Photo: Councilman Steve Goble is the likely swing vote when the El Cajon City Council reconsiders an amended version of a controversial immigration measure on Feb. 11.
By Miriam Raftery
February 10, 2025 (El Cajon) - A controversial measure to allow El Cajon Police officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities is back on tomorrow’s agenda. The newly revised version includes changes from an earlier version that was voted down 3-2 after a five-hour hearing with emotional testimony on both sides. View revised draft.
The immigration matter is scheduled at the end of a 3 p.m. meeting tomorrow. However, there is an earlier 2 p.m. special meeting on unrelated issues. Activists on both sides have been advising the public to arrive early, since seats may fill up for the first meeting with people planning to stay for both meetings.
The original measure was introduced by Mayor Bill Wells and Councilman Phil Ortiz, who voted in favor. Councilmembers Gary Kendrick, Michelle Metschel and Steve Goble voted no, after several attempts at compromise measures failed. The newest reversion includes amended language proposed by Councilmember Goble.
East County News Service
February 9, 2025 (Julian) – The proposed supervised placement of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely at a home on Wynola Road in Julian has been cancelled, CBS 8 reports, after the homeowner withdrew the property from consideration.
East County News Service
February 9, 2025 (Jamul) -- The Jamul-Dulzura Planning Group is seeking funds from San Diego County’s Department of Public Works to develop a community park in Jamul. While exploring potential locations for the park, the Planning Group has launched a survey asking community members what features they would like to see in the new community park.
“As we explore potential locations for this park, we want to ensure it meets the needs and desires of our community,” an email from the planning group states. To take the survey, click here.
East County News Service
Photo: one of the ideas for the new logo
February 9, 2025 (Jamul) - The Jamul-Dulzura Community Planning Group (JDCPG) is seeking creative minds to design its new logo, offering local artists and designers a chance to leave their mark on this vital East County organization.
East County News Service
February 9, 2025 (Oakland, CA) – Last week, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Trump administration from carrying out a spending freeze. “Each day that the pause continues to ripple across the country is an additional day that Americans are being denied access to programs that heal them, house them, and feed them,” Judge Loren AliKhan wrote in the ruling.
Now California Attorney General is accusing the Trump administration of defying the judge’s order and continuing to block funds to states under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA and the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, also known as the bipartisan infrastructure act). Bonta on Feb. 7 filed a motion on behalf of 23 state attorneys general. The motion asks the court to enforce the earlier ruling and and to order Defendants to immediately restore funds until the preliminary injunction motion can be heard and decided.
The coalition seeks to preliminarily enjoin the Trump Administration’s funding freeze, emphasizing the widespread and irreparable harm to states, which rely on billions of dollars of critical federal assistance for public services that ensure access to education, clean air and water, and health care and that support essential infrastructure projects. More than $100 billion in Medicaid funding, tens of billions in infrastructure and climate funding, among the funding at risk in just California, according to a press release issued by Bonta.
East County News Service
February 7, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – Hillsdale Middle School on Brabham Street in Rancho San Diego was placed on lockdown for about 15 minutes due to a call reporting a man with what appeared to be a gun in front the school shortly before 3:30 p.m. yesterday.
Deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station were given a description of the man as they drove to the school. Out of an abundance of caution, deputies requested the school to be placed on lockdown.
Once they arrived at Hillsdale Middle School, located in unincorporated El Cajon, deputies found a man fitting the description outside of campus and detained him for questioning.
East County News Service
February 6, 2025 (Sacramento, CA) -- Today, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) introduced Senate Bill 286, which will close what he calls a “dangerous loophole” in California’s Elderly Parole program that allows violent sex offenders and murderers as young as age 50 to be released early. Click here to read the bill’s fact sheet.
“Releasing violent rapists under the so-called ‘elderly parole’ is not only an insult to victims but a grave danger to Californians,” Jones states in a press release.. “Survivors of violent sex crimes and the families of murder victims should never have to live in fear that their attacker could walk free long before serving their full sentence. But under current law, the system is rigged in favor of criminals, forcing the Board of Parole Hearings to justify why these offenders shouldn’t be released. That’s completely backward. The law should protect law-abiding Californians, not violent criminals.”
By Mike Allen
Photo: construction at night for Advanced Water Purification program
February 6, 2025 (Santee) -- East County’s biggest infrastructure project, Advanced Water Purification, is officially costing more than $1 billion after the Joint Powers Authority that oversees it approved about $80 million in changes to its construction contract.
Updated February 7, 2025 with statement from the Council on Islamic Relations in San Diego.
By Miriam Raftery
February 6, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Many world leaders as well as Congressional leaders in both parties are pushing back on President Donald Trump’s call for the U.S. to “takeover” Gaza, relocate Palestinians to neighboring nations and turn Gaza into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump initially spoke of a permanent resettlement, with the U.S. taking ownership. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio later walked that back, indicating relocation of Palestinians would only be temporary during debris removal and new construction. “In the interim, obviously people are going to have to live somewhere while you’re rebuilding it,” he stated, AP reports.
Trump insisted,”Everyone loves my Gaza idea,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
But with the exception of some Israeli leaders, reactions around the world have overwhelmingly rejected the concept. Here are their statements:
Update: An earlier version of this article contained information added by our editor stating that the vote violated California's Brown Act. The City has disputed this and indicated that a public vote was held. Our earlier report was based on a text from a Councilmember indicating that the vote was "anonymous" after ECM's editor asked whether the vote was unanimous. An anonymous vote during a public meeting would be illegal. Please see correction note below this article for full details.
By Jessica Brodkin Webb
Miriam Raftery contributed to this report.
February 5, 2025 (Lemon Grove) –Lemon Grove’s City Council last night appointed Yadira Altamirano to fill the seat left vacant after Allyson Snow was elected as Mayor in 2024. She was previously appointed to finish City Council Member Matt Mendoza’s term from late 2019 through December 2020.