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East County Roundup Includes the Most Important Stories About East County, or relevant to our readers, published by other media. Top stories from the past month include:
• Motorist to stand trial in young mother’s death
• Obama ushers in a new era for Indian Country
• Local GOP party calls for resignation of Poway Councilmember
• Buffalo Soldiers’ base recognized
• Teen’s threats trigger arrests
• FPPC won’t investigate Duvall’s mistress
• Under-fire Helix assistant vice principal is fired
• Long-time La Mesa City Manager stepping down
• Schools, stage budget and safety topics hot at forum
• Commission gives nod to Merriam for 2,700 homes
• The long road back: two years after the wildfires,recovery for many residents has been belated
MOTORIST TO STAND TRIAL IN YOUNG MOTHER’S DEATH
Ramona Sentinel (November 6, 2009) -- A Ranchita man whose speed on state Route 67 resulted in a collision and the death of Alexandria McKeirnan-Drake was remanded into jail shortly after the judge ordered him to stand trial for vehicular manslaughter.
Seven witnesses testified Oct. 28 in the preliminary hearing of Melvin Leroy Pearles, 48, who is accused of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in the March 29 incident. Alcohol was not a factor, but excessive speed was the killer, according to testimony.
http://www.ramonasentinel.com/article/News/News/Motorist_to_stand_trial_in_young_mothers_death/19589
OBAMA USHERS IN A NEW ERA FOR INDIAN COUNTRY
Indian Country Today (November 5, 2009)-- Fulfilling a pledge to forge a strong and lasting partnership with tribal nations, the leader of the free world took some time out of his schedule to address a plethora of concerns affecting Native American people and their communities.
“I’m absolutely committed to moving forward with you and forging a new and better future together,” President Barack Obama said during a Nov. 5 speech to hundreds of tribal leaders gathered in Washington from sovereign nations across the country.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/69340852.html
LOCAL GOP PARTY CALLS FOR RESIGNATION OF POWAY COUNCILMEMBER
November 4, 2009 (Poway) --The Republican Party of San Diego County has joined an ongoing campaign demanding that Poway City Councilwoman Betty Rexford resign, it was reported Wednesday.
Rexford, 69, was a longtime Republican until last week, when she changed her party affiliation to “decline to state,” according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
BUFFALO SOLDIERS’ BASE RECOGNIZED
Union-Tribune (10/31/09) -- EAST COUNTY — A state commission voted yesterday to declare Camp Lockett, the World War II Army base in Campo that was the last home of the famed Buffalo Soldiers, a California historical landmark.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/oct/31/buffalo-soldiers-base-nears-historic-status/
TEEN’S THREATS TRIGGER ARREST
Ramona Sentinel (October 28, 2009) -- A 19-year-old Ramona High School senior was scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court in El Cajon yesterday after his arrest Sunday for threatening to blow up Ramona High School or parts of the school.
Korey Robert Flad’s arrest followed reports to school and sheriff’s officials on Friday of a male student at the high school saying he planned significant damage to the school.
http://www.ramonasentinel.com/article/News/News/Teens_threats_trigger_arrest/19543
FPPC WON’T INVESTIGATE DUVALL’S ALLEGED MISTRESS
Sacramento Bee (October 28, 2009) -- The state's political watchdog agency today rejected a request that it investigate the actions of two female lobbyists who allegedly engaged in affairs with ex-Assemblyman Mike Duvall.
Duvall, a married Republican, resigned last month after a tape surfaced of him boasting in graphic detail about his sexual trysts with two women. Both of the women referred to in the July conversation, which was recorded by a hot mic during an Assembly committee hearing, are reportedly lobbyists. One has been identified in media reports as a lobbyist for Sempra Energy, a utility company that Duvall was assigned to regulate as vice chairman of the Assembly Utiltiies and Commerce Committee.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/026589.html
UNDER-FIRE HELIX HIGH ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IS FIRED
Union-Tribune (October 26, 2009 ) -- The Helix High School assistant principal who came under fire for giving a student a ride to a bus station has been fired. The charter school's governing board voted unanimously Monday to terminate the administrator's contract “without cause,” officials said.
School officials would not comment on the matter and instead issued a prepared statement.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/oct/26/bn26helix-teacher-fired/?metro
LONG TIME LA MESA CITY MANAGER STEPPING DOWN
Union-Tribune (October 26, 2009) -After nearly 22 years working for La Mesa, City Manager Sandra Kerl announced Monday that she will step down next month.
Kerl, 47, an Alpine resident, is resigning to take a position as deputy general manager at the San Diego County Water Authority. Her last day as La Mesa's city manager will be Nov. 20.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/oct/26/bn26kern-stepping-down/?metro&zIndex=189508
SCHOOLS, STATE BUDGET AND SAFETY HOT TOPICS AT FORUM
Union-Tribune (October 24, 2009) — How can the state fix its budget crisis and other problems? Will a new high school in Alpine be big enough to meet demand? Could the names of convicted arsonists be accessible to the public?
Local and state elected officials faced these and other questions Wednesday night at the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce's 11th annual “An Evening With Your Elected Representatives” at Viejas Casino. In all, 120 people attended the event, including state Assemblyman Joel Anderson, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Alpine Union School District board member Mark Price.
COMMISSION GIVES NOD TO MERRIAM FOR 2,700 HOMES
San Diego Union-Tribune (October 24, 2009) -- A huge housing development proposed for a mountainous, undeveloped area north of Escondido just west of Interstate 15 won the support of the county's planning commission yesterday.
By a 5-2 vote, the commission agreed to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that it approve the Merriam Mountains project, north of Deer Springs Road, and adopt the needed zoning changes for the development.
THE LONG ROAD BACK
Two years after the wildfires, recovery for many residents has been belated
San Diego Union-Tribune (October 18, 2009)-- School buses roll through on weekday mornings, past rows of vacant lots and “For Sale” signs before picking up the handful of children who still live at Valley Oaks Mobile Ranch in Fallbrook.
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