EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE

August 29, 2023 (Poway) -- The Poway Chamber of Commerce will host it’s annual Pre-Rodeo Mixer on Thursday, September 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Pedder CDJ&R (13811  Poway Rd.), Poway. 

Source:  SDG&E

Photo:  Shelter Valley Community Center Board President Steve Bassett inspects installation at Shelter Valley Community Center site.

Connected devices such as energy storage and smart thermostats centrally managed to reduce demand on the grid

August 28, 2023 (San Diego) – As extreme heat records fall across the West and strain the power grid, San Diego Gas & Electric is piloting a new cleantech innovation known as a virtual power plant (VPP) to reduce energy demand and put electricity back on the grid during peak hours – all through leveraging the capabilities of customer-owned smart thermostats, rooftop solar, energy storage and other connected resources such as water pumps.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Judge Tanya Chutckan, who will preside over the federal case in Washington D.C.

August 28, 2023 (Washington D.C.) – The first criminal trial against former President Donald Trump has been scheduled to begin on March 4, 2024, in the midst of the primary season, opening one day before Super Tuesday.

Trump—now the leading candidate for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination—has pleaded not guilty to the four federal charges of election interference. He is the only named defendant in the case, which lists four unindicted coconspirators.

Judge denies couple’s request to delay sentencing, after they claimed air travel was unsafe for Jessica Kalasho due to pregnancy

By Miriam Raftery

File photo of  Ben and Jessica Kalasho at a prior hearing

August 26, 2023  (San Diego) – Former El Cajon Councilman Bessmon  “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica have been found guilty on four counts each of contempt of court in a civil defamation case won by attorney Lina Charry. 

They have been ordered to report to San Diego Superior Court on September 1 to being serving an eight-day jail sentence, as well as pay fines of $1,000 apiece for each count.

View United Nations 2023 video on climate change:  https://youtu.be/I1Vx_a6F57Q 

By Roger Coppock

August 26, 2023 (La Mesa) --Before this week’s GOP 'debate,' I used to give Republicans a healthy benefit of the doubt.  I would listen to them and read their literature.  However, when a political party's line differs from introductory science textbooks, that party is too extreme for my vote.

Last night 8 GOP Presidential candidates were asked, "If you believe in man-made climate change, raise your hand."  None did.  One candidate called it "a hoax." 

BY: ROSS WILLIAMS, STANLEY DUNLAP AND JILL NOLIN

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Booking photos from the Fulton County conspiracy case charging Donald Trump and allies with trying to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. Top row, from left Jeffrey Clark, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Michael Roman, Ray Smith, David Shafer, Sen. Shawn Still. Center row, from left, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump, John Eastoman, Kenneth Chesebro. Bottom row from left, Robert Cheeley, Harrison Floyd, Stephen Lee, Scott Hall, Misty Hampton, Cathleen Latham, Trevian Kutti. (Georgia Recorder illustration from Fulton County Sheriff’s Office photos)

August 26, 2023 (Fulton Co., Georgia) -- At the end of a historic week at the Fulton County jailhouse, the criminal case against former President Donald Trump and his 18 allies also accused of subverting Georgia’s 2020 presidential election is just beginning.

By Cassie N. Saunders, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 26, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- The County of San Diego is asking residents ages 55 and older to share their thoughts in a comprehensive needs assessment survey. 

The state survey will be used to inform future local program development or maintenance. This survey was first sent out to randomly selected residents in July and is now available to the general public. The survey will close September 4th. 

Those 55 and older can fill out the survey online. 

August 25, 2023 (San Diego) -- The Cal Coast Cares Foundation has awarded more than $160,000 in scholarships to support college-bound high school seniors, foster students and current college students in San Diego or Riverside Counties.

View the list of students who received scholarships.

By Miriam Raftery

August 23, 2023  (Washington D.C.) – On Tuesday, the Biden launched an application for a new student loan repayment plan called the SAVE Plan, or  Saving on a Valuable Education Plan. Borrowers can sign up and learn details at https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan .

This is a revised plan after an earlier effort to forgive student loans was blocked by the Supreme Court, though Republicans have also filed a challenge to the new plan.

The new SAVE plan calculates repayment based on the borrower’s income family size. According to the White House fact sheet, it will cut many borrowers’ monthly payments to zero,  save others around  $1,000 a year,  and prevent balances from growing because of unpaid interest. 

Specifically, the SAVE plan will:

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

August 24, 2023 (San Diego) – Summer heat can interfere with our power supply in many ways. Hot weather can drive up energy demands, often to power air conditioners, which can overload your electrical grid.

By Shiloh Ireland

August 4, 2023 (Lakeside) — A body found in a makeshift encampment near El Capitan in Lakeside has been identified as Marsha Woods, 48, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office told  East County Magazine.

Her body was found in a riverbed area near Mapleview Street and state Route 67 in Lakeside about 8:30 a.m. on August 3, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

This reporter visited the encampment on August 19,  where a camp resident named Christian (who did not provide his last name) said he was in a relationship with Woods.  He said he found Woods unresponsive, became scared and called the Sheriff’s department.  She was deceased when first responders arrived.

Story by Liz Alper

Photo via @padres on Twitter

August 23, 2023 (San Diego) - The Padres made no effort to win yesterday and the Marlins evened the series.  Both went for the win today.  Sandy Alcantara started for Miami against Seth Lugo.

August 23, 2023 (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.

General national news

• Hawaii officials urge families of people missing after deadly fires to give DNA samples (AP)
• Here's where inflation stands today — and why it's raising hope about the economy (NPR)
• Hilary Boosts Lake Mead's Water Levels for Second Day Running (Newsweek)
• America Is Back in the Factory Business (Wall Street Journal)
• 3 reasons gas prices are climbing again (CBS)
• US Army no longer has Senate-confirmed leader, joining Marines (Reuters)

Trump indictments/legal issues

• Messages show Trump team behind voting system breach (CNN)
• Trump cancels news conference to release report on 2020 election
• Prosecutors say witness in Trump’s classified documents case retracted false testimony  (AP)
• Trump supporters post names and addresses of Georgia grand jurors online  (NBC)
• Almost half of Republicans in new poll would not vote for Trump if he’s convicted of felony (The Hill)
• Trump's defamation countersuit against E. Jean Carroll is dismissed (NPR)
• Trump targets DC judge in 2020 election case (Reuters)

WORLD

• Saudi border guards killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants, HRW says (Reuters)
• Yevgeny Prigozhin, who staged a mutiny in Russia, is listed as a passenger on a plane that crashed north of Moscow, Russian state media says (CNN)
• Exclusive: North Korean hackers breached top Russian missile maker (Reuter)
• Ukraine hits Russian tanker with sea drone near Crimea Bridge (Reuters)
• How the use of drones in Ukraine has changed war as we know it  (NPR)
• Heatwave caused higher than normal death rate in southern Italy (Reuters)
• Russia’s new history textbooks teach Putin’s alternate reality (Washington Post)
• The British government is deporting migrants to Rwanda  (NPR)

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