By Ken Stone

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Gregory A. Vega of downtown San Diego’s Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek law firm came to the defense of his old friend Gonzalo Curiel when the federal judge came under attack from Donald Trump. Image via YouTube.com

July 9, 2019 (San Diego) - At Monday’s hour-long hearing for Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, 22 minutes were devoted to whether two (or possibly three) assistant U.S. attorneys had a political ax to grind against the indicted Republican.

By Miriam Raftery

July 8, 2019 (San Diego) - U.S. beekeepers lost 40.7% of their honey bee colonies for the year ending April 2019, according to the latest survey by the Bee Informed Partnership, a nonprofit led by the University of Maryland.  That continues a national decline in recent years that has alarmed scientists, with causes ranging from pesticides to climate change to colony collapse disorder of unknown causes. 

Update July 9:  This photo has been deleted off Hunter's social media. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports Hunter spokesman Michael Harrison stated, “Congressman Hunter has never supported or been accused of supporting white supremacy and if anyone were to espouse any such beliefs in a photo with Congressman Hunter they did so without his knowledge or consent,” Harrison said in an email. “To be clear, Congressman Hunter does not personally know this individual, or what his views may be.”

Updated July 7 with information on identity of the man standing next to Hunter: Kristopher Wyrick, founder of an avowed white nationalist organization.  Updated July 8 with statement from Ammar Campa-Najjar.

By Miriam Raftery

July 6, 2019 (Alpine) – A photo making the rounds on social media claims Congressman Duncan D Hunter spent the Fourth of July in the company of white nationalists.  A photo shows Hunter standing next to a man flashing a hand signal that’s commonly used as a white power symbol as well as A-okay sign.  The image was cropped down from a group photo taken in Alpine, where Rep. Hunter participated in the town’s annual 4th of July Independence Day Parade.

However, the man in the photo has an apparent history of participating in and leading groups that espouse white nationalist positions and of  violence against protesters as shown in videos.

According to a Times of San Diego report published July 7, the man flashing the white power sign is believed to be Kristopher Wyrick, a cofounder of the Bordertown Patriots, a white nationalist group that organized an event at Chicano Park that reportedly resulted in clashes with counterprotesters and multiple arrests. Wyrick is also reportedly a former member of San Diego Proud Boys and the United Patriot National Front. Will Johnson, who has had two court battles with Wyrick, told Times of San Diego that he's certain it's Wyrick in the photo because  "I've seen him so many times."  Johnson sought a restraining order against Wyrick but lost; Wyrick later won a small claims court against Johnson over lost work time and gun storage costs.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alert Services

July 5, 2019 (Ridgecrest) -- A powerful 7.1 earthquake has struck 11 miles northeast of Ridgecrest tonight at 8:19 p.m., the same area rocked by a 6.4 earthquake yeserday morning. KCFD reports over a dozen small outdoor fires with larger vegetation fires burning north and east of the city. Kern County spokesperson Megan Person confirmed to CNN that fires and multiple injuries have occured. Structure damage is also reported.

Seismologist Lucy Jones tweeted, "There is a 1 in 20 chance of Friday night's magnitude 7.1 earthquake "being followed by somethign even bigger." Earthquake of magnitude 5 are likely and a magnitude 6 is quite possible, she said. 

An 8.5 quake in Chile was once a precursor to a 9.2, a seismic expert in a live press conference held by the Kern County Fire Department stated.

The U.S. Geological Survey originally reported the quake at 7.1, downgraded it to 6.9 and then upgraded it back to 7.1. That's 11 times stronger than the earlier 6.4 quake since the Richter scale is logorhythmic.

Southern California Edison reports some 26,000 customers are without power due to the quake.

Los Angeles Fire Dept. reports downed powerlines in L.A. 

View video of the KTLA newscasters ducking for cover when the quake hit:  https://twitter.com/i/status/1147353969674448896.

In San Bernadino County, the county fire department reports som homes have shifted off their foundations, according to KTLA.

Highway 178 is closed due to a rockslide in Kern County.

July 5, 2019 (La Mesa) – Should La Mesa form a citizens’ police oversight or advisory commission? Jack Shu, a former Superintendent of California State Parks and Janet Castaños, a former dean in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College district and past president of Helix Charter High School’s board, have a proposal that will soon be considered by the La Mesa City Council. 

We interviewed them on our East County Magazine Show on KNSJ.   You can hear the entire interview by clicking the audio link, or scroll down for highlights.

By Miriam  Raftery

July 4, 2019 (Ridgecrest) – A 6.4 temblor named the #RidgecrestEarthquake struck 125 miles northeast of Los Angeles in Kern County’s Searles Valley this morning shortly after 10:30 a.m.  It was felt as far south as San Diego’s North County and Orange County, where Disneyland has closed rides for safety inspections due to the quake.

Governor Newsom has issued an emergency declaration for Ridgecrest, the city hardest hit with damages.

