Giardino owner Karina Kravalis welcomes second eatery in Lemon Grove

East County News Service

January 13, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove resident and restauranter Karina Kravalis is opening the doors to her latest anticipated project, Zest Wine Bistro which features a variety of delightful vintages from around the world as well as artfully arrayed tapas to savor. The wine bar features cozy indoor and outdoor seating, soon to include an outdoor firepit and heaters for year-round comfort.

The intimate and slick bistro has been a dream for Kravalis, who saw an opportunity to provide something she felt her neighborhood was missing but wanting.

 “After all these years of owning Giardino, I’ve learned that Lemon Grove and East County love their wine,” said Kravalis. “There are so many of us who share a passion for good wine, and wanted a place to sip and toast. Zest is just that - a social gathering space to come try and learn about wine, and nosh on good food."

East County News Service

January 12, 2022 (La Mesa) – The East County Homeless Task Force has announced a Zoom meeting this Friday, January 14 at 1 p.m. regarding Home Start’s work on The Lodge, a former motel on University Avenue in La Mesa repurposed to provide housing and services for transition-age youths.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via ECM news partner 10 News

January 12, 2022 (San Diego) – An early morning fire at 4 a.m. damaged the City Heights residence of Nathan Fletcher, Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors, and his wife, former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez.

Gonzalez tweeted, “Our entire family is safe. No one is injured. That’s all that matters.”

Fletcher tweeted gratitude for the swift response by San Diego Fire and Police Department. He indicated the family was awakened by smoke alarms to find the front of their home engulfed in flames. They were able to evacuate safely out a separate door.

East County News Service

January 12, 2021 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove residents can get free food during a drive-through food distribution Saturday, January 15 from 9 a.m. as long as supplies last at the Lemon Grove Recreation Center, 3131 School Lane in Lemon Grove.

Be sure your trunk is clear so food can be loaded; no walk-ups are allowed. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via County of San Diego

January 11, 2022 (San Diego) -- San Diego County Supervisors today voted 3-2 to enact a new ordinance to set standards for safe storage of firearms and to put restrictions on “ghost guns” in unincorporated areas.

Do-it-yourself ghost guns are homemade and untraceable, due to a lack of serial numbers. Thus they can evade federal and state requirements, such as background checks required to purchase firearms.

Sheriff’s deputies confiscated 212 ghost guns last year – nearly six times more than the 36 ghost guns seized in 2019, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2022 (El Cajon) – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report on the LearJet that crashed on December 27th into El Cajon’s Bostonia neighborhood, killing all four people aboard.

The report does not identify the cause of the crash, but does reveal that the plane struck powerlines before the crash in overcast, misty weather conditions. The report also indicates that the pilot had overflown the runway at Gillespie Field at a low altitude, was granted permission to land on a different runway, switched from automatic to visual controls and asked that the runway lights be turned up moments before the deadly crash.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Photo: Creative Commons by ND via Bing

Jan. 11, 2022 (San Diego) -- While some Martin Luther King Jr. holiday events, scheduled for Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, have been cancelled---such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration at the Recreation Center--there are other options, such as the virtual  “I Have a Dream” run including 1 mile(M), 5 kilometers(K), 10K, 13.1M, and 26.2M options.

 To participate from home will save you $2. Visit:  https://www.virtualrunevents.com/product/2022-i-have-a-dream-mlk/  for complete information.

Other choices include:

East County News Service

January 11, 2022 (Ramona) – The Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson Unit is investigating a deadly fire in Ramona. 

The fire was reported in an accessory dwelling unit shortly before 8:30 this morning in the 2200 block of Montecito Road. 

“When deputies from the Ramona Sheriff's Substation arrived on the scene, they met with the reporting party who told them someone may be inside the burning structure.  Within minutes, firefighters from the Ramona CAL FIRE Station arrived and began to put out the flames,” says Sergeant Greg Hampton. 

