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Source: Chargers news release

October 6, 2016 (El Cajon) - San Diego Chargers minority owner George Pernicano passed away peacefully, surrounded by family at his home in El Cajon, California early Thursday.  He was 98. 

Pernicano was one of the five original San Diego Chargers minority owners who purchased interest in the team in 1963.  He helped Jack Murphy and other prominent San Diegans convince Barron Hilton, the owner of the Los Angeles Chargers, to bring the team to San Diego in 1961.

By Miriam Raftery

October 5, 2016  (El Cajon) –El Cajon residents are invited to attend a Journalism  Forum featuring candidates running for the  El Cajon City Council.  The forum, co-moderated by journalists from four major media outlets, will be held on Wednesday, October 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Grossmont College at Griffin Gate in Griffin Center. (See map.)

Bring your questions, meet the candidates and hear their ideas and goals for El Cajon.

The moderators will be: Miriam Raftery,  editor of East County Magazine, Karen Pearlman, reporter for the San Diego-Union Tribune, Albert  Fulcher,  editor of the East County Californian, and Marya Fani, broadcast journalist at Mega Network. 

By Miriam Raftery

October 5, 2016 (Santee) – Sheriff’s homicide detectives are investigating the death of a woman at her home in Santee last night.

The woman’s roommate called 911 to report finding the victim unconscious with trauma to her upper body.  Deputies and paramedics responded at 10:39 p.m. to the residence at 8837 Mission Greens Road #3 in Santee, but the woman was dead.

Listen now: click the audio link to hear the candidate forum originally aired on East County Magazine's  Show on KNSJ radio on September 30, 2016.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Mark Gracyk,  Dan McMillan, Lou Tejeda and John Linden

October 5, 2016 (Lemon Grove)—Four contenders vying for two seats on the Helix Water District Board shared their goals at East County Magazine’s candidate forum  at the Lemon Grove Library on September 21^st.  Incumbent John Linden defended repeated  rate hikes as necessary, while challengers  Mark Gracyk, Dan McMillan, and Louis Tejeda pledged to fight for holding the line against future rate hikes and/or trying to reduce water rates.

Candidates fielded questions from  the audience and from East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery on a wide range of issues including water quality, the future of Lake Jennings, the  land deal for sand mining El Monte Valley, their financial backgrounds and more.

East County News Service

October 5, 2016 (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.

General news

• Hurricane Matthew heads for East Coast (CNN)
• Sacramento police tried to run over man before shooting him, recordings reveal (SacBee)
• How the FDA Manipulates the Media (Scientific American)

Presidential race

• VP Debate: Kaine interrupts and attacks, Pence holds steady and deflects (Moderate Voice)
• Kaine, Pence debate: CNN reality check team vets the claims (CNN)
• Trump calls tax avoidance ‘smart’, most Americans call it ‘unpatriotic’, poll finds (Reuters)
• 20 fact checks from the first presidential debate (NBC)
• Clinton, Trump clash in fiery first debate (Yahoo News)
• Trump implies veterans with PTSD are not strong (KNSD)
• Analysis: In debate, Trump spoke of a black America that no longer exists (NBC)

WORLD

• Royal couple snubbed by Canadian indigenous leader (CNN)
• Deadly Hurricane Matthew pounds Haiti (Associated Press)
• Columbia rejects deal to end FARC conflict:  what happens next? (CNN)

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

East County News Service

October 4, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes the 60^th annual melodrama in Julian, the German-American Club Oktoberfest and a Grammy award-winning country music star in El Cajon.

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions including a barbecue competition in Spring Valley, a fair trade shopping event in La Mesa, a Howl-o-ween pet adoption event at Grossmont Center and a spooky array of Halloween events from the College Area Boo Parade to Night of the Jack-o-lanterns in Alpine, Hauntfest on Main in El Cajon, and a Halloscream Extravaganza in Spring Valley.

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

By Miriam Raftery

October 4, 2016 (Potrero) – “Finally! Kendrick was the last of the dogs at our shelter in Bonita which were rescued from the Border Fire in Potrero in June, “San Diego Animal Services posted on Facebook yesterday.

