Billie Jo Jannen

ECM SWEEPS PRESS CLUB AWARDS—AGAIN

East County Magazine News Service
 
October 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Ten of East County Magazine’s writers, photographers and videographers have won awards in the San Diego Press Club’s 2011 Excellence in Journalism Awards. 
 
“We’re delighted to learn that this year’s list of winners includes not only professional career journalists, but also community volunteers, interns and photographers who receiving training from ECM in citizen-journalism skills,” said Miriam Raftery, editor and founder of the nonprofit publication. “Congratulations to our dedicated team.”
 

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EAST OF THE LINE: FIRE FEE SLAPPED ON POLITICALLY IMPOTENT MINORITY IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR ALL

 By Billie Jo Jannen

July 13, 2011 (Campo)--I can vividly describe every one of the four fires that has burned through my property over the past 25 years. Notably, every one was started by someone who doesn’t live here. Causes include burning objects thrown from passing cars and trains, illegal fireworks by drunk Navy men, and border smugglers intent on their own agendas.

 

Also notable is that my family’s home survived every fire because of our personal efforts -- both costly and time-consuming -- to plan and execute our own defenses. Not a single fire department, including CalFire, has ever managed to arrive at my house before the fires did; the distances are simply too great and the fires too unpredictable.


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ECM EDITOR ON RADIO TONIGHT: 6-7 PM

 

July 1, 2011 (Alpine) -- East Count Magazine editor  Miriam Raftery will be a guest this evening on Billie Jo Jannen's "TGIF" radio news show from 6-7 p.m.  

Livestream at www.my1079.com wherever you are, or listen live at 107.9 on your FM radio dial (heard in parts of East County). 

Hot topics to be discussed include today's court ruling on the Sunrise Powerlink, the new state budget and how it may impact your, smart meters, Senator Joel Anderson's bill to eliminate Cal-Trans, and where to find fireworks and family fun this 4th of July weekend.


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HEAR ECM EDITOR ON RADIO! FRIDAY MAY 13, 6-7 PM ON MY107.9 FM

 

May 13, 2011 (Alpine) - East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery will once again be a guest on Billie Jo Jannen's "TGIF" radio program tonight. Listen live on 107.9 FM from 6-7 p.m. 

 

Hot topics will include fire victims asked to return  payments from FEMA, mlitary discrimination against graduates of online schools, legislative news, Rep. Duncan Hunter's effort to save the Mt. Soledad cross, and an ECM investigation into "lion walks" that resulted in an attack on an East County resident.


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HEAR ECM’S EDITOR ON RADIO FRIDAY MAY 6 FROM Y 6-7 PM

May 6, 2011 (Alpine) – East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery will be on the air Friday from 6-7 p.m. on Billie Jo Jannen’s “TGIF” program on FM 107.9 radio. Today’s show will also feature Alpine Sun Editor Christy Scott in an editors’ panel discussing the hottest backcountry issues. Topics include Sunrise Powerlink, trans-border trucking, new solar proposed projects, graffiti, grants for fire mitigation, and more.   Listen live!


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EAST OF THE LINE: IF YOU CAN’T BEAT ‘EM, DENIGRATE ‘EM

 

Planners seek ouster of wind farm's project manager 

 

A column written for East County Magazine

 

By Billie Jo Jannen

April 16, 2011 (Boulevard)--The manager of Enel Green Power Jewel Valley made the claim that the Boulevard Planning Group scares her--and that she’s not going back without law enforcement protection.


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BACKCOUNTRY’S BILLIE JO JANNEN IS ON THE AIR

 

Award-winning journalist and ECM's own East of the Line columnist hosts TGIF Report on East County issues

 

Show airs Fridays from 6-7 p.m. on FM 107.9

 


By Miriam Raftery

April 12, 2011 (Alpine) – She’s won awards for investigative reporting and spent nearly 25 years writing and editing articles about East County’s hottest topics such as wildfires, wind turbines, border and land use issues. Her coverage has drawn national attention on 60 Minutes and 20-20 TV shows. She’s also rooted out tales of feral pigs and turkey hunts, offered tips on how to remove horse manure, and covered local politics. (Some might see similarity in these topics.)
 

Now the backcountry’s best-known news hound has a found a new home behind the microphone at my107.9 radio in Alpine, where her new show, the TGIF report covers news and events in San Diego’s backcountry communities and Alpine.  East County Magazine readers will recognize Jannen as author of the popular East of the Line column on backcountry issues.
 

The TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) Report airs Fridays from 6-7 p.m. because “I don’t do mornings well,” quips Jannen. If you’re not close enough to Alpine to pick up the signal, you can listen to the show streaming live at http://www.my1079.com.


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MOUNTAIN EMPIRE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT QUIZZED OVER ALLEGED MISUSE OF SPECIAL FUNDS


Former Mountain Empire teacher:  `Misspent or reshuffled' monies should go back to the classroom

 


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EAST OF THE LINE: THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE


‘Downzoning’ is actually ‘upzoning’ when it comes to property values

 


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RURAL PARENTS SAY PRINCIPAL EXCHANGE WILL HURT LOCAL SCHOOLS AND SPANISH-SPEAKING STUDENTS

 

By Billie Jo Jannen
For East County Magazine

 

September 22, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- The principals of Campo and Potrero elementary schools in Mountain Empire Unified School District were reassigned by the superintendent without warning on Sept. 9; shocked parents were issued hasty letters of explanation five days later.

 

Campo Principal Diane Yops was informed that she was being removed. A janitor was dispatched to collect her keys and, in the presence of parents and staff members, moved her office items to Potrero Elementary. There, the non-Spanish speaking educator will supervise a student body that is mostly made up of native Spanish speakers. Witnesses said she was forbidden to speak to anyone at the time of her removal.


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EAST OF THE LINE: PARTISAN POLITICS ARE THE POISON PILL OF DEMOCRACY—EVEN IN THE BACKCOUNTRY

 

By Billie Jo Jannen

September 6, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)--Which is more important to the health of a region or a nation: a government that responds to the voice of the people or one that responds to the drive for partisan dominance?


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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.