July 23, 2010 (San Diego) -- The FBI is seeking information that will lead to the arrest of the following individuals in relation to the"Operation Luz Verde" (green light) charges announced early today on federal racketeering charges related to a drug trafficking cartel:
Juan Carlos Rique, aka JC Age 26 Tijuana, Mexico
Jennifer Escamilla Age 26 Tijuana, Mexico
Hassain Alzubaidy, aka Arab Age 25 Moreno Valley, California
Official in Mexican Attorney General’s office implicated; arrests include numerous San Diego County residents
East County News Service
July 23, 2010 (San Diego)—A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging 43 defendants with participating in a federal racketeering (RICO) conspiracy. The RICO conspiracy alleged involves the commission of both state and federal crimes, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. The complaint accuses defendants of being members and associates of the Fernando Sanchez Organization (FSO), an offshoot of the Arellano-Felix drug-trafficking cartel.
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – Two-year-old Bentley Do’s family lives just one block from a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Station. But the station’s crew was filling in for another Mira Mesa station’s personnel as part of city-ordered “brown-outs” to save money.
Democrats break Republican filibuster in Senate and win passage of bill
July 23, 2010 (Washingon D.C.) – President Barack Obama yesterday signed into law legislation to extend unemployment benefits for 2.5 milllion out of work Americans.
The law extends unemployment insurance through November for out-of-work Americans who have not yet exhausted up to 99 weeks of aid. Benefits will be retroactive to late May, when the last extension expired. Benefits vary by state but will average $310 per week.
Hunter introduces bill to block federal lawsuit against Arizona; local activists head to Arizona for mass protest
Obama administration audits thousands of companies to force them to drop undocumented immigrant workers
By Miriam Raftery
July 23, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) –Local opponents and supporters of Arizona’s new immigration law are taking actions ranging from protests to legislation. Meanwhile, a new statewide Field poll of California voters released this week finds the public nearly evenly divided, with 49% in support and 45% opposed.
July 22, 2010 – President Barack Obama has signed into law H.R. 4175, a landmark reform measure that “cracks down on corporate fraud and holds big banks accountable for reckless, risky behavior,” said Senator Patrick Leavy (D-Vermont.)
July 22, 2010 (Pine Valley) -- Sheriff Bill Gore announced that the body of a man has been located south of Interstate 8 and just west of the Pine Valley Bridge. The discovery was made this morning shortly after 9:00 a.m. by Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers.
A video released late today by the Sheriff indicates the remains are those of a “previously missing person.” The video shows a cadaver-sniffing beagle apparently locating the body amid rubble and boulders at the base of a steep, rocky slope. View the video. www.youtube.com/watch
July 22, 2010 (Lakeside) – A fire at a duplex in Lakeside last night caused heavy damage, displacing nine residents. “It’s a robust response that included four fire engines, one truck company, and a paramedic ambulance, so about 20 people,” said Lakeside Fire Chief Andy Parr. “We were assisted by City of Santee and San Miguel fire departments.”
"This is one of the best movies of the year." -- Brian Lafferty
July 22, 2010 (San Diego's East County)--Dreams have always been part of cinema. A common film use is the “it was only a dream” stunt applied to generate cheap thrills and groans (Jaws: The Revenge) or to foment laughter (A Serious Man, An American Werewolf in London). Dreams have also acted as visually expressive tools to reveal character or relay exposition (Salvador Dali’s dream sequence in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound). Sometimes, dreams have been used to shock the audience (the movies of Luis Bunuel, particularly Un Chien Andalou, which opens with an eyeball being slashed).
Dreams may be old subjects in motion pictures, but with Inception Christopher Nolan has delivered one of--if not the most--original movie of the year, taking the concept in many new directions I never thought possible.
July 21, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Most East County residents know safety steps to take during an earthquake or wildfire, which are common in our area. But many are misinformed about dangers posed by lightning, a less common peril in our region. When a thunderstorm does strike, however, risks are substantial—and relying on myths can be deadly.
Lightning has caused deaths in California and in San Diego County. In East County, a man in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park was killed by lightning. Another local resident suffered neurological damage. Lightning strikes have caused many fires in East County. A Campo resident lost phone service due to lightning; in Alpine, a writer's computer was destroyed by a bolt.
Test your knowledge on lightning—the answers may shock you!
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – The recount has ended in the 40th State Senate Democratic primary race with Vargas ahead by a total of 26 votes. He picked up three votes in Riverside County and one in San Diego County, where challenges included a military ballot sent from overseas.
