"I find it disgusting that Hunter would vote against the disaster relief bill to bring relief to those families caught in recent disasters, like the Camp fire that devastated Paradise. My sister and her husband lost their house and everything in it due to that fire..." -- Ray Lutz, El Cajon
By Miriam Raftery
Photo: Lutz family's home in flames
June 5, 2019 (San Diego) – Congressman Duncan D. Hunter was one of only two California Republicans who voted against a $19.1 billion federal disaster relief bill that includes an estimated $12.6 billion to help survivors of devastating wildfires in our state.
June 6, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – A $1.2 million grant awarded by the national nonprofit American Student Assistance (ASA) will fund participation in the World of Work (WoW) program for over 33,000 students at 38 local schools in the La Mesa-Spring Valley (LMSV), Vista Unified and Grossmont Union High School (GUHSD) districts.
The program was developed by the Cajon Valley Union School District (CVUSD) in partnership with the University of San Diego to provide K-12 students to explore career options and identify their individuals strengths and interests. The program has rolled out in 27 schools in the past two years, been written up in national publications such as Forbes business magazine, and most recently drew attention in meetings with U.S. Department of Education representatives (photo left) and a presentation at the Brookings Institute.
Conference play will be divided into two games in early December with the balance beginning in January
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
June 6, 2019 (San Diego) - San Diego State men’s basketball released the initial version of its Mountain West Conference schedule for the 2019-20 campaign on Thursday; the first phase in the 2019-20 schedule process. For the seventh consecutive year, the format will include 18-games (nine home and nine road games) with each team playing eight opponents twice (home-and-home) and two opponents once. MW games begin on Dec. 4 and wrap up on Feb. 29.
Listen to audios of CVUSD meetings from Dec.-March (scroll down)
Photos: unobtrusive recording device on tripod used by ECM reporter at two recent meetings does not obstruct views or traffic.
June 6, 2019 (El Cajon) – It took cease and desist letters sent by two attorneys to the Cajon Valley Union School District for ECM to obtain recordings of public meetings previously denied, along with assurances that our reporters will not be threatened for recording school board meetings ourselves. But other important records requests remain pending beyond the time frames mandated by state law.
More than five months after our initial Public Records Act request for tapes of public meetings, the Cajon Valley Union School District has turned over all but one recording from December 2018 through March 2019. Miraculously, those include a Dec. 11, 2018 recording that the district previously informed ECM had been destroyed. The one missing audio file, for March 12, 2019, was not available to a technical difficulty, the district claims in a letter sent to Californians Aware attorney Terry Francke.
The records were provided to Francke after the attorney notified the district that its refusal to provide copies of recordings violated the Ralph M. Brown Act (California’s public records act) to ECM reporter Paul Kruze and to board member Jill Barto. The district’s purported destruction of the December recording after 30 days despite a records request made just one day after the meeting, as claimed by executive assistant Naomie Rodriguez, was also illegal, Francke informed the district.
The district sent its recordings only to Francke, with a short window to download copies, but never did provide copies directly to either Kruze or Barto, both have confirmed. Barto says the district has refused to provide CDs for any meeting prior to May, and that they told her they won’t provide CDs unless a request is made within 30 days of a meeting – backtracking off their vote in late March to retain recordings for a year and make them available on CD, as ECM reported.
June 6, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Former Grossmont Foothiller Joe Musgrove helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to victory as the starting pitcher. He pitched eight innings and gave up five hits, three runs (three earned, one walk) and six strikeouts, moving his record to 4-6 for the season as the Pirates plundered the Atlanta Braves 7-4 on Wednesday afternoon.
Read highlights of all 14 presidential hopefuls seeking California’s 416 delegates—the nation’s biggest electoral prize in the 2020 election
Article and photos by Angela de Joseph
June 5, 2019 (San Francisco) – Fourteen of the 24 Democratic presidential candidates brought their “A” games and Olympic stamina to a three-day mini-marathon at the California Democratic Party (CDP) “Organizing” Convention, held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco May 31-June 2.
June 5, 2019 (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:
June 5, 2019 (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:
June 5, 2019 (Spring Valley) - Saps at Sea, the San Diego chapter of the Sons of the Desert, the official Laurel & Hardy fan society, invites you to their next meeting on June 29 at 6:30 p.m. in Williams Hall at Trinity Presbytarian Church in Spring Valley.
By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office
June 5, 2019 (San Diego) - The County of San Diego has received a $53,966 state grant to continue efforts to corral a native plant-threatening, fire hazard-creating invasive weed that even Australian cows don’t like.
Ward’s weed has taken over rangelands in Australia and is threatening to invade North America starting in San Diego County, which is home to fragile ecological habitats like coastal sage scrub.
June 5, 2019 (La Mesa) – It began with unexplainable fatigue then weakness in his left arm and shoulder for Jessy Ybarra of La Mesa. “I regularly worked out with my trainer 3 days a week and it seemed like one day, my left side just couldn’t keep up with shoulder presses and pushups anymore,” said Ybarra. “Then, my left pinkie finger started curling up. Then, there was a twitch on my left triceps.”
