August 17, 2013 (El Cajon)- Born missing three limbs due to a rare birth defect, Alex Montoya has triumphed over adversity. Now manager of Latino affairs for the San Diego Padres, he met representatives from Cuyamaca College after speaking at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park and was invited to deliver the commencement speech.
Montoya moved here from Columbia when he was 4 years old. “It was absolutely a new world. It was at times scary and at times daunting, but really it was refreshing and exhilarating,” he told ECM. “I realized that there were boundless opportunities.”
He learned English by watching baseball. Montoya is most passionate about baseball because “it’s a very fair and very beautiful sport..I quickly saw that it was America’s past time… [It] was something that really stayed with me my entire life.”
August 18, 2013 (El Cajon) – At 11:51 p.m. Saturday night, Heartland Fire & Rescue crews in El Cajon, with assistance from Cal Fire, responded to reports of a fire in the 3-hundred block of Wisconsin Avenue. As fire crews arrived on scene, smoke was seen coming from apartment #3, at 314 Wisconsin Avenue.
August 18, 2013 (San Diego) – A year after the release of their critically-acclaimed sophomore album Gossamer, Passion Pit have announced a massive fall headling tour across North America, including an appearance at the Open Air Theater at SDSU, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego. The tour will feature special guests The Joy Formidable.
August 17, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) -- Monsoonal moisture will create a slight chance of thunderstorms over San Diego County mountains and deserts Sunday afternoon and evening, the National Weather Service reports. Any thunderstorms that occur will be capable of producing dry lightning, gusty winds, and locally heavy downpours.
August 17, 2013 (Santee) – An environmental group has lodged a formal complaint over a proposed electronic billboard in Santee, contending that the sign violates city laws and further, should require an environmental review.
The LEC-powered video billboard proposed by a Toyota dealership would stand 70 feet tall and be 321 square feet in size. It would tower above the junction of highways 125 and 52.
August 17, 2013 (La Mesa) – Two pedestrians were robbed of their purses in the 8100 block of La Mesa Boulevard on August 14 at 10:05 p.m. Two suspects approached the victims from behind, and one of the suspects displayed a black handgun. The other suspect was armed with a crowbar.
One of the suspects demanded the victims’ purses. After the victims complied, the suspects fled eastbound La Mesa Boulevard on foot. The victims ran to a nearby residence and called La Mesa Police.
Update 12:35 p.m.: The fire's spread has been stopped at 6 acres, Cal Fire reports.
Photos by Kristin Kjaero, Elizabeth Gallway, Gloria Duncan and Jeff Holtz
August 17, 2013 (Lakeside) - A five-acre brush fire is burning in Lakeside. The blaze, reported at 11:36 a.m., is near Los Coches Road and Interstate 8 and is spreading at a moderate rate, Cal Fire reports.
August 17, 2013 (Ramona) -- Rancho Ranch Vineyard and Winery invites you to visit San Diego's backcountry this weekend and experience why Ramona Valley wines are fast becoming the talk of the wine industry. The winery, located at 23578 Highway 78, will host wine tastings and catered appetizers on its tasting terrace this Saturday and Sunday from noon to sunset.
In addition, guests can enjoy wine barrel art, shop for silver jewelry, enjoy massages, and treats for your dogs. Service includes three white and four red wines to choose from.
August 17, 2013 (Lakeside) -- The Santee Sheriff's Station will host a community forum in Lakeside on Tuesday, August 27 at 7 p.m. The event will be held in the Lakeside Community Center, 9841 Vine Street, Lakeside. The Sheriff's Department wants to hear your concerns about public safety and your ideas for creting an action plan for safer communities.
Hear from Captain Lisa Miller, Sheriff's deputies, crime prevention specialists, Lakeside Fire Department, County Animal Control, Commuinties Against Substance Abuse (CASA), and the Lakeside Planning Group.
1st place wildlife photo, Bighorn Ram by Daren Sefcik (left) and 1st place landscape photo, Bridge to Opportunity by Gary Avant (right)
By Miriam Raftery
August 15, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- We received many amazing images from talented photographers across our region for our photography contest jointly sponsored by Assemblyman Brian Jones and East County Magazine.
Winners and honorable mentions in landscape and wildlife photographer were selected by judges in Sacramento and San Diego based on aesthetics, composition, and lighting. All photos were taken in the Assemblyman’s district in San Diego’s East County.
The list of winners and their photos are published below. Winning entries will also be displayed in Assemblyman Jones’ office in the state capitol. Congratulations to the winners – and to the many talented photographers who submitted entries!
August 16, 2013 (Ramona) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating ""sextortion" threats allegedly made against 19 people including Cassidy Wolf, a former Ramona contestant who won the title Miss Teen USA on Saturday.
According to NBC Today Show’s website, Wolf said she received an anonymous e-mail several months ago from a blackmailer who claimed to have stolen images from the webcam on her home computer. The hacker reportedly threatened to publish the images unless Wolf would provide nude photos.
August 16, 2013 (Campo) – The “Gaskill Brothers Gunfighters” will be putting on a reenactment of the Campo Gunfight at Golden Acorn Casino as part of the casino’s BBQ Cook-off. The cook-off is a free event and runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The skit’s director and producer, Bryon Harrington will narrate the show. He has authored the novel “Campo the Forgotten Gunfight” and will be signing copies of his book after the show.
August 15, 2013 (San Diego) – Like Forrest Gump, Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker) views American history from a distance, a bystander swept up in a relentless flurry of major historical events that came to dominate and define the latter 20th century. Like Forrest Gump, Danny Strong's screenplay - based on the Washington Post article by Wil Haywood - mystifies the civil rights movement, the Kennedy assassination, and the Vietnam War. As major political figures appear, and landmark events transpire or are referenced, the joy of discovery and realization kicks in at full stop. And like Forrest Gump, it's full of "easter eggs" masterfully hidden that become uncovered with repeat viewings.
August 16, 2013 (San Diego) – After Steve Jobs passed away in October 2011, Steve Breen - whose political cartoons are always as funny as they are spot-on - paid a more respectful and touching tribute to him. It showed him, presumably having arrived in Heaven, being welcomed by Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin.
August 16, 2013 (San Diego) – Scattered throughout Kick-Ass 2 are the same high-caliber flashes of genius of its predecessor. Only thing is Kick-Ass had a rich, fully developed screenplay by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn from which to hang them. Jeff Wadlow's screenplay is otherwise a messy concoction of underdeveloped subplots and gratuitous nasty violence.
August 15, 2013 (San Diego) – Sutter (Miles Teller) is like that friend who has certain annoying tendencies, but you nonetheless love hanging out with. He's a boisterous young man with an extreme fondness for beer...even though he hasn't yet graduated high school. He knows how to have a good time, too. A really good time. One night he'll be at a party, and then the next morning he'll find himself passed out on a random neighbor's lawn.
August 15, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- The 2013-2014 school year hasn't started yet so why not get a jump on the college application process? CA4, the new Common Application, now accepted by over 500 colleges and universities, opened up on August 1st. Yes, it crashed within a few hours of opening up. And, yes, there is criticism about the “improved” application because they eliminated the popular "topic of your choice" and increased the permissible word count. CA4 offers five prompts rather than six, but now allows for 650 words instead of 500 on the essay. In fact, it automatically counts the essay, and won't allow essays that are too short (less than 250 words) or too long (more than 650 words). According to the Common App Facebook page, the system is still slightly buggy but the new essay prompts were released in advance of the official launch of CA4, so there are no excuses, seniors! 140,000 students have already created their applicant accounts. Dust off those keyboards and start clicking away.
August 15, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Members of the national, California, and San Diego Leagues of Conservation Voters will deliver a climate change denier award to Rep. Darrell Issa in recognition of his extreme anti-science views, which put him at odds with 97 percent of scientists and a majority of the American people. The event is part of a “Day of Action” held nationally in coordination with Organizing for Action to hold climate change deniers accountable.
