East County News Service

June 23, 2023 (Boulevard) -- A woman has been arrested on suspicion of shooting her daughter in Boulevard. 

Shortly before 10 a.m.,  deputies from the Sheriff's Rural Command responded to a call about a 22-year-old woman with a gunshot wound who came to a fire station on Church Road.

Deputies learned that the victim and her mother, Andrea Najera, had gotten into an argument earlier that morning inside their home near the fire station.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of 10  News, an ECM news partner

June 23, 2022 (El Cajon) – The San Diego Sheriff’s homicide unit is investigating the deaths of a man and woman found dead in their home in the 200 block of East Bradley Ave. in El Cajon yesterday morning.

According to Lieutenant Joseph Jarjura, “Both victims appeared to have head trauma.”

ECM news partner 10 News reports that the couple was found by their daughter, a minor, around 9:47 a.m.

Watch full video

June 22, 2023 (El Cajon) – Last Tuesday, staff and parents with opposing views came to the Cajon Valley School Board meeting to be heard. With well over 200 people in attendance the Cajon Valley boardroom was overflowing with outrage and passion. LGBTQ  rights were at the forefront of the debate.

By Miriam Raftery

June 22, 2023 (El Cajon )  -- A man who swung a sword at neighbors and threatened violence prompted a SWAT team to respond today ending in his arrest 

Around 8 a.m., El Cajon Police began receiving calls reporting a man swinging a large sword at people in the parking lot of 1018 East Lexington.

“The man with the sword went back inside an apartment, and then returned to the parking lot making threats to shoot people, while simulating a gun in his waistband,” says Lieutenant Jeremiah Larson, adding that no gun was seen by any of the victims or witnesses.

June 22, 2023 (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.

General news

• Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in water supply case (CNN)
• Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court (Pro Publica)
• Missing Titanic sub crew believed to be dead after 'catastrophic implosion' (CNN)
• Supreme Court strikes down Alabama congressional map in voting rights dispute(NBC)
• Lab-grown chicken can now be grown in the U.S. (Time)

Political news

• House votes along party lines to censure Rep. Adam Schiff  (NPR)
• Texas Democrat unveils bipartisan immigration plan with path to citizenship, border security spending (Texas Tribune)
• Trump vows to stay in the race even if convicted (Politico)
• Trump’s Former Defense Secretary Believes He Is a Threat to National Security (Rolling Stone)
• Trump lacked power to declassify secret nuclear arms document, experts say  (MSN)
• Senate GOP leaders break with House on Trump indictment (The Hill)
• The GOP ‘bribery’ allegations against Biden remain transparently thin (Washington Post)

WORLD

• Climate Crisis Is on Track to Push One-Third of Humanity Out of Its Most Livable Environment   (Pro Publica)
• Russia had means, motive and opportunity to destroy Ukraine dam, drone photos and information show  (AP)
• Russia rejects U.N. help as death toll from breached Kakhovka dam rises  (MSN)
• Mexico president's ruling party rolls to win in country's most populous state (AP)
• ‘Miracle, miracle’: lone children survive 40 days in Amazon jungle (Guardian)
• Boris Johnson Resigns From Parliament (New York Times)
• Mexico's president states willingness to negotiate peace deals with cartels  (NPR)
• Biden calls for immediate repeal of Uganda’s anti-gay law (Politico)
• Hundreds of scientists protest the Indian government's changes made to textbooks  (NPR)
• Brazil's Bolsonaro faces trial over voting claims that could bar him from office  (NPR)
• Chinese ex-official's wife says alleged repatriation pressure turned her life in US 'upside-down'  (AP)
• How US-made sniper ammunition ends up in Russian rifles (Politico)

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

East County News Service

June 21, 2023 (Spring Valley) –Sweetwater Regional Park in Spring Valley will soon be expanded from 300 acres to 490 acres, helping the county to complete the 11-mile Sweetwater Loop Trail around Sweetwater Reservoir.

By Miriam Raftery

June 21, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Two drownings, one fatal, two days apart in Lakeside prompted East County Magazine to dive into the circumstances and the victims’ lives. Our coverage has resulted in two awards from the Society of  Professional Journalists presented at last night’s awards ceremony.

Shiloh Ireland’s article, Who was Thomas Moreno? received first place in the daily reporting profile category. The piece profiled a man whose body was found in a Lakeside pond, his hope to reunite with his adult children after prison, and suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

A shocking video provided by a community member, Angel New, led to our article, Heroic bystander and deputies save drowning woman in Lindo Lake. Miriam Raftery and Shiloh Ireland shared SPJ’s third place award for breaking news in the daily reporting category.  The article documented a shocking delay by deputies to take action while a homeless woman was drowning in Lindo Lake. A bystander ultimately entered the water, and only then did law enforcement officials help to save her life. ECM grilled multiple officials in an effort to seek answers and accountability.

Our coverage depends on your support.  Will you please donate to help us report on more important stories in our region? Give now.

Enrolled customers who conserved during last heat wave earned more than $11M in bill credits for helping to reduce strain on statewide grid

Source:  SDG&E

June 21, 2023 (San Diego) - With today being the first official day of summer, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is sharing summer energy savings tips and encouraging its residential customers to sign up for Power Saver Rewards, an energy savings incentive program that rewards customers with bill credits for reducing their electricity use on days when the statewide grid is stressed by high demand. Enrolled customers who conserved during the summer 2022 heat wave earned more than $11 million in bill credits.

