We're catching up on our archiving, after getting through the primary elections and moving our office/studio. Our May podcasts are now online, including many candidates who will be on the November ballot, as well as interviews on issues ranging from firefighting job opportunities to legal tips for surviving disasters.

To listen to our May radio shows online now, plus see a complete list of interviewees and other content on each show in May,  click here.

Hear our interview at the Ramona Fund for Animals Wildlife Center: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2014 (Ramona) – The Ramona Fund for Animals Wildlife Center is one of only three facilities in San Diego County that rehabilitate injured or ill wildlife for release back into the wild. Currently the Center is nursing back to health two coyote pups found with burned feet during the May wildfires.

The Center, founded by Cleveland Amory, also has some permanent residents that cannot be rereleased, including  a hand-raised captive cougar in these photos (shot through the bars of its enclosure). This mountain lion was reported by a local veterinarian after its owner, who purchased it illegally from out of state, brought the cub in for a “well kitten” checkup.

Hear our  radio special report on the Save Iraq Christians rally, plus our interview with East County Chaldean-American Chamber of Commerce president Ben Kalasho on the worsening crisis in Iraq:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

By Miriam Raftery

July 21, 2014 (El Cajon) –They carried an American flag, proud to be in a country where they are free. But their hearts ache for loved one endangered in their homeland: Iraq.  They are Iraqi-American Christians who rallied Friday in El Cajon's Promenade Park, pleading for political leaders to save Iraqi Christians from massacre by terrorists invaders who have declared an Islamic state, or caliph.

Farouk Georges shared the latest chilling news. Just one day earlier, he revealed, sources inside Iraq told him that the terrorist group ISIS “issued a decree against the Christians of Nineva…They are asking them to leave, or to convert to Islam, or be killed.”   

A million and a half Christians in Iraq have been displaced, said Ben Kalasho, president of the Chaldean-American Chamber of Commerce and organizer of the rally. “We’ve counted 120 churches that have been bombarded and destroyed.” Thousands of Iraqi Christians have been killed, hundreds have been kidnapped and as of a few days ago, he revealed, “ISIS has spray-painted the letter N on Christian homes, letting everyone know where the Christians live.”  The N is for Nasrani, an Arabic word meaning Christian.

(caution: graphic photos)

By Miriam Raftery

July 17, 2014 (Campo) – After years of storage in temporary facilities, an extensive collection of memorabilia and research materials on San Diego’s own railroad history is now available to the public at the new Southwest Railway Library in Campo.

Last weekend, East County Magazine Radio show’s producers rode the rails and interviewed the museum’s archivist.  You can hear our story here:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

At a private VIP party, supporters celebrated a ribbon-cutting at the new museum, toasted its success with champagne, and then road a vintage railway train through East County’s beautiful backcountry.

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.

July 1, 2014 (San Diego's East County)--This week, the extremist group ISIS declared an Islamic caliphate stretching from Syria across Iraq following weeks of mounting violence. On June 25, prior to the declaration, we aired a second interview with San Diego Chaldean-American leader Mark Arabo following his meetings with the State Department, members of Congress and high-level U.S. officials. We discussed international efforts to bring peace to the region, form a more inclusive government and protect Iraqi Christians.

Hear our interview here, originally aired June 18, 2014:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

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.

By Miriam Raftery

“If they keep taking out city after city, the whole world’s safety is threatened. I hope the world acts soon." -- Mark Arabo, Iraqi-American community leader

Update: Our interview with Mark Arabo, which aired on KNSJ 89.1 on June 13, 2014 can now be heard here:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

June 17, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – The violence engulfing Iraq as terrorists capture  citiy after city is a “living nightmare that won’t go away” for Chaldean Christians across America, Mark Arabo, a first-generation Iraq-American and president/CEO of the Neighborhood Market Association, told East County Magazine.  “No question about it, this is a slow genocide."

Now, Chaldeans across American are asking the public to help by signing a petition urging President Barack Obama  and Congress to join with other world leaders and provide safe passage out of Iraq for Christians trapped with no safe place to go, now that Syria is in civil war and the terrorists in Iraq aim to impose Sharia law.  You can click this link to sign the petition to Save Iraqi Christians.

June 11, 2014 (San Diego) – Last week, our interview with Supervisor Dianne Jacob aired on KNSJ radio.  You can now listen online to the full interview by clicking here:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Supervisor Jacob discussed the County’s new regional initiative to tackle the Alzheimer’s epidemic, which has reached epidemic proportions locally.  She also shared details on the County’s Aging Summit coming up on June 12. 

