By Miriam Raftery

Updated August 8, 2015 with comments from SDG&E, clarifications/corrections.

August 7, 2015 (San Diego’s East County ) – SDG&E is asking the California Public Utilities Commission to pass on costs to ratepayers for the uninsured costs of legal settlements for the utility's role in causing three major fires in the 2007 firestorms.  The utility has announced plans to file an application this fall seeking to recover those costs, which could be as high as $367 million.

Article and photos by Susan A Mahalick

August 7, 2015 (Baja California, Mexico)--Another beautiful summer day for this now locally famous annual event dawned just like most this time of year, with a light marine layer and cool temperatures. The event would not start until 11 a.m., when people have to start cooking their entries on site to be ready for judging and tasting at 2:30 p.m. Booths were mostly set up the night before, with one couple who always has the best spot in the first place where most people start their tasting. Frank and Darlene, who live here, have entered since the first cook-off seven years ago. Two hundred and eighty to three hundred and twenty people were estimated to have attended the event.

East County News Service

August 6, 2015 (Alpine) – For Childhood Cancer Awareness month, the Kylie Rowland Foundation is hosting “Wine and Bunco Under the Stars” on  Sept. 9 at 6 pm.. to raise funds for promising less-toxic cancer treatments for children. The foundation was started in memory of Kylie Rowland, who lost her battle to neuroblastoma at age two in February 2015.

August 6, 2015 (Lakeside) –Michael Paul Gharring, 48, of El Cajon died August 2^nd in a vehicle accident in Lakeside.

East County News Service

Photo: Creative Commons image by www.ForestWander.com

August 5, 2015 (Sacramento)-The California Fish and Game Commission has voted 3-2 to ban bobcat trapping statewide. The decision today completely bans bobcat trapping in California, with the exception of trapping bobcats that prey on livestock.

August 6, 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:

U.S.

By Miriam Raftery

August 5, 2015 (Lemon Grove) – Cosimo Ingrande, 49, has been arrested for drunk driving after causing three collisions and damaging five vehicles early this morning in Lemon Grove and San Diego, Sergeant Michelle McPhail with the San Diego Sheriff reports.

August 4, 2015 (La Mesa)--The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host a free program on “Help Save a Life from Sudden Cardiac Arrest” from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26. The program is part of the library’s Wellness Wednesday series, normally held on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

The speaker on Aug. 26 will be Maureen O’Connor, program manager, San Diego Project Heart Beat, the city of San Diego’s Public Access Defibrillation/CPR program managed by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH

Photo: Creative Commons image by Rama

Updated August 6, 2015 (San Diego's East County) --As the narrative goes, Juan Francisco López-Sánchez, an illegal immigrant with a long criminal history in the United States, who had been deported several times, was to be deported again; but San Francisco’s sanctuary law delayed handing him over to the Immigration and Nationalization Service. López-Sánchez claims he found the gun and was shooting at sea lions, not Ms. Steinle. There is no evidence that he was trying to rob Ms Steinle, nor even confronted her, so his claim may be true. However, an investigation found that the gun was stolen from a federal agent’s car. Whether López-Sánchez actually was the person who stole the gun from the car or how he obtained the gun is unclear at this time. In either case, he is still guilty of manslaughter, whether shooting at sea lions, at tin cans, or in the air, his actions, together with his previous criminal history, should get the maximum sentence.

However, what is missing from the narrative is why it was so easy for López-Sánchez to get a gun.

By Leon Thompson

August 3^rd, 2015 (Jamul, California) - CalTrans is holding a public meeting on the State Route 94 Improvement Project including traffic safety issues related to the Hollywood Casino Jamul on Wednesday, August 5^th from 5 to 8 p.m.at the Cottonwood Golf Course, 3121 Willow Glen Dr. El Cajon.

Caltrans, the State’s highway engineers, have proposed road improvement to portions of State highway 94 to handle the increased traffic including major road widening, turn lanes, lane painting, guard rails, signage, traffic signals and exit lanes.   The Jamul tribe has expended substantial sums to help fund improvements as mitigation for the new casino.

However some residents think the mitigation doesn’t adequately address all the problems, particularly near Steele Canyon High School and on Otay Road.  Steele Canyon road is especially important because of all the foot-traffic and teen drivers; Otay Road is the shortest distance to the casino from the Otay border crossing.

August 5, 2015 (La Mesa) -- On Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce is proud to host a FREE electronic recycle waste activity between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

July 22, 2015 (San Diego's East County)-- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH


• US hospitals warned on drug pump use
 (BBC)
• HIV flushed out by cancer drug (BBC)
• New York City's new drug threat: 'weaponized marijuana' (Reuters)
• Lilly yanks millions from UCSD for Alzheimer's study
 (LA Times)
• Variety of medical scopes pose risks of serious infections (Los Angeles Times)
• Health Insurer Anthem To Buy Rival Cigna For Nearly $50 Billion (NPR)
• Bionic hand uses smart wires to mimic muscle fibers (Reuters)
• Cataracts reversed in animal study, human therapy eyed (U-T)
• What San Diego Scientists Are Discovering About Dolphins And Diabetes (KPBS)

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• When Relying On The Sun, Energy Storage Remains Out Of Reach (NPR)
• Airbus-patented jet able to fly more than 3,000 miles per hour (Marketplace)
• Lexus to unveil hoverboard. How does it work? (CS Monitor)
• Mutant Flowers From Japan's Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Go Viral Online (Weather.com)
• NASA estimates 1 billion 'Earths' in our galaxy. Why so many? (CS Monitor)
• Why is China building the world's largest radio telescope? (CS Monitor)
• Rice revolution? New rice could help feed world, fight climate change. (CS Monitor)
• NASA spacecraft shows Pluto wrapped in haze, ice flows (Reuters)
• What is Twitter, Facebook obligation to aid in terror fight? (CS Monitor)
• Disaster debris becomes giant Lego blocks to build new homes (CS Monitor)
• How satellites could slow the decline of wildlife (CS Monitor)
• Opinion: Why the information sharing bill is anti-cybersecurity (CS Monitor)
• Follow The Leader: Drones Learn To Behave In Swarms (KPBS)
• 3D-printed plane flies from UK ship (BBC)

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

East County News Service

Photo: SDSU news center

August 4, 2015 (San Diego)--An expansion approved by San Diego State University has been flunked by the state’s Supreme Court. That’s because CSU trustees failed to fund mitigation of traffic impacts on neighborhoods near campus or Interstate 8.

August 4, 2015 (Lakeside)--The Lakeside Chamber of Commerce will host a “Business Appreciation Evening” from 5 to 8 p.m.,Thursday, Aug. 20, at the Carter-Smith V.F.W. Post #5867, 12650 Lindo Lane, Lakeside. Admission is free. All Lakeside business owners and employees are invited to attend. Refreshments will include food samples and desserts from local eateries.