By Kate Yapjoco

April 14, 2012 (Spring Valley) -- The annual free Spring Valley Community Health and Wellness Festival is being held April 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Spring Valley County Park, 8735 Jamacha Blvd., Spring Valley.

By Miriam Raftery

January 21, 2012 (Spring Valley) –More than 70 homeless people in San Diego have a clean, dry mat to sleep on – thanks to the tireless efforts of Wilma Groh. 

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2012 (Spring Valley) – Jay Newman, 53, has been identified by the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office as the victim in last night’s deadly fight in the 3600 block of S. Cordoba Avenue in Spring Valley.

Sheriff’s deputies have arrested John Guy Durham, 55, who will be charged with murder, according to a press release from the Sheriff, which also revealed new details on the crime.

January 7, 2012 (Spring Valley) – A runaway truck has rolled down a hill, struck a home and landed on a gas meter at a home at 1313 Portola Avenue in Spring Valley. A gas line has been ruptured and SDG&E has been called, Incident Page Networks reports at 5:13 p.m. A victim has been transported to a local hospital in moderate trauma status.

The vehicle was unoccupied, according to IPN.

December 4, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Alberto Octavio Valenzuela, 49, crashed the Honda he was driving at a high rate of speed into the Jamul Feed Store at 12868 Campo Road in Spring Valley shortly before 4 a.m. on Friday. The Medical Examiner’s office has ruled his death a suicide, noting that Valenzuela suffered from clinical depression.

November 16, 2011 (Spring Valley)--The Spring Valley Citizens Association will discuss adding a dog-friendly Park in Spring Valley at its next community meeting on Thursday, November 17 at 7 p.m. in the San Miguel Fire District, 2850 Via Orange Way.

November 10, 2011 (Spring Valley) – Wayne A. Bell has been arrested for attempted murder after striking his brother-in-law with his vehicle in what Sheriff’s deputies believe was an intentional act.

According to Sergeant M. McPhail, deputies responded yesterday at 12:07 a.m. to a report of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian at 9055 Lemon Street in Spring Valley.

November 1, 2011 (La Mesa)—Gerry Bullard, 22, and Keith Davis, 26 have been arrested on charges of car jacking and armed robbery, La Mesa Police report.  The men may be responsible for multiple robberies in La Mesa and elsewhere in the County, according to La Mesa Police.

By Miriam Raftery

October 9, 2011 (Spring Valley) –Tim Parton, former pianist for the Legacy Five gospel music group and 2011 musician of the year nominee by AbsolutelyGospel.com, will perform at Faith Chapel in Spring Valley on October 16.

An accomplished pianist and vocalist, Parton began playing piano at age two and is a self-taught prodigy who attributes his talents to God. In addition to performing in Nashville and other venues including his current West Coast solo tour, Parton also produced albums for Legacy Five.

September 20, 2011 (Spring Valley) 8:25 p.m. -- San Diego Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter, a K-9 unit from National City Police and a total of seven law enforcement units are currently searching for suspects believed to have robbed a Wendy’s hamburger outlet in the Casa de Oro area of Spring Valley.

The suspects were last seen running east down Campo Road, according to a Sheriff’s media spokesman, who declined to release descriptions of the suspects.

September 8, 2011 (Spring Valley) – 2:50 p.m. – A residential structure fire that started in a split level home at Grand and Eucalyptus has spread into adjacent brush, Heartland Fire Dispatch has just confirmed. Wildland fire air support is en route. Mutual aide firefighting units from Santee and La Mesa have also been called to the scene.