By Miriam Raftery

July 1, 2022 (Jamul) – San Diego Police seeks public help to find Norma Hernandez,  On Monday afternoon, June 27, she told family she became separated from a group traveling north on foot. She was last known to be in an area southwest of Dulzura. Her cell phone’s last location was in the vicinity of Jamul on June 30.

  ·Attempts to locate her have not been successful thus far. Due to possible exposure to the elements, Hernandez is considered at risk.

Hernandez is described as a 50-year-old Hispanic female with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a dark shirt and camouflage pants, about 5’5”, and weighing about 180 lbs. She speaks both English and Spanish.

By Miriam Raftery

June 30, 2021 (San Diego) – Today, the California  Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced stiff sanctions against Coronado High School in response to tortillas thrown against a predominantly Latino team from Orange Glen High, after Coronado’s basketball team won the regional championship. The incident drew accusations of racism and demands for accountability, as ECM previously reported.

In addition to vacating the championship title, CIF also placed Coronado High School on probation for the next three school years, banned its boys’ basketball team from hosting postseason games for three years, and laid out requirements that must be fulfilled before any other Coronado High athletic teams can host postseason games.

Source: San Diego Sheriff

June 30, 2021 (Lemon Grove) -- The Sheriff’s Lemon Grove Substation will be conducting a DUI / Driver's License checkpoint on Saturday, July 3 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.at an unspecified location in Lemon Grove.  

“In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol-involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving,” says Traffic Sergeant Aaron Montan. “All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI / Driver's License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver's license.”

Vacant snack shop used for thousands of marriage services during pandemic  

Source: County of San Diego

Photos by Jordan Marks, County of San Diego

June 29, 2021 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Clerk’s Office has been recognized by the National Association of Counties (NACo) with a 2021 NACo Achievement Award for innovative excellence in County Administration of Management. The Clerk’s office was recognized for transforming a vacant snack shop into the “Marriage Hut” in order to continue issuing marriage licenses and perform ceremonies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Courtesy of San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association. 

By Donald H. Harrison 

(Photo, left, Chabad Menorah minus lower branch following vandalism. Photo from Chabad SDSU Facebook.) 

June 29, 2021 (SAN DIEGO)  For the second time this year, the Chabad House at San Diego State University has been subjected to hostility — this time in the form of a broken branch of its large outdoor menorah and the ripping of one of its banners.  Last month, youngsters burglarized the combination synagogue and residence hall while students upstairs were asleep.

It was the second time that the large menorah was broken.  In March 2017, it was partially destroyed when students used it one night to do pull-ups.

June 29, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Republicans back on board after Biden's infrastructure clean-up (Politico)
• Biden administration sues Georgia over its GOP-enacted voter restrictions (Politico)
• U.S. lays out plan to confront white supremacist violence (Reuters)
• The American West is drying out. Things will get ugly (CNN)
• Those missing in Florida condo collapse were a diverse group (Los AngelesTimes)
• Pelosi Announces Select Committee to Probe Jan. 6 Attack on US Capitol (NBC San Diego)
• Pacific Northwest bakes under once-in-a-millennium heat dome(CBS)
• White House reiterates opposition to raising gas tax amid infrastructure debate (The Hill)
• Developer officially cancels Keystone XL pipeline project blocked by Biden (Reuters)
• Heavier passengers on planes mean new safety limits for airlines (Fox)

World

• In Canada, Another ‘Horrific’ Discovery of Indigenous Children’s Remains(New York Times)
• Far apart at first summit, Biden and Putin agree to steps on cybersecurity, arms control (Reuters)
• How 165 Words Could Make Mass Environmental Destruction An International Crime(NPR)
• Embarrassing defeat as UK PM Johnson’s party loses out at election (Reuters)
• Hard-Line Judiciary Head Wins Iran's Presidency Amid A Low Turnout (NPR)
• North Korean hacking group allegedly behind breach of South Korean nuclear institute (ZD net)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

"Our work is not yet done," said one ACLU attorney, who noted that the organization is "continuing to fight against anti-trans laws targeting trans youth in states around the country."

By Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams, published under a Creative Commons license

Photo: Plaintiff and trans-rights activist Gavin Grimm at 2019 trans rights rally in San Francisco, creative commons image by Pax Ahimsa Gethen

June 28, 2021 (Washington D.C.) -- In what civil rights advocates hailed as "an incredible victory," the United States Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the case of Gavin Grimm, a former Virginia high school student who in 2015 sued his county board of education over its policy of denying transgender pupils use of restrooms corresponding with their gender identity.

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo via CA Governor's office

June 28, 2021 (Sacramento) - California lawmakers voted tonight to approve a record-busting state budget that reflects new agreements with Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand health care for undocumented immigrants, spend billions to alleviate homelessness and help Californians still struggling through the pandemic. 

By Manuela Tobias, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Oakland resident Alex Acuña holds up a sign decrying a rent relief plan during a vigil at the Elihu M. Harris, State of California office building in Oakland on Jan. 29, 2021. Photo by Anne Wernikoff. CalMatters

June 28, 2021 (San Diego) - California renters, who are still struggling to pay the rent even as the pandemic wanes, will be shielded from eviction through Sept. 30, under a last-minute deal announced June 25 by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders.