By Miriam Raftery

February 5, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) –After our January 22 report, “Are black wildcats prowling East County?”  on numerous reported sightings of large black wildcats in East County, we have spoken with numerous other people whose accounts suggest that sightings of black cats close in size to mountain lions have been occurring in our region for decades.

February 6, 2014 (San Diego) –The California Independent System Operators (CAISO) has issued a “Flex Alert” asking all Californians to reduce power use until 10 p.m.  The alert is due to a natural gas shortage resulting from high demand in areas of the country hit by extreme cold weather, since natural gas is used there for heating homes as well as for electric power plants and more.

CAISO operates the power grid in California. SDG&E has joined CAISO in asking local residents to conserve fuel.

Air Group One presents a Friday Fly Days fundraiser with World War II antique aircraft and show carss on Friday, February 7^th from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.at the Gillespie Field Cafe at 2015 North Marshall in El Cajon. There will be free admission and parking.

Besides the planes, visitors can expect live music, food, craft beers, and wine. Specials guests will be the Navy League and a Mystery Warbird.

February 6, 2014 (San Diego)--The Native American Flute Players will present an event at Mission Trails Regional Park at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 9.

The San Diego Native American Flute Players honor Native American music, and on the second Sunday of each month (except in June), they hold a "Flute Circle" in the Visitor Center's outdoor amphitheater from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

February 4, 2014 (McCain Valley) – Charles and Laurie Baker sent in these surreal images taken while hiking in the Mica Gem and Table Mountain wilderness areas in McCain Valley, where winds and weathering have carved out fantastic rock formations in this rugged terrain.

February 6, 2014 (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

• Patch lets go of many reporters/editors  (San Diego Reader)
• Alpine, teachers reach tentative pact (UT San Diego)
• How Does California's 'Zero Water Allocation' Affect San Diego? (KPBS)
• E-cigarettes get a La Mesa pass—for now (La Mesa Today)
• Kelp to be tested for radiation (UT San Diego)
• Cities Sign Up For 'NextGen' Regional Communication System (KPBS)
• Serving those in need (Scoop San Diego)

STATE

• California officials forecast “zero” water deliveries (Sacramento Bee)
• Judge orders Cal Fire to pay $30 million for “reprehensible conduct” in Moonlight Fire Case (SacBee)
• Severe Drought Has U.S. West Fearing Worst (New York Times)
• California’s normally vibrant vineyards turn brown from lack of rain (CBS)
• Report: December Freeze Cost California One-Quarter Of Citrus Crop (KPBS)
• Diablo Canyon Unit 2 nuke generator shut down (SacBee)

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

By Miriam Raftery

February 6, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC) issued a press release last week headlined “Disturbing images show border agents encouraging children to shoot at migrant effigy.”

 In response, U.S. Border Patrol Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Rosario “Pete” Vasquez called statements in that release “unfortunate and false propaganda.”

February 4, 2014 (Alpine)-- On February 5, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a prehearing conference regarding San Diego Gas & Electric’s proposed Master Special Use Permit project at 1:30 pm in the Alpine Community Center (Oak Room), 1830 Alpine Blvd., Alpine, CA 91901.

“Improving fire safety is important, and it needs to be done right at a reasonable price. We’re going to be watchdogging this nearly half a billion dollar project to ensure that San Diegans aren’t gouged and that this project really is what SDG&E says it is,” said Bill Powers, an energy expert on the board of The Protect Our Communities Foundation (POC), which will participate in the pre-hearing conference.

February 4, 2014 (El Cajon)--The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce swore in its 35-member board of directors and presented awards at its 102nd Annual Dinner, held Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Allen Airways Flying Museum at Gillespie Field in El Cajon.

February 4, 2014 (Washington, D.C)--U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has honored Taylor Guitars, the internationally famed guitar maker  in El Cajon, as one of three U.S. companies presented an “Award for Corporate Excellence.   Secretary Kerry praised Taylor Guitars for buying an ebony mill in Cameroon and using shades of ebony in manufacturing its guitars, not just black ebony once used exclusively, to protect forests from being depleted.

By Lori Abbott, Public News Service-CA

February 3, 2014 (Sacramento) - Emergency drought-relief legislation for California is heading to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill by Central Valley lawmakers would halt the restoration of the San Joaquin River and send more water to farmers. In announcing the bill, Rep. David Valadao blamed California's water shortages primarily on failed government policies.

NEW SHOW “VALENTINES REVISITED” FEB. 15

February 3, 2014 (La Mesa) – Biz Center Art has become On The Edge Gallery as of January 1 as a result of a change in landlords.  The gallery is still managed by the same people in the same building which is now managed by the Business Center of La Mesa.

Why Goldwater Didn’t Become President: He Was Ahead of, Not Behind, the Times

By Mark Gabrish Conlan • for East County Magazine, www.eastcountymagazine.org

February 1, 2014 (San Diego)--Not long ago, I was at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park on a Sunday afternoon to hear San Diego’s civic organist, Carol Williams, play her weekly concert. After she was finished I walked over to one of the donation tables to renew my Spreckels Organ Society membership. The woman who helped me saw the book I was reading — a well-worn paperback of Theodore H. White’s book The Making of the President 1964 — and asked, “Is that about the Goldwater campaign?” I said yes, though the book is as much about Lyndon Johnson’s takeover of the presidency after the John F. Kennedy assassination and his campaign to keep the job. The woman then startled me by saying, “We need someone like Goldwater today — a progressive Republican.”