EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: TOP LOCAL AND STATE NEWS

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December15, 2011 (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:
 
 
STATE
 
  • Majority supports Jerry Brown’s tax plan, poll finds (Sacramento Bee)
  • Jerry Brown’s cuts to California schools less than feared (Sacramento Bee)
  • California’s financial forecasts this week will have real-world consequences (Sacramento Bee)
  • Groups say closing state parks is bad economics (KPBS)
LOCAL
 
  • County won’t take on SDG&E over higher solar rates (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • Inside La Mesa’s Traffic ‘killing zone’ (La Mesa Today)
  • Helix football team earns state bowl berth (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • District Attorney settles public records lawsuit [filed by Lakeside resident Mel Shapiro] (San Diego CityBeat)
  • Planning group, Mussey Grade alliance oppose suggested changes in local planning input (Ramona Patch)
  • Guitar-making class hits all the right notes (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • Private paramilitary training complex slated for border hits a hitch (Narco News)
  • County okays turkey hunt for youth—again (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • Changes at VOSD (Voice of San Diego)
 
Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

 

 

 
STATE
 
Majority supports Jerry Brown’s tax plan, poll finds (Sacramento Bee)
December 12, 2011 -- A new poll shows 60 percent of California voters, weary of state spending cuts and unsettled by the prospect of more, are ready to support Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to raise taxes. The Public Policy Institute of California poll, released Monday, is the first public measure of voter opinion about Brown's tax initiative since he announced it this month.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/12/majority-supports-jerry-browns-tax-plan-poll-finds.html
 
Jerry Brown’s cuts to California schools less than feared (Sacramento Bee)
December 13, 2011 -- Gov. Jerry Brown will slash higher education, child care and school bus service, but he will largely spare K-12 classrooms from mid-year cuts under a revised budget forecast released today. K-12 school districts were at risk of losing as much $1.5 billion - the equivalent of seven instructional days - under the budget Brown and lawmakers enacted earlier this year. But they will face a smaller $79.6 million reduction in general funding. That should avert massive reductions in the school calendar or other drastic measures for most districts.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/12/california-to-slash-education-social-services-in-mid-year-cut.html
 
California’s financial forecasts this week will have real-world consequences (Sacramento Bee)
 
December 12, 2011 -- Next month, rural residents may struggle to find library books, and low-income families could lose subsidized child care. Come February, public school districts may scour their calendars looking for days to shut their doors. The rosy budget crafted by Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers in June confronts reality this week when state finance officials update their revenue forecast.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/12/4116082/californias-financial-forecast.html
 
Groups say closing state parks is bad economics (KPBS)
 
December 7, 2011 -- California plans to close 70 of its 278 state parks, including two in San Diego County, due to budget cuts. The two parks in San Diego County are Palomar Mountain State Park and the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park.
Sam Lichtman with Environment California said the state parks generate jobs and dollars and closing the 70 parks does not add up.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2011/dec/07/groups-say-closing-calif-state-parks-bad-economics/#c10519
 
LOCAL
 
County won’t take on SDG&E over higher solar rates (San Diego Union-Tribune)
 
December 6, 201 -- The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday refused to oppose a contentious proposal from San Diego Gas & Electric that would result in substantially higher rates for solar users.
The 3-2 vote runs counter to recent actions by a growing slate of local government entities, including cities, public school districts and water authorities that generate their own solar power.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/06/county-wont-take-on-sdge-over-higher-solar-rates/
 
Inside La Mesa’s Traffic ‘killing zone’ (La Mesa Today)
 
December 11, 2011 --  On Friday night, during the daily rush hour, traffic on the 125 slowed to a crawl as usual.
Cars racing down the I-8 and wanting to get to the 94 East or West found out what 125 motorists know all too well: the backup caused by cars exiting at Spring Street -- as all motorists wanting to head east on the 94 must do -- make this stretch of road treacherous.
This past Friday night those elements turned deadly. A motorist, perhaps fueled by alcohol at his office holiday party, slammed into the stopped traffic, killing two people in horrific flames. You can read the full story of that accident by clicking here. The 125 has now become a killing zone.
http://www.lamesatoday.com/profiles/blogs/la-mesa-transportation-1

Helix football team earns state bowl berth (San Diego Union-Tribune)

