East County News Service

February 26, 2019 (Ramona) – The Gallery at 438 Main St. in Ramona invites you to a “First Friday” Art Party and Open House on March 1^st from 6 to 8 p.m. The free event will feature free refreshments, art by local artists, and 20 percent discounts off purchases.

East County News Service 

February 25, 2019 (El Cajon) – Foothills Christian Church at 365 West Bradley Ave. in El Cajon will host “Blessed with a Dress,” a free event for young women needing high-quality, fashionable formal wear for school dances and other special occasions. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, girls can visit the church campus and select a free dress, pair of shoes and jewelry for upcoming formal events.

East County News Service

February 25, 2019 (Santee) – The Santee Chick-fil-A restaurant at 9418 Mission Gorge Road in Santee, will celebrate six years of serving guests with an anniversary party in the restaurant on Thursday, Feb. 28.  The 110-seat restaurant opened on February 28, 2013.

By Miriam Raftery

Illustration by Duke Windsor*

February 24, 2019 (San Diego) – Following revelations that the Trump administration failed to inform a federal judge that it had begun separating migrant children from their parents back in 2017, a federal judge in San Diego sent strong signals Thursday that he is prepared to expand his June 2018 reunification order to mandate reunions of more families who came to the U.S. seeking freedom from persecution.

Judge Dana Sabraw’s original order required unification only of children who were in government custody at the time, taken from migrant parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. But on Thursday, Judge Sabraw made clear, “No one but a few in the government knew that these separations had been going on nine or 10 months before, and that hundreds if not thousands were” being separated. He added, “The court didn’t know that and plaintiff didn’t know that, and I don’t think government counsel knew that.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Al Sanati and Ramiro Sandoval

Cllick this audio link to hear our interview, or scroll down to read highlights.

February 23, 2019 (El Cajon) — Al Sanati, director of the War Refugees Group, and Ramiro Sandoval with Hermanos Unidos Sin Fronteras (Brothers United Without Borders) were our guests on our East Count Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ recently.

These humanitarian leaders are fighting for justice and filing suit to win financial reparations from the Iraqi government for1.2 million Iraqi refugees around the world, including over 80,000 in East County. They have also met with top dignitaries in Iraq in an effort to help the nation’s new government rebuild Iraq.

East County News Service

February 23, 2019 (El Cajon) –  Coldwell Banker West (CBW), one of San Diego County’s largest real estate companies, has opened a new office in La Mesa to be called its Mount Helix office.

The company said it has leased and moved into a 13,000-square-foot, two-story office building at 9555 Grossmont Summit Dr., which previously was occupied by Berkshire Hathaway Home Services California Properties.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 22, 2019 (San Diego) - An abandoned 3-month-old puppy suffering from head injuries is now on the mend and is available for adoption from County Animal Services.  The young pit bull was found in a milk crate near a burning dumpster in the Crest area on Feb. 13.

By Miriam Raftery

February 22, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – A comedy night fundraiser to benefit the East County Transitional Living Center in El Cajon will be presented on Saturday, May 18 at 6 p.m. at the Skyline Church, 11330 Campo Rd. in La Mesa.

East County News Service

February 22, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – The state of California is proposing to release Alan Earl James, a sexually violent predator and pedophile, at 4512 Old Highway 80 in Jacumba Hot Springs. He has multiple convictions including child rape and child molestation.

Update Feb. 22, 2019 10:26 a.m.  This morning the Julian Times posted a photo on its Facebook page showing Cal Fire/CFA engines purportedly stuck in snow. Scroll down for the image. 

In addition, Times of San Diego forwarded this aerial video provided by a Julian resident showing Cal Fire engines in heavy snow at the station this morning:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C6U3pTQIY3W7UJd2Jd6EC-wHghTwzEqp/view?fbclid=IwAR2CcW9R9b5rPvicADyqPXU_XtYJ4DhBe87yicG5lihg12g-g7VLkoMti44

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Rachel Goddard,, JCFPD volunteers clear a tree blocking a snowy road.

February 22, 2019 (Julian) -- With up to two feet of snow blanketing the mountains of East County last night, a post circulating on social media and sent to ECM last night contained a screenshot that appeared to be a screen shot from a County Fire Authority social media page. The post stated that  its Cal Fire Station 51 in Julian and a fire engine "is unable to respond to calls and is out of service due to the growing snow conditions." (See screenshot below.)

But this morning, Cal Fire Deputy Chief Nick Schuler told ECM that the image and its message was "false" and not an official Cal Fire page. He said Cal Fire engines were in operation responding to calls at the time. Schuler blamed advocates of a contentious ballot initiative to keep the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District independent for circulating what he states was a hoax. ECM has requested call logs for the evening from both agencies.

Volunteer firefighters with the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District sent ECM a photo last night demonstrating a can-do spirit as they continued to serve their community during the emergency conditions, responding to calls for medical assistance and removing a downed tree. (Photo, left, courtey of the JCFPD.)

JCFPD Chief Mike Van Bibber told ECM today that he is confident the post did not originate with his firefighters. He added that one of his team owns a backhoe that was used to keep the JCFPD station clear for engines' access.

After we received Schuler's statement, this morning the Julian Times posted this photo on their Facebook page which appears to show two CFA engines temporarily blocked in by snow: