By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher

January 9, 2019 (San Diego) – Congressman Duncan Hunter has sent a letter asking President Donald Trump to remove a Navy SEAL charged with war crimes in Iraq from the brig at Miramar Naval Air Station where he is being held pending trial.  His arraignment is slated for Friday.

By Miriam Raftery

January 9, 2019 (La Mesa) – La Mesa’s Mayor, Councilmembers and members of the public voiced frustration and at times, anger at the outcome of an independent investigation commissioned by the city into use of force by La Mesa police school resource officer Scott Wulfing, who was shown on video knocking a handcuffed female student to the ground at Helix High School in January of last year.

Attorney Scott Tiedemann gave the presentation on the report prepared by Barry Aninag of B.A. Investigations, a former Irvine police commander. Aninag reportedly interviewed some 20 witnesses—but the public and council will not be permitted to read the report or statements from any of those interviews, due to confidentiality laws protecting investigations into police misconduct.  Those witnesses did not include the student, Brianna Bell, who was knocked down, and who has filed a lawsuit against the city.

Nor did the report include any details on what transpired on campus before the take-down show on the video. The report also had zero information on whether any investigation was conducted by the school or the school district, or results of any such inquiries.

Update January 9, 2019 -- The deceased suspect has been identified as Adolfo Gonzalez, 28, of San Diego.

The deputies involved in this shooting are Carlos Cenizo, Sean Daly and Casey Dow. All are assigned to the Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation. Cenizo has been a deputy since 2014; Daly and Dow have been deputies since 2015.

East County News Service

January 6, 2019 (Lemon Grove) – Three Sheriff’s deputies opened fire on an armed man  inside the Del Taco restaurant at 7060 Broadway in Lemon Grove last night.  

According to Lieutenant Rich Williams with the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit, a 9-1-1 caller shortly after 8:30 p.m. reported that the suspect had pointed a handgun at the caller and his family in the Del Taco shop.  Deputies arrived minutes later and when they tried to talk to the suspect, The man produced a handgun and as a result, a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” Lt. Williams said. “It appears all three of the deputies who contacted the armed suspect fired their handguns in response to the threat.”

East County News Service

January 8, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- Jacumba Hikers are invited to join Omegamaniacs for their next hike Saturday, January 12 - Bow Willow and Rockhouse Canyons Loop.  This is a moderate 8 mile (5 hour) hike located northwest of Ocotillo off S-2.   Hikers will travel through canyons in the Carrizo Gorge Wilderness with the halfway point an old cattleman’s line shack.

By Chris Jennewein

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Jewish Family Service CEO Michael Hopkins speaks to the press after the Board of Supervisors vote. Photo by Chris Jennewein

January 8, 2019 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to help a coalition of local nonprofit groups assist asylum seekers by providing temporary shelter on county property.

“Now it falls to us to say, as leaders, what can we do? We have the obligation to help,” said newly elected Supervisor Nathan Fletcher at his first board meeting.

By Michelle Mowad, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  Supervisor Kristin Gaspar passes the gavel to Chairwoman Dianne Jacob.

January 8, 2019 (San Diego) - Supervisor Dianne Jacob was unanimously voted chairwoman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for 2019 at an organizational meeting at the County Administration Center Tuesday. The Board also named Supervisor Greg Cox to serve as vice chairman and Supervisor Jim Desmond as chairman pro tem.

By Ben Christopher

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  Gov. Gavin Newsom takes the oath of office from California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye in Sacramento on Jan. 7, 2019. Photo for CALmatters by Randy Pench

January 7, 2019 (Sacramento) - Preceded by a Baptist church band, a Mexican roots music quartet, and the recital by his wife of a bilingual poem by the former poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, Gavin Newsom was inaugurated on the western steps of the capitol building this morning, closing out the Brown era of California politics and pointing towards a new, more assertively progressive politics out of Sacramento.

East County News Service

January 7, 2019 (San Diego) – Mission Trails Regional Park has discontinued its free, bi-monnthly Sunday afternoon concert series which has run for seven years, despite near-capacity audiences for music ranging from indigenous to classical to jazz, The Mission Times Courier reports.  The decision to axe the concerts was made following the retirement of Jay Wilson, head of the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation who established the popular concert series.

Fortunately, musicians have found a new home at the Mission Trails Church (4880 Zion Ave., San Diego 92120), where concerts will continue in a larger space with more parking on the second Sunday of each month from 3 to 4 p.m.

East County News Service

January 6, 2019 (La Mesa) -- Lamplighters Theatre in La Mesa presents “And Then There Were None,” based on Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery novel.  The play will be presented Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from January 11^th through February 10^th.

By Miriam Raftery

January 6, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – Two vital sites run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that scientists rely upon for up-to-date climate change data have gone dark, apparently due to the government shutdown caused by the impasse between President Donald Trump and Congress over a federal budget.

By Miriam Raftery

January 6, 2019 (La Mesa) – At the La Mesa City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 19^th, Mayor Mark Arapostathis will deliver his state of the city speech. Afterwards, the Council agenda includes several hot topics.

Council will hear a report on the independent investigation into a controversial use of force by a La Mesa Police school resources officer at Helix High School in January of last year. A video showed the officer knocking a handcuffed female student to the ground.  According to the city, the student declined to speak with the independent investigator and has filed a lawsuit against La Mesa.  

Council will also hear results of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program and vote on whether to accept the report, which includes a 2019 work plan and ranked list of streets for traffic calming measures.

Council will also hear appeals involving two medical marijuana dispensary applications. 

East County News Service

January 5, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Following the recent death of hiking leader Richard Henry Alcorn, the Jacumba Hikers group will be inactive until new hiking leaders step forward. The group has long organized hikes in desert areas of east San Diego County and Imperial County.

Story and photos by Liz Alper

January 5, 2019 (San Diego) - ECM Sports finally made it to a basketball game on the Mesa and the lady Aztecs were ready to start Mountain West conference play today against Boise State.  They’re barely staying afloat with a 5-6 record overall.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: File photos of prior flooding at Highway 94 near Jamul Estates, where ECM has documented flooding complaints since at least 2011.

January 5, 2019 (Jamul) — A deluge on December 6th caused a creek along State Route 94  to overflow between the Jamul Casino and the entrance to Jamul Estates, causing flooding that resulted in cars trapped in rushing water and long delays for other motorists.

Luxury, energy-efficient homes still available in four neighborhoods

East County News Service

Photo: Lake Ridge, courtesy of Pardee Homes San Diego

January 4, 2019 (Santee) -- Move-in excitement is in the air as families and homebuyers are receiving keys and unpacking boxes in all four of Pardee Homes’ upscale Weston communities in Santee: Lake Ridge, Sandstone, Talus and Prism.  The new, state-of-the-art homes also have access to natural open spaces and outdoor activities.