By Julian Rudd-Falls

January 15, 2014 (El Cajon) -- Yesterday, two Chaldean men made an appeal to the El Cajon City Council. Shamon Korkis, owner of the URE Restaurant in El Cajon, has applied  for a card room license and been denied. He was an accompanied by a friend, Sam Abbod, who served as translator.

This restaurant has a troubled past. There have been over 20 complaints and Police Chief Jim Redman testified that  the police have found illegal gambling and unlawful selling of alcoholic beverages there in the past. However, Mr.Korkis is the new owner of this establishment, and the vast majority of these complaints were made against the previous owner.

El Cajon’s City Council’s agenda this Tuesday includes a proposal by Councilman Kendrick to regulate electronic cigarettes and hookahs.  Both products contain nicotine and the CDC reports that the number of teens using e-cigarettes doubled from 2011 to 2012.

A Spring Valley teen passed out and was hospitalized last week with carbon monoxide poisoning from a hookah.

A 2005 report by the World Health Organization documented potential health hazards from hookahs, noting that in a typical 20-80 minute hookah session produces about as much smoke as the amount received from smoking 100 cigarettes.”

January 13, 2014 (Lemon Grove) – A driver who struck a pole last night at 7:42 p.m. sparked a power outage to 4,000 SDG&E customers in Lemon Grove last night. 

Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of the accident at 7342 Canton Drive and found that the driver of the vehicle, a Toyota truck, had left the scene.  According to Sgt. James Blanton with the Lemon Grove Sheriff’s substation, “Deputies found that power was out, and wires were hanging down on to the street.”

By Mark Gavit

As dry winter conditions continue, Gov. Jerry Brown can be expecting the California Department of Water Resources to present him with an emergency drought declaration draft.

Director of the DWR, Mark Cowin, told the California Board of Food and Agriculture that his agency is in the midst of deciding wether or not to present the governor with a drought declaration. Nancy Foley, spokeswoman for the DWR agency said that the declaration may appear "within a couple weeks."

Update January 15, 2014-- The remains of Lt. Snyder have been recovered, the Navy announced.

January 9, 2014 (Santee) – Lt. Sean Christopher Snyder, 39, of Santee has been identified by the U.S. Navy as the pilot who remains missing after a Sea Dragon helicopter crash off the Virginia coast on Wednesday. 

Two other crew members died and two more were hospitalized. After the wreckage was found by a dive and salvage team, a formal search has been suspended, though the cutter Shearwater remains at the scene.    

Snyder family members expressed gratitude to all who participated in the rescue efforts, according to a statement issued by the Navy, which further states,“At this time, our hearts and prayers are for Sean’s recovery, the other families who have suffered loss, and for the health of the hospitalized sailors. Lieutenant Sean Snyder is a decorated pilot, a man of honor, dedicated husband, and father, who is proud and grateful for his privilege to serve his country in the United States Navy.The family has a deep faith and trust in God and from him they have found their hope and peace. The Snyder’s are extremely grateful for the love and support they have received from their friends and their community. They truly appreciate your continued prayers.”

January 9, 2014 (San Diego) – Several recent sightings have been reported of missing 16-year-old Arielle Randall in the San Diego-Carlsbad areas, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

The Center is asking for public help to locate the missing Texas teen, who may be in the company of an unknown male.  Arielle is black and Hispanic, with brown hair and eyes. She is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. She has pierced ears.  She was last seen leaving her home in Grand Prairie, Texas on November 13, 2013 and has not been heard from since.

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

January 6, 2014 (Pine Valley) – Two vehicles collided on I-8 this morning, plunging down a steep, rocky slope and igniting a brush fire that scorched a quarter-acre in Cleveland National Forest.  Six people were injured.

January 5, 2014 (La Mesa)--The Fourth Appellate District Court of Appeals on December 16^th ruled in favor of the City of La Mesa in an appeal of a lawsuit centered on a series of lease agreements to develop and operate housing facilities for older adults in La Mesa. The ruling in Briercrest Development, L.P. v. City of La Mesa will allow the City to recoup attorney fees. 

City Manager, David E. Witt said of the ruling, “It is a great relief to finally regain control of the City's property. The concept of this development area was to create a park (Briercrest Park) that promoted healing and surround the park with compatible uses. This decision will allow the City to move forward to put this property to a productive use for the community.”

Pontiff named Time Magazine's Man of the Year

By Miriam Raftery

January 2014 (Rome)--On New Year’s Day at the Vatican, Pope Francis issued an impassioned plea for world peace.  He told the thousands of faithful gathered there that we are all part of the same human family, and we share a common destiny.

“This brings a responsibility for each to work so that the world becomes a community of brothers who respect each other, accept each other’s diversity, and takes care of one another,” the Pope said.

Then he did a remarkable thing.  Pope Francis laid aisde his prepared speech, and asked, “What is happening in the heart of man? What is happening in the heart of humanity?”  Deploring the violence in nations around the world, he said, “It’s time to stop.”

By Miriam Raftery

December 31, 2013 (Alpine) – Residents of Alpine are pulling together to help a young couple whose home on Arnold Way was destroyed by a fire on Christmas Eve.

Shara Halverson and her boyfriend, Sean Barrett were away visiting friends when their home caught fire.  They have no renters insurance and lost almost everything in the flames, though they are grateful for small miracles.

By Miriam Raftery

December 28, 2013 (Alpine) -- Meatball’s fame just keeps growing.  On New Year’s Day, the Rose Parade will feature a float honoring Meatball, the now famous black bear residing at Lions, Tigers and Bears, a rescue facility in Alpine. 

Meatball was removed from the wild after he started raiding trashcans in a suburban Glendale neighborhood, where he had a fondness for frozen meatballs. Now the City of Glendale is drawing attention to the situation of Meatball of other wildlife with its float in the Rose Parade. The float, titled “Let’s Be Neighbors” will feature a mechanized Meatball in a trash can surrounded by other forest creatures.

December 25, 2013 (Alpine) – A driver who died at the scene of an accident on Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego on December 22^nd has been identified as Michael Glantz, a 62-year-old Alpine resident.

December 25, 2013 (Spring Valley ) – In the early hours of Christmas morning at 12:32 a.m., Lemon Grove Sheriff Deputies responded to a radio call to help San Miguel Fire Department at a brush fire reported near homes on South Granada Avenue in Spring Valley.  Upon arrival, deputies and firefighters found a residence on fire at the rear of the house.

Fortunately, residents had safely evacuated.  Firefighters doused the blaze and asked Sheriff’’s Bomb-Arson unit to investigate. The fire’s cause was determined to be accidental.

By Miriam Raftery

December 23, 2013 (San Diego) – If you shopped at Target between November 27 and December 15, your credit card or debit card information may have been breached due to a hack.  Up to 40 million cardholders may be impacted.

Target says it’s begun notifying customers via email and letters of the potential for fraud on these accounts, and has alerted all of the credit networks of the affected card numbers.  The major credit card companies are alerting financial institutions as well so that they can take fraud protection steps.

Customers will NOT be responsible for any fraud that may occur on these accounts.

December 19, 2013 (Jamul) – Father Victor Mariestela, pastor at St. Pius X Church in Jamul, was struck head-on Tuesday night by a Ford Ranger while driving his SUV on Highway 94 west of Honey Springs Road.  He was flown by medical helicopter to Sharp Memorial hospital, suffering serious injuries including two broken legs, a broken hip and broken wrist.