Update March 16, 2013: A second restraining order has been granted to Jim Pelley, the other ECM photographer threatened by Pattern Energy's manager, Russell Graham.

By Miriam Raftery

March 7, 2013 (El Centro)—Superior Court Judge Richard Bohlander today granted an injunction for civil harassment relief  to protect freelance photographer Parke Ewing following a violent threat made by Russell Graham, construction manager at Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Express Wind Facility.

Ewing’s photos and videos of the project have appeared in East County Magazine as well as on his own Facebook Page and a website documenting the project’s impacts on the desert and the community.

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for minor flooding in urban areas of San Diego, as well as several East County communities including El Cajon, Santee, Spring Valley and Valley Center. 

As ECM previously reported, snow is forecast for mountain areas down to 3500 feet, with thundershowers at lower elevations.

View full flood advisory below.

Public meetings set, including March 26 in Alpine and March 27 in Ramona

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – Forest Service officials are seeking public comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Amendment to the Land Management Plans for the four Southern California national forests (the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino).

The environmental impact statement analyzes the proposal to modify the existing land use zones allocations in selected inventoried roadless areas to include more back country non-motorized and recommended wilderness areas.  It also analyzes the proposal to modify the land management plan monitoring framework.  The statement evaluates alternatives for both topics, including an alternative that would recommend most of the study area as wilderness.  The environmental impact statement can be found on the project webpage at:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=35130

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – Freedom of speech, protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, due process, and freedom of travel are just a smattering of the many rights the United States affords to its people.  

One needn’t be overly familiar with 20th century world history to see how movies like Barbara serve as a reminder of how easy it is for Americans (admittedly myself included) to take for granted these freedoms.  From 1961 to about 1990, the Berlin Wall separated the free, democratic West Germany from the communist, police state East Germany.  East Germans faced police harassment, were spied and informed on to the government, and were for the most part forbidden from leaving the country. 

Bill would provide federal tax adjustment to local breweries

March 7, 2013 (San Diego)-- To help the local craft brewing industry, Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53) joined a bipartisan group of members in cosponsoring H.R. 494, the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act. 

“San Diego is increasingly becoming known as a hub of the craft brewing industry, which has contributed to the growth of small businesses and jobs in the region,” said Davis, a member of the House Small Business Caucus. “Small, independent brewers are a fast rising segment of our economy and Congress should help them compete against large, multi-national brewers.”

March 6, 2013 (Alpine) – The Alpine Education Foundation will present a Mardi Gras parade on March 10 from 1-4 p.m. at the Alpine Creek Town Center shopping center.  The parade will feature floats and the Easter Bunny.

Admission is free to the event, which also features a craft fair, face painting, food booths from local restaurants, West Coast Riders action photos and more.

By Miriam Raftery

An ECM exclusive special report

"I think the organization is finished. It can't run by committee, which is what's being proposed." -- Michael Cully, former Chief Executive Officer

March 5, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) Updated 3:30 p.m. – Last week, ECM reported that the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce let go its Chief Executive Officer, Scott Alevy, and terminated the position amid dwindling financial resources.

Now Michael Cully,  former CEO of the Chamber who was fired in September 2010,  reveals that he recently won a lawsuit against the Chamber over his termination. “I feel comfortable talking about this now," said Cully, who has not spoken publicly about the issues until now.

Moreover, Cully reveals a troubled financial history at the organization he once ran. “The problems with the Chamber preceded my arrival,” he told ECM in an e-mail response requesting his comments on the Chamber's current issues. “When I was interviewing, I requested, but never got—a full download of their financial status. And for good reason, in retrospect.”

March 7, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

NATIONAL

• Carrier cancellation heats up sequester fight as cuts take effect (The Hill)
• But what do the cuts mean for me? A sequester FAQ for the rest of us (Slate) 
• Goal to cut deficit by $4 trillion in reach (Sacramento Bee) 
• Sequester puts more cancer patients at risk of dying, researchers say  (Daily Beast) 
• Military foreclosure rates raise concerns (U-T San Diego, based on New York Times story) 
• DHS freed over 2,000 immigrants since February (Sacramento Bee) 
• Military draft registration: Goodbye to the draft board? (Christian Science Monitor) 
• Democrats turn to FCC to reveal secret donors behind political ads (The Hill) 
• Birds May Use 'Sound Maps' To Navigate Huge Distances (NPR) 

INTERNATIONAL 

• Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez dies (CNN) 
• Mexican president warns party over graft: No one is untouchable (Reuters) 
• The Holocaust just got more shocking (New York Times) 
• Afghan Government Bans Some American Forces For Links To Killings And Torture (NPR) 
• In Depressed Spain, ATMs That Dispense Free Cash (NPR) 
• Assad forces take Aleppo village, reopening supply line (Reuters) 
• Volcanic eruptions might lessen greenhouse effects (CS Monitor) 

HEALTH/SCIENCE 

• MIT Invents A Machine That Can Look At Batman's Face And See His Heart Beating (NPR – fascinating video) 
• Doctors report first cure of HIV in a child (USA Today) 
• New drug doubles risk of pancreatitis (Ivanhoe Newswire)

 Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

March 6, 2013 (San Diego) — You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the “greenest” day of the year. This year, Waste Management of Southern California recommends green tips for making your St. Patty’s Day even greener.

