UCAN

EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: TOP LOCAL AND STATE NEWS

January 16, 2013--(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:

STATE 

LOCAL//REGIONAL

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: TOP LOCAL AND STATE NEWS

October 11, 2012  --  (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

  • San Diego’s Bilbray-Peters race reflects new reality in politics (Los Angeles Times)
  • Gas stations close as California gas prices skyrocket (KPBS)
  • Edison releases restart plan for unit 2 at San Onofre (KPBS)
  • Mayoral debate at Politifest: Videos (Voice of San Diego)
  • The Starting Line: UT San Diego’s Soviet-style political coverage. Are air-brushed photos next? (San Diego Free Press)
  • The Starting Life: DeMaio’s second calendar: private meetings with developers don’t count (San Diego Free Press)
  • Filner’s shaky public safety claim (Voice of San Diego)
  • Neighbors (in Lakeside) still shaken by deputies’ shootout with suspect (UT San Diego)
  • Pastors to send IRS message on political speech (UT San Diego
  • Skyline pastor tells flock he will vote for Romney (UT San Diego)
  • Proposal to double city funding on arts moves toward City Council (KPBS)
  • A guide to the media attention on Poway’s billion dollar bond (Voice of San Diego)
  • North County Times lays off one-third of staff (Sacramento Bee)

STATE

  • Brown acts to reduce gas prices (Los Angeles Times)
  • Proposition 34: Repealing the death penalty (Sacramento Bee)
  • Report: recycling fraud costs California millions (Sacramento Bee)
  • UCAN demands $474K from ex-boss  (UT San Diego)
  • California’s new migrants following the work (UT San Diego)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: TOP LOCAL AND STATE NEWS

 

 May 2, 2012 --  (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
  • Ramona wines beat French varieties in competition (UT San Diego)
  • La Mesa Council deadlocked on PBID approval, will make decision in July (La Mesa Patch)   
  • $1 billion hospital opens (Valley Roadrunner)
  • DEA “accidentally” left forgotten suspect in holding cell for 5 days (UT San Diego)
  • 6 La Mesa officers exonerated in fatal shooting of Andrew Yacko (La Mesa Patch)
  • Lloyd Jr pleads guilty to manslaughter in Santee teen Carioscias’ death (Santee Patch)
  • Lemon Grove School District cuts 30 jobs (UT San Diego)
SAN DIEGO MAYORAL RACE
  • Voice of San Diego series:  Who is….

Bob Filner
Nathan Fletcher
Bonnie Dumanis
Carl DeMaio

  • Other mayoral coverage:
  • Filner releases pension plan (UT San Diego)
  • Fletcher pledges to make cycling, transit a priority (Reader) 
  • Fletcher-GOP feud still going strong: party sues candidate over $5,000 fundraiser (UT San Diego) 
  • The Fletcher Flim-Flam (OB Rag) 
  • The unfortunate trajectory of Carl DeMaio (Citybeat)



STATE

  • San Diego takes water fight public (New York Times)
  • UCAN reaches settlement to allow group to go on (UT San Diego)
  • California rakes in healthcare grants (Saramento Bee)
  • Environmentalists feeling burned by rush to build big solar projects (Los Angeles Times)
  • Discovery of Indian artifacts complicates Genesis Solar project (Los Angeles Times)
  • Calif. Public Utilities Commission: PG&E smart meter “opt out” fees suspended
  • Diablo Canyon reactor gets some unwelcome guests  
 
Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

UTILITY WATCHDOG GROUP UCAN TO SHUT DOWN AMID FEDERAL PROBE: EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS EXPRESS SHOCK, DISMAY

"As bad as SDG&E is with a watchdog, imagine it without a watchdog.” – Donna Tisdale

 

“…No evidence confirming such allegations was provided by those lodging allegations, nor discovered by any of the professionals retained by UCAN’s board.” – press release posted on UCAN website

"We're trying to save UCAN and they're dissolving it." -- Mike Aguirre, attorney

March 5, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – To many ratepayers in East County, the Utility Consumers Action Network (UCAN) has been a valued ally in their battles against San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). For example, UCAN filed a lawsuit that tried to halt Sunrise Powerlink and submitted a study that helped persuade the California Public Utilities Commission to reject a rate hike proposal.   

