Two proposed solar projects have been revived under new owners

By Paul Kruze

Photo: Map shows site of Boulevard Solar, one of the two former Soitec projects back in the planning pipeline.

September 22, 2017 (Boulevard) -- Boulevard, CA is a small rural community located about 50 miles east of downtown San Diego on Interstate 8,  nary half-an-hour to the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.  While residents – a mix of retired people and younger people who work in San Diego but want to experience rural living – are able to experience the best of both worlds, the stark realities of modern life do punctuate the overall quiet and serene quality of this hamlet.

This was apparent at the Sept. 7th meeting of the Boulevard Planning Group, where the dominant topic was the main threat to the area’s rural atmosphere – the development of alternative energy projects, including the revival of two former Soitec Solar projects now moving forward under new ownership.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

September 22, 2017 (El Cajon) - “Yes, we had a boxing glove shaped pool,” said Billy Moore, son of legendary boxer Archie Moore said during a 1M Punches from the Heart event in El Cajon over the weekend.  Archie, who died in in 1998 in San Diego and resided here with his family for parts of his life, was the longest reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion of all time from 1952-1962, He also trained Muhammad Ali, James Tillis, and George Forman.

By Paul Kruze   

September 22, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon City Council faced some new concerns at its Tuesday, Sept. 12 meeting when attention was directed to Solterra, an apartment project built by a partnership of both Affirmed Housing and the City of El Cajon some five years ago. The complex, located at 131-155 Chambers Street near W. Main Street, is a 49-unit, senior affordable community offering one-and-two bedroom apartments to seniors ages 55 and up who earn 30-60% of area media income (AMI).

East County News Service

September 21, 2017 (Borrego Springs) - The 52nd Annual Borrego Days Desert Festival returns to showcase qualities that make Borrego Springs so unique as both a weekend getaway and a world all its own with beautiful weather, incredible star gazing, resorts, and the free Borrego Days Festival which kicks off Saturday, October 21 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and continues through Sunday, October 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

By Duncan McFetridge, Director, Cleveland National Forest Foundation

September 21, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - Cleveland National Forest Foundation’s lawsuit against the county’s attempt to subdivide the Hoskings ranch near Julian brings out three extremely important points:   

Source:  City of El Cajon

September 20, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The City of El Cajon has been working closely with the County of San Diego and other partners since the announcement of the recent Hepatitis A outbreak.  The City is taking an aggressive and proactive role in protecting the safety of the City’s residents and visitors. 

September 20, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect 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.

• Big holdup for borrowers claiming for-profit college fraud (AP)
• Basically the entire healthcare system hates the new Obamacare repeal bill (Huffington Post)
• Mueller just obtained a search warrant that could change the whole nature of the Russia investigation (Business Insider)
• Judge rules Justice Dept. can’t keep grant money from uncooperative sanctuary cities (Washington Post)
• Trump threatens to ‘totally destroy’ North Korea if it continues on nuclear path (USA Today)
• Woman fired for having a period at work. Now the ACLU is taking on her case. (National Memo)

WORLD

• Powerful 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, collapsing buildings and sending thousands fleeing into streets (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• For first time in 300 years, there’s not a single living person on island of Barbuda (USA Today)
• ‘We will kill you all’--Rohingya villagers in Myanmar beg for safe passage (Reuters)
• 4 American women attacked with acid in France (Reuters)
• Parsons Green tube attack: arrested man named as Yahyah Farroukh (Guardian)
• Syrian army and allies close in on Islamic State in Deir al-Zor (Reuters)

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

September 20, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• Fanita Ranch ready to roll again in Santee (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Poverty rates drop in San Diego County, but there are still big inequities by race (Voice of San Diego)
• Reviving the film industry in East County San Diego (East County Californian)
•  Customers at San Diego restaurant may have been exposed to hepatitis A (10 News)
• Family of construction worker killed in El Cajon wall collapse files suit (NBC 7)
• Bipartisan bill to plug Tijuana sewage spills comes amid looming budget cuts (Voice of San Diego)
• Prebys Foundation in legal fight over settlement with late philanthropist’s disinherited son (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• ·Former judge accuses CPUC of wrongful termination, racial bias (KQED)
• California lawmakers approve landmark 'sanctuary state' bill to expand protections for immigrants (Los Angeles Times)
• Jerry Brown signs 27 new bills into law, including no marijuana use in cars: List (Santee Patch)
• California regulators require auto insurers to adjust rates (Pro Publica)
• Efforts to control Calif. housing cost go to Gov. Jerry Brown after tight vote (Sacramento Bee)
• California’s housing costs are driving its number one poverty rate (KPCC)

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

September 20, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH 

• Chinese roulette: deadly illegal drugs sent by U.S. mail (KD Report)
• VA hospitals flooded with complaints about care (Boston Globe)
• Car-T treatment shows promise to be a real cancer cure (Healthline, by Jamie Reno)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Facebook under fire over Russian ads in election (The Hill)
• Equifax screwed up its data breach from nearly every angle (SelectAll)

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

East County News Service

September 20, 2017 (Rancho San Diego)--The 2017 edition of the Fall Concert Series at Cuyamaca College will include a trio of world-class musicians from as far away as New York who will perform the first in an ongoing calendar of classic concerts underwritten by a well-known patron of the arts.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: NASA/NSR

September 20, 2017 (San Diego) — The eye of Hurricane Maria passed almost directly over San Juan, the capitol of Puerto Rico.  The powerful storm made landfall with 155 mile per hour winds—just 2 miles per hour short of Category 5 status.  It’s believed to be the strongest hurricane in at least 80 years to hit Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory home to 3.5 million people.

By Miriam Raftery

September 20, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Like the proverbial Lazarus rising from the dead, efforts to repeal Obamacare have been revived. Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy have introduced a measure that would repeal Obamacare with no replacement.  The bill would give block grants allowing states to let insurance companies deny coverage or charge more for preexisting conditions, and to eliminate lifetime caps on coverage for people needing costly care to survive.  It also cuts funds for Medicaid expansion and eliminates all subsidies for low and moderate income Americans. 

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy San Diego Kings

September 19, 2017 (San Diego) - Despite the Chargers hanging San Diego out to dry, new sports organizations are seeing San Diego for the premier sports destination it is.  And now, a new face is entering America's Finest City and it's founded by an East County high school grad.

East County News Service

September 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes the Julian Apple Days Festival, an apple time tea, breakfast with firefighters and outdoor concerts in El Cajon and original dance performances in Bamboozled.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including Oktoberfests in La Mesa and El Cajon, a reception at Heritage of the Americas Museum for artist Padre Johnson, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest in Lakeside, and Borrego Days.

We also have Halloween happenings including Hauntfest on Main, a Haunted Elks Lodge, a Halloween Harvest Festival on Mt. Helix, a Spooky Campover at Lions, Tigers and Bears and the Boulevard Boo Parade.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!