By Miriam Raftery

June 22, 2023 (El Cajon )  -- A man who swung a sword at neighbors and threatened violence prompted a SWAT team to respond today ending in his arrest 

Around 8 a.m., El Cajon Police began receiving calls reporting a man swinging a large sword at people in the parking lot of 1018 East Lexington.

“The man with the sword went back inside an apartment, and then returned to the parking lot making threats to shoot people, while simulating a gun in his waistband,” says Lieutenant Jeremiah Larson, adding that no gun was seen by any of the victims or witnesses.

East County News Service

June 21, 2023 (Spring Valley) –Sweetwater Regional Park in Spring Valley will soon be expanded from 300 acres to 490 acres, helping the county to complete the 11-mile Sweetwater Loop Trail around Sweetwater Reservoir.

East County News Service

June 21, 2023 (Lakeside) – The Maine Street Revitalization Association in Lakeside invites you to decorate your vehicle and join the  Lakeside 4^th of July parade.

Story and photos by Josh Stotler

Photo, left:SDG&E Helitanker 729 makes a water drop on the Wildcat fire as crews cut brush below.

Photo, right:Flames overtake vegetation and paintball barricades on the Barona reservation.

June 20, 2023 (Ramona) -- On a day that saw four vegetation fires in San Diego County, residents can rest assured that firefighters are ready and able to aggressively attack wildfires. 

At 4:06 p.m., calls came in to 911 dispatch reporting smoke in the area off Wildcat Canyon Road on the Barona reservation. Crews, most of which were coming off other fires, were sent to the area and confirmed a fire was making its way through the brush of a paintball park.

Crews set up quickly and were familiar with this exact area. Only two short months ago, this place was filled with firetrucks, hand crews and firefighting aircraft, not for a fire, but for the 2023 Multi-Agency Wildland  Preparedness Exercise—a three day real world simulation that played out nearly exact to the scenario fire crews faced today.

Story and photos by Josh Stotler

Photo, left: Crews battle the heat and smoke of the Murray fire Tuesday afternoon.

June 20, 2023 (El Cajon)-- A small vegetation fire was sparked off Interstate 8 near Murray Drive and Dennstedt Place in El Cajon this afternoon. While East County crews were battling two other wildland fires, calls came into Heartland Fire & Rescue’s dispatch just after 2:20 p.m. reporting a fire on the hill adjacent to Grossmont High School.

Engines were sent to the scene and Interstate 8 was closed to westbound traffic as crews battled the flames.

By Miriam Raftery

Video by Miguel Estrema

June 19, 2023 (Ranchita) --  A single-family home in Ranchita across the street from a  Cal Fire station erupted in flames on Saturday.

Cal Fire responded to the fire on Valley View Drive.  On Twitter,  Cal Fire stated, “There is a single story residential structure that is well-involved in fire.The fire has extended into the vegetation; additional units have been dispatched.  #MontezumaIC.”

By Christianne McCormick

Photos by Christianne McCormick and Monica Silver

June 19, 2023 (Santee) -- The Santee Pride Walk  on June 10^th was met with an outpour of support despite the City’s conservative culture. This pride walk, organized by the Santee United Methodist Church, attracted so many people from all parts of San Diego that attendants could barely fit along the sidewalks. Nearly all came to support diversity and the LGBTQ+ community, though several protesters also turned out.

Car after car honked to show support of the walk, which began on Edgemont Drive, then proceeded to Cuyamaca Street along Mission Gorge. Some supporters held their rainbow pride flags out of their car windows and sunroofs to show support for the marchers. An estimated 300 people were present for this event, far more than the 50 that organizers originally estimated would participate.

East County News Service

June 18, 2023 (La Mesa) — San Diego Concert Band will have two free performances in the next week locally, with two more next month. This week’s shows are:

Second tragedy in a week occurs at popular waterfall site

By Miriam Raftery

June 17, 2023 (Julian) --  The U.S. Forest Service has closed the trail to Three Sisters Falls unitl further notice while first responders search for a missing man, 27, who was last seen swimming late  yesterday.  Helix Water District has shut off water from a dam feeding the falls to aid rescue efforts.

Deputies with the Julian Sheriff's Substation received a call for help on Friday, June 16 just before 5:00 p.m. “Two people were swimming at the middle level of the falls. One went underwater and did not resurface,” says Lieutenant William Amavisca.

East County News Service

June 16, 2023 (La Mesa)—You’re invited to celebrate Black culture, history and life while honoring those who fought for freedom and rights.  La Mesa’s Juneteenth Celebration will be held Sunday,  June 19  from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at MacArthur Park,4900 Memorial Drive in La Mesa.

