April 18, 2015 (San Diego)—A video released by the Islamic State, or ISIS, shows the apparent killings of 15 Christians in Libya—half by beheading, the rest by shooting. The victims are believed to be Ethiopian Christians, CNN reports. A message in the graphic 29-minute video makes clear the executions were motivated by religious hate, stating “Muslim blood shed under the hand of your religion is not cheap.”
April 19, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—From beekeeping to mobile home park expansion, here are the hot items on local city council agendas this week in Lemon Grove and Santee.
April 19, 2015 (San Diego)--The battle between Islamic State extremists, or ISIS, is intensifying in the Middle East. Here are the latest developments.
April 19, 2015 (Sacramento) -- As Californians make their Memorial Day weekend and summer vacation plans, CAL FIRE and federal fire agencies want to ensure vacationers obtain necessary campfire permits and learn how to have a campfire safely.
The California Wildfire Coordination Group (CWCG) has unveiled a new fire prevention website, www.PreventWildfireCA.org , which for the first time offers an online campfire permit section.
“The new online system makes it easier for Californians to get a permit, while still taking the time to learn how to have a campfire safely,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE director. “It is critical that a responsible adult be in attendance of your campfire at all times and that it is completely extinguished before you leave to avoid sparking a wildfire. One less spark means one less wildfire.”
April 19, 2015 (Ramona) –Vineyard Grant James in Ramona announces a series of events. Whether your tastes run to a winemakers’ dinner to a mother’s day weekend with flowers and chocolates for Mom, you’ll find plenty to savor. The winery also offers a yoga and writing regreat, gourmet foodie potluck, a fundraiser for Ramona high school and a summer of sangria kick-off at the winery, as well as several events off-site. In addition, Grant James has live music every Sunday afternoon.
For a full list of events and details, click read more and scroll down.
PHOTO: Paul Barnes, president of Shea Homes in San Diego ,presents El Cajon historian and author Eldonna Lay with a check for his firm’s lifetime membership in the El Cajon Historical Society. The two stand behind a historic marker installed by Shea Homes to commemorate the adjacent ancient site of El Granito Springs that once flowed beside the high granite ridge along Avocado Blvd. Photographer: archivist Mike Kaszuba, El Cajon Historical Society.
East County News Service
April 16, 2015 (El Cajon )--The boulder and brass plaque requested by the El Cajon Historical Society honors the ten thousand years or more that El Granito’s spring waters were used by tribes of local and far-flung Indian nations traveling between the desert and the Pacific Ocean shores.
April 17, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—Our dinner hour was interrupted twice recently by automated calls claiming to be from the IRS. The messages were intimidating, claiming we owed a tax debt and threatening dire consequences if we wouldn’t pay up promptly.
April 16, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Greg Dunne snapped these images, and sent this note: “These Kooky White-breasted Nuthatches have been giving my wife and me some enjoyment with their nesting the last couple of weeks. I say kooky because they spend a lot of their time upside down. Walking head first down the trunk of the pine tree looking for insects. They also feed on seeds and we enjoy them at our feeder.”
April 17, 2015 (Rancho San Diego)--Six homegrown bands playing an eclectic mix of folk, jazz, pop and rock will perform on two stages on the grand lawn of Cuyamaca College at the Coyote Music Festival noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Now in its seventh year, the entirely student-run festival will provide the community a free afternoon of live music by local talent in a family-friendly venue, where picnic blankets and lawn chairs are the best seats in the house.
April 18, 2015 (El Cajon)-- “Café Murder” will be presented by The Circle Players of East County, a new community theatre group, May 1 through May 3 at Richardson Hall, 551 Farragut Circle, El Cajon.
April 17, 2015 (El Cajon) -- Recently, Citizens Oversight founder Ray Lutz challenged the city of El Cajon’s allocation of community development block grant funds to the East County Transitional Living Center for programs that benefit homeless people seeking to get off the streets. In a complaint sent to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Lutz argued that the program was illegal due to church-state separation requirements of the U.S. Constitution.
April 17, 2015 (San Onofre) - A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit filed by Citizens Oversight on behalf of ratepayers challenging the San Onofre settlement agreement should be heard in state court, not federal.
April 18, 2015 (Santee) –A man wearing a skirt entered several Santee businesses last Wednesday, then lifted his skirt to show his underwear to women present. One hairdresser at Hair It Is Etc. told 10 News the man seemed “mental” and was asked to leave.
April 17, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has announced her support for a measure to make it a specific crime to threaten a shooting on any school campus, public or private. It would also make a person convicted of such threats responsible for the reasonable costs of emergency responses by public agencies.
April 17, 2015 (La Mesa) –On the Edge Art Gallery invites the public to Metamorphosis: a time of renewal and regeneration. This local artists’ gathering and art sale will be held on May 23 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
April 17, 2015 (Spring Valley) – The Sheriff seeks public help to locate four suspects who fled the scene of a shooting Wednesday evening after one of the suspects shot a man in the head.
