Update 3:50 a.m.Dec. 3 - Forward spread of the fire has been stopped. The fire has held at 25 acres per Cal Fire. Firefighters remain on scene and some road closures remain in effect.

Update 12:40 a.m. Dec. 3:  Cal Fire has issued a map of the fire(right). San Diego Sheriff's Office issuing evacuation orders for following locations: Brabham St. at Jamacha, Wind River Rd. at Sonnett. Dr., Sea Pines R. and Congressional Dr., Sawgrass St. and Medinah Dr. Residents on Hilton Head Rd. east of Jamacha have also been advised to prepare for evacuation.

Update 11:50 p.m.:  A temporary evacuation center is being set up at the Edwards Cinemas at 2951 Jamacha Rd.

The Sheriff reports that the following road closures are in effect: Brabham St/Wind River Rd, Brabham St/Jamacha Wind River Rd/Sonnett St Sea Pines Rd/Congressional Dr Sawgrass St/Medinah Dr

By Miriam Raftery, East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

Photo: Screenshot, ECM news partner 10 News

December 2, 2020 (11:25 p.m.) – A wind-whipped brush fire has engulfed at least three homes in the Rancho San Diego area of El Cajon tonight. At least 15 acres have burned and the incident commander has reportedly indicated that the fire has the potential to reach 200 acres.

Night-flying helicopters have been dispatched by San Diego Fire & Rescue, joining ground crews from Heartland Fire, Cal Fire, and San Miguel Fire Departments.

The #WillowFire started around 10:30 p.m. in the 2800 block of Willow Glen Drive near Hillsdale Road. Evacuations are in place from Wind River Road to Lim Rock Road.

The SDG&E outage map indicates power has been shut off to portions of Rancho San Diego and nearby communities of Spring Valley, Jamul and Dulzura.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 2, 2020 (San Diego) - San Diego State's men's basketball recorded its third straight victory to open the 2020-21 season on Wednesday night defeating the University of St. Katherine Firebirds 83-41 at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena.

Sophia Ramos led the Aztecs with 26 points

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 2, 2020 (San Diego) - The Aztec women’s basketball team (1-2) fell to California Baptist (3-0) 75-71 inside Viejas Arena Wednesday afternoon. SDSU went on an 8-0 run late in the game to pull within one but saw the Lancers’ Ane Olaeta score 10 points in the final two minutes to hold off the Aztecs.

Photo credit:  Dawn Hough Sebaugh Photography

November 30, 2020 (Casa De Oro) – Dawn Hough Sebaugh sent in this photo taken from the deck of her Mt. Helix home, looking eastward as a golden-hued moon rose over East County’s mountains.

View more of her photographs and artwork at https://www.facebook.com/DHSartstudios.

East County News Service

Today’s announcements include the Main Street Hiring Tax Credit, which authorizes $100 million in hiring tax credit for qualified small businesses. The credit is equal to $1,000 per qualified employee, up to $100,000 for each small business employer.The application opens tomorrow, December 1. A full list of existing state support for businesses can be found here.

Nov 30, 2020  (Sacramento) -- As the federal government fails to provide additional financial stimulus support to main street businesses, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that California will provide temporary tax relief for eligible businesses impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

The temporary tax relief entails an automatic three-month income tax extension for taxpayers filing less than $1 million in sales tax, extends the availability of existing interest and penalty-free payment agreements to companies with up to $5 million in taxable sales and provides expanded interest free payment options for larger businesses particularly affected by significant restrictions on operations based on COVID-19 transmissions. In addition, last week the Governor announced short-term loans for small businesses available through the new California Rebuilding Fund. The state also launched $500 million in grants for impacted businesses and nonprofits.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 28, 2020 (Boulder, Colo.) - Sam Noyer ran for a score and threw for another to help Colorado hold off San Diego State 20-10 on Saturday night as the Buffaloes remain undefeated under new coach Karl Dorrell.

By Dr. Helen Horvath

November 28, 2020 (Lemon Grove) -- On November 17, the City of Lemon Grove held its bimonthly City Council meeting virtually through Zoom, addressing several hot topics including take-out alcohol sales, block grants, COVID-19, marijuana taxation and more.

By Katrina Wilborn, Cal Coast Senior Public Relations Specialist

With each Cal Coast MasterCard® Debit or Credit Card purchase made now through December 31, a portion of the sales will be donated to the Strategic Alliance, up to $20,000.

November 28, 2020 (San Diego's East County) – California Coast Credit Union is encouraging its members and the community to shop at local businesses and donate to local non-profits through its Local for the Holidays effort, which runs now through December 31.

By Marcel Gemme

Photo courtesy Revera Inc

November 28, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- The pandemic is in full swing across the United States, and health officials are advising families to rethink holiday plans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age among older adults, with older seniors at the highest risk. There are also other factors that can increase your risk for severe illness, such as having underlying medical conditions. Social distancing and taking added precautions as seniors should not mean social isolation. It is essential to stay connected with our loved ones.

Seniors living in retirement homes, assisted living, or independent living are some of the hardest hit. Many families have been unable to see their loved ones in-person and have had to stay connected virtually. Other families have been able to see their elderly loved ones; everyone’s circumstance is completely different from the next person, and everyone has had to adapt to something new. Moreover, if you decide to travel, there are certain steps to take to ensure your safety and the safety of the people you are visiting. 

Simple Ways for Seniors to Stay Connected During the COVID-19 Pandemic: