By Miriam Raftery

October 26, 2018 (Washington D.C.)  – The FBI today announced the arrest of Cesar Altieri Sayoc, a 56-year-old Florida man suspected of sending at least 14 pipe bombs that targeted former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as other prominent Democrats, a CNN commentator and critics of President Donald Trump. 

Sayoc, a Republican, attended rallies held by Trump at which Trump vilified Democrats and the media. Rally images show him wearing a red Make America Great hat.

Sayoc has a criminal record that includes making a prior bomb threat in 2002, theft and sale of illegal steroids.

Kicked out by his parents, he was living in his van plastered with pro-Trump, anti-liberal stickers  and messages critical of CNN, the network reports.

Listen to our interview by clicking this link



East County News Service

October 26, 2018 (El Cajon)—Mayor Bill Wells sat down for an in-depth interview with East County Magazine Show’s producer Miriam Raftery.

You can hear the full interviewed aired on KNSJ Radio at the audio link, or scroll down for highlights as he discusses his achievements as Mayor and his goals for the city if reelected.

By Miriam Raftery

October 25, 2018 (La Mesa)—Brianna Bell, a Helix Charter High School student shown on video slammed to the ground in handcuffs by a La Mesa Police officer, has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of La Mesa (Brianna Bell v. City of La Mesa, Scott Wulfing, U.S. District Court Case No. 18CV2455 BEN BLM).

The lawsuit alleges that LMPD School Resource Officer Scott Wulfing used excessive force, violated Bell’s civil rights, inflicted emotional distress, and committed assault and battery. Officer Wulfing is also named individually in the suit. He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of a third party independent investigation.

By Miriam Raftery

October 24, 2018 (San Diego) – If you bought a Mega Millions ticket at a Chevron station located at 6301 Del Cerro Blvd., be sure to check your numbers.  A ticket worth $562,472 was sold there, state lottery officials confirm.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 23, 2018 (San Diego) - State law allows voters who missed the voter registration deadline on Oct. 22 to register on a later date and vote on that same day. However, San Diego County residents who want to take advantage of the Conditional Voter Registration law for the Nov. 6 Gubernatorial General Election must visit the Registrar of Voters office in Kearny Mesa to do so. Conditional Voter Registration is available only during the 14 days prior to and including Election Day. Prospective voters will be able to register to vote, mark and cast their ballot provisionally on-site.

By Suzanne Bartole, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 22, 2018 (Alpine) - After years of steadily decreasing populations across the County’s in-custody juvenile facilities, the County of San Diego’s Probation Department has closed the last remote camp program and moved the youth to a more centrally located Urban Camp facility in Kearny Mesa.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson

October 19, 2018 (El Cajon) – After losing engine power aboard a small plane, a flight instructor took over controls from a student pilot and made an emergency landing on westbound Interstate 8 in El Cajon.  The flawless landing avoided damage to the aircraft, vehicles on the freeway or property; no one was injured.

The pilot, 25, and student pilot, 36, both of San Diego, were inbound to Gillespie Field in El Cajon when the emergency occurred, said Officer Travis Garrow with the California Highway patrol.

Two lanes were blocked briefly until the aircraft was pushed to the shoulder, blocking the Mollison Avenue off-ramp which remains closed while the plane’s wings are disassembled for removal from the Interstate.

Story and photos: Heartland Fire and Rescue

October 18, 2018 (El Cajon) -- Anyone missing a tortoise? Heartland Paramedics from American Medical Response (AM) came across a rather interesting patient “slowly” traveling down the sidewalks of El Cajon near Emerald and Washington Streets earlier today. Possibly suffering from a little "shell shock," it was transported to El Cajon Animal Shelter to be checked out and held until the owner can stop by and claim it.

Shelter hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  All in a day’s work!

Image: composite drawing of the suspect provided by the San Diego Sheriff

October 18,2018 (Lemon Grove) – The Sheriff’s child abuse unit is asking for public help to identify and find a suspect who sexually assaulted a child. The suspect committed the assault after entering a residence where a family and two children were present at 2 a.m. in the7000 block of Canton Drive in Lemon Grove. He was confronted by a family member who tried to restrain him, but the man escaped.

