By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2023 (Lakeside) – Born in an era when Native American children were sent off to Indian schools and career opportunities were limited due to prejudice, Josephine "Sister" Beatrice Romero overcame those obstacles to become a Tribal Chair and leader who helped usher in Indian gaming in California and establish a museum to teach tribal history and cultural heritage to future generations.

 On March 26, 2023, she passed away at age 94, but her enduring legacy lives on.

By Jacob Pamus and Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2023 (San Diego) – A Manhattan grand jury has indicted former President Donald Trump on criminal charges related to alleged pay-offs made to porn star Stormy Daniels, the  New York Times and other media outlets confirm.  The indictment remains sealed until the arraignment, though sources have told media outlet including CNBC that Trump could face around 30 criminal charges.

Trump is the first former president to be indicted. He is also a candidate in the 2024 presidential election, so his arrest casts unprecedented uncertainties into the campaign. 

He is expected to turn himself in for an arraignment on Tuesday,, PBS reports. His attorneys have indicated that he will plead not guilty. It is anticipated that he will be fingerprinted, have a mugshot and DNA sample taken,but as is customary with New York defendants in white collar crimes, he will likely be released until the trial. 

By Don Harrison, Editor Emeritus, San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

April 1, 2023 (San Diego) - Teralta Neighborhood Park is remarkable in several ways: 1) It is built right over the Interstate 15 freeway between Orange and Polk Avenues in the City Heights neighborhood.  2) It now boasts a 270-foot long, 7 ½-foot high mural titled “Unity in the Community,” which features faces, activities, and landmarks of the diverse City Heights neighborhood.  3) It serves a largely immigrant community in which over 30 languages are spoken, with the mural title in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali.

East County News Service

April 1, 2023 (Boulevard) – The Boulevard Community Planning Group will hold a public scoping hearing Wednesday, April 12 at 6 p.m. on the proposed 565-acre Starlight Solar project. County staff will present information and public comments will be accepted at the hearing at the Backcountry Resource Center,39919 Ribbonwood Rd., Boulevard (in the old fire station equipment bay).

It would be located south of I-8 and Old Highway 80 and east of Tierra Del Sol Road.  The project has proposed eight solar array areas with approximately 300,000 PV modules on support structures. It would connect to the Boulevard Substation.

The proposed 100 megawatt industrial-scale solar facility would include a battery energy storage system (BESS), collector substation, transformers, inverters, gen-tie line, and 24’ internal roads, water tanks for fire protection, security fencing, lighting, and signage.

April 1, 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.

• Tornado, storm destruction spans several states: 18 people dead; US power outages spike to 900k (USA Today)
• New tornadoes menace Georgia as Biden approves disaster relief for Mississippi (ABC News)
• ‘Delay, delay, delay’: How Trump could push his trial into the heart of campaign season (Politico)
• DeSantis, the Disney board and King Charles III: A power struggle, explained  (NPR)
• Exploring the many reasons why car prices remain high (NPR)
• When Jefferson and Madison Banned Guns on Campus (The Atlantic)
• Biden is creating new national monuments in Nevada and Texas  (NPR)
• After 50 years, a Florida aquarium plans to return Lolita the orca to her home waters (NPR)

WORLD

• Israel’s judicial overhaul postponed after massive protests and strikes (CNN)
• Russian security services detained a 'Wall Street Journal' reporter  (NPR)
• Finland's NATO membership: What's next?  (AP)
• US strikes Iran-backed facilities in Syria after drone kills American (Reuters)
• Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus (AP)
• Netanyahu acted illegally by getting involved in judicial overhaul, says Israel’s attorney general  (CNN)
• Germany at a standstill as huge strike halts planes and trains (Reuters)
• King Charles state visit to France postponed amid violent pension protests  (CNN)

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

By Miriam Raftery

March 29, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – Community members have asked why the lower half of Lemon Grove’s historic murals are missing, near the intersection of Main and Pacific on the side of the former Lemon Grove Bakery building. So ECM reached out to Helen Ofield, historian to the board of the Lemon Grove Historical Society.

By Willie Prosper

April 1, 2023 (Alpine) – Loveland Reservoir in Alpine will be restored and transformed into a recreational paradise – thanks to a deal hammered out between Sweetwater Water Authority and the winner of California’s billion-dollar Super-Lotto, Russell Walsh. 

Walsh had been the district’s most vocal critic, faulting Sweetwater for draining the reservoir down to dead pool status. Besides killing off fish, the extreme draining preceded destruction of a fishing dock and erosion so severe that the district shut down all recreational access since January.

East County News Service

March 31, 2023 (Alpine) – Lions, Tigers & Bears, a nonprofit exotic animal sanctuary in Alpine, invites you to their annual fundraising bash, Wild in the Country on May 20.  This year’s event features emcees Jagger and Kristi from Magic 92.5 radio, as well as Broadway stars Sandra Joseph and Ron Bohmer, lead actors in Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.  Dinner will be prepared by world renowned chef Jeffrey Strauss, known as “Chef to the Stars” for pleasing the palates of dignitaries, presidents, royalty and entertainment icons.

The main event will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on May 20. There is also a pre-event reception for platinum and gold level ticket holders at 1 p.m.

East County News Service

March 31, 2023 (El Cajon) -- Homelessness is the most significant issue impacting cities across the nation, includingEl Cajon.. The El Cajon City Council wants to hear your ideas, experiences, and frustrations about homelessness during a series of four Town Hall workshops hosted throughout the City.  In this high participation format of workshops, residents will break into groups and discuss pressing issues around homeless topics. The dates are April 4, 15 and 26 as well as May 4.

Feedback from the workshops will help the City generate additional programs and approaches to address the impacts of homelessness in the community.

By Miriam Raftery

March 30, 2023 (El Cajon) – Five men have been arrested at the Best Value Inn in El Cajon for possession of illegal drugs and weapons, including two on probation, both staying there under the County’s homeless voucher program.

It all started yesterday morning, when El Cajon Police officers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on North Second Street. The driver, John Bevins, 63, was on probation for stolen property and had an illegal weapon, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, according to Lt. Darrin Forster.

That led to a search of the motel room where he was staying at the Best Value Inn on Oakdale Avenue, as a participant in the county’s motel voucher program for homeless individuals.

Photo; CC by ND via Bing

March 30, 2023 (San Diego) — Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet in the House Judiciary Committee, has introduced bipartisan legislation to reduce the expense of automotive repairs and the cost of car insurance.

By Miriam Raftery

March 30, 2023 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police yesterday arrested Peter Cusimano, 51, for possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. Officers had stopped him for causing a traffic hazard in the 1300 block of East Main St. and upon learning that he was on probation for carrying a concealed weapon, the officers conduced a search, according to lieutenant Darrin Forster.

By Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss

Photo credit: Pexels

March 23, 2023

Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard that gas stoves are bad for indoor air quality, but what about gas furnaces and other gas-powered appliances typically found in homes?

April 1, 2023 (La Mesa) – Surfrider Pizza in La Mesa will donate 15% of all food and beverage sales on April 2 between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. to the James Cerebral Palsy Foundation (tax and gratuity not included). 

This applies to dine-in and to-go orders, but not to-go orders through a third party company. You must mention the fundraiser when you order, or print and bring the flyer in this article.

East County News Service

March 11, 2023 (La Mesa) – The city of La Mesa invites you to the La Mesa Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MacArthur Park (4900 Memorial Drive, La Mesa).