East County News Service

December 16, 2016 (La Mesa and Santee)--The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce announces that applications are now available for the 2017 Miss La Mesa and Miss Santee Scholarship Pageants. Next year’s pageant will be held on Saturday, March 4th, 2017 at the beautiful new theater at Helix Charter High School.

 Each year the two cities seek young women between the ages of 12-26 to participate in a program that has become a tradition in the cities since the late 1960s and is an outstanding mentoring program for young women.

East County News Service

December 15, 2016 (El Cajon) - Become part of a program that gives the  elderly grandparents a gift at Christmas.  The fourth annual "Adopt-a-Grandparent" program will take place at Cottonwood Canyon Healthcare (1391 E. Madison Ave.,) on December 22 at 1:00 p.m.

Source: El Cajon Valley Lions

December 14, 2016 (El Cajon) - On Saturday December 17, 2016, El Cajon Valley Lions will box and deliver Christmas food baskets to needy families in El Cajon. Each family will receive turkey and all the fixings and toys for the children. El Cajon Valley Lions have been doing this program in collaboration with the El Cajon Salvation Army for more than 25 years.

East County News Service

December 13, 2016 (San Diego) – Tomorrow., San Diego Supervisors will consider a general plan amendment that would allow additional development on some Forest Conservation Initiative Lands. These properties were protected for 20 years by a vote of the people countywide, but the measure had a sunset provision. The issue pits environmentalists’ conservation goals against rights of private property owners.

The hearing starts at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Center, Room 310, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego.  Below are arguments on both sides of this contentious issue impacting inholding sites within or adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest.

By Robin Norris Kendall

December 13, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The Coffee House Revolution has come to East County. Move over Starbucks—we can now choose to drink global, but sip local. Take, for example, Public Square Coffee House in the Village of La Mesa.

Source: Santee Fire Department

December 12, 2016 (Santee) — Santee Fire Department officials will express their appreciation to the Firehouse Subs Safety Foundation for providing the city with grant funds for new life-saving equipment at static display of the equipment scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Dec. 16.

East County News Service

December 12, 2016 (Spring Valley) — A 24-year-old man died Monday night when the Corvette he was driving at a high speed struck an Oldsmobile on Highway 94 in Spring Valley, then plunged over the side of the freeway. 

The Corvette fell 70 feet onto Spring Street below, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Pearlstein.

East County News Service

December 11, 2016 (Santee) – The City of Santee held a grand opening Saturday for Deputy Ken Collier Neighborhood Park, located at 9170 Via de Cristina, just east of Fanita Drive and north of Prospect Avenue.  The new park is named in memory of Deputy Collier, who was killed in the line of duty in 2010 while trying to stop a drunk driver who was traveling the wrong-way on Highway 52.

Hear our interview with Dilkhwaz Ahmed by clicking the audio link.

East County News  Service

December 10,2016 (El Cajon)—In an interview on KNSJ Radio, Dilkhwaz Ahmed with License to Freedom offered an urgent plea for help. Hundreds of Syrian families have just arrived in East County – with 50 to 60 more flooding in each day. 

The refugees fled a humanitarian crisis in their war-torn homeland, relocated here by the U.S. government at the request of the United Nations. Other countries are also offering shelter to refugees. But many who came here have large families, so their modest aid funds are scarcely enough to cover rent and food.  They need help to overcome trauma and learn how to build new lives in America. But there are not nearly enough people or resources to fill the desperate need.

East County News Service

December 9, 2016 (Ocotillo) - Border Patrol agents rescued a 39-year-old illegal immigrant, whose identity is being withheld, in the mountains west of Ocotillo on Friday around 12:40 p.m., NBC 7 reports.

California Highway Patrol agents were able to find the man, a native of El Salvador, after a report filed that he was lost about half a mile north of the Mexican border.

East County News Service

December 9, 2016 (Alpine) -- Detectives with the Sheriff's Homicide Detail and the Fugitive Task Force have arrested Alpine resident Wiliey Foster in connection with the death of 18 month-old Leah Brown-Meza. Foster is the live-in boyfriend of the baby’s mother.

December 9, 2016 (La Mesa)-- The new Holiday in the Village event will be bringing back some of La Mesa's most cherished holiday traditions--including chestnuts roasting on open fires,  holiday music and carnival rides for kids,  plus creating some new memories for all including booths with over 80 artisans.  Santa Claus will also be at the event slated for this Saturday,  December10th from 10 a.m.to 10 p.m. There's also a holiday card drive to brighten the holidays for U.S. troops overseas.

This is the first year that the new  La MesaVillage Association has been in charge of the event.  East County Magazine interviewed  Katie Halvin,  an organizer of the event,  on our radio show originally aired on KNSJ 89.1  FM. 

You can listen now by clicking the audio link.

By Miriam Raftery

December 7, 2016 (Dulzura) –The Highway 94 Club, in partnership with East County Vintners, will present their 4^th annual Wine Tasting on Thursday, December  15^th at 6:30 p.m. in the Barrett Junction Café on Highway 94.

By Kathy Carpenter

Associate/Youth Reviewer www.sdtheatrereviews.com

December 7, 2016 (El Cajon) - Peace on Earth, good will toward men. This is the time of year for giving. Give yourself a gift by taking time away from the stress of shopping, baking, social events, wrapping, the list goes on ... Add time for yourself helping others. For$7.00 you can't even go to a movie,  but you can enjoy going toyouth theatre. The look on the faces of the cast as they look out and see a full audience is priceless.