SUNCREST TRUCK TRAIL NOT A VIABLE OPTION FOR FIRE EVACUATION ROUTE IN CREST, ACCORDING TO FIRE OFFICIALS

STATE PARKS PHOTO CONTEST RUNNING THROUGH SEPT. 30

ADVANCING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: INSIDE THE BINGE AND UNDERAGE DRINKING INITIATIVE’S 2025 ANNUAL STATUS REPORT FOR COUNTY

DEAF MONGOLIAN IMMIGRANT HELD BY ICE IN OTAY MESA FOR MONTHS WITHOUT ACCESS TO INTERPRETER

GROCERY WORKERS AT RALPHS, ALBERTSONS, VONS, AND PAVILIONS VOTE RATIFY NEW CONTRACTS

WALMART RECALLING OZARK STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLES

LA MESA CITY COUNCIL APPROVES RENOVATIONS FOR GROSSMONT CENTER

SANDAG LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY INPUT; ZOOM MEETING ON JULY 16

LA MESA BECOMES FIRST LOCAL CITY CERTIFIED AS AGE-FRIENDLY EMPLOYER, HELPING JOB SEEKERS AGE 50 AND UP

YOU'RE INVITED! JULY 17 FEAST AT HIMALAYAN CUISINE IN LA MESA WITH EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE'S DINING CLUB

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WEST NILE VIRUS SPREAD: COUNTY TO HOLD PROGRAM SATURDAY IN LA MESA

SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR WELLS PARK MURDER IN EL CAJON

MISSING MAN’S CAR FOUND JULY 15 ON I-8 IN BOULEVARD

 

August 5, 2011 (Boulevard)—San Diego Police ask the public’s help to locate Jerry Perez, 53, who was last seen July 15 at 6:30 a.m. on Pacific Highway in San Diego. His car, a 1996 white Honda Accord (CA license 3TDT884) was found July 15 at 8 a.m. abandoned on Interstate 8 in Boulevard, a half mile east of the La Posta Creek Bridge.

 

HERMAN'S HERMITS OPEN CONCERT SEASON AT SYCUAN CASINO - STARTING AUGUST 6

LIVE & UP CLOSE CONCERT SERIES TO FEATURE SURVIVOR, MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT, MIDTOWN MEN & MORE

August 4, 2011 (El Cajon) – This fall, Sycuan Casino will welcome famous bands, musicians and Broadway actors to its intimate Live & Up Close concert venue. Performances start August 6 with '60s favorites  Herman's Hermits and conclude November 22 with Monty Python's SPAMALOT.  

RARE VIEW OF AURORA BOREALIS (NORTHERN LIGHTS) TONIGHT IN EAST COUNTY & ALONG WEST COAST

August 5, 2011 (Borrego) – Famed stargazing columnist/expert Dennis Mammana informs ECM that the aurora borealis, better known as the Northern Lights, may be visible tonight on the West Coast starting around 9:45 p.m.(View the "aurora webcam" in Alaska here)

“Sky watchers in Europe are getting one whale of an auroral display right now,” Mammana wrote at 3:45 today, adding that viewing will be best and high and middle latitudes, though the spectacular sky show is also expected to be visible at low latitudes.

ECM EDITOR ON RADIO: TONIGHT 6-7 PM ON MY1079.COM

August 5, 2011 (Alpine) – East County Magazine Editor Miriam Raftery will be the guest on Billie Jo Jannen’s “TGIF Report” tonight. Hot topics include:

 

• A sexual harassment suit against a former Mountain Empire Union School District Superintendent
• Rural Fire Protection District’s revocation of approval for SDG&E’s ECO-Substation
• The County’s first legal marijuana dispensary
• AT&T’s proposed merger with T-Mobile and how it may impact rural phone service
• Updates on the state fire parcel fee
• County’s approval of a new General Plan


Listen via streaming audio at www.my1079.com, or tune your dial to 107.9 FM, from 6 to 7 p.m. You can send your news and event information to TGIF Report at newstips@my1079.com or to East County Magazine at editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

BEAR VALLEY WIDENING PROJECT MOVES FORWARD

August 5, 2011(Escondido)-- The San Diego County Board of Supervisors this week unanimously approved the acquisition of four properties needed to complete the widening of Bear Valley Parkway in unincorporated Escondido, between Boyle Avenue and Highway 78.

