June 16, 2011 (El Cajon) -- The fun begins Monday at 12 noon with the annual 4th of July Picnic at Kennedy Park, followed by a spectacular fireworks show at 9:00 p.m. Kennedy Park, a “smoke and alcohol free” park, is located at 1675 East Madison Avenue in El Cajon.Once again Waste Management has generously partnered with the City of El Cajon to provide fireworks for residents in the East County.
June 16, 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 global and national news stories include:
U.S.
• Tax cuts aren’t always appetizing (American Progress)
• Senate report examines U.S. efforts in Afghanistan (NPR)
• FDA warns against high doses of cholesterol drug (NPR)
• Hispanics nationwide: a snapshot (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• GPS users fear getting lost in wireless expansion (NPR)
• Facebook rolls out facial recognition feature (NPR)
• Terrorism case exposes gaps in refugee screening (NPR)
• Pakinstan reportedly arrests suspected CIA informants (NPR)
• U.S. probes if Pakistan colluded with militants (NPR)
• Gates rebukes Europe for lacking commitment in NATO (Christian Science Monitor)
WORLD
• Defiant Iran plans big rise in nuclear enrichment (Reuters)
• Qaeda’s Zawahiri says U.S. facing Muslim rebellion (Reuters)
• China floods kill 52, force 100,000 to evacuate (Reuters)
• Amnesty condemns sharp rise in Saudi beheadings (Jerusalem Post)
• German pins down E.Coli: “It’s the bean sprouts” (Reuters)
• Concerns over Democracy dominate as Turkey votes (Reuters)
• Death toll in Haiti’s mudslides rises to 23 (Reuters)
• U.S. Navy intercepted North Korean trip (Reuters)
• Africa and the Internet: A 21st Century human rights issue? (Christian Science Monitor)
• Mexican judge orders release of ex-mayor of Tijuana (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lebanese PM forms cabinet 5 months after taking office (Jerusalem Post)
• Germany recognizes Libya’s rebel leadership (Reuters)
• Syria’s regime cracks down hard. But is the military on board? (Christian Science Monitor)
• Yemen says makes arrests in attempt on Saleh’s life( (Reuters)
• Powerful quake again hits New Zealand’s Christchurch (Reuters)
• Japan says eight nuclear workers over-exposed to radiation (Reuters)
• Arab spring leaves Egypt in an economic slump (NPR)
• Iran to launch monkey into space (Jerusalem Post)
• Libyan rebels reject elections offer (Al Jazeera)
• Iraq’s Mehdi army faces splits, wary of return to war (Reuters)
• Militants launch cross-border attack into Pakistan (Reuters)
• Mexican police capture suspected teenage assassins (Reuters)
June 15, 2011 (Blossom Valley) – A paraglider called for help after crashing into a mountainside and suffering a back injury in Blossom Valley on the evening of June 13th.
He was hoisted out via helicopter and taken to El Monte Park in Lakeside. Mercy Air then transported the injured man to a local hospital.
June 15, 2011 (Ramona) – A female hiker was air lifted out of the Cedar Creek Falls area June 12 around 4 p.m. “She jumped from a rock and impacted the water, injuring her back,”said Deputy Tim Johnson with the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter unit.
The number of visitors to the waterfall has soared since the U.S. Forest Service completed a new trail earlier this month. “All these improvements just make it that much more attractive out there,” said Johnson, who offered this safety advice for visitors to this local Shangri-La. “Don’t jump off rocks that are elevated above the water, not knowing what’s under there. It’s common sense.”
Update June 14: Timothy Ralph Danielson has been arrested and charged with murder. He remains hospitalized for treatment.
June 13, 2011 (Lakeside)—A woman was found dead early this morning at 10328 New Bedford Court in Lakeside, according to Sheriff’s Homicide Lieutenant Larry Nesbit. Deputies entered the home after receiving a call from a concerned relative and found the woman’s body in an upstairs bedroom.
According to ECM news partner 10 News, the woman’s husband had emailed his sister-in-law stating that he had shot his wife and was going to kill himself. Responding deputies found him alive following an attempt to kill himself with carbon monoxide from a portable generator; neighbors identified the man as Tim Danielson, 10 News reports.
Classes available on June 23rd, June 28th, and Blood pressure screening on June 17th. See information below.
June 15, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s Senior Resource Center offers free or low-cost educational programs and health screenings each month. The Senior Resource Center also provides information and assistance for health information and community resources. For more information, call 619-740-4214. For other programs, call 1-800-827-4277 or visit the web site at www.sharp.com
June 15, 2011 (La Mesa) -- The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host a free seniors discussion group on “Whole Raw Food,” featuring a presentation from Cindy Douglas, a certified raw foods educator from Whole Raw Food Now (www.wholerawfoodnow.com), from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 22. The public is invited to attend. RSVP is not required.
