By Miriam Raftery

June 22, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Here are highlights of important issues on the agenda this week impacting San Diego's unincorporated areas as well as residents in the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee.

The San Diego Board of Supervisors meets on Tuesday and Wednesday this week with many important items slated to be heard. On Tuesday, Supervisors will deliberate the county budget and a joint powers agreement with Caltrans for the Next Generation regional communications system and more.

On Wednesday, supervisors will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the Forest Conservation Initiative Lands General Plan amendment.  This is a controversial  issue that will determine what sort of development will be allowed on properties in the vicinity of Cleveland National Forest in East County.

By Janis Russell

April 30, 2014 (Spring Valley)- Royal Family Kids Camp provides a  network of camps and mentor clubs for children of abuse, abandonment, and neglect. The vision is that “every foster child, ages 6-12, experiences a life-changing camp, club and mentor.” The mission is to “create life- changing moments for children of abuse.” The purpose is to “mobilize the faith community to confront child abuse.”

April 26, 2015 (Spring Valley)--In honor of International Rotarians at Work Day, members of the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary broke ground Saturday, April 26^th, on a new fruit orchard for the residents of Noah Homes, a nonprofit in Spring Valley celebrating 30 years of residential care, community advocacy and collaborative services for adults with developmental disabilities.

Chaparral Institute objects to ordinance due to potential environmental impacts and possible abuse of citizens' rights

By Miriam Raftery

April 5, 2014 (San Miguel) San Miguel Fire Board meets on April 9 at 5:30 in the fire station at 2850 Via Orange Way in Spring Valley. This week the board will consider an ordinance allowing the board to declare waste and certain vegetation a public nuisance – including  potentially the majority of native vegetation in the district.

February 26, 2014 (Spring Valley ) – A 15 year old boy running in a crosswalk at Jamacha Boulevard and La Presa Avenue in Spring Valley was struck and killed yesterday at 4:32 p.m.  According to the California Highway Patrol, the 20-year-old driver of a Toyota Prius had a green light and was unable to take evasive action.

Update: This hearing has been cancelled. Details pending.

Hearing March 17; public comment Feb. 14-21

February 13, 2014 (Spring Valley)--The California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) has recommended the placement of  Terry Stone, a Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) at 2919 Millar Ranch Road in Spring Valley. This address falls within the jurisdiction of the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station.



Terry Stone was convicted of molesting several children between the ages of 6 and 11.

February 10, 2014 (Rancho San Diego)--A new Sheriff’s Station opened Monday on Campo Road in Rancho San Diego, near the intersection of Highways 54 and 94.

January 20, 2014 (Spring Valley) -- Cierra Conwright, a junior at Mount Miguel High School in Spring Valley, has been  nominated to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, DC on February 14-16.

The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be physicians or medical scientists to stay true to their dream and to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

By David Dickens

January 14, 2014 (Spring Valley)-- As  a sports enthusiast or just looking for great entertainment, look no further than the Lady Matadors of Mount Miguel High School(1-3-14) . This fully equipped group of ballers are led by the talented trio of Dejanay Pope, Deijah Blanks, and Zaria Branch.

By David Dickens

December 18, 2013 (Spring Valley) — Adair Barraza, Allan Barraza, Jake Evans, Jacob Hoffman, Sebastian Dickens, Randall Raush, Gabriel Meyer, Sean McDarby, Guillermo Dominguez and Anthony Poliza provided  a magical season that ended Saturday, December 15 based on simple mathematics – not scoring enough points.

 Apparently, according to American Youth Soccer Organization rules, “If a team in the playoffs has not put up enough points, their season is over.”  This came as a shock after the “North Pole” team put on one of its best performances of the year against the “Outlaws” of La Mesa region.

November 13, 2013 (Spring Valley) – Favorite Disney characters will appear at Young Actors’ Theater, 9620 Campo Road in Spring Valley this weekend, where Aladdin Jr., a stage adaption of the Disney hit film, is being staged. 

The production promises to be filled with “magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides” along with the Academy award-winning score including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me.”

By Jerrie Dean

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

October 23, 2013 (Spring Valley) -- Sharon “Shari” Chipman, 35, from San Diego has been missing since Oct. 10.  She walked away from her group home in Paradise Hills and was reported missing by her grandmother on Oct. 12.  She left behind a cryptic note that said, "Leaving everything behind, Jesus told me to," Shari's brother David Chipman, told East County Magazine. She has been diagnosed as bipolar and schizophrenic. Her family is concerned for her safety.

Sheriff's deputies talked to Chipman at the Jack in the Box on Jamacha Road and Sweetwater Road in Spring Valley on Oct. 11. Since she did not appear to be a danger to herself or others, she was released at the scene. Her family had not yet reported her missing; the Sheriff has since issued a missing person bulletin. Chipman also made a banking transaction in Spring Valley on Oct. 11. On October 18, a week later, her purple Magma mountain bike was spotted locked to a bike rack at a McDonald's near Sweetwater Road and Jamacha Blvd.

October 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – On October 17, a shoulder-tap operation was conducted by the Sheriff’s Department and other agencies to see if retail outlets are illegally selling alcohol to minors in Santee, Alpine, Lakeside, Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, and unincorporated El Cajon.

Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, Agents from Alcohol Beverage Control, and three minor decoys conducted a "Minor Decoy" and "Shoulder Tap" Operation at various locations in the East County. The operation involved minors who tested "on-sale" and "off-sale" establishments. The minor decoys tested retailers and servers at a number of locations in an attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages inside their establishments. Three employees sold alcohol to the decoys.

October 9, 2013 (Spring Valley ) –Sheriff’s investigators along with federal agents have determined that a fire at Santa Sophia Church last night was intentionally set.  A reward of up to $1,000 is offered for information leading to arrest of the arsonist.

The fire was reported around 7:57 p.m. last night in the church at 9800 San Juan Street in the Casa De Oro neighborhood of Spring Valley.   Cal Fire/San Miguel Fire district crews were on the scene in three minutes with  five engines and 20 firefighters, who extinguished the blaze within 10 minutes.  

Sept. 23, 2013 (Spring Valley) – The Mulvaney family is sponsoring the 3rd Annual Jim Mulvaney’s Concert on the Green to benefit Noah Homes Inc. on October 5, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 12526 Campo Road, Spring Valley.  The concert will feature the Irish music of The Tim Foley Band.