September 8, 2012 (San Diego) – The BLM expects to finalize its plan to fast –track solar projects as early as this month while ignoring written protests filed by several environmental groups (as previously reported by ECM http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/10908).  The projects affect more than a quarter-million acres across six Southwestern states, including California.

September 8, 2012 (San Diego) – Nile Sisters is hosting its Annual Brunch and Auction on September 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 7715 Draper Avenue in La Jolla.  A sumptuous catered buffet brunch will be served.

September 8, 2012 (Lemon Grove)—A meet-and-greet with Lemon Grove City Council candidate Lou Melendez wll be held on Sunday, September 16 from 2-4:30 pm.

A 15-year resident of Lemon Grove, Melendez has worked as an engineer with CalTrans for 21 years with experience in infrastructure issues. He says he is committed to community development, local history and youth.

Organic foods have lower pesticide residues, lower chance for antibiotic-resistant bacteria

September 8, 2012 (Washington, D.C.)—A review article published September in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirms that consuming organic foods reduces consumers’ exposure to pesticide residues and to bacteria resistant to antibiotics, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) notes. These are among the top reasons consumers cite for choosing to buy organic products.

September 5, 2012 (Poway)—A 17-year-old driver of a green Ford Escort with three teenage passengers swerved over the center line in Poway today, triggering a three-vehicle collision.  The crash occurred at 2:33 p.m. on Twin Peaks Road, west of Woodcreek Road.

The teen driver and a 15-year-old passengers were critically injured with major head trauma. They were flown to Scripps La Jolla Hospital by air ambulance. 

September 6, 2012 (La Mesa)—La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to join in kicking off the biggest community event in the region - 2012 Oktoberfest. The three-day Oktoberfest annually brings in over 200,000 people to La Mesa. The Chamber’s preview kick-off will be held September 12 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Continental Catering, 8238 Parkway Drive, La Mesa.

This event is free to Oktoberfest volunteers. Chamber Member & all guests pay $10 per person.

Resolution is prompted by Lakeside case of 11-year-old murder suspect with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

September 7, 2012 (San Diego)-- Professors in the UC San Diego School of Medicine and directors of the California Teratogen Information Service (CTIS) Pregnancy Health Information Line applaud the American Bar Association's (ABA) new resolution urging attorneys, judges, state, local and specialty bar associations, and law school clinical programs to receive training that will help them identify and respond effectively to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in children and adults. The resolution was passed on the heels of a high profile East County murder case and just ahead of International FASD Awareness Day, which is recognized on September 9, 2012.

September 7, 2012 (San Diego) -- The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation will present "Sumi-e Journey," an art exhibit featuring Asian Brush paintings by Iris Lowe-Reiss and Joan Rasp. The exhibit will be on display in the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center Art Gallery from September 8 through 28, 2012.

The public is cordially invited to a reception for the artists on Sunday, September 16, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

View more information on the artists and examples of their work here. For directions to the park, visit www.mtrp.org.

By Brian Lafferty

September 7, 2012 (San Diego) – There are two people who have had the biggest influence on me as a critic.  The first is Duncan Shepherd, who authored film criticism for the San Diego Reader from its inception in 1972 until he retired in November 2010.  I didn't really know Duncan that well as a person.  I saw him at pretty much every screening, but I was too shy to approach him.  He was the type of critic who preferred to keep to himself, who expressed himself best in writing rather than with the spoken word.  I didn't read his criticism until I started writing for East County Magazine, but I immediately noted his frequent, adept commentary on cinematography.  If you wonder why in every review I write these days I talk about image, this is part of the reason.

By Nadin Abbott

September 6, 2012 (San Diego)-- Mayoral candidates Carl DeMaio and Congressman Bob Filner met at the Photographic Museum in Balboa Park in a lively debate hosted by Innovation Alliance, moderated by Erik Anderson of KPBS this week.

The candidates sparred over innovation, the arts and education issues, offering clear choices for voters.

“I don’t think we have a taxing problem; I think we have a spending problem.”—Bill Baber

By Janis Mork

Incumbent La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board President William ‘Bill’ Baber is up for re-election this November, running against Emma Turner and Jay Steiger for two spots on the school board. The LMSV district includes El Cajon, Spring Valley, and La Mesa. View a map of the district.

September 5, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)-Since being in office since 2004 as president of the board, William Baber believes major achievement has been “the fiscal stability of the district with very prudent financial management.” 

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna, East County Magazine’s “In-House Fire Chief”

September 5, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – We continue in our summer “monsoon season” which can quickly and unexpectedly bring flash floods. More people lose their LIVES in floods than in any other weather-related event. 80% of flood deaths occur in vehicles, and most happen when drivers make a single, fatal mistake - trying to navigate through floodwaters.

Three incumbents and four challengers are vying for three seats on the El Cajon City Council. ECM has requested interviews with each. Below is the first in our series of in-depth candidate profiles.

By Miriam Raftery

September 6, 2012 (El Cajon)—Earlier this year, when a vacancy opened on the El Cajon Council due to a resignation, the Councilmembers refused to accept applications from the public – including an Iraqi Chaldean immigrant and an African-American woman who wanted the job. Instead, they appointed an insider like themselves--a white male, who served on Planning Commission. 

To Ben Kalasho, that action exemplifies what’s wrong in El Cajon –and why  the Council needs people from diverse backgrounds.

Lead author SDSU astronomy professor Jerry Orosz said it's the first transiting circumbinary multi-planet system to be found.

September 6, 2012 (San Diego) -- Astronomers at the International Astronomical Union meeting announced the discovery of the first transiting circumbinary multi-planet system: two planets orbiting around a pair of stars. This discovery shows that planetary systems can form and survive even in the chaotic environment around a binary star. And such planets can exist in the habitable zone of their stars.