‘SHAME ON YOU’: CITIZENS DECRY LA MESA CITY COUNCIL’S DISREGARD FOR LAW IN APPOINTING BATTALION CHIEF TO POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD

By Michael Howard
 
Photo:  La Mesa City Councilmember Lauren Cazares speaking at the January 28, 2025 city council meeting. Courtesy of City of La Mesa
 
February 21, 2025 (La Mesa) – Citizens of La Mesa are speaking out about the appointment of retired Battalion Chief Dave Hardenburger to the Community Police Oversight Board (CPOB) last week when, without the proper notice and ignoring eligibility requirements, the City Council voted 5-0 to place him on the oversight body during the January 28, 2025 council meeting.

GROSSMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOSTS “SPANISH NIGHTS” CONCERT MARCH 7 WITH NEW CONDUCTOR HERNAN CONSTANTINO

East County News Service

February 21, 2025 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont Symphony Orchestra welcomes its new conductor, San Diego Symphony Orchestra violinist, Hernan Constantino.  He is also on his seventh season as the music director for Mainly Mozart with the San Diego Symphony. His first concert performance is titled “Spanish Nights: A Concert of Passion and Fire” on March 7 at 7:30 p.m.

PROTEST FRIDAY AT REP. ISSA’S LOCAL OFFICE TO DEMAND TOWNHALL MEETING OVER DISMANTLING OF FEDERAL AGENCIES

East County News Service

February 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- Activists from Fallbrook, Escondido, Julian, and Ramona will gather at Congressman Darrell Issa’s office on February 21, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. to demand an in-person town hall meeting. The protest will take place at 210 W. Crest Street, Escondido, California. 

The rally, organized by Indivisible North County San Diego, aims to address critical issues facing the community, including the urgent need for transparency and accountability from elected officials. Issa, San Diego County's only Republican Congressional member, has been a staunch supporters of President Donald Trump to date.

Activists will call on Congressman Issa to engage directly with his constituents and to stand firm against the illegal dismantling of federal agencies orchestrated by Elon Musk.  

“Congressman Issa has a responsibility to represent the voices of his constituents, and that includes holding town hall meetings where we can express our concerns,” said Pam Albergo, a spokesperson for Indivisible North County San Diego. “We are here to demand that he stands up against the reckless actions that undermine our government and its agencies.” 

COMPLAINT CHALLENGES DOGE ACTIONS AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

By Miriam Raftery

February 20, 2025 (Greenbell, Md.) -- A legal complaint filed by 26 unnamed former and current employees in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland alleges that Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has violated the Constitution’s Appointments Clause.  That clause mandates that presidential appointments require the advice and consent of the Senate, which President Donald Trump did not seek when he appointed Musk and delegate vast powers.

COUNTY SAFE PARKING IN EL CAJON IS CLOSED FOR UPGRADES; PEOPLE LIVING IN VEHICLES ARE REDIRECTED TO SPRING VALLEY SITE

By Miriam Raftery

February 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The County-run safe parking site on Magnolia in unincorporated El Cajon, one of two East County sites set up to help homeless people living in their vehicles, is temporarily closed for renovations. The improvements will include picnic and meeting areas, a dog run, improved bath and shower areas, and permanent structures to house staff offices,

LAWSUIT FILED OVER DOGE ACCESS TO PRIVATE DATA

East County News Service

February 20, 2025 (New York) – The Electronic Frontier Foundation and a coalition of privacy defenders filed a lawsuit in New York on February 11 asking a federal court to block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the private information of millions of Americans that is stored by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and to delete any data that has been collected or removed thus far. The lawsuit also names OPM, and asks the court to block OPM from further sharing data with DOGE.

OUR GUIDE TO RESTAURANTS SPECIALIZING IN INTERNATIONAL CUISINE IN SAN DIEGO’S EAST COUNTY

San Diego is home to many immigrants from around the world. As a result, our inland region alone has restaurants specializing in cuisine from over 40 nations on six continents. You can take a culinary tour around the world—without leaving East County!

Below is our directory of internationally-themed restaurants.

LA MESA CHAMBER INVITES YOU TO MEET LOCAL BUSINESSES AT MARCH 5 SPRING FLING BUSINESS EXPO

Source:  City of La Mesa

February 20, 2025 (La Mesa) - On Wednesday, March 5th, the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to join them at the 10th Annual Spring Fling Business Expo.  This special evening will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego El Cajon, 141 N. Magnolia Avenue in El Cajon between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  There will be raffles and business vendors who will offer free door prizes that evening.

ALPINE COUNTRY GIFTS AND CRAFTS HOSTS SPRING FESTIVAL MARCH 20-22

East County News Service

February 20, 2025 (Alpine) – Alpine Country Crafts and Gifts (2156 Alpine Blvd. in Alpine) invites you to a Spring Festival and Easter Celebration.

The event takes place on:

Thursday, March 20  4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday, March 21  9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 22  9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

COUNTY BREAKS GROUND ON NEW CASA DE ORO LIBRARY

 By Shauni Lyles, County of San Diego Communications Office
 
Video by James Kecskes
 
February 20, 2025 (Spring Valley) - County officials and community members broke ground Wednesday on a project that will bring a new library branch to Casa de Oro to meet the growing needs of the community.