March 27, 2015 (San Diego) – The City of San Diego’s Ethics Commission will make a presentation at its next meeting on a potential increase in registration fees for lobbying firms and organization lobbyists. Information on this matter can be found in this City Clerk Report.

East County News Service

March 25, 2015 (Washington D.C.)– Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) has introduced legislation in the House to establish an independent advocate on campus for sexual assault survivors. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced the Senate bill last week.

By Miriam Raftery

March 23, 2015 (Sacramento) – A shocking California ballot initiative proposal calls for legalized murder of gay and lesbian people by “bullets to the head” or “any other convenient measure.” If the state does not act on the measure within a year, the measure would further empower the public to take the law into their own hands—effectively sanctioning murder.

By Miriam Raftery

March 18, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – The Republican-controlled House and Senate budget proposals call for $5.5 trillion in spending cuts including deep  cuts in Medicare,  food stamps and other social programs. It also includes tax cuts for the wealthy and $40 million in increasing “emergency” war funding for the military.  It would also repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2015 (Washington D.C.) –Legislation introduced this week in the Senate would protect patients, doctors and clinics from federal prosecution in states where medical marijuana is legal.  The bill would also allow Veterans Affairs physicians to recommend medical cannabis in those states.

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--Should NASA focus less of its money on planet earth, and more on distant stars and galaxies?

In lively meeting, Council also hears ideas from the public ranging from creating a city-owned utility district to bringing the Chargers to East County

By Miriam Raftery

March 10, 2015 (El Cajon ) – At Tuesday’s El Cajon Council meeting, two women  spoke out to voice outrage that an El Cajon Police sergeant accused of sending naked photos of himself to women officers remains on the force.   The Sergeant. Richard Gonsalves, was demoted to officer and the city now faces a lawsuit filed by a female officer who alleges sexual harassment and discrimination.

East County News Service

March 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--The Crest/Dehesa/Granite Hills/Harbison Canyon planning group meets Monday, March 9^th at 7 p.m. The community of Crest currently has only one way in and one way out, a serious danger during a major wildfire.  This week, the planning group will consider a proposal to create an emergency egress route from Crest through an avocado grove north to Interstate 8.

San Diego delegation splits on vote

March 4, 2015 (Washington DC)--The Department of Homeland Security won’t be shutting down.  Both houses of Congress have now passed legislation to fund the agency through September.

Photo: Hillary Rodham Clinton at 2007 California Democratic Convention

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – A controversy has arisen involving Hillary Rodham Clinton over revelations that while serving as Secretary of State, she did not have an official government e-mail address and used only a personal e-mail address for all of her official government business.

February 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) A new state law banning plastic grocery bags won’t be taking effect this summer after all. That’s because opponents led by the plastic industry have obtained enough signatures to qualify a measure to overturn the bag ban for the November ballot, the Secretary of State has announced.

East County News Service

February 24, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--The Department of Homeland Security is set to shut down if Congress doesn’t pass a funding bill by Friday. The White House says it is preparing for a potential shut down starting this weekend, the Washington Post reports.

East County News Service

February 26, 2015 (Spring Valley) – As a result of an East County Magazine (ECM) inquiry, San Miguel Fire District’s Board voted this week to make its finance committee a permanent standing committee, which means that the committee’s meetings will now be open to the press and public.

Previously, the finance committee was deemed an ad-hoc committee by the district, which argued that it did not need to allow public access.  ECM contacted Californians Aware (CALAWARE), an organization that protects public access under Califoirnia’s sunshine laws.

Anderson running against Supervisor Jacob, but refuses to answer questions about his special interest ties

A podcast of this interview is now online. Listen now at:  http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/lckbr8zs0o/Newsmaker-BiggersTom-AndersonVoter.mp3

Hear the full show from Feb. 23, 2015 here: http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/octrm252x1/ECMShow2-23-15.mp3



This interview originally aired Monday, February 23rd on KNJS 89.1 FM during our East County Magazine show which airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5 p.m.. You can also listen live at www.knsj.org or download the TuneIn Ap to hear KNSJ on your cell phone.

By Miriam Raftery

February 22, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—State Senator Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) has been endorsed by the County Republican Party for his candidacy challenging East County’s Dianne Jacob for her seat on the County Board of Supervisors next year.  But increasingly, media and constituents are raising serious questions about Anderson’s motives for running and his close ties to special interests—questions that Anderson has refused to answer.

Thomas Biggers is a constituent who voted for Anderson previously.  But after doing some research, he became concerned and visited Anderson’s local office. He asked four questions--which led Anderson's staffer to ban Biggers from the office: