June 9, 2016 (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

• That judge attacked by Donald Trump? He’s faced a lot worse. (New York Times)
• Former Trump University workers call the school a”lie” and a “scheme” in testimony (New York Times)
• Transparency? SDPD rejects requests for body cam video of Trump protests aftermath (10 News)
• Group forms to fight San Onofre nuclear waste plan (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Tribune Renames Itself 'Tronc' While Gannett Weighs Its Bid (KPBS)
• Feds OK weapons for San Onofre (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Helix Charter High School Names New Leader(La Mesa Today)
• Poway Unified Paid a Financial Firm Double the Contract Amount in Half the Time (Voice of San Diego)
• Supervisor Bill Horn’s code additions still not up to code (CBS8)
• Signatures submitted on Lilac Hills vote (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• From useful to wasteful: How utility customers have born the brunt of failed projects (Los Angeles Times)
• Brush fires fueled by extreme heat hit Southern California; parts of Calabasas evacuated (LA Times)
• Californians Will Get Their Choice Between Coke, Diet Coke for the Senate (Reason)
• Congressional Candidate Deluged With Anti-Semitic Harassment (Buzzfeed)
• Watchdog Makes Emails From California Utility Officials Public (KPBS)
• Bill to overhaul CPUC passes Assembly (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Edison, regulators cooperated on subpoena (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

May 26, 2016 (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

• Patient secretly recorded by Sharp Grossmont files claim against hospital  (NBC 7)
• MTS faces possible bus walkout (Patch.com)
• KUSI goes one on one with Senator Bernie Sanders (KUSI)
• Voter guide to San Diego and California races in June 7 primary (Times of San Diego)
• Locals rally for fawn rescue center (Ramona Sentinel)
• San Diego’s top cops comment on ACLU report, UT article about asset seizure (Patch.com)
• San Diego County Dams Old But Still Passing Muster (KPBS)

STATE

• Labor unions, environmentalists are biggest opponents of Governor Brown’s affordable housing plan (Sacramento Bee)
• Study: humans responsible for 90% of wildfires in California (KPBS)
• California Senate approves broad new gun restrictions (Sacramento Bee)
• Lake Mead declines to lowest level in history (Desert Sun)
• California Agencies Send Mixed Signals On Drought Conditions (NPR)
• National Park Service loses early round over Yosemite trademarks fight (Miami Herald)
• Groups got $11.6M from board they serve on (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

May 4, 2016, 2016 (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

• Two Home Invasions, Two Families Who Waited on Hold With 911 (Voice of San Diego)
• Growing water crisis in Borrego (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• What’s behind San Diego County’s alarmingly high C-section rates? (KPBS)
• Annual count finds nearly 9,000 homeless in San Diego County (KPBS)
• Senate Demands Department Of Energy Remove San Onofre Nuclear Waste (KPBS)
• Mom: brain-eating amoeba killed my daughter (10  News)
• San Diego Needs Transit More Than Ever — and SANDAG’s Plan Doesn’t Have Enough (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego Home Prices Jump 6.4% From 2015 (KPBS)
• After 47 years, La Mesa volunteer says bye to kindergartners(San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Five Apollo astronauts to visit San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Hispanic entrepreneurs do best in Texas (San Diego Reader)

STATE

• Deadline passes in Probe of San Onofre nuclear deal (KPBS)
• Jerry Brown raises California smoking age to 21, tightens vaping rules (Sacramento Bee)
• CPUC meets with Wall Street types, too (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Three-day drama led to UC Davis Chancellor Katehi’s suspension (Sacramento Bee)

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

April 20, 2016 (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

• What Elections Have San Diego Political Candidates Missed? (KPBS)
• San Diego County Water Authority Files Lawsuit Against MWD (KPBS)
• MTS Compass Card Was Insecure From The Beginning (KPBS)
• DA won’t file charges against Supervisor Dave Roberts (KPBS)
• Political fine from 2012 mayor's race sets record (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• The California Democrat setting the national agenda (Atlantic)
• Hunter repaid funds spent on surf shop, garage door (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego County Crime Rate Up 6 Percent (KPBS)

