By Miriam Raftery

January 24, 2014 (San Diego)—State Senator Marty Block (D-San Diego) has announced he will introduce Senate Bill 911 to provide oversight  and reforms of residential elderly care facilities (RECF).    

Investigative reports by the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) and newspapers around the state have highlighted lack of training standards, neglect, ineffective penalties and inadequate enforcement plaguing residential care facilities. According to an in-depth investigative report by the San Diego Union-Tribune, hundreds of seniors have suffered broken bones, deadly bedsores and sexual assaults in San Diego alone.  More troubling, since 2008, 27 elderly residents have died from injuries and neglect suffered in San Diego County RCFEs.

By Sylvia Sullivan

January 24, 2014 (Santee)--55 million babies have died in the U.S. since the infamous Supreme Court Roe v Wade ruling 41 years ago this month. It is beyond a national tragedy. It is a choice of descent into barbarism.

Because of the ghastly numbers of dead babies, it may be difficult to see that the pro-choice side is on a downward spiral.  Clinics continue to close as state after state pass pro-life bills. Young people faced with the scientific reality of the humanity of pre born babies, are decidedly a more pro-life generation.

January 25, 2014 (El Cajon)--Spring semester begins Monday at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges with more class offerings, instructors and students than last year as the college district continues an upward trend, thanks to a slow, but steady growth in the state economy.

Lakeside Community Presbyterian Church announces a series a free concerts in March, April and May.  Performances include the Ugandan Children’s Choir, Mainly Mozart, the East County Youth Symphony, and the Benedetti/Svoboda Guitar Duo. 

Below are details on dates and times; doors open 30 minutes before the event.  All events will be held at the Lakeside Community Presbyterian Church, 9908 Channel Road in Lakeside.

By Miriam Raftery

January 23, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – SoiTec Solar is hosting a community workshop to provide information on its Goliath-scale solar projects proposed in Boulevard.  The event will be held Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at the Manzanita Diner, 40080 Old Highway 80 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. To RSVP or for additional information, contact Karen.Hutchens@Soitec-ext.com or (619)236-0227.

According to SoiTec, project representatives and technical experts will be available to answer questions regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Soitec’s solar power developments proposed for the Boulevard area.  The projects would include thousands of solar panels, each approximately 30 feet tall.

Ravneet Singh Allegedly Facilitated Nearly $300,000 in Illegal Foreign Contributions to Campaigns in San Diego, including D.A. Bonnie Dumanis, ex-Mayor Bob Filner and a federal candidate

As part of conspiracy, Former SDPD Detective Ernesto Encinas Allegedly Sought to Fire Sam Diego’s Chief of Police and Pick His Replacement

January 23, 2014 (San Diego)--Ravneet Singh,  proprietor of Washington, D.C.-based ElectionMall, Inc., was arraigned January 21 on charges that he conspired to finance political campaigns using money from an illegal foreign source. Singh was arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents on Friday, January 17,  pursuant to an arrest warrant.

January 20, 2014 (Spring Valley) -- Cierra Conwright, a junior at Mount Miguel High School in Spring Valley, has been  nominated to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, DC on February 14-16.

The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be physicians or medical scientists to stay true to their dream and to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Gonzalez’s AB 1522 Would Require Workers Are Compensated For At Least Three Days Lost To Illness Annually

January 22, 2014 (San Diego) – California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) this week announced she has introduced legislation to guarantee workers in California at least three days of paid sick leave annually.

Photos (not local): Jaguarundi, black jaguar, and melanistic jaguar with spots visible

By Miriam Raftery

January 22, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--A rash of sightings of large black wildcats have been reported in East County, most recently in Spring Valley.  While thus far no one has captured photos of the animals, the growing number of sightings from seemingly credible sources—including an East County Magazine reporter, raises some intriguing questions.

• Are these cats escaped exotic pets, or could one or more black jaguars, believed extinct in California,  or smaller jaguarundis have found their way back into our region?
• Both jaguars and jaguarundis are critically endangered in the U.S.  If these rare cats are regaining a toehold in our region, is anything being done to protect them from being shot by ranchers, law enforcement, or wildlife officials who may be unaware of their protected status?