ONLY 40 REMAIN IN THE WILD; MOST ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN NORTH AMERICA
"There were pups. Now it will be a challenge for them to survive."--Patrick Valentino, California Wolf Preserve in Julian
July 21, 2010 (Julian) -- “It’s depressing—very bad news,” Patrick Valentino at the California Wolf Center in Julian said upon learning that two endangered Mexican grey wolves had been found shot in Arizona. Eva Sargent at Defenders of Wildlife in Tucson told East County Magazine that a third Mexican wolf, or lobo, has been found dead in New Mexico under suspicious causes. A fourth wolf is missing.
July 21, 2010 (El Cajon) – A cracked storm drain has undermined the roadway on Fanita Drive, causing a sink hole measuring four feet wide and 20 inches deep. Fanita remains closed in both directions between Valley Lake Drive and Gibbons Street for repairs begun yesterday.
July 20, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) – Where can you see a snake charmer and fire dancers, sample foods from around the world, savor music and dancing by top performers, enjoy beer and wine gardens, find face-painting for kids and a mesmerizing magic show—all free? Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce invites you to the first-ever Summer Music & Culture Festival on Sunday, August 8.
Part 1: English Tudor's country gardens are fit for royalty
By Miriam Raftery
July 19, 2010 (Mt. Helix) – Ever wonder what lies behind those gated estates on Mt. Helix? Each spring, Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association (GMIA) hosts an art and garden tour open to members only, showcasing amazingly elaborate landscapes (as well as works by local artists).
Some tour gardens are lavish, located on large lots where results are limited only by well-heeled owners’ imaginations. These range from an English country garden at a manor fit for a queen to a private jungle that Indiana Jones would envy. Others are at more modest properties where creative homeowners have made the most of limited space and water conservation practices. This week, we feature the first of five spectacular gardens from this year’s tour.
July 19, 2010 (Lyons Valley) -- A brush fire in the Lyons Valley area of Jamul has been contained at three acres, Cal-Fire reports. No structures were damaged or destroyed, but smoke was widely visible in the Deerhorn Flats area to the east, between Deerhorn Valley and Barrett Lake. (photo: View from Lyons Valley peak webcam at 1:30 p.m.)
July 19, 2010 (San Diego) – A procession of around 100 visitors accompanied by their pets lined up yesterday morning outside the San Diego Mission de Alcala. The faithful and the curious turned out for the Blessing of Animals, a tradition started by St. Francis of Assisi in the 1200s.
The custom was practiced in San Diego by Father Junipero Serra, founder of the Mission, and has continued ever since--accompanied by barks, mariachi music, and an occasional "oink."
A Terrible Mistake, The Murder of Frank Olson and the CIA’s Secret Cold War Experiments, By H.P. Albarelli, Jr. (Trine Day, LLC, Walterville, Oregon, 2009, 826 pages.)
July 18, 2010 (Ramona) – Cal-Fire rescued four dehydrated hikers and a dog, but were unable to save a second dog that collapsed and died on the trail to Cedar Falls near Ramona on Saturday. The group had hiked more than two miles in temperatures over 100 degrees.
The tragedy illustrates the need for hikers to know safety tips for themselves--and their dogs.
July 18, 2010 (Sacramento) – Being a lame duck legislator (leaving office in January due to term limits) hasn’t stopped Senator Dennis Hollingsworth from authoring legislation to create two free days a year for hunting ducks and other wild game without a license.
The San Diego Republican’s Senate Bill 1179 has passed the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, after already winning approval from the State Senate. It will next be heard by the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
Fun Continues Tonight at Gio's with more headliner comics
By Miriam Raftery
July 18, 2010 (La Mesa) – Brew-Ha-Ha’s first weekly comedy show upstairs at Gio Bistro and Wine Bar in La Mesa opened to a sold-out crowd last Sunday night. The act proved a rollicking success—artfully blending universally funny jokes with some East County-oriented punch lines. Brew Ha Ha is the remedy for the blues--serving up light-hearted relief from tough times in an intimate yet friendly atmosphere with palate-pleasing food at Gio's.
July 18, 2010 (San Diego) – A 65-year-old man was found lying in the street in the 6300 block of Alvarado Road at midnight, after being run over by a car. The 57-year old driver later returned to the scene and told officers she may have struck something. Investigation confirmed she had hit the pedestrian. Police report that the accident was alcohol-related.