June 15, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A suspect shot by a U.S. Marshal at the Albertson’s at 790 Broadway in Lemon Grove has led deputies on a high-speed chase. Incident Page Network reports multiple shots were fired and the suspect has been shot in the arm. The Highway 94 on-ramp westbound ramp westbound from College Grove was shut down temporarily, however the suspect has now been taken into custody.
June 15, 2011 (San Diego County) -- After a series of public meetings that began in February, the County’s Redistricting Advisory Committee voted Monday to forward three proposed redistricting plans to the Board of Supervisors. The citizen’s committee was tasked with gathering public input and forwarding no more than three plans for the Board’s consideration. The Redistricting Advisory Committee finished that work and held its final meeting Monday.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to hear the committee’s proposed plans at its regular Board meeting at 9 a.m. on June 28.The Redistricting Advisory Committee’s three proposals can be viewed at the County’s redistricting website at www.sdcounty.ca.gov/redistricting. Once at the site, please choose “view/submit plan” from the left menu; then choose “view the latest proposed plans.”This will take you to the online viewer, where you can “Choose (a) Plan.”
June 16, 2011 (Washington) – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) introduced legislation, the Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act (H.R. 2084), that would end restrictions many states impose on a person’s ability to vote by absentee ballot.
Currently, 21 states restrict an eligible voter’s ability to vote by mail, also known as absentee. The other states offer no-excuse absentee voting. Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) re-introduced her bill to end such restrictions and allow all eligible voters nationwide to vote by mail for any reason in federal elections.
June 15, 2011 (Santee) -- Assemblyman Brian Jones, Republican representing the 77th district, announces opening of a new district office location at 10152 Mission Gorge Road in Santee.
June 15, 2011 (El Cajon) -- Art lovers are invited to stroll through "6 Galleries-1 Evening" in a "Downtown Gallery Walk" on June 17 from 5-8 p.m. All six galleries are now located within a half-block in the heart of downtown El Cajon. In addition to savoring art by local artists, visitors can also sip champagne and wine, enjoy hors d'oeuvre's and a passport full of prizes--followed by a free concert in the park.
June 14, 2011 (La Mesa) -- La Mesa Police Department responded to a call of a robbery at the Zales Jewelry Store in Grossmont Center shopping mall at 8:17 p.m. The store’s manager advised that he had just closed the business and was locking the doors, with one customer still in the store. The customer pulled out a black semi-auto handgun and pointed it at the manager, ordering the manager and another employee to get on the ground.
June 15, 2011 (Sacramento)-- Senate Concurrent Resolution 37, authored by State Senator Joel Anderson (R - El Cajon) has been approved by the California State Senate. The measure would dedicate a portion of Interstate 8 in honor of f Border Patrol Agent Roberrt Rosas Jr., who was murdered while on duty in the Campo area of San Diego’s East County on July 23, 2009.
Local elementary school names wild owlets and wins their own owl nesting box with spycam!
June 14, 2011 (Lakeside) –The four owlets of Hoot and Holla, a mated pair of wild barn owls at The Water Conservation Garden, have fledged the nest (or taken their final flight into the wild) as of June 7, 2011. Unbeknownst to them, the owlets have been observed by a loyal group of fans 24-hours a day via a live infrared Owlcam at www.thegarden.org, since they were eggs laid by Holla in mid-February of this year.
June 14, 2011 (Sacramento) –With the rise in gasoline prices, San Diego area and California motorists left the highways, and are riding the rails in record numbers over the past 12 months to ride two of California’s highly successful intercity passenger rail corridors, Caltrans has announced.
Led by the San Joaquin corridor, which serves the Central Valley, linking Los Angeles and Bakersfield with Sacramento and the Bay Area, California’s state supported intercity passenger rail corridors had banner years. Compared to May 2010, ridership on the San Joaquin, the nation’s fifth busiest rail corridor, shot up over 12 percent with a 19 percent increase in revenue.
June 14, 2011 (San Diego) -- On Saturday, June 18 the Nile Sisters will be holding an open house from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. in recognition of World Refugee Month. The Nile Sisters help refugee women in the San Diego area with the needs they have to get settled.
The cost is free, but donations are appreciated. The event will include cultural music, and Hors d'oeuvre from different ethnicities. African artifacts will also be available for purchase. Please RSVP to Sistersinitiative@sbcglobal.net.
June 14, 2011, The Keys Creek Lavender Farm will be holding high tea parties on three days in June on the 23rd, 24th, and the 25th. This very popular event sells out very quickly. The three June dates above have been added to accomodate requests already made.
June 13, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Take your family to dinner and at the same time support the fourth annual "Sustain La Mesa" Enviromental Festival and the "Our Planet, Our Home" K-12 Environmental Literacy and Art Contest, organized by the City of La Mesa's Environmental Sustainability Commission.
Print and bring the flyer to Souplantation, (9158 Fletcher Parkway, La Mesa 91942) between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Souplantation will donate 20% of sales. (A printiable flyer can be downloaded from the Souplantation link here.)
