East County News Service

July 9, 2014 (San Diego) –East County Magazine picked up 10 journalism awards tonight in the Society of Professional Journalists San Diego contest, including four first place awards and for the third year in a row, the James Julian Memorial Award for community reporting.  

ECM picked up two awards for reports aired on KNSJ radio, as well as honors for online reporting. This brings ECM’s total awards to 69 since our launch in 2008.

“This is public service journalism at its finest—identify the problem for readers and track the changes. It worked in this case. Bravo,” commented a judge for the James Julian award, which includes a $100 cash prize for our story titled Why is County Veterans Service Department ignoring rural East County vets?  By Miriam Raftery.  After the report aired, Supervisor Dianne Jacob introduced a measure later adopted to bring veterans’ services to county libraries in rural locations.

“It's like a heat wave, Burnin' in my heart, I can't keep from cryin', It's tearin' me apart…”

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

July 10, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - “What a cool song…  But lately, temperatures haven’t been so cool. It’s been hot and humid which put an even greater strain on us. Extreme heat is a potential health concern reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.”

East County News Service

July 8, 2014 (El Cajon)-Heartland Fire & Rescue crews in El Cajon responded to reports of a structure fire in the 1500 block of East Main Street in El Cajon this morning. As firefighters arrived on scene, they found smoke coming from one of the storage units at “Extra Space Storage,” located at 1539 East Main Street.

Photos by Maria Teresa Fernandez and Miriam Raftery

July 10, 2014 (San Diego) – Border Angels, a nonprofit San Diego organization, has received over 10 tons of donated clothing, toys, diapers and food for the Central American refugee families coming to our region.  Now the group has launched a teddy bear drive to “share the love with our refugee children,”  said Enrique Morones, founder of Border Angels.  Donated items can be dropped off at the Border Angels office at 2258 Island Avenue in San Diego.  The group also seeks an East County drop-off location.

This is not the group’s first effort to help people in need locally.  Border Angels successfully raised donations to help wildfire survivors in our region, as well as to help victims of the Easter Sunday earthquake just over our border several years ago. 

The wave of Central American immigrants fleeing violence and risk of death in their homelands have been the subject of controversy.  Anti-immigration protesters blocked several busloads of the refugees in Murrietta, chanting racial slurs. Five of the protesters were arrested after some tackled law enforcement officers.  Now, as people across the nation and around the world have seen video of the controntation, many have stepped forward to help the immigrant children and their families.

July 8, 2014 (El Cajon) – The East County Wellness Center, home of the new East County Magazine & Media Center offices, has generously agreed to share wellness tips with our readers. This week’s wellness tips include maintaining limber muscles, inviting bliss into your life, and how to create a meditation space. 

For full details, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Mimi Pollack

July 3, 2014 (Tecate)--Gizmo is one of the official greeters at Rancho La Puerta, a spa in Tecate, Mexico, just over the border from San Diego’s East County. Deborah Szekely and her late husband, Edmond, started Rancho La Puerta [the ranch] in 1940. Back then, it was very rustic and primitive as they were living in harmony with the surrounding nature. That love of nature continues, and today Rancho La Puerta is ranked as one of the best spa destinations in the world.

By Miriam Raftery

July 9, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - The state of California is considering making water conservation mandatory – with penalties for those who fail to comply.

June 25, 2014 (Santee) – The Santee Firefighters Fishing Derby is set for Saturday, July 12 at Santee Lakes from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Derby participants will receive a free day permit, worms, raffle ticket, hot dog lunch and free door prizes while they last.

July 8, 2014 (Sacramento)—Now you can sip a chardonnay or sample a sangiovese while perusing produce and other food items at your local farmer’s market.  Starting immediately, a new bill signed into law today by Governor Jerry Brown legalizes wine tasting at farmer’s markets for winemakers.

Photo: Gary Harris on FlickR (Creative Commons license)

July 8, 2014 (San Diego)--Daryl Hall and John Oates, the number one selling duo in music history, will be performing on Saturday, October 25^th at the San Diego State University’s Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theater.  Tickets go on sale Friday, July 11 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster ticket centers, the Viejas Arena box office, online at LiveNation.com or by phone at 800-745-3000.

Lori Abbott, California News Service

July 8, 2014 (Sacramento)-- Mark Twain made it famous, and now the California red-legged frog is about to become the state's official amphibian.

By Miriam Raftery

July 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County) -- Below are some of the newsworthy items on this week's agendas for boards, commissions and councils in East County. Taxes, electronic cigarettes and land use issues are among the hot topics to be discussed in these public meetings.  You can find full agendas and meeting details at the websites for each local governing body.

July 7, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Coming off a record start for summer schedule, Senior Poker Tour moves to Pala Casino July 30-August 3, 2014.

Senior Poker Tour had a record setting event earlier this month with its SPT Venetian Deepstack Seniors Championship. The prize pool for a non WSOP event for players 50+ reached a quarter of a million dollars and crowned a new champion, Mitch Hecht of Toronto Canada. He took home $50,000 for his efforts besting 431 players over two days of play.

Hear our interview on the Central American immigrants:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Updates on Murrietta, Congressman Juan Vargas' visit with immigrants in El Centro, and our interviews from this rally, including Enrique Morones of Border Angels. Rev. Beth Johnson from the Palomar Unitarian Universalist congregation and Everard Meade, Trans-Border Institute at USD, providing historical background on the Central American situation.

By Nadin Abbott

“What we need is humanitarian solutions. Sending the children back to sure death is not humanitarian.” – Enrique Morones, Border Angels

“This is a failure to enforce federal law at the federal level.” Murrieta Mayor Alan Long

July 2, 2014 (San Diego)—Yesterday, dozens of anti-immigrant protesters blocked buses carrying 140 immigrants from Central America, mostly women and children. Shouting racial slurs and carrying signs demanding the migrants be sent home, the protesters forced the buses bound for Murrieta to turn around and go to San Ysidro instead.  The buses carried migrants from Texas, where holding cells are over flowing due to a massive influx of families and children.

Today, Border Angels held a rally in support of the immigrants and began a donation drive for toys, clothing, diapers to welcome the immigrants, most of whom were fleeing violence and threats of death in their homeland.

But what’s fueling the surge in immigration from Central America?  To understand what’s happening today, we have to look back several decades into the history of the region and the role of U.S. foreign policy in Central America.

For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org

Readers

July 6 (Sunday, 4:00 pm) — Young adult writer John Corey Whaley will sign his book at The Yellow Book Road, 2750 Historic Decatur Road No. 101, San Diego. For additional information, go to http://www.yellowbookroad.com/ or call (619) 955-5188.