By Miriam Raftery

July 10, 2020 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa City Council will hold two meetings on  Tuesday, July 14:  a special meeting at 5 p.m. followed by the regularly scheduled 6 p.m. Council meeting, both via teleconference.

At the 5 p.m. special session, Council will discuss whether to consider a potential ground lease of the old police station site at the southeast corner of Allison and Date avenues to USA Properties Fund for a housing project. A closed session conference with a real property negotiator will follow the special session.

During the 6 p.m. meeting,  the agenda includes:

• A presentation by the Climate Action Campaign
• Interviews with applicants for city boards and commissions
• Shifting sewer service charges to the county property tax roll
• Consideration of a grant application to the Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program fund homeless services in La Mesa
• A proposal by Mayor Mark Arapostathis and Councilmember Akilah Weber to hold a future town hall meeting on the May 30 events that included protests, a confrontation at the police station, and an ensuing riot.
  

East County News Service

July 9, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning Saturday through Monday for San Diego County’s deserts, where temperatures of 115 to 120 degrees are expected.

*Wheelhouse awards $5,000 to college-bound students in San Diego through annual scholarship program*

East County News Service 

Photos:  Wheelhouse Scholarship Recipients Alby Penney from Valhalla High School and Hailey Qasawadish from Patrick Henry High School, San Diego

July 9, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- Wheelhouse Credit Union (Wheelhouse) is helping the next generation of environmental trail blazers by awarding five scholarships of $1,000 each to college-bound students through its annual Sustainability College Scholarship Program. In this year’s program, Wheelhouse recognized five graduating high school seniors in San Diego County who demonstrated leadership, public service, and a desire to make a sustainable difference in their schools and communities.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photos: Courtesy County of San Diego Communications Office, (Photo, left) at Waterfront Park's south fountain

July 9, 2020 (San Diego County) - It’s the summer of coronavirus — and to keep it from spreading we’re staying home more, foregoing big vacations and looking for new ways to entertain and educate kids who have been home for months.

Well, here’s some good news. There are still some great, fun, free/or inexpensive things that kids, families and adults can do in July. And we’ve got a list!

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Donna Tisdale fears massive wind turbines will ruin life at her rural ranch, pose severe wildfire and safety hazards for neighbors and tribal members

View Lawsuit

July 9, 2020 (Boulevard, CA) – A federal lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the U.S. Department of Interior and agency officials challenging their approval of  Campo Wind facilities on tribal land, including 60 wind turbines each 586 feet tall on 2,200 acres, as well as Boulder Brush energy facilities on adjacent private land. 

“The project is a dangerous and completely unnecessary industrialization of high-quality wildlife habitat in an area with an extremely high wildfire risk and frequent low-flying military, commercial and private aircraft,” states the suit filed by the nonprofit Backcountry Against Dumps along with Boulevard residents Donna and Ed Tisdale, whose ranch adjoins the project site with a half-mile shared border.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy: Lakeside Fire Protection District

July 9, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – A big-rig truck’s brakes overheated and caught fire on Interstate 8 west in Lakeside, Monday.

Flames quickly spread to the truck’s load of over 40,000 pounds of raw meat according to the San Diego Union Tribune and LA Times, or 41,000 pounds, according to the Sacramento Bee, News Break and NBC.

The pungent smell of roast pork spread across the area.

By Maryanne Jackson

Photo via CC Free Stock

July 8, 2020 (Spring Valley) – Dear Maryanne,

We are wondering what type of housing market we are currently experiencing.

Is this a good time for buyers or best for sellers?

M.M., Spring Valley, CA

By Helen Horvath

July 8, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- In this continuing series of interviews about the impact of COVID-19 upon nonprofit organizations serving the East County communities, East County Magazine interviews Forrest Higgins III, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of East County. The mission of the Boys and Girls Clubs of East County is “to enable all young people, especially those that need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”

COVID-19 has stripped away many nonprofit’s abilities to generate revenue and sustain programs and services without creating modifications to how the non-profit operates.  This includes the Boys and Girls Club of East County (BGCEC) a local 501(c)(3) non-profit.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Screenshot of KCAL video showing llegal fireworks across Los Angeles

July 8, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – With fireworks shows cancelled or not allowing on-site viewing due to COVID-19, use of illegal fireworks skyrocketed across southern California. This video by KCAL shows a panorama of illegal fireworks in Los Angeles, where an illegal fireworks display burned down eight apartments and injured five people, CBS reported.

In a normal year, July 4^th fireworks cause 19,000 fires nationwide. But this year, residents across San Diego County and elsewhere say the problem was far worse.

San Miguel Fire Department, in response to an ECM records request, confirms their firefighters were dispatched to halt three fires caused by fireworks. One near Campo and Millar Ranch roads burned down 10 trees near a wildlife preserve and church.  Another firecracker ignited a neighbor’s backyard on Redfield Street. A third was spotted in a Spring Valley canyon behind Barcelona Street.

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  San Diego County healthcare workers conduct COVID-19 testing at SDCCU Stadium. Photo by Chris Stone

July 8, 2020 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reported a record 578 new cases of coronavirus and 12 more deaths Tuesday as the recent surge in infections continued.

East County News Service

July 6, 2020 (El Cajon) - Robert Gehr sent in this photo of  a  masked intruder – a raccoon—that visited the grounds at his apartment complex in the heart of downtown El Cajon.   

 Raccoons are nocturnal, omnivorous, can grow up to 60 pounds and can run up to 15 miles per hour. This particular night visitor was attracted by cat food left out by a neighbor, Gehr said.

http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/ca/facts/mammals/raccoon.html