September 26, 2013 (El Cajon) – The City of El Cajon will be hosting a community meeting for El Cajon’s America on Main Street, a new City special event.  This community meeting will be held on Monday, September 30, at 5:30 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Community Center, located at 195 East Douglas Avenue

El Cajon’s America On Main Street will be on Saturday, June 14, 2014, which is also recognized as National Flag Day. The event will include American and ethnic foods, live entertainment on two stages, displays and more.  For more information please call (619) 441-1754 or visit us online at www.cityofelcajon.us.

September 26, 2013 (Sacramento) – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. recognized California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer Dane Norem with the 2012 Governor’s Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor for performing extraordinary acts of bravery on October 25, 2012.

While on duty, Officer Norem of the CHP’s Riverside Area office responded to a call of a potential suicidal subject attempting to jump off of a freeway overpass to the roadway below. Officer Norem arrived at the scene and observed an adult male climbing the overpass fence. While attempting to save the subject’s life by preventing him from jumping, Officer Norem was stabbed nine times, including in the eye, with a utility knife. Despite his injuries, and continually being stabbed, Officer Norem continued to hold onto the man’s leg until help arrived to take the man into custody.

“We supported the renewable energy plan but we wanted it done in the right. The stakeholders advisory group is biased and stacked. It’s all industry…” – Donna Tisdale, Chair, Boulevard Planning Group

By Alex Riggins

September 26, 2013 (San Diego)  – The County Board of Supervisors  voted 5-0  on Wednesday to approve a work plan for a comprehensive renewable energy plan. The plan includes options for creating an alternative to SDG&E such as a publicly owned utility district, as well as plans for the type, scale and location of energy development. A cost analysis and comparison of various energy options was removed, however.

The work plan will analyze ways in which the county can move forward with renewable energy options. It was approved unanimously after the Board heard public comments and deliberated for nearly two hours on Wednesday morning.  The plan drew support from the energy industry and concerns from rural residents.

September 26, 2013 (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

• Supervisors Support Push For Southern California Drone Test Site (KPBS)
• Rainbow Investment to Take Control of Grossmont Center Mall (La Mesa Patch)
• San Diego’s Craft Beer Economy, in Three Charts (Voice of San Diego)
• Mother of drowned toddlers arrested (U-T San Diego)
• El Cajon will cover costs of new ordinance (UT San Diego)
• Traffic ticket costs spike with add-ons
• Rainbow water district officially opposes Gregory Landfill (Village News)

STATE

• Judges extend deadline in California prison case U-T San Diego)
• Federal highway funding crisis will hurt states, lawmakers told (Sacramento Bee)
• California Jobless Rate Increases To 8.9 Percent(KPBS)

Click “read more” and scroll down for excerpts and links to full stories.

September 25, 2013 (San Diego) – Campus police have issued an alert for students following two thefts of cell phones at 3:30 this afternoon. 

In one case, the suspects approached and asked to use the victim’s cell phone. The suspects started to dial the phone and then ran off with it.  In the second case, the phone was taken by force.  The suspects fled the scene in a white or champagne colored four-door sedan, possibly a Lexus.  The victims were not injured.

By Miriam Raftery

September 25, 2013 (El Cajon) --  El Cajon's City Council has given a green light to getting rid of red light cameras, voting on Tuesday to shut them down permanently.

Back in February, El Cajon’s Council voted to temporarily halt using the city’s 10 Redflex red light cameras while a six month study was conducted to see if there was any impact on safety. The cameras have been covered up since February 27.

Santee City Council, incorporated in 1980, will reportedly have its first Hindu invocation on September 25, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will deliver the prayer from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the City Council. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.

One suspect also charged with two deadly shootings in South Bay area 

September 24, 2013 (Alpine) –The San Diego Sheriff’s office today announced the arrests of three men suspected of killing 20-year-old Daniel Rodriguez.   On October 13, 2005, Rodriguez was found under a bridge at Interstate 8 and Tavern Road in Alpine. He had been shot in the head and died three days later. 

On September 19, 2013 a coalition of law enforcement agencies including the Sheriff's Homicide Detail – Cold Case Unit, the East County Gang Task Force, the Chula Vista Police Department, the National City Police Department, and the FBI arrested three suspects for the murder of  Rodriguez. Jose Valdez, 30, John Reyna, 30, and Rashad Lansing , 32, were each booked for murder and conspiracy.

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2013 (Sacramento) – Under a court order to reduce California’s prison population by 9,600 prisoner’s at year’s end to relieve overcrowding or face contempt of court charges, Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law Senate Bill 105. 

The bill provides that Brown will ask a panel of judges to delay the order to allow the state time to expand rehabilitation programs to reduce the prison population, including mental health and substance abuse treatment.  But if that request is rejected, SB 105 will shift thousands of inmates to county jails and to private, out-of-state prisons.

By Tom Lemon

September 24, 2013 (Santa Ysabel) – Inaja. I always stop at the site when I drive through Santa Ysabel. I'll buy some bread and a sandwich at Dudley's and take in the view and watch the cars and motorcycles speeding by on Highway 79. The Inaja Memorial Picnic Site is a  picnic/day use area operated by the USFS  to honor eleven men who died while fighting a fire on  November 25, 1956.

September 23, 2013 (Alpine) – The Alpine Stagecoach Lions present the Alpine Viejas Western Days Parade and Craft Fair on September 29.  The parade will begin at Albertsons at 2 p.m. and continue down Alpine Blvd. to Alpine Creek Town Center where the craft fair and car show will be held.   Visit www.alpinedaysparade.com for more information.

Sept. 23, 2013 (Spring Valley) – The Mulvaney family is sponsoring the 3rd Annual Jim Mulvaney’s Concert on the Green to benefit Noah Homes Inc. on October 5, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 12526 Campo Road, Spring Valley.  The concert will feature the Irish music of The Tim Foley Band.