Photo: At a recent rally in El Cajon, thousands of local Iraqi Christians implored America to send help for their families in Iraq fleeing genocide
By Miriam Raftery
September 7, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—Rescue Task Force, an international aid group that started in East County, announced today that it will send a multi-national team of veteran disaster responders to help refugees displaced in Kurdistan by ISIS or Islamic State terrorists. The RTF volunteers will bring medical and dental help along with humanitarian supplies.
The group will meet up in California with leaders Gary Becks and Larry Cutting. They will travel to Erbil and then trek to northern Kurdistan.
To date, 1.2 million people have survived the initial slaughter by ISIS forces and have fled to safe havens in Erbil and Kurdistan, faced with a stark choice of fleeing, converting to Islam, or being beheaded. Most fled with only the clothes on their backs.
September 7, 2014 (San Diego) – Eighteen local initiatives will appear on ballots in San Diego County, on issues ranging from school bond for funding schools to measures that would legalize medical marijuana dispensaries.
September 7, 2014 (El Cajon)—Two people have been transported to the burn unit at the University of California San Diego Medical Center due to smoke inhalation and minor burns suffered in a bedroom fire early this morning.
By the very happy East County Eaters at East County Magazine
Week 1: Terra American Bistro (San Diego/La Mesa area) and Viejas Resort & Casino (Alpine)
September 4, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—Our intrepid team of East County Eaters have been on the road in search of the best Happy Hours across our inland region. (It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!) Each week, we’ll be featuring two locales offering diverse experiences. Whether your tastes run to sushi bars or cowboy bars, wine bistros or craft brew pubs, urban eateries or mountain taverns, you’ll find plenty to whet your appetite!
To kick off our series, we start by featuring two of our favorites: Terra American Bistro, a bistro and bar that prides itself on farm-to-table fresh cuisine--right down to the fresh-squeeze passionfruits in our cocktails and the refreshingly tasty and affordable appetizers, plus we tried our luck at Viejas Casino and Resort -- a four-star vacation destination hotel with some great specials sure to make you happy. Cheers!
September 7, 2014 (National City) - The California Highway Patrol has activated an Amber Alert at the request of the National City Police Department.
Five-year-old Johnnie Melendez was abducted from National City on September 6th. The boy is Hispanic, 4 feet tall and weighs 80 pounds. He has brown hair and eyes and he was last seen wearing a Batman T-shirt, striped boer shorts, and slippers with SD printed on them.
Colorado company, Integrated Water Services, Inc. awarded contract
Santee, CA – Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors approved a $1,547,000 contract to Integrated Water Services to construct a new Advanced Water Purification Demonstration Project on September 3. The contract, funded through a three million dollar state grant, includes the construction and installation of a pilot demonstration plant that will use Advanced Water Purification (AWP) technologies to provide a potential new source of water that is safe, reliable, locally controlled, drought-proof and environmentally sound.
September 7, 2014 (San Diego's East County)--The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for San Diego’s mountains and deserts this Sunday and Monday.
A surge of deep monsoonal moisture around tropical cyclone Norbert off the Baja coast will bring a high threat of showers and thunderstorms, particularly in the afternoons both days.
There is potential for three inches of rain and flash flooding, with greatest risk below desert slopes and recently burned areas.
Our June podcasts of the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ radio are now online, including many candidates who will be on your November ballot, as well as interviews on issues ranging from firefighting job opportunities to legal tips for surviving disasters.
To listen to our June radio shows online now, plus see a complete list of interviewees and other content on each show in June, click here or click "read more" and scroll down. (Please be patient, sound files may take a minute to load)
The East County Magazine Radio Show airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on KNSJ 89.1 FM.
September 5, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—In light of improved revenues and reduced losses at Lake Jennings, the majority of Helix Water District board members on Wednesday opted to support keeping the lake and its campground open for another year in hopes that it will become financially sustainable.
September 6, 2014 (San Diego) – San Diego State University campus police have issued an alert warning students that a sexual assault occurred early this morning at 1:39 a.m. at the Granada Apartment complex on Hardy Avenue.
September 6,2014 (Otay)--U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy’s office has announced that charges have been filed against two suspected smugglers accused of abandoning a pregnant woman to die in the Otay Mountains over the 2013 Christmas holiday.
September 5, 2014 (San Diego)—A cultural celebration featuring music, dance and cuisine of San Diego’s Somali-Bantu community will be held on Saturday, September 20 from 2-5 p.m. at the United Domestic Workers of America office, 4855 Seminole Drive, San Diego.
September 5, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) - The American Civil Liberties Union in San Diego is asking the public to urge Governor Jerry Brown to sign Assembly Bill 1327, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support. The measure would require police to get a warrant before using drones to conduct surveillance on you, your family, or others in your community.
September 6, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Cleveland National Forest (CNF) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a public meeting on October 1, 2014 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd. in Alpine. The purpose is to obtain comments on a joint draft environmental impact report/draft environmental impact statement prepared by the two agencies regarding San Diego Gas & Electric Company’s proposal for a master special use permit in Cleveland National Forest and proposed replacement/fire hardening of select power lines in and around the federally protected Cleveland National Forest.
October 5, 2014 (San Diego's East County)--Warm weather, continued care and robust plants have yielded a bounty of beautiful, fresh vegetables – and personal satisfaction – from your garden this season. As the weather cools and fall approaches, it is not time to hang up your hat, gloves and trowel for the year. Autumn provides optimum weather and ample opportunity to keep growing and harvesting delicious, healthy produce well into the season.
September 6, 2014 (El Cajon) – The East County Wellness Center provides free wellness tips for our readers. This month’s wellness tips include infant massage, massage for weight loss, daily walking tips, neuromuscular massage, making your own coffee scrub, and relaxation tips for self confidence.
San Diego County Tribe Donates $10,000 to ALS Association
September 5, 2014 (Lakeside) – The Barona Band of Mission Indians is proud to join the worldwide effort to raise donations and awareness for the ALS Association through the Ice Bucket Challenge. Barona Tribal Chairman Clifford LaChappa proudly accepted the challenge from Sycuan Tribal Chairman Danny Tucker.
September 5, 2014 (Boulevard) – The nonprofit citizens group Backcountry Against Dumps (BAD) has been battling numerous major energy projects proposed in rural East County, including funding lawsuits that seek to halt several with potentially devastating consequences and research studies to support those lawsuits, as well as persuade County planners and other decision makers to reject projects that may deplete water resources, harm wildlife, or have adverse health impacts on residents.
Photo, left: Noori Barka speaks as slideshow depicts Iraqi Christian refugees forced to walk across the desert, fleeing their homeland to escape ISIS terrorists with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
September 4, 2014 (ElCajon)--Community members and religious leaders came together on August 27 in El Cajon at a fundraiser to help save Christians in Iraq who have fled their homes to escape the Islamic State imposed by ISIS terrorists. ISIS is systematically massacring Christians and other minorities who refuse to convert to Islam. The event, which was emceed by KCBQ radio host Mark Larson, raised over $588,000.
Bishop Sharhad Jammo (photo, right) has pledged to personally travel to the Middle East to deliver the donations, despite grave dangers in the region, where Christian religious leaders have been kidnapped, tortured and murder.
September 4, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - SoCal Parrot is hosting its 2nd Annual Picnic with the Parrots, “A Celebration of Eco-diversity” on Sunday, October 26th 2014. This event is SoCal Parrot’s annual fundraising event and is a rare chance for the public to visit and enjoy the wildlife rehabilitation facility and special animals in a dynamic natural setting.
September 3, 2014 (San Diego) – Tropical Storm Norbert, the remnants of a hurricane, will move northwest off the coast of Baja California this weekend, bringing thunderstorms to Southern California beginning early Sunday. Stormy weather could last through Tuesday, with the highest chance of thunderstorms in the mountains.
September 4, 2014 (San Diego)--Fast food workers across America on Thursday put down their burger flippers and picked up picket signs. Workers went out on strike at an estimated 150 fast food restaurants nationwide. The workers want wages raised to $15 an hour . They point out that it’s not just kids working at fast food chains nowadays; the economy has forced many adults including parents with families to take jobs in the fast food industry. Many are struggling at minimum wage jobs.
In some places, striking workers engaged in civil disobedience, from New York to San Diego. Locally, workers in City Heights staged a march from McDonalds to Burger King and Jack in the Box outlets. Several staged a sit-in on the University Bridge over I-15 to draw attention of motorists, and some protesters were arrested, KPBS reports.
The Boulevard Planning Group meets Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Boulevard Fire Training Room, 39919 Ribbon Wood Road in Boulevard. The rural planners will be discussing some hot issues, starting with disclosure of a lawsuit filed against the Planning Group, its Chair, the County and other parties over alleged loss of property values to Lansing Industries, which has been unsuccessful in its effort to develop its property as first a housing development and later, an industrial solar facility, amid large-scale community opposition.
Chair Donna Tisdale and two other incumbents won reelection to the Boulevard Planning Group unopposed.
September 4, 2014 (San Diego) – Educators and business leaders plan a rally today at 10:30 to urge Governor Jerry Brown to sign Senate Bill 850, a bill by Senator Marty Block (D-San Diego) allowing community colleges to offer four-year degrees in areas where a local workforce need for the degree program can be demonstrated. The bill arrived at the governor’s office on Aug. 28, and he has 30 days from receipt of the measure to approve or veto the legislation.
The rally is planned at SeaBotix, a manufacturer of mini-remotely operated vehicle systems with underwater expertise, and will include a demonstration of how the facility could benefit from the bill.
September 3, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Neurotoxic snake bites, known as “super bites”, were formerly rare in our region, found mainly in the Mojave Desert. But 10 News reports these serious bites are occurring now in suburban areas of San Diego and East County.
A dog with a neurotoxin bite in Del Cerro, for example, went into shock and had difficulty walking. The dog was treated at Pet Emergency and Specialty Center in La Mesa, where vets told 10 news that three of the ten snakebites treated in the past week have been neurotoxic bites.
September 3, 2014 (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:
Theater managers speak out, object to City's actions, CityBeat reports
By Miriam Raftery
September 3, 2014 (El Cajon) – Citizens Oversight Panels (COPS) is organizing a rally tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. outside the East County Performing Arts Center at 210 East Main Street in El Cajonon to protest a proposed partnership between the City of El Cajon and Rock Church to lease the theater.
“We will be delivering a 30-plus page letter spelling out the legal case against the city should they go ahead with their plans to lease this public theater to the Rock Church, which is clearly unconstitutional,” says Ray Lutz, founder of COPS, on a Facebook page for the event. “Come and support the reopening of ECPAC as a performing arts and entertainment center and not as the new location for a mega church.”
September 3, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – I first discovered the enchanting music of the mbira while visiting Milagro Winery in Ramona. It turns out the mbira, inspired by the African kalimba but much bigger, is a unique musical instrument invented by a local entrepreneur and crafted by musician Patrick Hadley.
On our East County Magazine radio show on KNSJ, we interviewed Hadley, who shared news about the crafting of this amazing instrument--and some famous musical stars now including the mbira in their performances. Hadley also gave an improve performance on our show.
September 3, 2014 (San Diego's East County)--East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect 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 world and U.S. headlines include:
the Islamic State imposed by ISIS terrorists. ISIS is systematically massacring Christians and other minorities who refuse to convert to Islam. The event, which was emceed by KCBQ radio host Mark Larson, raised over $588,000. 
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