East County News Service

March 11, 2023 (Spring Valley) - The Saps at Sea, the San Diego chapter of the Sons of the Desert, the official Laurel & Hardy fan organization, will host its April gathering, "A Very Special Night," on April 15 at Williams Hall at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Spring Valley.

Update: Video of the shooting has been released.  Caution, content may be disturbing:  click here

By Miriam Raftery

March 11, 2023 (El Cajon) – An Alpine man found in a stolen vehicle was shot in the legs by a San Diego Sheriff’s deputy in unincorporated El Cajon, rammed multiple vehicles and then fled.  Following a pursuit that ended in a roll-over crash, the suspect was apprehended while trying to hide in a backyard shed in the city of El Cajon.

The suspect has been identified as Brenten Kinzenbaw, 25, of Alpine. NBC San Diego reports the suspect was spotted Thursday night in a stolen truck parked on Oro Street in El Cajon. 

The Sheriff’s department has indicated the man disobeyed multiple orders to exit the vehicle and instead put the vehicle in reverse, crashing into a parked car.  He then drove forward, nearly hitting deputies and a bystander, and struck a patrol vehicle.

SNL Star Brings Comedy Brilliance to East San Diego County’s Top Destination for Entertainment and Fun

March10, 2023 (Jamul)  – On Saturday, April 1, at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Jamul Casino will welcome Darrell Hammond to The Rooftop for a one-of-a-kind dinner and comedy show.  Widely recognized for his sharp humor and masterful impressions of politicians, celebrities and newsmakers on Saturday Night Live (SNL), Hammond has been keeping audiences laughing for nearly three decades. 

He comes to Jamul Casino as part of its Supper Club at The Rooftop series, which pairs “outstanding entertainment with exceptional cuisine at Jamul Casino's spacious outdoor event venue.  The show demonstrates Jamul Casino’s commitment to offering its guests world-class entertainment, food, and fun,” according to a press release from Jamul Casino.

“Cohousing is about living the good life while using less of the earth’s resources, and having a good time doing it.” --Charles Durrett

East County News Service

March 9, 2023 (Ramona, CA) -- Charles Durrett, a leading architect in the field of sustainable community and cohousing, will be hosting a free public presentation on the future of this innovative housing concept, with a focus on the potential for a new cohousing community in Ramona.

The event is open to the public and will take place on March 16 at 6 p.m. in the Ramona Community Center, 434 Aqua Lane in Ramona. You’re invited to come and be part of planning a sustainable community and cohousing in Ramona.

Hearing April 5 for County Supervisors to weigh the Regional Decarbonization Framework

Public urged to speak at meeting and submit comments by March 31 deadline at project website

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview with Bill Powers, Protect Our Communities Foundation, recorded four days before the nonprofit group filed a lawsuit against the County.  The interview originally aired on KNSJ radio. View video of  interview.

March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – The Protect Our Communities Foundation (POCF) has filed a lawsuit against the County of San Diego contending that the County hired a  biased utility industry consultant direct the County’s Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF) and that the RDF’s conclusions are skewed toward utilities’ interests over consumers’ interests based on flawed data. The suit also names the University of California as a defendant, contending that UCSD concealed researcher David Victor’s financial ties to the utility industry when it won a no-bid contract from the County to prepare the report that Victor co-authored.  

In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine aired on KNSJ radio four days before the suit was filed in late February, Bill Powers, an engineer and board member on the Protect Our Communities Foundation, discussed why the organization is taking a stand against the RDF. He contends that if approved by Supervisors as written, it could result in fast-tracking industrial-scale wind and solar projects in our backcountry, even waiving environmental impact reviews, when it would be more economical to build rooftop and parking lot solar in urban areas – without harm to local communities and environmental habitats.

Story and video by Jacob Pamus

“Really crazy stuff,” Rupert Murdoch, CEO of Fox, on Donald Trump’s stolen election claims.

“I did not believe it for a second.” – Sean Hannity, Fox broadcaster, on stolen election theory pushed by Trump’s attorney.

March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – Fox News Network LLC, the parent company of Fox News, is being sued by Dominion Voting Systems for allegedly broadcasting misinformation about voter fraud during the 2020 election. Dominion Voting is seeking $1.6 billion for defamation in the lawsuit. Fox News is also being sued by Smartmatic Voting Machines, for $2.7 billion. Evidence presented shows that Rupert Murdoch knew that Fox News was endorsing misinformation about the 2020 election. Murdoch is the head of Fox Corp and Fox News as well as many other media outlets in the U.S and Australia. In a deposition  while under oath, Murdoch acknowledged that some commentators on Fox News endorsed the idea of a stolen election on the air, knowing this was false. 

When asked if Fox News spread false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, as Donald Trump claimed, Murdoch stated, "Some of our commentators were endorsing it."  Murdoch also said in an email that the election denial is “Really crazy stuff.”

