Service

March 13, 2016 (San Diego) – Supervisors will hear a report with options for enacting a moratorium banning future medical marijuana collective facilities on Wednesday, March 16^th.

In February, nine speakers addressed Supervisors during public comment with concerns over marijuana dispensaries.  The Supervisors asked the Chief Administration Officer to craft options now available for regulating medical marijuana collectives in light of “a recent California Supreme Court decision that allows local municipalities to ban marijuana facilities, newly adopted State laws pertaining to medical marijuana, and ballot initiatives slated for the November ballot,” according to the agenda.

Water Authority partners with the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association of San Diego for second year

East County News Service

March 9, 2016 (San Diego) - As part of the regional effort to reduce water waste, the San Diego County Water Authority and its member agencies are again partnering with the local chapter of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association during national Fix a Leak Week, March 14-20, to make fixing water leaks less costly for residents and businesses.

East County News Service

March 6, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — The San Diego Association of Realtors, Senator Joel Anderson, American Legion 731 and the Virtual Counselor Network will host a Military Housing Resource Workshop for all current and former military members.  The free workshop will be held Saturday, March 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the American Legion  (7245 Linda Vista Road) in San Diego

East County News Service

March 4, 2016 (Santee) – A woman riding bicycle was struck and killed after cutting across two lanes of traffic on Cuyamaca Street in Santee today.  A motorist traveling north was unable to avoid striking the bicyclist, whose identity is unknown.

Democratic presidential debate to be held Sunday in Flint, drawing national attention to lead poisoning, harm to city’s children

East County News Service

Photo: Roosevelt Mitchell on Twitter

March 4, 2016 (Flint, Michigan) -- Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) went to Flint, Michigan as part of 26-member congressional delegation to hear firsthand from the residents of Flint about the challenges they faced.

East County News Service

March 3, 2016 (Spring Valley) – A 32-year-old Spring Valley man driving a 2002 Acura at a high rate of speed on State Route 94 eastbound at Spring Street yesterday morning struck a center divider wall, then veered to the right and hit a guard rail. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2016 (Rancho San Diego)—Construction on a sewer replacement project along Campo Road through Rancho San Diego is slated to begin this summer and continue until spring 2018.  The project extends from Avocado to the Rancho San Diego Town Center near Cuyamaca College along the State Route 94 right-of-way.

Most work on the two-year project will be done at night between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. to lessen impacts on traffic, staff from Otay Water District have indicated.  Construction will also be restricted from March through August to protect birds from disruption during nesting season.

East County News Service

March 1, 2016 (San Diego) - If you’ve used your credit or debit card to purchase monthly trolley or bus passes through the Metropolitan Transit System’s Compass Card fare collection system, your security may be compromised.

Update 11:05 a.m.:  The suspect is now in custody and the lockdown has been lifted.

March 1, 2016 (San Diego) 10:50 a.m. -- San Diego State Police have issued a shelter-in-place alert due to suspect believed armed with a handgun near Alvarado Hospital.  10 News reports police attempted to stop a vehicle on I-8 near College Avenue and the suspect fled toward Alvarado.

If you are in this area, police ask that you stay inside and do not call police unless you have an emergency.

New Program to Reduce Blighted Properties and Encourage Community Gardens in Neighborhoods

East County News Service

March 1, 2016 (San Diego) — The San Diego City Council unanimously approved an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone, a program that will help expand community access to fresh produce through a property tax incentive for urban agriculture on vacant, blighted land.

Lots of free and discounted health/fitness services for Lakeside residents!

By Steve Lauria

View video with Senator Joel Anderson discussing the Lakeside Health Awareness Month: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaHealthNetwork/videos/1234959753184102/

February 29, 2016 (Lakeside)--Lakeside is a rural area in the Eastern region of San Diego County. Many people find it a great place to call home, but like the rest of San Diego County, it has a growing problem with chronic disease and other health concerns.

Throughout the month of March, California Health Network, a nonprofit organization based in East County, is doing its part in improving  the health of the citizens of Lakeside by sponsoring Lakeside Health Awareness Month. Another 32 local health and fitness businesses are offering free and discounted services to  citizens of Lakeside. You can view the offers here: http://californiahealthnetwork.org/healthawarenessmonth

By Miriam Raftery

Controversial plan outrages Alpine voters, Chaldeans and other district residents

Priscilla Schreiber (photo, left) will be forced off board

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Grossmont Union High School District voted 4-1 to ditch district-wide elections and switch to electing trustees from each of five districts. (View map)  The board also voted to ask the San Diego County Committee on School Board Reorganization to waive a requirement that would ordinarily allow the public to vote on redistricting. (View map at bottom of this article)

District board expected to vote on redistricting plan today at 4 p.m.

"...Our Chamber will not accept any gerrymandering or divisive planning for political purposes and would be readily committed to engage either legally or politically to ensure a fair and equitable approach for the betterment of our community.” -- Ben Kalasho, Chaldean American Chamber president

By Miriam Raftery

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Ben Kalasho, president of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce in East County, has issued a press release calling on the Grossmont Union-High School District board to be “transparent and pragmatic” in its decision on how to transition from at-large to district elections. A vote on which map to approve is expected at today’s GUHSD board meeting at 4 p.m. at the East County Regional Education Center, 924 East Main St. in El Cajon.