East County News Service

March 15, 2022 (San Diego) --  Legislation by Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) to assist law enforcement agencies with addressing the homeless problem was approved today on a bipartisan vote by the Senate Public Safety Committee.

Critics say the war has had NO effect on pricing yet, but the prices are climbing

By J.W. August

A version of this article was originally published in Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association.

Photo:  Oil refinery; CC by SA via Bing

March 15, 2022 (San Diego) -- Just how much do oil refiners make in California?  Only the owners of the five refineries in the state know.  They control 96% of gasoline made in California, according to the California Energy Commission. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2022 (San Diego) – San Diego Police officers used a beanbag round to incapacitate and arrest a 16-year-old student with a gun at Lincoln High School.

East County News Service

March 15, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove residents with proof of residency are invited to a drive-through food distribution this Saturday, March 19 at the Lemon Grove Recreation Center at 3131 School Lane.  The distribution starts at 9 a.m. and will continue while supplies last.

Please stay in your car and make sure your truck is clear so food and be loaded.  No walk-ups are allowed.

Childcare, library funding and local ADA access among earmarks added by Sara Jacobs

East County News Service

March 14, 2022 (San Diego) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 2471, consisting of all 12 Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bills plus supplemental funding to support Ukraine. The legislation has $13.6 billion in emergency security and humanitarian funding for Ukraine, including $1.4 billion for Migration and Refugee Assistance and $2.65 billion in International Disaster Assistance funding for emergency food, health care and other humanitarian assistance in the region. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2022 (Ramona) – Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona will host a hands-on “Camel Camp” April 29-May 1 for adults age 18 and up. Enjoy midnight at the Oasis – and the rest of the time, too.   The fun starts with a meet and greet at the dairy on Friday, April 29, to meet fellow campers, staff and camels while enjoying camel milk chocolate s’mores and other snacks.

March 14, 2022 (Descanso, CA) -- Ana Lilia sent in this video of a mountain lion spotted in the backyard of her home in Descanso, a rural community in San Diego's backcountry.  “I love how the last shot of him/her is just as he passed by our statue of St. Francis of Assisi -- the patron Saint of Ecology & Animals," she says.

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Attorney Cory Briggs, on behalf of the Project for Open Government, has sent a letter to Lemon Grove’s elected officials demanding that the City cure and correct alleged violations of the Ralph M. Brown Act, California’s open government law. The letter, dated March 10, also announces an intent to sue the City over actions that Briggs claims deprive Councilmember Liana LeBaron of rights to express herself and represent her constituents.

Specifically, Briggs contends that several actions taken to penalize LeBaron should have been on the Council agenda, but were not. These include:

• Prohibiting LeBaron and other Councilmembers from interacting with staff regarding city services, except through the City Manager
• Revoking Councilmembers’ access codes to City Hall
  

Rebels score six runs in eighth inning to complete weekend sweep

Source: goaztecs.com

Video courtesy goaztecs.com

March 13, 2022 (San Diego) - Despite a season-high 13 hits, San Diego was unable to avoid a weekend sweep, as UNLV rallied with six runs in the eighth inning to escape with a 10-8 victory on Sunday in the series finale at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

March 13, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Biden OKs $200M in Ukraine Military Aid, Russia Warns It Can Hit Shipments (Newsweek)
• U.S. grants temporary protected status to tens of thousands of Ukrainian immigrants already in the United States (Washington Post)
• MLB lockout ends as MLBPA, owners reach agreement: Live updates, reaction to baseball's return (CBS)
• Monitoring the Arctic in Russian invasion of Ukraine (Indian Country Today)
• Former National Security Advisor John Bolton says 'Putin was waiting' for Trump to withdraw the United States from NATO in his second term (Business Insider)
• Pence says there’s no room in the GOP for ‘apologists for Putin’ in veiled swipe at Trump (Washington Post)

WORLD

• Russia strikes military base near Polish border as it steps up its offensive, Ukraine says (Reuters)
• Russia’s bombing of maternity and children’s hospital an ‘atrocity,’ Zelensky says (CNN)
• Ukraine Official Says Russia Won’t Collect Soldier Corpses, Burning The Ones It Has (Knewz)
• Ukraine: Russia has attacked schools and hospitals, says deputy PM (BBC)
• As Russia Pounds Ukraine, NATO Countries Rush In Javelins and Stingers ((New York Times)
• Ukraine accuses Moscow of breaking ceasefire in Mariupol (Reuters)
• Putin likens Western sanctions to war as Russian assault traps Ukrainian civilians (Reuters)
• Big brands and oil ban punish Russia as Moscow makes new pledge on Ukraine refugees (Reuters)
• Mastercard, Visa, suspend operations in Russia after invasion (10 News)
• Russia’s Military Chief Promised Quick Victory in Ukraine, but Now Faces a Potential Quagmire (Wall Street Journal)
• Russians Rush to Leave as Sanctions Bite, Dissent Is Suppressed (Wall Street Journal)
• More than 4,500 antiwar protesters arrested in one day in Russia, group says (Washington Post)

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

March 12, 2022 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Bioluminescence Back at San Diego Beaches and Dolphins Are Enjoying the Blue Waves (NBC 7)
• Two La Mesa Neighbors Say Gas Thieves Drilled Holes in Their Tanks (NBC 7)
• Homeowners in Julian frustrated with not getting discounts for fire mitigation (CBS 8)
• San Diego County COVID Community Transmission Rated ‘Low' by CDC (NBC 7)
• Souplantation May Return to San Diego...Well, Sort Of  (SanDiegoville)
• San Diego company helping Ukrainian employees stuck here and in war zone (KPBS)
• A man was arrested after hiding 52 reptiles under his clothes at the Mexican border (NPR)

STATE

• Newsom wants mental health court for severe mental illness  (KPBS)
• What we know about Newsom’s plan to compel care for homeless, mentally ill Californians (Los Angeles Times)
•  Average California gas prices now over $5 a gallon (Los Angeles Times)
• Gov. Gavin Newsom will face little-known challengers for a second term (Los Angeles Times)
• Report: Reducing Voting Locations 'Discouraged Participation' for California's Black and Latino Voters in 2020 (KQED)
• Gavin Newsom appoints new director of Cal Fire, a 31-year department veteran (Sacramento Bee)

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

More than a dozen East County organizations receive funding for ongoing projects

East County News Service

March 12, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) — San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson awarded more than a dozen organizations in East County with funds from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program (NRP) grant at the March 1, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting. These organizations received amounts ranging from $800 to $75,000 for ongoing projects. The goal of the NRP grant is to reinvest taxpayer money into our communities for the benefit of the public.

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department has released body camera video of a baseball bat-wielding suspect who attacked an ECPD officer on March 4 at Parkway Plaza. The man had reportedly committed theft and threatened citizens with the bat. After the officer calmly asked the shoplifting suspect to drop the bat, the suspect can be heard stating, “I want to kill you, bro” as he swung the bat at the officer.

The suspect, Julian Kurko, wo was arrested and charged with attempted murder.  He has a long history of criminal offenses, including convictions for two prior violent assaults on police officers.