EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

September 27, 2016 (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

• Push for new gas line sparks fears and theories (Voice of San Diego)
• Big crowd fills San Vicente reservoir on reopening day (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• El Cajon eyes ban on nudity (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Bald eagle found near death recovering in Ramona (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Cory Briggs conduct ‘unethical and possibly criminal,’ appellate court says (KPBS)
• Miller to airport group: Wake up, take Walton statue (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Sempra takes on bigger role in Mexico's energy landscape(San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• California man convicted as would-be Islamic State recruit gets 30 years (Reuters)
•  Political watchdog won't investigate Brown over 'Dirty Hands’ report (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Jose State University investigates after swastikas found on campus(CS Monitor)
• State auditor calls for CPUC reforms (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• CA police begin comprehensive state tracking for use-of-force injuries(CS Monitor)

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

LOCAL

Push for new gas line sparks fears and theories (Voice of San Diego)

San Diego Gas and Electric’s push to build a $600 million natural gas pipeline across the county is drawing wariness from environmentalists, ratepayer advocates and even other utilities who question whether a big new line is needed… The company needs to convince the CPUC that it’s worth spending hundreds of millions of dollars to build a new line because the old line might not be safe enough…If that line is truly unsafe, why is it transporting gas now?

Big crowd fills San Vicente reservoir on reopening day (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Fishermen, water skiers and boating enthusiasts filled the San Vicente Reservoir in Lakeside Thursday morning, marking the grand re-opening of the popular recreation area after eight years.

El Cajon eyes ban on nudity (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Getting naked in public in El Cajon, while frowned upon, hasn’t been illegal up until now. The City Council wants to rectify that.

Bald eagle found near death recovering in Ramona (San Diego Union-Tribune)

A sickly bald eagle that was found lying on a trail in Ramona earlier this week and which may be suffering from West Nile Virus is recovering at a rescue center.

Cory Briggs conduct ‘unethical and possibly criminal,’ appellate court says (KPBS)

…n short, the court found Briggs and his law firm — Briggs Law Corp. (BLC) — broke the law when they entered into lawsuits on behalf of a corporation, San Diegans for Open Government, they knew to be under state suspension at the time…Briggs is a well-known San Diego environmental and public-interest lawyer who has made a name for himself suing government agencies and developers under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Miller to airport group: Wake up, take Walton statue (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Most who survey the statue dedicated to local icon Bill Walton see bliss and a bike, a local icon with arms stretched wide as if to embrace the San Diego he loves. The 1,200-pound, bronze tribute immortalizes the man involved in 52 local charities…rather than resting on the comforts an incredible basketball career provided. Organizers offered the $200,000 piece of art as a permanent gift to the San Diego International Airport…The Airport Authority’s Art Advisory Committee – and try to wrap your mind around this one – said thanks, but no thanks.

Sempra takes on bigger role in Mexico's energy landscape(San Diego Union-Tribune)

Sempra Energy's subsidiary in Mexico, known as IEnova, has taken another step toward expanding its profile in the country's energy landscape.

STATE

California man convicted as would-be Islamic State recruit gets 30 years (Reuters)

 A would-be Islamic State recruit from California was sentenced on Monday to 30 years in prison for his conviction on charges he sought to join the militant group in Syria and committed bank fraud to pay for a plane ticket there, federal prosecutors said.

Political watchdog won't investigate Brown over 'Dirty Hands’ report (San Diego Union-Tribune)

The California Fair Political Practices Commission will investigate donations made to the California Democratic Party by privately owned utilities and other energy interests. The action was prompted by an August report from the Santa Monica advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, which focused on the political influence of companies that rely on fossil fuels. Despite the report’s heavy focus on Gov. Jerry Brown — it was entitled “Brown’s Dirty Hands” — the commission did not see fit to investigate the governor himself.

San Jose State University investigates after swastikas found on campus(CS Monitor)

Swastika signs and hate speech were found in two San Jose State University dorms on Tuesday, as universities nationwide struggle to address an increase in anti-Semitic incidents on campuses. 

State auditor calls for CPUC reforms (San Diego Union-Tribune)

State utility regulators, already under criminal investigation for their ties to monopolies they oversee, should ban gifts and travel from energy companies and trade groups to avoid the appearance of improper relationships, a state audit released Thursday said.

CA police begin comprehensive state tracking for use-of-force injuries(CS Monitor)

...California rolls out a new online system for tracking serious injuries to police officers or civilians during police use-of-force incidents, what some hope will be a model for other states.