July 10, 2011 (San Diego) – Jose Antonio Carrillo, 49, a resident of Encanto, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he had a sexual affair with a 16-year-old female student. Carillo served as a volunteer field hockey coach at Bonita Vista High School in Otay and also was an instructor at Jackie Robinson YMCA in San Diego.

July 9, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- Joan McIntosh captured the fragile beauty of these night-blooming cereus at her backyard in Lakeside.  

The ghostly cactus flowers blossom just once in the warmth of a mid-summer's night, then wither and perish. 

By Miriam Raftery

July 9, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Citing public safety concerns, Cleveland National Forest Supervisor William Metz has ordered closure of Cedar Creek Falls, the San Diego River Gorge Trail and adjacent areas through November 8. (The Forest Service may opt to reopen the area sooner if deemed appropriate, per a press release that accompanied the closure order.)

Closure follows a teen’s death Wednesday and a string of serious injuries at the falls which are revealed in the closure order.

July 9, 2011 (San Diego) – A stray bullet from a shooting believed to be gang-related struck a 7-year-old girl in the leg at 2:51 today. The other shooting victim was a 21-year-old man walking on a sidewalk near 5591 Roswell Street in east San Diego's Emerald Hills neighborhood when two men stopped on the opposite sidewalk. One of the men pulled out a gun and fired numerous shots, striking the 21-year-old in the shoulder and arm.

By Brian Lafferty

July 9, 2011 (San Diego) – The Trip is a Reader’s Digest condensed version of the hit British TV sitcom of the same name. Normally sitcoms and cinema go as well together as peanut butter and mayonnaise. Director Michael Winterbottom reverses this trend with a film that makes a smooth transition from the small screen to the big screen.

Teen who died at falls identified as Joseph Meram, 16, of El Cajon

Sheriff says falls will stay closed until ways are found to protect public safety

By Miriam Raftery

July 8, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A family outing turned to tragedy when Joseph Meram, 16, hiked ahead of his relatives and wandered onto the wrong trail with his cousin over the weekend. The teen plummeted over an 80-foot cliff into a swimming hole at the base of Cedar Creek Falls.

His death has prompted closure of the falls indefinitely--and debate over the role of government in balancing accessibility vs. safety on public lands. Now Sheriff Bill Gore speaks out on the tragedy, which occurred soon after the U.S. Forest Service improved a trail to make the site more accessible—a move Sheriff Bill Gore says was well-intentioned, but resulted in serious consequences.

July 8, 2011 (San Diego) - Native American Flute Players will perform this Sunday, July 10 from 1-3 p.m. at Mission Trails Regional Park.  The group of 4-9 volunteers practice on a variety of flutes in the amphitheater on the Visitor Center's back terrace from 1 to 3:00 pm on the second Sunday of each month.

 Update:  Shyla Goldborg has been found safely by a volunteer, wandering in an apartment complex near the complex where her relatives live.  

July 7, 2011 (San Diego) – Authorities seek the public’s help to locate Shyla Goldborg, 15, who was visiting San Diego from Montana. She was staying with relatives at 10343 San Diego Mission Road; they reported her missing this morning at 9:11 a.m; she was last seen at 11 p.m. last night.  Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers are searching Mission Valley east of the stadium and in the river bed. San Diego Police officers are also helping in the search.
 

Shyla Goldborg was last seen wearing a gray Aeropostale hoodie, blue jeans, black and hot pink flip flops. She is Native American, 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 110 pounds, has long black hair and brown eyes. She has a rose tattoo on her ankle and was wearing bright orange nail polish.
 

If you have any information concerning Shyla Goldborg or if you see her, please call the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000.

July 7, 2011 (Rolando) – A man posing as a customer at the Jolar Cinema adult bookstore at 6321 University in the Rolando area put a gun to a clerk’s back at 4:27 a.m. yesterday, demanding cash and the clerk’s cell phone.

July 6, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views.

• Obama to meet Congress leaders Thursday on debt
• Syrians stage mass protest in Hama
• Mexican gangs threaten to behead DEA agents
• Southern Sudan to become newest nation
• Greece officially bans flotilla ships from departing
• Cuba plans limited housing and auto market
• Poland takes over EU presidency at time of crisis
• After 90 years, graft threatens China's communists