EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

May 7, 2015 (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

• Longtime TV personality Bob Dale dies at 83 (U-T)
• West Sacramento Claims Santee ‘Hijacked’ Tax Revenue (Times of San Diego)
• State questions tribal fund spending (U-T)
• Lemon Grove axing its planning commission (U-T)

STATE

• California Drought Killed 12 Million Forest Trees Since Last Year (KPBS)
• Earnings jump at Sempra (U-T)
• California approves new uniform rules for seawater desalination (Reuters)
• California Regulators Approve Unprecedented Water Cutbacks (AP)

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

LOCAL

Longtime TV personality Bob Dale dies at 83 

(U-T) -- Bob Dale, a longtime fixture on San Diego television known for his trademark bow ties and folksy humor, died Monday night. He was 83.

West Sacramento Claims Santee ‘Hijacked’ Tax Revenue

(Times of San Diego) -- The mayor of West Sacramento blasted Santee for being a “rogue city” that hijacked sales tax revenue to which it is not entitled. City leaders in West Sacramento are fuming over the loss of $600,000 in sales tax revenue from HD Supply, a home improvement products distributor with a large facility in West Sacramento. 

State questions tribal fund spending

(U-T) -- $2 million was allocated for yet-to-open firefighter training center

Lemon Grove axing its planning commission

(U-T) -- City Council to take over duties; city will start new Community Advisory Commission

STATE

California Drought Killed 12 Million Forest Trees Since Last Year

(KPBS) -- In San Diego County, 82,528 trees, mostly Jeffrey pines across Mt. Laguna, have succumbed to a lack of rainfall, with many more struggling to survive.

Earnings jump at Sempra

(U-T) -- Sempra Energy earnings rise 77 percent with new seasonal windfall, core performance.

California approves new uniform rules for seawater desalination

(Reuters) - California water regulators on Wednesday adopted a new uniform permitting process for seawater desalination projects expected to expand in number as the drought-stricken state increasingly turns to the ocean to supplement its drinking supplies.

California Regulators Approve Unprecedented Water Cutbacks (AP)

The State Water Resources Control Board approved rules Tuesday that force cities to limit watering on public property, encourage homeowners to let their lawns die and impose mandatory water-savings targets for the hundreds of local agencies and cities that supply water to California customers.