East County News Service

February 20, 2017 (Santee) – A SWAT team stand-off in the 8500 block of Massery Lane in Santee has ended peacefully. 

Source:  La Mesa Police

February 20, 2017 (La Mesa) – An 80-year-old woman who was reported missing this morning from an assisted living facility in the 7900 block of Culowee Street in La Mesa has been found safe in the City of San Diego, the La Mesa Police Department reports.

East County News Service

February 20, 2017 (San Diego's East County) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is seeking nominees for its 2017 Healthcare Heroes Awards. Now in its 11th year, the Healthcare Heroes is GHD’s annual awards program honoring volunteers who help advance the delivery of quality health services in the East County region.

By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH

But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. (Luke 18:16, English Standard Version)

February 20, 2017 (San Diego) -- As most people are aware, President Trump issued a ban on immigration from seven Middle-Eastern nations, ostensibly to protect us against possible acts of terrorism. Yet, his ban does not include Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the two nations that the 9/11 terrorists came from. The assumption is that terrorism is mainly a Middle-Eastern, Muslim phenomenon. It isn’t!

By Miriam Raftery

February 19, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump has raised disturbing comparisons to notorious dictators and to disgraced President Richard Nixon with his unjustified attacks on respected, established media outlets as “fake news” and his repeated denouncements of  “dishonest media.”  

Worse yet, Trump’s tweet this week calling media an “enemy of the American people” has drawn sharp criticisms from  a Fox News anchor, his own Secretary of Defense, Republican Senator John McCain, and Carl Bernstein, the reporter whose investigation exposed the Watergate scandal that led to Richard Nixon’s resignation.

Four pitchers combine for shutout in 11-0 victory

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Andrew Brown had three hits, two RBI and scored once in the win over Pacific Sunday afternoon.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

February 19, 2017 (San Diego) - San Diego State scored 10 runs over the first four innings and four Aztec hurlers combined for a five-hit shout as SDSU defeated Pacific, 11-0, Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

East County News Service

February 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The Baja Blues Boys have announced a spring performance schedule that includes appearances at inland venues in Santa Ysabel, La Mesa, Ramona and Poway.

By Renée Owens, President, Wild Zone Conservation League

“Be aware that if any of my students made the statements you are erroneously posing as fact they would fail the course…”—Reneé Owens, environmental science instructor

February 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Yesterday I sent my Congressional Representative, Duncan Hunter Jr., a message urging him not to weaken or dismantle our Environmental Protection Agency, as the 2017 Congress is threatening to do. If anything the agency needs strengthening and more funds to do their jobs. Today he responded, telling me the EPA is a big problem. I know something about the EPA in my line of work, so I felt obligated to respond:

East County News Service

February 19, 2017 (San Diego) – Over 1,200 attended Friday night’s Neighborhood Market Association (NMA) banquet at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. NMA’s Mark Arabo used the night to honor the diversity of its members, and declare the NMA the first ever “sanctuary association” in the nation.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Library entrance, Proposal A

February 19, 2017 (Borrego Springs) -- Proposed designs for the new Borrego Springs Library/Park/Sheriff's Substation project are be viewable online from February 18, 2017 to February 24, 2017. The public is invited to view the three proposed designs at: http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/general_services/Facility_Planning_Design_Construction.html

East County News Service

February 19, 2017 (Julian) – You’re invited to celebrate spring with the flower of hope at the 13^th annual Julian Daffodil Show.  The beautiful blooms can be viewed on March 4 and 5 at the historic town hall (2129 Main St.) in downtown Julian.

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo:  Andrew Martinez had four hits including a pair of doubles over the first two games vs. Pacific.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

February 18, 2017 (San Diego) - Right after the completion of Friday's rain-delayed opening day game, which the Aztecs won 11-5, both teams took the field again for game two.  This time, Pacific had the upper hand as they beat the Aztecs 5-1.

East County News Service

Hear our interview, originally aired February 3, 2017 on KNSJ 89.1 FM radio, by clicking the audio link.

“It wasn’t the e-mails; it was the white males,” – Bonnie Price, on sexism she believed prevented Hillary Clinton from becoming president

February 18, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Spring Valley resident Bonnie Price is a long-time women’s rights advocate, political scientist and feminist. In January, shortly after Price marched in the historic women’s march in San Diego, we interviewed her about her concerns over the erosion of women’s  rights that she spent much of her lifetime fighting to attain.

 Price has advocated for women’s causes from equal pay to the equal rights amendment.  She once established a Planned Parenthood clinic in rural Pennsylvania. She’s also been active in recruiting women  to run for political office through the nonpartisan Run Women Run and has served as president of the East County Democratic Club. A supporter of Hillary Clinton’s presidential aspirations, Price still hopes to see the ultimate glass ceiling broken in her lifetime. 

Scroll down to read highlights of her commetns , or click the audio link to hear our full interview.

By Van Collinsworth

After San Diego Supervisors voted this week to reject a community choice energy alternative to SDG&E, Preserve Wild Santee founder Van Collinsworth posted this open letter to Supervisors on his Facebook page.

February 18, 2017 (San Diego) -- SDG&E and its allies in office are standing in the way of cleaner power at lower rates. My message to the Supervisors advocating energy choice follows...

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview, originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM radio in January,  by clicking the audio link, and scroll down for highlights of how Esetela de los Rios believes  our region’s homeless problems could and should be solved .

February 18, 2017 (San Diego)—Estela de los Rios with CSA, a fair housing and human rights organization in El Cajon since 1969, is calling for  a change in how the homeless are treated in the city of San Diego and across San Diego County.  San Diego now has the fourth highest number of homeless people in the nation according to the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) agency statistics.  Yet instead of providing meaningful help to homeless people, San Diego has often resorted to criminalizing homelessness—passing out citations for sleeping in public places and having police seize tents and sleeping bags even amid cold winter storms.

Homeless has affected every city in San Diego County,  including East County cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee, as well as unincorporated areas of the County. As San Diego cracks down on homelessness, more homeless people have resorted to camping along river banks,  in parks and on the streets of communities in East County, where homelessness is a problem for every city.