EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

March 20, 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

• San Diego Opera to cease operations (10 News)
• Ramona couple found not guilty in pot case (UT San Diego)
• Director walks out – again (Ramona Sentinel)
• San Diego Police Helping End Gang Retaliation With Text Messages (KPBS)
• State police departments using cell-phone trackers (SD Reader)
• Lawmakers report gift intake (UT San Diego)
• 131 suggestions for a better La Mesa (La Mesa Today)
• Wood to metal power poles throughout the Cleveland National Forest (The Alpine Sun)

STATE

• University of California regents debate lifting tuition freeze (Sacramento Bee)
• Requests To Carry Concealed Guns Surges In California (KPBS)
• California Republicans strongly back Tea Party candidate at state convention (RawStory)

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

LOCAL

San Diego Opera to cease operations (10 News)

The San Diego Opera's Board of Directors voted Wednesday to fold next month, following the final performance of its 2014 season. The opera will wind down operations after the last performance of "Don Quixote" on April 13, CEO Ian Campbell said.

Ramona couple found not guilty in pot case (UT San Diego)

A year and a half ago, helicopters flew over Deborah and Dennis Little’s home, revealing to narcotics agents a plot of marijuana plants the couple said they were growing for their own medical needs. But the agents — and later, prosecutors — believed otherwise, which eventually landed the Ramona couple in court.

Director walks out – again (Ramona Sentinel)

Accusations and a heated exchange among some members of the Ramona Municipal Water District board resulted in one director walking out of the meeting — for the second  consecutive meeting.

San Diego Police Helping End Gang Retaliation With Text Messages (KPBS)

The San Diego Police Department shares real-time information on gang homicides so former gang members can work to stop retaliation — starting at the hospital.

State police departments using cell-phone trackers (SD Reader)

Sacramento's News10 has come out with a major study of police-department uses of so-called "stingray" devices to monitor cell-phone conversations. San Diego is among many California law-enforcement agencies using the devices.

Lawmakers report gift intake (UT San Diego)

On top of salaries of $90,000 or more, many members of the Assembly and the Senate receive thousands of dollars of gifts and travel in each year from special interests, such as hats from the California Cattlemen's Association. By law, elected officials can accept up to $440 in gifts per year, a limit that is lifted if it involves travel for a speaking engagement or provided by a nonprofit group. Click through to see who accepted the most in San Diego County’s delegation last year.

131 suggestions for a better La Mesa (La Mesa Today)

The La Mesa Today 2014 Voter Survey also asked respondents an open-ended question of what could be done to improve La Mesa. The responses -- all 131 of them -- ranged from the thoughtful and inspired to the occasional untethered and rambling.

Wood to metal power poles throughout the Cleveland National Forest (The Alpine Sun)

SDG&E’s permits for the 70 power-poles, which weave in and out through the Cleveland National Forest and private lands, have expired. The U.S. Forest Service, has the power to renew the utility’s’ existing permits...San Diego Gas and Electric is offering the U.S. Forest Service a service in suggesting the replacement of wooden poles with “fire-hardened” metal poles.  In the mind of the USFS, “fire-hardened” poles should mean fewer fires.  However, there are many concerns over what is truly being pushed forward by SDGE in the metal-to wood replacement.   -

STATE

University of California regents debate lifting tuition freeze (Sacramento Bee)

Facing a budget shortfall of more than a hundred million dollars, the University of California Board of Regents expressed doubts at its bimonthly meeting Wednesday that it could sustain the current tuition freeze for students.

Requests To Carry Concealed Guns Surges In California (KPBS)

Sheriffs in some politically conservative or rural counties reported spikes in applications while other counties in the state experienced smaller increases.

California Republicans strongly back Tea Party candidate at state convention (RawStory)

California Republicans wrapped up their annual state convention on Sunday with a roar of approval for a charismatic Tea Party-backed candidate seeking to unseat popular Democratic Governor Jerry Brown as he vies for an unprecedented fourth term. Tim Donnelly, a Southern California state assemblyman who made his name as a leader for the anti-illegal immigration Minutemen Project, brought the crowd of several hundred party activists to its feet … Assemblyman Brian Jones, a San Diego-area Republican who has thrown his support behind Donnelly, said that the sometimes provocative candidate has taken to heart pleas from senior party leaders and the business community to make his message more inclusive.