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FORKLIFT ACCIDENT KILLS WORKER IN OTAY MESA

Printer-friendly version December 25, 2009 (Otay) – Alberto Herrera-Garcia was picking up a load of wood planks at a lumber storage company at 9960 Marconi Drive in Otay Mesa on Christmas Eve morning when the load shifted. The forklift fell onto him, crushing him.   Despite advanced cardiac life saving measures, medics were unable to save him. The victim, 55,

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KIDS PITCH IN TO PLANT TREES FOR CUYAMACA REFORESTATION EFFORTS

Printer-friendly version  December 24, 2009 (Cuyamaca) – A team of 62 sixth and seventh graders marched out to Cuayamaca State Park on December 16th armed with shovels, tubex tree shelters, weed mats and acorns. Their mission? Plant 100 sheltered trees (complete with gopher guards) in areas burned by wildfires. The effort was part of an oak woodland restoration project led

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HOLIDAYS IN EAST COUNTY

Printer-friendly version Our"Holidays in East County"  section covers  holiday events through New Year’s, shopping and money-saving tips, recipes, crafts,  and more. View our  HOLIDAYS IN EAST COUNTY section–plus find great discounts in our HOLIDAY COUPON SECTION.  ADVERTISE IN OUR HOLIDAY SECTION…STARTING AT $10 A WEEK!   As nonprofit media, we’ve provided very affordable opportunities for local businesses, nonprofits and other groups to reach our readers . (We had over a million hits on

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HOLIDAY GIFTS STOLEN FROM AGENT RAMOS’ FAMILY ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Printer-friendly version    December 24, 2009 – Local groups are pitching in to help the family of a Border Patrol Agent involved in a shooting that made international news. Early this morning, holiday gifts for the Ramos family, including four children, were stolen out of their vehicle at a La Quinta Inn during a stopover en route to El Paso.

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LEGISLATURE GRAPPLES TO QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL “RACE TO THE TOP” FUNDS FOR EDUCATION

Printer-friendly version  State’s schools, once top in nation, now rank at bottom as budget cuts ravage K-12 and higher education By Miriam Raftery December 23, 2009 (Sacramento) – The Obama administration has challenged states to compete for federal “Race to the Top” (RTT) education funds aimed at improving under-performing K-12 schools. California is eligible for $300-$700 million of those funds—provided

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SAN DIEGO COUNTY AWARDED $5.1 MILLION IN FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS FOR ENERGY PROJECTS

Printer-friendly version El Cajon Library among county buildings slated for solar panel installation December 22, 2009 (San Diego)–The County of San Diego announced today that it has been awarded $5.1 million for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.   “This grant will fund projects that will help save money and the environment by conserving energy at County facilities and

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GREEN JOBS GRANTS FOR SAN DIEGO AREA ANNOUNCED

Printer-friendly versionDecember 22, 2009 (San Diego) – “I am pleased to announce the first green jobs grants awards authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Department of Labor,” said Congressman Bob Filner (D-San Diego). “Californians continue to benefit from additional funding for job creation and training through the Recovery Act. These Green Jobs programs will take

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EAST COUNTY’S JIMMIE JOHNSON NAMED AP MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Printer-friendly version HOMETOWN HERO BECOMES FIRST RACE CAR DRIVER TO WIN PRESTIGIOUS AWARD Story and photo by Miriam Raftery   December 22, 2009 (El Cajon) –Jimmie Johnson of El Cajon, the only driver ever to win four consecutive NASCAR championships, has been named Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. The only race car driver ever to with the award since its inception 78

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LEMON GROVE SHERIFF’S STATION JOINS EFFORT TO DEPLOY SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS OVER THE HOLIDAYS

Printer-friendly versionDecember 22, 2009 (Lemon Grove) — The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department joins law enforcement across the state as part of California’s 18 Day Holiday DUI Crackdown Campaign with law enforcement agencies deploying 300 DUI/Drivers License Checkpoints statewide from December 18 through January 3. Funding for the special enforcement campaign is from a grant by the California Office of

