September 4, 2013 (Sacramento) – A measure that would require all school modernization projects seeking state funding to include classroom doors that lock from the inside was held today in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

State Senator Marty Block of San Diego (SD-39) who authored the legislation – SB 316 – said he was dismayed. “I’m deeply disappointed that SB 316 did not make it through the Assembly committee,” said State Senator Marty Block (SD-39). “It is a blow to school safety and common sense. We are beyond the point where inside door locks would be a nice thing to have, they are imperative if we want to protect children and teachers in the classroom.”

August 31, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- Podcasts of our August radio show broadcasts are now posted online -- so you can listen to shows you missed them on the airways.  Click "read more" below  to open and then scroll down for  links to each show with a lineup of  guests.

Our show schedule has changed. It now runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and repeats on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on KNSJ 89.1 FM.  If you can’t hear the signal, you can listen live at www.knsj.org or click “read more” below and scroll down to hear podcasts of past shows.  We welcome your feedback and suggestions for future shows!

SDG&E offers programs to assist low-income ratepayers, those with medical needs, and FLEX alerts for energy savings

By Walt Meyer          

August 31, 2013 (San Diego)--Although temperatures have finally climbed to the normal range for the end of August, so far it’s been a mild summer, with temperatures below average, and for much of San Diego County, having things a few degrees cooler means not having to turn on the air conditioning. Hot summer days pose the biggest challenge to keeping the juice flowing without brownouts.

While renewable promise a long-term solution, in the short term, with San Onofre offline, likely permanently, the generating power of Southern California will be severely tested in a heat wave. As the region moves deeper into what is likely to a bad fire season, blazes near power lines also pose another imminent threats to the fragile power grid.

There is another good reason to try to keep the A/C off and switch to renewable: starting September 1, SDG&E is imposing a major rate increase. The rate hike will affect Tiers 3 and 4, but not Tiers 1 and 2 at all, which means many ratepayers in more temperate areas may not see any increase, but those who are usually have rates in the higher tiers will see their rates go up.

August 31, 2013 (La Mesa) – Last night at 11:26 p.m., La Mesa Police were called to the parking lot of the Von’s grocery store, 8011 University Avenue, to investigate an assault.  During the investigation, Officers discovered that the victim had actually been robbed of his property by two unknown assailants.

The victim reported to police that he was walking to his vehicle when he was attacked from behind by two men.  The victim was struck in the face and knocked to the ground. During the attack, the suspects stole the victim’s cell phone and wallet.  The suspects were last seen running eastbound from the scene through an alley behind a neighboring store, possibly towards Orange Avenue.

Update: A briefcase inspected by investigators has been found to be harmless.

September 1, 2013 (Spring Valley) --  La Mesa Police have located Ramon Leggs, 76, who was an at risk missing person. Below is the original missing person report.

Mr. Leggs suffers from hypertension, diabetes, dementia and he has difficulty walking. He is a resident at New Brighton Place, which is located at 9009 Campo Road in Spring Valley. He was last seen on 08/31/2013 at approximately 5:30 PM in the area of Bancroft Drive and State Route 94. Mr. Leggs left on foot. He has no money or cell phone.

Mr. Leggs is described as a Hispanic male adult, 5' 7" tall, 170 pounds, gray hair with a beard and mustache. He was last seen wearing a dark green t-shirt, blue shorts, long white socks and black shoes.

By Dennis Moore

August 29, 2013 (Del Cerro)--The father and son team of Jack Cohen and Mikey Adam Cohen, lifelong residents of Del Cerro in San Diego’s East County, are firmly entrenched in smooth jazz. As a matter of fact,  it can be said that Smooth Jazz is their love and lifeblood, as well as profession. Mikey is a music/smooth jazz professional and has worked with his father to become one of the leading names in the smooth jazz music industry, by co-founding Smooth Jazz Live, an online contemporary jazz magazine. (Website: http://smoothjazzlive.wordpress.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/smoothjazzlivei and www.facebook.com/accessmediaceo.

In an interview with ECM, MIkey said that growing up, he didn’t have a strong relationship with his father, who wanted Mikey to be a sports prodigy – until they founded Smooth Jazz Live.  Soon they were supporting, producing and documenting live music acts together as they traveled across the world and became among the biggest names in the music business.

An ECM special investigation continues, finding links between rise in dust storms across outhwest, Valley Fever epidemic, and installation of large-scale desert solar and wind projects

By Miriam Raftery

August 26, 2013 (Ocotillo)--A second dust storm has struck Ocotillo on Auugust 25, just two days after an earlier dust storm swept through the desert community.  Dust billowed thousands of feet into the air, dwarfing  a 500 foot tall wind turbines scarcely visible in the above photo.  East County Magazine photographer Jim Pelley was in the midst of the storm and shot videos: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7Jz2KQmVZs&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ViBPc25iIE&feature=youtu.be

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) –- Hit the books and relax with a quiet "study buddy" kitty by your side. 

County Animal Services' three animal shelters are overstocked on cats so for a limited time only, adoption fees for cats 6 months and older are only $5 through the month of September.

San Diego Zoo, which manages the shelter, disputes AP report

By Miriam Raftery; photo courtesy of the San Diego Zoo

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – Earlier this week, Associated Press ran a story which stated, “Federal funds  are running out at the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center and officials plan to close the site and euthanize hundreds of the tortoises they’ve been caring for since the animals were added to the endangered species list in 1990.”

But the San Diego Zoo, which managers that center, told East County Magazine that while the center’s funding is in question, no healthy tortoises will be euthanized.  The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has also issued a press release finding fault with AP’s reporting.

August 29, 2013 (Julian) --The Julian Arts Guild will present "September Song" a Fine Art Show at the Julian Town Hall, 2129 Main Street, Julian, CA, over the Labor Day weekend, August 30 through September 2, 2013. The show will be open each day from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Included will be local and regional artists working in a rich diversity of artistic media: oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings; drawings in pen, pencil and pastel; photography; printmaking; ceramics, jewelry, collage, assemblage, glass, mosaics, sculpture, and more.

Meet the artists at the show opening in the Town Hall on August 30th from 6–8 pm. Admission to the Julian Arts Guild Labor Day weekend art show is FREE. Each day different artists will be available to talk about their work.  The theme, “September Song” will be reflected in landscapes but also in other creative motifs.

August 29, 2013 (Spring Valley) – According to Sheriff’s detectives, an armed robbery took place at a Subway located at 289 Sweetwater Road on August 22 at about 12:40 a.m.  The suspect, wearing a knit, ski mask and armed with a black handgun, allegedly ordered one of the employees to open the cash register, from which he took the money and left. 

By Nadin Abbott

Photos by Nadin and Tom Abbott

Part two in a three-part series (Read Part One and Part Three)

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – Dana Stevens, Executive Director of the Communities against Substance Abuse (CASA), presented a PowerPoint presentation on bullying for parents last week during a forum on child safety in Santee.  East County Magazine has also recently spoken with other bullying experts to get tips on keeping kids safe. 

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – As San Diego heads into the warmest weather of the year, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is encouraging customers to sign up for Reduce Your Use alerts, to help them earn bill credits for saving energy during hot summer days when demand for electricity is high.