County Urges Health Care Providers to Vaccinate Parents and Children; Cases of Whopping Cough Nearly Double over 2009
 
A 1-month-old baby boy, who was diagnosed with whooping cough, died on July 27 at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, leading officials to continue urging parents to get themselves and their children vaccinated.
 
 
“This death is a tragedy for the family and the broader community,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., County Deputy Public Health Officer. “This year we have seen a great increase in whooping cough cases and we are working with the medical community to assure that all individuals are vaccinated for whooping cough.”

July 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce invites you to “pack your suitcases and travel to some of the most breathtaking and exciting locations throughout the world.”
 
The 2010 Tours and Trade Missions with the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will be heading out to Spain, Thailand, China, Costa Rica, Ireland, Italy, our own New England Coast and the National Parks of the Northwest.

July 5, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – C. Hook Theater will present Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat July 7-10. C. Hook Theater productions are held at the Performing Arts Center at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center, 6845 University Avenue in San Diego (one block west of 70th Street).

UTILITY ALSO PRESENTS ITS ENERGY RESOURCE PLAN FOR OUR REGION AT ECEDC COMMUNITY LEADERS SPOTLIGHT

May 25, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has announced that the company will bring the world’s largest heavy-lifting helicopter in the world to our region to construct Sunrise Powerlink, which SDG&E hopes to begin constructing this summer. “It can also be used for firefighting—and it can bring up to 2,500 gallons of water,” said Michael R. Niggli, president and chief operating officer of SDG&E. By contrast, the largest firefighting helicopter previously in San Diego had a capacity of 300 gallons, he said.

Niggli made the remarks during the East County Economic Development Council’s Community Leaders Spotlight at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego yesterday.  The company's executives also presented business and education leaders with its plans for economic revitalization and sustainable energy that SDG&E indicated will benefit East  County. 

By Chris Morrow, freelance journalist/CNN iReporter
April 14, 2010 (City Heights) --Residents of City Heights who spend hours daily tending the garden Michelle Obama visited today wished they had been part of the moment.
Hundreds of guests attended to meet the First Lady as she toured the New Roots Community Farm, but only three of the community growers were invited as she walked through their garden.

Many of the growers watched in their homes across the street. It was a time of happiness to have the First Lady visit the farm and also a time of sadness to not be included.

April 11, 2010 (San Diego) -- Yesterday, volunteers from San Diego were met with gratitude by earthquake survivors , delivering food, water, tents, toys and hope for thousands left homeless near the epicenter in Mexico—including a one-day-old infant christened “America.”

Increase your enjoyment of living

By Sharon Courmousis Sacred Rocks Reserve

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” ~ John Muir

 
LIONS, TIGERS & BEARS IS RAISING FUNDS TO CREATE A COUGAR CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION STATION

February 6, 2010 (Alpine) – Shrinking habitat in San Diego’s backcountry has led to inevitable clashes between mountain lions, humans and domesticated animals. But unlike some predatory animals, mountain lions can't be repatriated after capture due to their large, exclusive territory (up to 100 square miles), drastically reduced amount of remote habitat, and the growing number of lions being captured.

With few places to take captured cougars, authorities often must kill these carnivores whose ranges conflict with people. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that between 100 and 135 mountain lions are killed in California each year.

“This is a major initiative about the future of East County,” -- G. Cole Davis, El Cajon Community Development Corporation

By Miriam Raftery

February 4, 2010 (El Cajon) – On Saturday, community leaders from throughout East County convened in El Cajon for “The Challenges and Opportunities of Imaging the Future of the Greater San Diego Region.” The event was the seventh such function held around the County by San Diego Foundation’s Civil Society. The goal?

To create a Regional Vision Initiative with a 50-to-100 year strategic plan that will encompass the shared values and priorities of residents.

 
 

“We do not rest much. Every minute is the difference between life and death.” – Darryl Hall, team leader, Rescue Task Force
 
By Miriam Raftery

January 23, 2010 (San Diego) –International Relief Teams (IRT) and Rescue Task Force (RTF), two San Diego-based humanitarian organizations, were among the first to reach Haiti after the earthquake struck. Both teams have saved countless lives since their arrival, though much more help is needed.
 
Below are stories of their heroic efforts and their eyewitness accounts of one of the worst natural disasters in the western hemisphere.

 
Looking for a missing family member? Search hotline, online database set up

 
By Miriam Raftery
 
January 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Over 100,000 people have been killed in a 7.0 earthquake that  struck the island of Haiti in the Caribbean, CNN reports.  The quake is the strongest  to rock the region in two centuries. Thousands more are trapped beneath rubble or lay injured in the streets.
 
Massive global relief efforts are being mobilized to help victims and public help is sought for donations--and local relief agencies are pitching in to lend support.

