By Mark Gabrish Conlan

November 20, 2012 (San Diego) – Is it really over? I’ve lived with the 2012 Presidential campaign for so long that it’s become a fixture of my life, sort of like a piece of ugly furniture you never sit on anymore but you can’t bear to get rid of.

October 30, 2012 (San Diego) -- As Americans head to the polls on November 6, a local chef is capturing the flavor of the elections — literally. In honor of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney’s races for the White House, Terra American Bistro chef/owner Jeff Rossman has created a Presidential Pairings Menu featuring recipes that capture the qualities of both candidates. The menu will be offered November 4-10.

“In our 14 years, Terra American Bistro has delighted in serving the best of New American cuisine to San Diegans,” Rossman said. “And, really, what is more American than the presidential elections?”

October 4, 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:

STATE                  

• Voters weigh proposal on trafficking (Sacramento Bee)
• Jerry Brown veto seeks closer ties between California healthcare law and federal act (Sacramento Bee)
• Jerry Brown signs laws to provide free online college textbooks (Sacramento Bee)
• New California law sets up framework for spending ‘cap and trade’ revenues (Sacramento Bee)
• California bans gay “conversion” therapy for minors (Reuters)

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• LMSV Board to Superintendent: Study “magnet” schools now (La Mesa Today)
• Council approves “River Bend” project in Allied Gardens (KPBS)
• Port Commission claims UT CEO threatened him;  CEO says not true (KPBS)
• San Diego Democrats regain lead in registered voters (UT San Diego)
• Criminal charge filed in Poway teen’s death (10 News)
• Camp makes some money for Lemon Grove (UT San Diego)
• Jeweler sues National City over gold-buying ban (UT San Diego)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

By Nadin Abbott

September 23, 2012 (Del Mar)-- Democrats gathered on the off ramp of Ted Williams Parkway at Carmel Country Road, waving protest signs as Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s motorcade passed by yesterday.

Among the crowd of about 50 people were veterans, senior citizens and workers, a cross-section of the “47 percent” slammed by Romney in remarks caught on video released last week. In the video, recorded secretly at a fundraiser with wealthy donors, Romney denigrated the 47 percent of Americans who receive some form of government assistance (including Social Security retirees, the military, disabled and poor Americans) as well as those who pay no taxes.

• Radioactive bluefin tuna caught off coast of California (10 News)
• A special Memorial Day delivery for La Mesa (La Mesa Today)
• Soccer unites refugee and immigrant kids (UT San Diego)
• Fletcher campaign receives over $56,000 from donors outside of state (Reader)
• Portion of Interstate 8 dedicated to fallen agent  Robert W. Rosas (Backcountry Messenger)
• New library, updated school for Lemon Grove (UT San Diego)

• CA Senate passes bill prohibiting schools and employers from asking for Facebook passwords (Sacramento Bee)
• California Democrats bid for 2/3 control of state Senate (Sacramento Bee)
• Mentally ill inmates on the rise (Sacramento Bee) 

• A Q&A on San Miguel’s situation
• Tony Gwynn joins group seeking to buy Padres (10 News)
• San Onofre future hinges on finding cause of abnormal tube wear (Sacramento Bee)
• San Diego ranked least expensive city in state to do business (10 News)
• La Mesa may welcome wineries and breweries (UT San Diego)
• La Mesa Village Development (La Mesa Today)
• No option at all! (for condo/apartment residents with multiple smart meters) (KUSI Turko Files)
• Walmart Neighborhood Market planned for La Mesa
• Countywide water rates could rise nearly 10% (UT San Diego)
• Grossmont baseball coach Jim Earley quits amid parent accusations (La Mesa Patch)
• Wounded officer asked `Is this my time?’ (UT San Diego)

• CA Senate passes bill for self-driving cars (Los Angeles Times)
• CA Senate passes bill that limits salaries at CSU (Sacramento Bee)
• California Democrats balk at deeper cuts for state’s poorest residents (Sacramento Bee)
• Purple Super Pac launched to support registered Independents (Sacramento Bee)
• U-T: State Plans Big Changes To Testing, Instruction

Ducheny Chastises Vargas for "Special Interest" Favors

May 5, 2012 (San Diego) -- Congressional Candidate Denise Moreno Ducheny took issue with Senator Juan Vargas's recent voting record and called on the Senator to back a strong set of foreclosure protection bills being discussed in the Senate this week. "The recent voting record of my opponent is a disservice to the residents of San Diego and Imperial Counties," Ducheny said in a statement. "He should be spending more time focusing on the needs of his constituents, not just those special interest groups who write his campaign checks."

May 9, 2010 (Sacramento) – “The Senate continues to make progress to restore California's economy and put people back to work,” Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) announced. In April, Senate committees passed several bills as part of “Agenda 2010”, Democrats’ plan that aspires to create 140,000 jobs without raising taxes or dismantling workplace and environmental protections.

The County Democratic Party seeks community-minded Democrats to serve on city councils, school boards, water boards and other local boards and commissions. In its efforts to recruit candidates for 2010, the Party is holding a training event for local Democrats planning or considering running for office. The event will be held Saturday, July 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Miramar College.

April 10, 2009 (La Mesa) – La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club celebrated its 25th anniversary with a celebration last week that included cake, a potluck dinner, recognition of key members and presentation by Councilwoman Marti Emerald’s chief of staff, Xema Jacobson. Special honorees included the club’s founding members, Claude Cassirer, a Holocaust survivor, and his wife, Beverly (photo).