By Miriam Raftery

“If they keep taking out city after city, the whole world’s safety is threatened. I hope the world acts soon." -- Mark Arabo, Iraqi-American community leader

Update: Our interview with Mark Arabo, which aired on KNSJ 89.1 on June 13, 2014 can now be heard here:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

June 17, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – The violence engulfing Iraq as terrorists capture  citiy after city is a “living nightmare that won’t go away” for Chaldean Christians across America, Mark Arabo, a first-generation Iraq-American and president/CEO of the Neighborhood Market Association, told East County Magazine.  “No question about it, this is a slow genocide."

Now, Chaldeans across American are asking the public to help by signing a petition urging President Barack Obama  and Congress to join with other world leaders and provide safe passage out of Iraq for Christians trapped with no safe place to go, now that Syria is in civil war and the terrorists in Iraq aim to impose Sharia law.  You can click this link to sign the petition to Save Iraqi Christians.

June 16, 2014 (La Mesa) -- On Wednesday, June 18 the La Mesa Planning Commission will hear a request for a proposed “Park Station Specific Plan” and “Final Environmental Impact Report,” a conceptual plan for a 5.23 acre project in the Village which could include commercial and retail space, as well as 416 residential units with an option for a 500 room hotel in lieu of the residential units.

The developer is requesting the properties be removed from the city’s Village Specific Plan and given its own proposed plan, to be called the Park Station Specific Plan.

While scaled down from the original proposal, the current iteration still proposes double the density, up to a little more than double the height limit, and to cut the residential parking by half compared to current requirements as part of the Village Specific Plan.

June 14, 2014 (San Diego) — The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a community information meeting June 16, 2014 in Costa Mesa, Calif., on the proposed San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) settlement agreement currently before the Commission.  The proposed agreement was announced to the CPUC March 27 by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and leading state consumer representatives and other parties.  If approved, the settlement would resolve all issues regarding the CPUC’s investigation of the San Onofre Units 2 and 3.

“Dad, we’re taking away your car keys because you’re not safe to drive!”

June 13, 2014 (San Diego's East County) – It’s the great debate – who’s the better driver? Mom or Dad?  This Father’s Day, dads will love to hear in a recent national survey 63% of adult children say Dad’s a better driver than Mom. However, if adult children had to take away Dad’s car keys because he’s unsafe to drive, many fear Dad would get so angry he’d cut them out of the will.

Age-progressed photo released of teen who vanished in Anza-Borrego Desert in November 2009

By Miriam Raftery

June 11, 2014 (Ocotillo Wells) -- Nearly five years ago, 16-year-old Mickey Guidry disappeared in the Anza-Borrego Desert.  The Jeep he’d taken from his family was found broken down and abandoned, its tire worn down to the rim near Fish Creek wash, 22 miles from the nearest highway  over Thanksgiving weekend.  He has not been seen since November 26, 2009.

June 6, 2014 (San Diego County) - The voter turnout in the San Diego County for the June third primary elections surpassed expectations of a low turnout, the results were 20% equalling to 1 in 5 registered voters casting a ballot.

Community tailgate at SDG&E offices June 6 in El Cajon and July 7 in Chula Vista

East County News Service

June 4, 2014 (El Cajon)--SDG&E is going to have Community Tailgates at its branch offices, providing information on programs, services and solutions to your energy needs. Their partners, TechniArt, will be on hand offering 3 light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs for $10 (which is a $60 value) along with additional LED sizes.

LEDs use far less electricity, and because they don’t have a filament to burn out, they last up to five times  longer than compact florescent bulbs. And LEDs offer a “cleaner” light than  compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. The LEDs use so much less electricity and last so much longer that the cost savings over a traditional incandescent bulb is about $540 over the life of the bulb. That’s a solid return on the investment of $3.33 per bulb in this special offer.

May 31, 2014 (San Diego)—The San Diego County Grand Jury has issued a report, “Give Me Shelter” on Connections Housing, a downtown homeless shelter. While the center has made a “good start,” the report found,  there are still many people in the City of San Diego living a marginal life.  While the report found some positive strives and praised a dedicated staff,  a press release issued by the Grand Jury also states that “it appears that more money is put into staff salaries and the public relations aspect than the programmatic aspect of services for the homeless. No money is earmarked in the budget for food purchases, although the kitchen and food services are obligated to provide breakfasts and hot dinners for up to 150 residents per day.” Instead the program relies entirely on donated food.

By Grey Feathers

June 1, 2014 (San Diego) -- An 18 month old girl with a form of Juvenile Epilepsy died in New Jersey, Chris Matthews reported on MSNBC’s Hardball.   The girl suffered as many as 90 seizures every day.  Children to young adults diagnosed with this disease are destined to suffering with little or no chance of surviving.  Immediately parents are looking to alternative medicines and treatments to save their children.   The latest treatments are effective for only about half of the one million or so people who have uncontrolled seizures.  The side effects of these artificial drugs are almost as bad as the disease says Christopher Dimascio, “I feel like I’m moving through Jello.  I hate the feeling.”

May 27, 2014 (San Diego)--Tuesday, May 27^th is the deadline to request a mail-in ballot for the June 3^rd election.  You can download an application from the Registrar of Voters site and e-mail or fax it in.  Your request must include your name, registered address and date of the election, the address where your ballot should be mailed, and your signature.  You can email your request to ROVmail@sdcounty.ca.gov.

May 25, 2014 (San Diego)--While many legislators spent time with family on Mother’s Day, Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San  Diego) went to Afghanistan. Davis, whose district includes much of East County, led a bipartisan group of women Congressional members to visit with U.S. service members and with groups of Afghan women—as she has done each Mother’s Day since 2009.

PWIA Launches 2nd Annual Safe Rider Program: Awareness initiative focused on education and personal watercraft rider responsibility.

May 20, 2014 (Washington D.C.) - The Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) announced May 19 that it is again promoting the responsible use of personal watercrafts (PWC) by encouraging safety and education.

By Miriam Raftery

May 21, 2014 (San Francisco) –“I’m not here today to answer any of your goddamn questions. Shut up, shut up!” California Public Utilities Chairman Michael Peevey shouted at former City Attorney Mike Aguirre during a videotaped evidentiary hearing on the $3.3 billion settlement over the closed San Onofre nuclear facility. Aguirre had asked Peevey to confirm secret meetings with Southern California Edison representatives, accusing Peevey and Mike Florio of “collusion.” 

Aguirre asked that SCE president Ronald Litzinger be required to confirm if his SCE stock rose $160,000 days after the settlement was allowed, but Administrative Law Judge Melanie Darling refused to require that the question be answered.

May 16, 2014 (San Diego) - There has been much attention recently focusing on current and impending water shortages in the State of California, County of San Diego, and specifically the City of San Diego. But water shortage is only part of the problem, concludes a Grand Jury report titled “Don’t Give Me A Break—Water Problems in the City of San Diego.” There are continuing problems with pipeline distribution of the City’s existing water supplies—and the City has failed to alert citizens to the urgency of future water main replacement, the Grand Jury concluded.

Photo by Elizabeth Galloway: SDG&E replaces pole burned on Aurora Drive in Lakeside with steel pole.

May 16, 2014 (San Diego)--SDG&E asks customers across San Diego County  to conserve power by reducing electricity usages, health permitting due to peak demand.  Customers are requested to turn off lights and equipment not in use, turn of the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher and consider using fans instead of air conditioning. Avoid use of major appliances such as dishwashers, clothes washer/dryer and pool pumps if possible.