East County News Service

Update: The victim has been identified as Alberta Fernandez De Zuniga, 61, of Borrego Springs.

December 26, 2019 (Ranchita) – A 61-year-old woman riding in the backseat of a 2019 Toyota Camry died this morning when the driver lost control and the vehicle rolled over, landing on its roof. The crash occurred around 6:50 a.m. on San Filipe Road (S2) south of Montezuma Valley Road. 

There was fresh snow on the roadway, and the Toyota was traveling at a speed that prevented the driver from maintaining control of the Toyota,” Officer Jeff Christy with the California Highway Patrol reports. “The Toyota traveled off the roadway onto the west shoulder where it collided with a dirt embankment. The female passenger, who was not wearing her seatbelt, was subsequently thrown forward from the rear seat into the front dash and windshield of the vehicle. At the same time, the Toyota rolled over onto its roof where it came to rest within the traffic lanes.”

December 26, 2019 (El Cajon) -- Bettie Wells shared these photos taken Dec. 22 in downtown El Cajon, where Mayor Bill Wells lit a menorah in honor of the opening of Chanukah, the eight-day Jewish holiday also known as the Festival of Lights.

The event was organized by Chabad of East County and featured firefights dropping gelt (chocolate coins) from atop a firetruck ladder, music, remarks from local dignitaries and unveiling of what organizers claim is the world's largest dreidel, a spinning top in the Jewish tradition.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left via CHP:  I-8 closed due to snow

Photo, right: Julian snow, via Visit Julian webcam

December 26, 2019 (San Diego’s East County)—Travelers are encountering road closures on several major highways this morning due to heavy snowfall:

•  I-8 is closed west of Willows Road in Alpine to the Imperial Highway in Imperial County due to heavy snow, with collisions reported and some motorists attempting to run through roadblocks. 
• On State Route 94 at Otay Lakes Rd., flooding has reportedly halted traffic on both sides of the rushing waters one to two feet deep.
• CHP has shut down  Highway 78 at State Route 79 into Julian; traffic to Julian is reportedly gridlocked according to CHP. The road may reopen soon with chain controls in effect.
• Just north of San Diego County, travelers should be aware that the Cajon Pass on I-15 and the Grapevine on I-5 are both shut down due to heavy snow.
  

East County News Service

December 25, 2019 (San Diego) -- A major winter storm is going to affect the region after midnight tonight through Friday morning, meteorologist Adam Roser with the National Weather Service predicts. Heavy snow in the mountains will make travel hazardous, especially on highways through the mountains and high desert, with up to four feet of snow above 6,000 feet and as much as two inches of snow as low as 2,500 feet.

Heavy rain is forecast in all other areas with urban/small stream flooding likely and a slight risk of flash flooding. The San Diego River could reach flood stage after midnight.

Gusty winds will be expected with this storm from the coast to the mountains. A wind advisory is now in effect until 6 p.m. tonight in coastal areas and valley.  A winter storm warning will be in effect from 6p.m. tonight until 6 a.m. Friday for local mountains. A winter weather advisory will be effective from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Friday for the high desert.

East County News Service

December 24, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – A Borrego Springs man, 66,was reported missing Dec. 22,  after borrowing a friend’s motorcycle at 4 p.m. for a 30-minute ride. The rider’s wife and the motorcycle’s owner began a search and then notified the Sheriff’s Department. Information was also posted on Facebook and many residents joined in searching but did not find the rider or the motorcycle.

On Dec. 23,  around 8:15 a.m., employees from the Borrego Springs Water District were checking well sites in the area and discovered the rider and motorcycle in a deep ditch about two miles from where he began his ride. The motorcycle was on top of the rider and he was unresponsive.

East County News Service

December 22, 2019 (El Cajon) – Today at 4 p.m. Chabad of East County will present the Great Chanukah Gelt Drop in El Cajon’s Centennial Plaza (200 Civic Center Way) behind the Marriott. 

The occasion will include lighting a menorah, the world’s largest dreidel, catching chocolate coins dropped by Heartland firefighters from atop a fire ladder, music and dancing, a kids fun zone, raffle, Chanukah refreshments, honoring local heroes in uniform and dignitaries.

Jacobs is one of several candidates hoping to fill the seat being vacated by the retirement of Susan Davis

By Donald H. Harrison, Editor, San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

December 22, 2019 (San Diego) - The local Jewish community has watched congressional candidate Sara Jacobs, 30, grow up within institutions named for her family.  For example, she attended the preschool and later participated in 18 J*Company shows on the Jacobs Family Campus of the Lawrence Family JCC.  Her parts ranged from the mother in Benjamin and Judah to the “scary grandmother” back from the underworld in Fiddler on the Roof. 

