By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 1, 2023 (San Diego) - Make a difference in a homeless pet’s life by giving them a home, family, and love in August for Clear the Shelters, a monthlong national effort to find caring homes for animals in shelters.

By: Jessyka Heredia

Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/EfC-xnCUzmo?feature=share

July 25, 2023 (El Cajon)—Hundreds of residents showed up Tuesday evening to a public meeting held at Hillsdale Middle School, convened by The County of San Diego Planning Commission regarding a revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the controversial Cottonwood sand mine proposal.  Those present in the packed room showed solidarity in opposition to the sand mine project currently under consideration by the County of San Diego on a 214 acre section of Cottonwood golf course in El Cajon.

$543,171 in potential refunds available; deadline to file claim is September 21, 2023  

Source:  Treasurer-Tax Collecter, San Diego County

July 29, 2023 (San Diego) - The countdown has started! Go online now to find out if you are owed part of $543,171 in unclaimed money before it is rolled into the County General Fund.    

By Jacob Pamus

Photo, right: Interior of existing library

July 27, 2023 (La Mesa) – In July, 2021, La Mesa created a library task force to decide what changes would be made to the San Diego County Library in La Mesa. On July 25th, three options were presented to the La Mesa City Council. All three would result in approximately the same sized facility, around 16,000 square feet, but with different layouts. Two would entail expanding the existing structure, while the third would have authorizing construction of a new facility.

Update August 3, 2023:All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted.

By Miriam Raftery

July 29, 2023 (Aguanga, CA) – The #Bonny Fire in Aguanga has grown to 2,069 acres and is threatening 632 structures,  Cal Fire reports this morning. The fire is currently burning in Riverside County, but evacuations have been ordered in Terwilliger Valley including areas north of the San Diego County line, west of Anza Borrego State Park,Southof Bowers,Bailey and Ramsey,and East of Bonny.  View evacuation map: http://linktr.ee/calfirerru

The fire is 5% contained but is burning in extremely rugged, steep terrain. Escalating temperatures today pose challenges for firefighters, and one firefighter injury is reported. A chance of thunderstorms this afternoon heightens risk of erratic fire behavior.

Update July 29, 2023: The evacuation warnings have been lifted.

Update July  28, 2023 8:40 a.m.: The #Border21Fire fire remains four acres in the US, acerage in Mexico is undetermined, Cal Fire reports. Evacuation warnings remain in effect for the area just west of Tecate, CA. Crews will work through the day to minimize the threat of the fire extending any further northwards.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Border 32 Fire on Mount Cuchama, by Robin Brailsford

July 27, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)  -- An evacuation warning, meaning impending danger to property, has been issued due to the #Border21Fire.  The fire is burning in the southeastern part of the county off Grapevine Truck Trail and Tecate Truck Trail.  The evacuation warning is in effect for the Tecate and Potrero area in the shaded areas shown on the map below this story.

A temporary evacuation center has been set up at Steele Canyon High School, 12440 Campo Rd., Spring Valley.

When a warning is given, you should assume an evacuation order will follow, the Sheriff advises.  Start now to gather important items for your family and pets, and if you feel you are in danger, don’t wait—go.

Remember these six “Ps” when preparing to evacuation:

by Donald H. Harrison , Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Rabbi Aharon Shapiro said incident at this College Avenue 7-Eleven reflects hateful rhetoric by some political figures. Times of San Diego photo illustration

July 27, 2023 (San Diego) -- An Orthodox rabbi Wednesday said his tzitzits — ceremonial fringes — were torn from the woolen garment he wears under his shirt and thrown on the floor by a man who cussed Jews and Israel.

Rabbi Aharon Shapiro, formerly of Cape Town, South Africa, said the incident Monday near San Diego State University is a reflection of the hateful rhetoric spouted by some American political figures and celebrities.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Photo, left: Comic Con attendees dressed up as ghosts ready to go to the Haunted Mansion.

July 27, 2023 (San Diego) -- San Diego Comic-Con returned to its roots – comics – after strikes by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federal of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) brought celebrity-stacked panels and appearances to a halt. Still costumes, Gaslamp Quarter happenings, the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park, and a multitude of other activities helped keep badge holders and non-badge holders happy.

While it is considered a multi-genre entertainment event, celebrities in a different genre -  cartoonists and illustrators—ruled, creating artwork for children and adults on the spot while highlighting that they, the artists, were the sources for the adventure films and cartoons that became films and tv shows. Up-and-coming artists and lesser-known cartoonists also drew in crowds.

July 25, 2023 (Ranchita) -- The #WilsonFire in Ranchita was ignited by a lightning strike around 4 p.m. today,  according to a witness, Miguel Estrema.  Cal Fire reports the fire has burned 2-3 acres at a slow rate of spread 2 miles south of Old Wilson Rd & Montezuma Valley Rd.

Multiple helicopters are making air drops on the fire, per Cal Fire.

By Miriam Raftery

View video of forum

Hear audio aired on KNSJ: part 1; part 2

July 23, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)—Ballots have been mailed for the special election in the 4^th Supervisorial District to fill the vacancy left by Nathan Fletcher’s resignation. East County Magazine hosted a forum for the candidates, who spoke out on issues including homelessness, housing, energy, policing, drug addiction, sand mines, wildfire safety, and more. ECM editor Miriam Raftery moderated the forum.

August 15 is the last day to vote in the special election primary.

The three candidates who participated are Monica Montgomery Steppe, an attorney and president pro tem of the San Diego City Council, Amy Reichert, a private investigator and founder of Reopen San Diego, and Janessa Goldbeck, a former Marine and CEO of a nonprofit helping veterans.  (A fourth candidate, Paul McQuigg, a military veteran and U.S. Labor Dept. employee, RSVP’d that he would attend but said he was unable to get connectivity for the forum on Zoom while traveling overseas.)

Click the video to view highlights of the forum,  listen to audio for the version aired on radio (edited slightly for length), and scroll down to read highlights.

East County News Service

July 22, 2023 (Santee) – Catalytic converter thefts off vehicles have been on the rise regionally. To help protect motorists from losses and increase the chances of being able to return stolen parts to their owners, the San Diego County Sheriff is hosting a free catalytic converter engraving event on Saturday, July 29 from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. at 8891 Railroad Ave. in Santee.Reservations are required.

By Miriam Raftery

Reported incident may be a hoax, but workers in the field are urged not to accept water or food from strangers

July 21, 2023 – A flyer with SDG&E’s logo circulating on Facebook claims two workers for a local flagging company during extreme heat were given water bottles by a stranger. “Apparently, the water bottles were laced with Fentanyl. Sadly, one of the flaggers died and the other is in critical condition after ingesting the water,” the flyer headlined “Non-SDG&E Contractor Incident Alert” states.

However, SDG&E spokesman Alex Welling told ECM, “We have been working on this since yesterday and we cannot verify the information.  We sent out an alert to contractors; this is true. But after further information we have been unable to verify the source.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Boxes hold electoral college electors' votes, awaiting certification by Vice President Mike Pence in Congress on January 6, 2021.  Photo courtesy of Senator Jeff Merkley.

July 19, 2023 (Washington D.C.) – Former President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he received notice that he is a target of a federal grand jury investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The Grand Jury has been looking into the violent attack on the U.S. capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.  That attack included plans by insurrectionists to halt the counting of votes and now appears tied to a conspiracy to certify fake electors from multiple states and substitute them for the real electors’ votes.

The U.S. Department of Justice and some states have launched probes into the fake elector scheme,with the first arrests announced in Michigan, where felony charges have been filed. Here’s the latest, according to Newsweek:

Source: American Tortoise Rescue

Photo: Red-eared slider turtle, by Greg Hume, CC-by-SA via Wikipedia

July 18,2023 (Malibu, CA ) – American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), founded in 1990 as the first national turtle and tortoise rescue, is sending a plea to parents – buy Ninja toys not turtles.

Update July 20, 2023:  The victim has been identified as Kai Torres Bronson, 24, of Otay Mesa, according to the County Medical Examiner.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Cal Fire

July 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – A Good Samaritan who helped rescue hikers suffering heat-related illnesses on Saturday has died, Cal Fire reports.