Critics call bill a "poison pill" aimed at restricting the ability of local municipalities to provide consumers with alternatives to  buying power from utilities

By Roy L Hales

Originally published at the Eco Report: http://www.theecoreport.com/green-blogs/technology/energy/utilities-energy-energy-articles/californian-legislation-threatens-community-choice-aggregates/

May 4, 2014 (San Diego)--The second of California’s community choice aggregates (CCA) was  launched amidst state legislation (AB 2145) that could restrict further competition with established utilities.

By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2014 (Alpine)—When Alpine resident Alanna Light heard about the tragic sinking of a Korean ferry boat, she feared for her 24-year-old daughter, who teaches English at a private school in South Korea.

“My dad called me and asked if Kalya was alright,” she recalled, adding that when she heard about the tragedy, “I had a panic attack until I got through to her.”  Fortunately, Kayla was fine.  But at least 242 passengers on the Sewol  ferry have died and another 60 remain missing.  Most of the passengers were high school students.

The captain and 14 crew members have been arrested for leaving the ship and abandoning passengers, including children told to stay in their cabins.  Two others have also been arrested for over-loading the ship, which had 476 people on board.

By Miriam Raftery and Nadin Abbott

Photos by Daren Sefcik, Jeff Holz, and Delia Cooley

May 3, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Multiple fires along I-8 broke out this morning between East Willows Road and Japatul this morning, as ourViejasAlerts reported earlier.  The fires are believed to have been caused by a malfunctioning catalytic converter from a vehicle.

The largest forced closure of a viewpoint in Japatul and charred 12-14 acres. 

By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2014 (Deerhorn Valley) – A 17-month-old child was bitten three times in the abdomen by a rattlesnake yesterday afternoon while playing in on a patio at a home near Barrett Lake in Deerhorn Valley.

NBC reported that the incident was reported at 4:20 in the 20000 block of Manzanita Way.   The Deerhorn Valley Antler indicated that Mercy Air flew out of the area at approximately 5 p.m. with the young patient on board.  The child was taken to Rady Children’s Hospital.

Fortunately, the toddler is recovering, according to his older sister , Jessica Taylor. She posted on the Deerhorn Valley Facebook page this morning that her brother is being treated with anti-venom and is expected to  be fine.  She added, “He’s a tough little guy!”

May 3, 2014 (La Mesa) -- Today from 11 a.m to 5 p.m., Johnny B's restaurant in La Mesa will donate 10 percent of proceeds to benefit a new pocket park project called the "Lookout" planned in La Mesa's downtown vlllage.  The restaurant owner, John Bedlion, wlil also match the amount raised today. Drawings will also be held, along with a live auction. 

“The Lookout” at Legacy Park will become a permanent piece of art that will honor the City’s Centennial celebration. Located at the convergence of La Mesa Boulevard (known as Lookout Avenue until 1940), Allison Avenue, and 4th Street; The Lookout will serve a traditional gazebo function – as a gathering place for social interaction. Center city gazebos have historically occupied a special place in the heart of communities; this one will be no different. 

By Miriam Raftery

May 2, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Republican Paul Ryan plans to hold a Congressional committee hearing next week on poverty – but he has refused to let any poor people testify.

By Miriam Raftery

May 2, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - The Obama administration is facing a lawsuit over its plan to issue 30-year-permits allowing wind energy companies to kill eagles without facing prosecution.

By Miriam Raftery

May 2, 2014 (San Diego) - Did San Diego State University dump a successful coach for political reasons?   Doug Perez is accusing the university of getting rid of him because he refused a request from the Associated Students executive director, Christina Brown, who asked him to help her raise money for Kevin Faulconer’s mayoral campaign.

Elected officials suppressed key report, failed to halt project or recover taxpayer dollars

“It was heartbreaking to see this project desecrate such a historically and culturally significant landscape, and it’s even worse when you find out that it was built on false claims by the developer, and with the assistance of the BLM. "-- Anthony Pico, Chairman, Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians

An East County Magazine special investigation

By Miriam Raftery

April 30, 2014 (Ocotillo) – An international wind energy expert has concluded that Pattern Energy appears to have defrauded the federal government in order to obtain lucrative tax subsidies for a wind energy development in southern California that has failed to live up to the developer’s claims.