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 21, 2019 (Los Angeles) - Malachi Flynn and San Diego State head into Christmas off one of their most impressive wins of the season.

Taylor Kalmer had a team-high 19 points

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 21, 2019 (San Antonio) - Playing in front of a large contingent of SDSU fans, the Aztec women’s basketball team (6-7) defeated Incarnate Word (3-6) 57-48 at the McDermott Center Saturday afternoon.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Jill Barto

December 20, 2019 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Department today shut down an illegal marijuana dispensary at 1358 Broadway, within 300 feet of Bostonia Language Academy. During the search of the illegal marijuana dispensary, approximately 322 pounds of marijuana and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) infused products, and approximately $7300 in cash was seized.

Lieutenant Walt Miller told ECM, “This is the last marijuana dispensary that we know about in El Cajon.”  But he acknowledged, “They’re like weeds. They keep popping up.”  He added that California law often hampers enforcement efforts in a process that can take months to get illegal dispensaries shut down.

Cajon Valley Union School District trustee Jill Barto is among those who filed a complaint with El Cajon Police about the latest illegal dispensary near the Bostonia school. “I called the El Cajon Police, El Cajon City, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and the District Attorney,” Barto told ECM. “I said this can’t be a two month deal—this needs to be shut down now.”

By Daniel Smiechowski, Bay Ho  

December 20, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- The recent hearing in a San Diego courtroom to release another sexual predator in Jacumba Hot Springs is another bridge too far. Eleven of fourteen county sexual predators are already in rural East County. It’s clear that demographics play a role in further stigmatizing this dusty ramshackle outpost in San Diego’s high desert.

By Miriam Raftery

December 19, 2019  (San Diego’s East County) – Although personal use of cannabis is legal in California, each city and county has the right to ban or restrict sales.  But closing down illegal pot shops has become a challenge for law enforcement and a headache for neighbors, since the process often takes months and once closed, illegal dispensaries often pop up again nearby or even in the same building repeatedly.

How concerned should residents be about an illegal marijuana operation in their neighborhood?

Unlike licensed dispensaries that are subject to inspections, state and local regulations, illegal dispensaries may sell marijuana that is adulterated with contaminants and is dangerous to customers. Some illicit dispensaries locally have also been caught selling other drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamines.  They may sell drugs to minors. The operators may create hazards to neighbors by tapping illegally into electricity, overloading circuits, and if manufacturing hash oil extracted from marijuana, utilize drums filled with flammable chemicals that can and have exploded, causing fires locally.

At times, illegal dispensaries  have engendered other crimes. Robberies and shootings have occurred; illegal operators tend not to report these crimes to police.  Corruption has also allegedly happened locally. Former Rancho San Diego Sheriff Captain Marco Garmo has been indicted for allegedly tipping off his cousin, an illegal dispensary owner, on raids by law enforcement, among other federal charges that he faces.

By Miriam Raftery

December 18, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – Today, Donald Trump became the third president in American history to be impeached. The House of Representatives voted 230-197 in favor of Article I (abuse of power) and 229-198 on Article II (obstruction of Congress) with one member, Tulsi Gabbard, voting present.

San Diego's four Democratic reprsentatives voted in favor of impeachment. Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) stated, "Make no mistake. We are not impeaching the President. He is impeaching himself. If you are the President, and you obstruct justice, try to bribe a foreign leader and threaten national security, you’re going to get impeached. End of story.”  Congressman Duncan Hunter, our county's only Republican representative, could not vote because he has been banned from voting by the House Ethics Committee after pleading guilty to conspiracy to spend campaign funds on personal uses.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi began the session by stating, “I solemnly and sadly open the debate on the impeachment of the president of the United States. If we do not act now we would be derelict in our duty. It is tragic that the president’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us no choice.”

In a surprise move, Speaker Pelosi announced after the vote that the House will not transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate or name impeachment managers to present the House case to the Senate until Senators determine a process for a trial.

Her action came after Senate leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), who is in charge of setting rules for a Senate trial, stated, “I’m not an impartial juror,” raising concerns over a biased process. McConnell has further stated that he is "in total coordination with the White House counsel's office" and is "taking my cues from the president's lawyers."

That violates the U.S. Constitution, which requires that Senators must take an oath pledging to act as an "impartial justice" before engaging in an impeachment trial.