EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

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January 23, 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

STATE

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

LOCAL/REGIONAL

Mayor's State Of The City Address 2014 (La Mesa Today)

City Is In Good Shape, But Faces Challenges

San Diego Sierra Club faces suspension (UT San Diego)

he Sierra Club’s national board will soon vote on whether to suspend the San Diego chapter for four years, a step taken only a handful of times since the environmental organization was founded in 1892. In an undated letter to the chapter’s roughly 12,000 members in San Diego and Imperial counties, the national officials said turmoil in the local executive committee has persisted despite several rounds of turnover.

Political corruption case grows (UT San Diego)

The corruption case involving a Mexican businessman trying to illegally influence San Diego elections widened Wednesday as a City Hall lobbyist was added to the conspiracy charges and politicians rushed to return campaign contributions from those tainted by the scandal… His money ended up helping the causes of District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, a Republican who lost the 2012 mayor’s race; Bob Filner, a Democrat who won that contest and later resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal; and an as-yet-unidentified federal candidate on the November 2012 ballot.

MTS plans to cut bus service in Allied Gardens, Grantville, Del Cerro and SDSU (Mission Times Courier)

Citing "low ridership and productivity," regional transit officials plan to shut down a bus route that serves Grantville, Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, San Diego State University, parts of San Carlos and La Mesa

3-2 vote strips Madrid of SANDAG seat (La Mesa Today)

2014 is an election year for the La Mesa City Council and that was immediately clear in the first meeting of the year… In what had the appearance of a choreographed effort, three council members -- Mark Arapostathis, Kristine Alessio and Ernie Ewin -- quickly voted to strip Mayor Art Madrid of his leadership positions with the San Diego Association of Governments. Madrid called it a "political coup'' and said the three were hurting the city by replacing a long-serving mayor with Alessio, a first-term council member, on the important SANDAG board.

 

Where the mayoral candidates stand on the big issues (Voice of San Diego)

Voice of San Diego put together a quick guide to David Alvarez‘s and Kevin Faulconer‘s positions on top city issues to help you get up to speed as the election approaches. If you’d like to dive deeper into the issues and the candidates’ perspectives, check out the links below the chart.

La Mesa's Park Station project gets a new look (La Mesa Courier)

The tallest building in La Mesa history would anchor a leafy residential and retail/office complex in the city’s quaint downtown, under plans percolating since 2008. But the latest drawings now call for the high-rise to reach nine stories instead of the initially envisioned 18.

Should Sempra shareholders be worried? (UT San Diego)

Energy giant's executives sell tens of thousands of shares, but hang onto even more.

Google Glass user’s ticket dismissed (U-T San Diego)

A San Diego traffic court official dismissed a Temecula woman's citation for using her Google Glass device while allegedly speeding on a local freeway.  Commissioner John Blair ruled that 44-year-old Cecilia Abadie was not actively using the prototype eyeglass-style wearable computer when she was stopped by the California Highway Patrol for allegedly speeding on Interstate 15 near Aero Drive on Oct. 29.

Former hospital exec claims overbilling (U-T San Diego)

A former executive from San Diego’s Alvarado Hospital has filed a $50 million whistle-blower lawsuit against Prime Healthcare, alleging Medicare billing fraud at 14 medical centers the company owns across the state.

San Diego region’s water supplies remain adequate despite statewide drought (Scoop San Diego)

Despite a statewide drought declaration on Friday, the San Diego County Water Authority has adequate supplies for 2014 because of local investments in diverse and more reliable water supplies…

New trolley route set to connect Mission Valley and University City (Mission Valley News)

In about four years, a newly approved trolley route will connect Mission Valley to points north, including the VA Medical Center, UC San Diego and University City along what is being called mid-coast corridor.

Chaldeans celebrate Pope’s acceptance (U-T San Diego)

About 1,000 people packed into a church hall in El Cajon on Tuesday night to celebrate Pope Francis’ historic assignment of a former Assyrian bishop to the Chaldean Catholic Church.

Renovations good signs for local casinos (U-T San Diego)

The local Indian casino and resort industry is showing signs of strength again after several years of struggle brought on by the recession, with several of the region’s nine facilities undergoing expansion and renovation.

STATE

Cal Fire Officials Set To Add More Personnel (KPBS)

Cal Fire officials are worried about additional wildfires and will add more personnel.

“They’re all gone” – shock as sardines vanish off California (Energy News)

Fishermen didn’t find a single one all summer — Scientist: This is about the entire Pacific coast… Canada, Mexico, U.S.

California governor declares drought emergency (Reuters)

California Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency on Friday, a move that will allow the parched state to seek federal aid as it grapples with what could turn out to be the driest year in recorded state history for many areas.

California School Districts Given New, More Flexible Spending Guidelines (KPBS)

California school districts now have to draw up first-of-their kind spending plans under new statewide rules.

Brown's Budget Would Require Layoffs To California Courts, Chief Justice Says (KPBS)

The state's courts would be so squeezed under Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget that it would be not just a fiscal problem but a civil rights problem, California's chief justice warned this week.

 


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