May 12, 2022 (La Mesa) -- The Tuesday evening La Mesa City Council meeting was a study in contrasts as elected leaders tackled a discussion that has no doubt played out in other council chambers across the country — what to do about the homeless problem.
May 12, 2022 (San Diego) -- Recently, a draft was leaked of a potential Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade written by Justice Samuel Alito (Political Staff, 2022). East County Magazine published a previous op-ed by me entitled: “Abortion is a 1st Amendment Issue” (2020 Feb. 24). The following are some additional thoughts based on the draft written by Justice Alito that will allow states to outlaw abortion.
Alito bases his opinion on, to some extent, original intent of our Founding Fathers, those who actually wrote our Constitution. At the time, the majority were slave owners. Others had indentured servants: poor whites “contracted” for up to seven years’ labor. In many cases they were treated brutally (Garrett-Hatfield). Women had basically NO rights (Kuhn, 2022; Lange, 2015).
New treatments also available, but have been under-utilized, county says
Source: County of San Diego
May 11, 2022 (San Diego) – If you have moderate or severe immunosuppression, or if you’d have a severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, Evusheld can reduce your risk of getting COVID by up to 77%. Evusheld is a monoclonal antibody injection. Eligible people locally include:
May 11, 2022 (San Diego) – The County of San Diego’s Planning & Development Services has prepared a revised Transportation Study Guide that establishes a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) threshold using the countywide average. It also designates which areas will or won’t need to have VMT analysis or mitigation. The actions follow a new state law, SB 743, which requires the amount of driving and length of trips – as measured by "vehicle miles traveled" or VMT – be used to assess transportation impacts on the environment for Calif. Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review.
The public has until June 13 at 4 p.m. to submit comments. Two public meetings are planned on May 24 and June 1:
May 10, 2022 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) announced its evaluations for seven candidates vying for three San Diego Superior Court judicial seats in the June 7, 2022 primary election.
May 10, 2022 (San Diego) -- The Spring 2022 Hospital Safety Grades report released today by The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit health care watchdog organization, gave most local hospitals an “A” rating for patient safety during the pandemic, including Sharp Grossmont Hospitalin La Mesa, which serves East County. But East County’s other hospital, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, received a dismal “C” rating due largely to its below average performance in preventing infections including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to many antibiotics.
May 9, 2022 (La Mesa) – Mary Genser, 91, passed away on April 20, 2022, following a long battle with dementia and COVID-19. She was an accomplished artist, long-time La Mesa resident, and mother of East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery as well as David Genser of Poway.
She was born Mary Evelyn Vick on August 9, 1930 to Thomas Monroe Vick and Artie Ola Snider Vick in Weatherford, Texas. Raised on her family’s farm during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl along with her sister, Winnie Ruth Vick, she learned the values of hard work and integrity.
“Life was hard, but life was good,” she once wrote of her early years.
May 10, 2022 (San Diego) – John Hemmerling is a a retired Marine Corps Colonel and combat veteran, a former San Diego Police officer, and he’s served as head prosecutor in the city of San Diego’s Criminal and Community Justice Division. Now he’s running for San Diego Sheriff, hoping to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of former Sheriff Bill Gore.
“Probably my most relevant experience would be the leadership that I bring,” he said. “You need strong leadership at the top. I’ve spent 36 plus years in public service.” That includes combat tours and running jails in Iraq. As a police officer he worked nearly a decade in City Heights, obtained his law degree and eventually became chief legal counsel for San Diego Police before his current position as chief criminal prosecutor for the city of San Diego.
This letter was written in response to La Mesa City Councilmember Laura Lothian's proposal to purchase land in Campo to house La Mesa's homeless population. The item is slated to be heard tonight, May 10. Tisdale sent copies of her letter to the city of La Mesa, Supervisor Joel Anderson, and Campo-Lake Morena's planning group chair Billie Jo Jannen.
By Donna Tisdale, Chair, Boulevard Planning Group (photo, left)
First and foremost, It would be the courteous and ethical thing to do to provide timely notice and ask the Campo - Lake Morena Community Planning Group to weigh in on your proposal to export your problem to their predominantly low-income rural community where most residents are already struggling to survive the pandemic, government-induced inflated cost of living, and a basically open US/Mexico border with daily smuggling activities. They don't need an additional problem foisted on them.