The suspect is described as a black man age 20-25, about 5 ft. 7 inches tall with a thin build. He was wearing a black hoodie and black gym pants, and may have arrived on a skateboard.

East County News Service

October 18, 2018 (El Cajon) - Boy Scout Troop 363 in El Cajon needs help after thefts of two trailers containing all of their gear and equipment—including supplies needed to run their annual Christmas Tree lot sales in December, a fundraiser that sustains the scouts year-round camping program.

Ethics a key issue in the race

East County News Service

Photo, left: Mike Schaefer; Democrat, disbarred from practicing law in two states for fraud, lost $1.83 million judgment for "slum" conditions at his rental property

Photo, right: Senator Joel Anderson, Republican, fined for campaign finance violations, reprimanded for comments to lobbyist

October 17, 2018 (San Diego's East County) – A low-profile, political race for a state office to represent nearly 10 million residents in five Southern California counties may be falling under the radar for many voters.  

Up for grabs is an open seat for District 4 on the California Board of Equalization (BOE), a state agency that oversees county property tax assessors and sets other taxes, including the alcoholic beverage tax, railroad car tax and taxes for public utilities and insurers. District 4 encompasses all of San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and Orange counties and a small portion of San Bernardino County.

By Miriam Raftery

October 17, 2018 (Ocotillo Wells) – An Ultra-Light aircraft crashed onto the runway of the San Diego County airport at Ocotillo Wells this morning, causing minor injuries to the pilot.

Deputies from the Rancho Sheriff’s substation responded along with Cal Fire and California State Parks personnel.  The pilot, 57, was transported via air ambulance to Palomar Hospital.

By Miriam Raftery

October 16, 2018 (La Mesa) – Paul Sandoval, 33, died Wednesday after a shed he was demolishing in La Mesa collapsed on him, with a large beam landing on his back.  He was found with no pulse and though paramedics revived him, he suffered brain damage and ultimately could not survive. His kidneys and liver were donated to help others live.

By Miriam Raftery, Editor, East County Magazine

Photos, upper left to lower right:  Evlyn Andrade-Heymsfelt, Zack Gianino, Laura Koval, Councilman Ronn Hall, Councilman Rob McNelis, Lynda Marrokal, Rudy Reyes

Updated October 18 with responses from Rudy Reyes

October 8, 2018 (Santee) – This is the first time Santee has held district elections, where the winners will each represent a specific neighborhood instead of being voted on by the city at large. We sent questionnaires to the seven candidates running for three City Council seats in Santee, asking the same questions of everyone. All seven candidates replied. Their thoughtful responses address a range of issues such as balancing growth and open space, also offering some fresh ideas, such as creating a community choice energy program for Santee.

Below are their answers in full to our questions, along with a link to their ballot statements for more information, arranged by district and in alphabetical order within each district.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos, top row--Challengers Kamaal Martin and Teresa Rosiak, bottom row--incumbent Councilmembers Jennifer Mendoza and Jerry Jones.

October 14, 2018 (Lemon Grove) – With Lemon Grove facing a budget deficit and 78% of its general fund spent on public safety, the City Council faces tough choices. Should the city consider the drastic step of disincorporating and reverting back to county control? Or can the city be saved through revitalization by bringing in new businesses, or by raising taxes? Proposals for the latter failed to win passage with the current Council majority, leaving the city faced with dipping into its reserves in the next fiscal year if the finances don’t improve.  

Those are among the issues addressed in our interviews with all four candidates, as well as concerns over crime, marijuana dispensaries, street repairs and more.The candidates are  incumbent Councilmembers Jennifer Mendoza and Jerry Jones, as well as challengers Teresa Rosiak, a medical credentialing specialist and former Chamber of Commerce president, and Kamaal  Martin, an educator with state and county governmental experience.

Hear our interviews aired on KNSJ radio by clicking the audio links below this story, and scroll down to read highlights from each interview.