El Cajon Library among county buildings slated for solar panel installation

December 22, 2009 (San Diego)--The County of San Diego announced today that it has been awarded $5.1 million for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.
 
“This grant will fund projects that will help save money and the environment by conserving energy at County facilities and encouraging green building practices in the community,” said Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Dianne Jacob.
 

Class Action Suit Alleges Policies Intended to “Harass Homeless People Into Going Away”

December 5, 2009 (San Diego)--SAN DIEGO – In a series of aggressive raids in September and October, city workers escorted by police seized and summarily destroyed the possessions of homeless men and women. In a lawsuit filed December 2nd, the Dreher Law Firm and the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties call for a permanent injunction stopping the city from repeating “unlawful, unconstitutional policies and practices.” The suit alleges that no legitimate, lawful or moral basis exists for the wholesale destruction of people’s property.

 
November 1, 2009 (San Diego)--Federal stimulus spending has generated 1,290 jobs in San Diego County, according to data reported this week on the first round of job creation under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
 
While the report represents a landmark in government transparency, more must be done to make sure high quality jobs are created to help build a sustainable, equitable, green economy, said Murtaza Baxamusa, research and policy director of the Center on Policy Initiatives. (http://www.onlinecpi.org/)

New Census data show 850,000 county residents living in economic hardship
 

September 29, 2009 (San Diego)--Poverty in San Diego County shot up in 2008, rising at a much faster pace than in California or the nation. This plunge in quality of life for many San Diegans is documented in U.S. Census data released today.

The data shows that 850,000 county residents--29% of the population--were living in economic hardship in 2008, according to analysis by the Center on Policy Initiatives. That measure, using a threshold double the federal poverty level, is a more realistic gauge in cities like San Diego where living costs such as housing and fuel are higher than the national average, CPI reports.

"The starkest case is that of El Caj on, which has 21% living below the poverty rate (compared to 12.6% countywide)," said CPI director of research Murtaza Baxamusa. "One in five is pretty dire. El Cajon, in terms of poverty, is the worst city in the County...The City of El Cajon really needs to examine their public policies and their investment in people."  Even worse, nearly half (46%) of all people in El Cajon are living in economic hardshp, using the threshhold of double the poverty level.    

U.S. Department of Energy Chooses ECOtality’s eTec to Implement Project: 1,000 Electric Cars to be Tested in San Diego County
 
 August 5, 2009 (San Diego) – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec) today announced that eTec, a leader in development of advanced transportation and energy systems, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to implement the largest transportation electrification project in U.S. history through a $99.8 million grant.

 
 
By Miriam Raftery
 
July 30, 2009 (Sacramento)—Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently told the New York Times that he felt “perfectly fine” and said that no matter what happens with California’s budget crisis, he would still " sit down in my Jacuzzi tonight” and “lay back with a stogie.”
 
Now the Governor has wielded his veto power to terminate or drastically reduce funds for programs that help the most vulnerable Californians--including sick children, the disabled, AIDs patients, the poor, and others in need. His actions have triggered a massive backlash of protest reaching from San Diego to the State Capitol, including a potential legislative effort to override the Governor’s vetoes.

July 30, 2009 (San Diego) – Four women, all with underlying health conditions, have died from the panedemic H1N1 influenza virus (formerly called swine flu), the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency reported yesterday.  To date, San Diego County has had 735 confirmed cases, including 12 deaths.

 
By Miriam Raftery
 
June 28, 2009 (San Diego)— Last week, President Barack Obama presented his “prescription for America” (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7922187&page=1). The President aims to create a public option for a government healthcare program similar to Medicare that would compete against private insurance companies.
 
As debate in Washington D.C. heats up, local advocates are speaking out, holding forums, and mobilizing citizens in San Diego and East County to lobby legislators in favor of healthcare reform—a move they say is needed to counter heavy lobbying by health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and other healthcare industry interests. But while some applaud the Obama plan, others believe it doesn’t go far enough—and believe only a single-payer plan which eliminates private insurance will solve our healthcare crisis. Still others oppose any government healthcare plan option, arguing it will prove costly and cost jobs in the private healthcare industry.

June 20, 2009 (San Diego)--People United Against Cuts is a local coalition formed to oppose the Governor’s recent “All Cuts” budget. A press released issued by the group states, “The Governor’s proposed budget will have a catastrophic impact on children, seniors, people with disabilities, low income families, college students and HIV/AIDS patients.

June 22, 2009 (San Diego) --The League of Women Voters will host a luncheon program titled “How Green is My San Diego” with Tom Blair and Stephen Grealy from the City Environmental Systems and Waste Reduction Departments and Carolyn Chase from the Sierra Club in San Diego on June 30th.