STATE

• Harris Questioned For Representing Gov. Brown During San Onofre Probe (KPBS)
• Donald Trump to speak at California Republican convention (Sacramento Bee)
•  Your Speeding Ticket Might Not Be Enforceable (Voice of SD)
• Calif. university spent $175,000 to counter negative Internet posts: newspaper  (Reuters)
• State nabs more than 80 for unlicensed contracting(San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Brickbat: Youthful Offender taken off terrorist watch list (Reason)

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

March 30,  2016 (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

• In San Diego, Syrian refugee family finds safe haven (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• U.S. Border officials accused of denying food to asylum seekers (KPBS)
• Janitors carry the cross and have feet washed (Reporting San Diego)
• Elderly man robbed at his Rancho San Diego home (10 News)
• Sheriff investigates Ag Boosters missing funds (Ramona Sentinel)
• UCSD caught in debate over fetal tissue research (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• HIV trial set for next year (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Many Latino, African-American Students Opting Out Of AP Classes (KPBS)
• Records show dead frogs, moldy classrooms (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Transit Funding Emerges As Key Issue For SANDAG Tax Increase (KPBS)
• Water bill jump hard to swallow in Rainbow (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Despite the Porter Ranch disaster, the top executive at SoCalGas is getting an enormous bonus (Los Angeles Times)  
• Audit: University of California undermines resident students (KPBS)
• Kamala Harris the `female Obama’ plots her course on the road to Washington (Guardian)
• Solar arrays in the desert: killing more birds than you imagine (Memories of the People)
• FPPC opens limited probe of Brown aide  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Dianne Feinstein to Obama: Turn on the Taps! (Breitbart News)
• Everything We Thought We Knew About the Two-Thirds Voter Requirement Could Change if New Ruling Holds (Voice of San Diego)
• As Chinese Investors Sweep Into Bordeaux Region, French Winemakers Are Buying Up California Vineyards (The Daily Meal)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Updated March 31 with new info from the County Office of Education.

March 15, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The County Committee on School District Organization will hold six hearings to get public input on the Grossmont Union High School District’s proposed shift to electing governing board trustees by districts.  The GUHSD board voted 4-1 to adopt a controversial map and seek a waiver of a public vote despite opposition from members of the public who spoke, some alleging gerrymandering to oust a dissenting board member and break up a vocal minority voting block, as ECM reported.

The six hearings are set for March 17 in La Mesa, March 28 in El Cajon,  April 4 in Alpine,  April 5 in Jamul, April 6 in Lemon Grove, and April 11 in Lakeside.  The public can testify at the meetings and also submit written comments up until April 7.  The County’s committee will vote to approve or disapprove the district’s request at its April 13 meeting. The Alpine hearing was added after ECM and community members asked that Alpine be added as a location due to the many controversies involving the Alpine area.

For the full schedule of meetings, rules and details, click "read more" and scroll down.

To view the San Diego County Office of Education hearings announcement in English, Spanish and Arabic, click here.

To view data on the GUHSD redistricting plan including demographic details and maps, click here.

East County News Service

March 13, 2016 (San Diego) – Supervisors will hear a report with options for enacting a moratorium banning future medical marijuana collective facilities on Wednesday, March 16^th.

In February, nine speakers addressed Supervisors during public comment with concerns over marijuana dispensaries.  The Supervisors asked the Chief Administration Officer to craft options now available for regulating medical marijuana collectives in light of “a recent California Supreme Court decision that allows local municipalities to ban marijuana facilities, newly adopted State laws pertaining to medical marijuana, and ballot initiatives slated for the November ballot,” according to the agenda.

