By Pennell Paugh

September 5, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Sunbelt Publications, Inc.which has been located in El Cajon for 38 years, has moved its publishing headquarters and warehouse to Chula Vista. It is under new ownership.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

Photo via Cal Fire on Twitter

Update September 6, 2022:  Cause of the fire was an improperly maintained vehicle, Cal Fire confirms.  The #CaesarFire is now 100% ontained at 50 acres; all evacuation orders have been lifted.

Update 7 p.m.:   The  Sheriff’s Department has lifted most evacuation orders and warnings, though residents in and around the fire perimeter are still under an evacuation order. A map of the remaining evacuation order is available at https://emergencymap.sandiegocounty.gov/index.html.

September 5, 2022 (Ramona) -- The #CaesarFire has charred 50 acres in a blaze that started north of Highway 78 at Ramona Trails Drive in the Witch Creek area east of Ramona, Cal Fire reports.  The fire sparked evacuations due to structure threats but forward spread has now been halted. 

A temporary evacuation point is set up at Olive Pierce Middle School, 1521 Hanson Lane, Ramona. An animal evacuation shelter is open at the Ramona Rodeo Grounds, 421 Aqua Lane in Ramona.

By Miriam Raftery

September 4, 2022 (El Cajon) –  The El Cajon nonprofit License to Freedom has been counseling nine children in a Syrian refugee family traumatized first by war in their homeland, and now by the death of their mother, who was found shot in the family’s home. In an interview with East County Magazine originally aired on KNSJ radio,

Dilkhwaz Ahmed, founder of License to Freedom, provides an update on the children’s situation, also sharing information on the stresses facing refugee families. The  children’s father, Abdulhannan Abdurazaq Al Rawi, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.

“It’s so hard,” Ahmed says, when asked how the children, ages 2-17, are doing. “In a situation like that, the community gets together.” She says other Syrian refugees in the community worked to help the children, as did people in the Sudanese community, since the babysitter is from Sudan. “One of their close friends, a family from Syria, decided to take the kids, and they have seven kids,” Ahmed said.  “The wife was best friends with the mom…it’s heartbreaking.”

By Miriam Raftery

September 3, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The sweltering heat wave, along with elevated fire conditions, will continue this Labor Day weekend through Wednesday.  According to the National Weather Service, “There is potential for large vertical plume growth with any new fires that develop, especially in the foothills and mountains… Hot weather with breezy afternoons could lead to easier fire starts and rapid growth.”

Thunderstorms are possible over inland mountains, valleys and deserts, with potential for dry lightning strikes which could ignite fires. Gusty winds are also forecast which could cause fires to spread quickly.

By Miriam Raftery

September 3, 2022 (Lemon Grove, CA)  -- You’re invited to celebrate International Literacy Week at  the new My Space Learning Time childcare center in Lemon Grove. Bring your children to enjoy different themed events each day from September 5-10.

Come early for a meet and greet starting at 2:30, following by an afternoon and evening of free, fun events from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day including:

• Mon. Sept. 5:   Alphabet crafts
• Tues. Sept. 6:  Alphabet puzzle
• Wed. Sept. 7:  Matching and rhyming words
• Thurs. Sept. 8: Building your family story
• Fri. Sept. 9:      Sensory bits
• Sat. Sept. 10:   Grand celebratory day of literacy in our community
  

September 3, 2022 (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.

Investigations: Trump classified documents and Capitol insurrection

• Documents at Mar-a-Lago Could Compromise Human Intelligence Sources, Affidavit Says  (New York Times)
• Trump vows pardons, government apology to Capitol rioters if elected (Washington Post)
• Ex-N.Y.P.D. Officer Gets 10 Years for Jan. 6 Attack, Longest Sentence to Date (New York Times)
• FBI found more than 11,000 government records at Trump's Florida home (Reuters)
• Trump Team Moved and Hid Classified Documents Before Justice Department Raid, Feds Claim (Rolling Stone)
• Former CFO of Trump Organization pleads guilty for his role in tax fraud scheme and agrees to testify against company (CNN)

Other national news

• U.S. job growth solid in August; labor market pressure starting to ease (Reuters)
• Does your student loan qualify for forgiveness? The short and long answers (Los Angeles Times)
• The U.S. diet is deadly. Here are 7 ideas to get Americans eating healthier(NPR)
• NASA's Artemis I: Technical issues scuttle Saturday's second launch attempt for moon mission(USA Today)
• With Roe overturned, which states have banned abortion?(NPR.)
• Fauci to step down in December after decades of public service (NPR)

WORLD

• Parents of 43 missing Mexican students welcome arrest of former attorney general(CNN)
• Putin orders Russian military to increase its forces as Ukraine war passes the six-month mark (NBC)
• Ukraine lures Russian missiles with decoys of U.S. rocket system(Wasihington Post)
• Russia gets its first drones from Iran as the two countries strengthen ties( NBC)
• Zaporizhzhia: World narrowly avoided radiation accident - Zelensky (BBC)
• Russia burns off gas as Europe's energy bills rocket(BBC)
• Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet president who took down the Iron Curtain, dies(CNN)
• Ukrainian forces begin ‘shaping’ battlefield for counteroffensive, senior US officials say(CNN)

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

By Shiloh Ireland

September 3, 2022 (Lakeside) – The new 13.88-acre Dianne Jacob Equestrian Center, long a dream for Lakeside residents, is finally becoming a reality after numerous delays. Located on Moreno Avenue at Willow Road, the covered arena and several outbuilding constructions are moving at a steady pace. The steel is prefabricated and as of mid-August when these shots were taken, the roof is in place as well as one wall of the arena.

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  La Jolla couple Barbara Bry and Neil Senturia with their new book on Gina Champion-Cain. Times of San Diego photo illustration

September 2, 2022 (La Jolla) - Gina Champion-Cain hasn’t read her own book.

By Miriam Raftery

September 2, 2022 (El Cajon) – Arnie Levine is a realtor running for the El Cajon mayoral seat.  He wants to  revitalize El Cajon as a "new city."   His priorities include reducing homelessness and lack of housing affordability, protecting public health, supporting the arts, and according to his website, "restoring hope" to all El Cajon residents.

ECM’s editor, Miriam Raftery, interviewed Levine for the East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ.   Hear audio, view video, or read highlights from our interview below.  You can also learn more at his website: https://arnielevine4elcajoncamayor.com/.

By Shiloh Ireland

September 1, 2022 (Lakeside) – The Willow Fire burned 15 acres under and across the State Route 67 bridge at Lakeside Avenue yesterday. Cause of the fire is under investigation as crews mopped up hot spots today.

By Miriam Raftery

September 1, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Firefighters have held the #Border32Fire to 4,438 acres today, only slightly more than last night, thanks to the courageous efforts of crews working in extreme fire conditions overnight. The fire is now 14% contained, thanks to milder fire activity today. Find links below to our coverage of the harrowing conditions faced by firefighters.

Tonight, starting at 6:30 p.m. residents in the following areas are being allowed to return home, the Sheriff has announced:

• West of Cochera Via Drive
• East of Potrero Valley Road

Residents returning to Potrero must enter from eastbound State Route 94.  Those returning to Dulzura must enter from westbound State Route 94.

The following road closures remain in effect until further notice: