ATMOSPHERIC RIVER TO DRENCH REGION OVER EASTER WEEKEND

GROSSMONT HIGH SCHOOL BOARD SLASHES STAFFING, OVER OBJECTIONS OF VOCAL CROWD

CONSUMER ALERT FOR SAFELY FILING YOUR TAXES

VIEW OUR INTERVIEW: LA MESA ACTIVISTS OBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL BANNING REMOTE PARTICIPATION

WINTER STORM WARNING

EASTER BRUNCH AND EGG HUNT MARCH 30 IN EL CAJON

BIA SAN DIEGO PARTNERS WITH WORKFORCECONNECT TO UTILIZE JOBS PLATFORM, WHILE ADDRESSING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WORKFORCE SHORTAGE

RECENT FIRE DEATHS HEIGHTEN CALLS FOR FIRE PROTECTION BALLOT MEASURE IN SANTEE

MISSION TRAILS REGIONAL PARK COMMUNITY NIGHT SLATED FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 4

COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND TANYA TUCKER LIVE AT THE MAGNOLIA MAY 19

UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS SHOW FLIPS IN TWO KEY RACES HOLDING

184 GUNS TURNED IN AT SHERIFF’S LEMON GROVE GUN SAFETY EVENT

News

DUI/DRIVER’S LICENSE CHECKPOINT SATURDAY IN EL CAJON

 

East County News Service

March 8, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on March 11 at the 800 block of EL Cajon Blvd within the city limits from  7:00 pm to 2:00 am.


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LEMON GROVE LIKELY TO SEE THREE MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES AS EARLY AS LATE SUMMER

 

 

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo: With exclusions around sensitive sites and each other, it appears three dispensaries will open in the western portion of Lemon Grove along Federal Boulevard

March 8, 2017 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove City Council held a public hearing Tuesday about the new medical marijuana dispensary application process that opens March 20th to comply with  Measure V, which Lemon Grove voters approved in November legalizing medical cannabis sales.   


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CONTAMINATED DRINKING WATER IN EAST COUNTY

 

 

East County News Service

March 8, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- The state of California has established a new website called the Human Right to Water Portal, in compliance with a 2012 law that makes California the first state in the U.S. to recognize a right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water for all state residents.  But a review of the new website shows that many East County communities, schools and public water systems are in violation of safe, clean drinking water standards.


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LA MESA BANS RECREATIONAL POT BUT ALLOWS DELIVERIES; CITY ALSO MOVES TO ALLOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

 

By Jonathan Goetz

March 7, 2017 (La Mesa) - At its February 28 meeting, the La Mesa City Council spent over an hour learning about and discussing cannabis legislation, following a lengthy introduction by City Attorney Glenn Sabine who consulted a conditional Use Permit (CUP) process and cannabis taxing consultant.


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EL CAJON HIRES NEW ASSISTANT MANAGER

 

Source:  City of El Cajon

March 7, 2017 (El Cajon) - The City of El Cajon is very pleased to announce that Mr. Graham Mitchell, current City Manager for the City of Escondido and longtime City Manager for the City of Lemon Grove, has accepted an offer to become the City of El Cajon’s next Assistant City Manager.  He will replace Majed Al-Ghafry, who was recently appointed Assistant City Manager for the City of Dallas, Texas.


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SOCIAL SECURITY UNDER ATTACK

 

By nadinabbott on March 6, 2017

Reprinted with permission from https://reportingsandiego.com

March 7, 2017 (San Diego) - The replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was released this afternoon. First off, this is not an alternative to the ACA. It marks up the bill. Second off, it also has a back door weakening of the Social Security Act of 1937.


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TRUMP ISSUES REVISED TRAVEL BAN: EXCLUDES IRAQIS, GREEN CARD AND VISA HOLDERS

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 7, 2017 (San Diego) – President Donald Trump has issued a new, more narrowly crafted executive order restricting refugees’ entry into the U.S. after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked implementation of his earlier executive order as unconstitutional.  Here’s what the new ban includes:


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RAMP AND LANE CLOSURES ON SOUTHBOUND INTERSTATE 15 TUESDAY NIGHT

 

Source: Caltrans

March 7, 2017 (San Diego) - The following closures will occur along southbound Interstate 15 (I-15) Tuesday night to allow construction crews to grind and replace pavement:


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RACISM CAN NULLIFY JURY VERDICTS, SUPREME COURT RULES

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 6, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – By a 5 to 3 vote, the Supreme Court has ruled that a verdict can be voided and a new trial ordered if a juror showed racial bias.

The case involved a Colorado racetrack employee convicted of sexual battery after a juror stated during deliberations that the defendant must be guilty because “he’s Mexican, and Mexican men take whatever they want.”