August 15, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- Husqvarna this week announced a recall of its closed-course/competition off-road motorcycles due to crash hazard. The motorcycle's throttle cable can malfunction so the rider loses speed control, posing a crash hazard, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission.
August 15, 2013 (Alpine) – The Alpine Historical Society is holding a special presentation, “Witness to Gettysburg” on August 18, from 2:00 – 3:45 p.m. at the Alpine Woman’s Club, 2156 Alpine Blvd. Miss Hattie Elizabeth Turner, played by Annette Hubbell, tells how a town of 2,400 citizens coped with 30,000 casualties following the epic battle of Gettysburg.
August 15, 2013 (El Cajon) - The Hyde Art Gallery opens its Fall 2013 Semester with “From This Place” – a Sculpture and Installation Exhibition featuring the work of Stephanie Bedwell.
August 15, 2013 (Santee) – State Senator Joel Anderson and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis will hold an East county Public Safety Town Hall on August 22, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the West Hills High School Theatre at 8756 Mast Blvd. in Santee. The top priority for parents is protecting their kids from danger. With new dangers arising daily, it can be difficult to get the information needed to keep children safe.
Prosecutor contends Bittner more concerned with economic gain than well-being of raptors;
Bittner data used to justify wind and other energy projects in San Diego/Imperial Counties, Mexico & elsewhere
By Nadin Abbott and Miriam Raftery
August 13, 2013 (San Diego)—U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Bartick sentenced John David Bittner of Julian, president of the Wildlife Research Institute in Ramona, to three years probation and a $7500 fine. Bittner pled guilty to unlawful taking of a Golden Eagle without a permit and failing to file any data reports for a four-year period on birds that he had banded. The government could have imposed up to a $100,000 fine and a one-year prison sentence, but instead hope to induce Bittner to turn over years of missing data as a condition of probation.
"We support the Justice Dept’s vigilance in prosecuting Bittner for his serious transgressions and unlawful behavior,” said Donna Tisdale with the Protect Our Communities organization. ““When unethical and basically corrupt experts like Bittner side with industry over avian protection—our beautiful birds literally get clobbered with the blunt end of the turbine blade.”
But she suggested that the fine amounted to a slap on the wrist in light of the more than $600,000 that Bittner’s Wildlife Research Institute raked in through consulting fees for corporations. Iberdrola and Pattern Energy hired him to write reports justifying their wind projects, Tule Wind in McCain Valley and the Ocotillo Express Wind Facility. Sempra Energy also hired Bittner as its eagle consultant for its massive Energia Sierra Juarez Wind in Baja California.
August 14, 2013 (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:
August 14, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM 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:
August 14, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Order and Public Notification for the Los Tules Mutual Water Company located at 32995 Camino Moro, Warner Springs, CA 92086 effective immediately. This public water system serves 100 residential homes.
August 15, 2013 (El Cajon)—The Grossmont College Library will put on its reserve bookshelf this Fall Semester a special collection of 25 books and three films on “Muslim Journeys,” made available through a grant provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
An important meeting is set for Wednesday night, August 14 on the future of fire service in the Rural Fire Protection district, which serves many communities in East County.
The County Fire Authority is threatening to withdraw all fire service funding if the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District chooses to remain an independent fire district and not merge with the County Fire Authority.
If the district remains independent, funding will revert back to 207 levels—with no stipend pay for firefighters for rural stations, according to a letter sent by the district’s fire board to residents. SD Rural Fire_important-letter.
August 18, 2013 (San Diego) – A year after the release of their critically-acclaimed sophomore album Gossamer, Passion Pit have announced a massive fall headling tour across North America, including an appearance at the Open Air Theater at SDSU, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego. The tour will feature special guests The Joy Formidable.
August 16, 2013 (Campo) – The “Gaskill Brothers Gunfighters” will be putting on a reenactment of the Campo Gunfight at Golden Acorn Casino as part of the casino’s BBQ Cook-off. The cook-off is a free event and runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
August 15, 2013 (El Cajon) - The Hyde Art Gallery opens its Fall 2013 Semester with “From This Place” – a Sculpture and Installation Exhibition featuring the work of Stephanie Bedwell.
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