June 5, 2019 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Classic Car Show season opens this Thursday, June 6 and will continue each week through August 29 from 5-8 p.m. (except July 4). In addition to vintage pre-1974 cars, trucks and vans parked along La Mesa Blvd. between Spring Street and 4th Avenue, this free community event also features live bands, DJs, and awards for each evening’s best classic cars. This Thursday, Four Way Street will provide live musical entertainment.
Photo: Helix alum Jack Stronach was drafted 623rd overall by the Padres. Photo via mlb.com screenshot
June 5, 2019 (Secaucus, N.J.) - The Padres took seven consecutive pitchers yesterday on day two. One East County kid was drafted. Today is the day to end all days: the final day of the draft and rounds 11-40, also known as the lightning rounds. Click the cut to see who the Padres took and be on the lookout for any East County kids.
June 5, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has announced suspension of outdoor residential burn permits in San Diego, Imperial and Riverside Counties for areas under state firefighting control, due to high fire danger.
June 5, 2019 (Campo) – Public participation is needed at two upcoming meetings on Terra-Gen’s proposal to install 60 wind turbines, each 586 feet tall and capable of producing 4.2 megawatts of power. The turbines are proposed on the Campo tribal reservation, from north of I-8 to near the border in the south.
“These turbines are about twice the size with twice the harmful energy and noise as existing local Kumeyaay Wind and Tule Wind turbines. If new turbines are approved, life for many area residents will change for the worst.” Says Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Planning Group which represents nearby communities. She adds, “People are already sick around existing turbines.”
Below are details on upcoming meetings June 6 and June 19, where the public can learn more and speak out:
June 4, 2019 (San Diego) – The California Poison Control System suggests being on the lookout for spiders which are increasingly active when temperatures rise. Spider bites can result in small puncture wounds, pain, redness, itching and swelling that can last a couple of days. Most bites are usually not serious. California Poison Control System received 2800 calls related to insect and spider bites in 2018.
Photo: Valhalla alum Jeff Houghtby was drafted in the 10th round, 296th overall by the San Francisco Giants. Photo via usdtoreros.com
June 4, 2019 (Secaucus, N.J.) - The Padres kept it mostly in the high school age range on day one. Click the cut to see who the Friars took in rounds 3-10 on day two of the 2019 MLB Draft and also to see if any East County kids made the cut.
Updated with City of San Diego response and a wildlife biologist's reaction
By Miriam Raftery
Photos: Grebe and chicks; grebe nest at risk
June 4, 2019 (Escondido) – A coalition of environmental groups has sent an urgent requestto the San Diego County Water Authority asking for an emergency directive to halt pumping of water from Lake Hodges which has left grebe nests with eggs “high and dry” for the third time this season. The lake is in the city of San Diego, which has advised ECM today that it is taking steps to address the problem.
The letter, signed by the Sierra Club, San Diego Audubon Society and four other environmental organizations, states that an estimated 300 eggs have been lost recently at Lake Hodges, from Western and Clark’s Grebes nests, some just days from hatching.
June 4, 2019 (La Mesa) – Was your home built before 1984? If so it may qualify for historic preservation, with tax benefits and other advantages. La Mesa Conservations and the La Mesa Historical Society will host “Historic Preservation in La Mesa: Myths, Realities and Benefits” including the city’s historic property update. The event will be held this Thursday, June 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge, 4731 Date St., La Mesa.
June 4, 2019 (San Diego) – As the federal government continues shipping migrants seeking asylum from Texas to San Diego, San Diego County Public Health reports that 14,000 have undergone health screenings here since May 19. Of those, 149, or about 1 of every 100 migrants locally, have been diagnosed with influenza (flu); 27 are currently quarantined in hotels, including 11 families.
By Maryanne Jackson, real estate broker, CNE. CPRES. DRE#01784021
Photo: Creative Commons image via Free Stock
June 4, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Dear Maryanne,
My fiancé and I purchased our first home in December. We were told there was a septic tank on the property. We had asked our agent on numerous occasions to find out the exact location of the septic tank, but he never followed through with our request; he only told us, “The septic tank had recently been pumped therefore we really had no need to worry about it right now, we just needed to focus on closing the deal.”
Upon moving in we attempted to use the showers and toilets and noticed the water started to back up. We called numerous plumbers and the prior owner- who informed us that the septic had been renovated when the investor bought the property from her and did the flip.
We now are paying $200 a month for a porta potty rental; it is our only way to have a bathroom on our property until this gets resolved.
How could this situation have been avoided? Was there something we should have done while in escrow?
CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.
Photo: Delegates at the California Democratic Convention in San Francisco snap selfies with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who’s once again seeking the party’s nomination for president. Photo by Elizabeth Castillo for CALmatters
June 4, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Anyone who spent the weekend at the California Democratic Party’s convention—watching 14 White House contenders try to impress what one Congresswoman called “the wokest Democrats in the country”—observed the following:
June 4, 2019 (Lakeside) -- Lakeside has a good reputation as a relatively safe area, but like every area of the county, it’s got some crime and could be made even safer if citizens make an effort and speak out when they see problems.