June 20, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Congressman Bob Filner announces that he has secured significant funding for critical community projects within California’s 51st District through the bi-partisan Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill as follows:

• $1.2 million for the Regional Communications System Upgrade through the County of San Diego, which will also benefit Imperial County
• $200,000 for Gang and Drug Crime Investigation and Prosecution efforts through the County of San Diego District Attorney’s office
• $350,000 for the Regional Gang Enforcement Collaborative through the County of San Diego Sheriff’s Department
• $400,000 for the Prisoner Re-entry Employment Program through San Diego Second Chance
• $95,000 for the Homeless Outreach Program and Enforcement (HOPE) Project through the City of National City, CA
• $100,000 for the Turning the Hearts Center in Chula Vista, CA.

June 20, 2009 (San Diego)--Escondido resident Adela Chevalier, 20, has died of H1N1 influenza (previously known as swine flu) at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. Previously young and healthy, her death leaves some health experts concerned over whether the disease could have mutated into a more virulent form, though County Health authorities urge people not to panic.

By Miriam Raftery June 17, 2009 (Washington D.C.)—Recent warming in the Southwestern U.S. including San Diego County has been among the worst in the nation, according to a newly-released federal report begun under the Bush administration and finalized by the Obama administration. Average temperatures here have increased 1.5 degrees during the past 20 years and are projected to soar three to five degrees above the historical baseline by 2050 and up to ten degrees by the end of this century, the report predicts. Further, precipitation along the Southwestern border region has fallen as much as 40% over the past 50 years.

Water, water everywhere: How San Diego Can Become Water Self-Sufficient—And Even Be a Water Exporter

A Commentary By Jim Bell

May 10, 2009 (San Diego)--Many experts are projecting doom and gloom, scenarios of decreasing water supplies and increasing cost, yet the San Diego/Tijuana Region can easily become renewable water self-sufficient and even become a net water exporter. Yes, that’s right. We can have plenty of water for drinking, showering, growing food and even swimming—with liquid assets to spare.

May 3, 2009 (San Diego)—Health authorities have traced origins of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak to a 10-year old son of a military family in San Diego, UPI reports today. The Centers for Disease Control conducted tests on samples from the boy, revealing the never-before-seen strain of flu virus on April 15, though his brother had symptoms two weeks earlier. Today, the County Health & Human Services Agency confirms four new cases of the flu, bringing the total of cases locally to 15, with several more suspected. The four new cases are a 3-year-old female, a 17-year-old male, a 35-year-old female and a 33-year-old male. The latter two are cases previously confirmed by the military.

By Miriam Raftery May 1, 2009 (San Diego)—“We are in a moment of historic change,” Phoebe Ellis-Lamkins, chief executive officer of Green for All, said in a program yesterday in San Diego titled “Green Jobs: Fighting Poverty and Pollution.” Sponsored by the Center for Policy Initiatives, the event drew a full house of community leaders, environmentalists and labor union members. “Do people know that there are trillions of dollars to be spent on a green economy?” she asked. “The reason I’m in San Diego is because San Diego is one of the places that is ripe for opportunity. . .Very few cities are ready for this money.”
 
The national green economy expert predicted, “We think San Diego is a place that should be a model for a green economy… A green economy can move us out of recession.” In addition, the transition to a green energy can create good-paying jobs and lift people out of poverty in San Diego County and the nation, Lamkins said.
 

April 29, 2009 (San Diego)—San Diego and Iimperial Counties both declared local health emergencies today. The declarations are routine steps in preparations for addressing an outbreak of swine flu. There are eight confirmed cases in San Diego County and 5 confirmed cases in Imperial County. The three newest cases in San Diego County include a three-year-old boy and his father, as well as a 23-year-old man. An additional seven cases of suspected swine flu are currently being tested, East County Magazine has learned.
 

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DECLARES PHASE 5 EPIDEMIC

April 29, 2009 (San Diego)—Eight cases of people infected with swine influenza have been confirmed in San Diego County, confirms Tom Christensen, Health & Human Services media spokesman. Details on new cases will be released later today. Several other local cases are suspected, including an SDSU student. President Barack Obama today said that schools with an infected student should close down, raising the possibility that SDSU could shut down shortly before final exams scheduled May 4-8.

HUNTER SEEKS CLOSURE OF BORDER

UPDATED April 29, 2009 (San Diego)—Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in California to request federal funds for emergency services and supplies to combat the disease. To date, 91 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., including 11 in California and five in San Diego County. The first U.S. death, a boy who traveled to Texas from Mexico, was confirmed today and tests are being done on a Los Angeles man who died following symptoms of swine flu. (Tests on a second L.A.man proved negative.) The outbreak has spread to Europe, Asia, the middle East and Canada. In Mexico, over 149 deaths have occurred and nearly 2,000 cases reported, prompting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to issue a travel advisory asking travelers to avoid nonessential trips to Mexico.