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THE RENO REPORT: MORNING HAS BROKEN

Printer-friendly versionBy Jamie Reno Exclusive for East County Magazine October 15, 2008 (Tierrasanta) – Morning has broken. As the sun rises over the East County, a sense of calm permeates my body. Yesterday morning, when I started writing this column for East County Magazine on the new fire threats, it was a different story. I was filled with anxiety. The

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CONTROL OF GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL BOARD HANGS IN BALANCE

Printer-friendly versionElection creates rift among Republicans By Miriam Raftery Five candidates are vying for two seats on the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Board of Trustees. The stakes are high. The outcome of this election may determine if  a popular superintendent will be retained, if a new high school will be built in Alpine, and if divisive forces will

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PROPOSITION U SEEKS FUNDS FOR CLASSROOM UPGRADES, NEW BUILDINGS IN GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Grossmont Union High School District’s superintendent and four of five GUHSD school board trustees agree that Proposition U is critical to repair and replace aging buildings throughout the district—and build a long-awaited new high school for Alpine. “We can’t modernize the old industrial classrooms abandoned years ago without Proposition U,” GUHSD Superintendent Robert Collins said

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ETHICS, BUDGET CUTS, & CHOOSING NEW CHANCELLOR TOP ISSUES IN GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD RACE

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery The race:  Four candidates are running for two seats on the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Board of Trustees.  Challengers Mary Kay Rosinski and Moe Bakeer face off against incumbents Tim Caruthers and Bill Garrett, board president.  ECM interviewed Rosinski, Caruthers and Garrett; Bakeer did not respond to interview requests. What’s at stake:  Community colleges face tough times amid

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Remember “L” is on “La Mesa” ballots

Printer-friendly versionCity faces low reserves; bond rating, city jobs at stake if measure fails to pass By Kristin Hobbs Kjaero The proposition Proponents call it the “Vital City Services Measure,” and opponents call it a “Pension Tax.” The impartial ballot analysis identifies it as a “general tax,” which means revenue would go into La Mesa’s general fund and “the City

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STATE OF DISUNION:  WAR VETERANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST MILITARY ABUSE OF TROOPS IN LOCAL STOP ON NATIONAL TOUR

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Editor’s Note:  Military authorities declined to speak with East County Magazine regarding this story. We also requested permission to interview veterans at Balboa Naval Hospital to obtain a diverse range of views on conditions in mlitary service.  Our request was denied.   October 18, 2008 (San Diego)–Army intelligence officer Selena Coppa has risked her freedom to speak out. 

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SAN DIEGO SOLAR HOMES TOUR: SATURDAY OCT. 18

Printer-friendly version The San Diego Solar Homes Tour is quite possibly the longest running and most popular tour in California.  Celebrating the ninth year of the free tour, over 40 homes throughout San Diego County are participating—including many in East County and San Diego’s Eastern region. This self-guided tour, sponsored by the California Center for Sustainable Energy,  offers real-life, working

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7th DISTRICT FIGHT – EMERALD VS. BOLING:  YOUR RINGSIDE GUIDE

Printer-friendly versionAccountant April Boling refuses to comment on allegations of “illegal and unethical bookkeeping”; opponent Marti Emerald shares vision for San Diego’s future By Joseph Rocha October 15, 2009 (San Diego)–Touted  as “The Troubleshooter vs. the Accountant” by local media,  San Diego’s 7th District Council race sounds more like a build-up to a Saturday night cage fight than a hotly contested

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HIGHWAYS OPEN, FIRES 100% CONTAINED IN CAMPO AND RANCHO BERNARDO; FIREFIGHTERS STILL BATTLE JULIET BLAZE

Printer-friendly versionOctober 14, 2008, 11:00 p.m. — All major highways in San Diego County are open tonight. The Juliet Fire, which burned 3,980 acres in the Oceanside area after spreading from Camp Pendleton, is now 60% contained and evacuation orders in Fallbrook have been lifted. The Shockey Fire in Campo is 100% contained after burning 200 acres. A small fire

