By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2017 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police have arrested two teenagers for armed robbery aboard a trolley on July 5^th.

According to police, the victim, a juvenile male, was riding a trolley from San Diego. When it arrived at the Amaya Trolley Station in La Mesa, a group of young males approved the victim and one asked for the time.

East County News Service

August 7, 2017 (Boulevard) – John Mauris snapped these photos of a Cailfornia grey fox in Boulevard. Though less colorful than their cousins, the red foxes, grey foxes are even more agile.

These crafty foxes are one of only two species of canines capable of climbing trees.  

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2017 (Jamul) – A 51-year-old man from San Diego has died after an accident last night in Jamul. According to the California Highway Patrol, the 2008 Acura MDX driven by the man on Skyline Truck Trail east of Lawson Valley Road drifted off the road and struck a dirt embankment.

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - Is Fox News a hotbed for sexual harassment?  Fox News host Eric Bolling is the latest in a string of high profile Fox figures embroiled in allegations of tawdry workplace behavior.

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2017 (San Diego) -- Only three northern white rhinos remain on earth – and none of them can breed.  But thanks to scientists at the San Diego Zoo, this rare rhinoceros species may yet be saved from extinction.

By Rachel Williams

August 7, 2017 (El Cajon) -- Medical handouts, translated to English and Arabic, are strewn across the table at St. John’s Church for Syrian and Afghan refugees. Health organizations around San Diego participated in an educational meet and greet to introduce the differences in urgent and emergency care, proper nutrition and disease prevention.

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Pixabay

August 6, 2017 (Los Coyotes Reservation) – An agreement to grow, manufacture and distribute commercial cannabis products has been reached between GB Science, Inc. and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeña Indians. The Los Coyotes reservation is located in a mountainous area near Warner Springs in San Diego’s East County.

East County News Service

August 5, 2017 (Anza-Borrego) -- Calling All Photographers!  The 2018 Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest is now live and ready to accept your entries!

The contest is meant to encourage desert lovers and photography enthusiasts to capture their favorite views, moments and adventures in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Since the theme of the contest is the unique and natural beauty of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, all photographs must be taken within the Park boundaries.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: National Park Service

August 5, 2017 (San Diego) – If you suffer from arachnophobia, you may not like this story.  Those winter showers have brought out more than May flowers. The wet weather has also led to an increase in tarantula sightings locally due to plentiful populations of critters on which these giant spiders feast.

Board passes over ex-PTA president/LMSV bond oversight committee member and former teacher’s union representative to select church worker

By Kendra Sitton

Read full transcript of meeting here.

August 5, 2017 (La Mesa) -- Rebekah Basson received the appointment to the La Mesa-Spring Valley (LMSV) Board of Education during a special meeting on Aug. 3, just two days before the deadline for an expensive special election to be held in its place.

East County News Service

August 4, 2017 (Escondido) – Public help is sought to help locating Seraphine Bustillos, a missing Escondido 15-year-old who may have left home with a foot-and-a-half long ball python snake and a black backpack.  She has hair dyed black, blue eyes, pierced ears, and is 5 feet 1 inch tall, weighing 110 pounds.

East County News Service

August 4, 2017 (El Cajon) - The Superior Court of California and Mental Health Systems, Inc. will hold a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, August 9th at 5:00 p.m. at the Lakeside Community Center, 9841 Vine Street, Lakeside.  This is the court’s 45^th Graduation ceremony since it was founded 20 years ago in August 1997.  The 20th anniversary of East County Drug Court and the uplifting commencement ceremony is evidence of the tremendous impact that East County Drug Court has had on our community, a release from  the county’s Mental Health Service department states.  

East County News Service

August 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Authorities seek public help to locate 31-year-old Rainier Raroque, a convicted sexual batterer.  He failed to register as a sex offender in San Diego County and is known to frequent La Mesa and Lemon Grove, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department reports.

Congress also takes action to prevent firing of Mueller before recessing for summer

By Miriam Raftery

August 4, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – The Wall Street Journal yesterday reported that Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller has convened a federal grand jury  several weeks ago to determine whether criminal indictments should be filed in relation to the Trump team-Russia probe.   The report was swiftly confirmed by the Washington Post and other media.

 Reuters reports that the grand jury actions include approval of issuing subpoenas related to a meeting between Trump’s son, son-in-law, a Russian lawyer, then-campaign manager Paul Manafort, a cyberhacking expert and  other key figures to discuss negative information the attorney claimed to have on Trump’s opponent, Hillary Clinton.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: East County resident Linda Niman stripped down and cooled off with a free-spirited "rain dance" that piqued interest on social media.  

August 3, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – A monsoonal storm brought torrential rain, hail, lightning strikes and flooding to portions of San Diego County over the past two days.

Residents also sweltered in high heat coupled with high humidity  The National Weather Service San Diego office posted on Facebook earlier today,“Current Dewpoint at the office is 73F degrees, oppressive!"