March 4,  2016 (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

• 22 People Charged Under Provisions Of Chelsea's Law In San Diego County
• State laws prompt local marijuana backlash (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• MTS Admits Credit Card Security Gaps (KPBS)
• San Diego-Based Navy SEAL To Receive Medal Of Honor (City News Service)
• Navy’s new mission: alternative medicine(San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Yosemite name changes: Park Service not giving up yet (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Why won't California track where $13 billion went? (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Judge’s PUC action, friendship with Brown questioned (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Despite Porter Ranch disaster, Sempra reports strong earnings (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Surge pricing at Disneyland could boost pricing by 20% (Bloomberg)

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

By  Miriam Raftery

February 23, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)—Grosssmont-Union High School District’s board is expected to cast a final vote Thursday at 4 p.m. on controversial redistricting maps. The board will also vote to seek a waiver from the state from a requirement that would ordinarily requiring putting the redistricting measure on the ballot, and waiver from a state requiring that new trustee area plans be in effect at least 120 days before the next election in November.  (View meeting notice. The meeting will be at the East County Regional Education Center, 924 East Main Street, El Cajon.)

The district contends it has acted appropriately in response to a threat of legal action over alleged voting rights violations. But critics say the plan would oust the board’s most outspoken dissenting member, Priscilla Schreiber, leave Alpine represented by an opponent of the Alpine High School, and divide Iraqi-Chaldean residents into multiple districts, diluting their power as a voting block.  It also carves out a new district in the Lemon Grove/Spring Valley area with no trustee currently residing in that district, which does have a history of representing people of color.

February 9,  2016 (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

• What might have saved these veterans? (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Chevron blamed for utility’s $84M gas bill (Courthouse News)
• San Diego’s Oversupply of Water Reaches a New, Absurd Level (Voice of San Diego)
• Lilac Hills developer files for initiative drive (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Utilities overspend and get rich in plain sight (San Diego Reader)
• New Coin Haus In La Mesa (SD Food Finds)
• Balboa Park's Starlight Theater Is Now a Crumbling Eyesore (www.voiceofsandiego.org)
• Amazon Books hiring for retail store in San Diego (SanDiegoUnionTribune.com)
• Disappearing bargain-rate hotels worsen homelessness (U-T)
• Homelessness Downtown Has Spiked Dramatically (Voice of SD)
• Tough To Get Data From San Diego’s Open Data Initiative (KPBS)
• San Diego Heirs Of Jewish Art Collector Get CA Attorney General's Support (City News Service)
• San Carlos Flooding Offers a Lesson for the City (Voice of SD)
• Yuima recall claims its first director (Valley Roadrunner)

STATE

• Lawmaker Seeks To Dissolve California Utilities Regulator (KPBS)
• Where California’s Republican U.S. Senate candidates stand on issues (Sacramento Bee)
• Study: Oil field operations caused California earthquakes (SF Gate)
• In San Bernadino attack, trial delayed for man accused of supplying weapons (Reuters)
• California Coastal Commission May Toss Chief Overboard (KPBS)
• Are New California Solar Fees Unfair To Non-Solar Users? (KPBS)

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

January 27, 2016 (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

• East County business owner duped in utility scam (10 News)
• Who’s planning a religious resort in Mission Valley? (U-T)
• ‘Lucky life’ lotto winner dies after becoming a millionaire (NBC)
• Local cities asked to back spent nuclear fuel bill (U-T)
• State Probing Experimental Hubbs Fish Breeding Program That’s Spawned Deformities, Mixed Results (Voice of SD)
•  Federal Authorities Do Little To Punish San Onofre Over Closure (KPBS)
• State Accountability Scarce Four Years After San Onofre Leak (KPBS)

STATE

• Saudi Arabia is buying up California farmland (Water Deeply)
• Porter Ranch: Regulators approve comprehensive abatement order over massive gas leak (Los Angeles Times)
• Porter Ranch ‘climate disaster’ shows need for national fracking ban: Sanders (Los Angeles Times) 
• In California, A Treasure Hunt For Gold Rush-Era Fruit And Nut Trees (NPR)
• Leaking L.A. County Methane Well Under Stress (KPBS)
• California Regulators Order Company To Permanently Close Leaking Gas Well (NPR)
• Exclusive: California gas leak spotlights shoddy regulation of aging storage wells (Reuters)