Scroll down to read the County’s press release on the Alzheimer’s project spearheaded by Supervisor Jacob, which aims to bring together top researchers to seek a cure, as well as bringing help to caregivers and patients.

Listen now:  

Ernest Dronenburg and Susan Guinn interviews:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

By Miriam Raftery

May 22, 2014 (San Diego)—San Diego County’s Assessor/Recorder/Clerk is responsible for deciding whether or not you can reassess your property to lower your taxes.   The job also includes marrying couples and providing public records such as marriage, birth and death certificates.  This week, East County Magazine interviewed incumbent Ernest Dronenburg and challenger Susan Guinn , a consumer advocate/attorney, during our show on KNSJ.

Dronenberg, former Chairman of the state Board of Equalization and the Franchise Tax Board, defends his record and says his office has high customer satisfaction ratings.

Guinn contends San Diego County has among the worst rates in the state for unresolved property tax assessment appeals.  She also faults Dronenburg for filing a challenge seeking to avoid conducting gay marriages after Prop 8 was ruled unconstitutional. 

May 23, 2014 (San Diego) – East County Magazine Show’s Bookshelf host Reina Menasche recently interviewed local author Peggy Snyder regarding her book, The Ten Minute Cognitive Workout,  on KNSJ.

Missed the show? Listen to our podcast of this interview, now posted here:

https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

May 5, 2014 (San Diego) – Superior Court Judge candidate Michele Hagan was a guest on our May 5 East County Magazine Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM.

“We don’t let football players choose referees. So why are we letting lawyers choose judges?” asks Hagan, a former prosecutor and judge pro tem who also publishes a blog on legal issues.

She contends that the County Bar Association gave her a “lacking qualifications” rating because she spoke out in her blog about a local judge who awarded alimony to a man convicted of a violent sexual act against his wife, then worked to pass a new state law, AB 1522, to protect victims from having to pay alimony to spouses convicted of a violent sexual felony.

She contends that the Bar’s rating system for judicial candidates is flawed, subject to bias, and not transparent.   To read her credentials for the job, click "read more" and scroll down.

April 19, 2014 (San Diego's East County) --Listen to a tape of the fire whistleblower interview here, which originally aired on the East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM on April 18, 2014: 

https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Just how effective is the new County Fire Authority at fire protection?  While some areas have improved since the 2003 and 2007 wildfires,Craig Williams, an information technology specialist with Campo Fire Department shares shocking details on fire stations unmanned across our backcountry—and what could be done to keep rural residents safe. 

Listen online here from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wed. April 16: http://knsj.org/knsjpopup.html

Hot topics:

• ECM special investigative report on Sheriff response times. How safe is your community?

• Solar leader Daniel Sullivan says "absolutely" industrial wind/solar projects in our backcountry are not needed. We can produce more clean power for less money AND save our scenic areas. Find out what must change to stop this senseless devastation.

• Frank Tsimboukakis, candidate challenging State Senator Joel Anderson, takes stand against big energy projects in our region and shares his plan to eliminate tuitions at public universities and colleges in California.

• Ariele Johannsen’s Destination East County tells you about the hottest events coming up—from a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt to Lakeside's Western Days, a wine-and-rails ride through our backcountry and many others.

All this and more on this Wednesday's East County Magazine show!

You can listen online at the link above (it may take a few moments to load, after you click the play button) or on KNSJ 89.1 FM at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

U.S. evangelicals, including a Southern California pastor, have been linked to passage of repressive bill

Hear our radio interview with Bishop Terry Angel Mason on KNSJ 89.1 FM Descanso today at 5 p.m. along with the full East County Magazine Show, or listen to a podcast of his interview here: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Bishop Terry Angel Mason wants to bring his fiancé and their two adopted, orphaned children to America from Uganda. But his family is now in hiding –because of a new law in Uganda that  criminalizes homosexuality and imposes a life in prison sentence on gay people, as well as anyone falsely accused of being gay.

The law further requires that doctors, pastors, journalists and others  inform authorities about the identities of gays and prohibits all discussion of gay rights issues.  The law is fueling hate crimes, including beatings and burnings of gay people.  Nor is Uganda alone; other African nations have also passed restrictive laws penalizing gay people, creating a climate of fear.