East County News Service

May 4, 2017 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police and local firefighters invite you to a police and fire basketball showdown at the Helix High School gym on Sunday, May7 at 2 p.m.  Police and Fire department vehicles will also be available for tours.

By Miriam Raftery

May 4, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order today that would order the IRS to take a hands-off approach to churches that endorse political candidates. It also orders federal agencies to exempt some religious groups from a requirement to provide birth control to employees.  

But a third provision has been scrapped, which would have allowed businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation and other moral grounds.

By Miriam Raftery

View video:  https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4667910/rep-hunter-ti-hearing

May 3, 2017 (San Diego) – During a Congressional hearing yesterday, Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) grilled airline executives over monopolistic practices and lack of competition in hub markets. Hunter noted that he flies regularly from San Diego to Washington D.C. but that United is the only airline offering direct flights.

By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2017 (Jacumba Hot Springs) — The Jacumba Arts Council invites you to hear “finger-pickin’ good” blues bands at the Jacumba Blues Festival this Saturday, May 6 starting at 1 p.m.  There will also be barbecue food, vendors and a raffle to benefit local arts.

By Chris Jennewein

Reprinted from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Emergency vehicles outside the La Jolla Crossroads apartments on Sunday. Photo by Chris Jennewein

May 3, 2017 (San Diego) -- City Councilmember Barbara Bry and the chair of the San Diego Democratic Party questioned Wednesday whether the University City shooter was racially targeting his victims on Sunday.

Part II of our special investigative report on the East County Mayors Prayer Breakfast speaker.

View Part I here.

 

By Miriam Raftery

May 4, 2017 (El Cajon) – On Monday, an East County Magazine special report  revealed objections raised by some local residents to the controversial “Christian nation” advocate David Barton chosen to speak at the annual East County Mayors prayer luncheon this Thursday, May 4th at the Crystal Palace in El Cajon.  

Now the controversy has intensified, with a First Amendment watchdog group sending a letter to mayors of  El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee objecting to their participation and asking them to disassociate themselves from the event. The letter was signed by Andrew Seidel , staff attorney with the Freedom from Religion Foundation. At least two of those mayors have since cancelled their plans to attend the prayer luncheon.

 In addition,  local residents are asking why alternate versions of the flyer were circulated to religious and secular groups – the latter omitting all mention of Barton and presenting the event as "progressive" oriented.

May 3, 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.

• Congress reaches deal to keep government open through September (Washington Post)
• Babies and children listed in Homeland Security’s database of alleged criminals (Los Angeles Times)
• ICE data shows half of immigrants arrested in raids had traffic convictions or no arrests (Washington Post)
• Here are the national monuments at risk under Donald Trump (Buzzfeed)
• Access to Obama White House Brought Companies Better Stock Performance, Study Shows (Reason)
• Tornadoes, storms kill nine in U.S. south (Reuters)
• Trump administration kills Michelle Obama’s girls’ education program (CNN)
• U.S. Chief Justice alarmed at Trump administration immigration stance (Reuters)
• Afghans who helped U.S. forces get more visas under funding bill (Reuters)
• All 100 senators sign letter asking for equal treatment of Israel at the U.N. (Jewish World Review)
• The FBI translator who went rogue and married an ISIS terrorist (CNN)
• Passenger who was dragged off jetliner settles with United (KUSI)
• Sold for parts   (Pro Publica)

WORLD

• A week from presidential runoff, Macron summons shame of France’s wartime history (Toronto Star)
• North Korea launches missile after U.S. demands world pressure Pyongyang (CNN)
• Dozens of Yazidis enslaved by ISIS in Iraq are now free (BBC)
• U.S. led fight on ISIS has killed 352 civilians: Pentagon (Reuters)
• Slavery in the Amazon: Thousands forced to work on Brazil’s cattle ranches (CNN)
• In Mexico, ‘It’s Easy to Kill a Journalist’ (NY Times)
• Russian police detain gay rights activists at May Day march (Reuters)
• Jehovah's Witnesses as 'extremists': Court sharpens edges of Russia's religious space (CS Monitor)
• Palestinian Authority pulls the plug on Israeli electricity to Gaza (CS Monitor)
• Turkey blocks access to Wikipedia (Reuters)
• Does Saudi Arabia deserve a place on UN Women's Rights Commission? (SD Union-Tribune)
• Hezbollah Plays Up Efforts to Oppose Israel (NPR)

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

By Jose A. Alvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image via PhotoSpin

May 3, 2017 (Ramona) - High rental prices and low vacancy rates have made it extremely difficult for many San Diegans to find affordable places to live.