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HELIX WATER BOARD STAFF ADVISES AGAINST LOWERING RATES: MEETING MARCH 8

 

By Miriam Raftery

Jonathan Goetz contributed to this report

March 6, 2017 (La Mesa) – Helix Water District’s board will hold a special meeting on March 8 at 6 p.m. to consider a proposal by newly elected board member Dan McMillan to lower water rates. 

But a staff report (see agenda) advises against a rate reduction at this time, citing insufficient reserves. Instead, staff recommends that the district continue to look at opportunities to reduce rates as fiscal year 2016-17 concludes, after results of winter and spring rainfall are measured and the fiscal year 2017-18 budget is developed.


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REMOVAL OF SMALL STREAM PROTECTIONS THREATENS WATER SUPPLIES IN SAN DIEGO

 

By Miriam Raftery

Image:  Interactive Map Shows if Your Drinking Water Is at Risk from Trump's Executive Order

 Source: Environmental Working Group, from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Geographic Information Systems Analysis of the Surface Drinking Water Provided by Intermittent, Ephemeral and Headwater Streams in the U.S.

 

March 5, 2017 (San Diego) — President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to rescind Clean Water Rule protections for small streams and replace it with a new rule allowing more pollution.  That action threatens drinking water supplies for millions of Americans – including 679,769 residents in San Diego County, according to data obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.


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WET WEATHER HELPS FILL LOCAL RESERVOIRS

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 5, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Torrential rains during this wet winter have raised levels dramatically at local reservoirs, with a new storm possibly bringing even more rain this weekend. 

The Lower Otay reached 100% capacity, so a spillway was opened for the overflow.  Lake Poway came within inches of overflowing, closing hiking trails at the lake.


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OFFICIALS’ PRIVATE EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES ARE PUBLIC RECORDS WHEN PUBLIC BUSINESS IS DISCUSSED, CALIF. SUPREME COURT RULES

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2017 (San Diego) – State or local officials who discuss public business on their private email accounts or phone text messages must turn those communications over when asked under a Public Records Act request, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously today.


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GASTELUM REFUSES CALLS FROM RATEPAYERS TO RESIGN FROM OTAY WATER BOARD; RECALL ELECTION THREATENED OVER HIS ANTI-MUSLIM REMARKS

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2017 (Spring Valley) – Ratepayers held a protest at yesterday’s Otay Water District meeting, calling on director Hector Gastelum to resign or face a recall election due to anti-Muslim statements that he posted on Twitter.


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CREMATORIUM OWNER APPEALS TO EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Emissions from a crematorium shut down in 2011 in unincorporated El Cajon for what a county inspector called “horrific” violations

March 2, 2017 (El Cajon) – On March 14 at 7 p.m., the El Cajon City Council will hear an appeal filed by Robert Zakar of East County Mortuary, whose proposed crematorium and funeral parlor at 1150-1168 North Marshall Street was rejected by the city’s planning commission. The hearing will be held in City Council Chambers at 200 Civic Center Way in El Cajon.


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HIKER FOUND DEAD IN ANZA BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK

 

East County News Service

March 1, 2017 (Anza Borrego) – The body of a man found near Indian Head Peak in Anza borrego Desert State Park is believed to be that of a hiker reported missing last Friday, the Borrego Sun reports. Identification will be determined by an autopsy.


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BILLS IN SENATE COULD HINDER SAVING FOR RETIREMENT

 

By Andrea Sears, Public News Service

Photo: More than half of private-sector workers have no access to a retirement savings plan through their workplace. (401(K)2012/Flickr)

March 1, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Senate is now considering bills that could overturn rules clarifying how states and cities can help millions of private-sector workers save for retirement.

More than half of American workers don't have access to a company pension plan at work. So, the Obama administration issued regulations clearing the way for states and large cities to create payroll deduction plans for those workers' retirement savings.


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OTAY WATER BOARD RESPONDS TO ANTI-MUSLIM TWEETS BY DIRECTOR GASTELUM

 

By Miriam Raftery

February 28, 2017 (Spring Valley) – Otay Water Board member Hector Gastelum is in hot water over offensive comments he made on Twitter about Muslims—and now the Board is proposing a resolution to condemn discrimination.


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EXTREME FLOODING SOAKS REGION

 

 

Report rock slides, boulders or other dangerous road conditions to the County Operations Emegency Call Center (858)565-5262. Help save lives!

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Christina Dahners-Johnson:  Seasonal creek behind Lyons Valley Trading Post in Jamul had been dry for at least seven years before this storm.

February 27, 2017 (San Diego) – Flooding is wreaking havoc on rural roads and highways countywide.  In Mission Valley, the San Diego River has water cresting among the top 10 levels on record, with the ballfield at Petco Park and some parking garages currently submerged.

