Fire safety and water purification among top issues to be discussed
East County News Service
March 15, 2024 (Alpine) - Alpine resident Anne Tillmond is hosting a Town Hall Q&A featuring Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board Members Kim Hales (Division 4) and Dr. Suzanne Till (Division 2) on March 30 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Alpine Club – 1830 Alpine Blvd. Alpine, CA 91901.
By Jakob McWhinney, Voice of San Diego
File photos via ECM: GUHSD trustees Robert Shields and Jim Kelly, who were caught on hot mikes. These images did not appear in the original Voice of San Diego article.
March 15, 2025 (El Cajon) -- For weeks now, Grossmont Union’s board meetings have been dominated by crowds of community members furious at the district’s plan to close its budget deficit by laying off more than 60 employees. Those layoffs, which the board approved by a four to one vote two weeks ago, include assistant principals, teachers and nearly every single one of the district’s librarians.
The scene was the same at Tuesday’s board meeting, when hundreds of protesters packed into Grossmont High School’s gym to advocate the board rescind the layoffs.
Gary Woods, who voted in favor of the layoffs, said the decision made them “heartsick.” But another trustee was more frank about what he thought about the librarians on the chopping block during a hot mic moment just prior to the meeting’s official start according to a screen recording of the meeting shared with Voice of San Diego.
By Mike Allen
Photo by Scott Lagace: Santee firefighters saved the life of an unconscious woman during a July 2024 fire that engulfed her mobile home, also administering oxygen to save a cat.
March 14, 2025 (Santee) -- Santee knows it has to be better when it comes to providing fire protection to its residents, and after a sales tax-funded plan for new fire stations failed in November, its City Council made improving that essential service as its top priority.
In fairness, the Council was already focused on getting a couple of new stations to double the current number—two—to serve a population of more than 60,000.
It was building a temporary station off Olive Way where it formerly used to keep its maintenance operations, and was planning a new station in the north part of the city. Yet the Council was hoping the half-cent hike to local sales taxes would finance the improvements. Not so fast, said voters who rejected the plan.
At its March 12 meeting, the Council set building new fire stations—along with finding new ways to pay for them--as its No. 1 goal from a list of ten.
LIVESTREAMING UPDATE: For those unable to attend in-person, here are platforms where organizers plan to livestream this event:
By Miriam Raftery
March 14, 2025 (Escondido) – After weeks of rebuffed requests for Congressman Darrell Issa (R-48)to hold a community townhall to discuss constituents’ concerns, activists have scheduled an “Empty Chair Town Hall” at the California Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, March 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The event, hosted by Dr. Allison Gill from the "Mueller, She Wrote" podcast, will provide constituents with the opportunity to voice questions and concerns they would typically address directly to their congressional representative, particularly regarding potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Veterans Services.
Following recommendations outlined in the "Indivisible Guide" (indivisible.org/resource/guide), this Empty Chair Town Hall is part of a nationwide effort encouraged by Indivisible National during the congressional recess from March 13-23.
"When our elected officials refuse to engage with their constituents, democracy suffers," said Pamela Albergo of Indivisible North County San Diego. "Rep. Issa hasn't held a town hall since 2017, but the concerns of his constituents haven't gone away."
Update January 7, 2025 A GoFundMe site has been set up to help the victims' families with funeral costs, emotional support, and legal costs to pursue justice.
East County News Service
January 6, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The victims of a fatal pedestrian crash on New Year’s Day in Lemon Grove have been identified as Nadia Charles and Junior Joseph Juste. Both 20 years old, they were cousins who immigrated here from Haiti last year in hopes of a better life in the United States, after surviving earthquakes,poverty, violence and political instability in their homeland.
East County News Service
Photos by Ken Jacques
March 13, 2025 (Scripps Ranch) -- Scripps Ranch Theatre continues its Season 45 with Mary’s Wedding, written by Stephen Massicotte. Directed by Kate Rose Reynolds, the production runs April 4th - 27th on the campus of Alliant International University. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There will be a preview performance on Friday, April 4th with a Press Opening on Saturday, April 5th at 7:30 p.m. Patrons can purchase Tickets online at https://scrippsranchtheatre.org/showtickets/ or contact SRT Patron Services at 858-395-0573.
By Leorah Gavidor
March 13, 2025 (Campo) -- When Urban Timber partners Jessica Van Arsdale and Dan Herbst learned they had just a few months to move their well-established tree salvage business, the couple had to scramble to find a place to move hundreds of tons of logs that they had saved from the landfill. The company that saves trees from urban displacement was itself facing displacement. After a few weeks of major stress and uncertainty, Urban Timber found its rural salvation in East County.
By Karen Pearlman
Photo, left, by Miriam Raftery: El Cajon's downtown district
March 12, 2025 (El Cajon) – A new city vibe is expected to come to the more than 100-year-old city of El Cajon.
Earlier this month, the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting a safe and prosperous downtown El Cajon, announced that it had hired New City America to lead a renewal effort in the area.
The group that helped revitalize Little Italy is being tapped to be executive director of the group and work to make downtown El Cajon a vibrant community hub.
By Mike Allen
March 12, 2025 (Santee) -- Kristen Dare, who led the Santee Chamber of Commerce as CEO for the past six years, resigned from the position to take a new job at Waste Management Corp.
In an email sent to chamber members March 3, Chamber Chair Susie Parks said she is grateful for Dare’s decade of experience at the business association. She joined at the nonprofit on St. Patrick’s Day in 2014.
“Under her guidance, we have seen much growth and success even during challenging times. While we will certainly miss Kristen's leadership, we fully understand and support her decision,” Parks said.
By Mike Allen
March 12, 2025 (Santee) -- Kristen Dare, who led the Santee Chamber of Commerce as CEO for the past six years, resigned from the position to take a new job at Waste Management Corp.
In an email sent to chamber members March 3, Chamber Chair Susie Parks said she is grateful for Dare’s decade of experience at the business association. She joined at the nonprofit on St. Patrick’s Day in 2014.
“Under her guidance, we have seen much growth and success even during challenging times. While we will certainly miss Kristen's leadership, we fully understand and support her decision,” Parks said.