January 18, 2013 (San Diego) -- It seems like it's been forever but Arnold Schwarzenegger, to borrow a familiar line, is back. The Last Stand is his first starring role since Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines ten years ago. It’s apparent the transition from governor back to actor isn’t easy for him. His timing isn't as sharp as it was in True Lies and at 65 he’s not as physically overpowering as he was twenty years ago. I liken it to someone relearning how to drive a car after having not driven for many years.
Of course I knew going in all of that was to be expected. Sure enough, these are minor quibbles.
January 17, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – As ECM reported earlier, President Obama has announced a package of reforms aimed at stemming gun violence in the wake of numerous mass shootings. Initial media reports were unclear on which actions were done as executive orders by the President for immediate implementation, and which actions require Congressional approval. So ECM contacted the White House.
“I am providing you with two things that might help your readers understand the President’s announcement yesterday," Brian Lepow with the White House press office responded. “ THIS LINK will take you to the President’s transcript from yesterday. I have also attached a fact sheet and executive summary on the package of proposals to reduce gun violence and a list of gun violence reduction executive actions.
January 17, 2013 (San Diego)—San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of a parolee by a San Diego Police Officer. A stand-off ended in arrest of a second suspect.
During the ordeal, Alvarado Hospital was placed on lockdown briefly and residents of an apartment unit were evacuated while police conducted a search. A warning was also sent out to SDSU students and faculty, though the campus was not locked down.
January 16, 2013 (San Diego)--Justin Gillis, of the New York Times Green Blog, titles his introduction to the recently released Federal Advisory Committee Draft Climate Assessment Report” as “An Alarm in the offing on Climate Change.” Personally, I find it reminiscent of a modern day Book of Revelation - only many of the predicted calamities are aimed directly at me and mine. The message is not new. Some scientists have been warning us about Climate change for decades. What is new, is that this is a Government report which, Gilllis writes, “minces no words”. He adds a note of caution, that “it is a draft, so we don’t know what final language will make it into the report.”
January 17, 2013 (Sacramento)—Sweeping updates to California’s career technical education (CTE) standards—designed to reflect the changing face of technology and set higher academic goals—received approval from the State Board of Education Wednesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced.
The new standards are one of the cornerstone achievements of Torlakson’s Career Readiness Initiative. Building on the previous CTE standards, the revised standards were created with input from more than 300 representatives from business and industry, labor, and postsecondary and secondary education, ranging from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to mental health experts and environmental innovators.
January 17, 2013 (El Cajon) – Councilman Gary Kendrick will introduce a measure on Tuesday, January 22 that would implement a “deemed approved” system to regulate liquor licenses n El Cajon.
“It enables a city to put a whole host of new conditions on existing liquor establishments,” Kendrick told ECM. “It even covers those grandfathered in that don’t have a conditional use permit, so we could stop a liquor store from creating a nuisance in the city.” The measure would cover all off-site liquor stores, type 20 and 21 licenses, he added.
The proposal would also allow the city to charge a fee to liquor stores to funds sting operations against alcohol sellers as asll as pay for a full-time alcohol enforcement officer.
January 17, 2013 (San Diego) --Recently, the Karen [pronounced ‘care-en’] organization held its fourth annual Karen New Year at Crawford High. Karen New Year is a culture celebration for refugees from Burma.
More than 1,200 refugees from Burma now call San Diego home, resettled here after living in refugee camps in Thailand. Many were forced to leave their homeland after the Burmese government began burning villages as part of a religious persecution. The Karen includes both Buddhists and Christians, who received a warm reception from civic leaders at the celebration.
January 17, 2013 (La Mesa) – La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board trustee Penny Halgren announced her immediate resignation at Tuesday’s meeting. Halgren said she is moving to Aracadia Los Angeles County to be with her boyfriend. Halgren has served on the board since 2002 and was reelected in 2010.
