East County News Service

August 15, 2010 (El Cajon) – Justin R. Pickett, 28, was found dead behind the wheel of a vehicle that flipped on its side at the connector ramp of northbound State Route 67 and westbound Interstate 8 in El Cajon. A canine police officer from El Cajon spotted the vehicle at 2:41 a.m. yesterday.

August 14, 2010 (Washington D.C.) – President Barack Obama signed the Southwest Border Security Bill into law yesterday. The measure will significantly increase resources in the San Diego area.

“Today's action by Congress answers my call to bolster the essential work of federal law enforcement officials and improve their ability to partner with state, local, and tribal law enforcement,” the President said of the measure. "This new law will also strengthen our partnership with Mexico in targeting the gangs and criminal organizations that operate on both sides of our shared border.”

August 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Eric Protas, 38, of La Mesa was arrested yesterday on numerous counts of child molestation involving a 13-year-old karate student. Protas is the owner and a karate instructor at the Allied Gardens School of Martial Arts, 5154 Waring Road in San Diego.

by Christopher Mohr

August 13, 2010 (San Diego) - For every Peyton Manning or Chad Ochocinco in the National Football League, there exist hundreds of players whose opportunities to play professional football come with no guarantees. Not only do these players not get drafted in the early rounds, many do not get drafted at all and have only an outside chance of playing as undrafted free agents.

Chargers defensive tackle Ogemdi Nwagbuo (more commonly known as 'O.G.') is one such player. His path to the NFL is not typical of most players who play several years of youth and high school football before moving on to college and up to the pros.

By Miriam Raftery

August 13, 2010 (El Cajon) – The Center for Social Advocacy in El Cajon has been awarded the Organizational Leadership Award from the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Socioeconomic Status. The award recognizes CSA’s dedication and leadership on behalf of poverty and socioeconomic issues.

Challenger accuses Rep. Hunter of dodging early debates; Hunter wants to wait until Congress is in recess--after absentee ballots have been mailed

By Miriam Raftery

By Dawn Celapino

San Diego County Receives 25% of Total Funds, Provides Educational Resources to Military Families and Their Children

East County News Service

August 12, 2010 (Lemon Grove) -- Seeking relief for school districts already scrambling to cope with unexpected cash shortages and budget revisions, Assemblymember Marty Block (D-Lemon Grove) announced that AB 184 has cleared the Senate Education Committee. This legislation provides statutory authority to allow school districts to recover critical special education funding that they received during the last fiscal year to meet the needs of students in their classroom.

Jewele Hiday located in South Bay area

August 12, 2010 (San Diego) San Diego Police Department reports that Jewele Hiday, 12, missing since Sunday morning, has been found safe in the South Bay area.  She reportedly ran away to a friend's after an argument with her mother. 

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

August 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Free is cool! For a short time Cali Comfort  Restaurant in Spring Valley is offering a special deal: Kids eat free every Friday for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This special will only be available until August 21, so mark your calendar to be sure you do not miss out. Some other restaurants that offer Kid’s Eat Free meals are in the list written below; many of them are located in East County.

$1,000 Reward offered

August 10, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) --San Diego County Crime Stoppers and investigators from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Lemon Grove Substation are asking for the public’s assistance to locate a suspect wanted for burglary. On August 5, 2010 , a felony arrest warrant was issued for G. R. Arkwright for burglary. He has been linked to several burglaries in the Rancho San Diego and Spring Valley areas of the County.

August 10, 2010 (San Diego) -- Sheriff Bill Gore announces the promotion of Commander Ed Prendergast to Assistant Sheriff, Law Enforcement Services. Assistant Sheriff Prendergast is currently assigned oversight for the Alpine, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, and Santee Stations, as well as Rural Law Enforcement and Crime Analysis.He is a 29-year veteran with the Sheriff's Department who has served with distinction in every assignment throughout the organization, said Gore.

By Brian Lafferty

August 8, 2010 (San Diego)—Don’t go into Agora, which was released to theaters on July 30, expecting something along the lines of 300. It is more intellectual and philosophical than that. I like to think of it as a smart person’s epic. There is bloodshed but not as soaked and certainly not as fake. There is love and lust but there is no sex. Alejandro Amenabar has shied away from the obligatory scenes associated with these movies and replaced them with scenes that contain intelligence, relying on the solid writing and great performances.

By Brian Lafferty

August 8, 2010 (San Diego)--Felix Booth (Robert DuVall) is an older, grouchier Boo Radley. It’s fitting, given that DuVall’s first movie role was the enigmatic recluse in the 1962 classic To Kill a Mockingbird. He is always the subject of gossip, which may or may not be true. Kids often trespass on his isolated property deep in the woods to see if the old man is there, only to be chased away with a shotgun.