That was the key message imparted by a panel of experts speaking May 29 at the Lakeside Community Center organized by the Institute for Public Strategies.
June 3, 2019 (El Cajon) - Commencement is a day of celebration, but for some, the pomp and circumstance is more than they can afford.
For the past 15 years, longtime Grossmont College staffer Juliette Harrington has quietly paid for the caps and gowns of dozens of graduates who might otherwise not been able to participate in commencement. This year, Harrington, a Health Services specialist, wanted to help more students and thanks to a $500 grant from student government and a vendor who provided a sizable discount, 105 students received caps they can treasure as keepsakes and six will be provided loaned gowns, all for free, for the ceremony taking place at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Grossmont College Main Quad.
Photo: Christian Patriots alum Kyle Stowers was drafted 71st overall in Competitive Balance Round B by the Baltimore Orioles
June 3, 2019 (Secaucus, N.J.) - It’s that time of year again. Three straight days of draft picks joining the Padres’ already stacked farm system. ECM Sports will have coverage of all 41 of the Padres’ draft picks. Today will cover rounds one and two and both competitive balance rounds.
June 3, 2019 (San Diego) -- Do you know about the 100 deadliest days of summer? No, I’m not referring to the danger of heat exhaustion or increased gun violence during the summer months—although those are very real risks in many places.
The 100 deadliest days are the days between the end of May and the beginning of September—the days when our teenage children hit the streets with lots of time on their hands.
What makes it deadly? Driving. Per mile driven, drivers aged 16 to 19 years old are nearly three times more likely than drivers older than 20 to be in a fatal crash. During the summer months, teenage deaths in vehicle accidents increase by 26% compared with the other months of the year.
Updated with identies of the vicitms, provided by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office
By Miriam Raftery
June 3, 2019 (Jamul) – The driver and a passenger in a 1997 green GMC Sonoma pickup truck are dead following a head-on collision with a Jeep at 11:45 p.m. last night on Lyons Valley Road in Jamul. The driver, Martin Lopez Soto, 19, from Lemon Grove and his passenger, Hope Najera, 18, from Jamul, died at the scene after the GMC crossed the center line into the path of the Jeep. According to their Facebook posts, the couple recently became engaged.
Witnesses called 9-1-1 but both victims were found inside the vehicle without a pulse by first responders who were unable to revive the teens despite aggressive life-saving efforts. The Medical Examiner concluded that both died of blunt-force injuries.
The driver of the Jeep, an 18-year-old El Cajon woman, had three teen passengers in the vehicle. All four sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were either treated on scene or transported to local hospitals for medical evaluations, according to the California Highway Patrol.
San Diego County fails to pay JCFPD paramedics as agreed in earlier court judgment
Update: Sheriff's office declines to comment on eviction of the JCFPD
By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor
June 3, 2019 (Julian) -- CAL FIRE, under the authority of the San Diego County Fire Authority, retook the remaining Julian fire station Sunday afternoon. The station has been held by volunteers Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District (JCFPD) with court approval after the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) dissolved the JCFPD, pending the outcome of litigation by those trying to save the county's last volunteer firefighting district.
The move by CAL FIRE and the Sheriff’s Department failure to halt the takeover was in defiance of an appeal filed to the San Diego Superior Appellate Court Division immediately after Superior Court Judge Randa Trapp on Friday ordered members of the JCFPD to vacate Fire Station No. 56 in her Friday ruling. The appeal triggers an automatic stay, the County’s director of communications acknowledged Friday, prior to the forced takeover this weekend. Judge Trapp on Friday also affirmed that no eviction should occur until an appeal could be heard, according to a witness present in the courtroom. ECM is working to obtain videotape of the judge’s statement.
June 3, 2019 (Santa Ysabel) -- The sheer volume of missing and unidentified person cases poses one of the greatest challenges to agencies tasked with resolving these type of cases. Over 600,000 individuals go missing in the United States every year.
Many missing children and adults are quickly found alive and well. However, tens of thousands of individuals remain missing for more than one year. These are what most "agencies" consider "cold cases."
Conference play will be divided into two games in early December with the balance beginning in January
By Miriam Raftery
By Dave Willauer
Read highlights of all 14 presidential hopefuls seeking California’s 416 delegates—the nation’s biggest electoral prize in the 2020 election 
June 5, 2019 (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:
June 5, 2019 (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:
June 5, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
Source: Saps at Sea San Diego
By 
East
East County News Service
By Liz Alper
By Miriam Raftery
E
By Liz Alper
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
By Maryanne Jackson, real estate broker, CNE. CPRES. DRE#01784021
By Ben Christopher, CALmatters
By Mike Allen
Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca College District
By Liz Alper
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna
Updated with identies of the vicitms, provided by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office
By June A. Sortore
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