April 17, 2015 (Lakeside) – Randy Jordan snapped these action shots at Thursday’s pre-rodeo slack activities in Lakeside. The rodeo runs Friday through Sunday. Ride ‘em, cowgirls!
April 18, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - In a remote corner of the Mojave Desert, 15 miles from Las Vegas, stands the expansive Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. Occupying 5 square miles, the facility seems to swallow up a stunning expanse of desert including animals, plants and now, spiritual and cultural resources.
April 17, 2015 (San Diego) – The 2015 annual pow wow at San Diego State University will be held on April 25th at the ENS softball field. This year’s pow wow honors two late SDSU Native American professors, Dr. Linda Parker and Roy Cook.
April 17, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - A new poll confirms California's solar revolution appears to be unstoppable. The respondents were parents, 81% of whom said they want to live in a solar powered home. The majority, 67%, also wants solar to be the world's primary energy source when their children grow up.
April 17, 2015 (Ramona)-Step back in time at Ramona Old West Days, featuring living history encampments as well as a gunfighters’ skit competition at the Ramona Rodeo grounds (421 Aqua Lane, Ramona).
April 17, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The California Department of Public Health on Friday declared the measles outbreak officially over. The outbreak, which began at Disneyland, infected 131 people in California, including 14 in San Diego County. The Disneyland outbreak also spread to other states, causes 142 cases in seven states from late December to early March.
April 16, 2015 (La Mesa)--Thirty years ago, a group of surfers from Malibu, California, were concerned about the health risks associated with environmental threats posed by escalating coastal development at their favorite surf spot. They took action. Not even they could have envisioned the history they were making when they succeeded in protecting their beloved surf spot.
Week 5: Mediterraneo Italian Bar & Bistro and The Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar
April 17, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--For this week’s series, our Eaters returned to savor happy hour specials at two local favorites: Mediterraneo Italian Bar & Bistro in Alpine and The Brigantine on Mt. Helix. The first offers divine Italian food in a European-style ambience, the second specializes in seafood served up amid a nautical theme. Both are delightful and unexpected “finds” for newcomers in East County—so it’s no wonder that each of these restaurants are popular gathering spots for locals in the know.
April 17, 2015 (Lakeside) - At the Eastbound Bar & Grill in Lakeside, staff is ready to welcome the rodeo crowd this weekend. The restaurant is ready to give away 1,000 free hats to its customers -- and provide a streetside spot to watch the 50th annual rodeo Saturday morning.
April 14, 2015 (El Cajon)—Communities Against Substance Abuse (CASA) and the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce are offering a training program for stores on how to avoid selling alcohol to minors. A recent sting operation by El Cajon Police found 18 of 66 stores selling alcohol to minors – and three stores did it twice.
Update: The House has passed this measure, which now advances to the Senate.
By Miriam Raftery
April 16, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - This week, when most of us paid our taxes due on April 15th, the Republican majority in Congress is trying to push through H.R. 1105, a bill that would repeal the estate tax for millionaires and billionaires.
April 16, 2015 (El Cajon) – The City of El Cajon is cracking down on liquor stores and markets that sell alcohol to minors and serial inebriates. Following sting operations that found many stores selling to minors, some repeatedly, on Tuesday the City Council voted unanimously to ask staff to work on preparing a ballot initiative to make alcohol sale restrictions part of the city’s charter so that the limits will be “very difficult to take it out,” Mayor Wells said.
No one spoke publicly against the ballot initiative effort. But Mayor Bill Wells (photo, left) said he and the council members have been threatened by the liquor industry with punishment if the measure is put on the ballot. The industry and its lobbyists “have said that they will spend tremendous amounts of money to make sure we are never elected again,” said the Mayor, who told citizens present, “We don’t want you to be in a position where your city council changes or your mayor changes and all of that hard work can just be wiped away with a single vote.”
April 16, 2015 (El Cajon)--The East County Democratic Club (ECDC) will consider issues related to the U.S.-Mexican Border, at its April 23, 2015, meeting. Pedro Rios, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) project director, will address members and guests at Coco’s Restaurant, 1324 East Main Street, El Cajon, 92021. The featured speaker’s commentary will be first on the agenda at the 7 p.m. meeting, followed by a question and answer session.
Rios leads the AFSC’s U.S./Mexico Border Program. He has been on the AFSC staff for twelve years. He is also chairperson for the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, a coalition of over 30 organizations in San Diego working to support the rights of immigrants and refugees. A native San Diegan, Rios has worked on immigrant rights and border issues for over 18 years. He became active on immigration issues in the early 1990s, when California was debating the passage of Proposition 187, the anti-immigrant initiative that was later ruled unconstitutional.
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