September 18, 2011 (Rancho San Diego)—Cuyamaca College invites the public to participate in its fifteenth annual Aggie Open Golf Tournament to benefit the college’s Botanical Society Scholarship Fund and the Ornamental Horticulture program.  The tournament will be held at Bonita Golf Course, 5540 Sweetwater Road in Bonita on Friday, October 21from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

September 19, 2011 (San Diego)--U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers confiscated more than 8,800 pounds of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine valued at $8.2 million at San Diego border stations in just two days this past week, also halting entry of over 116 undocumented immigrants.

September 17, 2011 (La Mesa)--Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa will host a free seniors discussion on “Electronic Medical Records and Personal Health Records,” featuring a presentation from Julie McCoy, program manager of clinical informatics at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, and Kathy Quinn, library director, from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

 660 Shots Available

September 17, 2011 (San Diego) -- With flu season on the way, residents—18 years of age and older—in the Skyline community of San Diego and surrounding areas will have an opportunity to receive a flu shot at no cost.The community clinic will offer 660 doses to the public and take place Friday, September 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 6401 Skyline Drive."

By Brian Lafferty

September 17, 2011 (San Diego) – In the 1950s critics writing for the French film magazine Cahiers du Cinema came up with the Auteur Theory. Later propagated by American film critic Andrew Sarris, it stated that the director is the author of the film. It further goes on to assert that an author can leave a mark in each of his films to the point where someone can say, “That’s an Alfred Hitchcock film” or “That’s a John Ford film.”

September 16, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Congressman Duncan D. Hunter (R-El Cajon) has introduced H.R, 2952, a measure requiring immigration officials to expedite deportation of undocumented immigrants.

Voepel's beliefs share much in common with Flat Earth Society views

By Miriam Raftery
 

September 16, 2011 (Santee) – SanDiego350.org, a coalition of three dozen  community organizations, invited local officials to participate in a Sept. 24 event titled “Moving San Diego to a Clean Energy Future.” Far from fringe extremists, the group includes major entities such as the American Lung Association, U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce, San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, Sustainability Alliance of Southern California, and Earthcare at First United Methodist Church.

Santee Mayor Randy Voepel fired back a vitriolic response. “I do not believe that climate change is man made,” the Mayor said in an e-mail declining the invitation, calling himself a “proud, Rush Limbaugh, Tea party, Conservative that will never cease fighting socialism.”

September 16, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – If you have taken any of the following brands of birth control pills manufactured by Qualitest Pharamaceuticals, you are advised to switch to another, non-hormonal form of birth control immediately and talk to your doctor or pharmacist: Cyclafem, Emoquette, Gildess, Osrythia, Previfem, and Tri-Previfem.

These pills have been recalled nationwide by the manufacturer due to an error that could allow women to become pregnant.

By Bonnie Burns Price, Ph.D.

September 16, 2011 (Spring Valley) -- President Obama has addressed the public's concern about the lack of jobs by a proposal that addresses public needs, such as infrastructure repair, as well as jobs for the unemployed. Several elements of his proposal had bipartisan origins.

Unfortunately, Congressman Hunter (R-52CD) often puts his party ahead of both public and individual needs.

September 15, 2011 (Santee) -- The County has awarded a contract for a modern women's jail on the site of the existing Las Colinas Detention Facility in Santee.

September 16, 2011 (Alpine) – The San Diego Medical Examiner’s office has identified Bernice Helen Safford, 82, as the victim killed in a car accident yesterday afternoon in Alpine. According to Officer Brian Penning at the California Highway Patrol, Safford’s husband, who was a passenger in the vehicle she was driving, was also seriously injured and remains hospitalized.

Ralphs announced it will shut down all San Diego stores if strike occurs
 

Sept. 15, 2011 (San Diego) – After months of stalled contract negotiations over medical benefits, grocery workers issued a 72-hour notice canceling the grocery contract extension and paving the way for a strike.  A strike against Vons, Albertson's and Ralphs supermarkets could begin as soon as Sunday evening.

September 15, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) –The California Public Utilities Commission is now directing the public to send complaints about Sunrise Powerlink to a private consulting group, meaning complaint records would presumably not be disclosable to the media or to the public.

Sharmin Self on the Alpine Community Planning Group suggests that anyone who files a complaint/inquiry with Aspen, the consulting firm to the CPUC, also send her a copy, so that it will be a public record (unlike complaints to SDG&E or the CPUC consultant contacts, which are private and not disclosable).

