February 24, 2012 (San Diego) -- The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) continues to receive complaints from victims of payday loan telephone collection scams. As previously reported in December 2010, the typical payday loan scam involves a caller who claims the victim is delinquent on a payday loan and must make payment to avoid legal consequences.
Richard Darvas, a freelance investigative journalist who has won awards for his reporting in East County Magazine, has painstakingly dissected the case of William Richards, a prisoner whom the San Diego-based California Innocence Project believes was falsely convicted of murder.
By Miriam Raftery
February 24, 2012 (San Diego)--In August 1993, William Richards lost his wife of 22 years to a grim murder in Hesperia, Calif. Richard Darvas, an investigative reporter convinced of Richards’ innocence, observes, “State accusers wrested away the last vestiges of his dignity during four murder trials over as many years. At sentencing in San Bernardino Superior Court, the remainder of this man’s life was bartered for a hollow expedient.”
February 24, 2012 (La Mesa)—A special meeting of the La Mesa Youth Advsory Commission will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 25 at Nan Couts Cottage, 5045 Memorial Drive, La Mesa.The agenda will consider a Teen Summit with La Mesa teens to discuss issues of concern, plus desires for community programs and services for teens.
February 24,2012 (La Mesa) -- Youngsters from throughout Southern California and Arizona will compete for trophies and points during two days of Soap Box Derby Rally Races on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday March 5 in La Mesa. The Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Derby Races provide valuable experience for the 7-17-year old race car drivers as two-by-two they roll down the sloping race course on Junior High Drive next to La Mesa Middle School, achieving speeds up to 24 mph.
February 24, 2012 (El Cajon)-- The Pacific Western Bank at 368 Broadway was robbed on February 21at 12:49 p.m. The FBI and local law enforcement believe he is the “Insistent Bandit” believed responsible for five bank robberies dating back to January 17, 2012. Public help is sought to identity the suspect.
The robber approached a teller and stated, “This is a robbery.” He then lifted his shirt and showed the teller a handgun tucked under his waistband. The teller placed an unspecified amount of cash inside of the plastic grocery bag that he handed to her.
February 24, 2012 (San Diego)—San Diego County residents will finally have a chance to tell the California Public Utilities Commission what they think about San Diego Gas & Electric’s proposal to charge ratepayers $463.9 million for the utility’s uninsured losses due to the 2007 wildfires caused by its poorly maintained power lines.
Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon will hold a public participation hearing on April 5 from 4-9 p.m. at the Al Bar Shriner Auditorium , 4330 Kearny Mesa Road in San Diego.
The announcement follows a February 21, 2012 “Turko Files” KUSI TV investigative report which revealed over a dozen private meetings in which SDG&E executives wined and dined CPUC Commissioner Simon,who is acting as a judge on this matter:http://www.kusi.com/story/16988213/almost-anything-goes.
February 24, 2012 (San Diego) -- What if San Diego produced its own electricity with solar on rooftops and parking garage covers?Imagine if San Diego became its own utility provider—instead of SDG&E.
That’s exactly what Congressman and mayoral candidate Bob Filner proposed in a brainstorming session with top regional experts at part I of “Forging a Sustainable Future.”(Part II takes place March 3-4 at San Diego State University. Filner will be among those speaking.)
Editor's note: Pam is a friend of mine who is confined to a wheelchair with a degenerative medical condition. She has long been an inspiration to me--a talented writer who uses a pen held in her mouth to compose her works, including this impassioned plea below for the public to sign a petition asking the Legislature to let disabled people like Pam keep their in-home caregivers.
February 24, 2012 (San Diego) -- This petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Keep-IHSS-out-of-Managed-Care/ is calling for an IHSS "carve-out", to keep the present IHSS program (which enables me to hire my own caregivers/assistants) as an option apart from total inclusion within a new managed care mandate.
February 23, 2012 -- (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
Community meeting discussing Quail Brush Power Plant Feb. 28 (Santee Patch)
Grossmont expands school enrollment choices for some (San Diego Union-Tribune)
San Diego Gas & Electric wants you to pay for its negligence (San Diego Reader)
Nature reclaims local cold war relic (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Hunter introduces bill to name Ramona Post Office after Mac McWilliams (Ramona Patch)
Helix claims Hills League title with tiebreaking victory over Grossmont (La Mesa Patch)
Veterans recover from war wounds on the farm (MSNBC)
SDPD Oversight Board Faces Favoritism Accusations
STATE
Prop 8 backers seek review of gay marriage case (Sacramento Bee)
Jerry Brown: California to reopen trade offices in China (Sacramento Bee)
Scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.
February 23, 2012 (Lemon Grove) – Six bullet casings have been recovered following reports of gunshots heard around 6:13 p.m. in the 800 block of Grand Avenue in Lemon Grove tonight.
February 23, 2012 (El Cajon)--More than 150 parents, students and members of East County communities attended last week’s special board meeting at West Hills High School to stand for or against the Board’s decision last November to change the district’s boundaries.
Despite numerous pleas to the Board to rescind the boundary changes, the Board voted four to one to keep the new boundaries in place, with trustee Priscilla Schreiber casting the only "no" vote.
Grossmont, Borrego and Ramona districts may fail to meet financial obligations
February 23, 2012 (Sacramento)—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson warned today that the latest review of school district budgets shows that one-third of public school students in California attend a district in financial jeopardy. That includes seven districts in San Diego County—three of them in East County.
February 23, 2012 (San Diego)--Friday, February 17, 2012 served as a very important day for the San Diego State women’s lacrosse program. Not only did the Aztecs host their first home game in program history, but they also scored their first win ever. This is their first season at the Division I level.
