Murder Is A Family Affair, by Donalie Beltran, (Killing Time Press, LLC, 2013, 352 pages).
Book Review by Dennis Moore
November 8, 2013 (San Diego)--Donalie Beltran, an author with strong religious convictions, has written an historical true crime novel that uncovers the ancestry of a sordid and evil past that belies her faith: Murder Is A Family Affair. The author sets the stage for this story and the tone of this well-written novel by asking a rhetorical question: “Do you have a murderer in your family – maybe a violent tempered wife beater – those who feel they have a right to take a life?”
November 11, 2013 (San Diego)--During November, veterans and active duty military personnel can adopt a dog or cat at half price through County Animal Services. This includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations, a microchip, and a free health examination. The adoptions are limited to one dog or two cats per household.
Dawn Danielson, director of the County’s Department of Animal Services, says “This is truly a win-win situation for both the pets that deserve a loving home and our service members who will gain a loyal, forever companion.” Pets can often have healing effects on veterans and can help them transition back into their civilian lives, she added.
November 10, 2013 (Pine Valley) -- Fall is a fabulous time to take a drive through East County's backcountry. The photos on this page were taken yesterday along Old Highway 80 from Guatay to Pine Valley, where trees wear coats of gold, rust and crimson on these late autumn days.
November 9, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Arbor Day in Mission Trails is being celebrated at the Equestrian Staging area on Saturday, December 7, 2013, 9:00 a.m. The public is invited to take part in the donation and/or planting of oak trees. Volunteers may help with the planting - or act as cheerleaders. Volunteers are also needed to pull weeds and help with general landscape maintenance of the area. Some shovels will be available, but Mission Trails says it would be helpful if you could bring your own. Gloves and comfortable shoes are recommended. To make a donation, please complete and mail the Arbor Day Donation Form.
November 9, 2013 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Police Department is hosting a toy drive on behalf of the City of La Mesa to support Rady Children’s Hospital. The collection box is located in the La Mesa Police station lobby and they will be collecting toys until November 14, 2013. The La Mesa Police Department will transport the collected toys to AJ’s crane on November 15th. All toys must be new and sealed in their original packaging. Rady Children’s Hospital also asks that no toys include guns, religious themes, or violent games.
November 9, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The Descanso Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest will conduct prescribed burning from November 2013 to May 2014, if weather and fuel moisture conditions permit. The project will cover approximately 500-700 acres and will take place near the communities of Mount Laguna, Alpine, and Pine Valley.
The prescribed burns are for the purpose of assisting in providing community protection by slowing the spread of wildfires that occur under normal summer conditions as well as forest health. Some drifting smoke may be visible during the period of burning along Sunrise Highway, Japatul Road, and Interstate 8.
November 9, 2013 (El Cajon) – Hookbill Hobbyists of Southern California will offer a free nail and wing trim clinic in El Cajon on Sunday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Mite Bingo Hall, 1365 North Johnson Avenue in El Cajon.
November 9, 2013 (El Cajon) – Following Mayor Mark Lewis’ resignation, the East County Democratic Club’s president has sent an open letter to council members and residents urging that the vacancy be filled by appointing one of two minority candidates. The Club cites the region’s changing demographics and lists support for Ben Kalasho, an Iraqi Chaldean who narrowly lost a council race in 2012, and Vickie Butcher, an African-American who has served on the City’s planning commission and is active in local charities.
Presently,Councilman Bill Wells, a Republican, is serving as interim mayor. If Council should decide to appoint Wells as Mayor, members would then also have a vacancy to fill on the City Council.
November 8, 2013 (San Diego) – For all the gripes I hear about Hollywood’s glut of sequels – particularly about its apparent unwilling to try something new – there exists an upside that frequently gets lost in all the grousing: whereas the first film acts the set-up, the second can just get right down to business. Such is the case with Thor: The Dark World.
November 8, 2013 (Alpine) – The Alpine branch of the San Diego County Library will be honoring our veterans on November 7 at 6 p.m., at 2130 Arnold Way, Alpine.
The event will feature speaker Diana Saenger, author of “Mission Honored – A Dream Achieved; True stories of the Veterans on the Alpine Wall of Honor.” A musical tribute will be performed by the East County Children’s Choir.
November 7, 2013 (Washington D.C.) –The Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act was introduce November 4 in the Senate.