George Barnett, a member of the Alpine Community Planning Group, posted in the Ranter’s Roost forum, “ It’s raining like hell in Alpine…Viejas Creek is way outside   its normal channel and Via Viejas into the old ranch area is closed with the dam well over-flowing.  To my eye, on a dark and cloudy day, more water is coming down the creek than I recall seeing in maybe 10 years.”


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HELIX WATER TO CONSIDER LOWERING RATES AT MARCH 8 MEETING

 

East County News Service

February 27, 2017 (La Mesa) — Reducing water rates will be on the agenda at a special meeting of the Helix Water District board on March 8th at 6 p.m.  Director Dan McMillan has asked the board to consider cutting rates; the special meeting workshop will include discussion of current finances, water rates and what adjustments can be made.

The issue of reducing water is also expected to be raised at this Wednesday’s meeting, March 1st at 6 p.m. during director’s comments and review of future agenda items.  Both meetings are at the Helix Water District, 7811 University Ave., La Mesa.


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TRUMP ORDER ALLOWS DEPORTATION OF MILITARY SPOUSES, CHILDREN AND PARENTS

 

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2017 (San Diego) – President Donald Trump’s recent executive order allows for deportation of military members’ spouses, children and parents.   His action eliminates protections that the Defense Department put in place during President Barack Obama’s administration.


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COURT CASE CHALLENGES GOVT. ATTEMPT TO FORCE MUSLIMS TO SPY ON THEIR COMMUNITIES

 

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Three American Muslim men placed on the No-Fly List by the FBI contend that FBI agents told the men they could get off the list if they agreed to serve as spies in Muslim communities.


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SANDAG APPROVES INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF INACCURATE REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR MEASURE A

 

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2017 (San Diego) – By a unanimous vote, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) board of directors voted Friday to authorize an independent investigation into why SANDAG provided inaccurate revenue projections in the ballot description of Measure A, the regional transportation initiative rejected by voters.                                                                                 


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FLASH FLOOD WATCH ISSUED

 

February 27, 2017 (San Diego)--The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the coast, valleys and mountains of San Diego County below 5000 feet for late this morning into this evening.

A low pressure system from the northwest will tap a plume of subtropical moisture directed into northern Baja to bring periods of locally heavy rainfall from late this morning into early this evening. The most significant rainfall is expected from central and southern San Diego County into northern Baja.


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BORDER WALL BIDS TO BE ACCEPTED MARCH 4-10

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  © Tomas Castelazo, www.tomascastelazo.com / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Wall at San Diego-Tijuana border; crosses represent migrants who died in the crossing attempt.

February 26, 2017 (San Diego) -- President Donald Trump is pushing forward with plans to fast-track building a wall along the 2,000-mile-long U.S.-Mexico border.

On Friday, The U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that it will begin accepting bids on March 6th to build the wall and will allow only four days for contractors to submit their concept papers and build prototypes due March 10th.


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VACANCY NOTICE: CAMPO LAKE MORENA COMMUNITY PLANNING GROUP

 

East County News Service


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HAVE YOU MOSQUITO-PROOFED YOUR RAIN BARREL?

 

Image Credit: CDC--mosquito larvae

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 26, 2017 (San Diego) -- If you’ve got a rain barrel, this winter’s rains have been great! Your barrel is full. You’re conserving water. You’re watering your garden naturally. You’re growing mosquitoes …


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MEGADATA WEB MAKES QUANTUM LEAP FORWARD FOR FAST AND SECURE COMPUTER DATA PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS

 

“Diseases could be found in the early stages…Then your doctor could prescribe an appropriate medicine, after processing your DNA analysis on his own machine,” – Nikolai Pepik, CEO, Megadata Web

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  George Toms, PhD, right; Nikolai Pepik, left, demonstrate high-speed processing capabilities of Megadata Web

February 24, 2017 (San Diego) -- Imagine processing data on your own laptop 10,000 times faster than ever before-- with complete security.  That future is here—thanks to revolutionary software devised by Megadata Web, a San Diego-based technology company offering quantum leap improvements for web browsing, data mining, editing and analyzing a treasure-trove of information.


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TOW TRUCK DRIVER KILLED BY HIT AND RUN DRIVER ON HIGHWAY 52

 

Source: California Highway Patrol

February 24, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) — A tow truck driver assisting a disabled vehicle on the right-hand shoulder of State Route 52 eastbound was hit by a Ford Explorer yesterday at 5:08 p.m.  and died at the scene.


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NBC TV REPORTER’S VEHICLE TOWED WHILE COVERING HUNTER PROTEST RALLY

 

By Miriam Raftery

February 24, 2017 (El Cajon) – An NBC y TV reporter’s car was towed from the parking lot outside Congressman Duncan Hunter’s office yesterday while filming a protest rally on sidewalks nearby that drew several hundred people, NBC 7 news director Greg Dawson told East County Magazine.


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