The quake is the strongest centered in California since a 7.1 quake at the Twenty-Nine Palms military base 20 years ago and the strongest felt in southern California since the 2010 Easter Sunday quake in northern Mexico that rattled San Diego.

Authorities, in a press conference this afternoon, say they were inundated with emergency calls including a home on fire, medical aid calls, gas and water leaks, and stores with merchandise knocked off shelves in Ridgecrest. The Ridgecrest Regional Hospital and several apartment buildings were evacuated, local media outlets report.

The powerful temblor opened up crevasses in roads, knocked down power lines and left some residents without electricity.  Minor injuries from broken glass and falling objects have occurred, according to CNN, Fortunately, no deaths have been reported.

By Miriam Raftery

July 3, 2019 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 9 to discuss whether to consider leasing the former police station site at the southeast corner of Allison and Date avenues to USA Properties Fund.  

A U.S. District Court judge fines and sentences Otero to federal prison for fraud

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

July 3, 2019 (San Diego) -- Friday was judgment day for Andrew R. Otero, owner of A&D General Contracting and husband of Cajon Valley Union School District president Tamara Otero.  

Otero, a San Diego building contractor, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John Houston after a federal jury convicted Otero last November of fraudulently obtaining over $11 million dollars in government contracts through his company which had been set aside for small businesses owned by disabled veterans.

By Ken Stone

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Ammar Campa-Najjar addresses media outside the courtroom after Duncan Hunter motions hearing. Photo by Ken Stone

July 2, 2019 (San Diego) - The pretrial Game of Motions isn’t over in USA v. Hunter et al, but Monday saw the government’s attorneys take a 14-0 lead against Rep. Duncan D. Hunter and his legal team.

In a 33-minute flurry of rulings, federal Judge Thomas J. Whelan handed setback after setback to Hunter lead lawyer Gregory A. Vega, hoping to keep his Republican client out of prison on charges including wire fraud, falsification of records and embezzling campaign contributions. He denies them all.

By Miriam Raftery

July 2, 2019 (San Diego) – Starting July 1st,  theDepartment of Motor Vehicles has 53 offices opening at  7 a.m., an hour earlier than previously, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  In San Diego County, this includes offices in El Cajon and Poway as well as city of San Diego locations in Clairemont and on Normal Street. View all locations with extended hours.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: West Fire in Alpine, 2018

July 1, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Across California, some insurance companies have stopped writing policies for homes in areas at high risk for wildfires, even dropping policies for some long-standing customers, Voice of San Diego reported in mid-June. 

Now, Supervisor Dianne Jacob has written a letter on June 27 to California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara urging him to take immediate action to “address the heavy-handed, blanket approach that insurance companies are currently utilizing to deny insurance though those who live in areas where wildfires may occur.” She also called on Lara to hold a public hearing in San Diego County on the issue, to allow residents to speak out and share concerns.

Our next East County Dining Club adventure is a wonderful discovery!  Please join us for a midsummer night's feast on Tuesday,  July 9^th at 6 p.m.  at Romeo & Julieta’s Wine Café. The event benefits East County Magazine and our East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts.

Romeo & Julieta's is a treasure tucked into the Talmadge neighborhood just off Fairmont Ave.  about 10 minutes west of La Mesa. Their specialty is Polish and other Eastern European foods such as delicious pierogis, Kasha chicken, Kielbasa sausages and home-made schnitzel. They also have a wide range of other foods including delightful artisan cheese platters, salads, seafood, steaks, sandwiches, burgers, small plates to share and a wonderful selection of wines plus craft beers on tap—and more!

Feast your eyes on the menu:  www.RomeoandJulietaWineCafe.com

This is a small, cozy venue. RSVP  to reserve space -we have just a few spaces left: 619-698-7617 or editor@eastcountymagazine.org. (Note: If you need a wheelchair or disabled access table, be sure to let us know)

Prizes:  Hornblower Cruises whalewatching passes,  Gift certificates to Romeo & Julietas Wine Cafe and to Giardino's Italian Cucino, Red wine donated by Romeo & Julieta's, wrought iron wine rack,  Pearson Brothers Saccharo honey wine, Pete's Coffee, Shakespeare book from Maxwell House of Books ,jewelry, woven summer purse, Pike's Place coffee, car sun shades, cookbook, and more.

Dramatic reading:  In honor of San Diego's 250th birthday, actor Victor Crosswaite-Contreras will bring to life his ancestor, the infamous bandito Joaquin Murrieta, for your entertainment.

Full details:

County News Service

Photo: Jeddediah King Cabezuela, 2, from a GoFundMe site set up to help his famliy.

June 28, 2019 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Fair has shut down public access to all animal exhibits and the petting zoo after four children were sickened with E.Coli and 2-year-old Jeddediah King Cabezuela died.

The County’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) confirms four pediatric cases of Shiga-toxin-producing E. Coli (STEC) linked to contact with animals at the Fair. HHSA Epidemiology Program and the County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) are investigating the cluster of four infections.