Asked whether the opening will be filled by appointment or by special election, Barbara Martinez, executive assistant to Superintendent Brian Marshall, told ECM, “That will be up to the Board to decide at the February 5 meeting.”
“We have an opportunity in San Diego to create a truly great international city; a city that respects and empowers its people; a city that protects and enhances their quality of life, and a city that promotes good-paying jobs and a healthy economy for all residents.” – Mayor Bob Filner
By Miriam Raftery
January 17, 2013 (San Diego)—In his State of the City address this week, newly elected Mayor Bob Filner discussed financial challenges as well as his vision for the future. He likened the city to a “patient who has overcome a serious illness,” citing a past cover-up of financial problems.
“The budget surplus predicted by my predecessor last year could actually be a deficit as much as $40 million,” Filner said, noting that state funding issues and court cases remain to be resolved. “But if we learned anything from the mistakes of the past, it’s that it is better to be truthful about these problems than to cover them up,” he said. Despite challenges ahead, the Mayor laid out ambitious plans for revitalizing the region's economy, making San Diego the nation's solar capital, expanding redevelopment to neighborhoods city-wide, and improving communication systems for regional emergencies such as wildfires.
Equine ordinance and Ewiiaapaayp rezoning request among agenda items
January 17, 2013 (Alpine) – The Alpine Community Planning Group will meet on Thursday, January 24 at 6 p.m. in the Alpine Community Center.
A County representative will be on hand to discuss the County’s proposed Equine Ordinance for horse owners. The Ewiiaapaayp band of Kumeyaay Indians will send a representative to request rezoning of a parcel to “rural commercial” designation. The agenda also includes cell phone site modification requests from Sprint and AT&T, and more. For the full Agenda, read more.
January 17, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--The second amendment needs to be re-defined for the modern times.
It is my notion that the right to bear arms is very similar to the right to smoke; they both have a cancerous effect that contributes to the decay in modern society. We as a society can continue to ignore and look the other way with temporary fixes that give the appearance of seriousness; however, the reality is: there are too many guns in the US; and our too-many-guns are being turned on us.
January 17, 2013 (Santee)—A man’s body was found floating in the water at Santee Lakes this morning.
ECM news partner 10 News reports that workers opening a locked gate at 8:30 spotted a blue cap floating in the water. A parked vehicle with keys on the dashboard was also found nearby, Santee Patch reports. The body was partially submerged at the edge of Lake One.
January 17, 2013 (La Mesa) –The City of La Mesa is nearing completion of a draft environmental impact report on Park Station, a proposed 18-story high-rise project that would be 10 stories taller than any existing structure in the city.
Before planners and council members weigh in, Urban Housing Partners, marketers of the project have issued a survey, which you can take here:
January 16, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Take a deep breath and buckle your seatbelt. You’re a caregiver: Sure you feel overwhelmed. It goes with the job; there’s not a family caregiver around who doesn’t feel stressed to the max – a lot of the time.
Caregiving is a rollercoaster. You go up and you go down, sometimes at virtually the same time. So buckle up and try to enjoy the best parts of the ride.
An important way to prepare for this journey is to set boundaries.
January 16, 2013 (San Diego) – The San Diego Sheriff is warning the public to beware of phone scammers posing as members of the Sheriff’s Department. There are at least two separate scams. One involves canceling arrest warrants or court appearances for a fee. The other scam entails notifying the victim that they have won a prize, then asking for payment for taxes. Scroll down for details.
The East County Produce Exchange is kicking off the New Year with an event on Saturday, January 26th. It will be held in the Jamul Hardware parking lot from 3:30-5:00. The Exchange is a monthly event in Jamul, where people come from all over the county to exchange freshly grown fruits and vegetables. The produce exchange is like a farmer’s market, but it is a free event. There is no money involved!
You set out your produce on a table, and then walk around and take what you want from others, while others will take from you. This month the exchange expects to have lots of oranges, lemons, chard, cabbage, broccoli, kale, onions, and herbs.
