🌱 Patch AM: How Lemon Grove’s new tax is reshaping neighborhood policing right now

Hey hey Lemon Grove! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How Lemon Grove’s new tax is reshaping neighborhood policing right now
• How a Lemon Grove resident got pulled into a prison drug ring
• Why are activists questioning a homeless woman’s death in Lemon Grove?

Also on today's calendar: Real Estate & Economic Update Webinar: A Look Ahead to 2026 and 8 more events.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Lemon Grove? Post it to Lemon Grove photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: The doctor told me to drink carrot juice after a hot bath. - Did it help? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Partly sunny and nice, with a high of 70 and low of 46 degrees.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, nice and warm, temps: high: 78, low: 50.
• Friday: Pleasantly warm with sunshine, with a high of 78 and low of 48 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Lemon Grove pilots community-oriented policing program (sandiegouniontribune.com) — Lemon Grove’s voter-approved 1-cent sales tax is now funding two dedicated community-oriented sheriff’s deputies, launching the city’s first COPPS policing program. Station leaders say the new roles free up other deputies, boost proactive crime prevention, and expand outreach to unhoused residents, even as the substation continues operating with relatively lean staffing compared with other county stations.
   

• Mexican Mafia Associates Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms (fbi.gov) — A Lemon Grove woman has been sentenced in federal court for her role in a meth distribution conspiracy tied to the Mexican Mafia that targeted Southern California jails. Prosecutors say she worked under a higher-ranking associate, helping mail drugs disguised as legal correspondence while investigators from multiple agencies collaborated to dismantle the operation.
   

• Morning Report: Everyone Is Solving the TJ River Crisis – [your]NEWS (yournews.com) — Regional officials are ramping up efforts to tackle the Tijuana River sewage crisis, while new dedicated border lanes will soon help college students cross faster at Otay Mesa and San Ysidro. For Lemon Grove residents, the report briefly notes concerns raised after a homeless woman died days after being pulled from a local ditch, with activists questioning the response by county authorities.
   

📸 Around Lemon Grove

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Lemon Grove

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Wednesday December 17

• Real Estate & Economic Update Webinar: A Look Ahead to 2026
  Online Zoom,
  6:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday December 18

• Lemon Grove Farmers Market
  Treganza Heritage Park , 3200 Main St , Lemon Grove
  4:00 pm
• CLB-15 Christmas Party
  Veterans Association of North County , 1617 Mission Ave , Oceanside
  5:00 pm

Friday December 19

• Gentle Yoga
  Lemon Grove Library , 3001 School Ln , Lemon Grove
  9:00 am
• Donnie Fernandez AD Retirement
  Veterans Association of North County , 1617 Mission Ave , Oceanside
  1:00 pm
• NAACP NSDC Annual Meeting
  Civic Center Library Community Rooms , 330 N Coast Hwy , Oceanside
  5:30 pm

Saturday December 20

• Lemon Grove Drive-Thru Food Distribution
  3131 School Ln , Lemon Grove
  9:00 am
• Buffalo Soldiers
  Veterans Association of North County , 1617 Mission Ave , Oceanside
  11:00 am
• Vincent Santiago Commission
  Veterans Association of North County , 1617 Mission Ave , Oceanside
  3:00 pm

Tuesday December 23

• Neighbors Food Distribution
  Christian Church of Lemon Grove , 6970 San Miguel , Lemon Grove
  3:00 pm

Thursday December 25

• Lemon Grove Farmers Market
  Treganza Heritage Park , 3200 Main St , Lemon Grove
  4:00 pm

📣 Lemon Grove Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Wednesday December 17

• Burnout Paradise
  Sheila & Hughes Potiker Theatre , 2965 Theatre District Dr , La Jolla
  9:00 am
• Mind/Body Fitness for Older Adults
  San Carlos Branch Library , 7265 Jackson Drive , San Diego
  10:00 am
• Meet with Santa
  San Carlos Branch Library , 7265 Jackson Drive , San Diego
  3:30 pm
• Hotwheel Wednesdays
  Paradise Hills Branch Library , 5922 Rancho Hills Drive , San Diego
  4:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Lemon Grove PatchAM possible:

• PlayPro Guitar School — (619) 454-5375
  Mention “Patch10” for 10% off your 1st pkg of 4 lessons

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Lemon Grove Drive-Thru Food Distribution —Lemon Grove Lions Read on Patch

• Update: Pet Reunited
  Mr President, a cat who went missing in San Diego, CA, has been safely reunited with their family after 23 hours, 6 minutes. Message from Owner: "He… (Nextdoor Sunset)
• I turn on the kitchen light and this is what I see every morning.
  Starting from the left Nugget, Carmela and Joie. (Nextdoor Lemon Grove)

• Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC posted a job opening for Independent Real Estate Agent in La Mesa. Apply here.
• Taco Bell posted a job opening for Team Member in Spring Valley. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Lemon Grove here.

🗞 Nearby News

La Mesa

• Holiday lights and more in La Mesa Walks! stroll on Dec. 17 (eastcountymagazine.org)
• LMSVSD's new child nutrition director aims to feed more students (lamesatimes.com)

El Cajon

• Winterizing Inland Roofs: How to Protect Your Metal Roof from Sudden Cold Snaps and Valley Runoff in El Cajon (apnews.com)
• Editors' picks: 31 can't-miss holiday season events this week in San Diego (sandiegouniontribune.com)
• Sip, dance and sing: These are some of the options for New Year's Eve in San Diego (sandiegouniontribune.com)

San Diego

Ok Lemon Grove! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I can never finish drinking the hot bath!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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