 

To date, the County has negotiated real property contracts to acquire or use 31 of the 50 properties that will be needed to complete the project. This week's vote follows approvals given earlier this year to proceed with property acquisitions and relocation of homeowners displaced by the widening project.

 

ON THE SILVER SCREEN: GOING APE

By Brian Lafferty

 

August 5, 2011 (San Diego) – The original Planet of the Apes was a thoughtful, intelligent commentary on the human race. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an ambitious but mostly mindless prequel that is yet another entry in the “changing things that aren’t meant to be changed” genre.

 

BALLET FOLKLORICO EN AZTLAN PRESENTS TRIBUTE TO HERMINIA, FLOR & CANTO AUG. 6

August 5, 2011 (San Diego) – On August 6 at 7 p.m., Ballet Folkorico en Aztlan Dance Theatre Company and Academy will present “The Herminia Tribute: Flor y Canto 2011” at the Joe and Vi Jacobs Center, 404 Euclid Avenue. The program will celebrate the dance, songs and insight in the life of artist Herminia Acosta Enrique Tecihtzin and her legacy of excellence.

GATHER ALL YOUR PLANT KNOWLEDGE IN ONE PLACE


Looking for a new plant for your garden or architectural endeavor?

 

By Matt Kopjak

 

August 4, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--Choosing the right plant for your garden can be a daunting task, but with Plants-Pedia you can sift through 48,000 plants from the USDA plants database and narrow down your choices, complete with charts and images. You can filter your options by growth period, soil texture, lifespan, shade tolerance, temperature, toxicity, fire tolerance, drought tolerance and more, depending on your needs. This tool is simple enough for the average gardener and has enough advanced options to be useful for even the most experienced botanist.

ARREST MADE IN “CRAIGSLIST” IPAD ROBBERY SERIES

(San Diego, CA) San Diego Police Department Mid City Division detectives have arrested a suspect for a series of recent robberies linked to “Craigslist” postings that occurred in the Talmadge, Mt. Hope and Corridor neighborhoods.  Keith Randall Smith, 34, was arrested for the crimes.  A blond female accomplice remains at large.

 

TWO BRUSH FIRES IN MEXICO

August 4, 2011 (San Diego's East County) ---Two fires are burning in Mexico, with smoke visible across portions of East County.  According to Cal-Fire Captain Mike Mohler, the blaze is approximately seven miles south of the border but poses no threat to the U.S. at this time.  One is south of Potrero/Tecate, the other south of the Otay area.

 

 

 

SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK COMING TO ENCORE! THEATRE SEPT 9-18

 

by Elena Peña

 

Get ready to witness a different kind of learning experience this fall at the Encore! Theatre in Spring Valley. The Young Actors’ Theatre is set to bring to life the beloved musical animated series School House Rock come September. It’s sure to be a fun, knowledge-infused event for the whole family.

 

READER'S EDITORIAL: THE HIDDEN COST OF THE HOME LOAN MODIFICATION PROCESS

 

by Jason Jones, J.D.

 

August 4, 2011 (San Diego)--As a bankruptcy attorney, I meet with clients everyday who struggle to make mortgage payments on their homes. Most of these clients participate in their bank’s loan modification program. But despite government pressure on banks to offer loan modifications, the sad truth is that most clients will never actually receive a modification.

 

Despite this fact, the bank’s programs will “consider” every applicant; no matter how likely they are to ultimately qualify. While it seems like this over-inclusiveness would be good, or at least neutral, it is in fact harmful to the struggling homeowner.

ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL & NATIONAL NEWS

 

 

August 4, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views.

Top world and U.S. headlines include:

 

U.S.