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

January 14, 2016 (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

• Lost Boys find joys, challenges in adulthood (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lakeside Business Owners Bet the Farm on CEQA Challenge (Voice of San Diego)
• Those Giant Tides Are Worse Than Ever and May Be Hint of What’s to Come (VOSD)
• Torrents of water rush through San Carlos homes, residents blame city (KNSD)
• More pot dispensaries on county land coming (U-T)
• Local mom says man filmed her daughter at La Mesa park, used Facetime as cover story  (10 News)
• Brother of alleged ISIS fighter denies lies (U-T)
• Lilac Hills vote delayed indefinitely (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Openness act targets backroom deals (U-T)
• Chipotle Faces A Criminal Investigation Into Its Handling Of A Norovirus Outbreak(NPR)
• California ERs in critical condition (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Citizens’ United advisory measure can go on ballot, high court rules (LA Times)
• Aleutian Quake Zone Could Shoot Big Tsunamis To Hawaii, California (NPR)
• CPUC ousts administrative law judge (San Diego Reader)
• Public disclosure of officials’ private devices needed (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

East County News Service

December 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – A diverse group of people and organizations topped our headlines this year.  Some made a positive difference in our communities. Others sparked controversy.  Still others have been fighting for changes in our East County region.

These are our top newsmakers of the year in categories that include animal protection, business, the Chaldean community, education, elected officials and candidates, the environment, health, land use controversies, law enforcement, music, Native Americans, philanthropy, and watchdogs of democracy.

December 16, 2015 (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

• Drinking water starts flowing from Carlsbad desalinization plant (KPBS)
• Public weighs in on ambulance service (Ramona Sentinel)
• Police arrest homeless man for living in donated house given to him by good Samaritans (10 News)
• Protests filed over SDG&E’s move to lobby against energy choice (KPBS)
• Biometric test begins at Otay Border (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Dianne Jacob asks state to block SDG&E’s plan to lobby against community choice (Jacob letter on Facebook)
• Border Report: For Affordable Homes, San Diegans Go to Tijuana (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• Natural gas leak in California raises health, environmental concerns (NPR)
• Gun and bomb attack threats close Los Angeles schools in likely hoax (Reuters)
• 10-year old Wukchumni boy’s refusal to sing derogatory song leads to its removal from school(Native News Online)
• Sources: Farook planned another attack years ago (CNN)
• Fire at Southern California mosque ‘intentional act’ (KNSD)
• Brown is no stranger to CPUC involvement (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Onofre: Gov. Brown, PUC inspire public cynicism (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

December 1, 2015 (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

• Murdoch says L.A. Times to be sold: If true, Union-Tribune will also likely have new owner soon (Reader)
• New winery law: good vintage or sour grapes? (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• At least a dozen sickened by batch of spice near Petco Park (KNSD)
• Police warn homeless about El Nino flooding (10 News)
• Floating Another Way to Pay for New Water (Voice of San Diego)
• Medical marijuana dominates discussion with lieutenant (Ramona Sentinel)
• County deserves adjustments to state water restrictions (San Diego Union-Tribune editorial)
• Breceda sculptures find new home: Dinosaurs and serpents come to Vista (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases On The Rise In San Diego County  (KPBS)

STATE

• Widespread cheating by instructors, cadets alleged at California’s fire training academy (Sacramento Bee)
• Native American Tribe Bets On Olive Oil (NPR)
• Rogue agency enabled by governor (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Feinstein turns to Obama to protect California’s desert (San Francisco Chronicle)
• The feds just got sued for allowing Nestle to bottle water in California’s drought country (Mother Jones)
• Assemblywoman proposes double-time pay for retail employees working on Thanksgiving (10 News)
• E-mail hints at possible Brown complicity in corruption (Los Angeles Daily News)
• Email Suggests Brown Took Edison's Side On San Onofre; Governor Denies It  (KPBS)
• California Farmer Works To Restore Groundwater By Purposely Flooding Crops (NPR)

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