Ducheny Chastises Vargas for "Special Interest" Favors
May 5, 2012 (San Diego) -- Congressional Candidate Denise Moreno Ducheny took issue with Senator Juan Vargas's recent voting record and called on the Senator to back a strong set of foreclosure protection bills being discussed in the Senate this week. "The recent voting record of my opponent is a disservice to the residents of San Diego and Imperial Counties," Ducheny said in a statement. "He should be spending more time focusing on the needs of his constituents, not just those special interest groups who write his campaign checks."
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April 27, 2012 (Washington D.C.)—Wednesday, U.S. Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA) and Duncan Hunter (R-CA) introduced the Fairness for Military Homeowners Act, legislation allowing military
homeowners to refinance mortgages on a principle residence while serving at a duty station that prevents them from occupying the home. Currently, active duty military members cannot refinance if the home is not “owner-occupied.”
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April 20, 2012 (San Diego) -- Just in time for the season’s most notorious task, Waste Management has come up with a list of five tips to not only motivate Spring cleaning efforts, but ways to go about doing it in a natural, safe way for the environment. Turns out, trading-in the chemicals and expensive cleaning products for a little know-how will yield the same sparkling results without releasing potentially damaging toxins into the air, giving you more time to smell the flowers over the ammonia.
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April 11, 2012 (San Diego) -- Purchasing a large investment such as a home can be a stressful experience. There can be multiple parties involved to ensure a smooth transaction during the buying process. Real estate agents, loan officers, escrow representatives, appraisers, and home inspectors all play a significant role in accomplishing one goal: Closing the purchase on your house.
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Losses can be up to 40%; values affected 3 miles from turbine sites
By Billie Jo Jannen
For East County Magazine
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March 26, 2012 (San Diego) -- The American Society of Interior Designers’ annual “Spring Spruce Up” event is underway now through the end of May. For a discounted rate of $85 per hour, the public can arrange for a professional designer to come to their home or business to consult on their remodel or design project and obtain advice, direction, and details.
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March 18, 2012 (San Diego) -- The National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) today announced the establishment of its Land Use and Environmental Mediation Group, specializing in resolving disputes among landowners, developers, environmentalists, community activists and government agencies around development issues and other environmental concerns.
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March 13, 2012 (San Diego) – Foreclosures and notices of default remain a problem for many in the county. The San Diego County Library is sponsoring HOME Clinics at branches throughout the county during 2012 to help homeowners get the information they need. The clinics provide homeowners in distress with the opportunity to speak with professionals regarding their options as well as educational sessions on how to keep their home.
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March 11, 2012 (Sacramento) - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John A. Perez have announced their sponsorship of six bills known collectively as the California Homeowner Bill of Rights.
The bills aim to protect homeowners from unfair practices by banks and mortgage companies and to help consumers and communities cope with the state's urgent mortgage and foreclosure crisis. The bill could bring relief to homeowners statewide include San Diego County, where one in 27 homeowners has faced foreclosure.
The measures, if enacted, would guarantee:
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March 7, 2012 (El Cajon) -- The Water Conservation Garden is encouraging the public to become members in March, and take advantage of several special benefits. (To join click here.
Garden Member Plant Sale: Save 20% on All Plants, All Month
The Garden thrives in large part because of the contributions from members. As a thank-you to this special group of people, the Garden is offering all members a 20% discount on any plants purchased from the Garden’s nursery (Walter Parkola’s plants excluded). Not a member? Become a member on March 3rd and enjoy this month of discounts.
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February 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--As a real estate agent, I’ve seen firsthand frustrations with factors that are needlessly driving down housing prices. Below are some of those factors, along with potential solutions.
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January 30, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – This week, we have big news on major regulatory changes for California’s real estate industry, good news about our local real estate market, and a warning about a real estate-related scam:
C.A.R. defends DRE budget reserves
Perception of better days ahead
If it sounds too good to be true...
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Several workshops scheduled in 2012 to help thousands of American families avert foreclosure
January 22, 2012 (San Diego)--Wells Fargo & Company is hosting the first of three free workshops across Southern California in San Diego for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Wells Fargo Financial, Wachovia Mortgage and Wells Fargo Home Equity customers facing financial hardships. Wells Fargo has invited more than 9,000 mortgage customers in San Diego County and South West Riverside to the free workshop which will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., at the San Diego Convention Center - Hall E located at 111 West Harbor Drive in San Diego. Parking is free - customers should refer to the event website for instructions.
