By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview: http://kiwi6.com/file/kt18gznf91

(Note, file may take a few moments to load, or cut and paste link into browser for faster open)

July 31, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) –Julian resident Tony Teora announced on East County Magazine’s radio show on KNSJ that he will be running for the 71^st Assembly seat, which is open due to Brian Jones stepping down due to term limits.

Teora, a Republican, considers himself a “maverick” and a moderate candidate. “We have politicans today who are controlled by special interests,” he says adding that too often, elected officials vote against the interests of constituents,he says.

May 26,2015 (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

• Power company's Darling (SD Reader)
• San Diego County's Unemployment Rate Dips To Nearly 8-Year Low (KPBS)
• Tijuana Plans Protection For Rare River Habitat (KPBS)
• City sprays golf courses with tap water (U-T)
• As farms fade, will developers move in? (U-T)
• CPUC Votes To Approve New Gas Power Plant In Carlsbad (KPBS)
• San Diego County Water Authority Proposes Water Rate Hikes (KPBS)
• SANDAG Isn’t Good at Predicting Population Growth (Voice of SD)
• SD hospitals fined for dangerous care (U-T)
• Microgrid and Water Recurrent Worries for Borrego Springs (Borrego Sun)

STATE

• Power company's Darling (SD Reader)
• Santa Barbara oil spill: Pipeline operator has long record of problems (LA Times)
• Study Finds Lingering Spike In Car Theft After California Prison Change (KPBS)
• California water agency relies on flawed system to track use (U-T)
• California farmers agree to cut water use. Enough to stem the drought? (CS Monitor)
• 50 million gallons of water lost after California dam vandalized: newspaper (Reuters)
• In California, Technology Makes "Droughtshaming" Easier Than Ever (NPR)

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

May 7, 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

• Longtime TV personality Bob Dale dies at 83 (U-T)
• West Sacramento Claims Santee ‘Hijacked’ Tax Revenue (Times of San Diego)
• State questions tribal fund spending (U-T)
• Lemon Grove axing its planning commission (U-T)

STATE

• California Drought Killed 12 Million Forest Trees Since Last Year (KPBS)
• Earnings jump at Sempra (U-T)
• California approves new uniform rules for seawater desalination (Reuters)
• California Regulators Approve Unprecedented Water Cutbacks (AP)

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

April 23, 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

• El Cajon event brings hope, help to homeless (UT San Diego)

• Where San Diego Gets Its Water – and Where it Goes (Voice of SD)
• Federal official admits taking bribes, theft (U-T San Diego)
• 3 top staffers leave supe's office (U-T San Diego)
• Iraqi official seeks local Chaldean support (U-T)
• San Diego jobless rate falls to 5.1 percent (UT San Diego)
• Surprise! San Diegans are good budgeters (SD Reader)
• Schools That Best Prepare Neighborhood Kids for Graduation Also Retain Them, or Vice-Versa (Voice of San Diego)
• David Glismann, 91, Grossmont choral director (U-T San Diego)

STATE

• Bill would ease CPUC appeals (U-T)
• Regulators back higher electric rates for some (U-T)
• A call to invest in safety of the power grid (Marketplace.org)
• Elizabeth Warren to headline California Democratic convention (Sacramento Bee)
• Are race relations in California better than rest of US? (CS Monitor)
• Chairman: Scrap San Onofre deal (U-T)

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

March 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--Our January radio shows are now online!  You can listen online now (note sound files may take a minute to load). For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics and interviews in January, click here and scroll down.

Our top newsmaker interviews included representatives from Cleveland National Forest, the County’s Farm to School produce program, a War Victims group seeking reparations for Iraq War refugees, the postal workers’ union on cuts in postal services, a leading solar company on changes in solar incentives for consumers, an environmental advocate battling Soitec Solar’s projects in Boulevard, and La Mesa’s Chamber of Commerce president on honoring local heroes. Plus we interviewed two law-enforcement officers-turned-authors, La Mesa Police Chief Dan Willis and former ICE special agent Timothy Daniels.