Update: ECM has obtained the complete list of Executive Actions taken by the President from the White House press office. View them here.
By Miriam Raftery
January 17, 2013 (Washington D.C.) – Joined by families victimized by gun violence, President Barack Obama yesterday announced a comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence, including background check,s limits on ammunition purchases, improved mental healthcare, better resources for schools and law enforcement.
The President has the backing of most Americans, according to several new polls which found strong support for key elements of the proposal.
January 16, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
January 16, 2013--(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:
January 16, 2013 (Spring Valley) – On January 19 the community is invited to a special fundraiser at Steele Canyon High School, 12440 Campo Road, Spring Valley from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to benefit the family of Don Mott. Mott is recovering from a seven hour open-heart surgery after suffering three heart attacks in the month of December.
January 16, 2013 (San Diego) – Graduating high school seniors can earn up to $10,000 towards a college education through to Cox Cares scholarship program. Cox Communications has been awarding college scholarships for 13 years and this year will be awarding $100,000 state-wide.
January 16, 2013 (El Cajon) – The East SD County cash mob is headed to Silver Creek Gallery, 120 E. Main St. in El Cajon on January 19 at 12 p.m. A Cash Mob is a large number of people organized via social media to draw customers to support a local small business during tough economic times. Previous cash mob events have brought thousands of dollars into local retailers. It’s all about supporting your local economy.
January 16, 2013 (Campo) – The Campo Diner is a popular place in East County – and co-owner Carmen Delaguerra is happy to announce that rumors of the diner’s demise are not true. The Diner is now reopened, following a two-week closure over the holidays due to discovery that well water was contaminated with nitrates.
“We’re getting a new filtration system. They’ve approved us being open for 30 days,” Delaguerra said, adding that while awaiting installation, the restaurant is serving bottled water and relying on paper plates. “Our customers don’t care about eating on paper plates. They’re telling us they’re thrilled that we’re back open."
Closure came without warning at the busiest time of the year, just before Christmas, when the nearby Pacific Southwest Railway Museum runs its Christmas train rides. “We had a party coming in that evening and we had to shut down that afternoon,”Delaguerra said. "It couldn't have happened at a worse time."
January 16, 2013 (La Mesa) – Two men are in custody after attempting to break into a vehicle at the La Mesa Indoor Soccer Park yesterday evening. According to Police, the suspects fled the scene but were apprehended with help from the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter.
Officers found the suspects’ vehicle in the parking lot at the Soccer Park, 9586 Murray Drive, and discovered additional stolen property inside.
January 16, 2012 (Jamul)--The League will have tryouts on Saturday, January 26th starting at 9am for players ages 7-14. There will also be registration for boys and girls ages 5-14.
The location is at the Jamul Little League Fields at 14545 Lyons Valley Rd, Jamul, CA. The fields are between Jamul Primary and Jamul Intermediate School.
Okay, so it’s New Years, a time for resolutions. Since the independent press that was going to publish my memoir in 2013 has closed its doors due to the owner’s health, I need to find another publisher for my book. The state of the industry, large publishers merging in order to survive and the prohibitive cost of paper dictating major print publication decisions, makes this a challenging time for authors. The saving grace is we’re living in a digital age and there are multiple avenues available to writers through digital publication. Also, small to medium-size independent publishers are putting out excellent books.
January 16, 2013 (Washington, D.C.)--The Democratic Caucus earlier this month approved additional committee assignments for Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) has been assigned to serve on the House Science, Space and Technology committee.
January 16, 2013 (Lakeside)--Sandra (Sandie) Seckington of Lakeside won a First Place award for miniatures at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s January show, “New Beginnings”. Sandie’s painting, “Uncertain Future”, was picked by juror Carol Mansfield because of its painterly but realistic depiction of a cheetah. Mansfield said that the cheetah had “such presence”.
