East County News Service

June 14, 2016 (Ramona) -- Motorists traveling along SR-67 at Dye and Highland Valley Road in Ramona may have already noticed indications of construction at the intersection as part of a major upgrade project that includes road widening and more.  Crews placed construction signs the first week of June and the speed limit has been reduced from 55 to 45 mph for the safety of commuters and highway workers. For a description of the project click here.  

East County News Service

June 14, 2016 (San Diego's East County) -- Very hot and potentially dangerous conditions are forecast for Sunday through the early part of next week as a strong ridge of high pressure develops over the Southwest. Monday is expected to be the hottest day, the National Weather Service in San Diego predicts.

Highs near the coast will be in the upper 80s to low 90s, in the 90s in the mountains, around 100 to 110 in the valleys and high desert, and over 115 in the low deserts.

We're hosting an emergency benefit "Bohemian Bash" this Saturday, June 18 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at our editor's home on Mt. Helix.  Come celebrate our communities' creative roots and savor summer solstice revelry at the hottest party of the season!

Last week, vandals and thieves knocked our radio show and KNSJ's station off the air, doing thousands of dollars of damage at the transmitter site on Mt. Laguna. Come help us rebuild and assure that our communities' voices will be back on the air!

Festivities at this free-spirited gathering with artists, authors, musicians, and thinkers will support nonprofit media in the public interest, local news reporting, and coverage of arts, music and culture. Hear live musical entertainment, savor delicious food and libations, enjoy comedy with Second Chances for Grace, hear poetry readings, watch San Diego Asian Artists Ensemble performers, and win fabulous prizes!   Share your ideas, mingle with our Bohemian crowd, and meet the media. 

Proceeds benefit KNSJ "people powered radio" and East County Magazine, both nonprofit organizations.

RSVP today for early bird rates! ($19, or 2 for $34 in advance, $22 at the door.)   Call 619-698-7617 or email editor@eastcountymagazine.org to RSVP. You can prepay online at http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/donate, check"East County Magazine" off our publisher's list of options and write"Bohemian Bash" on the designation line to secure your reservation.

Click "read more" for more delicious details:

By Jose A. Alvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

June 13, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - Anxiety. Fear. Sadness.

East County News Service

Photo: Memorial in Hillcrest, posted on Twitter by Shawn Van Diver

June 12, 2016 (San Diego) -- The worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history is being investigated as both a terror attack and a hate crime.  Omar Mateen, 29, a U.S. citizen born to Afghan immigrants, killed 50 people and injured 53 during a gay pride celebration at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida early this morning. 

The gunman called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS, the Islamic state before the massacre, the FBI has indicated.

The massacre has prompted outpourings of sympathy across the nation and here in San Diego.

June 10, 2016 (Borrego)—If you felt the earth move under your feet, that’s because a series of earthquakes struck in the Borrego Spring area including a 5.2 quake at 1:03 a.m.at a shallow depth or less than 1 kilometer along theSan Jacinto Fault.  Aftershocks as strong as 3.5 also rattled the area according to the U.S.. Geological Survey.

(Note: The USGS originally reported two strong quakes, 5.1 and 5.2, a minute apart but have since corrected the data to indicate this was just one major quake.)

Rocks are reported blocking the roadway on Montezuma Valley Road, per the CHP site.  There are no reports of serious damage as yet, though items felloff store shelves in La Quinta, a Lakeside resident reported a laptop fell to the ground and the screen broke. As far away as Downey, books reportedly fell off shelves.

We have reports the quakes were felt strongly across the San Diego region and as far away as the San Fernando Valley.  The quakes struck at a shallow depths near major fault lines capable of producing a 7.0 quake or higher. 

If you know of damage, impacts to roadways or other effects of the quake or have photos, contact editor@eastcountymagzine.org. You can also post in our commentsbelow.

Below are details:

By Miriam Raftery

Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, issued a decision in the case of Peruta v. County of San Diego, et al.

This case involved applicants who were denied licenses to obtain concealed carry permits. The applicants were denied for failing to establish "good cause," as required under California law. The applicants sued alleging that the "good cause" requirement violated their Second Amendment rights. The matter was eventually argued before an en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Photos:  Kathleen Harmon, lifetime San Diego County Democratic Central Committee member, Miriam Plotkin, Democratic Central Committee member from La  Mesa, Asssemblywoman Shirley Weber,  former Secretary of State and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton

"It is an amazing experience to believe we will have the first opportunity to elect a woman president—to see what people used to say was the impossible happen.” – Assemblywoman Shirley Weber

By Miriam Raftery

June 8,2016 (San Diego)—For the first time in U.S. history, a woman is poised to be the nominee of a major political party on the presidential race in November. Hillary Clinton has taken nearly 56 percent of the vote in California over Senator Bernie Sanders at 43 percent, with 99% of precincts reporting, capturing enough pledged delegates to  have a majority nationwide.