By Miriam Raftery

June 21, 2023 (San Diego) -- A desperate race against time to find and save passengers and crew aboard a missing submarine at the Titanic wreckage site is making worldwide news. Knocking sounds have led searchers to believe people are still alive aboard the missing vessel, the Titan. But oxygen will likely run out tomorrow.

The effort evokes memories of  a similar story nearly 50 years ago in August 1973, when two San Diegans, Bob Watts and Larry Brady, were involved in the dramatic rescue of two men trapped above a submarine on the floor of the  Atlantic Ocean.

In  September 2021, Reina Menasche interviewed Stephen McGinty, author of the true-story thriller, The Dive: The Untold Story of the World’s Deepest Submarine Rescue during the Bookshelf segment on East County Magazine's radio show.  You can listen to the full  interview aired on KNSJ, and read highlights below.

Historical Society founder weighs in on what could have been done to prevent this from happening

Story and pictures by Jessyka Heredia

Historical photo provided by Helen Ofield

View video provided by Stephan Clay

Update June 23, 2022:  The home's owner, Micfhael Perez,  in an in-depth interview with ECM,  says he's spent years struggling to secure permits from the city of Lemon Grove, and faults delays for the house being left in disrepair. He also voices frustration over the Sheriff's department regarding efforts to keep homeless people from repeatedly breaking into the property.  View article with his remarks.

June19, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- A fire broke out early last Tuesday morning at the historic Ebon McGregor house at 3262 Main Street, next to City Hall and the Sheriff’s station.

“This is a tragedy. One of the few buildings in town designed by master architect, Alberto Owen Treganza, is no more,” says Helen Ofield, founder of the Lemon Grove Historical Society.

Story and Photos By Josh Stotler

June 20, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) --  Federal, state, and tribal fire departments battled the #Blackwood Fire this afternoon, which threatened homes before crews halted the blaze at 37 acres.

The fire broke out around noon on the Campo Reservation just off interstate 8 on Black Wood Rd and Old Mine Rd.  Initial responders confirmed a vegetation fire and immediately upgraded the incident, calling for more ground units as well as air support.

June 20, 2023 (El Cajon) -- A brush fire burning between Interstate 8 and Murray Drive has charred several acres, threatening homes.  The fire began near Murray Drive and Dennstedt Place, El Cajon.

It is reportedly burning at a slow rate of spread, however some homes are threatened, based on scanner traffic.

CalTrans reports that three lanes of westbound I-8 are closed in the vicinity.

MTS announced that the Green Line trolley cannot travel between Amaya Drive and the El Cajon Transit Center, so a bus bridge will be implemented for riders.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Hunter Biden during a 2014 meeting with India's prime minister

June 20, 2021  (Washington D.C.) The son of President Joe Biden, has reached a plea bargain deal with the U.S. Department of Justice. Hunter Biden will plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of filing his 2017 and 2018 taxes late, according to court documents released today, the New York Times reports.  A judge must still approve of the plea deal; Biden is expected to appear in federal court in Delaware for arraignment.

Hunter Biden will not be sent to prison or charged for failing to disclose drug use when he purchased a hand gun in 2018, provided he abides by terms of a two-year probation that includes remaining drug-free and agreeing to never own a gun again.  This sentence is consistent with how tax and gun registration misdemeanors are customarily handled for other non-violent first-time offenders, though questions remain over whether or not the Justice Department has dropped or is continuing to investigating questions over Hunter Biden's controversial actions while serving on a Ukrainian energy company's board of directors.

President Biden has avoided commenting on his son’s legal issues. A  White House spokesman, Ian Sams, issued a statement which reads, “The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life. We will have no further comment.”

Former President Donald Trump, who is awaiting trial on criminal charges relating to mishandling of classified documents and alleged hush money payments made to a porn star, criticized the deal on social media, claiming, “Our system is  BROKEN.”

By Miriam Raftery

Video by Miguel Estrema

June 19, 2023 (Ranchita) --  A single-family home in Ranchita across the street from a  Cal Fire station erupted in flames on Saturday.

Cal Fire responded to the fire on Valley View Drive.  On Twitter,  Cal Fire stated, “There is a single story residential structure that is well-involved in fire.The fire has extended into the vegetation; additional units have been dispatched.  #MontezumaIC.”

By Christianne McCormick

Photos by Christianne McCormick and Monica Silver

June 19, 2023 (Santee) -- The Santee Pride Walk  on June 10^th was met with an outpour of support despite the City’s conservative culture. This pride walk, organized by the Santee United Methodist Church, attracted so many people from all parts of San Diego that attendants could barely fit along the sidewalks. Nearly all came to support diversity and the LGBTQ+ community, though several protesters also turned out.

Car after car honked to show support of the walk, which began on Edgemont Drive, then proceeded to Cuyamaca Street along Mission Gorge. Some supporters held their rainbow pride flags out of their car windows and sunroofs to show support for the marchers. An estimated 300 people were present for this event, far more than the 50 that organizers originally estimated would participate.