East County News Service

May 29, 2015 (Alpine) – A Sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a man in rural Alpine who allegedly threatened the deputy with a screwdriver Wednesday.

East County News Service

May 28, 2015 (Alpine) – Local award-winning author Sarka-Jonae Miller recently launched “Ask the Author,” a column for East County Magazine.   You’re invited to join us as she discusses her experiences as a publicist and journalist at the Alpine Library on Saturday, June 6^th at 1 p.m.

Click here to hear our exclusive radio interview with Roy Toft during our show on KNSJ 89.1 FM:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au... .  Scroll down to view his fabulous photos and read more.

By Mimi Pollack

May 28, 2015 (Ramona)--Many of us lead mundane lives, but not Roy Toft. This amiable Ramona wildlife photographer has had enough adventures for many lifetimes. His pictures have appeared in National Geographic, Audubon Magazines and Zoonooz, gaining him international acclaim.

East County News Service

May 2015 (Washington DC.) -Organized crime rings are being blamed for the theft of over 100,000 tax returns and theft of tax refunds.

May 27, 2015 (San Diego)--San Diego's Mission Trails Regional Park Announces Poetry From the River on June 6th with Poet Jim Moreno. The event includes a guided walking tour, poetry workshop, and star party.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy 10 News, an ECM news partner

May 27, 2015 (San Diego) – Supervisor Dave Robert, in an exclusive interview with 10 News, has issued strong denials to all allegations made by two ex-staffers now suing the county.

East County News Service

May 26, 2015 (San Diego)--Alvarado Hospital was awarded the 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award by Healthgrades in recognition of the hospital’s superior track record for keeping patients safe, as well as the 2015 Distinguished Hospital Award for being among the top 5% in the nation for clinical excellence. This is the second year Alvarado has been ranked among the top 5% for clinical excellence nationally and is the only hospital serving East County to be ranked among the top 5%.

East County News Service

Photo: Construction site at Jamul Indian Village

May 27, 2015 (Jamul) – The Jamul Action Committee and Jamulians Against the Casino (JAC/JCC) today announced that they have appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, after a federal judge denied their request for a prelimininary injunction to halt construction of a casino at the Jamul Indian Village.

The plaintiff’s request for a permanent injunction remains pending while the tribe moves forward on construction.

East County News Service

May 26, 2015 (Jamul) – Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN: Nasdaq) announced today that Richard St. Jean has been named General Manager of Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego. Mr. St. Jean, who currently serves as General Manager of Hollywood Casino Toledo, will also assume an oversight role at Zia Park Casino Hotel & Racetrack in Hobbs, New Mexico.

Mr. St. Jean will have full responsibility for the opening and management of the planned $360 million Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego, which will be owned by the Jamul Indian Village of California and managed by Penn National Gaming.

By Miriam Raftery

May 28, 2015 (Lemon Grove) – If you’re looking for a wedding cake that’s personalized, beautiful and delicious,  you’ll find your heart’s desire at Grove Pastry Shop in Lemon Grove. When San Diego Style Wedding magazine held a competition for wedding cake bakers last year, Grove Pastry Shop won six of eight categories (and didn’t enter the other two). 

In business since 1947, the bakery has evolved with the times, now offering an array of options ranging from specialty cake flavorings from mango to margaritas, as well as decorating options from tiered chandeliers to tattoos.  One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the bakery’s commitment to quality –with all cakes hand-crafted and baked the old-fashioned way, with the finest ingredients using many personal recipes from owner Teresa Johnson.

East County News Service

May 26, 2015 (San Diego) – The House of Representatives will soon be voting on a controversial proposal to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, after the Senate approved the fast-tracking.  On Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., activist groups led by the Sierra Club and SD County Democrats for Environmental Action plan a rally at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, where they will call on Peters to oppose the fast-track deal.

May 25, 2015 (San Diego's East County)-- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

NATIONAL

• Wealth of Congress Jumps $150 Million (Roll Call)
• Hackers Stole Data From More Than 100,000 Taxpayers, IRS Says (PBS)
• Senate Blocks Patriot Act Extension (AP)
• Storms kill 17 in Texas, Oklahoma; Houston flooded (Reuters)
• Pentagon plans long-range missile defense radar in Alaska (Reuters)
• Cleveland, U.S. Justice Department announce settlement over policing (Reuters)
• Obama administration loses bid to move forward on immigration action (CS Monitor)
• Could U.S. Supreme Court case shrink California's congressional clout? (LA Times)

INTERNATIONAL

• Report: Saudi Arabia in talks to purchase Pakistani nuclear weapons (JPost)
• Businesses quietly switch to dollar in socialist Venezuela  (AP)
• Tornado kills 10 in Mexican border city of Ciudad Acuna (AP)
• Mexico gunfight kills 43 as government hits gang hard (Reuters)
• Moscow issues travel warning over U.S. 'hunt' for Russians (Reuters)
• U.S., allies conduct 20 air strikes against Islamic State militants: military (Reuters)
• U.S., allies conduct 35 air strikes against Islamic State in Syria, Iraq (Reuters)
• Ireland backs gay marriage in historic vote (CS Monitor)
• Could cocaine-eating caterpillars replace herbicides in Colombia?  (CS Monitor)
• Heat wave responsible for more than 500 deaths, say Indian officials (CS Monitor)

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

May 26, 2015 (Santee) – West Hills High School in Santee was placed in lockdown today after staff received a call at 9:15 a.m. claiming that several bombs had been placed around the campus.

Sheriff’s deputies swiftly responded and found suspicious items, prompting a call to the Bomb Arson unit and a lockdown order for the campus.  Additional agencies were summoned including the Santee Fire Dept., San Diego Fire Bomb Squad, federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cal Fire, El Cajon Police and numerous Sheriff’s detectives.

East County News Service

May 26, 2015 (Sacramento) – The California Assembly has passed a controversial measure, Assembly Bill 775, that would require crisis pregnancy centers to disclose if they have no licensed medical provider on staff and to provide women with a list of options including public programs offering free or low-cost prenatal care for those wishing to carry pregnancies to term and abortions for those who don’t.

The bill comes in response to a year-long undercover investigation of the centers by the National Abortion Rights League, which claims the centers are mostly set up by anti-choice groups and that women are given misleading information. 

But opponents call the measure a “bully bill” that they contend threatens the existence of abortion-alternative clinics and violates constiutionallly protected religious freedoms.

East County News Service

Creative commons photo by Terry Gross

May 26, 2015 (San Diego) – More than a dozen young great white sharks have been spotted recently off the Southern California coast, mostly off Huntington Beach.  But this week, a six-foot-shark that lifeguards indicate could be a great white was seen off the shore in Oceanside.