East County News Service

October 10, 2022 (Spring Valley) – Alena “Gracie” Mitchem, a 15-year-old Spring Valley teen missing since September 22, was found yesterday by the San Diego County Sheriff department and is safe. Her family has been notified, according to a media release issued today by the Sheriff.

“Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, as well as the fact that this incident involves a minor, this is all the information that can be released at this time,” says Lieutenant Kevin Ralph at the Sheriff’s Major Crimes division.

The Sheriff’s media statement adds, “The Sheriff's Department would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance. We also want to thank our partner law enforcement agencies for their help in this case.”

By Christianne McCormick

October 2, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- Many family-friendly Halloween events are popping up throughout East County and will be available all throughout the month of October. 

Festivities include a spooky campover, costume contests for people and pets, a haunted train ride, pumpkin patches and corn mazes, a haunted amusement park, a fall celebration, safe trick-or-treating for children at a local shopping mall, and Haunt Fest, a family-friendly Halloween festival. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photos:f Alena Mitchem, known as Gracie; her hair  was dyed green when she was last seen

September 29, 2022 (Spring Valley) – The family of 15-year-old Alena “Gracie” Mitchem is asking for public help to find her. She has been missing form her Spring Valley home since late at night on September 22.  Gracie has green eyes and brown hair, but her hair was dyed green when she was last seen, according to a listing on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website. She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 155 pounds. (Note, some flyers had a misspelling. Her first name is Alena.)

Her sister, Aleena Christine Jones, posted on Facebook, “We believe she was lured out by someone online via the PlayStation platform...She took important documents that no child would think of…She’s had zero contact with anyone since her disappearance, no social media presence whatsoever… We have to bring her home.… Gracie we love you so much.”

Gracie’s mother, Shannon Hoffman, believes her daughter was lured by an adult. She is frustrated with the Sheriff’s initial response treating the matter as a runaway case, and by the lack of media notification, but added that detectives are now checking into the Playstation contacts. “As a mother, I know deep down something is wrong,” she posted, adding that she suspects someone enticed Gracie with a promise of a job, since the family has struggled financially.

By Miriam Raftery

September 28, 2022 (Alpine) – Barbara Bry has a long history of empowering women to break glass ceilings. Now she’s set her sights on becoming San Diego County’s first woman to serve as the County Recorder, Assessor and County Clerk.

Speaking at the Candidates to Constituents Townhall on Sept. 18 in Alpine, Bry pledged her priority will be “excellent service” to the public as well applying her skills in business, high tech, journalism and local government to “bring new technology and innovation” to the office.

“I am happy to share that the California Department of Developmental Services just announced Noah Homes’ reimbursement rate – and all other large home providers across the state – is being increased to better align with the actual costs of care. The change is retroactive…” --Molly Nocon, CEO Noah Homes

 By Henri Migala

East County News Service

September 20, 2022 (Ramona) – A Ramona woman, 68, has died of injuries sustained in a collision yesterday afternoon. According to the CHP, she was driving a 2005 Dodge Ram westbound on Mussey Grade Road when after stopping at a stop sign, turned left onto southbound State Route 67, directly in the path of a 2004 Toyota Prius that was heading north.

The Prius, driven by an 83-year-old Ramona woman, broadsided the Dodge, which flipped over and came to rest on its roof. The Dodge driver was airlifted to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where she succumbed to her injuries, says Officer Matthew Baranowski with the California Highway Patrol.

Discover the fabulous world of raptors right in East County’s backyard

By Josh Stotler

September 19, 2022 (Alpine) -- As I hike along the dirt trail, the morning fog rolls through the canyon. A hawk swoops from a branch and glides gently by. I am in awe as this amazing creature effortlessly soars by me, heading for the sun-drenched rock just to my left. It is a treat to see this animal up close and I’m lost in the moment, completely enveloped in the East County back country. This is no chance encounter though; I am at Sky Falconry, a 40 acre ranch located in the hills of Alpine.

When I arrived at the property earlier in the morning, the fog was heavy and the diffused sun rays were shining through the oak trees. I was warmly greeted by Kirk Sellinger and Denise Disharoon, the owners of Sky Falconry. Dressed exactly as one would envision a raptor handler to look (think Dr.’s Sadler & Grant from Jurassic Park) they quickly made me feel at home. As the other participants arrived and shuffled toward the circle of benches, we filled out a waiver and it was time to learn about these amazing birds.

Story and photos by Liz Alper

September 16, 2022 (Spring Valley) - We’re finally mostly into conference play and to kick it off, ECM Sports ventured to Spring Valley, where the Matadors of Mount Miguel hosted the Wolf Pack of West Hills.  Both teams are gridlocked at 2-2 and hoping to make some headway going into conference matchups.

By Susan Taylor

Photo: Map of LMSV Trustee District 4

September 16, 2022 (La Mesa) -- A new trustee to the La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board is needed. At the Board’s September 6 meeting, Sarah Rhiley, District 4 Trustee, announced her immediate resignation.  This left the Board with two ways to fill the vacancy.  It could hold a special election, or it could appoint a new School Board member.

 In a special meeting held on September 12, the board voted unanimously that an appointment will be made to fill out the remainder of Rhiley’s term through December 2024.

The process for applying to be appointed as trustee is posted on the LMSV website at https://www.lmsvschools.org/board/#board-vacancy. The application is available online and must be submitted no later than October 14 at 4:45 p.m to be considered.

Source:  San Diego Sheriff's Department

September 13, 2022 (Spring Valley) - The Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station wants your help in finding a missing person from Spring Valley.

72-year-old Eddie Joe Taylor was reported missing on Friday, August 5. He was last seen on Thursday, August 4 when he left his girlfriend's home in Lemon Grove. As he was driving home to Spring Valley, he called his girlfriend saying he mistakenly continued on SR-125 south towards Mexico and crossed the border into Baja California, Mexico. 

East County News Service

September 13, 2022 (Spring Valley) - The Saps at Sea, the San Diego chapter of the Sons of the Desert, the official Laurel & Hardy fan organization, present their Halloween program, "Howl-O-Scream," October 15 at Williams Hall at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Spring Valley.

Retired paramedic loses RV home; family’s water well, solar panels and dreams up in smoke

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Henri Migala, Miriam Raftery, Ryan and Gemma Sommers

September 10, 2022 (Potrero) – Ryan and Gemma Sommers had a dream—to build an earth-berm home on 80 acres in Potrero that Ryan grew up on and inherited from his father. So when the Border 32 Fire swept through the community last week, Ryan didn’t hesitate – he headed into the wildfire and fought singlehandedly to save what he could. But the family had no insurance, and their losses are overwhelming.

“I have been trying to live out my father’s dream of living self-sustainability on a ranch,” says Ryan, who lost his father to pancreatic cancer in 2020. Now the fire has torched much of their property, including burning his uncle’s RV home to the ground.  “My uncle has lost everything,” Ryan reflects. Ryan and Gemma also suffered major losses, with Ryan risking his life to save what he could.

On a GoFundMe page set up to help the family repair and rebuild their lives, Gemma wrote, “We don’t want to say goodbye to our land that has been in our family these past 21+ years..”

East County News Service

September 3, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The Tecate, Potrero and Dulzura Post Offices have all been reopened and have resumed operations at their facilities.