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January 13, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – In today’s column, we cover the latest hot topics in real estate locally and nationwide.This week’s topics are:
MLS consumer website now available
Three realtor associations in merger talks
Agents search for the perfect office
Fair-lending charges against Bank of America settlement
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December 12, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)—From the Real Estate Trenches is a weekly column focused on real estate news that impacts East County’s real estate market. This week’s local and national real estate highlights include:
Fannie and Freddie suspend evictions for the holidays
Prudential Financial sells its real estate brokerage for $110 million
Counting my blessings
Military Home Loans open house
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How to deter those doe-eyed diners from your backyard this fall and winter season
By Joan Casanova
December 11, 2011 (San Diego) -- With fall and winter on our door steps, you’re probably thinking you’re out of the woods when it comes to deer damage in your backyard landscapes. Wrong. Actually, fall and winter mark the beginning of the worst seasons for deer damage. Deer will eat just about anything in the winter -- their food supply is very low and they can’t be choosy. They’re hungry enough to eat vegetation that they ordinarily would not choose to eat.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
December 1, 2011 (Alpine) -- The Alpine Woman’s Club will hold its Seventh Annual Christmas in Alpine Holiday Home Tour on Sunday December 4 from 10a.m. to 4p.m. “You will have an opportunity to stroll through four stunning homes which will be exquisitely decorated for the holidays,” said Carlette Anderson with the Alpine Women’s Club. Also, visit the new Queen of Angles Catholic Church and enjoy food and refreshments at 4p.m. at the Historic Town Hall.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
November 17, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – What are the hot styles, materials and design trends in kitchens today? ECM spoke with Lynn Wyndham Morris, communications director for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) San Diego Chapter and owner of a Touch of Tradition Home & Garden Shoppe in the Miramar area.
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November 11, 2011 -- (Nashville, Tennessee) - FitDesk is a unique product that combines two seemingly polar opposite activities - exercise & computer work - into one productive and efficient activity. The FitDesk Pedal Desk is an innovative product that allows a person to exercise comfortably on a stationary bike while using a laptop computer or playing a video game.
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November 4, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- Lakeside River Park Conservancy will host a Sustainable Homes Tour on Saturday, November 5. The tour includes about 10 sites on tour, including many in East County.
These homes have a variety of sustainable applications from the construction of the homes, products, landscape and conservation. The variation from new build construction to renovations of older homes provides a broad display of opportunities and ideas for the next home owner touring the sites.
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November 4, 2011 (El Cajon) -- The Water Conservation Garden is offering a 20 minute landscape design consultation at the Fall Garden & Home Festival. A professional designer who focuses on drought tolerant landscapes will meet with you. After the meeting, you'll leave with design ideas, and a list of plants.
Bring photos of your house and the area you want designed. Also provide the dimensions of the space, and photos of design styles you like.
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November 1, 2011 (La Mesa) – Take a step back in time on the La Mesa Historic Homes Tour on Saturday, November 5. Sponsored by the La Mesa Historical Society, this year's tour features five historic houses by noted local architects, some of whom went on to even greater architectural fame.
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"At Home” is a new series highlighting creative homes and lifestyles in San Diego East County communities.
By
Miriam Raftery
“Straw bale building is like a barn raising—a wonderful, friendly activity that reaches out and brings people together.” – Kim Hamilton
October 30, 2011 (Deerhorn Valley) – Four years after the Harris Fire burned down their barn, Kim Hamilton and Rob Deason celebrate completion of a new art and music studio made with straw-bale construction and hands-on help from friends, family and neighbors.Since the community also lost its former gathering place at a local fire station, the new studio doubles as a meeting room for the Deerhorn Valley Community Association.
The new structure is both fire resistant and green--built of natural, sustainable materials with insulating qualities ideal for the climate extremes found in this rural community.
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Fall Garden and Home Festival abounds with conservation ideas, gardening tips, art and family fun
October 24, 2011 (Rancho San Diego, CA)--The Fall Garden and Home Festival, hosted by The Water Conservation Garden and Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy will take place on Saturday, November 5, 9am-4pm on the campus of Cuyamaca College.
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October 20, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--The American Society of Interior Designers’ self-guided Kitchen Tour, set for Saturday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will showcase 14 beautifully remodeled kitchens in San Diego County -- including several in East County and San Diego's inland regions. designed by some of the region’s own design stars.
“This is an unprecedented opportunity to tour 14 astonishingly different kitchens and meet the ASID designers who created these magical transformations,” said Tatiana Machado-Rosas, Allied Member ASID, event chair.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
July 17, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Thirsty for ideas to use less water yet still have attractive landscaping?
Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest (Cool Springs Press, 2010) offers a wealth of practical solutions ideal for homeowners in San Diego County, where drought, cutbacks in water supplies and rising water rates have become a way of life. Editor Diana Maranhao sought advice from four experts: Nan Sterman, Mary Irish, Judith Phillips, and Joe Lamp’l. All are garden writers; the first three have expertise in specific geographic areas (California, Arizona, New Mexico) while Lamp’l provides green gardening tips.
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By Derek Roach
March 11, 2012 (Sacramento) - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John A. Perez have announced their sponsorship of six bills known collectively as the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. 
Several workshops scheduled in 2012 to help thousands of American families avert foreclosure
How to deter those doe-eyed diners from your backyard this fall and winter season
December 1, 2011 (Alpine) -- The Alpine Woman’s Club will hold its Seventh Annual Christmas in Alpine Holiday Home Tour on Sunday December 4 from 10a.m. to 4p.m. 
November 11, 2011 -- (Nashville, Tennessee) - FitDesk is a unique product that combines two seemingly polar opposite activities - exercise & computer work - into one productive and efficient activity. The FitDesk Pedal Desk is an innovative product that allows a person to exercise comfortably on a stationary bike while using a laptop computer or playing a video game.
October 24, 2011 (Rancho San Diego, CA)--The Fall Garden and Home Festival, hosted by The Water Conservation Garden and Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy will take place on Saturday, November 5, 9am-4pm on the campus of Cuyamaca College.
Review by Miriam Raftery
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