April 20, 2012 (San Diego) – The County Medical Examiner has identified Barzeen Barzanji, 20, a student from Santee as the man found dead this morning at a San Diego State University fraternity house. 

A 2009 graduate of West Hills High School, Barzanji planned to graduate next year from SDSU and worked as a waiter at P.F. Chang's restaurant, according to his Facebook page.

April 20, 2012 (San Diego) – San Diego resident Anastasio Hernandez Rojas was beaten and Tasered to death in a 2010 incident involving Border Patrol.  Tonight at 7:30 p.m. members of his family, civic and faith leaders will gather to watch new footage on “Need to Know”, a film that will raise the issue of border brutality to national attention.

April 20, 2012 (San Diego) -- San Diego’s original fine art festival, Mission Federal ArtWalk is back for its 28th year. Featuring artists who live in the East County area as well as San Diego, the event will be held on Saturday and Sunday , April 28 and 29, when 17 blocks of Little Italy will be transformed for this free festival. ArtWalk offers a unique opportunity for members of the public to engage directly with over 350 artists who will be there to display their original works for exhibit and sale. The art on display will include a wide range of paintings, sculpture, mosaics, glasswork and photography.

April 20, 2012 (Sacramento) – AB 1902, authored by Brian Jones, did not muster sufficient votes to pass out of the Assembly Local Government Committee on Wednesday.   Introduced at the request of East County Magazine, the bill would allow online media to run paid public notices, such as new business announcements.

April 20, 2012 (San Diego) –Prominent women leaders in San Diego will be speaking out to support Bob Filner’s mayoral candidacy this Saturday.

“Bob Filner is the only candidate for mayor who has spent his career fighting for women's rights,” a press release from the Filner campaign states. In Congress, Filner co-sponsored the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. He is endorsed by the National Organization for Women (NOW) San Diego chapter and has earned an “A+” from Planned Parenthood for his voting record to support women’s rights.

By Miriam Raftery

La Mesa leader in anti-smart meter movement says plan offers relief, but does not go far enough

April 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Ratepayers now have the right to have a smart meter removed from their homes—provided they pay a $75 removal fee and $10 a month  fee to read their meter (for low income users, the rate is $10/removal and $5/month). 

Consumers who do not yet have smart meters and are on a “delay” list will have to make clear anew that they wish to opt out, or smart meters may be installed.

April 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—Two measures authored by Senator Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) were defeated in the Senate Public Safety Committee in Sacramento this week.  Senate Bill 1514 would have eliminated the automatic appeal of each death penalty case, while Senate Constitutional Amendment 20 would have required that any appeals of death penalty cases go to the State Court of Appeal rather than the State Supreme Court.

By Dennis Moore

April 19, 2012 (Baja)--Baja, or Baja California, is the northernmost part of Mexico--just across the border from San Diego. Like a hidden jewel waiting to be discovered, the region has many tantalizing facets. Baja includes the cities and towns of Tecate, Ensenada, Tijuana, Rosarito Beach and Puerto Nuevo, which is world renowned for its lobster fest.  

April 19, 2012 (Santee) -- The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department motorcycle unit is continuing law enforcement's efforts to curb distracted driving. During the month of April, which has been designated "National Distracted Driving Month," extra patrols are out in force in the County of San Diego. Yesterday the motor unit concentrated their efforts in the City of Santee. Between 6:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., motorcycle deputies wrote a total of 85 citations; 25 of which were for using a cell phone while driving and 38 were for speeding.

April 19, 2012 -- Join the San Diego Astronomers Association (SDAA) volunteer astronomers and park staff at the Hwy 67 staging area, 16281 Sycamore Canyon Rd., Poway, for a night under the stars starting at sunset. Experience the chance to view the galaxy using the same technology used by the professionals. Viewers will get a chance to see many amazing sights, which they wouldn’t normally see without the trained eye.

April 18, 2011 (El Cajon) – The East County Chamber of Commerce will be holding its April Business After Hours Mixer at On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, 103 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon on April 19 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  There will be complimentary appetizers and cocktails available for purchase.

Petition drive launched to support Kehoe measure set for hearing April 24

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2012 (San Diego) – State Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) has introduced SB 1537 to halt efforts by utiliy companies to jack up rates on solar energy producers as much as 600%. 

Daniel Sullivan, president of Sullivan Solar Power in San Diego, says that utilities in alifornia have "launched an offensive on solar producers led by San Diego Gas and Electric. SDG&E has unfairly targeted commercial solar producers by proposing to increase the demand electricity rates they pay by as much as 600%, but only increasing the demand rates on non-solar producers by a mere 52%," he said. To prevent the utilities from derailing our State’s renewable energy goals, Senator Kehoe is introducing SB 1527, which is set for hearing in Sacramento on April 24.