East County News Service

January 24, 2016 (El Cajon) — The San Diego Early Music Society will present  Dorothee Oberlinger on recorder, Florian Birsak on harpsichord, and Marco Testori on cello in “Flauto Veneziano,” a concert on Sunday, April 3 at 3 p.m. in the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Center.

Update January 23, 2016 -- The Medical Examiner has identified the victim as Donnie Chipp, 28.  Cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.

East County News Service

January 22, 2016 (Pine Valley) – Pine Valley resident Douglas Kell, 20, has been arrested and charged with murder.

Photo: David Charles Price   1929 - 2016                            

January 22, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Services will be held Saturday, January 30 in Carlsbad for David C. Price, who passed away January 13 at age 86.

A lifetime San Diego resident, David C. Price was instrumental in the formation and operation of several San Diego area businesses and real estate developments, and was actively involved with various philanthropic ventures benefiting San Diego County. Most recently he lived in Carlsbad and formerly resided on Mt. Helix with his family for over 30 years. He also served for eight years on the Cajon Valley School District board in the 1960s. 

Price was born in San Diego on October 21, 1929.  He was a 1947 graduate of Grossmont High School and graduated from San Diego State University in 1951 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. After serving two years in the Army, he worked in the aeronautical industry for 15 years, including serving as General Manager of Advanced Structures in La Mesa, a division of Whittaker Corporation.

East County News Service

January 20, 2016 (Santee) -- The Santee Sheriff's Station will conduct a DUI/Driver License checkpoint on Friday, January 22 from 8:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. in Santee.

ECM interviewed Officer Pak in December

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Kelsey Hauser, courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

January 19, 2016 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Department has identified Officer Samson Pak as the patrol officer involved in a fatal shooting of a woman passenger (photo, left) and a dog in the vehicle on Sunday following a high-speed chase. The identities of the driver and all three passengers have also been released, including two El Cajon residents.

By Mike Allen

January 18, 2016 (Santee)--Santee’s City Council has voted to amend an earlier ban on medical marijuana dispensaries, adding the explicit prohibition of cultivating and delivering weed within the city.

The city already prohibited the sale of weed dating to 2009, and has never allowed the activity, but a recent slate of regulations adopted by the state and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in October has prompted many cities to pass additional laws ensuring that the cities maintain local control.

The vote on Jan. 13 was 5-0, although one council member said the city should take another look at the issue especially in light of the money the city is spending to enforce the ban.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of Backcountry Land Trust

January 18, 2016 (Alpine) – Clearing local watersheds of the arrundo donax, a hardy bamboo-like, non-native plant that is a major fire fuels hazard, and other invasive species is tough work.  To clear a four-mile stretch of Alpine Creek required contacting owners of about 700 private and public parcels, mapping the terrain and securing liability insurance and contracts.  So far, the initial work has been done on about 50 parcels, funded mainly by private donations.  But a lot more work is needed, including maintain those parcels already cleared.

Source: County News Service

January 17, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – County Supervisors have approved spending $50,000 in Neighborhood Reinvestment funds to acquire land for new libraries in Lakeside and the Casa de Oro community in Spring Valley.  The plan was proposed by East County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

By Miriam Raftery

January 16, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Steve Van Zant, former superintendent of Mountain Empire Unified School District, was arraigned today in San Diego Superior Court on a felony conflict of interest charge, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. 

While serving as Superintendent of Mountain Empire, Van Zant pushed through charter schools to operate in other school districts---while profiting by having some of those same charters hire his consulting firm, EdHive Inc.

Update: The Medical Examiner's office has identified the deceased woman as Kelsey Rose Hauser, 25.

East County News Service

January 16, 2016 (El Cajon) – Following a three mile pursuit of an allegedly stolen red Toyota with several people inside, the driver reportedly rammed two law enforcement vehicles.  El Cajon Police opened fire, killing a woman passenger and a dog, 10 News reports.

By Miriam Raftery

January 16, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Ratepayers in the Helix Water district have been under a state mandate to reduce water use by 20% under the Governor’s orders imposed last year during the drought.  But a new draft regulatory framework just released by the Staste Water Board would cut that to 12%, if approved.

By Miriam Raftery

January 14, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host a free program on “Let’s Talk About Mental Health” from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. The program is part of the library’s Wellness Wednesday series, normally held on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

East County Magazine

January 14, 2016 (Alpine)--The Cleveland National Forest Foundation (CNFF), Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF), and Save Our Forest and Ranchlands (SOFAR) announced  that they have filed a lawsuit challenging the County of San Diego’s approval of a firearms training facility for military and law enforcement at Covert Canyon within the boundary of the Cleveland National Forest outside of Alpine.  

The suit seeks an injunction and restraining order to shut down commercial firearms training at the facility, among other remedies.

The lawsuit cites alleged violations of the California Environmental Quality Act, abuse of discretion in changing the use classification of the commercial firearms shooting facility, and violation of the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (commonly referred to as the “Williamson Act”).

East County News Service

January 14, 2016 (Alpine) – Last week’s storm damage has necessitated closure of three Alpine schools today, with two remaining closed through tomorrow.

Joan MacQueen Middle School will be shut today and tomorrow due to propane leaks.  Shadow Hills and Mountain View  Learning Academy will be closed today for repairs on gas valves following leaks.