July 25, 2010 (San Diego) – Shortly after 4 a.m. yesterday, San Diego Police officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 3700 block of Ocean View Boulevard, several blocks east of I-15. They found a 43-year-old black woman lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to her head. Witnesses told police they saw the woman talking to at least two black males in dark four-door sedan.
July 25, 2010 (College area) – Two men in their 60s walking on the 4500 block of College Avenue near Acorn Street were robbed at gunpoint at 5:33 a.m. yesterday morning. A black male driving a green Honda two-door pulled up next to the victims, pulled out a handgun and demanded cash.
July 25, 2010 (City Heights) – A 20-year-old driver who stopped at a traffic light at 2:47 a.m. in the 3800 block of University was shot by a pedestrian who fired four rounds at him with a semi-automatic handgun. The assailant is described as a black male adult, 5’5”, 180 pounds, wearing all black clothing.
July 25, 2010 (Live Oak Spring) – Crystal Lopez, 15, has been identified as the victim in a fatality rollover accident that occurred shortly after 10 a.m. July 24 on I-8 east near Crestwood Road. Lopez died and her mother was also injured.
According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office, the mother was driving when she heard a “pop” and lost control of the vehicle.
All aboard for the most scenic and relaxing train rides in North America--and beyond…
By Kelly Wieboldt
Are you ready for a unique experience? A great train ride might be exactly what you are looking for! Once you're snug in your window seat, you've already begun.
July 24, 2010 (La Mesa) – A woman holding her three-year-old son in one arm and a wallet and cell phone in her other hand was accosted at 9:45 last night in the Target parking lot at Grossmont Center. A man grabbed her arm and attempted to take her wallet and phone. A struggle ensued. The victim punched the suspect in the face and fled to her vehicle, managing to hold onto her wallet, but her phone was stolen.
July 23, 2010 (San Diego) -- The FBI is seeking information that will lead to the arrest of the following individuals in relation to the"Operation Luz Verde" (green light) charges announced early today on federal racketeering charges related to a drug trafficking cartel:
Juan Carlos Rique, aka JC Age 26 Tijuana, Mexico
Jennifer Escamilla Age 26 Tijuana, Mexico
Hassain Alzubaidy, aka Arab Age 25 Moreno Valley, California
Official in Mexican Attorney General’s office implicated; arrests include numerous San Diego County residents
East County News Service
July 23, 2010 (San Diego)—A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging 43 defendants with participating in a federal racketeering (RICO) conspiracy. The RICO conspiracy alleged involves the commission of both state and federal crimes, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. The complaint accuses defendants of being members and associates of the Fernando Sanchez Organization (FSO), an offshoot of the Arellano-Felix drug-trafficking cartel.
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – Two-year-old Bentley Do’s family lives just one block from a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Station. But the station’s crew was filling in for another Mira Mesa station’s personnel as part of city-ordered “brown-outs” to save money.
Democrats break Republican filibuster in Senate and win passage of bill
July 23, 2010 (Washingon D.C.) – President Barack Obama yesterday signed into law legislation to extend unemployment benefits for 2.5 milllion out of work Americans.
The law extends unemployment insurance through November for out-of-work Americans who have not yet exhausted up to 99 weeks of aid. Benefits will be retroactive to late May, when the last extension expired. Benefits vary by state but will average $310 per week.
Hunter introduces bill to block federal lawsuit against Arizona; local activists head to Arizona for mass protest
Obama administration audits thousands of companies to force them to drop undocumented immigrant workers
By Miriam Raftery
July 23, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) –Local opponents and supporters of Arizona’s new immigration law are taking actions ranging from protests to legislation. Meanwhile, a new statewide Field poll of California voters released this week finds the public nearly evenly divided, with 49% in support and 45% opposed.
July 22, 2010 – President Barack Obama has signed into law H.R. 4175, a landmark reform measure that “cracks down on corporate fraud and holds big banks accountable for reckless, risky behavior,” said Senator Patrick Leavy (D-Vermont.)
July 22, 2010 (Pine Valley) -- Sheriff Bill Gore announced that the body of a man has been located south of Interstate 8 and just west of the Pine Valley Bridge. The discovery was made this morning shortly after 9:00 a.m. by Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers.