To help address the need, the County Board of Supervisors today approved spending $4.5 million towards the construction of two affordable housing developments consisting of 143 units. Those units, combined with an additional 118 units of Section 8 housing, will result in the creation of 261 new affordable housing apartments in the County.

Pair of homers in the ninth send SDSU to victory over Bruins

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Andrew Martinez's two-run homer in the ninth provided the margin of victory in the 8-6 win at UCLA Tuesday night.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

May 2, 2017 (Los Angeles) - San Diego State scored three runs in the top of the ninth with a pair of home runs as it defeated UCLA 8-6 Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. The rally brought the Aztecs back from the brink as they had trailed since the fourth inning.

By Miriam Raftery

Video, above: Open fiddling competition 2016 champion Shira Ellison in her winning performance

May 2, 2017 (Julian) -- Each year,  the town of Julian comes alive with the sounds  of music—fiddle music, along with banjos, guitars, mandolins and mountain dulcimers at the annual Julian Fiddle and Pickin’ Contest. 

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, May 20^th at the Julian Town Hall, plus on Friday night a Texas-style fiddle workshop will be led by two-time national grand fiddle champion Matthew Hartz.  (For details and a schedule visit www.SanDiegoFiddler.org)

Recently we’re seeing a revival of interest in the art of fiddling and more broadly, a Renaissance in traditional music both regionally and nationally.

East County News Service

May 1, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes hot events happening in May across our region, from Friday night dinners and concerts in El Cajon, to Mother’s Day teas in Julian. 

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions including America on Main Street in El Cajon, Explore Mission Trails Days, and more.

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

East County News Service

May 1, 2017 (Jamul) – When SDG&E received approval to build the Sunrise Powerlink high voltage lines across rural East County, the company was required to provide fire mitigation grant of up to $2,000 for impacted homeowners to create defensible space through landscaping and/or install fire-hardening building materials to protect their properties.

Does your son or daughter play a sport at a level other than varsity?  Drop a line on this story or tweet @ECMagSports to request coverage!

Like our sports coverage?  Donate to help support ECM’s sports section!

Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories!

Story and photos by Liz Alper

May 1, 2017 (El Cajon) - On May Day, Granite Hills and Grossmont girls lacrosse faced off on the final game of both teams’ seasons.  The Eagles entered tonight with an impressive season, going 10-4 overall and 5-2 in league.  The Foothillers could stand to do a little better; they were 5-10 overall and 3-4 in league play entering tonight.

Update May 4, 2017:  Two of East County's four mayors have pulled out of the East County Mayors Prayer Lunch, after the Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to the mayors asking them to cancel their planned attendance. The First Amendment watchdog group, which learned of the prayer lunch from our report, contends that the event violates the Constitional requirement for separation of church and state. The foundation's letter hints at legal action.

View Part II of our investigation here. 

By Miriam Raftery

May 1, 2017 (El Cajon) – Multiple East County leaders are speaking out to voice opposition to David Barton, a debunked “Christian Nation” advocate, speaking May 4^th at an East County Mayors Prayer  Lunch at the Crystal Palace in El Cajon.   Barton has  long claimed that the Founding Fathers did not  support a separation of church and state. His book, The Jefferson Lies, was pulled off the market by its publisher after conservative Christian scholars exposed many falsehoods. 

Barton  is listed as an extremist on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s watch list for his virulent anti-gay views.  He has also drawn fire for anti-Muslim remarks and some stances views as racist. He has advocated to remove civil rights leader Martin Luther King and farmworkers organizer Cesar Chavez from school text books.

In a recent interview with Christian Broadcasting Network, he urged Christian Evangelicals that they have a Biblical “duty” to vote for candidates who will support anti-abortion judges and who oppose equal rights for LGTBQ individuals.  “It’s not your vote. It’s God’s vote,” he stated. On his  Wallbuilders Live radio show,  he claimed that the same “evil” responsible for the Holocaust is today responsible for the “homosexual lifestyle.”

Just who is behind inviting Barton to speak at a function with local governmental leaders is unclear.  But his appearance has prompted a backlash.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

May 1, 2017 (San Diego) -- There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills!  It’s also along the freeways, in open fields and vacant lots in your neighborhood. That lush green vegetation and pretty wildflowers from recent winter storms is now turning golden in color and soon to become dark brown, brittle and extremely dry.  Fire season is already here and getting extremely dangerous quickly. We’ve already seen quite a few fast moving grass/brush fires throughout Southern California.