By Miriam Raftery

August 13, 2017 (La Mesa) – The Interfaith Council of La Mesa invites the public to join millions of people around the world participating in activities to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Peace on September 17^th. The La Mesa event will be held starting at 3 p.m. in Aztec Park, 7945 Morocco Drive, La Mesa.

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2017 (California) – Growth in commercial-scale marijuana farming has created a new set of wildfire-related issues.  Several recent wildfires in California were caused by pot growing operations, Cal Fire reveals.  But in other western states, pot farmers are facing uninsured losses when wildfires threaten their crops.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image Credit: Pixel and Paper Photography

August 22, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - Lots of purring, happy barks and maybe even a cock-a-doodle-do Monday as shelter pets from County Animal Services settle into their new forever homes. They were among 306 animals adopted from the County’s three shelters on Clear the Shelters Day Saturday. That total beat last year’s total of 304 by just a (doggie) hair and a whisker.

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2017 (La Mesa) – You’re invited to experience bluegrass, Cajun, Flamenco, and country blues music this Wednesday night at Brew Coffee spot, the happening new gathering place in La Mesa, at 6101 Lake Murray Blvd.  from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m.

East County News Service

August 21, 2017 (Planet Earth) — As people across the nation sought out viewing areas, eclipse glasses and solar shields to photograph the eclipse,  the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) got the premier eclipse photo—shot from space.

Update August 22:  The fire is 80% contained and holding at 200 acres, per Cal Fire. 175 federal, state and local firefighters have been battling the blaze.  Cause has not been determined.

Update 6:00 p.m.: Forward spread of fire has been stopped and threat to Campo Indian reservation mitigated, Cal Fire reports.

Update 4:12 p.m.:  Campo Sheriff Substation reports  EclipseFire is at 200 acres. Safe zone is at Mountain Empire High School, 3305 Buckman Springs Rd. in Campo. Fire is advancing at moderate spread, 10-15 mph winds, 0% contained.

Update 3:50 p.m.:  Campo Indian reservation is also now threatened, Cal Fire tweeted moments ago. Evacuations are in progress.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Donna Tisdale

August 21, 2017 (Campo) -- The #EclipseFire has burned 25 acres at La Posta Road and Royal Willie Road in the Campo area.  Structures are now threatened and evacuations are occurring at a Navy training site on La Posta Road, Isaac Sancheez, Cal Fire public information officer, has advised ECM.

The fire is burning at moderate rate of spread and no structures are threatened, according to Cal Fire.  The California Highway has ordered closure of La Posta Road. 

SDG&E has dispatched its air crane to help battle the blaze.

East County News Service

June 27, 2017 (Spring Valley) - Thelma, Stan & Ollie - the next gathering of the Saps at Sea, the Laurel & Hardy Sons of the Desert association in San Diego, high-lights one of their favorite gals, Thelma Todd. This bubbly blonde was not only a highly respected actress and comedian, but a long time favorite of the Saps.

East County News Service

July 24, 2017 (San Diego) -- On Monday, August 21st, a total solar eclipse will pass over the Pacific Northwest affecting California’s solar resources that supply power to the grid. The eclipse is expected to occur from 9:02 a.m. to 11:54 a.m., with the moon obscuring 58 to 76 percent of solar rays, depending on the resource location, and causing a loss of 4,194 megawatts of California large scale solar electricity.

SDSU earns 1-0 win over UC Davis

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

August 20, 2017 (San Diego) - San Diego State earned its first victory of the season, defeating UC Davis 1-0 at a sun-splashed SDSU Sports Deck Sunday afternoon. The decision evened the Aztecs’ record at 1-1 and supplied head coach Mike Friesen with his program-record 123^rd career win.

By Miriam Raftery

August 20, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Last month,  rural residents voiced frustration when the County announced meetings on outsourcing animal services with only 24 hours notice before the only meeting in East County, as ECM reported.  This week,  rural community leaders are voicing frustration that public meetings on how to improve ambulance services were again announced on short notice.  All the meetings are slated mid-day on weekdays this week, when working people can’t attend.  Moreover, rural planning group chairs say there were left in the dark and were never notified by the county of these meetings.

By Paul Kruze 

Photo: Shawn “Lone Wolf” Christman in mid-1980s

August 19, 2017  (Santa Ysabel) -- Things were not supposed to end this way.

Santa Ysabel resident Angela June (Sortore) Christman  has traveled a long road of frustration that ended in heartbreak on August 10th, when Detective George Chrysler of the San Diego Sheriff Department gave her the bad news that her long lost son, Shawn “Lone Wolf” Christman (known to his friends as “Coyote”), had drowned in Lake Michigan in 1993.  His body was laid to rest as an unidentified John Doe in a pauper’s grave outside of Chicago, Illinois in 1994. 

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 18, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - The County of San Diego is studying how to improve access to and quality of emergency medical services provided in San Diego County’s backcountry, which includes rural and desert communities.

East County News Service

August 18, 2017 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) has awarded a $89,440 grant to Grossmont College’s Allied Health Division. The grant will be applied towards the purchase of three pieces of equipment that will assist in the training of cardiovascular, respiratory and orthopedic technology students.

East County News Service

August 17, 2017 (Alpine) — Authorities seek public help to find the man shown in this artist’s sketch.  He is wanted for attacking a 63-year-old woman who was walking in Alpine on the evening of June 20^th, breaking her nose and causing numerous scrapes and bruises.

Penny, Rosales, Kelly and Lomax elected captains for 2017 campaign

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  2017 Aztec captains (L-to-R) Kameron Kelly, Trey Lomax and Rashaad Penny (Antonio Rosales not pictured) exchanging gifts at MCAS Miramar.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

August 17, 2017 (San Diego) - San Diego State football has named seniors Rashaad Penny (Norwalk, Calif.), Antonio Rosales (Tucson, Ariz.), Kameron Kelly (Murphy, Texas) and Trey Lomax (San Diego, Calif.) as its captains for the 2017 campaign.