You can hear the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m, and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

February 24, 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

• Mayor Faulconer meets with Chargers, fast tracks plans for new stadium (10 News)
• Stadium task force chairman had role in "Ticketgate" (SD Reader)
• Utility agency taps $882-an-hour lawyer (UT Sam Diego)
• In Jacob's race, solar also rises (UT San Diego)
• San Diego County Water Use Drops By 28 Percent In January (KPBS)
• Workers call for San Onofre probe (UT San Diego)
• San Onofre Operator Asks To Expand Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility(KPBS)
• Lemon Grove considers crime prevention program (U-T San Diego)
• San Diego State Names College After Stephen Weber (KPBS)

STATE

• California's school suspensions show racial disparity (USA Today)
•  Dan Walters: Brown wants only local school bonds (UT San Diego)
• Undo gas tax swap — then fix roads (UT San Diego)
• CA bill to require defibrillators in new buildings (UT San Diego)
•  Dozens exposed to superbug in LA (BBC)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, right: Adam Beardsley and his wife, Megan

Update February 19, 2015 -- Adam Beardsley received a new heart two days ago and is doing very well, a Heartland Fire official announced at last night's La Mesa Chamber of Commerce Salute to Heroes event.

Update February 15, 2015--Rust Accounting has sent us a final tally for the event, which raised over $18,000 from an estimated 1,000 guests who attended.

February 11, 2015 (La Mesa) –Hundreds of community members turned out Sunday at the Bolt Brewery in La Mesa at a fundraiser to help cover expenses for Adam Beardsley, a 33-year-old Heartland Deputy Fire Marshal in need of a heart transplant. 

“He has such as big heart,” Monica Zech, public information officer for the City of El Cajon, said of Beardsley. She added that he remains in good spirits at UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital, where he has been a patient since January 6^th, awaiting a heart donor.  “But he didn’t want this to be just about him,” she said, adding that Beardsley hopes publicity on the shortage of organ donors will ultimately help others, too.

A single organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people. Currently over 110,000 people in the U.S. are on the waiting list for an organ transplant. Nearly 1,600 people are on the waiting list for a organ transplant in San Diego and Imperial Counties. For information about organ donation, click here.

January 6, 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/REGIONAL

• A quick peek at 2015 in the East County (UT San Diego)
• What to Watch for in 2015 (Voice of San Diego)
• San Vicente could be whopper in 2015 (UT San Diego)
• Innocent Alpine resident detained for a week - San Diego County faces federal lawsuit in a case of mistaken identity (SD City Beat)
• City’s cell-phone sniffer cost $738K (U-T Watchdog)

STATE

• Plastic Bag Ban Opponents Turn In Referendum Signatures (KPBS)
• California judges sue Calpers pension system over contributions(Reuters)
• California campus union votes 2-1 for Israel divestment (Jewish Daily Forward)
• Cal Fire puts 16 workers on administrative leave in anticipation of sexual misconduct report (Sacramento Bee)

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

By Miriam Raftery

December 3, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County is packed with holiday festivities, from Christmas on Maine Street in Lakeside to Santa at Santee Lakes and the "Light up the Grove" bonfire in Lemon Grove! Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions, including La Mesa’s Christmas in the Village, a Winter Wonder Jam concert, and our very own East County Magazine holiday party.

So stay tuned for all of these events and much, much more, from East County Magazine.

East County News Service

October 17, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—The most controversial project in memory in East County was the construction of the 500kV Sunrise Powerlink, which was built despite objections of a coalition representing 79,000 people--though the route was changed amid public outcry. 

Now, a new set of 500 kV power lines are proposed through San Diego’s East County and Imperial County as part of the draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) which is currently available for public review and comment at www.drecp.org. The plan aims to open 22 million acres up for energy development including vast swaths in our region.

