East County News Service

September 21, 2016 (Ramona) – Six Ramona and Poway businesses are sponsoring and hosting hand-painted wine barrels to preview the 4th annual Ramona Art and Wine Festival.

By Liz Alper

September 21, 2016 (Spring Valley) - The San Diego Lightning lacrosse team is making a push to expand past their local area and is inviting new players to try out for this fall and winter.

September 21, 2016 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• Pet owners on alert amid shootings in Lakeside (10 News)
• Medical Board Drops Drug Charges Against Doctor In Sharp Video Sting (KPBS)
• San Diego County average rent hits $1,743 a month (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Two Dozen Donors In Dumanis' Mayoral Run Linked To Key Figure In Azano Case (KPBS)
• Green, Libertarian Parties See Gains In San Diego Voters (KPBS)
• San Diego County Rents Rise As Vacancies Fall (KPBS)
• Trolley Extension Gets $1 Billion From Transportation Department(KPBS)
• San Diego's Private Sector Leads In Naturalization Push Nationwide (KPBS)
• San Diego Income Stays Flat As Incomes Rise Nationally (KPBS)
• The Water Authority’s Big, Strange Battery Bet (Voice of San Diego)
• Issa challenger was accused of “stalking”, harassing wife (Politico)

STATE

• Leniency has been hard on homeless (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California halves medically uninsured rate to8.6%(Sacramento Bee)
• Who should pay fines if coastal commissioners are found guilty of breaking rules? Them or taxpayers? (Los Angeles Times)
• Utilities meet tight energy storage deadline (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• What stoned driving looks like and how California might regulate it  (Sacramento Bee)
• California Today: Your Voices (New York Times)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click  “read more” and scroll down.

Volleyball drops match to No. 7 USD

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photo: Emma Fuzie had seven kills and three blocks against USD Tuesday night on Aztec Court.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

September 20, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego State came up short in its annual match against No. 7 University of San Diego as it fell to the Toreros in three sets (25-21, 25-19, 26-24) Tuesday evening on Aztec Court. The win was the eighth in a row for the visitors, who improved to 9-2 on the season while SDSU saw its four-match win streak end and its record fall to 8-6.

East County News Service

September 20, 2016 (La Mesa) - St. Martin of Touea' Parish 6th annual Fair Trade Shopping Event is on Sunday, October 16th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

By Liz Alper

Quotes courtesy of Jen Heisel, Assistant Media Relations Director, San Diego State

September 20, 2016 (San Diego) - With a much-deserved bye week this week after two big wins against Cal and Northern Illinois, San Diego State football head coach Rocky Long, redshirt sophomore quarterback Christian Chapman and senior running back/wide receiver Rashaad Penny sat down with the media at their weekly press conference.

September 16, 2016 (Lemon Grove) – East County Magazine invites you to attend a forum with candidates running for Helix Water District’s board and Lemon Grove Mayor.  The forum will be held on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at the Lemon Grove Library (3001 School Lane).  You can meet and greet candidates from 5 to 5:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Come meet the candidates,  hear their goals for the future and responses to questions posed by East County Magazine’s editor, plus bring questions on issues that matter most to you!

1 of 9 community colleges nationwide to net 2016 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award

East County News Service

September 20, 2016 (El Cajon) - For the second time, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District has received a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award, a national honor recognizing colleges and universities for outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

East County News Service

September 20, 2016 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont College English Department's Creative Writing Program is presenting the Fall 2016 Reading Series, Thursday, Sept. 29 – Monday, Dec. 5.

Updated to include clarification from  SDG&E that its sponsorship was short-term,  not long-term.

East County Magazine

By Miriam Raftery

September 19, 2016 (San Diego) — Last week, the San Diego Union-Tribune rolled out a much-touted revamp of its website featuring San Diego Gas & Electric, a division of Sempra Energy, as its only sponsor.  The deal allows SDG&E to reach news readers directly with messages such as energy saving tips, but also poses potential conflicts of interests for San Diego’s largest newspaper.

SDG&E spokeswoman Stephanie Donovan has clarified that the sponsorship was only for two days, not an ongoing sponsorship. She added thiis perspective on the sponsorship:

By Liz Alper

Photos courtesy Joel Price, San Diego Chargers

September 19, 2016 (San Diego) - After a shocking loss last week in Kansas City, the Chargers came back home to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank

East County News Service

September 19, 2016 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego Blood Bank will accept blood donations at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (2766 Navajo Road) in El Cajon on Sunday, September 25, 2016 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.  in the parking lot. All blood types are needed. Current inventory for the universal blood type, O negative, is at critically low levels.

Pumphrey (offensive) and Blain (special teams) earn MW weekly accolades

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

September 19, 2016 (Colorado Springs, Co.) - San Diego State football players Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Tanner Blain (Lindenhurst, Ill.) have each been named Mountain West Players of the Week, the league announced Monday. Pumphrey was chosen as the MW Offensive Player of the Week, while Blain garnered MW Special Teams Player-of-the-Week accolades.

By Miriam Raftery

September 19, 2016 (San Diego) -- The Census Bureau recently decided to double the official federal poverty level for cities with high costs of living, such as San Diego.  Under the new calculations, nearly a third (31%) of all households in the city of San Diego are now living in poverty.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Nadin Abbott, Reporting San Diego;Volunteer searchers combed burned property where two bodies were located after Sheriff's declined to search hills behind couple's home

September 18, 2016  (San Diego’s East County)—Campo resident Claudia Millerbragg  asked the Sheriff’s Department on July 2^nd  to launch an internal investigation into what she and other residents described as  rude unprofessional treatment by Sheriff’s officials.  She says three other residents also spoke with the internal affairs

Frustrating by deputies’ lack of response to citizens’ concerns about two missing people after the Border Fire, Millerbragg was present with other local women who launched their own search and within 10 minutes,  found bodies of the missing couple huddled between boulders behind their home.

Now a  Sheriff’s internal investigation  into the matter has closed, with a disposition of “unfounded” in part and “exonerated” in part. The finding has left residents frustrated over the apparent lack of resolution of their concerns.