By Miriam Raftery

April 23, 2019 (El Cajon) – El Cajon has received projects awards from  the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the American Public Works Association (APWA).   The new animal shelter was honored by all three organizations.  Other projects honored including Stony’s Neighborhood Park improvements, sewer and traffic light projects. City Manager Graham Mitchell advised the City Council and Mayor that the city has received the following awards:

East County News Service

April 23, 2019 (El Cajon) -- On Wednesday, April 24, the Congressional Committee on Education and Labor’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment and the Committee on Veterans Affairs’ Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity will hold a joint field hearing entitled, “Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Ensuring the Success of our Student Veterans.”

East County News Service

April 22, 2019 (El Cajon) – A woman struck by a Ford Explorer on April 19^th in El Cajon succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.  

El Cajon Police and paramedics responded to the accident in the 800 block of South Mollison Ave. around 7:50 p.m.  Witnesses told officers that the woman, 69, stepped off the curb outside of a marked crosswalk and was struck by the Ford Explorer. The driver of the Explorer, a 58-year-old El Cajon resident, remained on scene and cooperated with authorities, says Lt Stephen Kirk.  Drugs or alcohol are not suspected as factors in the collision.

Source:  Grossmont College

Aprill 22, 2019 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont men's swim and dive team captured the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship on Saturday at Southwestern College.  The Griffins won nine events, including four relay wins, to vault them to the top of the standings.

By Ricardo Cano, CalMatters

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

Photo:  Charter school advocates and teachers unions mass at the Capitol on April 10, 2019, as state lawmakers consider dramatic curbs on charter schools. Photo for CALmatters by Dan Morain

April 20, 2019 (San Diego) - As charter school advocates rallied en masse and California’s teachers’ unions flexed their political muscle, a cluster of bills that would dramatically curb the growth of charters in the state cleared the Assembly Education Committee on Wednesday. The votes were the first in what figures to be a lengthy, high-stakes battle this session between two of the state’s most powerful education interests.

By Donald H. Harrison

Originally published at San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Network

April 19, 2019 (Santee) - As you feed the ducks in the Santee Lakes, or watch naval enthusiasts sail radio-controlled model battleships and cruisers on its waters, or picnic along its shores, you may not realize that you are standing at a venue that back in the 1960s was a sensation of the water reclamation world and a magnet for delegations from parched countries everywhere.

Source:  MTS

Photo IDs: (From Left to Right) Mike Wygant, Chief Operating Officer, MTS Bus; Kim Kawada, Chief Deputy Executive Director, SANDAG; Brian Riley, Superintendent of Transportation, MTS Rail; Wayne Terry, Chief Operating Officer, MTS Rail; Paul Jablonski, Chief Executive Officer, MTS; Georgette Gómez, City of San Diego Council President and Board of Directors Chair, MTS; Mona Rios, Vice Chair, MTS; Robyn Stimson, Vice President of Business Development, Siemens; Chuck Bell, Project Manager, Siemens; Nick Balfour, Engineering Project Manager, Siemens; Andy Goddard Jr., Superintendent of LRV Maintenance, MTS Rail; Ed Graham, Assistant Superintendent of Transportation, MTS Rail.

April 18, 2019 (San Diego) - As the next generation of trolley cars gears up to begin service on the UC San Diego Blue Line this Saturday, officials with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) unveiled to the public the first vehicle of the new trolley series as part of a ‘Trolley Open House’ on Wednesday. The new trolley cars will enter service as part of the 5000 vehicles series, representing the third generation of modern, low-floor vehicles, which have been in operation on MTS’ light rail network since 2005.

Aztecs claim second league crown after winning in 2015

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

April 17, 2019 (Rancho Mirage, Calif.) - After three consecutive runner-up finishes, the San Diego State women’s golf team celebrated its second conference title on Wednesday after winning the 2019 Mountain West Championship by one stroke over Nevada at Mission Hills Country Club.  

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 16, 2019 (San Diego) - A German shepherd mix who was rescued after she was trapped between boulders for at least four days will be available for adoption Tuesday. Special adoption applications will be accepted Tuesday through 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 19.

East County News Service

April 16, 2019 (El Cajon) - The El Cajon Valley Host Lions and the Winchester Widows present their annual fundraiser Gunsmoke IX on Saturday, May 18 at El Cajon Elks Lodge 1812 (1400 E. Washington Ave., El Cajon) from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Julian paramedics struggling after County freezes JCFPD funds

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Read the documents here: JCFPDCourtDocuments

View older ECM article on Brown Act violations: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/julian-cuyamaca-keep-fire-district-starts-path-healing

April 15, 2019 (Julian) -- The judge who ruled in favor of the Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District a week ago, San Diego Superior Court Judge Randa Trapp, late Friday afternoon was designated to preside over the ex parte hearing requested by JCFPD attorney Cory Briggs. The change of judge was noted in the legal case’s online Register of Actions on the San Diego Superior Court website.

By Miriam Raftery

April 14, 2019 (San Diego) – San Diego has been ranked the 7^th worst city in the nation for drunk driving, according to a study by QuoteWizard.com, a Lending Tree company.   The study, called “Drunkest Driving Cities in America,” was based on the rate of driving under the influence citations during 2017.