By Kathy Carpenter

July 25, 2023 (Poway) - In the hallowed halls of the Old Bailey, a tale of murder, lies, and the enigmatic “Witness for the Prosecution” begins to unfold, presented by PowPac Theatre in Poway. The audience is drawn into the case of Leonard Vole’s story and his subsequent arrest for murder. "Witness for the Prosecution” is a slow, deliberate, tantalizing tease.

This gripping courtroom drama is set in 1950s London. The story revolves around Leonard Vole, a charming and enigmatic young man accused of murdering a wealthy widow. He finds himself in a precarious situation as the primary suspect in a crime he denies committing.

Enter Sir Wilfrid Robarts, a brilliant and seasoned barrister who takes on Leonard's case. Despite Leonard's protestations of innocence, the evidence seems stacked against him. As the trial progresses, Sir Wilfrid's legal skills are put to the test, and he must unravel a web of deception, betrayal, and unexpected twists.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Erik Prince in 2015, cc-2.0 via Wikipedia

July 27, 2023 (San Diego) — The name Erik Prince became familiar to many residents in San Diego’s East County when Blackwater, the private military contracting firm he founded, sought to build a paramilitary training camp in Potrero.

By Kristen Hwang, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Image by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay

July 27, 2023 (San Diego) - Premiums for health insurance sold through the state marketplace will increase by nearly 10% next year, the highest rate hike since 2018, Covered California officials announced Tuesday.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Photo, left: Comic Con attendees dressed up as ghosts ready to go to the Haunted Mansion.

July 27, 2023 (San Diego) -- San Diego Comic-Con returned to its roots – comics – after strikes by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federal of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) brought celebrity-stacked panels and appearances to a halt. Still costumes, Gaslamp Quarter happenings, the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park, and a multitude of other activities helped keep badge holders and non-badge holders happy.

While it is considered a multi-genre entertainment event, celebrities in a different genre -  cartoonists and illustrators—ruled, creating artwork for children and adults on the spot while highlighting that they, the artists, were the sources for the adventure films and cartoons that became films and tv shows. Up-and-coming artists and lesser-known cartoonists also drew in crowds.

$1,000 reward for info leading to arrest of suspect, who is considered armed and dangerous

Source: San Diego Sheriff's Department

July 26, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- Do you recognize this man? He is Daniel Ethridge, 34, and he is wanted in connection with a homicide in Lemon Grove earlier this year.

On March 18 around 10:00 p.m., deputies from the Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation responded to a report of a shooting in the 2800 block of Lemon Grove Avenue. While searching the area, deputies found Gregory Moore, 39, unconscious in a car at the intersection of Lemon Grove Avenue and San Miguel Avenue. He was later pronounced dead.

Sheriff's Homicide Investigators have identified Ethridge as a suspect. He has an active arrest warrant for homicide and is believed to be associated with a local street gang. Ethridge has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and shooting into an inhabited dwelling.

He should be considered armed and dangerous, according to Lt. Joseph Janjura with the Sheriff’s homicide unit.

July 25, 2023 (Sycamore Fire) -MCAS Miramar reports the #ShotholeFire is burning in Sycamore Canyon between Poway and Santee.

According to the Watch App, the fire has burned around 106 acres but crews are making good progress fighting the fire.

View map and updates: https://app.watchduty.org/i/8064

Source: La Mesa Village Association

July 24, 2023 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Village Association (LMVA) announces that September marks the 30th Anniversary of the La Mesa Village Farmers Market (LMVFM) in downtown La Mesa, and we are inviting the community to help us celebrate. 

To celebrate 30 years, the La Mesa Village Farmers Market will host weekly giveaways starting on September 1, 2023. Weekly prizes include: $50 in LMVFM “Market Bucks” to be given away on the LMVFM Instagram page (@officiallamesafarmersmarket); 30th Anniversary canvas shopping bags will be given out by different vendors each week; free 30th Anniversary stickers available at the LMVFM information booth; and a surprise vendor-filled 30th Anniversary shopping bag to be given away on the LMVFM Instagram page. 

East County  News Service

July 24, 2023  (Mt. Helix) – The Mt. Helix Food and Wine Festival returns on August 19 to benefit the Mt. Helix Park.  The event takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. at the historic and inspiring Mt. Helix amphitheater and 7-acre nature preserve atop one of our region’s tallest peaks, with 360-degree views.

This year’s event features a Wild West theme. Whiskey Ridge band will entertain on the main stage and The Tradesmen up at the cross location as guests savor food and beverages from over 40 sampling booths.  The park will be transformed with a secret Speakeasy Saloon and  line dancing.

Don’t miss the auction with everything from Legoland Tickets and golf outings to yacht experiences and overnights in exotic places, to private parties for you and your friends at Mt. Helix Park.

By Miriam Raftery

View video of forum

Hear audio aired on KNSJ: part 1; part 2

July 23, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)—Ballots have been mailed for the special election in the 4^th Supervisorial District to fill the vacancy left by Nathan Fletcher’s resignation. East County Magazine hosted a forum for the candidates, who spoke out on issues including homelessness, housing, energy, policing, drug addiction, sand mines, wildfire safety, and more. ECM editor Miriam Raftery moderated the forum.

August 15 is the last day to vote in the special election primary.

