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.

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East County News Service

Photo via County News Service

June 14, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – The State of California has awarded a grant of nearly $17 million to help put people experiencing homelessness along the San Diego Riverbed into permanent housing and to connect them with services.

The grant is the result of a county-led partnership in collaboration with the city of Santee, the city of San Diego, and the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans).  It’s funded as part of $240 million in Encampment Resolution Funds that California announced last year to help local jurisdictions resolve encampments and get people into housing, as well as provide services.

According to the Point in Time homeless count conducted countywide on a January morning in 2023, homelessness countywide has risen by 25% over last year’s count.  Here in East County, communities along the San Diego River, where there are numerous homeless camps, have seen homeless numbers rise significantly including a 58% increase in Lakeside, 23% increase in Lakeside, and an 18% increase in Spring Valley.  In Lakeside and Valley, 100% of homeless people are unsheltered, highlighting the need for these funds. The count found 78 homeless people in Lakeside and 71 in SpringValley.  Santee had76 homeless individuals, of whom only 18 were in any type of shelter.

East County News Service

May 25, 2023 (Lakeside) – Shiloh Ireland took photos behind the scenes for two days leading up to the Lakeside  Rodeo last month.

May 16, 2023(Lakeside) -- ECM interns Jacob Pamus and Danielle Torres took video highlights of the 2023 Lakeside Western Days Parade.

By Shiloh Ireland

May 13, 2023 (Lakeside) - Lakeside Rodeo, which is Lakeside's largest event of the year along with the parade, was Thursday through Sunday, April 27^th. - April  30^th. And the annual Lakeside Western Days Parade rolled out on April 29th^. and it too was a fun-packed venue and family event.

ECM was at Texas Roadhouse Restaurant in El Cajon and spoke with and photographed the 2023 Rodeo Lakeside Queens, Emily Cullins, Miss Rodeo Lakeside and Junior Miss Rodeo, Stella Erb, who were greeting guests and signing autographs. They were at the rodeo and signed autographs and rode in the parade.

By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2023 (Lakeside) – Born in an era when Native American children were sent off to Indian schools and career opportunities were limited due to prejudice, Josephine "Sister" Beatrice Romero overcame those obstacles to become a Tribal Chair and leader who helped usher in Indian gaming in California and establish a museum to teach tribal history and cultural heritage to future generations.

 On March 26, 2023, she passed away at age 94, but her enduring legacy lives on.

Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland

March 21, 2023 (Lakeside) -- Lakeside has a new state of the art library. ECM took a preview tour of the 16,000 square foot facility on March 1 during a soft opening, also interviewing librarian Mary Elder. The grand opening is scheduled for March 25^th.

ECM has conducted a photographic and drone history since ground-breaking of this new addition to Lakeside. As part of the San Diego County public library system, it is open to all residents of the county to utilize its services and check out materials.

The library offers a spacious environment with a teen room, children's section with a cave and large screen computer screens, large print section, DVD area, outdoor patio, state of the art computer check-out machine, attractive artwork, Lakeside Friends of the Library’s room that offers books for sale and much more.

East County News Service

March 19, 2023 (Lakeside) – Reflections Day Spa invites you to its 7^th annual Haircuts for the Homeless event on Sunday, April 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations of items to help the homeless are sought, including sleeping bags, blankets, tents, socks, jackets, beanies and toiletries.

Reflections Day Spa is located at 9909 Maine Ave., Lakeside, CA 92040.  Questions? Call (619) 334-2240.

Update 5 p.m.:  The Sheriff  has released a statement calling the students' report "unfounded."  Here is the full statement:

After further investigation, Detectives have determined this incident near Lakeside Middle School was unfounded. There is no danger to the community. We thank the public and the media for their cooperation and understanding.

East County News Service

February 8, 2022 (Lakeside) – Public help is sought by the San Diego County Sheriff’s department to find a man suspected of trying to grab a child walking to school in Lakeside yesterday around 8 a.m.

East County News Service

January 31, 2023 (Lakeside) – If you’re not a fan of football, Lake Jennings is offering you a quiet alternative to cheer about: on Super Bowl Sunday, February 12, the lake is offering free boat launches. If you do want to watch the big game, you can take in some early morning fishing before kick-off

Update: Due to inclement weather, this event has been postponed until March 19.

By Miriam Raftery

January 29, 2023 (Lakeside) – Lakeside Chamber of Commerce invites you to Touch-a-Truck, an experience “geared towards the kid in all of us,” according to the event website.  Guests can touch and see a wide variety of vehicles, trucks and equipment during the event on Sunday, Februry 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 11600 Riverside Drive in Lakside.

East County News Service

January 14, 2023 (Lakeside) – The Preteen Junior Miss Lakeside Scholarship Pageant will be held tonight at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds at 5 p.m., with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. Tomorrow, the Miss Lakeside and Teen Lakeside pageants will be held at the same venue.

The Lakeside Rodeo Grounds hall is located at 12584 Mapleview Street in Lakeside.

The Miss Lakeside Program is a part of the San Diego 678 Pageant System which includes the two sister pageants Miss Ramona and Miss Julian.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC via Bing

January 3, 2023 (Lakeside) – The San Diego Sheriff’s department has released the identifies of two women shot and killed on December 30 in Lakeside by a man who then fatally shot himself.  Two juveniles were also in the home in the 13500 block of Interstate 8 Business when the killings occurred.