East County News Service

Update 7:20 p.m. -- Power is restored at the Smart and Final, but SDG&E's website indicates power is still out to over 1,200 customers.

July 24, 2018 (Santee) -- A power outage has occurred in the  Santee/Carlton Oaks area, affecting 2,359 customers. SDG&E is assesesing the cause but estimates restoration at 9:30 p.m.

ECM reporter Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson was shopping at the Santee Smart and Final when the lights went out.  "The big lottery Mega-millions is tonight and I can't buy my ticket," she quipped.

She was also unable to  buy groceries for dinner, since the store is accepting only cash during the blackout fur customers already inside the store.  Customers outside are being turned away.

East County News Service

July 24, 2018 (San Diego) -- Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA-53) and Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02), ranking member and chairman, respectively, of the House Education and the Workforce Committee’s Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee and co-chairs of the Congressional Apprenticeship Caucus, today introduced the Accessing Professional Partnerships and Resources to Enable Necessary Training and Improve Career Education (APPRENTICE) Act.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

July 23, 2018 (Santee) -West Nile virus made its first appearance of the summer in San Diego County this week when a batch of mosquitoes caught in routine trapping in Santee tested positive for the virus.

County officials reminded people they should follow the County’s “Prevent, Protect, Report” guidelines to protect themselves from all mosquitoes and the various diseases they can transmit, from West Nile virus to tropical diseases such as chikungunya, dengue and Zika.

By Briana Ghaffery

July 18, 2018 (El Cajon)— Sheriff’s Captain Marco Garmo became the victim of a hate crime at a young age, along with his father, who was savagely beaten over a mistaken ethnic identity during a robbery at the Garmo family’s convenience store in El Cajon.

At a hate crimes forum in El Cajon on July 17th, sponsored by the San Diego Regional Hate Crimes Coalition and El Cajon Police Department, Captain Garmo told East County Magazine that he hopes to encourage the public to report hate crimes.

“The reason why we’re having this out here in the city of El Cajon is that it has the largest influx of refugees and immigrants from the Middle East, and we feel like they need to be educated as to hate crimes,” he said, adding that law enforcement believes hate crimes are under-reported by those who are victimized.

By Miriam Raftery

July 23, 2018 (La Mesa) – A family of four and the driver who struck their vehicle Sunday were all transported to hospitals, Patch.com. reports.

By Ricken Patel, Avaaz

July 21, 2018 (San Diego) - It’s now shockingly clear that Donald Trump is Putin’s poodle.

But we need the world to understand why, before it’s too late…

Trump's businesses went bankrupt so many times in the 1990s that many legitimate banks wouldn’t lend to him anymore. He turned to Russian oligarchs -- Putin’s ruling clique -- to bankroll his projects, and launder their dirty money for them. This was, and continues to be, a huge part of his business. He’s a Russian money launderer.

Wacky or worthwhile petitions?  You decide

By Miriam Raftery

July 21, 2018 (Sacramento) – California’s Supreme Court has blocked a controversial initiative from appearing on the November ballot, pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. That measure sought to split California into three states. However, 11 other initiatives have been approved by the state’s Attorney General for circulation to collect signatures.   

Before you sign any petitions, read below for summaries, or click the link below this story for full details on these proposed initiatives ranging from practical to bizarre.

One proposed ballot initiative seeks to make California a separate nation. If passed, the Legislature would be required to declare independence from the United States, but there’s no Constitutional provision allowing a state to secede – and secession efforts by southern states are what led to the Civil War.  Any attempt to secede would likely require an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which takes approval of both houses of Congress and ratification by two thirds of all the states.

Another initiative proposal would ban local governments or special districts from spending bond money on anything not in the bond measure. 

By Sam Warren

"A synonym is a word your use when you can’t spell the other one." — Baltasar Gracián

July 20, 2018 (San Diego) – Author signings, book clubs, writers’ classes and more are coming up in our region.

CLICK TO SCROLL DOWN FOR A LIST OF BOOK EVENTS

East County News Service

July 20, 2018 (Spring Valley) – A 48-year-old man from National City died of injuries sustained today in a motorcycle crash on Jamacha Road, just east of Osage Lane.

The motorcyclist was driving a blue 2018 Harley Davidson Sportster westbound on Jamacha at a high speed and failed to slow down into a curve, causing the vehicle to strike a concrete curb, says California Highway Patrol’s Public Information Officer Travis Garrow. The out-of-control vehicle then went up an embankment, ejecting the rider.

By Miriam Raftery

July 19, 2018 (Ramona) – A driver who reported his vehicle had been stolen at gunpoint has been arrested for filing a false report to conceal his involvement in a crash in Ramona.

According to Sgt. Jeremy Sheppard with the Sheriff’s department, Luis Solis, 19 and with a juvenile passenger have been charged with filing the false report after the Toyota Forerunner that Solis was driving rolled over at 630 Gem Lane in Ramona.

Aztecs will play all 11 non-conference games in California

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

July 19, 2018 (San Diego) - San Diego State women’s basketball head coach Stacie Terry has announced the Aztecs’ 2018-19 non-conference schedule. The slate features 11 games, six of which are at home, and is highlighted by games against Arizona and TCU.

By Ken Stone

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, amember of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Suspended Battalion Chief Mike Van Bibber of Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District. Image via Julian Fire Plugs

July 19, 2018 (Julian) - Julian’s volunteer firefighters have filed an emergency appeal with a state appellate court in hopes of making an August 10 deadline to place a measure on the November ballot.

Their aim is to have the 2,246 voters in the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District decide whether to repeal a fire board action to dissolve the district.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, top: Carrizo Gorge federal wilderness area

June 29, 2018 (Alpine) – Most visitors to San Diego County head to the beaches or the well-known mountain town of Julian. But the County’s lesser traveled southeast region, known as the Alpine Mountain Empire, includes vast tracts of wilderness, quaint mountain towns, a historic train, museums, Native America reservations, resorts, parks and lakes.

OK

July 18, 2018 (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

• San Miguel names veteran to lead fire department (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Sacramento Report: The State of Crime in the State (Voice of San Diego)
• City Water Department Resisted Oversight, Downplayed Smart Meter Problems  (Voice of San Diego)
• Some Residents’ Water Bills Jumped 500 Percent or More in the Last 14 Months  (Voice of San Diego)
• Build the wall sign attracts waterfront scuffle (The Reader)
• La Mesa looking at taxing marijuana businesses (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Onofre emails show history of private meetings between regulators, energy insiders and advisers to Gov. Jerry Brown (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego Transit Agency Makes Its Move on 2020 Tax Measure (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• Splitting up Calif.: State Supreme Court takes initiative off the November ballot (San Francisco Chronicle)
• A political firestorm is about to hit the capitol: who will pay for wildfires? (Cal Matters)
• California already reached its 2020 goal for cutting emissions. Now what? (SD Union-Tribune)
• The Valley floor is sinking, and it’s crippling California’s ability to deliver water (Sacramento Bee)
• ‘I can’t be a felon’: Gun owners sue California over faulty weapon registration system (Sacramento Bee)

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

July 18, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• HHS plans to delete 20 years of critical medical guidelines next week (Daily Beast)
• Health Insurers Are Vacuuming Up Details About You — And It Could Raise Your Rates (ProPublica)
• Dog heart disease may be linked to potato-based pet foods, FDA says (Time)
• More Screen Time For Teens Linked To ADHD Symptoms  (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• A New Look At An Old Way To Store Energy
• Galileo Would Be Stunned: Jupiter Now Has 79 Moons  (NPR)
• Organic matter found on Mars, opening new chapter in search for life  (CS Monitor)

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