Clinton, who also leads soundly in superdelegates,  is now the presumptive Democratic Party nominee, though Sanders has said he will remain in the race until the July convention.

Source: Cesar Chavez Foundation

Photo:  Helen and Cesar Chavez with six of their eight children in 1969 at the United Farm Workers’ “Forty Acres” property outside Delano. Standing from left are: Anna, Eloise and Sylvia. Seated are from left Paul, Elizabeth and Anthony.

June 6, 2016 (Keene, Ca.) - Helen Fabela Chavez, 88, who played a vital role helping her husband give birth to what became the first enduring farm workers union in U.S. history—and sustained Cesar Chavez during the 31 years he led the United Farm Workers of America—passed away today, Monday, June 6 at a Bakersfield hospital surrounded by many of her seven surviving children, 31 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

June 6,2016  (Boulevard) – A wildland fire is burning near the border in Boulevard’s Tierra Del Sol Community, CAL FIRE and County Fire ChiefTony Mecham reports.  The blaze started late this afternoon and is currently about 8 acres, with no structures threatened. It has a moderate rate of spread.

According to CAL FIRE, the fire is off of Zarina Lake Drive in Tierra Del Sol.  However Donna Tisdale, Boulevard Planning Group chair and a resident of Tierra Del Sol, told ECM that the fire appears to be south of the Southwest Powerlink at the south end of Tierra del Sol Road.

Source: U.S. Forest Service

June 6, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Descanso Ranger District in Alpine, and the Palomar Ranger District in Ramona, have recently gained over 30 years’ experience between them with the addition of 2 new district rangers. Christopher Dowling for the Palomar, and Bob Heiar for the Descanso, both come from an extensive Forestry background and have already begun making substantial head weight on improving recreational opportunities, enhancing community protection, and enforcing ecological restoration. Forest Supervisor William Metz believes the expertise and timing couldn’t be better, "This comes at a crucial time as we head into fire season and begin preparations on the ground. Our focus is to meet the mission of public safety by increasing resources and expanding expertise, demonstrating our continued commitment to the people of San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

June 4, 2016 (San Diego) –  Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will be back in San Diego on Sunday, June 5th at Qualcomm Stadium’s parking lot for a “Future to Believe in and Get Out the Vote Concert and Rally.”  Doors open at 3 p.m. 

The concert and rally will feature Nahko and Medicine for the People, Michael Mowgli & The Altruists, Joel Rafael, and special guests George Lopez, Shailene Woodley, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Kendrick Sampson and Dr. Cornel West.

This event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged. Admission is first come, first served.  To RSVP or get details visit https://go.berniesanders.com/page/event/detail/rally/gplf2x

East County News Service

June 3, 2016  (Sacramento) -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed reviewing petitions to list nine species in California and Nevada under the Endangered Species Act and a petition to delist one species.  The Service determined the petitions to list the California spotted owl, Inyo Mountains salamander, Kern Plateau salamander, lesser slender salamander, limestone salamander, Panamint alligator lizard, Shasta salamander, southern rubber boa, and tricolored blackbird contained substantial information and warrant more in-depth review of these species’ conservation status.  The petition to delist the Stephens’ kangaroo rat, an endangered species, did not provide substantial information to indicate delisting is warranted.

Update June 3, 2016:  Trump has fired back, stating, "“My temperament is so much tougher, and so much better, than her temperament. And, by the way, we need a tough temperament,” The Hill reports. He further blasted Clinton over the federal investigation into her emails, claiming "Hillary Clinton has to go to jail."

By Donald H. Harrison; photo by Chris Stone

Originally published in Times of San Diego, a San Diego Online News Association member

June 2, 2016 (San Diego)--Democratic presidential hopeful and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took aim in San Diego at Donald Trump’s views on foreign policy, saying they are “dangerously incoherent” and “not even really ideas, just a series of bizarre rants, personal feuds and outright lies.”

“He is not just unprepared, he is temperamentally unfit to hold an office that requires knowledge, stability and immense responsibility,” she said in a major foreign policy speech.

Peppering her speech with one-liners casting doubt upon Trump’s readiness for office, Clinton spoke in the Prado Auditorium of Balboa Park’s House of Hospitality before 300 invited attendees and nearly as many members of the media, whose working areas described a giant “L” on two sides of the room.  Her speech was interrupted by some 40 instances of applause, cheers, and occasional “boos”– the latter deriding Trump’s positions.

East County News Service

June 3, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- The California Department of Parks and Recreation proposes prohibiting public access off designated trails.  The public has until June 6 to comment. California State Parks System Map  In San Diego County, that would include Rancho Cuyamaca and Anza Borrego Desert state parks.

The Anza Borrego Desert Foundation raises serious concerns about negative impacts to the public in their message below, which includes links to send your comments: