400+ properties offered; register by March 2 to participate

Source: Treasurer-Tax Collector of San Diego County

 February 28, 2023 (San Diego) - San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister announced bidder registration for the 2023 online property auction closes this Thursday, March 2. A total of 404 properties are currently for sale.   

"God allows U-turns." -- Kathi Torres

By Miriam Raftery

View video interview by clicking image, right

February 26, 2023 (San Diego) – Kathi Torres with Freedom from Exploitation, an organization that helps survivors of human trafficking, is also a survivor of sex trafficking. In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine originally aired on KNSJ radio, Torres speaks out on her own experience, how to protect teens from traffickers, and how to get help for victims here in San Diego County, a national hub for human trafficking.

She also calls for repeal of a state law, Senate Bill 357, that decriminalized loitering to solicit prostitution, which she says has cut off the main avenue for victims to get help. 

“Because of this new law, police can’t stop, cite or arrest anyone for loitering to solicit prostitution,” including victims as well as men driving around looking to pick up prostitutes. But when police can’t detain trafficking victims, the victims don’t get referred to programs that can help them escape from being trafficked, says Torres, who was also a panelist at a recent presentation of “Stolen,” an NBC San Diego investigative series on trafficking.

Update: The hearing has been postponed until April 3, 2023.

By Miriam Raftery

File photos:  Councilmembers Liana LeBaron, left, and Jennifer Mendoza, right

February 25, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – A judge has granted a temporary restraining order requiring Lemon Grove Councilmember Liana LeBaron to stay at least 100 yards away from fellow Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza, as well as Mendoza’s home and vehicle, pending a March 6 hearing. The order further orders LeBaron to avoid harassing or intimidating Mendoza, and prohibits LeBaron from owning firearms.

“I’m filing this request because I’m afraid that LeBaron’s stalking and harassing of me is escalating,” Mendoza states in a description detailing a pattern of alleged harassment. She adds, “I am concerned about my safety.” 

East County News Service

February 24, 2023 (Cuyamaca) – With lots of snow already on the ground and a major new storm set to bring the heaviest snowfall in recent memory, Rancho Cuyamaca State Park today announced that the park is closed.

California State Park Service posted on Facebook, “The park is expected to reopen sometime on Sunday. PLEASE DO NOT COME UP TO THE PARK TOMORROW (Saturday). The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning through Saturday, February 25th.” The Park Service urges people to avoid the mountain areas until after the storm, and urges would-be visitors to keep these things in mind:

Miriam Raftery and Jonathan Goetz

Photo, left: Robert Gehr

February 23, 2023 (El Cajon) – An early morning fire damaged URBN pizza and adjacent Creative Creature Brewing Company, according to Heartland Fire and Rescue Dept.

There had been a large party the previous night that kept staff there until midnight, said Derek Carnation of Creative Creature. "The fire started in their kitchen, and we're just next door; it's mainly smoke damage," he told East County Magazine after their establishments were cleared by the Health Department Thursday afternoon for reopening pending City Inspection, he tells ECM.

East County News Service

February 22, 2023 – The storm has caused power outages amid frigid weather in some parts of East County. While power has been restored in most areas, power went down in parts of Borrego Springs last night due to weather affecting SDG&E equipment, and is not expected to be restored until this evening.  Borrego resident Nikki Symington posted on Facebook, “I am freezing. No electricity since 9 last night."

According to SDG&E, “Last night at its peak 11,000 SDG&E customers were without power during the night, in addition to momentary outages caused by high winds. Crews have made significant progress in restoring thousands of customers and are working to restore remaining customers as quickly and safely as possible.”

The utility states that to protect the safety of its customers, employees and communities, the company has taken proactive steps to prepare for winter storms this week, with the strongest storm due this weekend. A news release from SDG&E states, “In anticipation of these storms, SDG&E increased the number of field crews and equipment available to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. The company’s meteorology team is also monitoring weather conditions minute-by-minute to help provide situational awareness to crews working hard to maintain the infrastructure that serves our communities. However, preparedness is a community effort, and the company encourages all of its customers to have a plan in place in case of unplanned outages.”

To help customers prepare for the upcoming storm, the company is sharing the following safety tips to help keep you and the region safe:

By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 22, 2023 (San Diego) -- Rain, strong winds and cold temperatures predicted to bring significant snow to local mountains as low as 2,000 feet began Tuesday evening and are forecast to continue through Saturday. The winds will additionally bring high surf to beaches, so everyone should take precautions if on the water.

County Emergency Services and Public Works road crews recommend everyone stay alert and take precautions at home and on the roads during the atmospheric river event.

The National Weather Service winter storm systems forecast is available and can be checked for updates. Damaging winds are expected through the week and could result in tree damage or falling trees or limbs. Driving, particularly if you are driving a high-profile vehicle, is predicted to be hazardous at times.

Avoid driving in heavy rain conditions but if the trip is necessary, follow these tips:

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

File photo, Rose Schindler, courtesy of Times of San Diego

February 21, 2023 (San Diego) -- Holocaust survivor Rose Schindler, who lived in San Diego for decades and spoke frequently to students about the tragic era, has died at 93 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Just three weeks before her death, she spoke to students at the new UC San Diego Glickman Hillel Center about her ordeal in the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz in Poland.

