Funded by the San Diego River Conservancy and the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, SDSU researchers are working on several projects.

Source: SDSU News Center

April 2, 2018 (San Diego) – The San Diego River is a capricious and temperamental thing. The first Spanish explorers who worked the land discovered this the hard way: Upon encountering the dribbling stream in 1769 that emptied into False Bay (today Mission Bay), they concluded it was nothing more than a tame trickle. A month later, they planted grains along its banks. Then the year’s first rains swelled the river and took out the crops. The next year, they planted farther back—only to experience a drought year that left their fields dry and withered.

Source: County of San Diego

April 2, 2018 (San Diego) -- The County of San Diego Treasurer-Tax Collector Tax-Defaulted Property Tax Sale will take place online at https://sdttc.mytaxsale.com/ May 4-9, 2018. There are approximately 1170 parcels in the sale, with opening bids as low as $100.00.

East County News Service

April 2, 2018 (El Cajon) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce’s next “Dine and Dialogue with Elected Officials” event on Tuesday, April 10 will feature Ernest J. Dronenburg Jr., San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk.

By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2018  (San Diego's East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes the Julian Gold Rush Days, open farm day at the Oasis Camel Dairy, a Martin Luther King remembrance in Lemon Grove, the Peg Leg Smith Liar’s Contest in Borrego Springs, Meet the Winemaker Weekend in Ramona, and a Lilac Festival in Wynola.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including a dance production of the Constitution,  a Warbirds Expo at Gillespie Field, the Jamul Hotrod and Chili Cookoff, Cajon Classic Cruises, Heritage of the Americas Museum’s anniversary party, a meteor watching night at Oakoasis Park, a hike for you and your dogs at the Santa Ysabel East Preserve, a  crafts fair in Flinn Springs, a Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival, a Spring concert by San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra, and medieval music at Mission Trails Regional Park.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

By Miriam Raftery

April 1, 2018 (El Cajon) - If you have treasures in your attic or garage that you’d like to have appraised ($5 per item) or just enjoy looking at collectibles, you’re invited to stop by the Antique and Collectible Show on Wednesday, April 11. This event will be held 12 to 4 p.m. at Unity Church Hall, 311 Highland Avenue in El Cajon.

Source: City of El Cajon

April 1, 2018 (El  Cajon) -- The City of El Cajon Recreation Department will be hosting an afternoon of pool safety and fun - called “April Pools Day!”  This family event will be held on Friday, April 13 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Fletcher Hills Pool, 2345 Center Place in El Cajon.

Source:  Fresh Eggs Daily

March 31, 2018 (San Diego) -- Just because your chickens live in a coop doesn’t mean they – and more likely – you, can’t appreciate a few touch ups. Backyard chicken keeping expert Lisa Steele has been sprucing up her coop creating Pinterest-worthy DIY touches you’ll want to copy for your own feathered friends’ humble adobe.

From wallpaper to wooden signs, chandeliers to a fresh coat of chicken safe paint, Steele offers up creative, pin-able décor for the posh flock. These looks will be sure to bring a smile to your face every time you visit the coop. You can find all Steele’s great sprucing ideas on her blog at www.fresheggsdaily.com along with her advice for everything related to backyard chicken keeping.

Steele’s blog, website, TV show and books are the inspiration for flock masters everywhere. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for her upcoming book, 101 Chicken Keeping Hacks, due out in September.

By Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2018 (Spring Valley) – Two young men robbed a Valero gas station at 2835 Sweetwater Road in Spring Valley shortly after noon today.  One of the suspects, described as a black male juvenile, pointed a silver .357 magnum at the store clerk and demanded cash. The other suspect was described as a Hispanic juvenile.

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

March 30, 2018 (El Cajon) - It was a Good Friday indeed as ECM Sports traveled to Granite Hills to watch the Lady Eagles, who sit at an impeccable undefeated 11-0 record (5-0 in league) take the field against the Sundevils of Mt. Carmel, who are 5-2 on the season.

East County News Service

March 30, 2018 (Jamul) -- The Jamul Kiwanis are revving up for their 10^thAnnual Hot Rod and Chili Cook off. The event will be held on April14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pio Pico/Thousand Trails, 14615 Otay Lakes Road, Jamul. 

Updated with revised start date of May 5th for the Farmer's Market

 By Jonathan Goetz

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

 March 30, 2018 (La Mesa) – La Mesa residents will soon be able to stroll the heart of the downtown village to shop for fresh produce, crafts and other items on Friday afternoons and evenings.  The  La Mesa City Council voted 4-1 at Tuesday’s meeting to move the Farmer’s Market to the downtown village on a six-month trial basis.  It will be run by the La Mesa Village Association instead of the city as a special event each Friday  from 3 to 7 p.m. starting May 5th, with street closures from 1 to 8 .p.m.

 The change has drawn support from many shoppers and some businesses, but has also engendered opposition from restaurants concerned about losing regular patrons on their busiest night of the week and neighbors with noise and parking concerns.

 The new market is projected to be approximately double in size of the current Friday night farmer’s market near the civic center, which must  ultimately move due to redevelopment plans.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Herman Smith, San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept.

March 30, 2018 (Jacumba Hot Springs) — A hearing is set for April 27 on proposed release of Herman Smith at 42920 Desert Rose Ranch Road in Jacumba Hot Springs.  Smith has been convicted of sexually violent crimes including rape by force in 1993, oral copulation with a minor under age 14 by force or fear, and sodomizing a victim under age 14 with force. He has also been convicted of raping a drugged victim.

By John Fox,  Pala Rez Radio Station Manager

March 29, 2018 (Pala) -- Effective March 23, 2018, the North County FM station at 91.3 owned and operated by the Pala Band of Mission Indians has adopted the new FCC-authorized call sign “KPRI,” with the initials standing for Kupa Pala Rez Indians.  The station will continue to be known as Rez Radio 91.3.  We maintain our commitment to local programming including a wide variety of rock, reggae, blues, country, native and other local music as well as maintaining North County’s only local broadcast news presence.  But now we have a legal ID that actually says what we stand for.

March 28, 2018 (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 news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Senate passes massive spending bill to keep government open (CBS)
• Trump’s new national security advisor, John Bolton, could upend foreign policy (Time)
• ‘Lone DNC Hacker’ Guccifer 2.0 Slipped Up and Revealed He Was a Russian Intelligence Officer (Daily Beast)
• Comedian Byron Allen buys the Weather Channel for $300 million (Bloomberg News)
• Congress blocks DeVos agenda in spending bill (CNN)
• Stormy Daniels describes her alleged affair with Donald Trump (CBS 60 Minutes)
• Trump cutting Obama-era refugee admissions 77% (Washington Examiner)
• Trump signs new transgender military ban (BBC)
• Congress Takes a Brush to the Budget, Barring Federal Funds For Portraits (NPR)

WORLD

• Mexico Pledges $4.3 Million Effort to Stop Tijuana Spills (KPBS)
• Congo crisis worsening, EU says, as government shuns aid conference (Reuters)
• Skyline farms in Hong Kong reap happiness along with food (CS Monitor)
• French police charge suspects in murder of Holocaust survivor Mireille Knoll (DW)
• French officer who swapped places with a hostage in terror attack dies (CNN)
• Famous Turkish singer sentenced to 10 months in jail for insulting Erdogan (Jerusalem Post)

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

Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

March 28, 2018 (Rancho San Diego) -- From his own experience as a community college student to his time as president of Cuyamaca College, Sam Ciccati knows firsthand the transformative value of education.