A video released late today by the Sheriff indicates the remains are those of a “previously missing person.” The video shows a cadaver-sniffing beagle apparently locating the body amid rubble and boulders at the base of a steep, rocky slope. View the video. www.youtube.com/watch
July 22, 2010 (Lakeside) – A fire at a duplex in Lakeside last night caused heavy damage, displacing nine residents. “It’s a robust response that included four fire engines, one truck company, and a paramedic ambulance, so about 20 people,” said Lakeside Fire Chief Andy Parr. “We were assisted by City of Santee and San Miguel fire departments.”
"This is one of the best movies of the year." -- Brian Lafferty
July 22, 2010 (San Diego's East County)--Dreams have always been part of cinema. A common film use is the “it was only a dream” stunt applied to generate cheap thrills and groans (Jaws: The Revenge) or to foment laughter (A Serious Man, An American Werewolf in London). Dreams have also acted as visually expressive tools to reveal character or relay exposition (Salvador Dali’s dream sequence in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound). Sometimes, dreams have been used to shock the audience (the movies of Luis Bunuel, particularly Un Chien Andalou, which opens with an eyeball being slashed).
Dreams may be old subjects in motion pictures, but with Inception Christopher Nolan has delivered one of--if not the most--original movie of the year, taking the concept in many new directions I never thought possible.
July 21, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Most East County residents know safety steps to take during an earthquake or wildfire, which are common in our area. But many are misinformed about dangers posed by lightning, a less common peril in our region. When a thunderstorm does strike, however, risks are substantial—and relying on myths can be deadly.
Lightning has caused deaths in California and in San Diego County. In East County, a man in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park was killed by lightning. Another local resident suffered neurological damage. Lightning strikes have caused many fires in East County. A Campo resident lost phone service due to lightning; in Alpine, a writer's computer was destroyed by a bolt.
Test your knowledge on lightning—the answers may shock you!
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – The recount has ended in the 40th State Senate Democratic primary race with Vargas ahead by a total of 26 votes. He picked up three votes in Riverside County and one in San Diego County, where challenges included a military ballot sent from overseas.
ONLY 40 REMAIN IN THE WILD; MOST ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN NORTH AMERICA
"There were pups. Now it will be a challenge for them to survive."--Patrick Valentino, California Wolf Preserve in Julian
July 21, 2010 (Julian) -- “It’s depressing—very bad news,” Patrick Valentino at the California Wolf Center in Julian said upon learning that two endangered Mexican grey wolves had been found shot in Arizona. Eva Sargent at Defenders of Wildlife in Tucson told East County Magazine that a third Mexican wolf, or lobo, has been found dead in New Mexico under suspicious causes. A fourth wolf is missing.
July 21, 2010 (El Cajon) – A cracked storm drain has undermined the roadway on Fanita Drive, causing a sink hole measuring four feet wide and 20 inches deep. Fanita remains closed in both directions between Valley Lake Drive and Gibbons Street for repairs begun yesterday.
July 20, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) – Where can you see a snake charmer and fire dancers, sample foods from around the world, savor music and dancing by top performers, enjoy beer and wine gardens, find face-painting for kids and a mesmerizing magic show—all free? Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce invites you to the first-ever Summer Music & Culture Festival on Sunday, August 8.
Part 1: English Tudor's country gardens are fit for royalty
By Miriam Raftery
July 19, 2010 (Mt. Helix) – Ever wonder what lies behind those gated estates on Mt. Helix? Each spring, Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association (GMIA) hosts an art and garden tour open to members only, showcasing amazingly elaborate landscapes (as well as works by local artists).
Some tour gardens are lavish, located on large lots where results are limited only by well-heeled owners’ imaginations. These range from an English country garden at a manor fit for a queen to a private jungle that Indiana Jones would envy. Others are at more modest properties where creative homeowners have made the most of limited space and water conservation practices. This week, we feature the first of five spectacular gardens from this year’s tour.
July 19, 2010 (Lyons Valley) -- A brush fire in the Lyons Valley area of Jamul has been contained at three acres, Cal-Fire reports. No structures were damaged or destroyed, but smoke was widely visible in the Deerhorn Flats area to the east, between Deerhorn Valley and Barrett Lake. (photo: View from Lyons Valley peak webcam at 1:30 p.m.)
July 19, 2010 (San Diego) – A procession of around 100 visitors accompanied by their pets lined up yesterday morning outside the San Diego Mission de Alcala. The faithful and the curious turned out for the Blessing of Animals, a tradition started by St. Francis of Assisi in the 1200s.
The custom was practiced in San Diego by Father Junipero Serra, founder of the Mission, and has continued ever since--accompanied by barks, mariachi music, and an occasional "oink."