Rural residents have the added burden of an expensive commute due to the increasing cost of gas. We make many sacrifices in order to enjoy the benefits of quiet country living. A serious lack of local services is one of those sacrifices ,including very limited medical and law enforcement . In some cases, it may take days for law enforcement to answer a call to a rural home.
Exporting your homeless problem to Campo's underserved rural area is neither justified nor warranted for local residents or the homeless population. Shelters / alternative housing should be placed close to services, not an hour away.
May 8, 2022 (Lakeside) — Lakeside residents concerned with the Sheriff’s handling of therecent hate crime stabbing investigation still await clarity, while the 16 year-old boy charged in the attack on a teen girl has his next court appearance on June 6. He has pleaded not guilty on attempted murder and hate crime charges. His 15 year-old girlfriend was also recentlyrearrested for further involvement in the attack than previously thought.
The boy’s father, who was present for the attack, has not been arrested. The District Attorney’s office has said the investigation is ongoing.
The stabbing, which took place on April 16 around 11 p.m. at the Woodglen Apartments on Mapleview Street in Lakeside, was related to previous verbal altercations between the parties, who live near each other. Racial hate speech was present during these verbal incidents as well as during the physically violent escalation.
May 9, 2022 (El Cajon) – Hakim Wakil Rashid, 52, has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a man in the head and back earlier today in downtown El Cajon.
By Helen M. Ofield, Treasurer/Historian to the Board
Lemon Grove Historical Society
May 9, 2022 (Lemon Grove) -- Belated Mother’s Day greetings. We hearken back to 1909 and the 1920s and 1930s when our ancestral mothers led the charge in Lemon Grove as members of the Forward Club (because they were forward-thinking), a name later changed to the Women's Club when they joined the national Federation of Women's Clubs. By 1922 the women had built and paid for their own clubhouse. You've done the math. That clubhouse is now 100.
May 8, 2022 (Sacramento) -- Leaders from the California Legislative Women's Caucus vowed to protect a person's right to have an abortion in the Golden State after a leaked draft opinion appears to show the U.S. Supreme Court is ready to overturn the decision known as Roe v. Wade this summer. That would turn the matter over to the states.
May 8, 2022 (San Diego) -- There’s a new wave coming to town – HEAT! Temperatures will exceed triple digit in the deserts and things will be warming up around most all of Southern California.
Here are some safety tips to help you beat the heat:
Aztecs win seventh straight series to improve to 18-3 in Mountain West play
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
May 8, 2022 (San Diego) - Senior Nicole Siess hit a two-out RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh inning and then scored on a throwing error to give San Diego State a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Utah State Sunday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (35-13, 18-3 MW) claimed their seventh consecutive series with the win.
May 8, 2022 (San Diego) -- County of San Diego citizens Eddie Michel, Bruce Mezan, Rosa Martinez, and Oscar Stewart were all honored by San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan during a virtual awards ceremony, 2022 Citizens of Courage Awards, on April 26.
“I want to acknowledge the hundreds of people tuned in right now,” started off Stephan, who also acknowledged the hard work of her agency’s crime victim unit. Stephan noted that one crime victim unit advocate typically deals with 100 new victims a year. The unit also works to identify those that should be honored for their courageous acts.
May 8, 2022 (San Diego) --This month, Moms United to End the War on Drugs (U.S.) with partners Moms Stop the Harm (Canada), Recovering Justice (UK) and Red de Enlaces Nacionales (Mexico) are re-launching the #momsunited campaign (What Moms around the World Want for Mother’s Day).
May 7, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Imagine walking into a building. Instead of being greeted by a person you are greeted by a robot. It sounds like a scene from a sci-fi story but it’s now reality. The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce had an introduction to its new robot assistant, TEMI, last month. This assistant is able to answer questions about East County.
In a demonstration, a presenter asked a question about Santee Lakes, which Temi responded to in detail. TEMI, also mobile, can move around an area or it can be programmed to follow people. This is not meant to replace human jobs, but to help humans do their jobs better by taking on simple tasks that may take away from more important tasks, Todd Brinkman explained to us. You can view the video here.