Our East County Magazine Show's July radio broadcasts are now online, covering hot issues from the Banner Fire to immigrant children to local rallies to save Iraqi Christians. We also interviewed local authors, musicians, a new winery owner, and a representative of the Lions Clubs’ Camp Jack in Descanso for disadvantaged children. Plus we had coverage and analysis of local and national issues, from the minimum wage to  some controversial Supreme Court rulings.

We also rebroadcast of our interview with Sycuan Chairman Daniel Tucker on the tribe’s Emmy Award winning documentary on Kumeyaay history, plus on the 4th of July weekend, we re-aired our “Spirits of 1776” dramatic presentation featuring `interviews’ with our nation’s founding fathers and mothers. Plus we brought you on-the-scene coverage of Descanso Days.

For a full list of interviews and issues on each of our July shows, click here, or click “read more” and scroll down. To listen to future shows, tune in to KNSJ 89.1 FM Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. or listen online live during our broadcasts at www.KNSJ.org.

By Miriam Raftery

August 2, 2014 (Washington D.C.) – It's rare for Congress to agree on anything given the partisan divide in Washington.  But House Resolution 683, authored by Congressman Juan Vargas (D-San Diego) , passed the House of Representatives unanimously yesterday. The measure expresses the urgent need to protect religious minorities in Iraq from persecution at the hands of the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Levand (ISIL). The measure was coauthored by three other San Diego representatives (Republican Duncan Hunter as well as Democrats Susan Davis and Scott Peters)

“I am pleased the House of Representatives is shedding light on this important topic and supporting our nation’s need to be vocal in the face of the horrific crimes taking place against Iraqi civilians,” said Rep. Vargas. “This resolution expresses the urgent need to protect religious minorities who are fleeing persecution in Iraq’s ISIL-held territories.  Religious freedom is the cornerstone of any free society and we must do everything in our power to provide immediate protection and humanitarian assistance to individuals facing horrific crimes because of their religious beliefs.” 

Mark Arabo, a national spokesman for Iraqi Christians and president of the Neighborhood Market Association locally, heralded passage of the resolution as “a historic day that will go into the annals of Iraqi Christian history.”

Dear  Readers:

A year ago when KNSJ radio launched, the station promised to air our live wildfire and emergency alerts. Saturday is their anniversary party - please send a message TODAY asking them to honor this promise!

In the July 2013 Chariot Fire the station did go live and I reported on the fire on Mt. Laguna.  For a few weeks, KNSJ aired our alerts with a delay of an hour or so, promising to improve technology to get real live alerts. Later KNSJ stopped airing wildfire alerts at all. I’ve pleaded with KNSJ to air Viejas Wildfire Alerts as promised, which we offer them free, to save lives and keep you safe. In the backcountry when power lines burn and some have no cell service,  battery-powered radio is often the only way to get news during fires.

KNSJ’s CEO says having the federal emergency broadcast system  in place is enough, but it’s not. It wasn’t activated during recent fires in East County.  KNSJ's CEO and Board  refuse to even guarantee a start date for alerts or an exact dollar figure that would guarantee these would air. They ask for more money, without delivering on promises made to donors who already gave to support getting alerts on the air.  KNSJ also has zero live broadcasting, even for breaking news during fires.

TAKE OUR POLL AND SEND A MESSAGE TO KNSJ:  Should the FCC ask KNSJ to keep its promise and air live Viejas Wildfire & Emergency Alerts & have live news broadcasts during wildfires?

PLEASE VOTE HERE:  http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/poll/should-fcc-ask-knsj-keep-its-promise-air-live-viejas-wildfire-emergency-alerts-and-have-live-ne

In April, we interviewed top newsmakers on hot local issues ranging from closure of rural fire stations to a State Senate race.  We also covered some national and international topics including an interview with a local pastor whose family is impacted by Uganda’s new law criminalizing homosexuality.  Plus we’ll take you on the road to discover Lakeside’s colorful history, cover the 50^th anniversary of the Lakeside rodeo, interview local authors and much more.

For a complete list of interviews and topics covered in April, and to listen to our shows online now, click here.

You can hear our show Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5 p.m. on KNSJ 89.1 FM.