So UCAN’s announcement that it is dissolving amid an FBI investigation into its finances  and a Grand Jury summons has been met with shock, dismay and skepticism here in East County.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

JUDGE CANCELS POWERLINK HEARING; RALLY TO PROCEED OUTSIDE SDG&E TODAY AT 12:30

 

March 7, 2011 (San Diego) – A federal judge has cancelled a public hearing challenging Sunrise Powerlink. The trial was slated to begin today in downtown San Diego, but instead the judge has notified plaintiffs that he will be ruling based on the record.  The decision comes as a disappointment to Powerlink opponents, who say they looked forward to having their day in court.

Organizers of a “stop Powerlink” march to the courthouse have announced they will still hold a rally outside SDG&E headquarters today at 12:30 at 101 Ash Street, where speakers will include Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Michael Shamas, executive director of the Utility Consumers Action Network (UCAN), and. Dave Elliot, tribal member of the Manzanita Band of Kumeyaay.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

CA SUPREME COURT REJECTS UCAN APPEAL, SIDES WITH SDG&E ON POWERLINK

 

 

February 24, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – The California Supreme Court has denied without comment an appeal filed by Utility Consumers Action Network (UCAN), which sought to stop the Sunrise Powerlink project on the basis that it violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

READER’S EDITORIAL: PRICE GOUGING BY SDG&E—RESULTS OF DEREGULATING A MONOPOLY: A PARTIAL VICTORY

 

Editor's note:  After receiving a refund for excessive charges to relocate a gas meter, Joel Harrison says he found a new form of overcharging--this time for “estimated” meter readings when his yard was easily accessible to the meter reader. Neighbors were also overcharged, according to Harrison. How many other homeowners were, too? If this has happened to you, please post a comment in the comment section below.

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

READER’S EDITORIAL: PRICE GOUGING BY SDG&E—RESULTS OF DEREGULATING A MONOPOLY

 

By Joel A. Harrison

October 1, 2010 (San Diego) -- I recently paid SDG&E $1,599 for a job my plumber would have charged between $400 and $500 to do. The job involved relocating my gas meter approximately nine feet from its location under my bedroom window.

 

I decided to replace the window with a door and steps as an emergency exit, but couldn’t do this as long as the gas meter was in the way. SDG&E told me that its current safety code prohibits gas meters from being under windows, but my home was “grandfathered” in -- and they were under no obligation to move the meter.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SHAREHOLDERS VOTE FOR RIGHTS TO LIMIT SEMPRA CEO'S PAY: CONSUMER LEADER SLAMS $21 MILLION COMPENSATION PLAN

SHAREHOLDERS TO PUT LIMITS ON SEMPRA EXECUTIVE PAY

“Felsinger’s salary is a graphic example of the grossly disproportionate salaries that CEOs continue to feast upon even in our current economic malaise. It is offensive in many ways, including the fact that it is partially paid by themoney we pay SDG&E montly.” – Michael Shames, Utility Consumers Action Network (UCAN)

By Miriam Raftery

 

July 8, 2010 (San Diego) Stockholders at Sempra Energy, parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), have approved a “say on pay” clause giving them power to restrict executive compensation. The vote came in may, following disclosure that Sempra’s chief executive, Donald Felsinger, was the highest-paid executive in San Diego County last year with a $20.9 million annual salary and benefits package, plus a $35 million golden parachute retirement package he woudl receive if the company is ever sold.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SDG&E LOBBYIST ACCUSED OF BEDDING ASSEMBLYMAN OVERSEEING UTILITIES

September 9, 2009 (San Diego) – Shock and snickers greeted news reports today revealing that a lobbyist for SDG&E/Sempra Energy is accused of granting sexual favors to Republican legislator Mike Duvall, Vice Chair of the Assembly Utilities & Commerce Committee.  If true, the relationship would be a direct conflict of interest and a clear ethical violation, since the committee has oversight over utility industry issues.

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

UCAN TAKES SUNRISE TO HIGH COURT FOR SUNSETTING

 

powerlinkAugust 14, 2009 -- The Utility Consumers Action Network has filed two petitions with appellate courts seeking to halt construction of Sunrise Powerlink, Sempra Energy’s high-voltage power line project slated for East County.

 

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.