March 10, 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

• El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells announces bid for Congress, setting up fight with incumbent Sara Jacobs
• County officials may build small houses for the homeless in Santee. Local leaders are not on board. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Cops willing to jump to El Cajon will get a significantly larger bonus, part of a broader effort to expand law enforcement (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• SDG&E Says $16M in Funds Will Help Struggling Customers With Energy Bills (NBC San Diego)
• Pine Valley businesses benefit from surge in tourists visiting snow (10 News)
• Student at Granite Hills HS arrested after attacking teacher (10 News)
• Settlement reached in Tijuana sewage lawsuit (KPBS)
• Over the past year DOJ's Task Force Kleptocapture has been extremely busy (NPR via Boise State Public Radio)

STATE

• New storm could bring more peril to California rivers already hit by deadly flooding  (Los Angeles Times)
• California’s snow-stranded residents need food, plows, help (AP)
• California bill would eventually ban all tobacco sales (KPBS)
• California's solution to regulations around hazardous waste: send it across state lines  (NPR)

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

By Kathy Carpenter

March 9, 2023 (La Mesa) - Individuality versus conformity is an eternal conflict and in the case of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, man versus institution. More than that, this is a story of people, with a huge, wonderful cast full of characters to connect to and learn from. The play is emotionally impactful and well-acted; you leave Lamplighters theatre with an impression of right or wrong and individuality at all costs. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  CC via Bing

March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – San Diego County residents, along with residents in most other California counties, can delay filing their state and federal taxes until October 16 – if you were impacted by the recent winter storms. 

``As communities across the state continue recovering from the damage caused by the winter storms, California is working swiftly to help recovering Californians get back on their feet,'' Gov. Gavin Newsom said. ``The state is aligning with the Biden Administration and extending the tax filing deadline in addition to the tax relief announced earlier this year.''

Those with storm damage can also claim a deduction for disaster loss. 

Hooleyfest, the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in East County, will return next weekend after a hiatus—and that’s no blarney. The celebrating will span three days from March 17^th through 19^th at Hooley’s Irish Pub and Grille in La Mesa’s Grossmont Center.

Plus, you can enjoy live Irish music such as the Rebel Celts and Piper Ben, other music by bands such as 80’Z All Stars and Whiskey Ridge as you hoist a pint of Guinness and savor traditional Irish foods and cheer.

East County News Service

March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – The San Diego Film Festival is celebrating its 30^th anniversary. This year’s festival, produced by the nonprofit Media Arts Center, will take place March 9-19 at two locations: AMC Mission Valley Cinemas  (1640 Camino Del Rio N., San Diego) and at the Digital Gym Cinema (1100 Market St. 2^nd floor, San Diego).

The San Diego Latino Film Festival is an 11 day celebration of Latino Cinema, Arts & Culture. The festival will present over 160 films from Latin America, the United States, and Spain as well as Opening Night and Closing Night Parties, the 5th Annual Sabor Latino – Food, Beer & Wine Festival, Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, free student screenings, and more. Audiences will have the rare opportunity to meet filmmakers and actors from all over the world. Full lineup to be announced in February 2023.

By Miriam Raftery

March 7, 2023 (San Diego) – Michael J. Buono, a professor at San Diego State University, has died of Legionnaire’s disease, SDSU confirmed today. He was a faculty member in the School of Exercise and Nutritional Science and had been with SDSU for four decades.

Jury concluded Arambula acted in self defense following conflicting statements by Williams about whether his dispensary application was discussed and how much he drank.

Missing witness, in a deposition, stated under oath that Arambula had history of wanting to "fight" after drinking,  threw a glass against wall, told witness he "beat" Williams and asked witness to destroy photos of plaintiff's injuries. The jury never heard this evidence.

By Jessyka Heredia 

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

March 6, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- On Monday, in day three of the Williams vs. Arambula and City of Lemon Grove civil trial, David Arambula and the City of Lemon Grove were both found not liable by a jury in the assault and battery case filed by Christopher Williams.

The case centered around an evening in July 2017 at Arambula’s home, which ended in violence. A mutual acquaintance, Taisha Brown, set up the meeting, which Williams said was to discuss his pending marijuana dispensary application but which Arambula said he believed was to discuss bringing new business investment to the city. Williams claimed they discussed the dispensary and that Arambula pushed him to bring in a partner, but he refused. Arambula denied those claims. After others left, Williams returned for his cell phone and contended that he was assaulted unprovoked by Arambula, resulting in hospitalization for injuries. Arambula claimed Williams attacked him first and that he acted in self defense.

By Rebecca Person

Photo, left:  Shane Marie - Boulevard

March 7, 2023 (San Diego's East County) - East County’s high desert communities saw a better-than-ever snowfall this winter and many residents have captured scenes unusual to the area in Campo, Jacumba, Live Oak Springs, Boulevard and Bankhead Springs.