February 23, 2012 (San Diego) –Stargazer and trail guide George Varga will lead a stargazing party at Mission Trails Regional Park on February 25 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Participants at the event, four days after the New Moon, can expect to view deep sky objects such as the Orion Nebula, the Crab Nebula in Taurus and much more. The Crab Nebula (photo, left) is the result of a supernova that occurred in 1054 AD and was recorded by Chinese observers.
February 23, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Facing a $1.3 million budget deficit, San Miguel Fire District has announced it will accept request for proposals (RFPs) to potentially outsource services including firefighting and fire prevention—core operations for the beleaguered district.
West Hills High School Alum Was No. 1 Overall Pick in 2009 Major League Baseball Draft
By Ryan Schuler
February 23, 2012 (San Diego) -- On Feb. 17, the San Diego State University baseball team began its 2012 season at Tony Gwynn Stadium on the campus of SDSU against the University of Washington. With the start of the highly anticipated season came a special honor. SDSU made it known that no member of the baseball program will ever wear the No. 37 again.
That was the number of former Aztec great and current Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg. That number is now retired.
February 23, 2012 (Bethesda, MD) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced recalls of Fuji women's cruiser bicycles and Shimano Pro Atherton mountain bike handlebar stems, both due to fall hazards. For more information, visit:
By Bonnie Burns Price; research assistance by Olive Ball
“Are Republicans engaged in a war on women, with women’s rights, needs, and hopes just the collateral damage of their war?” -- Bonnie Burns Price
February 23, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--The 2012 Republican presidential contest is one of the most intriguing events on the national political stage.Many debates have allowed the nation to consider candidate positions on subjects as diverse as the Great Recession, the war in Afghanistan, a nuclear Iran, sustainability of Social Security and Medicare, tax fairness, contraception and abortion.
February 23, 2012 (Santee)--The City of Santee invites residents to serve the community and welcomes your application to any of the City's Boards, Commissions and Committees. There is currently a vacancy on the Manufactured Home Fair Practices Commission. The purpose of the Commission is to ensure that the provisions of the Santee Manufactured Home Fair Practices Ordinance are appropriately implemented in Santee.
February 23, 2012 (San Diego)--I enjoy a few cooking shows. But I dislike the ones where some poor fools have to cook a standing rib roast on a car exhaust manifold. Cooking should be an art, not a competitive sport.
February 23, 2012 (San Diego) – On Friday, March 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. there will be a Youth Town Hall meeting with the theme of Silence is Worse than Violence held at Joe and Vi Jacobs Center, Celebration Hall, 404 Euclid Avenue in San Diego. It will provide a safe place to address the challenges youth face, and to come together to create solutions that strengthen youth voice, leadership and community engagement.
February 23, 2012 (La Mesa)--La Mesa Police warn that scam artists posing as an SDG&E utility worker and as city inspector have lured residents out of their homes while an accomplice burglarized at least two residences.
February 23, 2012 (San Diego)--Four candidates running for the redrawn 52nd Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Brian Bilbray met Tuesday for a lively debate during a luncheon sponsored by the Conservative Order of Good Government Club in Rancho Bernardo. Participants included incumbent Brian Bilbray, Republican challenger John K. Stahl (a veteran and businessman), and two Democrats: former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña and former City Council president Scott Peters.
Issues discussed ranged from job creation to immigration to working across the aisle with the other party, as well as energy policy. While candidates clashed on views, an ECM fact-check on claims by all candidates reveals mostly—but not entirely—truthful statements.
$3,000 reward offered for information leading to arrest of shooter
February 23, 2012 (Alpine) – A dog found shot and abandoned in Alpine is improving after surgery, ECM news partner 10 News reports. Named “Chance” by veterinary staff, the golden retriever mix is no longer on oxygen or an IV; Chance is eating and drinking on his own and may soon be available for adoption.
Proposed “Blunt Amendment” would let employers deny coverage for blood transfusions, birth control, AIDS or cancer treatments, and more
Rep. Issa (R-San Diego) draws heat for restricting testimony to men only at hearing on women’s health
By Miriam Raftery
February 21, 2012 (Washington D.C.) – Disguised as an amendment to limit options for women’s health, the “Blunt Amendment” (S. 1467) introduced byU.S. Senator Roy Blunt and supported by conservatives in Congress goes much farther.
It would allow employers to design their own healthcare plans under the Affordable Care Act and to exclude any “specific items or services” that are “contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of the sponsor, issuer, or other entity offering the plan.”
February 23, 2012 -- (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 reflecting 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:
U.S.
General news
Supreme Court takes up affirmative action case (ABC News)
Post Office closings isolate small towns and poor (MSNBC)
Obama to float corporate tax overhaul (Reuters)
Presidential Election
25 percent of Super PAC money comes from 5 rich donors (USA Today)
Super PAC donors revealed: Who are the power players in the GOP primary? (Washington Post)
Is Santorum too extreme for the middle? (Los Angeles Times)
February 22, 2012 (Lemon Grove) -- The fabulous Cremer Family that lived in Lemon Grove's famous H. Lee House for half a century will return to the scene of their saga on Mar. 1 at 7 p.m. on the next "History Alive" lecture sponsored by the Lemon Grove Historical Society.
February 24,2012 (La Mesa) -- Youngsters from throughout Southern California and Arizona will compete for trophies and points during two days of Soap Box Derby Rally Races on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday March 5 in La Mesa. The Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Derby Races provide valuable experience for the 7-17-year old race car drivers as two-by-two they roll down the sloping race course on Junior High Drive next to La Mesa Middle School, achieving speeds up to 24 mph. 
By Brian Lafferty
February 23, 2012 (Sacramento)—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson warned today that the latest review of school district budgets shows that one-third of public school students in California attend a district in financial jeopardy. 
By Nancy Clement
y Will Power
By Miriam Raftery
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