“The FAA’s plan falls far short of putting in place the necessary privacy protections for the commercialization of drone use in U.S. airspace,” Senator Ed Markey (D-MA)said in a statement. “This disregard for the need for strong and comprehensive privacy safeguards underscores why we must pass federal legislation to protect innocent individuals from expanded use of commercial and government drones.”
Markey said that his legislation requires transparency on the domestic use of drones and adds privacy protections that will “ensure this technology cannot and will not be used to spy on Americans.” Markey’s bill would require law enforcement agencies to acquire warrants before they use drones to conduct surveillance. A copy of his bill can be viewed here.
November 9, 2013 (El Cajon) – An argument between several men in an El Cajon parking lot ended in gunfire last night, with a bullet striking a woman in her 20s. One of three children in the vehicle was also injured by broken glass.
Deputies from the Santee Sheriff’s station responded at 5:09 p.m. to a report of shots fired at 340 East Bradley Avenue in unincorporated El Cajon. The woman, seated in an SUV at Graves and Bradley, had a bullet wound in her shoulder and a child was struck in the arm by shattered glass. Paramedics from Lakeside Fire took the woman to a hospital, where she was treated for a non-life threatening wound.
Production Details Kumeyaay History and Sycuan’s Evolution in the Region
November 6, 2013 (El Cajon)-- On Friday morning, Sycuan will debut a historical documentary that chronicles its 12,000-year existence in the present-day San Diego/Northern Baja region. It’s taken 16 months to produce and features local Native American anthropologists, historians and curators who help weave and trace the Kumeyaay ancestry. It also contains biographical accounts that make it an even more compelling and thought provoking piece.
“It really shows our history from a perspective that most people have never heard of, it goes beyond anything in textbooks and accounts ever written or told about the Kumeyaay and Sycuan,” said Daniel Tucker, Chairman of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.
November 8, 2011 (Alpine) -- On Monday, November 11th, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., a ceremony will be held at the Alpine Wall of Honor (next to Alpine's Community Center) to celebrate the addition of an additional row of heroes and remember all of the great men and women on the Wall of Honor who have served our country or are currently serving.
VFW Post 9578 will be providing our Color Guard, and Peter Hastings will perform some patriotic songs.
After the ceremony, the VFW will be serving hamburgers and hot dogs at the Post and is inviting all who are interested to continue the day's celebration.
November 7, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The Cameron Highlanders Pipe Band of San Diego County is having its 65th annual Tartan Ball on Nov. 16, 2013 at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park. The Camerons have a long history, being one of the oldest continuously competing bands in the west coast. The group also offers free bagpiping and drumming lessons at Helix High School every Wednesday from7 to 9 PM.
"We are always in the look out for new guests to join us for an evening of bagpiping, singing, dinner, and highland dancing," said spokesman Robert Yslas, Jr.
November 7, 2013 (El Cajon) – The City of El Cajon’s Special Events Committee, a group of city employees volunteering their time for city and community projects, is seeking item and monetary donations to mail care packages to military members serving overseas through the second annual “They Serve Us, Let’s Serve Them” campaign from “9-11 to 11-11.”
“We’ve had an outpouring of care package item donations and will probably be able to assemble 30 care packages to help our military this year,” according to Ron Luis Valles, a coordinator and member of the special events committee.
November 7, 2013 (San Diego) – Tuesday morning, in response to recent crime alert bulletins, SDSU Police received a call from a student reporting a male subject was asking to use his cell phone at the intersection of Campanile Drive and Montezuma Road.
The student refused to give him his phone and called police. Officers later arrested the subject on unrelated felony charges. The suspect’s connection to prior cell phone theft cases is currently under investigation.
November 7, 2013 (San Diego) – The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) advises fans taking the Trolley to Qualcomm Stadium for the Chargers versus Denver Broncos game Sunday, Nov. 10, at 1:25 p.m. to travel early and to purchase trolley tickets on their smart phones to avoid crowds.
MTS will increase the number of pre- and post-game Green Line trains that provide direct service to Qualcomm Stadium from downtown and Santee. Expanded service begins at 8:45 a.m. between Old Town and the stadium and at 9:50 a.m. between Santee and the stadium. After the game, MTS will operate extra Green Line service in both directions as needed.
