By Miriam Raftery

February 16, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – A federal judge in Texas has issued a preliminary injunction blocking President Obama’s executive actions on immigration from being implemented, while a lawsuit filed by Texas and 25 other states works its way through the courts.

By  Ken Stone

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego

February 16, 2015 (San Diego)--Two nights after briefly portraying President Obama as a sex-assault suspect on its 10 o’clock news, Fox 5 San Diego apologized to viewers.

February 16,2015 (Vallecitos) – Take a trip back in time to life on the 1860s frontier during Vallecito Day on March 28^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Vallecito County Park.  Visit pioneer men and women in period attire,  join in activities of the era, and learn about the roles of cattle drives and cattle ranching played on the Southern Overland Trail.  Witness the arrival of trail riders on horseback, visit a mountain man camp, see cattl ranching demonstrations, and hear historic talks.

February 16, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is soliciting nominees for its 2015 Healthcare Hero Awards. Now in its ninth year, the Healthcare Heroes is GHD’s annual awards program that honors volunteers who help advance the delivery of quality healthcare in the East County region. Nomination forms are available at www.grossmonthealthcare.org. Deadline for submission of entries is 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, at the GHD offices, 9001 Wakarusa St., in La Mesa.

February 15, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--The Countywide Firefighter Boot Drive is the biggest and most important fundraiser of the year for the Burn Institute.  Firefighters from over 40 departments will grab their boots and congregate at nearly 100 intersections. Virtually every fire department in the county is participating, so look for them in your neighborhood.

Source: Heartland Fire & Rescue

February 14, 2015 (El Cajon)-Heartland Fire & Rescue crews in El Cajon responded to reports of a brush fire in the 1500 block of Orange Avenue in El Cajon Saturday afternoon at 4:41 p.m.   Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from a hillside behind a home at 1522 S. Orange Avenue.

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - Radio Shack has been a fixture in the American retail market for over 90 years. The company started off selling radio parts to ship operators before opening retail stores.

By Patsy Fritz

February 16, 2015 (San Diego)--The County General Plan, adopted August 3, 2011, took 12 years and cost $18,600,000. It’s based on smart growth/smart location. But if you think it will effectively control sprawl in the backcountry, you may have to think again.

On Saturday, February 21 at 9:00 a.m. the County will hold its second public workshop on a controversial clause in the General Plan that limits “leapfrog development.” The County Planning & Development staff is seeking to abandon the current limitation and are seeking an “equivalent” standard. Location of the workshop will be 5500 Overland Avenue, Room 120 at the County Operations Center (on Kearney Mesa in San Diego). 

Lasting two hours, the agenda is identical to one held Wednesday, February 11, where opposition was raised to any change, by many of the rural Community and Sponsor Group members who attended.

February 15, 2015 (San Diego)--Southwest Airlines announced Tuesday it will provide over $3.2 million in free transportation to patients seeking medical treatment and to their caregivers.  Grants will be made through Southwest’s Medical Transportation Grant Program, which will have a 14% increase over last year.

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--A toddler who captured the hearts of a community has died after a long battle with neuroblastoma cancer.  A memorial service was held on Valentine’s Day for Kylie Rowand of Alpine, with hundreds of mourners dressed in pink at Shadow Mountain Church in El Cajon.

East County News Service

February 15, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – Conservatives in Congress are threatening to let the Department of Homeland Security shut down on February 27^th, refusing to fund a measure authorizing funding of Homeland Security unless they can secure approval of language to repeal President Obama’s executive orders on immigration. The agency was formed to protect national security after the 9/11 terrorism attacks in 2001.

“Articles Concerning Trusts, Wills, Probate, Family Law & more”

By: Stephen C. Ross, Esq.

February 13, 2015 (San Diego County) – The federal estate tax exemption for 2015 is increased to $5,430,000.00 per person from $5,340,000.00 per person in 2014. A husband and wife each have an exemption. Therefore, a couple can pass on up to $10,860,000.00 without paying estate tax. This assumes they have not made prior lifetime gifts. This is important to people with a large estate as they can pass on $90,000.00 more tax free this year than in 2014. The top federal estate tax rate is 40% and is applied to amounts exceeding the exemption amount.

February 13, 2015 (San Diego) — With Valentine’s Day approaching, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials want to remind travelers of prohibited flowers from Mexico, so there are no surprises at the border.

By Ariele Johannson

NOTE: Check with the County of San Diego if you plan to attend the hearing at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, February 20^th, in case the hearing is postponed. San Diego County Planning Commission meets in the COC Conference Center Hearing Room at 5520 Overland Avenue, San Diego. Phone: (858)-694-3816. Agenda changes must be made 72 hours before the hearing.

February 12, 2015 (Ranchita)—Visitors driving to the Anza-Borrego Desert  on Highways S2 and S22 pass through the small community of Ranchita. The unincorporated community of Ranchita is approximately 12 miles southwest of Borrego Springs at 4,065 feet elevation. A Telecommunication Facility Major Use permit application—APPLICATION #P-11-034—has been made by Vista Towers, LLC, a company that owns and manages a number of urban and suburban sites. Its website states,“Our specialty is developing multi-carrier facilities in underserved rural areas.” The proposed Verizon and AT&T cell towers would be visible from designated Scenic Highway S22. In fact, the proposed site is only 800’-1000’ from what is called the “view shed” on roads designated as scenic highways or byways. A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail goes through this area, also.

A hearing is scheduled in San Diego at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, February 20th to review the permit application made by Vista Towers, LLC, Wireless Site Solutions.

February 12, 2015 (San Diego)—Writers of all levels are invited to join the Southern California Writers’ Conference and Retreat this weekend, February 14-16 at the Crowne Plaza Resort Hotel in San Diego. 

Learn secrets of how to get published and improve your writing craft at this annual event, which is founded and run by professional writers. The conference and retreat provides veteran and emerging talent with authoritative guidance to help distinguish those manuscripts that are ready for market consideration, having facilitated some $4 million worth of first-time authors’ book and screen deals.