By Don Harrison, Editor Emeritus, San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

April 1, 2023 (San Diego) - Teralta Neighborhood Park is remarkable in several ways: 1) It is built right over the Interstate 15 freeway between Orange and Polk Avenues in the City Heights neighborhood.  2) It now boasts a 270-foot long, 7 ½-foot high mural titled “Unity in the Community,” which features faces, activities, and landmarks of the diverse City Heights neighborhood.  3) It serves a largely immigrant community in which over 30 languages are spoken, with the mural title in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali.

By Shiloh Ireland

Photo: Kate Richardson, Miss Bulls Only Rodeo Queen and Talia Klotzkin, Junior Miss Bulls Only Rodeo Queen

March 26, 2023 (Lakeside) – The journey to be crowned a queen in Lakeside’s Bulls Only Rodeo begins with horsemanship trials and interviews with equestrian judges to the evening of the pageant held at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds. Ten young women vied for the title, include five contestants for Junior Miss Bulls and five competing for Miss Bulls Only Rodeo Queen.

ECM photographed the selection of Miss Bulls Only Rodeo Queen and Junior Miss Bulls Only Rodeo Queen and later interviewed these two 2023 Queens. The Bulls Only Rodeo event is sponsored by the Optimist Club of  Lakeside.

San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team in Ramona treated coyote’s damaged leg and teeth

Source: San Diego Humane Society

March 10, 2023 (Ramona) - — A coyote, caught in an illegal jaw trap on a residential property in the City of San Diego, returned to the wild this afternoon after three weeks in care with San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team. The adult female was rescued by San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement on Feb. 17, 2023, after she was found in the Skyline neighborhood dangling on a chain link fence from a jaw trap attached to her left front leg.

Humane Officers rushed her to San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, where Project Wildlife’s medical team provided pain medication, took X-rays and tended to her wounds.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left via Calico Ranch on Facebook: Fred Coleman discovered gold, starting the Julian Gold Rush in 1869.

February 21, 2023 (Julian) - Many San Diego County residents have visited Julian, a historic gold rush town in the Cuyamaca Mountains. Some may know that is was founded by former Confederate soldiers after the Civil War. But many are likely unaware of the black settlers who also played key roles in the town’s history.

It was Fred Coleman from Kentucky, a freed slave and rancher who discovered gold in a stream on what is now Calico Rancho; his find started Julian’s gold rush in 1869. Coleman married a member of the Santa Ysabel tribe. He had previously been a miner in Northern California. The Coleman Mining District in what is now known as Julian was named for him, and he served as its first recorder.

America Newton, a widow and formerly enslaved black woman, and her daughter, Clara, came to Julian from Kansas and started a laundry business that served war veterans, European immigrants, Native Americans, and newly freed African-Americans. She used her work ethic to build a new life of freedom.

San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife Team rehabilitates bobcat before release

February 9, 2023 (Ramona) --  A bobcat, who spent three weeks in care with San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team, returned to the wild this week. The adult male was released by Project Wildlife staff in Mission Trails Regional Park, not far from where he was initially found on Jan. 18 by a good Samaritan who called San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement for help.

Humane Officers  transported the injured cat to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Encinitas, where he was triaged and given supportive care overnight. The bobcat arrived to San Diego Humane Society on Jan. 19 with injuries indicating he had likely been hit by a car. Project Wildlife’s veterinary team at the Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego immediately administered pain medication, performed radiographs and treated the bobcat for abrasions and minor contusions.

Once stabilized, the bobcat was moved the next day to the organization’s Ramona Wildlife Center, where Project Wildlife’s staff specialize in caring for native apex predators such as bobcats, coyotes and bears.

By Chuck Westerheide, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 17, 2023 (Ramona) - County Animal Services officers rescued an 11-year-old dog from an oil-filled mechanic’s well inside a private garage in Ramona.  The owner of the shop called the County Department of Animal Services the morning of Jan. 17 saying a dog was trapped.

Source:  Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber

December 12, 2022 (San Diego) -  Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-79) held a community recognitions ceremony on Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the George Stevens Senior Center in Encanto. The purpose of the year-end event is to honor community leaders and small business owners in District 79 who were recognized for their hard work and public service during the year. Each honoree was nominated by their fellow community members and invited to attend the in-person ceremony with their family. Students who completed Asm. Weber’s Young Legislator’s Program were also invited to the celebration.

East County News Service

November 21, 2022 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce seeks donations of items to help 16 homebound seniors locally, which will be assembled in large gift baskets and gift bags.

The gifts will be delivered by the La Mesa Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol. To allow time for wrapping and delivery, all donated items must be received by Friday, December 2. Please bring items to Fran Smith at the La Mesa Chamber’s office, 8080 La Mesa Blvd., Suite 214 between Monday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Mary England, Chamber President, can also meet donors seven days a week to pick up items directly from you by calling her at 619-251-7730.

Suggested items to purchase or donate:  Canned soups, canned vegetables, canned fruits, crackers, pasta, marinara, macaroni & cheese, instant cereals, bars of soap, tubes of toothpaste, tissues, bottles of hand soaps, hand sanitizer, socks, pens and pads of paper. Gift cards in any denomination from the following locations: Walmart, Target, or any grocery store. Please double check expiration dates, If you have another item you believe will put a smile on their faces, drop them off.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 15, 2022 (San Diego) - One of the best feelings anyone can get during the holiday season comes when you put a smile on someone else’s face—especially when it’s on the face of a child.

East County News Service

Photo: Shane Harris, President of the People's Association of Justice Advocates, Tayari Howard, and Mayor Racquel Vasquez raise gold shovel to plant tree in Howard’s honor.

View video: https://fb.watch/ggcAWhC1OD/

November 13, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Community leaders and elected officials gathered at Treganza Heritage Park in Lemon Grove last month to honor Tayari Howard, founder of Legacy Media Publishing, Promotions and Production. The award-winning broadcaster, legendary smooth jazz radio voice and host of the “Music for Lovers” program   and activist was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.

East County News Service

November 2, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- During November and December, the Rock Church will host eight food distributions throughout the San Diego region, including El Cajon in East County.  The distributions are free and open to the community and will include frozen ground turkey, food, diaper and supplies distribution. Additionally, there will be 400 gallons of Hollandia milk distributed at the San Marcos location.

Source: Lemon Grove Lions Club

Photo: Ken Burke,  JoAnne Burke, Tobi Gary, Cathy Froelicher, Barbara Sala and Jeannie Lopez

October 23, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove Lions proudly presented a $1,000 donation to Fisher House San Diego, on Thursday Oct 14, 2022.  

The Lemon Grove Lions Club serves their community, hosting fundraising events which allow for donations to be given, such as the one just presented to Fisher House San Diego. This donation was from the proceeds from their recent Cornhole Tournament.  

Donation challenge kicks off today as the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres face off on the field 

Source:  Feeding San Diego

October 22, 2022 (Philadelphia) - Feeding San Diego, the county’s leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization, has accepted a challenge from fellow Feeding America organization Philabundance – Philadelphia's food bank – to see who can raise more funding to help feed their communities during the baseball series between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres. This friendly fundraising challenge will raise critical funds and awareness for the hunger-relief organizations during a challenging economic period that has made the cost of operations skyrocket.  

East County News Service

October 9, 2022 (La Mesa) -- Long-time La Mesa resident Garry Armacost, a Vietnam veteran, will be flown to Washington D.C. on November 4 aboard an Honor Flight to be hailed as a hero. He will spend two days in our nation’s capital, where he will visit war memorials.