Group focused on rights of working San Diegans also takes stands for Prop 30, against Prop 32

By Miriam Raftery

October 11, 2012 (San Diego)—At its 15^th anniversary gala last night, the Center on Policy  Initiatives  (CPI) honored “every day heroes”  for providing education and training, “seeds of a strong future.”

In a packed ballroom at the Holiday Inn on the Bay, State Senator Christine Kehoe  praised CPI for “shining a light” on truth with the organization’s research into issues such as poverty, wages and other issues impacting working people in San Diego County.  “We need CPI  more than ever,” she noted, adding “We have  a very large voice of corporations."

October 11, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—Two candidates are vying for the 4th District seat on the Padre Dam Municipal Water Board. 

Incumbent Augie Caires is running on his record, including slashing the District’s deficit and saving money for customers. His opponent, environmental health specialist John Hammerstrand, wants to eliminate contaminants including fluoride, a neurotoxin, from drinking water. 

Below are both candidates' answers to written questions provided by East County Magazine. 

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.

By Janis Mork

October 10, 2012 (Spring Valley)- Fire captain/paramedic Dave Rickards hopes to get re-elected to the San Miguel Fire Board because “I care about the community I want the best fire protection in the community I live in.” The three-term incumbent is a district resident since 1990, spent 29 years in the fire service in El Cajon, and currently sits on the Heartland Communications Commission. He is also the Districts’ representative Finance Committee.” He adds, “We’re all training each other and we all have agreements that help each other out.” 

He is also a U.S. Navy vet, a USS Midway volunteer, and a private pilot. He is currently a Company Engines Officer in the Fletcher Hills Community of El Cajon.

College awarded two of nine grants funded by state chancellor’s office

October 11, 2012 (El Cajon) – If Cuyamaca College grant writers were members of a college sports team, they would be basking in the glory of a triple-season winning streak. You’ve heard of the Dream Team? Meet Cuyamaca’s Green Team.

Since June 2009, the crew has had had every one of its 39 grant proposals funded for a total of $7.3 million to train hundreds of students for solid-paying, dependable jobs, including those in up-and-coming green industries. The grants have also funded pilot programs, which have since been expanded and modeled by other colleges.

Oct 11, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) – Halloween just got more frightening in the East County and it's happening at Cottonwood Golf Club with a "Scary Maze.” "Scary Maze" will frighten and entertain people of all ages beginning Friday, October 19 and continuing on Fridays and weekends through October 28.

The 10,000 square foot maze will be built on Cottonwood Golf Club's driving range. Stacked bales of hay and the design will provide a frightening challenge to find the exit. "We are taking the term "dead end" literally," said Henry Gamboa, Cottonwood Golf Club's Principal Owner.  He added, "There's a reason we are using the word "scary" to describe the maze and visitors will discover why as they try to make their way out."

By Jamie Reno

The Reno Dispatch

Oct. 11, 2012 (San Diego) -- As a 16-year cancer survivor and longtime patient advocate, I was excited to learn that Caribou Coffee, one of the leading branded coffee companies in the country, has formed a new partnership with CancerCare, a non-profit organization that for nearly 70 years has provided a variety of free support services for cancer patients and their loved ones.

http://therenodispatch.blogspot.com/2012/10/cancercare-and-caribou-coffe...

Former Chief Runs Against One of the Board Members Who Fired Him

By Mark Gabrish Conlan

October 8, 2012 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Fire Protection District contains 55 square miles of land, 65,000 people, and according to its website, http://www.lakesidefire.net, “is primarily suburban residential but also has several core commercial zones, some light industry, and many rural/agricultural properties.” It has a significant wildland/urban interface — firefighter-speak for places where homebuilders have butted developments up against forests and other wild areas. In the last decade, that has proven a recipe for brewing out-of-control fires that have threatened properties and claimed lives—particularly here in Lakeside, which has been devastated by several of the worst wildfires in county history.

October 11, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Shockey Fire survivors can still get guidance by going online to the County’s recovery web site, www.sdcountyrecovery.com.

Over the weekend, the County closed its Local Assistance Center at the Jacumba Library after helping 25 residents with basic needs, debris cleanup tips or service, rebuilding, vital records, information on property tax relief, insurance claims and public assistance. About two dozen governmental and nonprofit organizations were available at the Jacumba Library through Saturday.

By Thea Skinner

October 10, 2012 (San Diego's East County)--Proposition 40 allows voters to approve or reject the new state senate districts created by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. If Prop 40 is approved with a yes vote, nothing changes. If rejected by a no vote, the senate districts are re-drawn again by officials under the supervision of the California Supreme Court.  Both the California Democratic Party and California Republican Party now recommend a “yes” vote on Prop 40.

By Thea Skinner

October 10, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--California’s three strikes law imposes a life sentence for a felony if the person convicted has two previous felony convictions.

Prop 36 revises the law so that a life sentence on the third strike would only be given if that third strike is for a serious or violent crime.Under Prop 36, mandatory life sentences would continue to be imposed if any previous conviction was for murder, child rape, molestation, or if the third crime involved sex or drug offenses, or a gun.

If passed, the measure would also allow for re-sentencing criminals serving life sentences if their third conviction was for a non-serious or non violent crime and if a judge determines that a new sentence does not pose an unreasonable risk to public safety.

By Thea Skinner

October 10, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Proposition 34 would eliminate the death penalty in California and replace it with a sentence of life in prison with no chance for parole. Importantly, it applies retroactively to anyone who has already been convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

The measure would also make it a requirement for anyone found guilty of murder to work while in prison, with some wages given to funds for victims and their families. Prop 34 would also earmark $100 million in grants, paid for from savings by the proposal, to law enforcement for investigation of rape and homicide.

By Thea Skinner

“This initiative is exclusively about the stranglehold that special interests have had over California’s political system,”—Jake Suski, Yes on 32

"It promises political reform but it's really designed by its special interest backers to help themselves and harm their opponents." – Trudy Schafer, California League of Women Voters

October 10, 2012 (San Diego's East County)--Proposition 32, titled the “Paycheck Protection Initiative,” would restrict unions and corporations from deducting funds from workers’ paychecks to fund political campaigns, but would allow voluntary employee contributions. Prop 32 also prohibits unions and corporations from contributing to candidates and candidate-controlled committees or groups. Other kinds of political expenditures are still allowed.

By Thea Skinner

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this story

October 10, 2012 (San Diego's East County)--Proposition 30 is the Schools and Safety Protection Act, also known as the temporary taxes to fund education. The measure aims to provide a stable source of funds for public education, which has seen budgets slashed severely in recent years. Local schools have seen teacher lay-offs and class sizes increase; colleges have severely cut back course offerings and some have even eliminated summer school.

Proposition 30 increases income taxes for seven years on Californian residents who earn over $250,000 a year or couples earning over $500,000 a year. It also increases sales taxes for residents of California by ¼ cent for four years. If passed, Prop 30 could raise $6 billion annually for community colleges and K-12 schools.