“We bring a family oriented celebration with participation from local businesses, educators, writers, churches, community leaders, elected officials, and performers in and around La Mesa. All are welcome as we bring our community together and raise awareness of the Juneteenth jubilee and share its important historical significance,” states the website for the La Mesa Juneteenth Foundation.

Update June 19, 2023 --The deceased has been identified as  Max Andrew Vizcarra, 26. The Medical Examiner found cause of death to be blunt force injuries and inhaling products of combustion.

By Miriam Raftery

June 15, 2023 (Dulzura) – A 26-year-old San Diego man lost control of the sedan he was driving last night on State Route 94 in Dulzura, causing a fiery collision with a pickup truck.  The crash killed the sedan driver and injured the pickup truck’s driver.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the sedan was heading westbound on 94 just west of Cochera Via Drive around 7:10 p.m. when the driver traveled onto the dirt shoulder, then spun counterclockwise and crossed into the eastbound lane. The sedan struck a 2012 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup driven by a 26-year-old man from Tecate, Mexico, who was traveling at 55 miles per hour.

“The right side of the sedan struck the front of the Dodge, resulting in the sedan bursting into flames,” says Officer Jared Grieshaber with the CHP. “The driver of the sedan was knocked unconscious during the impact, and the driver of the Dodge attempted to extricate him from the sedan, but was unable to do so.”

East County News Service

Photo via County News Service

June 14, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – The State of California has awarded a grant of nearly $17 million to help put people experiencing homelessness along the San Diego Riverbed into permanent housing and to connect them with services.

The grant is the result of a county-led partnership in collaboration with the city of Santee, the city of San Diego, and the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans).  It’s funded as part of $240 million in Encampment Resolution Funds that California announced last year to help local jurisdictions resolve encampments and get people into housing, as well as provide services.

According to the Point in Time homeless count conducted countywide on a January morning in 2023, homelessness countywide has risen by 25% over last year’s count.  Here in East County, communities along the San Diego River, where there are numerous homeless camps, have seen homeless numbers rise significantly including a 58% increase in Lakeside, 23% increase in Lakeside, and an 18% increase in Spring Valley.  In Lakeside and Valley, 100% of homeless people are unsheltered, highlighting the need for these funds. The count found 78 homeless people in Lakeside and 71 in SpringValley.  Santee had76 homeless individuals, of whom only 18 were in any type of shelter.

By Miriam Raftery

Donald Michael Santini,  aka Wellman "Wells" Simmonds

June 13, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – A fugitive wanted for the murder of a Florida woman nearly 40 years ago, as well as a robbery in Texas, has been leading a double life in Campo. There, he brazenly held public positions under an assumed name.

On Wednesday, Donald Michael Santini, known locally under the alias Wellman “Wells” Simmonds, was arrested in Campo's Lake Morena community by U.S. Marshals, ECM news partner 10 News reports.

Simmonds served on the Campo-Lake Morena Community Planning Group as well as president of the board of directors for the Lake Morena Views Mutual Water Company, a troubled water district where nitrate contamination has left district residents forced to drink bottled water for the past three years, as ECM reported.

“Everyone was surprised. There was nothing unusual about him,” Billie Jo Jannen, Chair of the planning group, told ECM.

By Miriam Raftery

June 13, 2023 (Pine Valley) – The Sheriff’s department is asking for public help to find a man who falsely told a 12-year-old girl that her mother had asked him to pick her up. The girl told authorities that she had returned to Pine Valley Park after a movie screening Friday just after 9 p.m. to pick up belongings she had had left behind, when a tall, heavy-set man wearing a hoodie approached and asked her name.

“She gave the man a false name as she continued to walk away. After receiving the false name, the man told the girl that her mother had given him permission to pick her up,” says Lieutenant Jeff Ford with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Rural Command. “The girl immediately fled and notified her friends and family. The man did not follow her. The girl was not hurt.”

By Miriam Raftery

June 12, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – A celebration of life service for former Lemon Grove City Councilman Tom Clabby will be held on Saturday, June 17 from 1-4 p.m.at the H. Lee House in Treganza Heritage Park, 3200 Main Street in Lemon Grove.

Clabby passed away on January 22 in the company of family and friends. He served on the Lemon Grove City Council for 14 years from 1994 to 2008, after previously serving on the city’s planning commission. He was also the city’s appointed representative to Metropolitan Transit System, providing leadership at the agency.