By Stevon Marshall and Miriam Raftery

June 14, 2014 (San Diego)—Two Democratic Council members, Myrtle Cole and David Alvarez, won their races outright in districts 4 and 8, with over 50% of the vote in recent primary, so they won’t have to vie in a run-off race in November.  Republican Lori Zapf,  a Councilwoman who had to run in a different district due to reapportionment, also won her district 2 race with over 50%.

June 14, 2014 (San Diego) — The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a community information meeting June 16, 2014 in Costa Mesa, Calif., on the proposed San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) settlement agreement currently before the Commission.  The proposed agreement was announced to the CPUC March 27 by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and leading state consumer representatives and other parties.  If approved, the settlement would resolve all issues regarding the CPUC’s investigation of the San Onofre Units 2 and 3.

June 9, 2014 (La Mesa)-- Volunteer worship leaders at Journey Community Church in La Mesa have been teaching students at La Mesa Middle School to play instruments and create their own bands in what is called “Rock University.”  The after-school program was instituted three years ago as school funding dried up for music classes in the schools. The music team at Journey – all accomplished musicians – decided to fill in the gap and give the free lessons to students who have never experienced playing music.  This event is the recital/concert for nearly 20 students who have gone through Rock University this past school year and takes place Saturday, June 14, 2014 at Journey Community Church.

June 14, 2014 (La Mesa)--If you’ve ever wished that you could play football one more time, you’re wish has been granted. Alumni football is coming to La Mesa.  Gridiron Alumni is planning several full contact alumni football games.  Gridiron Alumni travels the nation pitting old football rivals against each other one more time.  Hundreds of players and thousands of fans swarmed stadiums to watch their hometown heroes strap it on one more time. Gridiron Alumni is targeting teams like Grossmont, Foothills Christian, Mount Miguel,  and many others. Players from the local area are invited to register and play.  The first 40 players on each team get to play.  The team that gets 30 people registered first gets home field advantage.

By: Trevor Hill

June 11, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- J. Elke Ertle, author of Walled-In, A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, hosted a book signing at the Lemon Grove Library on May 28, where she spoke about the history of the Berlin Wall and her experience in West Berlin during the separation. Ertle described her book as “juxtaposing historical events with personal experiences”. She calls it “a coming of age story. Of breaking off and staying alone."

“Dad, we’re taking away your car keys because you’re not safe to drive!”

June 13, 2014 (San Diego's East County) – It’s the great debate – who’s the better driver? Mom or Dad?  This Father’s Day, dads will love to hear in a recent national survey 63% of adult children say Dad’s a better driver than Mom. However, if adult children had to take away Dad’s car keys because he’s unsafe to drive, many fear Dad would get so angry he’d cut them out of the will.

June 17, 2014 (El Cajon)—A film by Robert Reich, Inequality for all: On behalf of the middle class will be shown June 19 at the East County Democratic Club’s meeting.  The film won a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and highlights economic inequality in America.

By Miriam Raftery

June 11, 2014 (Washington D.C.)-- Students graduating from college today face an increasing burden of debt. The average undergraduate student must borrow $30,000 and for graduate students, the burden is many times worse. The high cost of tuition, even at public colleges and universities, has made college unaffordable for many students.

Listen to our interview:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

June 13, 2014 (El Cajon) -- A terrorist group that splintered off from Al Qaeda has taken the city of Mosul in Iraq, where several other cities have erupted in violence.  East County Magazine interviewed Ben Kalasho, president of the East County Chaldean-American Chamber of Commerce on the escalating hostilities and humanitarian crisis, as well as the impacts on members of the Iraqi community in El Cajon -- home to our nation's second highest population of Iraqi Chaldean immigrants. 

June 11, 2014 (San Diego) – The public is invited to a free  Aging Summit hosted by the County of San Diego.  This year, the primary focus will be on Alzheimer’s and related dementias.  The event will take place on June 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Town and Country Hotel Convention Center. For more information, visit

http://www.alz.org/sandiego/in_my_community_62650.asp

By Nadin Abbott

June 9, 2014 (San Diego) Imagine if you will, going to the doctor and not understanding what your doctor is telling you. Worst, imagine if you will, an EMS crew taking you to the Emergency Room, a life or death situation, and again you are not being able to understand what language the EMS crew, or later the hospital, is speaking.

Age-progressed photo released of teen who vanished in Anza-Borrego Desert in November 2009

By Miriam Raftery

June 11, 2014 (Ocotillo Wells) -- Nearly five years ago, 16-year-old Mickey Guidry disappeared in the Anza-Borrego Desert.  The Jeep he’d taken from his family was found broken down and abandoned, its tire worn down to the rim near Fish Creek wash, 22 miles from the nearest highway  over Thanksgiving weekend.  He has not been seen since November 26, 2009.

By Susan A. Mahalick

June 11, 2014 (Baja California, Mexico)--Designed by Jo Ann Knox Martino, and situated in the eastern portion of the valley in the same area as Baron Balché in Porvenir, is the elegant cava built for storage, wine making and tastings of her famous Tango wines. The name, Vintango, comes from Jo Ann’s love of tango.

June 9, 2014 (San Diego) — Flanked by the families of victims who have suffered serious health issues as a result of not having a medical interpreter, San Diego Councilmember Marti Emerald today called for support of state legislation that would increase the number of interpreters in medical settings to help ensure Californians with limited English receive safe, appropriate care and treatment.