• FAA shutdown: Obama urges Congress to settle latest row (BBC)
• Deal could endanger healthcare law (Politico)

• General Mills partners with American Refugee Committee to aid famine relief efforts in Somalia (Wall Street Journal Market Watch)
• Obama signs U.S. debt bill into law (BBC)
• The Fires This Time (Fairness and Accuracy in Media)
• Accused Fort Hood plotter got bomb-making recipe from Al Qaeda (Christian Science Monitor)
• Study: Forests absorb much more greenhouse gases than previously known (Christian Science Monitor)
• Missing Iraq money may have been stolen, auditors say (Los Angeles Times)

 

WORLD

• Somali famine’s brutal toll: 29,000 kids dead in 3 months (Newser/AP)
• Arab League discusses Palestinian state (Al Jazeera)
• Nigeria Ogoniland cleanup ‘could take 30 years’ (BBC)
• Islamist show of state in Tahir state angers activists (Christian Science Monitor)
• Iran vows to skirt nuclear shutdown; watchdog embarrassed (Reuters)
• Hamas executives two Gazans as spies for Israel (Jerusalem Post)
• Norway shooting: Names and photos of victims published (Norwegian press)
• Fukushima radiation levels rise, area closed (Christian Science Monitor)
• Mubarak’s trial begins in Cairo (BBC)

SAVOR VINTAGES FROM 22 WINERIES AT SAN DIEGO WINE COUNTRY FESTIVAL AUGUST 6

 

July 31, 2011 (Rancho Bernardo)—Tastings by 20 San Diego County wineries plus food vendors will be on hand at the San Diego Wine Country Festival on Saturday, August 6 from 1-5 p.m. The event takes place at the Bernardo Winery, San Diego’s oldest winery founded 121 years ago.

EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: AUGUST 3, 2011

 

 

 

 

August 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County, published in other media.

 

Latest Roundup headlines include:

 

• Lemon Grove fighting back against water-rate hikes (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• La Mesa-Spring Valley Board raps law as ‘financially reckless’ (La Mesa Patch)
• Ex-Principal says Superintendent [of Mountain Empre] sexually harassed her (10 News)
• Supervisors may sue over state fire fee (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• County to consider new plan for growth (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Public agency could take over S-125 toll road (10 News)
• New redistricting maps show major changes for San Diego County (Mount Helix Patch)
• Sweetwater scholarship funds sat dormant (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Momentum grows to limit CSU salaries (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Spring Valley father gets 7 years after posting ‘dead or alive’ posters (Mount Helix Patch)

COME TO ALPINE FOR COMMUNITY CONCERTS IN THE PARK

 

 

July 7, 2011 (Alpine) -- During the months of July and August, Alpine Community Centers Concerts will present the following  concert events on Sunday summer eves from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.:

 
July 10 - The Legends  
July 17 - Breez'n Productions
August 7 - Misty & The Moby's 
August 14 -  Elvis Elite    
 
 

CONGRESSMAN HUNTER TAKES HEAT FOR VOTING TO CUT MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

 

By T.J. Dunnivant
Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

 

August 3, 2011 (El Cajon) -- For the second week in a row, voters staged a protest outside Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter’s 52nd Congressional District office to urge that their representative address needs of ordinary citizens over corporations and the wealthy.

SAN DIEGO SALMONELLA POISONING LINKED TO GROUND TURKEY

 

 

August 3, 2011 (San Diego)—Ground turkey has been linked to 77 cases of salmonella nationwide, including six in California and at least one in San Diego, California’s Department of Public Health confirms.  One person has died in San Franciso from the contaminated meat.

 

 

SUPERVISORS TOSS REDISTRICTING MAP AMID CONCERNS OVER VOTING RIGHTS ACT VIOLATIONS

August 2, 2011 (San Diego)—By a unanimous vote, San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors today decided to redraw supervisorial districts to include a South Bay district in which racial minorities comprise the majority of the population The five white Supervisors, all Republicans, originally had proposed a map with all-white majority districts.

 

EL CAJON POLICE ARREST SUSPECTED BANK ROBBER BASED ON TIPS FOLLOWING MEDIA COVERAGE


August 3, 2011 (El Cajon)--San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Keith Slotter announces the arrest of Cathy Rae Salmond, 30, as a result of the investigation into the robbery of the Bank of the West in El Cajon on Friday, July 22.

 

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