By Allan Acevedo

March 13, 2019 (Lemon Grove) – The community room at the Lemon Grove Library quickly overfilled last night as parents, students, teachers, and community members gathered to share their united concern for what they collectively referred to as the “firing” of 16 teachers.” With all chairs filled, attendees began congregating against the sides and doors of the room, some standing just outside the door to listen in.

By Judy Edelblute, Coordinator of St. Mark's Art Shows

Photo:  “The Ballerina” oil painting by Carlos Meneses

March 14, 2019 (San Diego) - Three East County artists have won awards in the 56^th annual Lenten Art Show at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, San Diego.  Carlos Meneses, Paradise Hills, won first place, Jenny K. Ferrone, El Cajon, won second place and Sandra Seckington, Lakeside, received an Honorable Mention Award. There are a total of 56 art works by 30 artists in the show.

Source:  La Mesa Chamber of Commerce

Photo courtesy Sandra Small

March 14, 2019 (La Mesa) - The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce held their second breakfast meeting of the year on Wednesday, March 6th. There was an overwhelming crowd that gathered to meet La Mesa’s newest elected Council Member, Dr. Akilah Weber. There were many new faces in the crowd, including new members that joined us on this special morning. Dr. Weber was elected to the La Mesa City Council in November 2018. Dr. Weber is a board-Certified obstetrician/gynecologist and the Director of the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. Dr. Weber shared her commitment to listening to members of the community and encouraged people to email her on any issue that they wish addressed. To reinforce that commitment, Dr. Weber shared that she is launching her “Community Chat with Your Councilmember” on Saturday, May 4th. She invited everyone to attend and be a part of the dialogue on any subject they wish. This first community chat will be held at Sylvan Learning, 8366 Parkway Drive in La Mesa at 7:00 a.m. Dr. Weber discussed items that have recently been on the Council agenda and took questions from the audience.

By Jennifer Doucet

Photos courtesy of Steele Canyon Players

March 13, 2019 (Spring Valley) -- London stage actor, Dean Chisnall, visited Steele Canyon Charter High School March 7 through March 9 to help prepare the school’s theatre and music departments for their own production of the award-winning hit, Les Misérables, premiering March 20th.  Over two and a half days, Chisnall worked closely with SCHS Theatre Director, Nicole LaBella and Music Director, Heather Luck to coach the cast, crew and orchestra.

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2019 (Spring Valley) – Area residents packed into Butler’s Coffee Shop in Spring Valley this morning to share concerns over alleged drug houses, homeless camps, traffic concerns and more.  Interim Sheriff’s Station Captain Charles Cinnamo was on hand to answer questions, along with California Highway Patrol Commander Jason Penner and District Attorney community partnership prosecutor Monique Myers, who handles the East County region.

Source: Caltrans

March 12, 2019 (Spring Valley) -- Caltrans  crews will reduce a quarter-mile section of State Route 94 (SR-94) to one lane just east of Freezer Road in Dulzura (south of Jamul) weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. beginning Wednesday, according to Caltrans.

The lane reduction is needed for work along the north side of the highway as part of the SR-94 Curve Realignment Project.

District releases audit of coordinated school safety plan

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Meeting recording provided by ECM: ECMCVUSDStudentSafety

March 11, 2019 (El Cajon)--Following a safety and security audit recently conducted by AECOM and DMB Consultants, two security engineering firms specializing in building security audits, the Cajon Valley Union School District (CVUSD) has been conducting a series of town meetings at local schools over the past month. The meetings are being held throughout the district to advise parents on what the district is doing to improve student safety and building security.

Meetings have so far taken place at Hillsdale Middle School, Grossmont Middle School, and Montgomery Middle School. Future meetings are set to take place at Cajon Valley Middle School on March 14,  Emerald Middle School on March 21, and Los Coches Creek Middle School on March 27, all at 6 p.m.

By Allan Acevedo

March 11, 2019 (Lemon Grove) –  The Lemon Grove City Council conducted business this week in the absence of Councilmember Matt Mendoza. The remaining four councilmembers received annual updates from fire and police. Additionally, the Council discussed at length the possibility of adding a local ordinance regulating inflatable jumpers as soon as this summer.

East County News Service

March 8, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) - Mark Siegmund sent in these photos of California Golden Poppies, our state flower, taken March 7^th near the Lake Barrett reservoir’s exposed aquaduct section.

East County News Service

Photo: Creative Commons image per S.A. of a similar Korean War era device

March 8, 2019 (Spring Valley) – Sheriff’s deputies received a call this morning from a resident on Margaret Court, Spring Valley who said his 93-year-old neighbor had given him a grenade.

Detectives responded and it was determined that the device was an inert Korean War era grenade. It was removed from the area for proper disposal, says detective John Debus.

East County News Service

March 8, 2019 (Ramona) -- Working toward a goal of at least 40 painted murals on Ramona buildings, the H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project has received approval of artists and concepts of three additional murals from the Ramona Design Review Board.The committee is also searching for a muralist to create a fourth mural — a scene of vintage bikes, at Cheers of Ramona, 2475 Main St. 

East County News Service

March 8, 2019 (Ramona) – Ramona Ranch Winery announces a series of events including Cheeses from the Cave this Saturday, live music with the Tree Huggers next weekend, and a Winemaker Weekend in April.  Scroll down for details, provided by the winery: 

By Miriam Raftery

March 8, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – The proposed 90 megawatt Jacumba Valley Ranch (JVR) solar project on 1,345 acres next to the Jacumba Hot Springs airport has a project footprint “much larger than the small town that is right next door,” says Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Planning Group.

An environmental impact report will be prepared and public input  is sought on what should be included in the EIR.  Comments are due by April 8.  A scoping meeting will be held on March 21, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at the Highland Community Center, 44681 Old Highway 80, Jacumba Hot Springs.

Below is the county’s public notice with full details:

By Miriam Raftery

March 7, 2019 (Alpine) –The Children’s Nature Retreat in Alpine is temporarily closed due to damage done by unknown intruders. In a letter to supporters, the retreat’s owners sent photos of damage and revealed that on Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m., they discovered that three fences had been cut with a heavy-duty tool, rolled back and laid on the ground, allowing sheep, donkeys and African animals to be released from their enclosures.