 
December 11, 2011 -- Early in a telephonic press conference before the announcement of which teams that would be invited to play in the high school Football Bowl Championships, State CIF Executive Director Marie M Ishida said: “Strength of schedule is the No. 1 criteria, not if you lost a game or two.”
Citing that very consideration, Ishida then revealed that Helix (12-1) would be playing Loomis Del Oro (13-1) for the Division II title Saturday starting at 4 .m. at the Home Deport Center, which is sporting a brand new all-weather field.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/11/helix-football-team-earns-state-bowl-berth/
 
District Attorney settles public records lawsuit [filed by Lakeside resident Mel Shapiro] (San Diego CityBeat)
 
December 7, 2011 -- Mel Shapiro just won a legal settlement, but forgive the 84-year-old if he doesn’t look ecstatic about it.
The battle began on March 10, the day San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis formally announced her candidacy for mayor of San Diego. A City Hall watchdog, Shapiro immediately filed a request under the California Public Records Act (CPRA)—a sort of citizen’s subpoena—to find out how effectively Dumanis’ office has investigated corruption and fraud perpetrated by politicians.
http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/article-9899-district-attorney-settles-public-records-lawsuit.html?utm_source=cooleremail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=23580&utm_campaign=99015
 
Planning group, Mussey Grade alliance oppose suggested changes in local planning input (Ramona Patch)
 
December 9, 2011 -- Ramona's input in the local development approval process could take a hit if recommendations by a task force are approved by the county Board of Supervisors.
The Red Tape Reduction Task Force has recommended that the Board consider eliminating the groups from under the County's 'umbrella' or changing the role of planning groups in the county. The task force was established in April to review the land development permitting process and look for ways to make it more efficient.
http://ramona.patch.com/articles/planning-group-opposes-recommended-streamlining-that-could-cut-local-input
 
Guitar-making class hits all the right notes (San Diego Union-Tribune)
 
 December 7, 2011 -- With the nimble fingers of a surgeon, Rockne O’Brien glued kerfing around the curves of the guitar frame on the table in front of him, affixing the slim strips with wood clothes pins. A student in the popular guitar-making class at Valhalla High School in El Cajon, the 15-year-old sophomore doesn’t play guitar, but loves the meticulous drilling, sawing and sanding that goes into crafting the instrument.
“I like something that relies on me to make it,” Rockne said. “It’s nice to stay in touch with the crafts that made America.”
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/07/guitar-making-class-hits-all-the-right-notes/
 
Private paramilitary training complex slated for border hits a hitch (Narco News)
 
October 22, 2011 -- A paramilitary service company’s plan to develop a nearly 1,000-acre military and law-enforcement training facility near the California border with Mexico is now in the process of being scuttled by a foreclosure action on the property.
At least $1 million is still owed on the property by the company, called Wind Zero, according to the current notice of default obtained by Narco News — and some sources familiar with the foreclosure process indicate the amount owed, including interest and penalties, exceeds $1.5 million.
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/bill-conroy/2011/10/private-paramilitary-training-complex-slated-border-hits-hitch
 
County okays turkey hunt for youth—again (San Diego Union-Tribune)
 
December 7, 2011 -- A group of mentored youth has received preliminary approval to shoot wild turkeys at a county open-space preserve.
The Board of Supervisors on Wednesday moved to allow firearms and archery equipment for the annual two-day, juniors-only hunt at Santa Ysabel East Preserve beginning in March. A maximum of 10 youngsters per day would be allowed to participate.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/07/county-oks-youth-turkey-hunt-again/
 
Changes at VOSD (Voice of San Diego)
 
December 9, 2011 -- Today was a difficult day of change for voiceofsandiego.org.
Last year, we raised more than $1.1 million and drew up a budget for 2011 at $1.2 million. We're projecting lower revenue for the coming year and set the budget at $1 million.

There's no one cause for the change. No major donor has dropped out. Our sponsorships are consistent and our membership is growing rapidly. But in the past, we've relied on grants from national foundations to make up a large part of our funding and we can't be sure they'll be there for us again. We're in the process of building a thriving membership program to reduce our reliance on foundations, but we need time to fully establish a diverse donor base. Quite simply, like many of the agencies we cover and many families across San Diego, we have to be realistic about our prospects for the New Year.
http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/this_just_in/article_163c5030-22a0-11e1-aba7-001871e3ce6c.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+voice-of-san-diego-all-articles+%28All+articles+voiceofsandiego.org+--+full+feed%29

 


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