Most recently, on January 5, Southwestern College language and literature professor Dan Moody told ECM that his mother, Dee Moody saw a jet-black, large cat that weighted at least 60 pounds walk across an open field behind her Spring Valley house on January 4 -- in broad daylight.

January 23, 2014  (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news each week that could impact your health and our future.

SCIENCE

• Robotic probe to awaken for comet rendezvous, landing (Reuters)
• Is our Sun falling silent? (BBC)
• Fridge sends spam emails (BBC)

HEALTH

• Gene therapy saves blind man's sight (BBC)
• Surgeon General Adds New Risks To Long List Of Smoking's Harms (KPBS)
• Smart Contact Lens Might One Day Let Diabetics Check Blood Sugar (NPR)

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

January 23, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• Mayor's State Of The City Address 2014 (La Mesa Today)
• San Diego Sierra Club faces suspension (UT San Diego)
• Political corruption case grows (UT San Diego)
• MTS plans to cut bus service in Allied Gardens, Grantville, Del Cerro and SDSU (Mission Times Courier)
• 3-2 vote strips Madrid of SANDAG seat (La Mesa Today)
• Where the mayoral candidates stand on the big issues (Voice of San Diego)
• La Mesa's Park Station project gets a new look (La Mesa Courier)
• Should Sempra shareholders be worried? (UT San Diego)
• Google Glass user’s ticket dismissed (U-T San Diego)
• Former hospital exec claims overbilling (U-T San Diego)
• San Diego region’s water supplies remain adequate despite statewide drought (Scoop San Diego)
• New trolley route set to connect Mission Valley and University City (Mission Valley News)
• Chaldeans celebrate Pope’s acceptance (U-T San Diego)
• Renovations good signs for local casinos (U-T San Diego)

STATE

• Cal Fire Officials Set To Add More Personnel (KPBS)
• “They’re all gone” – shock as sardines vanish off California (Energy News)
• California governor declares drought emergency (Reuters)
• California School Districts Given New, More Flexible Spending Guidelines (KPBS)
• Brown's Budget Would Require Layoffs To California Courts, Chief Justice Says (KPBS)

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

January 23, 2014 (Carrizo Gorge) – Laurie Baker sent photos taken while hiking at the rugged Carrizo Gorge in McCain Valley, near the site of a planned industrial wind facility.  Her images show the dramatic rock formations that make this area one of the most spectacular scenic vistas in San Diego's East County.

Reprinted with permission; originally published at http://www.revivinggaia.com/green-blogs/area/usa/san-diego/an-interview-with-oneroof-energy-shout-out-for-solar/

By Roy L. Hales

January 23, 2014 (San Diego)--The U.S. has good reason to “Shout Out For Solar” when the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) celebrates its 40th anniversary on January 24.

While costs of solar panels have been dropping, companies have been streamlining the sales-to-installation process and this increased efficiency has resulted in lower prices. The explosive growth of rooftop solar has enabled the U.S. to surpass Germany in cumulative new PV installations in 2014, according to a study by Greentech Media Research.

Source: San Diego County News Service

January 22, 2014 (San Diego)--Economists and other experts predicted moderate growth ahead in 2014 at the 30th Annual San Diego County Economic Roundtable Friday morning.

Speakers described housing prices stabilizing in San Diego and unemployment rates continuing to drop.  These were just a few of the insights shared at the event, which again brought together experts to talk about big picture questions on the local, state and national economy.

The states of the job and real estate markets are always a big topic, and experts this year also offered overviews of the Affordable Care Act and how the manufacturing industry is doing. An estimated 400 people attended the free event at University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice.

January 22, 2014 (Lakeside) – Riverview Elementary School and the Lakeside Union School District will host a Chinese New Year celebration ushering in the Year of the Horse.  Festivities will be held on Saturday, January 25 from 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. 

Activities include professional lion dancing, a Chinese cultural show by the Confucius Institute, students performing songs and dances, and Chinese arts and crafts booths.  The event is open to the public. Riverview Elementary, a Spanish and Mandarin language immersion school, will hold the event at Tierra Del Sol Middle School, 9611 Petite Lane in Lakeside.