East County News Service

June 4, 2022 (San Diego) – The House of Ukraine invites the public to join in a #SaveUkrainianChildren peaceful rally tonight at 5 p.m. followed by a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. as part of a worldwide effort to help Ukrainian children amid the Russian invasion.

Motorists advised to allow additional travel time for lane closures and detours

Source:  Caltrans

June 3, 2022 (El Cajon) - Construction crews will reduce lanes on Interstate 8 (I-8) at State Route 67 (SR-67)/Magnolia Avenue Monday through Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for ongoing electrical work, according to Caltrans. At least one lane will remain open for traffic. The work is part of the I-8/SR-67 Bridge Repair Project.

Source:  Helix Water District

June 1, 2022 (La Mesa) - Helix Water District honored local student artists for their winning Water Is Life posters at an awards ceremony during Helix Water District’s board meeting on May 24, 2022.

By Miriam Raftery

May 30, 2022 (San Diego) – After the massacre of 19 children and two teachers in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, four of San Diego’s Congressional representatives, all Democrats, called for legislative action to prevent gun violence. But a fourth, Republican Darrell Issa, offered only thoughts and prayers for the victims.

"I'm just tired of the NRA subordinating children's rights for gun rights," said one gun lobby opponent just three days after the school massacre in Uvalde.

By Brett Wilkins, staff writer, Common Dreams

Reprinted under a Creative Commons license from Common Dreams

May 28, 2022 (Uvalde, Texas) - In the wake of Tuesday's massacre of 21 students and staff at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, thousands of people protested angrily in Houston Friday to protest outside the National Rifle Association's annual convention to condemn the gun lobby's deep complicity in the nation's mass shooting epidemic.

May 27, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – In an interview with East County Magazine on KNSJ radio, Congressional candidate Stephen Houlahan draws sharp contrasts with his opponent, Rep. Darrell Issa, on key issues including women’s rights, the economy, healthcare, homelessness, immigration, climate change and more. A registered nurse who also has both a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) and a degree in healthcare administration, he addressed the opioid crisis, the need to help small businesses, and a plan to put powerlines underground in East County to prevent more devastating wildfires.

Houlahan is running in the newly redrawn 48^th Congressional district, which includes most of the former 50^th Congressional district that encompasses most of San Diego’s Eat County.  It runs from the international border in the south north to Menafee in Riverside County, east to Imperial County, and as far west as Mt. Helix, with a few exceptions (El Cajon and Escondido are now split between two districts).

Here are his views on the issues impacting people across our region.

For full story: https://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2022/05/san-diego-native-spends-memorial-day.html

By Lt. Egdanis Torres Sierra, Navy Office of Community Outreach

May 23, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - As the nation pauses this Memorial Day to remember fallen service members, a native of San Diego, California, has special responsibilities honoring fallen comrades in the nation’s capital with the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard.

By Matthew Manosh and Miriam Raftery

Photo: Outreach team members  speak with homeless person in local park

Hear audio of full forum

May 22, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – The 2022 Point in Time Count of homeless people reveals some shocking statistics. While countywide the rate rose 10% from January 2020 to January 2022, in San Diego’s unincorporated areas the number was up 540.7% to a total of 173 individuals.  The numbers also soared in several East County communities including Lemon Grove (up 72.2% to 31 individuals), El Cajon (up 68.8% to 1,308 people, though most are in shelters), and Santee (up 488% to 147), Lakeside (up 162.5% to 63 people).  Some communities fared better; Spring Valley had 38.1% fewer homeless people (60) and La Mesa held relatively steady, up just 1.9%, and Alpine had just one person homeless person identified.

County ramps up efforts

“Your county is committed…like it has never been before,” Nathan Fletcher, Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors, said at a recent forum on homelessness at the Lemon Grove Library on hosted by the East County Homeless Task Force and Thrive Lemon Grove. “There is not a zip code or a community anywhere in San Diego that is not impacted by homelessness.”  

Fletcher outlined plans to help both the homeless and communities, asking support from residents, which are detailed below. Other panelists also addressed new efforts to reduce homelessness in East County.

Candidate denounces Deputy Sheriff’s Association for funding misleading ads, says actions show need for reforms

By Miriam Raftery

May 20, 2022 (San Diego) – Mailers landing in mailboxes and an online ad on Facebook contain deceptive messages regarding Sheriff candidate Dave Myers. The ads falsely state that Myers is a “lifelong Republican” who opposes democratic values, depicting him as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”  But in fact, Myers is the only candidate in the race who is endorsed by the state and county Democratic parties.  He was also endorsed by the Democratic party in a prior run for Sheriff as well as when he ran for La Mesa City Council.

Source: AMTRAK

Photo courtesy of AMTRAK 

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

Photo:  Gov. Gavin Newsom by Ron Logan

May 15, 2022 (Sacramento) - Citing rising inflation and a large surplus, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a revised state budget of $301 billion on Friday that is $14 billion higher that his initial proposal in January.

By Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office

May 13, 2022 (San Diego) - The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency and its partners are working together to get the word out about CalFresh benefits during the month of May, which is designated as CalFresh Awareness Month.

By Miriam Raftery

May 12, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- County Supervisor Joel Anderson has sent a formal request to the County’s Chief Administrative Officer and Sheriff, urging them to take action mirroring recent action by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to remove encampments along public roadways that pose critical safety concerns. Caltrans’ clearing of an encampment in the Berkeley area was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on April 27.

By Miriam Raftery

May 12, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service forecasts a heat wave this weekend through early next week, with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above normal in San Diego County’s inland areas.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Operating room, CC by ND via Bing

May 10, 2022 (San Diego) -- The Spring 2022 Hospital Safety Grades report released today by The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit health care watchdog organization,  gave most local hospitals an “A” rating for patient safety during the pandemic, including Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, which serves East County. But East County’s other hospital, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, received a dismal “C” rating due largely to its below average performance in preventing infections including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to many antibiotics.