Asked about her painting, Sandie said, “As a lifelong animal lover and currently doting "Mom" to two horses, two cats, a parrot and a dog, paintings of animals are a special pleasure for me. I try to really get to the soul of the animal through its eyes and imbue it with fanciful colors to express my delight in the creature.
January 16, 2013 (San Diego) – Wind industry professionals and government leaders gathered at the Hilton in La Jolla-Torrey Pines for a four-day conference sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association January 14-17.
On opening day, a Regional Wind Energy Summit-West was held focusing on on demand and challenges in the region, as well as new opportunities for wind energy developers in the western United States ranging from corporate clients and point-of-use projects to repowering older wind farms.
September 15, 2013 (San Diego) -- Joan McKasson and Joan Merrick were awarded first and second places respectively in the San Diego Watercolor Society’s January show, “New Beginnings”. The juror, Carol Mansfield, complimented both paintings for their expert use of watercolor along with their strong colors and designs.
By Brian Lafferty
By Miriam Raftery
By Roy L Hales 
January 17, 2013 (Sacramento)—Sweeping updates to California’s career technical education (CTE) standards—designed to reflect the changing face of technology and set higher academic goals—received approval from the State Board of Education Wednesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced.
January 17, 2013 (El Cajon) – Councilman Gary Kendrick will introduce a measure on Tuesday, January 22 that would implement a “deemed approved” system to regulate liquor licenses n El Cajon. 
By Janis Mork
Equine ordinance and Ewiiaapaayp rezoning request among agenda items
By Alfred Waddell
By Marsha Kay Seff
January 16, 2013 (San Diego) – The San Diego Sheriff is warning the public to beware of phone scammers posing as members of the Sheriff’s Department. There are at least two separate scams. One involves canceling arrest warrants or court appearances for a fee. The other scam entails notifying the victim that they have won a prize, then asking for payment for taxes. Scroll down for details.
January 16, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
January 16, 2013--(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:
January 16, 2013 (Spring Valley) – On January 19 the community is invited to a special fundraiser at Steele Canyon High School, 12440 Campo Road, Spring Valley from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to benefit the family of Don Mott. Mott is recovering from a seven hour open-heart surgery after suffering three heart attacks in the month of December.
January 16, 2013 (San Diego) – Graduating high school seniors can earn up to $10,000 towards a college education through to Cox Cares scholarship program. Cox Communications has been awarding college scholarships for 13 years and this year will be awarding $100,000 state-wide.
January 16, 2013 (El Cajon) – The East SD County cash mob is headed to Silver Creek Gallery, 120 E. Main St. in El Cajon on January 19 at 12 p.m. A Cash Mob is a large number of people organized via social media to draw customers to support a local small business during tough economic times. Previous cash mob events have brought thousands of dollars into local retailers. It’s all about supporting your local economy.
January 16, 2013 (La Mesa) – Two men are in custody after attempting to break into a vehicle at the La Mesa Indoor Soccer Park yesterday evening. According to Police, the suspects fled the scene but were apprehended with help from the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter. 
January 16, 2012 (Jamul)--The League will have tryouts on Saturday, January 26th starting at 9am for players ages 7-14. There will also be registration for boys and girls ages 5-14. 
By Ray M. Wong
January 16, 2013 (Washington, D.C.)--The Democratic Caucus 
January 16, 2013 (Lakeside)--Sandra (Sandie) Seckington of Lakeside won a First Place award for miniatures at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s January show, “New Beginnings”. Sandie’s painting, “Uncertain Future”, was picked by juror Carol Mansfield because of its painterly but realistic depiction of a cheetah. Mansfield said that the cheetah had “such presence”. 
By Miriam Raftery
September 15, 2013 (San Diego) -- Joan McKasson and Joan Merrick were awarded first and second places respectively in the San Diego Watercolor Society’s January show, “New Beginnings”. The juror, Carol Mansfield, complimented both paintings for their expert use of watercolor along with their strong colors and designs.
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