By Miriam Raftery

Updates:  The deadline for public comments has been extended to Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Send comments to Robert  Hingtgen at Robert.Hingtgen@sdcounty.ca.gov.

The Jan. 12 meeting referenced in the video has been cancelled due to COVID-19.  The Jan. 19 virtual meeting will still be held.

January 11, 2022 (Rancho San Diego) – The Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Cottonwood Sand Mining project fails to address serious impacts to the community, say organizers of the Stop Cottonwood Sand Mine effort-- and they are urging the public to speak out.

“We believe the Project DEIR is a flawed document that does not adequately analyze the significant impacts of the Project to the people, wildlife, water, air, and roads of the community,” Elizabeth Urquhart stated in an email to ECM.  “The DEIR does not propose adequate mitigation or alternatives to address those impacts.”

Barry Jantz contends the project is also incompatible with the county’s general plan as well as the Valle de Oro Community Plan, thus also violating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

In an exclusive interview with ECM aired on KNSJ, Urquhart and Jantz, organizers of efforts to oppose the massive project, shared their concerns and urged the public to speak out at virtual public meetings or via email before the February 14 deadline for public comment.

By Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 10, 2022 (San Diego) - The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency is reporting record numbers of new COVID-19 cases, even when factoring in that more than a third of the results from the previous three days are due to reporting delays from last week.

East County News Service

Photo: Creative Commons image of rainbow trout via Bing

January 10, 2022 (Santee) – Santee Lakes invites you to Trout Reopening Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, January 15 and 16 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lakes 2, 3 and 4 will be stocked with a whopping 2,500 pounds of rainbow trout including large fish up to eight pounds.

Find details and directions at https://www.santeelakes.com/.

Update January 11, 2021:  CHP indicates a Honda Civic crossed the double yellow lines, colliding with a Chrysler Pacific minivan.  A 74-year old San Diego woman, a passenger in the minivan, died at the scene.  The minivan’s driver, a 46-year old woman, suffered moderate injuries.  The Honda driver, a 30-year-old woman, suffered major injuries; she is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol but has not yet been charged, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Update 4 p.m.  Dehesa Road will likely be obstructed for two hours, ECM has learned. 

By Miriam Raftery

January 9, 2021 (El Cajon) -- A head -on collision is blocking Dehesa Road in unincorporated El Cajon in both directions, about 500 feet west of Sloan Canyon Road. 

Two patients has been transported to Sharp Memorial hospital. 

Edwin Mathery, an eyewitness who lives nearby, told ECM that one of the vehicles is a white minivan.  

January 9, 2022 (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.

• The Enormous Stakes of Biden's Vaccine Mandates at the Supreme Court (Time)
• Colorado Wildfires: Thousands evacuated as buildings burn (BBC)
• Prosecutors break down charges, convictions for 725 arrested so far in Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol  (Washington Post)
• Harry M. Reid, Senate Majority Leader Behind Landmark Democratic Victories, Dies at 82 (New York Times)
• Ghislaine Maxwell convicted in Epstein sex abuse case  (Politico)

WORLD

• Covid-19: WHO chief optimistic disease will be beaten in 2022 (BBC)
• 'A moral giant': South Africans pay their respects to Tutu (ABC News)
• Kazakh president gives shoot-to-kill order to quell protests (Reuters)
• Biden warns Putin of 'severe sanctions' if Russia invades Ukraine (The Hill)
• Officials Promise Groceries For Chinese City Of 13 Million Under Strict Lockdown  (NPR)

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

By Miriam Raftery

January 9, 2021 (Ramona) – Rain or shine, Hawk Watch in the Ramona Grasslands will be held each Saturday in January and February starting at 10 a.m. Hawk Watch is an informative educational Biologists Talk and Q&A with falconry or ambassador raptors for you to see up close and personal.

This year, the events organized by the Wildlife Research Institute will take place at Begent Ranch, 18528 Highland Valley Road in Ramona.