East County Magazine

April 27, 2015 (La Mesa) – Back in December 2013, the city of La Mesa installed roundabouts to slow down speeders at two locations on Harbison Avenue, at the Watson Way and Annapolis Avenue junctions.

April 28, 2015 (Ramona) -- For those who missed our Spanish Fiesta at Hacienda de las Rosas Winery on Sunday, enjoy this demonstration of horsemanship by Jorge Valenzuela and a Peruvian Paso stallion raised by the winery's owner.  Flamenco guitar music was provided live by Miles Moynier.

East County News Service

April 28, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - What if there was a way to extract water from the air—harvesting dew drops to help meet water needs?

April 29, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes a murder mystery dinner theater, two major musical festivals, a wine-tasting event, a garden tour, a Cinco de Mayo celebration and more. Plus we’ll also have a preview of coming attractions including Explore Mission Trails, Ramona’s Old West Days,  Wild in the Country at a wildlife rescue facility, a fiddlers’ competition, and much, much more.So stay tuned for all of these events and more!

By Bonnie Baranoff

April 27, 2015 (La Mesa) -- It’s a beautiful, sunny day in Southern California as patrons enjoy lunch and dinner at Himalayan Cuisine, and shopping at the Himalayan Bazaar in La Mesa. But on the other side of the world in Nepal and in parts of India and China, the scene is much different: it’s raining, it’s dark, and it’s destroyed.

Mr. Khem Kharel, owner of Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa and a native of Nepal, says that his immediate family in Kathmandu--his 84 year old mother, his brother, brother’s wife and other family members--are thankfully “fine, just scared” and hungry. He has been in touch with his family, briefly, by phone, two times since the epicenter of the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the remote village of Barpak, in the northern-central Gorkha District, about 50 miles northwest from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu on April 25. The latest numbers report more than 4,400 deaths.

Street gangs reportedly issue threat against police, warning disseminated nationwide

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Another city has erupted in violent protests over alleged police brutality. Rioting has broken out in Baltimore, Maryland after the funeral of Freddie Gray, an African-American who died after suffering spinal injuries while in a van in police custody.

Rioters set fire to police cars and a pharmacy, sabotaged fire hoses and hurled bricks at police officers.  At least 15 police officers have been injured, Associated Press reports. Looting has also been reported. A senior center built by a church has also been torched.

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2015 (Washington D.C.)  - The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a landmark case this week, Obergefell v. Hodges, that is expected to decide whether same-sex couples should have a constitutional right to marriage in all 50 states.

East County News Service

April 26, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The Harley-Davidson Motor Company has announced a recall of 45,901 motorcycles for model years 2014 and 2015 due to dangerous clutch problems.

April 26, 2015 (Santee) – Sheriff’s deputies set up a checkpoint in the 8700 block of Mast Boulevard in Santee Saturday night to check for drivers under the influence of alcohol.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left, by CalFlier 001 on WIkipedia:  Famed Dharahara Tower, Khatmandu in 2013, was reduced to a stump by the April 25, 2015 quake

Photo, right: Google executivfe Dan Fredinburg, who perished on Mt. Everest, reported on Instagram by his sister, Megan.

April 27, 2015 (San Diego) -- A devastating earthquake has struck Nepal on Saturday, April 25th,  killing over 3,700 people  in India,  Nepal, Bangladesh and the Tibetan region of China.  The quake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale,  stronger than the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the strongest to hit the Nepal region in more than 80 years.

An avalanche on Mt. Everest killed at least 18 mountain climbers and sherpas, including Google executive Dan Fredinburg,  whose father and stepmother live in Carlsbad in San Diego’s North County.

Cultural resources have also been devastating particularly in Khatmandu Valley, including the landmark Dharahara Tower, which collapsed. Multiple temples have also been damaged or destroyed.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Pawen Kuznier, creative commons

April 25, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--Should a government-backed board be able to seize part of farmers’ crops in order to keep supplies down and prices up?

Memorial services set for May 1^st at Miramar National Cemetery

April 25, 2015 (San Diego) - James W. Loiselle, a retired Navy Captain and defense contractor, died April 14, 2015 from an accident at his home, the San Diego Daily Transcript reports.  Loiselle, who lived in El Cajon and Coronado, was named by San Diego Daily Transcript as one of the top 15 most influential people in the technology field in our region.

By Miriam Raftery

April 26, 2015 (Cleveland National Forest) – The County has begun a major cleanup of dirt dumped along Boulder Creek Road that polluted a federally protected watershed in response to an East County Magazine investigation.

Eagle Peak Friends and Collaborators, a concerned citizens' group, posted a video on its Facebook page documenting massive quantities of dirt dumped along Boulder Creek Road inside Cleveland National Forest in San Diego’s East County.  The group contended that the County is responsible for dumping 20,000 cubic yards of dirt from road-grading inside the federally recommended Eagle Peak Wilderness area.

Before our inquiry, nothing appeared to have been done to halt the county’s actions, which had gone on for many months or more, a whistleblower told ECM.

April 24, 2015 (San Diego)--Mylar balloons are colorful, festive decorations, however, they can also pose a safety hazard to our electric system if they’re outdoors and not securely tied down. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is urging customers to be aware of the dangers that can arise when Mylar balloons touch power lines. The metallic coating on Mylar balloons is an excellent conductor of electricity. When a Mylar balloon comes in contact with a power line, it can cause a power outage in your neighborhood, and can even spark an electrical fire.