According to Animal Services, “The young man in the photo met Kendrick a few weeks ago and couldn't get him off his mind. His mom said if they came back on Saturday (October 1st) and Kendrick was still here, he could have him for his birthday which is this week. Kendrick hit it off with this family right away and was happy to leave with them today! His new family is going to take him on lots of hikes on the trail near their home!”

By Miriam Raftery

October 4, 2016 (El Cajon) – Five candidates are running for two open seats on the Cajon Valley Union School District board, according to the Registrar of Voters site. One of them, Jim P. Miller, ran for Superior Court Judge in 2016 and had his Lincoln Club endorsement revoked after it was exposed that he failed to disclose that he had been removed as a Judge Pro Tem by the Superior Court.

By Michael Peddecord, Member, California People of Faith Working Against the Death Penalty

October 3, 2016 (San Diego) -- Discernment is the ability to judge well. In Judaic and Christian traditions, it can be understood as seeking spiritual direction and understanding prior to making a decision. Discernment can also be regarded as a spiritual gift allowing us to judge or appraise a person, statement, situation or proposal.  To achieve this gift, one can be aided by reading scripture and informed texts, prayer, contemplation and discussion of the issue.  Trusted spiritual advisors and religious leaders are also useful in discernment.

East County News Service

October 3, 2016 (La Mesa) — Deborah McElravy, former board member and president of the Grossmont Healthcare District, passed away on September 19, 2016.

A native of Glassport, Penn., McElravy graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. She spent 40 years in the healthcare industry as a practicing pharmacist and over a decade on the Grossmont Healthcare District board of directors, working improve healthcare for the community.

By Miriam Raftery

October 3, 2016 (El Cajon) – Saturday night, El Cajon Police declared an unlawful assembly and arrested 14 people at a makeshift memorial site at 800 Broadway, where Alfred Olango was fatally shot last Tuesday by a police officer.

According to Lieutenant Rob Ransweiler, on Saturday night a vehicle was stopped for a traffic infraction leaving the protest area. The driver, who was under 21, was arrested for driving under the influence. Two passengers were also arrested for being drunk in public.  After the arrest, a small group of protesters gathered near800 Broadway.

By Mike Allen

October 3, 2016 (La Mesa) -- As the issue of climate change becomes more elevated, more cities are taking a harder look at their carbon footprints and mulling alternatives.

In California, at least two counties and a few smaller cities have already formed new entities that purchase a larger share of their energy from renewable sources and are doing it at cheaper rates than was previously provided by the investor owned utility.

East County News Service

October 3, 2016 (El Cajon) - The San Diego chapter of Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ) will host a community forum this Thursday to discuss the tragic death of Alfred Olango. The forum, open to all community members, will be 6:30-8:30 pm October 6, at the College-Rolando branch library, 6600 Montezuma Rd, San Diego. 

East County News Service

October 2, 2016 (Spring Valley) - Community outreach is a top priority of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station will provide an opportunity for the public to discuss issues related to safety and security at Coffee with the Community on Thursday, October 27 from 8-10 a.m.at Butler’s Coffee House,9631 Campo Road in Casa de Oro.

By Jonathan Goetz

October 2, 2016 (El Cajon) -- The shooting of a black man reportedly suffering a mental health crisis in El Cajon by police has led to protests, and police crack-downs. After an officer advanced toward Alfred Olango, gun drawn at close range, Olango allegedly pointed a vape pen, or smoking device, at the officer, who mistook it for a gun and fired the deadly shots.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, a clinician and former Director of Psychiatric Intake Services and Director of Outpatient Services, voiced support and empathy for both Olango’s family and for police in the City’s carefully crafted official response.

But many may not be aware that El Cajon’s City Council has been trying to address problems with the homeless and the mentally ill for quite some time. At its June 14^th 2016 meeting, the El Cajon City Council voted to join San Diego County Mental Health and the Sheriffs in the East County Homeless Outreach Team, which embeds social workers with police and travels weekly to homeless hot-spots.