Schindler was just 14 when she and her family arrived at the camp from Czechoslovakia. She told the guards she was 18, and along with her older sisters was directed to a line, put to work, and survived World War II.

State’s two largest animal welfare organizations back effort to address nationwide shortage of veterinarians, ease vet school debt

East County News Service

February 19, 2023 (Sacramento) -- To mitigate the crisis-level shortage of veterinarians in California that is acutely affecting access to care for the most vulnerable companion animals including those in shelters, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris has introduced AB 1237, the California Public Interest Veterinary Debt Relief Act, in Sacramento. AB 1237 is co-sponsored by San Diego Humane Society and San Francisco SPCA.

AB 1237 aims to attract existing veterinarians to practice where demand is greatest in California, by providing state and private funding to apply toward their school loans. The new state program will offer payments of up to $150,000 in educational debt relief to licensed California veterinarians who agree to work for a California animal shelter or in underserved communities for at least five years.

By Miriam Raftery 

February 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – At 12:45 a.m., a truck towing a water tanker on Interstate 8 east near Tavern road struck a 26-year-old man from Lakeside who was standing outside of a disabled vehicle, a 2002 Cadillac Eldorado, on the roadway’s shoulder.

By Miriam Raftery

February 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Dane Terry, 67, co-founder of the Cadillac Wreckers jazz and blues band, lost his life February 13 of injuries sustained when an SUV ran a red light in San Carlos and struck the motorcycle Terry was riding.  He was known as “Mr. Chromatonic” and was widely known and respected among San Diego’s music community.

A resident of El Cajon, Terry moved to San Diego County in 1987 from Los Angeles. His musical interest began early in life, when his parents gave him a harmonica before he started school. Later, he sang in church and played with several blues bands before founding a harmonica trio and later, the Cadillac Wreckers band, in which Terry played harmonica as well as serving as vocalist.

The band has performed jazz, blues and dance music at popular venues across the county including House of Blues, Humphrey’s Backstage Live!, and the Gator by the Bay festival. They also performed at many East County venues including street festivals, Spring Harp Fest in La Mesa, Hooley’s Irish Pub and Girll, Main Tap Tavern, and Wynola Pizza and Bistro. He was also amember of a bluegrass band headed by Chris Clarke.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC-NC-SA via Bing

February 16, 2023 (Washington D.C.) - To help homeowners during this time of rising interest rates, the FHA has announced that its programs to help homeowners impacted by COVID-19 has been extended to help ALL eligible borrowers who are struggling to avoid foreclosure, regardless of the reason for their hardship. These tools will be available for at least the next 18 months.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 2 million homeowners were able to stay in their homes thanks to programs that allowed them to obtain loan modications or forbearances.

“Although the pandemic has ended, the economic effects will remain a challenge for the foreseeable future,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “These impactful and effective foreclosure prevention tools will help struggling borrowers find the right option to help them get back on their feet and keep them in their homes. These tools have been so successful already, which is why FHA worked to enhance them further and include more borrowers.”

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2023 (Escondido) – The California Highway Patrol is investigating a suspected homicide on state property. The victim is a woman found  dead on the El Norte onramp to northbound I-15, near a known homeless encampment. 

Officers observed signs of foul play including defensive wounds to the victim, according to the CHP.

CHP was notified by Escondido Police at 7:22 last night and responded to the scene, along with the Escondido Fire Department, which pronounced the victim dead. Officers secured the area and declared it a crime scene.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Racquel Tejada Welch in 1976.

February 15, 2023 (San Diego) – Famed actress Raquel Welch, an international sex symbol who also drew acclaims and a Golden Globe award for her acting talent, died today at her home in Los Angeles after a brief illness at age 82. She was a star of movies, TV and Broadway, but her childhood and first acting jobs were here in San Diego County.

Born Jo Raquel Tejada in Chicago, Welch moved with her family to San Diego when she was two years old. She grew up in La Jolla and began winning beauty pageants at age 14. While still in high school, she was named Miss San Diego – Fairest of the Fair – at the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar. She attended San Diego State College (now SDSU) on a theater scholarship and married her high schools sweetheart, and had roles in several local theater productions.

She later became a weather presenter for KFMB, the CBS station ion San Diego, before moving with her husband and two children to Dallas, where she worked as a model and cocktail waitress before stardom struck.

Story and video by Jacob Pamus

February 15, 2023 (San Diego) – Local and international efforts are underway to help survivors of the deadly 7.8 earthquake that struck Türkiye (formerly known as Turkey) and Syria on February 6.  More than 40,000 people have died, the New York Times reports, including over 35,000 in Türkiye and at least 5,500 in Syria.

Here in San Diego, the house of Türkiye in Balboa Park has been raising money  to help earthquake survivors and will match your donations. They have raised $60,000 so far.

Cold weather is making it  even more dangerous for the people trying to survive the historically severe quake as well as major aftershocks. ECM’s video has more information on this issue, including where people can donate to help, plus we've provided links below to organizations raising funds to help the earthquake survivors: