August 10, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Robert Gehr snapped this photo(s) during National Night Out on August 5 at the El Cajon Police Department.  “Low civilian turnout was a bit disappointing, yet that meant no crowds,” he writes. “Games for the kids, face painting as well. SWAT display, mini fire truck rides, hot dogs, Sheriff mounted patrol, K-9 and SWAT demonstrations, and lots of camaraderie amongst Police personnel.” This annual event was also free.”

August 10, 2014 (San Diego)—Chidren at the Visionary School for the Performing Arts presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Visionary Performance Space (7202 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, 92115) on August 14-16 and August 21-23.

North Coast Corridor Public Works Plan/Transportation and Resource Enhancement Program has “dire consequences to public health, climate change, and coastal integrity” says Duncan McFetridge, Cleveland National Forest Foundation co-director

East County News Service

August 10, 2014 (San Diego)--The Cleveland National Forest Foundation (CNFF) has sent a formal request to the California Coastal Commission to postpone project approval for the North Coast Corridor Public Works Plan/Transportation and Resource Enhancement Program (PWP/TREP). This project would expand and widen areas of Interstate 5 between La Jolla and Oceanside.

McFetridge has long contended that transit problems encouraging sprawl anywhere in the county puts added pressure on forests in the inland regions.

We're catching up on our archiving, after getting through the primary elections and moving our office/studio. Our May podcasts are now online, including many candidates who will be on the November ballot, as well as interviews on issues ranging from firefighting job opportunities to legal tips for surviving disasters.

To listen to our May radio shows online now, plus see a complete list of interviewees and other content on each show in May,  click here.

By Greg Dunne                                             

August 10, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--The Raven has such an undeserved reputation--always associated with darkness, despair, death. Right away one thinks of Ravens and Alfred Hitchcock, the Addams family, or Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven” and the movies inspired by Poe’s poetry, the 1935 classic “The Raven” starting Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. The list of Raven influence and culture is endless.

I am 59 years old and contemplating retirement, with dread. I just cannot imagine myself not going into work each day or being able to afford not working. What would I do with the time? I am alone at home and sometimes even on the weekends I get lonesome. My nest egg is comfortable but not luxurious. I wonder if it will last out my life, though. Guess I could live with my kids if necessary. Eeww! I often wake up at night thinking about my future and then cannot get back to sleep. Signed “Worried”

By Sharon Ann Hamilton

August 10, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Dear Worried, You are right to be worried! And you are not alone. July 13, 2014 research by US Census Bureau, Saperston, and Bankrate shows us that 80% of people, even as young as 30, do not believe theywill have enough money for retirement. In fact 35% rely completely on Social Security. 76% of people polled cite worries about money as a leading cause of stress. As we all have heard, stress can kill you.

August 9, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) - Every minute that a victim of sudden cardiac arrest waits for CPR, their chance of survival drops by up to 10 percent.

County News Service

August 6, 2014 (San Diego) -- San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors unanimously directed County staff Wednesday to start working on a program to promote agriculture. Ultimately, the program could open up nearly one-third of the unincorporated county to wineries.

August 7, 2014 (Spring Valley)--The Sheriff's Department wants your help in identifying and locating a man who robbed a bank in Spring Valley.

By Greg Dunne                                          

August 8, 2014 (Lake Murray) --Always dazzling when you see them with their long S-shaped necks, usually standing motionless, they look as if they are in stealth mode. The Great Blue Heron is one of our largest, most majestic birds in the East County.

August 8, 2014 (Lemon Grove)--Councilmember Racquel Vasquez invites residents to join her for “Coffee with Your Councilmember.” The first meeting will be held this Saturday, August 9, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Lemon Grove Starbucks, located at 7801 Broadway.

By Miriam Raftery

August 8, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—The severity of California’s drought has taken a sharp turn for the worse.  Virtually all of California (99.8%) is now in severe drought or worse, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor's latest report.  Nearly 82% is in extreme drought (including San Diego County) and over half the state (58%) is now in exceptional drought—the worst possible rating. 

“The challenges drought has presented to Cal Fire are huge,” said CAL FIRE Chief Tony Meecham in a public forum last night in Boulevard for residents to meet new fire officials. “We have entire counties in California that are going to run out of water.” 

August 8, 2014 (San Diego)--Need a car, boat, or other vehicle? Bidding for the County’s latest online public vehicle auction is now  open, so you can check out what’s available before these steals on wheels are going, going, gone.

Source: Helix Water District

August 7, 2014 (La Mesa)--Helix Water District’s board of directors voted yesterday to put Drought Level 2 into effect in response to the State Water Resources Control Board’s passage of mandatory water conservation measures to deal with the current drought.

Since February, the district had been in Drought Level 1, which called for numerous voluntary actions to eliminate water waste. Drought Level 2 makes them mandatory.  Residents and businesses are required to take the following conservation steps: