June 27, 2012 (El Cajon)– At a press conference on June 22, members of the new ECPAC Foundation provided details to media on their proposal to reopen the East County Performing Arts Center (ECPAC) in time for the city’s centennial celebration in November.
Leaders presented City Manager Doug Williford with their 60-page plan in a meeting that extended from a planned 10-15 minutes to an hour and a half.Foundation members expressed optimism, noting that Williford asked many questions and showed genuine interest in plans to revive the theater with innovative and cost-effective improvements.
June 28, 2012 (La Mesa)--A contentious issue facing the City of La Mesa has been whether to allow the College Preparatory Middle School, located in the La Mesa Church of Christ, to expand its student body from 180 pupils to 259.
The key issue is noise concerns of neighbors near the school. The property, located at the southwest corner of Jackson Drive and Grossmont Boulevard is not new. But the use of it as a Charter school has raised controversy.
June 28 (El Cajon)—El Cajon City Council, under its role as successor agency to the San Diego East County Economic Development Council, voted to approve funding for Saint Madeline Sophie’s Center and the El Cajon Scholarship Association.
June 28, 2012 -- (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 reflecting 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:
U.S.
GENERAL NEWS
Supreme Court says Montana cannot ignore Citizens United ruling (NPR)
Supreme Court rules juvenile life without parole is cruel and unusual punishment (Chicago Tribune)
GM Grass linked to Texas cattle deaths; fields found toxic with cyanide produced by crop (CBS)
E-mail change angers Facebook users (CNN)
Thousands evacuated as wildfire nears Colorado towns (USA Today)
With no vote, taxpayers stuck with tab on bonds (New York Times)
POLITICS
Issa: No evidence White House covered up `Fast and Furious’ fallout (Los Angeles Times)
Obama invokes executive privilege over ‘Fast and Furious’ documents (Los Angeles Times)
Rubio sticks to GOP doctrine over immigration (The Hill)
Cash rules at Romney retreat while Condoleeza Rice steals the show (Yahoo news)
WORLD
GENERAL NEWS
Analysis: Mexican ruling party faces defeat but may back reforms (Reuters)
Muslim Brotherhood’s Morsi named Egyptian president (CBS)
Morsi quits Muslim brother hood, vows to unite country (NBC)
WIND ENERGY NEWS
Iberdrola to explore sale of U.S. wind plants and projects (Recharge News)
Quatar takes state in Iberdrola (The National)
Texas wind energy fails again (National Review)
Presidential projects on wind power flawed according to new book (KXXV)
June 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – With over 100 large-scale solar applications pending in the Mojave Desert and more planned in San Diego and Imperial counties, an article published in the Los Angeles Times raises some disturbing questions.
June 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Multiple fires in Mexico are threatening homes and a penitentiary tonight, ECM has learned. Late this afternoon, Cal Fire informed ECM that the agency is monitoring the fire in Mexico, which at that time was eight miles from the border.
Alfredo Escobedo, state director of Civil Defense, told ECM that the fires are burning on three fronts. The first is in Loma Toba, near the state jail, about 20 km (12 miles) east of Tecate, a border town. The blaze, which has consumed 100 hectares, has burned to within 10 yards of the jail wall.
June 27, 2012 (San Diego)--“Open government is the cornerstone of ensuring the public trust. The public has a right to know how their taxpayer dollars are being spent and should be able to rely upon the information they receive from city government,” said mayoral candidate Bob Filner, who today released the first part of his Open Government Plan.
June 27, 2012 (San Diego's East County) --A brush fire in Mexico is sending up large billows of smoke visible across much of East County. According to Cal Fire spokesman Mike Mohler, the fire is burning eight miles south of the border.
"We dispatched two units to the scene and there is no threat to the U.S. at this time," Mohler told ECM at 3:35 p.m.
June 27, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) – Two teenagers have been arrested for suspicion of iintentionally setting a vegetation fire yesterday. The blaze briefly threatened several units at the Woodbridge Apartments, as well as six vehicles parked along the canyon rim. The wildland fire was reported at 5:30 p.m. yesterday in the 10800 block of Calle Verde.
Seven pimps arrested and two juveniles recovered by San Diego Innocent Lost Task Force and assisting law enforcement agencies
June 27, 2012, (San Diego) -- Hundreds of FBI special agents partnered with thousands of local police officers, deputy sheriffs, state troopers, and other law enforcement personnel throughout the United States this past week, arresting those responsible for exploiting underage children through prostitution.
June 27, 2012 (San Diego)--U.S. Border Patrol agents prevented two drug smuggling attempts last week resulting in the seizure of cocaine and methamphetamine worth an estimated $344,650, the U.S. Border Patrol has announced. The seizures were made on checkpoints in San Diego’s East County and North County.
June 27, 2012 (San Diego) -- Pursuant to a federal arrest warrant issued out of the Southern District of New York, Mark Caparelli, aka, "Cubby" was arrested yesterday morning in San Diego by FBI Agents. The arrest was one of 24 arrests made in eight countries as part of a two-year international cyber crime takedown operation. Caparelli was booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center. The undercover “carding” sting protected over 400,000 potential cyber-crime victims and prevented over $205 million in losses, according to a press release issued by the FBI.
June 26, 2012 (El Cajon)- At the El Cajon Council meeting today, one of the items on the agenda concerned changing the zoning requirement so El Cajon residents can own chickens in their own backyards. The public was able to voice their concerns to allow backyard chicken ownership.
June 27, 2012 (Chula Vista/Otay)--Recently, there have been several brush fires in close proximity to each other in the Rancho Del Rey Parkway neighborhood in east Chula Vista. Chula Vista Police and Fire Investigators are asking for information from the public as there are no leads at this time.
June 27, 2012 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police responded to a vehicle crash yesterday afternoon in the 4900 block of Mills Street, where they discovered that a motorist had parked a vehicle on the street and failed to apply the parking break or put the vehicle in park. After the driver left the area, the vehicle began rolling backwards and across to the west side of the street colliding into an elder care home.
June 27, 2012 (Valley Center) –How sweet it is! Keys Creek Lavender Farm, 12460 Keys Creek Road, Valley Center will hold its end of season music celebration on June 30 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
It will take place in the Special Events area of the private residence, with a main stage for live music, a beer and wine garden, prizes, drawings and other activities.
June 27, 2012 (La Mesa) – By a 4-1 vote with Director Kathleen Hedberg dissenting, the Helix Water District board of directors voted to approve a water rate study that recommends rate hikes. The increase would average 4.7 percent, or $2.75 a month for the average water user, though owners of larger properties face substantially heftier increases.
June 27, 2012 (La Mesa) –Helix Water Board director Chuck Muse sought to have the District prohibit fellow Board directors from speaking to reporters, ECM has learned.
Board President DeAna Verbeke stopped short of such drastic measures, butdid chastise directors to refrain from “negative personal comments” about board members or the District,” admonishing that during past rate hike considerations, “discussing the District’s business did not reflect well on the individual of the District.”
Update 11 a.m. -- The fire is now 80% contained. Base officials say live fire operations started the blaze, which has charred 250 acres.
June 27, 2012 (Oceanside) – A brush fire that started yesterday has scorched over 200 acres.According to the North County Times, the blaze started north of the base and was 15% contained late yesterday. No structures were threatened.
“The fire is still active. As of 5:30 a.m. the Camp Pendleton Fire Dept. did not have a percentage of containment," ECM’s in-house Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna , author of the From the Chief’s Corner column, advised. "Today will be warm and the possibility of “flare-ups” may occur and/or intentional “burning out” targeted areas which ‘may’ or may not cause smoke drift."
June 25, 2012 (La Mesa) -- I don't know about you, but I have always had an insatiable desire to know everything. I don't mean I want to be a know-it-all, although some of my friends might disagree -- it's just this curiosity I have. I remember as young as five years old watching a snail and wondering why we had those things.
June 26, 2012 (Sacramento)—If you owe a hefty tax bill to the state, time to pay up or pay the consequences is running out. Starting July 1, California will suspend most occupational, professional and driver’s licenses for people with the highest unpaid state tax bills.
June 26, 2012 (Chicago) – The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics praised the work of the United States Senate, in particular the Agriculture Committee, for passing the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act (S. 3240), also known as the 2012 Farm Bill, which will fund key nutrition programs that empower Americans to make healthy food choices.
June 26, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Although the Black-Crowned Night Heron is mostly nocturnal and not commonly seen by the casual observer, it can also be seen during the day.
June 26, 2012 (Washington D.C.) – By a 5 to 3 ruling yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court held that key provisions in an Arizona law targeting immigrants is unconstitutional. The court upheld a controversial police powers provision, however.
June 25, 2012 (El Cajon) – Councilman Gary Kendrick’s proposal to legalize backyard chicken ownership will be back on the agenda at tomorrow’s El Cajon City Council meeting.
By Miriam Raftery
By Nadin Abbott and Miriam Raftery
Seven pimps arrested and two juveniles recovered by San Diego Innocent Lost Task Force and assisting law enforcement agencies
By Brian Lafferty
June 27, 2012 (Valley Center) –How sweet it is! Keys Creek Lavender Farm, 12460 Keys Creek Road, Valley Center will hold its end of season music celebration on June 30 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
By Miriam Raftery
D.C.) – By a 5 to 3 ruling yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court held that key provisions in an Arizona law targeting immigrants is unconstitutional. The court upheld a controversial police powers provision, however. 
June 25, 2012 (El Cajon) – Councilman Gary Kendrick’s proposal to legalize backyard chicken ownership will be back on the agenda at tomorrow’s El Cajon City Council meeting.
Recent comments