Brinkman is the founder of Virtual Reality for Main Street LLC, a company dedicated to bringing new emerging technologies to cities.You can look at their website here.
Photo: Will Rodriguez-Kennedy. Photo by Chris Jennewein
May 7, 2022 (San Diego) - The chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party revealed Friday he will take a leave of absence amid reported allegations of assault.
Source: San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
May 7, 2022 (San Diego) -- SANDAG, Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), North County Transit District (NCTD), and the County of San Diego joined the community on Friday morning to announce the SANDAG Youth Opportunity Pass pilot program. The new program is the first of its kind in the San Diego region, offering free public transit to anyone 18 and under, with a Youth PRONTO account, from May 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. To sign up for the pass to receive free rides, visit https://youthopportunitypass.sandag.org/.
May 7, 2022 (El Cajon) – A man accused of stealing a bicycle and a suitcase full of goods from a Target Store was arrested following a pursuit by El Cajon Police officers on Monday, May 2. According to Lt. Randy Soulard, the suspect, Sterle Floyd Sisco lived at a homeless camp at Magnolia near the Vernon St. overpass in the unincorporated area. Sisco was on probation for assault with a deadly weapon and has an extensive criminal history including prior arrests for assault, burglary, theft, domestic violence and drug possession. He is also a suspect in numerous prior retail thefts.
The recent arrest highlights concerns over the encampment just days after Supervisor Joel Anderson held a press conference calling for a regional solution to homelessness, an action that will require cooperation from the four cities in East County.
Photo: Children’s hospital in Mariupol bombed by Russians, courtesy of Ukrainian Army
May 6, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Last month, the California Office of Emergency Services reached out to local law enforcement agencies throughout the State with a list of equipment needed in Ukraine. This week, the City of El Cajon Police Department donated 45 ballistic vests and 8 ballistic helmets as aid to Ukraine.
May 7, 2022 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
May 7, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
May 6, 2022 (Pala) -- Robert Smith, Chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, joined other tribal leaders on Thursday, May 5th at the California State Assembly to support May 2022 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month.
May 6, 2022 (Descanso) – You’re invited to don your cowboy attire for Descanso Days. The annual fair and parade will take place on June 4, with the parade rolling out at 9 a.m. The fair and live music begin at 10 a.m. and run until 6 p.m.
Alito and his four cohorts on the Supreme Court are attempting to bury the last fifty years of safe, legal abortion, now supported by at least 70% of the U.S. population.
By Amy Goodman, Dennis Moynihan, staff writers, Common Dreams
May 6, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, DC is truly august, its Corinthian columns and ornate pediments reminiscent of ancient Rome's Temple of Mars Ultor, erected by Emperor Augustus to commemorate Mars, the god of war, in his role as avenger. Augustus employed the imperial design to convey that a new order had arrived after quelling a civil war that had consumed the region for fifty years. Two thousand years later, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has unleashed his own form of vengeance, from within the Supreme Court's columned walls, revealed in a draft opinion he authored, leaked by a person or persons not yet publicly known then published by Politico.
May 6, 2022 (El Cajon) – One person is dead and a woman in her 60s suffered moderate burns after a man being served with an eviction notice at 1282 Redwood Avenue in El Cajon hurled incendiary devices at deputies.
By J.W. August
By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH
New treatments also available, but have been under-utilized, county says
East County News Service
Source: San Diego County Bar Association
By Miriam Raftery
By Miriam Raftery
By Helen M. Ofield, Treasurer/Historian to the Board
By Suzanne Potter, California News Service
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna
Aztecs win seventh straight series to improve to 18-3 in Mountain West play
By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson
East County News Service
By Matthew Manosh
Source: San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
By Miriam Raftery
May 7, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
Source: City of El Cajon
May 7, 2022 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
May 7, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
East County News Service
East County News Service
Alito and his four cohorts on the Supreme Court are attempting to bury the last fifty years of safe, legal abortion, now supported by at least 70% of the U.S. population.
East County News Service
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