June 13, 2011 (Cuyamaca)-- Cal-Fire and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park will be conducting prescribed burns on Park lands opposite the Paso Picacho campground on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 14 and 15.
June 13, 2011 (San Diego)--June 17 will mark forty years since President Richard Nixon, citing drug abuse as “public enemy No. 1”, officially declared a "war on drugs."Caroline Stewart, president of the board of directors at A New PATH, an organization founded by an East County mother, added, “We must treat drug use as a health issue. We need to use our resources to increase access to addiction treatment, rather than to warehouse people who use drugs or become addicted to drugs behind bars.”
June 13, 2011 (San Diego)--San Diego County Libraries announce a series of free special events at libraries throughout our region. Scroll down for a list of activities for adults, teens, tweens, kids and families -- ranging from cooking demonstrations to a bike rodeo.
Supervisor Jacob seeks records on “investigation” by CPUC
By Miriam Raftery
Video by Jim Pelley
June 12, 2011 (Imperial Valley) – Jim Pelley, an Ocotillo resident, was taking his son to school on June 7th when he passed by a Sunrise Powerlink construction project where a tower was on the ground in preparation to be lifted into place. “There was nobody directing traffic,” he told ECM in an exclusive interview, adding that his wife took photos on her cell phone.
About half an hour later, while driving back on the same road, he and his wife came upon the scene of a crash where SDG&E’s sky crane helicopter had inexplicably dropped a 15,000 pound tower. Pelley started shooting photos. “One of the guys said `Hey, we’d appreciate if you wouldn’t take pictures until we clean this mess up,” he recalled. When he refused to comply, Pelley said the employee held a hand up in front of his camera lens. “So I started shooting video,” he told ECM.
June 13, 2011 (Sacramento) – Starting July 1, 2011 new legislation will go into effect requiring homeowners to install carbon monoxide detectors in every California home; a move CAL FIRE officials say will save lives. “Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, each year claiming the lives of an average of 480 people,” said Acting State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover. “And sending more than 20,000 people to emergency rooms across the nation.” Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced from heaters, fireplaces, furnaces and many types of appliances and cooking devices.
June 15, 2011 (San Diego) – A workshop on proposed redistricting will be this Thursday, June 16 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the City Heights Wellness Center, 4440 Wightman Street, #200 in City Heights.
Redistricting will determine California’s political boundaries for the next 10 years. California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission will draw district lines for the first time in California history for state Congressional, Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization Districts. Latinos comprise nearly 40% of California’s population—and representatives from the Latino community want to make sure that redistricting will assure representation that reflects those numbers.
June 15, 2011 (El Cajon) – Laura Cyphert, a Cedar Fire survivor who co-founded the East County Community Action Coalition along with her husband, Milt, will provide an update on the legal battle against Sunrise Powerlink on Thursday, June 16 from 7-8:45 p.m.
June 15, 2011 (Ramona) – A female hiker was air lifted out of the Cedar Creek Falls area June 12 around 4 p.m. “She jumped from a rock and impacted the water, injuring her back,”said Deputy Tim Johnson with the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter unit.
June 15, 2011 (San Diego County) -- After a series of public meetings that began in February, the County’s Redistricting Advisory Committee voted Monday to forward three proposed redistricting plans to the Board of Supervisors. 
June 15, 2011 (El Cajon) -- Art lovers are invited to stroll through "6 Galleries-1 Evening" in a "Downtown Gallery Walk" on June 17 from 5-8 p.m. All six galleries are now located within a half-block in the heart of downtown El Cajon. In addition to savoring art by local artists, visitors can also sip champagne and wine, enjoy hors d'oeuvre's and a passport full of prizes--followed by a free concert in the park.
By Hugh Moore, RN, El Cajon
June 14, 2011 (Lakeside) –The four owlets of Hoot and Holla, a mated pair of wild barn owls at The Water Conservation Garden, have fledged the nest (or taken their final flight into the wild) as of June 7, 2011. Unbeknownst to them, the owlets have been observed by a loyal group of fans 24-hours a day via a live infrared Owlcam at 
June 13, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Take your family to dinner and at the same time support the fourth annual "Sustain La Mesa" Enviromental Festival and the "Our Planet, Our Home" K-12 Environmental Literacy and Art Contest, organized by the City of La Mesa's Environmental Sustainability Commission.
By Walter Davis
June 15, 2011 (San Diego) – A workshop on proposed redistricting will be this Thursday, June 16 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the City Heights Wellness Center, 4440 Wightman Street, #200 in City Heights. 
June 15, 2011 (El Cajon) – Laura Cyphert, a Cedar Fire survivor who co-founded the East County Community Action Coalition along with her husband, Milt, will provide an update on the legal battle against Sunrise Powerlink on Thursday, June 16 from 7-8:45 p.m.
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