EAST COUNTY ROUND-UP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

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March 29, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

STATE

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

LOCAL

Justice Dept. action signals serious legal concerns for Hunter (San Diego Union-Tribune)

The Department of Justice request that the U.S. House Committee on Ethics defer action in its review of campaign-finance allegations against Rep. Duncan Hunter is a rare move that has signaled serious trouble for other lawmakers in recent history…The Union-Tribune identified four cases in which statements announced deferral to the Justice Department. Hunter’s case was the fifth. In three of the four cases, the lawmaker under investigation was indicted, according to the Union-Tribune’s review of news coverage. A grand jury has been called in the fourth case. Of the three lawmakers indicted, two were convicted of crimes and sent to prison. The third lawmaker’s criminal case was ongoing as of Friday.

State reps want to change county elections: County reps not so much (Voice of San Diego)

Two Democratic Assembly members want to change San Diego County Board of Supervisors elections. The all-Republican board is displeased.

Facebook pioneer donates $75 million to UCSD (San Diego Union-Tribune)

UC San Diego has received $75 million aimed at making the campus a leader in data science. The largest gift the university has ever received from a graduate came from Taner Halicioglu, who helped develop Facebook into a social media giant.

Unemployment rate in San Diego drops to only 4.2 percent (Times of San Diego)

The rate is near a post-recession low, trailing only December’s 4.1 percent mark, according to EDD data. San Diego’s figure compares to 5.2 percent for California, and 4.9 percent for the U.S. as a whole. Neither the state or nationwide figures are seasonally adjusted.

Border Patrol agents assaulted, threatened in three separate incidents (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Border Patrol agents were assaulted with a car, beaten and punched and threatened with a knife in three separate incidents in Otay Mesa Wednesday night that resulted in the arrest of a U.S. citizen and two Mexican nationals.

San Diego Emergency Officials, Geologist Sound Alarm on Tsunami Risk (KPBS)

If a large earthquake struck offshore, thousands of people along San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline could be in danger.

Chamber heads to Mexico City to protect cross-border ties in Trump era (Times of San Diego)

The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce will lead nearly 90 area political and business leaders on an annual trip to Mexico City, beginning Sunday, to strengthen binational ties.

STATE

Exclusive: Lead poisoning plagues California (Reuters)

Dozens of California communities have experienced recent rates of childhood lead poisoning that surpass those of Flint, Michigan, with one Fresno locale showing rates nearly three times higher, blood testing data obtained by Reuters shows.

David Daleiden, activist from secret Planned Parenthood videos, charged with 15 felonies (Sacramento Bee)

David Daleiden, the anti-abortion activist with roots in Davis, and an alleged co-conspirator were charged Tuesday for falsifying their identities and using a fake bioresearch company to covertly record videos of themselves trying to obtain fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood. The 15 felony charges were brought by Attorney General Xavier Becerra against Daleiden and Sandra Merritt of the Center for Medical Progress. “The right to privacy is a cornerstone of California’s Constitution, and a right that is foundational in a free democratic society,” Becerra said in a statement released with the charges. “We will not tolerate the criminal recording of confidential conversations.”

New parole rules released as California prisons near court-ordered cap (Sacramento Bee)

As the state prison population comes close to exceeding a court-mandated limit, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is pursuing new regulations that aim to get more inmates paroled more quickly over time. The proposed rules, originating from voter approval of Proposition 57

California Cops and the FBI Want to Keep Their Facial Recognition Tech Secret (Reason)

A bill sponsored by State Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) would require police and sheriff's departments to explain to local officials how they use surveillance technology like facial recognition programs and social media trackers. The disclosures would have to be made at a hearing that is open to the public.


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