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BOY, 16, MISSING IN ANZA BORREGO DESERT SINCE LATE NOVEMBER

Printer-friendly version  December 22, 2009 (Anza Borrego) – San Diego Sheriff reported on December 18 that Mickey Guidry, 16, has been missing since November 26th when he ran away from his parents’ home in San Marcos. Guidry reportedly took his parents’ 1995 Jeep Cherokee without permission. On November 30th, the Jeep was located unoccupied in an extremely remote area of

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North Island Credit Union Foundation offering scholarships to San Diego County students

Printer-friendly versionFoundation invites college-bound students to apply for $1,000 scholarships by March 6  Source:  North Island Credit Union Foundation January 9, 2026 (San Diego) – North Island Credit Union Foundation is encouraging college-bound students in San Diego county to apply for its 2026 Student Scholarship Program. Through the program, the Foundation awards $10,000 in scholarships annually to recognize local students who

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El Cajon brings on Jennifer Lyon as new city attorney

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Jan. 9, 2026 (El Cajon) — Jennifer M. Lyon has started taking on the role of City Attorney for the City of El Cajon. Lyon, who is part of the La Mesa-headquartered attorney group McDougal Boehmer Foley Lyon Mitchell & Erickson, succeeds Morgan L. Foley, who has retired from his role as the City of El Cajon’s City Attorney,

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Detra Williams named San Diego County’s Chief Deputy of Tax Collection

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Jan. 9, 2026 (San Diego County) — Detra Williams has been appointed as San Diego County’s next Chief Deputy of Tax Collection, succeeding Chief Deputy David Baker, who has retired. Williams was appointed to the position effective Jan. 6. County Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Cohen announced the appointment on Jan. 6. Williams has worked for the

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Shane Harris leading backlash against parking fees in Balboa Park

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Jan. 9, 2026 (San Diego County) —  San Diego public advocate Shane Harris has introduced a new ordinance to fully repeal paid parking in Balboa Park and restore free public parking. To support this effort, Harris has launched this online petition to demonstrate broad public support for making Balboa Park parking free again. Harris has also called a

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‘Reign of terror’: ICE builds appalling record of killings, beatings, kidnappings, and more

Printer-friendly versionBy Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Photo:  Renee Good, 37, U.S. citizen and mother of a-6-year-old, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minnnesota. January 9, 2026 (Minneapolis) – Federal immigration enforcement agents, unleashed and emboldened by President Donald Trump, have been rampaging through the streets of cities across the United States for months, racking up an appalling record of abuses and alleged crimes,

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San Diego Superior Court seeks citizens for Civil Grand Jury

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Jan. 9, 2026 (San Diego County) — The San Diego Superior Court has announced an emergency extension for the 2026-27 Civil Grand Jury application deadline, moving the cutoff to Jan. 30, 2026. The move is an effort to bolster a dwindling pool of applicants for what is often called the county’s most powerful “watchdog” over

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County public health officials urge childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule

Printer-friendly versionBy Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office Image credit:  Shutterstock January 9, 2026 (San Diego) – County public health officials continue to encourage childhood and adolescent vaccinations recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The County’s vaccine schedule aligns with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the West Coast Health Alliance. These recommendations follow a recent decision

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Santana shooter granted resentencing hearing, may soon be freed

Printer-friendly versionJanuary 8, 2026 (Santee) – It’s been 25 years since 15-year-old Andrew “Andy” Williams shot and killed two students and injured 13 other people at Santana High School in Santee. He was sentence to 50 years to life in prison. But due to a new state law allowing juvenile offenders with life sentences to petition for resentencing, a Superior

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“Forever chemical” crisis seeps into Southern California: from Sweetwater Reservoir to Orange County, districts grapple with how to protect drinking water supplies

Printer-friendly versionPhoto: PFAS have been detected in Sweetwater Reservoir, via Sweetwater Water Authority By Karen Pearlman Jan. 8, 2025 (San Diego County) — “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” goes the line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, describing sailors surrounded by undrinkable ocean water. That old phrase also fits today. Obtaining clean,

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Gavin Newsom forecasts a rosier California budget and banks on AI boom continuing

Printer-friendly versionBy Yue Stella Yu, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters Photo:  Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during the State of the State address in the Assembly chamber at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters January 9, 2026 (Sacramento) – Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office on Friday forecast a “modest shortfall”

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