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SHARP GROSSMONT HOSPITAL HOLDS CLOTHING DRIVE FOR PATIENTS IN NEED

Printer-friendly versionBy G. A. McNeeley Photo: screenshot of video courtesy of Sharp Grossmont Hospital February 6, 2025 (La Mesa) – Aiming to help patients be “discharged with dignity,” Sharp Grossmont Hospital held a clothing drive on February 1st. If you missed the event, you can still donate clothing and shoes at the hospital’s thrift store, Thrift Korral, 8693-A, La Mesa

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BARONA OAKS RACEWAY SEEKS COMMENTS ON GRANT APPLICATION FOR MOTOCROSS FACILITY

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service February 6, 2025 (Lakeside) — The Barona Oaks Raceway, LLC is inviting review and public comments on a preliminary grant application to the state of California’s Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division. The park is requesting funds for ground operations and maintenance and infrastructure development at the Barona MX Motocross Facility at 1800 Wildcat Canyon Rd, Lakeside,

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ADVANCED WATER PURIFICATION PROJECT BURSTS PAST $1 BILLION

Printer-friendly versionBy Mike Allen Photo:  construction at night for Advanced Water Purification program February 6, 2025 (Santee) — East County’s biggest infrastructure project, Advanced Water Purification, is officially costing more than $1 billion after the Joint Powers Authority that oversees it approved about $80 million in changes to its construction contract. AWP, planned since 2015 to provide water reliability to

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TRUMP CALL FOR U.S. TO TAKEOVER GAZA, RESETTLE PALESTINIANS FACES GLOBAL PUSHBACK

Printer-friendly version Updated February 7, 2025 with statement from the Council on Islamic Relations in San Diego. By Miriam Raftery February 6, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Many world leaders as well as Congressional leaders in both parties are pushing back on President Donald Trump’s call for the U.S. to “takeover” Gaza, relocate Palestinians to neighboring nations and turn Gaza into

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ALTAMIRANO APPOINTED TO SERVE ON LEMON GROVE CITY COUNCIL–AGAIN

Printer-friendly version Update: An earlier version of this article contained information added by our editor stating that the vote violated California’s Brown Act. The City has disputed this and indicated that a public vote was held.  Our earlier report was based on a text from a Councilmember indicating that the vote was “anonymous” after ECM’s editor asked whether the vote

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ARRESTS MADE AT HOMELESS CAMP IN UNINCORPORATED EL CAJON

Printer-friendly version Source: San Diego County Sheriff February 6, 2025 (El Cajon) — Several people have been arrested due to criminal activity at a homeless encampment near Willow Glen Drive in unincorporated El Cajon on a variety of charges. On Tuesday, February 4, around 2 p.m., a small fire broke out at the encampment. Firefighters quickly knocked down the flames.

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PASSAGES: CHALDEAN BISHOP EMERITUS SARHAD JAMMO 1941-2025

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service February 5, 2025 (El Cajon) – Sarhad Yawsip Jammo, the Bishop who led the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle for the western U.S. from 2002 until his retirement in 2016, has died at the age of 83. Born in Iraq and later based at St. Peter’s Chaldean Cathedral in El Cajon, Bishop Jammo

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PAROLEE ARRESTED AFTER TRASHING SANTEE HAIR SALON

Printer-friendly versionScreenshot from YouTube video:  suspect hurls shampoo bottle at employee View videos: https://www.instagram.com/daygotv/reel/DFgPb6JoFCl/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKPxJKrzI30 East County News Service February 5, 2025 (Santee) – August Marriott, 27, has been arrested for becoming violent and threatening employees at a hair salon in Santee. On January 29, after being told he was late for an appointment at Great Clips on Mission Gorge

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STATE FARM ASKS FOR MORE INSURANCE RATE INCREASES AFTER LA FIRES

Printer-friendly versionBy Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters Photo:  The Eaton Fire burns in the community of Altadena. Firefighters were unable to get water from hydrants that ran dry, as homes and businesses burned, on Jan. 8, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters February 4,

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TREASURY DEPT. SUED FOR GIVING MUSK ACCESS TO CONSUMERS’ PRIVATE DATA, INCLUDING BANK ACCOUNTS AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery  Photo: Elon Musk and Donald Trump in Nov. 2024, via Speaker Mike Johnson   February 4, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Donald Trump authorized Elon Musk’s unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to take total control of the U.S. Treasury Department’s payment system, locking out federal employees.  DOGE’s young tech workers gained access to the private data

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