The three candidates who participated are Monica Montgomery Steppe, an attorney and president pro tem of the San Diego City Council, Amy Reichert, a private investigator and founder of Reopen San Diego, and Janessa Goldbeck, a former Marine and CEO of a nonprofit helping veterans.  (A fourth candidate, Paul McQuigg, a military veteran and U.S. Labor Dept. employee, RSVP’d that he would attend but said he was unable to get connectivity for the forum on Zoom while traveling overseas.)

Click the video to view highlights of the forum,  listen to audio for the version aired on radio (edited slightly for length), and scroll down to read highlights.

By Mike Allen

Image:  Plan for roundabout by Dokken Engineering. Santee spent about $800,000 on engineering and design work since 2015, funds that will be lost if city doesn’t build it.

July 22, 2023 (Santee) -- Last month, the Santee City Council eliminated a project to build a roundabout at the Highway 67 off ramp at Woodside Avenue, costing the city about $800,000 it had spent on design and engineering plans going back to 2015.

The decision was made June 14, during a discussion of the city’s capital improvement program (CIP), essentially a wish list of projects over the next five years. While no formal vote was taken, at least three Santee councilmembers said the roundabout or traffic circle wasn’t necessary and would likely cause more traffic problems than the current, four-stop configuration.

July 23, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Trump notified he is target of DOJ’s Jan. 6 investigation (The Hill)
• Biden’s economic dream is becoming reality — but how long can he sustain it? (Politico)
• Watchdog calls for House committee to uninvite RFK Jr. after his comments are blasted as antisemitic (AP)
• U.S. destroys last of its declared chemical weapons (CBS)
• With No GOP Support, Senate Panel Passes Bill Requiring Supreme Court to Adopt Ethics Code
• Bank of America to pay $250 million for illegal fees, fake accounts   (NPR)
• Former Fox executives say they regret helping Rupert Murdoch birth ‘disinformation machine’ (CNN)
• 3 tax prep firms shared 'extraordinarily sensitive' data about taxpayers with Meta, lawmakers say  (AP)

WORLD

• The heat index reached 152 degrees in the Middle East — nearly at the limit for human survival (Washington Post)
• Turkey's pledge of support for Sweden's NATO entry is tied to goals on security and EU membership (AP)
• Russian general reported killed in attack on Berdyansk hotel (BBC)
• These members of Russia's top brass are either dead or missing (CNN)
• Fired Russian general speaks out about war in Ukraine  (CNN)
• China imposes export controls on 2 metals used in semiconductors and solar panels (KPBS)
• Mexico's old ruling party fractures following election loss (AP)
• UK, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine take Iran to top UN court over 2020 downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet  (AP)
• Canada’s Indigenous women forcibly sterilized decades after other rich countries stopped (AP)
• Mexico says protest was organized by a drug gang and a cartel car bomb killed National Guard officer  (AP)
• How many Russians have died in Ukraine? Data shows what Moscow hides (AP)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

July 23, 2023  (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Study Says Public Takeover of SDG&E Could Save San Diegans Money (Voice of San Diego)
• Westfield Mission Valley sold for $290 million, developer plans to add housing (CBS 8)
• Fentanyl seizures in San Diego area on the rise, law enforcement says (KPBS)
• San Diego State to remain in Mountain West, receive $6.6M initially withheld after decision to leave (NBC San Diego)
• San Diego to get $25M for conservation in legal settlement over Trump border wall funding (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Newspapers Are Marching Toward a Cliff; The U-T Thought its Owner Would Build a Bridge  (San DIego Union-Tribune)
• CBP agent took bribes to let vehicles with drugs cross U.S.-Mexico border  (NBC San Diego)
• Nonprofit turning shipping containers into homes for homeless San Diegans (KPBS)
• After San Diego arrest, rapper Boosie Badazz challenges law that prohibits felons from possessing guns  (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• California’s homeowners insurance crisis is growing and spreading to car insurance (KPBS)
• More than 220K people kicked off Medi-Cal in its first checkup since COVID (CalMatters)
• New bill would change requirements for domestic abuse reporting by hospitals (KPBS)
• Feinstein says late husband’s trust not paying her medical bills, asks court for more control (Los Angeles Times)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click "read more" and scroll down.

July 23, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• FDA approves first over-the-counter birth control pill (CNN)
• Covid-19 repeatedly spread between humans and deer, study shows, raising concerns about animal reservoirs (CNN)
• Flavored vapes are supposed to be illegal, but they're still widely available  (NPR)
• Biomedical startups are racing to revolutionize the way humans reproduce  (NPR)
• Plastic debris is smothering 92% of coral reefs examined in a new study  (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Climate records tumble, leaving Earth in uncharted territory - scientists (BBC)
• Striking SAG Actors in Disbelief Over Studios’ Dystopian AI Proposal (Rolling Stone)
• Lavish tomb in ancient Spain belonged to a woman, not a man, new research shows (AP)
• How the FBI took down a notorious cyber crime gang without arresting a single person (Politico)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

East County News Service

July 21, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – The Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson unit is investigating a fire that occurred at Grove Motel in the 8000 block of Broadway in Lemon Grove. Deputies on patrol noticed smoke coming from the motel and found a unit fully engulfed in flames.