January 6, 2012 (El Cajon) -- Twenty-four recruits will begin a 16-week Firefighter 1 Academy starting this coming Saturday, January 7, at the Heartland Fire Training academy located at 1301 N. Marshall Avenue in El Cajon. The Academy Coordinator will be retired El Cajon Fire Chief Rich Henry.

Photos and video by Jon Nevin, firefighter/paramedic, Heartland Fire & Rescue (video edited by Paul Kruze, ECM)

December 29, 2011 (El Cajon) – Patrons of a restaurant helped three women passengers, including an elderly woman in a wheelchair, escape from a burning van in downtown El Cajon today.

East County Performing Arts Center is among major projects at risk from the decision

December 29, 2011 (Sacramento) – Sounding a death knell for hopes to restore redevelopment funds eliminated by the Legislature to fund education, the California supreme Court today ruled that the state has the right to eliminate local redevelopment agencies. The decision has sparked criticism from local business owners and politicians on both the left and right.

December 24, 2011 (San Diego) -- San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU), San Diego’s largest locally-owned financial institution with three local East County branch offices in El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee, has announced it will return as title sponsor of the 2012 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

(from left to right): Chris Sichel, executive director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in San Diego, Make-A-Wish kids Aidan, Tyler, Emma and Christian, and Teresa Halleck, president/CEO of San Diego County Credit Union president. 

Story by Miriam Raftery

Photos by Monica Zech

December 13, 2011 (El Cajon) – A motorist who hit the gas instead of the brake crashed into Tyler’s Taste of Texas restaurant yesterday shortly before noon, but fortunately no one was injured.

December 14, 2011 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police are seeking a young man with spiked blond hair and a goatee who reportedly stabbed an 18-year-old at 4:42 this afternoon in a suspected gang-related crime.

The suspect wore a black jacket, white T-shirt, blue jeans and black and white Converse shoes. He was described as white, age 17-20, six feet tall with weight approximately 170 pounds.

 December 2, 2011 (El Cajon)--Around 5:50 p.m. yesterday, El Cajon Police Communications Division began receiving 911 calls reporting several shots being fired in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 380 N. Mollison Avenue in El Cajon. Witnesses reported seeing about 10 to 15 people, some of them documented gang members, in the parking lot when the suspect exited the passenger side of a light colored, full-size sport utility vehicle.

No holiday events slated to help downtown merchants this year, as redevelopment agency forced to close doors due to state funding cuts and lack of support from city

City to vote December on management of a new PBID

By Miriam Raftery

November 27, 2011 (El Cajon) –  Community leaders are reacting with shock, dismay, and questions after learning that the Board of Directors of the El Cajon Community Development Corporation has voted to dissolve the redevelopment organization due to lack of funding from both the city and state.  President and CEO Cindi Fargo has been laid off, along with the remaining staff.

By Peggy Buffo

“:…The newly hired [CDC] executive director Cindi Fargo was thrown to the wolves. None of the problems brought out by the Blue Ribbon Commission were her doing. I believe Cindi is probably the best person now to work with the reformed PBID.”

November 23, 2011 (El Cajon) -- Senator Joel Anderson is inviting the local community to a holiday open house, Wednesday, December 7, 6:00 p.m. - 8 pm. at the Ronald Reagan Community Center, 195 East Douglas Avenue in El Cajon.

The holiday season is a time to reflect on the experiences of the past year and this open house will provide legislative updates. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided (Paid For With Private Funds, Not Tax Dollars). RSVPs are requested to ensure there are enough hors d’oeuvres and refreshment.

Update: The female victim has been identified as Melissa N. Ferreira, 25. She resided in San Diego with her parents.

November 16, 2011 (El Cajon)--Acting El Cajon City Manager Rob Turner has announced selection of El Cajon Police Captain Jim Redman as the City's new Police Chief. He will replace Pat Sprecco, who has served as Chief since March 31, 2008 and will retire on December 9. 

Redman has been with El Cajon's Police Department nearly 24 years, starting his career as a patrol officer back in 1988.