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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.                                                                                 

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 6^th to build the wall and will allow only four days for contractors to submit their concept papers and build prototypes due March 10^th.

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 …

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.

Story and photos by Paul Kruze

February 23, 2017 (El Cajon) --Some 300 demonstrators staged a boisterous rally late Thursday afternoon near the El Cajon district office of 50th District U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) on Magnolia and Bradley Avenue. Hunter’s office issued a release earlier stating that his staff would no longer meet with constituents from the group, then shut down the office today in response to the protest rally.

The protestors held up placards representing a mixed array of concerns over his stances on key issues, drawing attention during rush hour traffic, including demonstrators on an overpass visible to motorists on State Route 67.  Their concerns include repeal of the Affordable Care Act, President Trump’s immigration policies, defunding Planned Parenthood, Trump’s election, and an ongoing investigation of Hunter’s alleged improper use of campaign funds.

East County News Service

February 23, 2017 (Lemon Grove) – After Voice of San Diego revealed that SANDAG misled voters on projected revenues for the Measure A transportation initiative (see stories here and here),  seven SANDAG members said they were not informed of the botched forecast and have signed a letter calling for an investigation, VOSD reported.

By Mark Hughes, SanDiego350

February 22, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - On February 21, 2017, an audience of approximately 75 attended the Security & Climate Change: Issues and Perspectives conference, held in the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park. Organized and funded by The Center for Climate and Security (with the support of The San Diego Foundation and Skoll Global Threats Fund). The program focused on the threat climate change imposes on world stability, the burden it puts on the US military, and what they, as well as our local and state governments, are doing to plan for the consequences. The conference was followed by a screening of a new documentary entitled "The Age of Consequences."

By Miriam Raftery

February 21, 2017 (Santee) – For the past 20 years, Santee has lacked an indoor movie theatre, having only a drive-in that’s a throw-back from the ‘50s. But soon, city residents will be able to choose from multiple films to view without leaving town or parking at the drive-in venue.