January 22, 2014 (Lakeside) – Riverview Elementary School and the Lakeside Union School District will host a Chinese New Year celebration ushering in the Year of the Horse.  Festivities will be held on Saturday, January 25 from 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. 

Activities include professional lion dancing, a Chinese cultural show by the Confucius Institute, students performing songs and dances, and Chinese arts and crafts booths.  The event is open to the public. Riverview Elementary, a Spanish and Mandarin language immersion school, will hold the event at Tierra Del Sol Middle School, 9611 Petite Lane in Lakeside.

By Miriam Raftery

January 15, 2014 (Lakeside) – If you’re looking for a place to getaway from the hustle and bustle of city living without traveling far away, consider a stay at one of San Diego County’s local Native American resorts.  Recently, I won a vacation to Barona Resort & Casino in a prize drawing at the La Mesa Centennial party –so in early January, my husband and I savored a relaxing weekend at Barona.

Unlike Las Vegas casinos, Barona resort is not glitzy or gaudy.  The casino and hotel complex are designed to fit in with the rural ambience, complete with a casino designed to resemble a barn and a waterwheel.  The property includes several lakes, providing idyllic places for walking or relaxing in an Adirondack chair to watch the sunset over the nearby mountains.  The site is also designated as a migratory bird sanctuary by the Audobon Society.

January 7, 2014 (Lakeside)--On January 19^th, 2014, at 7:00 pm, the Lakeside Fire Protection District will take to the airwaves with the “Lakeside Emergency Net”. This new amateur radio net was developed to establish a working relationship between the Lakeside Fire Protection District and the amateur radio community throughout the East County area.

December 14, 2013 (Lakeside) -- This story falls into the “how low can you go” category.  On Wednesday evening, two crooks stole donations out of a red Salvation Army kettle in front of a Walmart store off Los Coches Road in Lakeside.  One thief distracted the bell ringer while his partner in crime stole about $150 to $200 in cash.

Captain Terry Masango with the Salvation Army in El Cajon said it broke his heart that someone would steal money meant to help the poor.  “If they had just come to us and said, ‘We’re hungry,’ we would have helped them,” he said, the UT San Diego reported.

Lakeside’s Maine Avenue comes alive with the sights and sounds of the holiday season on Sunday, December 7 from 4 to 9 p.m. when the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce will host the 15th Annual Spirit of Christmas on  Maine (between Woodside and Laurel).

This free, fun-filled family event will include a tree lighting ceremony, visits with Santa, vendor booths, kids’ activities, food, music and entertainment by local bands & schools.

Barona Pledges More Than $20,000 & Launches Fundraiser for Typhoon Relief Efforts

November 22, 2013 (Lakeside)– Barona Resort & Casino has joined in relief efforts to help those affected by the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan. Barona presented a $10,000 donation to the Philippine American Business Improvement and Development during the organization’s annual gala. Barona will also continue to support those affected by Typhoon Haiyan with another $10,000 cash donation and a three-week, casino-wide fundraiser that will benefit relief efforts through the American Red Cross.

The casino-wide fundraiser begins on Saturday, November 23 as Filipino politician and boxing legend Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao takes on Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios in a pay-per-view fight which will be shown at the casino. From November 23 through December 15, Barona will match, dollar-for-dollar, the price of each Filipino-inspired entrée purchased at Ho Wan Noodle Shop. Players and staff will also have an opportunity to make a donation in designated collection boxes throughout the casino and everyone who makes a donation will be given a special thank-you button for their support.

November 18, 2013 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Historical Society will be hosting its 25th Annual Holiday Home tour on Saturday, December 7, 2013, beginning at 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Enjoy a self-guided tour of five unique homes in the Lakeside area.

The homes include a view lot atop Rattlesnake Mountain, two homestead cottages in Morena Valley complete with Clydesdale horses and a collection of antiques, another Morena Valley home with a beautifully landscaped yard, and a Eucalyptus Hills home, all decorated for the holidays.

November 11, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The past month has been deadly on East County roadways.  Accidents in Jamul, Spring Valley, San Diego, Lakeside, and Ramona have claimed the lives of several local residents.

Steven John Eastman, 24, of El Cajon died November 3 of injuries sustained when he was struck by a cement truck while walking along Mission Gorge Road and Cottonwood Avenue on November 1. Witnesses called 911 and paramedics found him unresponsive. He was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where despite treatment, his health declined.

October 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – On October 17, a shoulder-tap operation was conducted by the Sheriff’s Department and other agencies to see if retail outlets are illegally selling alcohol to minors in Santee, Alpine, Lakeside, Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, and unincorporated El Cajon.

Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, Agents from Alcohol Beverage Control, and three minor decoys conducted a "Minor Decoy" and "Shoulder Tap" Operation at various locations in the East County. The operation involved minors who tested "on-sale" and "off-sale" establishments. The minor decoys tested retailers and servers at a number of locations in an attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages inside their establishments. Three employees sold alcohol to the decoys.

See what’s on the agendas for city councils in  El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee, and the San Diego Supervisors this week

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)  - Chickens, term limits, renaming a theater, the Castlerock housing project, a regional water plan and a proposal to boost beekeeping in the backcountry are among the hot items impacting East County that will be heard this week.