November 7, 2013 (Santee) – Each year since 2003, the City of Santee has launched the holiday season by hosting its Holiday Lighting Celebration at Santee Trolley Square.
This year’s celebration -- 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 -- will include booths, music, and activities guaranteed to ensure a fun outing for the entire family.
Live music will be provided at the amphitheater stage by the Bayou Brothers, recent winners of “Favorite Blues Band” at the San Diego Music Awards. Also performing will be roving carolers dressed in period costumes and a community theater group singing holiday tunes.
November 6, 2013 (San Diego) – Veterans are recognized for their service to our country in November, and County Animal Services wants to show gratitude to our military this month with a special offer of unconditional friendship and companionship from a shelter dog or cat.
“This is truly a win-win situation for both the pets that deserve a loving home and our service members who will gain a loyal, forever companion,” said Dawn Danielson, director of the Department of Animal Services.
November 6, 2013 (San Diego) – Cruises are popular getaways, and many ships depart from Southern California. Only some cruise lines have better environmental records than others. Marcie Keever, of Friends of the Earth report, recently did an evaluation of 162 cruise ships to help people choose green and sustainable businesses.
Among cruise ships departing from San Diego, for example, ratings ranged from “A” to “F” depending on the cruise line and category.
November 6, 2013 (San Diego) – An “Energy Demonstration House” featured on the San Diego Sustainability Tour in September has generated 49.9% in energy savings for the homeowners. This ‘Clark Kent’ of households was transformed into an energy super-hero to showcase the simply things homeowners can do to slash energy costs and live more comfortably and sustainably – and how to use it using other people’s money.
November 6, 2013 (El Cajon) – The City of El Cajon invites the public to join in the Centennial Farewell festivities on Tuesday, November 12 at the Centennial Plaza, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. Centennial Plaza is located at 200 Civic Center Way. This Farewell Celebration will also include a special tribute to veterans, as well as honoring those who have volunteered more than 100 hours in the El Cajon Community, through the 100 Hours, Honoring 100 Years Centennial Volunteer program.
November 5, 2013 (San Diego) – Nearly 270,000 San Diegans, including 136,000 children and 15,000 senior citizens, had their food stamp benefits cut effective November 1st. Nationwide, around 48 million people rely on food stamps, or nearly 14% of all Americans.
November 7, 2013 (San Diego) – After winning the last five games and 10 of their last 11 Mountain West matches, the Aztecs football team will face the San Jose Spartans at Qualcomm in a crucial match.
November 7, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) –Among East County’s best-kept secrets are the dramatic tours offered by Overland Adventures.
Autumn nights are ideal for several special upcoming experiences ranging from a classical guitar concert by moonlight in the redrock Hawk Canyon area to two overnight camp-outs for stargazers –including a chance to view an upcoming meteor shower and the spectacular comet ISON.
November 7, 2013 (San Diego) – By a unanimous vote, San Diego Supervisors this week approved an increase in general relief assistance for low-income county residents.
November 6, 2013 (El Cajon)-- El Cajon City Councilmembers Bob McClellan and Tony Ambrose have released an official response to the resignation of former Mayor Mark Lewis on October 24, 2013. Both voiced pride in the community’s diversity , acknowledged that the Mayor’s remarks on minorities were “inappropriate and wrong,” then called for unity in El Cajon. For the full text of their letter, click here.
In addition, Councilmember Gary Kendrick issued his own letter praising Mayor Lewis on his accomplishments including balanced budgets, economic stability and economic development. While he joined with Ambrose and McClellan in making clear that he did not agree with or support Lewis’ controversial comments, he stated, “Mark will always be my friend...” To read Kendrick’s letter, click here.
Kendrick told ECM,” The Mayor Lewis that I knew would never have made those statements before his stroke.”
November 7, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) –Meteor showers were reported across San Diego, Orange and Riverside County last night. The bright lights streaking across the skies were all part of the Taurid Meteor Shower, known for producing spectacular fireballs.
If you missed it, watch for the Leoinids meteor shower due up next, on November 16.
Meteor showers are caused by earth entering a zone where a comet (such as the image at left, photographed by Jim Morrison, San Diego Astronomy Association) passed through the earth-s orbit in the past. As the sun heats a comet up, it leaves a trail of dust and rocky debris ejected off.
By Miriam Raftery
By Miriam Raftery
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