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Story and photos by Liz Alper

May 1, 2017 (El Cajon) - On May Day, Granite Hills and Grossmont girls lacrosse faced off on the final game of both teams’ seasons.  The Eagles entered tonight with an impressive season, going 10-4 overall and 5-2 in league.  The Foothillers could stand to do a little better; they were 5-10 overall and 3-4 in league play entering tonight.

Update May 4, 2017:  Two of East County's four mayors have pulled out of the East County Mayors Prayer Lunch, after the Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to the mayors asking them to cancel their planned attendance. The First Amendment watchdog group, which learned of the prayer lunch from our report, contends that the event violates the Constitional requirement for separation of church and state. The foundation's letter hints at legal action.

View Part II of our investigation here. 

By Miriam Raftery

May 1, 2017 (El Cajon) – Multiple East County leaders are speaking out to voice opposition to David Barton, a debunked “Christian Nation” advocate, speaking May 4^th at an East County Mayors Prayer  Lunch at the Crystal Palace in El Cajon.   Barton has  long claimed that the Founding Fathers did not  support a separation of church and state. His book, The Jefferson Lies, was pulled off the market by its publisher after conservative Christian scholars exposed many falsehoods. 

Barton  is listed as an extremist on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s watch list for his virulent anti-gay views.  He has also drawn fire for anti-Muslim remarks and some stances views as racist. He has advocated to remove civil rights leader Martin Luther King and farmworkers organizer Cesar Chavez from school text books.

In a recent interview with Christian Broadcasting Network, he urged Christian Evangelicals that they have a Biblical “duty” to vote for candidates who will support anti-abortion judges and who oppose equal rights for LGTBQ individuals.  “It’s not your vote. It’s God’s vote,” he stated. On his  Wallbuilders Live radio show,  he claimed that the same “evil” responsible for the Holocaust is today responsible for the “homosexual lifestyle.”

Just who is behind inviting Barton to speak at a function with local governmental leaders is unclear.  But his appearance has prompted a backlash.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

May 1, 2017 (San Diego) -- There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills!  It’s also along the freeways, in open fields and vacant lots in your neighborhood. That lush green vegetation and pretty wildflowers from recent winter storms is now turning golden in color and soon to become dark brown, brittle and extremely dry.  Fire season is already here and getting extremely dangerous quickly. We’ve already seen quite a few fast moving grass/brush fires throughout Southern California.

By Jason Mueller

March 18, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Car shows are for enthusiasts, collectors and anyone that just enjoys looking at some of the most fascinating cars out there. East County is full of car shows throughout the year that are fun for all ages. With both classic and new cars, there is a little bit of everyone in the vehicles shown. If you love cars and thrive on the excitement of a good show, these three-great car shows throughout East County are for you.

SDSU’s Shelby Thompson and Jenavee Peres each hit grand slams in series finale

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Jenavee Peres (left) hit a grand slam and had six RBIs in SDSU's 15-5 win over MW-leading Utah State.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

April 30, 2017 (Logan, Utah) - Shelby Thompson (Benicia, Calif.) and Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) each hit grand slams to lead the San Diego State softball team to a 15-5, five-inning victory over Mountain West-leading Utah State in the series finale Sunday in Logan, Utah. The Aztecs improved to 26-17 overall and 10-8 in MW play, while the Aggies dropped to 32-12 and 14-6.

Police seek leads on suspect, described as bald Hispanic man in white polo shirt

By Miriam Raftery

April 30, 2017 (La Mesa) – A security guard was injured by a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his thigh at 1:35 a.m. outside Jolt N Joe’s Bar.  Several vehicles parked outside were also struck.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, UCSB collection

April 29, 2017 (San Diego) – The Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969 was the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history at the time.  Three million gallons of crude oil contaminated the ocean and beaches with thick, black goo. Oil bubbled from the blown well and from cracks in the sea bed, killing countless sea birds, seals and other marine life. 

The last remaining oil derrick off California's coast is slated to be decommissioned,  Public News Service reported last week. But now an executive order by President Donald Trump could result in offshore oil wells again pumping in the waters off California.

By Miriam Raftery

April 29, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - The Baja Blues Boys, known for their original acoustic and electric blues plus roots, Americana and party music, will be performing in several local venues over the next month including locations in La Mesa, Santa Ysabel and Poway.

Below are their appearances in our inland region:

By Miriam Raftery

April 29, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – One week after hundreds of thousands joined a march for science nationwide on Earth Day to protest the Trump administration’s irrational anti-science stances, the Environmental Protection Agency has taken down its climate science website, the Washington Post reports.  The action came on the eve of today’s march calling for action to halt climate change.

East County News Service

April 29, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Simone Bahou, 52, was arrested April 27^th after fleeing from Sheriff’s deputies.

According to Sergeant M. Hettinger, a Sheriff’s deputy responded to a call reporting a suspicious person drinking alcohol in his vehicle behind the CVS store at 3749 Avocado Boulevard in unincorporated La Mesa. Upon arrival, the suspect, (later identified as Bahou, started his vehicle and slowly drove past the deputy as he approached on foot.

By Miriam Raftery

April 28, 2017 (La Mesa) – Bookworms, rejoice! Huffington Post has published a list of the best 50 independent bookstores in the U.S.  Five are here in California – including Maxwell’s House of Books in La Mesa.

East County News Service

April 28, 2017 (La Mesa) -- La Mesa Beautiful will hold its third annual plant sale on Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The sale will be at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 4816 Glen Street in La Mesa.

By Miriam Raftery

April 28,2017 (San Diego) – Seeking to empower women through outdoor activities REI has launched “Forces of Nature,” a series of over 1,000 programs for women from May through September nationwide, including San Diego. Locally the series kicks off with events at Mission Trails Regional Park on May 6^th that include rock climbing, and a free inspirational TED-talk style presentation by outdoor writer Shelby  Stanger. 

“Outdoors is a level playing field,” says Alyson Wright, outdoor programs and outreach market manager from REI in San Diego.  “You don’t have to behave a certain way.”  Nationally, REI is telling stories of women adventurers, makers and rule-breakers, encouraging women, “Let’s make outside the largest level playing field on earth.”

View video of round dance 

Source: Indigenous Environmental Network

April 27, 2017 (Washington, D.C.) -- Hundreds of Indigenous people from around the country converged on the Trump Hotel tonight to project messages of resistance, and hold a traditional round dance that shut down Pennsylvania Ave and 12th St NW for about half an hour starting at 9 p.m. Messages projected on the side of the Trump Hotel included “#IndigenousRising,” “Resist Trump,” “Resist Pipelines,” and “Renew Treaties.”

By Miriam Raftery

File photo: ASTREA helicopter

April 27, 2017 (Santa Ysabel) – Patrick Clay, a parolee with a felony warrant, was taken into custody at 7:20 this evening after a pursuit that included a helicopter, patrol vehicle, deputies on foot and a Sheriff’s canine that ultimately subdued the subject.