“With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, now is the best time to start making green choices for an environmentally friendly holiday,” said Eloisa Orozco, Area Communications Manager for Waste Management of Southern California. “If each of us took a few small steps to reduce the waste we produce or increase the amount of materials we recycle during the holidays, we’d save a tremendous amount of material, energy and landfill space. There is no shortage of ways to cut down on wastefulness.”

March 6, 2013 (Pine Valley) -- Next of kin has not been notified regarding the death of a Pine Valley man who died in a mobilehome fire back on January 12, 2013.  According to the Medical Examiner, the victim was born August 21, 1945, though his name has not been released.

The charred remains of the victim, who was white, were found after the fire destroyed a residence at 27521 Olde Highway 80, space 82, in Pine Valley. Cal Fire personnel responded to the fire after receiving calls and found the body inside after dousing the fire.

By Miriam Raftery

March 4, 2013 (San Diego) – The California Public Utilities Commission has announced that it has moved a hearing on the Quail Brush power plant from San Francisco to San Diego .  The hearing, at which a vote is expected, is set for March 21 at the Conference Center Hearing Room, 5520 Overland Ave., San Diego 92123 Click for Map. 

The announcement comes after five postponements of the hearing, amid allegations that CPUC's Chairman violated state open meetings law to exert undue influence; project opponents are calling for his recusal from the vote.

The California Energy Commission, meanwhile, has cancelled a public workshop set for March 3 at Grossmont College. 

Quail Brush, a gas-fired power plant proposed near Mission Trails Regional Park, has generated strong community opposition. Save Mission Trails, an activist group battling the project, has announced it plans to stage a rally at 8 a.m. prior to the 9 a.m. hearing.

March 6, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The County of San Diego is hosting a variety of unique events at parks countywide, include several East County and inland area locations: Agua Caliente Regional Park in the Anza Borrego Desert,  Lake Morena, Lakeside Community Center, Spring Valley Community Center,  Sweetwater Summit Regional Park and Campground in Bonita, Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch Preserve, Vallecito County Park, Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve, Wilderness Gardens Presere, and William Heise County Park in Julian.

Scroll down for detailed listings of activities at each park. For information on park locations and more, also see http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/

Over two-thirds of study participants report chronic sleep deprivation and breathing disorders

By Billie Jo Jannen

A special report for East County Magazine

March 5, 2013  (San Diego’s East County)--A university research team that specializes in studying health and social challenges of minority populations is now focusing on quantification of reported illness among Manzanita tribal members who live along the row of wind turbines erected five years ago by the neighboring Campo tribe.

Lead researcher Arcela Nuñez-Alvarez, Ph.D., of the National Latino Research Center said the numbers, so far “…show some trends that I think deserve more attention.” Preliminary numbers in the small population being studied show that 68 percent of the households are suffering from chronic sleep disorders – an oft-mentioned complaint of people who live near turbines – and the same percentage reported respiratory problems.

Article by Dennis Moore

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.”   --Frederick Douglass

March 6, 2013 (San Diego)--Thousands of federal employees in the San Diego area are soon to be impacted by sequestration, automatic budget cuts mandated by the federal government.  These cuts may have a larger impact on San Diego County than anywhere else in the U.S., since our region is home to wide-ranging naval operations, a bustling border and vibrant biotech and drone sectors. About $37 billion flows into the County each year, including billions of dollars for defense contracts and millions more for research efforts.

The Coalition For Change, Inc. (C4C) is a Washington, DC based organization that promotes equality as well as exposes retaliation and racism in the federal government. “Civil servants (i.e., agents, air marshals, food inspectors, investigators, corrections officers, firefighters) function as America’s first line of defense against domestic threats. Therefore, we must protect our federal workforce against managerial abuse and reprisal in order to better protect our citizens.” That is what Tanya Ward Jordan, the founder of C4C, believes and espouses in her daily activities and advocacy on behalf of this organization. Now C4C is ramping up to strengthen its fight for federal workers.

March 9, 2013 (Poway)--In today’s 24-7 world, it’s easier than ever to take your dog for granted.  Chances are quality bonding time is now a simple bowl of food in the morning, a short walk around the block, and maybe, if they’re lucky, a quick scratch of the belly. 

“Where’s the love? Where’s the togetherness? It’s time to recreate the magic and make a dinner date with your dog!” says Samantha Colla with Chef Michael's, who will be serving up food for you and your dog on Thursday, March 14 from 5-8 p.m. at Innovations Academy, 10380 Spring Canyon Road in San Diego.