By Mimi Pollack

March 30, 2016 (El Cajon) - It is not easy leaving your home and moving to a new country as an immigrant or refugee. Many immigrants and refugees’ lives are shattered by political or religious conflict and they have to flee their countries. The ones who arrive in the United States have to learn a new language, and get accustomed to a new culture and different types of food. Not only that, many immigrants and refugees go from living in a rural place where they had land, or perhaps a house in the city with a garden to living in  small, urban apartments. Sometimes, they feel homesick and long for what they had back home. 

By Janis Russell

March 30, 2016 (Ramona) - Capability Ranch: Special Needs Activities and Events Center for Youth and Young Adults located in Ramona has been open for over a year. Nicola Bridges, founder of the ranch, and her husband, Tony Oxley, have been operating this ranch along with volunteers who teach activities. The ranch is geared towards young people who are 16-27 years of age, with the average being 21 years. ECM participated in an exclusive interview with Bridges.

By Leon Thompson

Photo: left to right:  Andrew Keatts, Laura Espinoza, Jim Stone and Rob Schupp

March 30, 2016 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Conversations invited residents to “join the conversation” to discuss The Future of Transportation in La Mesa on March 28^th at the Mason Lodge, where a panel of transportation experts enlightened an audience of about two dozen people.

East County News Service

March 30, 2016 (La Mesa) - The citizens group overseeing the spending of millions of dollars in taxpayer-approved bonds for new and improved patient care facilities at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa has issued its 2015 Annual Report to the Community.

East County News Service

March 29, 2016 (Ramona) - Mark your calendars for the 13th annual Ramona Open Studios Tour on April 9 and 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring 25 artists working in all mediums in 17 private studios located throughout Ramona.

East County News Service

March 27, 2016 (Alpine) --The Alpine Woman’s Club Victorian Tea has been compared to the teas at the Hotel Del Coronado and Westgate Hotel. This is the perfect venue to showcase your finest hat, share good conversation with good friends and introduce your daughter or granddaughter to their first Victorian Tea. What a wonderful experience for any young lady ages 8 years and up. Entertainment will feature piano music by William D. Young, playing songs from yesteryear. There will also be a raffle, door prizes and other surprises. Period attire is recommended but not required.

East County News Service

Photo: Screenshot off Full Gospel church's Facebook page

March 27, 2016 (Spring Valley) – A fire burned down the Full Gospel Church of God in Christ in Spring Valley last weekend.  The Pentacostal church serves a congregation of about 30 people, mainly African Americans.

Just in time for Easter Sunday services, another church previously burned in a fire has offered up space for Full Gospel’s worship services, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

East County News Service

Photo: Screenshot from KNSD

March 26, 2016 (Lakeside) – A pre-dawn fire Saturday morning caused heavy damage at the Eastbound Bar & Grill, a popular eatery on Maine Street in downtown Lakeside.

East County News Service

March 25, 2016 (Ramona) --  A 92-year-old Ramona woman died at the scene of an accident this morning at 11:30 a.m.

East County News Service

March 25, 2016 (Lakeside) – Lakeside’s Western Days Parade will roll out along Maine Street on April 23 starting at 9:35 a.m.  Celebrating its 51^st year, this year’s parade hosted by the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce will feature the theme “America Strong, Lakeside Strong.”

By George Barnett

March 19, 2016 (Alpine) – Grossmont Union High School District Trustees are in the process of gerrymandering its voter district. Grossmont intends to move from a process of electing trustees on an “at large” basis to a re-districting to a by-trustee basis.  This means that individual communities such as that across Alpine, Blossom Valley, Harbison Canyon – for example – could elect their own chosen representative on the Grossmont board.  Grossmont is being forced into re-districting by threat of separate law suits. 

Fundamentally, it is a sound idea.  However, Grossmont also decided to do this without voter input or approval.  The scheme of re-districting that Grossmont has selected is gerrymandering and results in:

Beginning a relationship with a dentist early in your child’s life can help safeguard the child’s oral health.

East County News Service

March 21, 2016 (San Diego/La Mesa) – Did you know that it is recommended that children visit a dentist for the first time by their first birthday? Many parents don’t bring their children to the dentist until the age of two or later, but the American Dental Association recommends all children begin a relationship with a dentist when the first tooth erupts, or by the age of one.

“Parents often tell us they never thought to bring their infant or toddler to our office because he or she didn’t have very many teeth, so they didn’t think about it,” says Dr. Santiago Surillo, a San Diego children’s dentist. “They are often surprised to learn that dental decay can set in before a tooth even erupts. Beginning a relationship with a dentist at a young age can set your child up for a lifetime of good oral health.”

East County News Service

March 18, 2016 (Lakeside) - With Lakeside Health Awareness Month at its half way point, some great promotions have been going on to promote health, fitness and wellness to the citizens of Lakeside.

East County News Service

March 18, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The Boys & Girls Clubs of East County (BGCEC) has announced more than $5.6 million has been raised towards a goal of $9.4 million for its fundraising effort called the “La Mesa Capital Campaign” that includes construction of a new 25,000-square-foot clubhouse on the campus of La Mesa Arts Academy, previously known as La Mesa Middle School.

East County News Service

March 18, 2016 (La Mesa) -- In July of 2015, the La Mesa Police Department was awarded a $34,363 grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to battle alcohol related crime.  This week, the department issued an update on decoy operations, inspections and arrests as a result of the grant funding.