Updated July 18, 2010 July 17, 2010 (Spring Valley) -- 100 degree heat in Spring Valley today did not slow the attack of San Miguel firefighters on a house fire in the 8600 block of Sandy Bev Lane. A mother and seven of her eight children were home when the blaze was reported. The mother told investigators she was in the kitchen preparing a meal when she heard the smoke alarm sound. She went down a hallway to investigate and found one of the children’s bedrooms on fire.
Seven family members evacuated safely, but once outside realized that a four-year-old child was missing. The girls brothers, 14 and 18, ran back inside and found her hiding in her bedroom closet and rescued her.
July 17, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego County Coroner has released the names of victims who died as the result of three accidents on roadways in East County and San Diego’s eastern regions this week, including two motor vehicle crashes and a hit-and-run accident that killed a bicyclist.
July 23, 2010 (San Diego) -- The FBI is seeking information that will lead to the arrest of the following individuals in relation to the"Operation Luz Verde" (green light) charges announced early today on federal racketeering charges related to a drug trafficking cartel: 
East County News Service
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – Two-year-old Bentley Do’s family lives just one block from a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Station. But the station’s crew was filling in for another Mira Mesa station’s personnel as part of city-ordered “brown-outs” to save money.
GARDEN FRESH GRILL & SMOOTHIE
By Miriam Raftery
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS AND GROWTH
East County News Service
July 22, 2010 (Lakeside) – A fire at a duplex in Lakeside last night caused heavy damage, displacing nine residents. “It’s a robust response that included four fire engines, one truck company, and a paramedic ambulance, so about 20 people,” said Lakeside Fire Chief Andy Parr. “We were assisted by City of Santee and San Miguel fire departments.”
By Brian Lafferty
“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – The recount has ended in the 40th State Senate Democratic primary race with Vargas ahead by a total of 26 votes. He picked up three votes in Riverside County and one in San Diego County, where challenges included a military ballot sent from overseas.
"There were pups. Now it will be a challenge for them to survive."--Patrick Valentino, California Wolf Preserve in Julian
July 21, 2010 (El Cajon) – A cracked storm drain has undermined the roadway on Fanita Drive, causing a sink hole measuring four feet wide and 20 inches deep. Fanita remains closed in both directions between Valley Lake Drive and Gibbons Street for repairs begun yesterday.
July 20, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) – Where can you see a snake charmer and fire dancers, sample foods from around the world, savor music and dancing by top performers, enjoy beer and wine gardens, find face-painting for kids and a mesmerizing magic show—all free? Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce invites you to the first-ever Summer Music & Culture Festival on Sunday, August 8.
By Miriam Raftery
July 19, 2010 (Lyons Valley) -- A brush fire in the Lyons Valley area of Jamul has been contained at three acres, Cal-Fire reports. No structures were damaged or destroyed, but smoke was widely visible in the Deerhorn Flats area to the east, between Deerhorn Valley and Barrett Lake. (photo: View from Lyons Valley peak webcam at 1:30 p.m.)
July 19, 2010 (San Diego) – A procession of around 100 visitors accompanied by their pets lined up yesterday morning outside the San Diego Mission de Alcala. The faithful and the curious turned out for the Blessing of Animals, a tradition started by St. Francis of Assisi in the 1200s.
A Terrible Mistake, The Murder of Frank Olson and the CIA’s Secret Cold War Experiments, By H.P. Albarelli, Jr. (Trine Day, LLC, Walterville, Oregon, 2009, 826 pages.)
July 18, 2010 (Ramona) – Cal-Fire rescued four dehydrated hikers and a dog, but were unable to save a second dog that collapsed and died on the trail to Cedar Falls near Ramona on Saturday. The group had hiked more than two miles in temperatures over 100 degrees.
July 18, 2010 (Sacramento) – Being a lame duck legislator (leaving office in January due to term limits) hasn’t stopped Senator Dennis Hollingsworth from authoring legislation to create two free days a year for hunting ducks and other wild game without a license.
By Miriam Raftery
July 18, 2010 (San Diego) – A 65-year-old man was found lying in the street in the 6300 block of Alvarado Road at midnight, after being run over by a car. The 57-year old driver later returned to the scene and told officers she may have struck something. Investigation confirmed she had hit the pedestrian. Police report that the accident was alcohol-related.
July 17, 2010 (Spring Valley) -- 100 degree heat in Spring Valley today did not slow the attack of San Miguel firefighters on a house fire in the 8600 block of Sandy Bev Lane. A mother and seven of her eight children were home when the blaze was reported. The mother told investigators she was in the kitchen preparing a meal when she heard the smoke alarm sound. She went down a hallway to investigate and found one of the children’s bedrooms on fire.
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