September 15, 2011 (Julian) – Ready for some toe-tapping musical entertainment? Head out to the historic gold rush town of Julian in San Diego’s East County, where the Julian Lions Club will present the 41st Back Country Music Jamboree and Banjo Fiddle Contest on Saturday and Sunday, September 17-18 at Frank Lane Park.

September 1, 2011 (Valley Center)--English high teas have become among the most popular events served up at Keys Creek Lavender Farm in Valley Center. Savor refreshing teas and delicacies such as tea sandwiches, chicken herbs de Provence, Devonshire cream, fresh fruit, lavender scones and more at an English-style high tea on September 17 at 2 p.m.

Farm representatives will also give a talk about growing lavender and an essential oil distillation demonstration. In addition, the Farm Store will open from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

September 15, 2011 (Poway) – Grab your cowboy hats and your dancing shoes, then head on out to the 2nd annual Poway Days Battle of the Bands, where rock, country, bluegrass and contemporary music bands will vie for cash prizes—and bragging rights. Try out your cowboy skills on a mechanical bull, enter a pie-eating contest, and try your luck at casino blackjack and poker games.

Stone & Port Brewing will serve up micro brews in a beer and wine garden. Food vendors will also be on hand. Tickets? Just $5.

September 15, 2011 (Alpine) – Alpine Kiwanis will host a Chili Cook-Off, along with the Show & Shine Car Show, at the Alpine Community Park this Saturday, September 17 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Enjoy music by the Legends, crafters, vendors, bratwurst, ice cream and more at the festivities.

Top world and U.S. headlines include: 

WORLD

• World markets sink amid Europe debt worries (NPR)
• Egyptian protesters pull down Israeli embassy wall (Reuters)
• China losing edge as low-cost manufacturer, KPMG says (BBC)

U.S.

• Obama’s bill makes it illegal to discriminate against unemployed (The Hill)
• Nation looks ahead with hope after remembering 9/11 victims (CNN)
• NATO: 77 US troops injured after Taliban hit Afghan/coalition base (CNN)
• Student loan default rates jump (Union-Tribune)
  

HEALTH

September 15, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Four breaking news incidents impacting traffic have occurred in Jacumba, Alpine, El Cajon and Escondido, including a fatality accident and another with serious injuries. Other road closures have occurred due to a gas line break and a small brush fire.

September 15, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top news stories of interest to our region, published in other media. This week's top Roundup stories include:

LOCAL

• SDUSD may close 10 San Diego schools (10 News)
• East County college district adopts lean budget (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Sewer problems highlight region’s utility weak spots (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Grossmont High School District hopes for ‘soft landing’ in case of midyear cuts (La Mesa Patch)
• Fiery ball seen streaking across SoCal sky (10 News)
• Underlying cause of the Southwestern blackout, Sept. 8, 2011: Failure of the smart grid (La Mesa Patch)
• Congresswoman Davis: Campaign robbed of $250,000  (10 News)
• Helix grad Shoshana Hebshi makes world news (passenger detained in Detroit) (La Mesa Patch)
• Sempra announces new company president

STATE

• Jerry Brown calls for ‘war on unemployment’ (Sacramento Bee)
• Chamber of Commerce wins big on its “job killer” list (Sacramento Bee)
• Mercury chairman dumps $8 million into insurance initiative drive (Sacramento Bee)

By Miriam Raftery

September 15, 2011 (El Cajon) – “No surface is unchanged,” Michael Tabor, director of marketing at Sycuan Casino, said in a preview tour of the $27 million remodel. Tabor has dubbed the project “Casino Reimagined.” The entire building was gutted one section at a time, remaining open for business 24-hours a day throughout construction while a top-flight design team created the architectural metamorphosis.

On September 24 and 25, Sycuan will host a grand reopening celebration. The public is invited to the event, which will include $75,000 in cash and prize giveaways.

By Miriam Raftery

September 14, 2011 (San Diego) – I-5 is now open and a SIG alert cancelled following collapse of a construction platform that landed on vehicles and injured 11 people, one seriously, at the San Ysidro border crossing this afternoon.

David Burnight, a ECM reader from Crest, describes his close call—and how the accident impacted his plans to return to the U.S. following a dental appointment in Tijuana.

September 13, 2011 (Santee) -- Last year's inagural Santee Wine & Bluegrass Festival was a surprise success that hit all of the right notes in this friendly East County community.