“I believe we have a clear case for the False Claims Act,” Nicolas Boccard told East County Magazine, after reviewing full first-year wind production data for the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility on U..S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public land.  The project produced only about half of the energy that Pattern claimed it would produce—far below levels deemed viable for a wind project, a second expert confirms. 

These dismal results are no surprise to Boccard, who predicted in a report written before construction of the project was  completed that Ocotillo lacks sufficient wind speeds to sustain a viable wind energy project.

So were Pattern's lofty wind speed claims nothing more than spin?

May 1, 2014 (San Diego)--U.S. Reps. Susan Davis (CA-53) and Tim Ryan (OH-13) introduced legislation in the House to help schools include social and emotional learning (SEL).  The Supporting Emotional Learning (SEL) Act (H.R. 4509) would support teacher training in SEL to help young people better handle societal issues thus boosting their academic potential.  Students receiving social and emotional education do better on tests, show greater pro-social behaviors, and less emotional stress.

April 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)-- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future

SCIENCE

• You Love The Cloud, But It May Not Be As Secure As You Think (NPR)
• How a lab accident could revolutionize energy storage  (CS Monitor)
• Tech Giants Pony Up Cash To Help Prevent Another Heartbleed (NPR)

HEALTH

• Scientists reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer’s (France 24)
• A Measles Outbreak In The Philippines Travels To The U.S. (NPR)
• Mom's Diet Right Before Pregnancy Can Alter Baby's Genes  (NPR)
• Saudi Mers death toll passes 100
• Obamacare deals blow to one-doctor medicine  (U-T)

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

By Miriam Raftery

May 1, 2014 (San Diego) – Yesterday, two children playing barefoot at Bonita Cove Park on Mission Bay stepped on razor blades and injured their feet.  Police officers used metal detectors to find 19 razor blades buried sharp-side-up near playground equipment in the park on Mariners Way near West mission Bay Drive, UT San Diego reports.

By Miriam Raftery

April 30, 2014 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Bar Association’s Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee (JEEC) has issued ratings for candidates in five contested judicial races.  The ratings rank three candidates – Ken Gosselin, Michele Hagan, and Douglas Crawford, as “lacking qualifications.”

Two of those have been embroiled in controversy.  Gosselin was required by a court to change statements on his ballot regarding his experience and education that a judge found to be misleading.  Crawford is appealing suspension of his law license due to passing along a threat made by a client to initiate an IRS audit of an opposing party in a lawsuit. 

April 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM 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.

• Supreme Court appears wary of carte blanche for cellphone searches (CS Monitor)
•  Death toll rises as twisters rip across Mississippi, Alabama (CNN)
• Obamacare enrollment extended again (The Hill)
• What’s next for Obamacare ? The Hill)
• Clippers owner Donald Sterling banned for life by NBA (CBS)
  
  Clippers sponsors jump ship (CNN)
• ADL director responds to Kerry's reported 'apartheid’ remark (Jerusalem Post)
• U.S. investigating theft of doctors' tax refunds (Reuters)
• How A Public Corruption Scandal Became A Fight Over Free Speech (NPR)
• Texas family plagued with ailments gets $3 million in first of its kind fracking judgment (CNN)

WORLD

• Hungarians march against anti-Semitism after far-right poll gains (Reuters)
•  Megacities contend with sinking land (BBC)
• Tu-95 bombers: Brits scramble jets after Russian bombers approach  (CS Monitor)
• Russia Threatens Invasion Unless Ukraine Stops Stopping Separatists (Reason)
• Pacific Island Nation Sues U.S., Others For Violating Nuclear Treaty (NPR)
• Poppies replace tourists in Egypt's Sinai desert  (Christian Science Monitor)
• On Second Day Of Mass Trial, Egyptian Judge Sentences 683 To Death (NPR)

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

April 30, 2014 (El Cajon) – Deputies from the Santee Sheriff station saved the life of a man who sought to jump off the Greenfield Drive Bridge over State Route 67.  Deputies responded to a call shortly after 5:30 p.m., where they found the man standing near the edge of the overpass.