A Terrible Mistake, The Murder of Frank Olson and the CIA’s Secret Cold War Experiments, By H.P. Albarelli, Jr. (Trine Day, LLC, Walterville, Oregon, 2009, 826 pages.)
July 18, 2010 (Ramona) – Cal-Fire rescued four dehydrated hikers and a dog, but were unable to save a second dog that collapsed and died on the trail to Cedar Falls near Ramona on Saturday. The group had hiked more than two miles in temperatures over 100 degrees.
The tragedy illustrates the need for hikers to know safety tips for themselves--and their dogs.
July 25, 2010 (San Diego) – Shortly after 4 a.m. yesterday, San Diego Police officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 3700 block of Ocean View Boulevard, several blocks east of I-15. They found a 43-year-old black woman lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to her head. Witnesses told police they saw the woman talking to at least two black males in dark four-door sedan.
July 25, 2010 (City Heights) – A 20-year-old driver who stopped at a traffic light at 2:47 a.m. in the 3800 block of University was shot by a pedestrian who fired four rounds at him with a semi-automatic handgun. The assailant is described as a black male adult, 5’5”, 180 pounds, wearing all black clothing.
July 24, 2010 (La Mesa) – A woman holding her three-year-old son in one arm and a wallet and cell phone in her other hand was accosted at 9:45 last night in the Target parking lot at Grossmont Center. A man grabbed her arm and attempted to take her wallet and phone. A struggle ensued. The victim punched the suspect in the face and fled to her vehicle, managing to hold onto her wallet, but her phone was stolen.
July 23, 2010 (San Diego) -- The FBI is seeking information that will lead to the arrest of the following individuals in relation to the"Operation Luz Verde" (green light) charges announced early today on federal racketeering charges related to a drug trafficking cartel: 
East County News Service
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – Two-year-old Bentley Do’s family lives just one block from a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Station. But the station’s crew was filling in for another Mira Mesa station’s personnel as part of city-ordered “brown-outs” to save money.
GARDEN FRESH GRILL & SMOOTHIE
By Miriam Raftery
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS AND GROWTH
East County News Service
July 22, 2010 (Lakeside) – A fire at a duplex in Lakeside last night caused heavy damage, displacing nine residents. “It’s a robust response that included four fire engines, one truck company, and a paramedic ambulance, so about 20 people,” said Lakeside Fire Chief Andy Parr. “We were assisted by City of Santee and San Miguel fire departments.”
By Brian Lafferty
“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”
July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – The recount has ended in the 40th State Senate Democratic primary race with Vargas ahead by a total of 26 votes. He picked up three votes in Riverside County and one in San Diego County, where challenges included a military ballot sent from overseas.
"There were pups. Now it will be a challenge for them to survive."--Patrick Valentino, California Wolf Preserve in Julian
July 21, 2010 (El Cajon) – A cracked storm drain has undermined the roadway on Fanita Drive, causing a sink hole measuring four feet wide and 20 inches deep. Fanita remains closed in both directions between Valley Lake Drive and Gibbons Street for repairs begun yesterday.
July 20, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) – Where can you see a snake charmer and fire dancers, sample foods from around the world, savor music and dancing by top performers, enjoy beer and wine gardens, find face-painting for kids and a mesmerizing magic show—all free? Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce invites you to the first-ever Summer Music & Culture Festival on Sunday, August 8.
By Miriam Raftery
July 19, 2010 (Lyons Valley) -- A brush fire in the Lyons Valley area of Jamul has been contained at three acres, Cal-Fire reports. No structures were damaged or destroyed, but smoke was widely visible in the Deerhorn Flats area to the east, between Deerhorn Valley and Barrett Lake. (photo: View from Lyons Valley peak webcam at 1:30 p.m.)
July 19, 2010 (San Diego) – A procession of around 100 visitors accompanied by their pets lined up yesterday morning outside the San Diego Mission de Alcala. The faithful and the curious turned out for the Blessing of Animals, a tradition started by St. Francis of Assisi in the 1200s.
A Terrible Mistake, The Murder of Frank Olson and the CIA’s Secret Cold War Experiments, By H.P. Albarelli, Jr. (Trine Day, LLC, Walterville, Oregon, 2009, 826 pages.)
July 18, 2010 (Ramona) – Cal-Fire rescued four dehydrated hikers and a dog, but were unable to save a second dog that collapsed and died on the trail to Cedar Falls near Ramona on Saturday. The group had hiked more than two miles in temperatures over 100 degrees.
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