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COUNTY ANNOUNCES PLAN TO KEEP FIRE STATIONS OPEN

Printer-friendly versionState Budget Cuts Threaten Fire Stations; County Offers to Shift Staff to Protect Region December 23, 2008 (San Diego) —Acting swiftly to counteract California’s latest budget crisis, the County of San Diego has proposed to temporarily shift some firefighters from County-contracted stations to ensure that all 18 CAL FIRE stations remain open this year, according to a press release

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RECESSION IN CALIFORNIA:  SENATOR BOXER RELEASES REPORT

Printer-friendly version1 in 18 San Diego households face foreclosure; food bank demand up 50% December 23, 2008 (Washington, D.C.) — California Senator Barbara Boxer has prepared a report detailing impacts of the nation’s recession on California counties and cities.  The report, based on interviews conducted with officials in 20 cities and all 58 counties, paints a stark picture of the

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$1,000 REWARD FOR FEMALE SUSPECT IN CARJACKING AT GROSSMONT CENTER

Printer-friendly versionDecember 23, 2008 (La Mesa) — On December 22, 2008, at about 5:30 PM, a woman was carjacked, robbed and driven into El Cajon by a female suspect as the woman was parking at Grossmont Center. The victim, a 20 year old female from La Mesa, told police that she had just parked at Grossmont Center near Wal-Mart when

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December Capitol Report

Printer-friendly version(Note: Since Congress and the Legislature were in recess and took no major actions in November, there is no November Capitol Report) How did your elected officials vote on the most important bills in Congress and the California Legislature? Find out here! Editor’s Note: Congress and the Legislature have been in recess in most of November and December.  In

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GENERAL CONTRACTOR RON ASBURY APPOINTED TO PROP R OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

Printer-friendly versionDecember 20, 2008 (El Cajon) —  La Mesa resident Ron Asbury, a general contractor and active volunteer for East County schools, is the newest appointee to the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Citizens Bond Oversight Committee. The CBOC is charged with ensuring that revenues from Proposition R, the $207 million local bond measure passed in 2002, will be spent solely

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2 Grossmont High School Teachers Named Winners in Inaugural “I’m Thankful For My Teacher” Award

Printer-friendly versionSan Diego County teachers recognized with thousands of “thank yous” from grateful parents, schoolchildren in contest sponsored by Mission Federal Credit Union, Junior Achievement, Cox Communications and Channel 4 December 18,2008 (San Diego, CA) Campaign organizers are proud to announce the winners of the first-ever “I’m Thankful For My Teacher” Contest, hosted by Mission Federal Credit Union, Junior Achievement

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COMMUNITY LEADERS REACT TO CPUC’S APPROVAL OF SUNRISE POWERLINK SOUTHERN ROUTE

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Click photo for larger image. December 19, 2008 (San Diego’s East County) —  The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has ruled to allow construction of Sunrise Powerlink across the southern portion of East County.   The decision drew a mixture of praise and criticism from local community leaders.  “Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed his true colors when

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LA MESA POLICE SERVE SEARCH WARRANT AT CHOP SHOP IN LA MESA; ARREST MADE ON DRUG, WEAPON AND STOLEN VEHICLE CHARGES

Printer-friendly versionDecember 19, 2008 (La Mesa) — Officers from the La Mesa Police Department’s Special Enforcement Detail, and detectives from the Regional Auto Theft Task Force (R.A.T.T.), served a search warrant at a home in the 6000 block of Amaya Dr. in La Mesa. The search warrant stemmed from an investigation into stolen vehicles in the area. Detectives found approximately

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EL CAJON MAN ARRESTED FOR ROBBING HOLIDAY SHOPPER IN TOYS R US PARKING LOT

Printer-friendly versionDecember 18, 2008 (La Mesa) — La Mesa Police Officers responded to a robbery that occurred at 11:47 a.m. in the parking lot of Toys R Us on Grossmont Boulevard in La Mesa.  When officers arrived, they found that security officers had chased the suspect on foot northbound on Jackson Drive.  The security officers lost the suspect under the I-8

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Armed Subject at Helix High School Determined to be a Hoax

Printer-friendly versionDecember 17, 2008 (La Mesa) — A report of an armed man on the Helix High School campus yesterday has now been determined to be a hoax.  Further investigation by Helix staff and the La Mesa Police Department confirmed that the student who reported seeing a man with a gun had fabricated the incident.  It is not known why

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ECM World Watch: national and global news

Printer-friendly version   December  16,  2025 (San Diego) — As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include: U.S. Trump’s DOJ has sued 18 states to try to access voter data  (NPR) Trump Sued

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GUHSD priorities: trustees give themselves a massive raise, nearly quadrupling salaries

Printer-friendly version   By Alexander J. Schorr December 15, 2025 (El Cajon) — The Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) governing board voted unanimously to raise their own monthly salary of $534.04 to a proposed $2,000.00 each starting  in January 2026. While California law does allow for school boards to increase their trustees’ compensation annually by up to 5% based

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Rabbi killed in Australian Hanukkah shooting was nephew of rabbi injured in Poway synagogue attack

Printer-friendly version   By Miriam Raftery File photo: Rabbi Ysroel Godstein of Poway December 15, 2025 (Poway) – Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the nephew of Chabad Poway’s founding Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, was among 16 people murdered in a mass shooting yesterday during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Goldstein was injured during the April 2019 shooting at Chabad Poway, when he

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The stress of apartment searching in San Diego: monthly rents and cost of living exceed national average, while scammers target renters

Printer-friendly version By Heidi Hope December 15, 2025 (San Diego) — Hunting for an affordable apartment in San Diego County is a recipe for aggravating stress. Rents and living expenses in the city of San Diego are among the highest in the nation. East County communities are also too expensive for a single person working a low-wage part-time job to

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East County Jews to light Menorah today, stand against deadly shooting at Hanukkah celebration in Australia

Printer-friendly version   By Miriam Raftery December 15, 2025 (San Diego) –  “Let the world see that when darkness tries to intimidate us, we answer with light,”  Rabbi Rafi Andrusier from Chabad of East County said today following a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia. Rabbi Andrusier urged local community members to join in a local Menorah lighting at

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Deputies respond to report of possible armed man at Sharp Rees-Stealy in Santee

Printer-friendly version   Man detained due to mental health crisis; no weapon found Photo by Patrick Ward December 14, 2025 (Santee) – Sheriff’s deputies evacuated the Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group building on Cuyamaca Street in Santee yesterday afternoon, after receiving multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting a possible armed person.   Deputies did not find a weapon. But during the search, deputies

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Federal jury convicts Sheriff’s deputy of excessive force, violating inmate’s civil rights

Printer-friendly version   Inmate suffered head and spinal injuries after being smashed head first into wall, left bleeding in cell without medical attention East County News Service December 13, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremiah Manuyag Flores was convicted by a federal jury yesterday of violating the civil rights of a man in pretrial custody at the San Diego Central Courthouse

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Seven arrested for retail theft in Lemon Grove

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service December 11, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – Deputies from the Lemon Grove Sheriff’s Substation’s Community Oriented Policing and Problem-Solving (COPPS) team ran a retail theft operation at multiple businesses throughout the city on December 10. During the eight-hour operation, deputies made seven arrests—six misdemeanors and one felony—averaging roughly one arrest per hour.   “Retail theft remains

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