East County News Service

April 2, 2016 (Alpine) – The Alpine-Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce will host a “Hot Topics” breakfast on April 12 at 7:15 a.m. at Mike Place, 1620 Alpine Blvd. Suite 101.

Our January 2016 radio shows are now online!  You can listen online now (sound files may take a minute to load). For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics and interviews in January, click here or scroll down.

Our newsmaker interviews included Congresswoman Susan Davis, Windwalker and the MCW (Grammy nominees), the founders of Camp Onward, and Steve Lauria from California Health Network.  Hot topics included  new laws in 2016, the presidential primary, a lawsuit over Covert Canyon, a felony charge against a local Superintendent, a police shooting in El Cajon, wild winter weather, and much more.  

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  The shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

City builds on last year's success in national campaign with an expanded focus on sustainability

Source: Mayor Kevin Faulconer, the Wyland Foundation, SDG&E

April 1, 2016 (San Diego) - In celebration of San Diego winning the 2015 Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation and after enacting one of the most ambitious climate action plans in the country, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer will be kicking off the 2016 campaign on April 1 by expanding the city’s effort to promote sustainability in all facets of the community.

Source: La Mesa Chamber of Commerce

Astonishing story rocks community and sends shockwaves across district

By Merry Parent

April 1, 2016 (Alpine) – Alpine residents are dancing in the streets in an impromptu town-wide celebration after the California Board of Education granted Alpine parents’ request to break off from the Grossmont Union High School and unify with the Alpine Union School District.  The move will require approval by district voters.  If approved, the AUSD announced today that it will finally build the long-promised high school in Alpine.

East County News Service

March 31, 2016 (Pine Valley) -- U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a 31-year-old man after he allegedly attempted to smuggle four Mexican nationals last through the Border Patrol checkpoint near Pine Valley on March 25^th.

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ, by clicking the audio link.

We thank the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Grant supporting Destination East County.

East County News Service

April 1, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes Mozart, an Old West Art Fest, the Garden Native Tour, Padre’s Opening Day and more.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including the Spring Garden Festival at Cuyamaca College, Chaldean Nights at Sycuan in El Cajon and an El Monte Flume Trail Hike.

So scroll down for all of these events and more.

By Jim Stieringer, Member, Governing Board, Grossmont Union High School District

March 31, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)--Like my board colleagues I enthusiastically endorse the concept of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and our unanimous vote to implement it in the Grossmont Union High School District.

I recall that our board members’ decision to implement “area” election precincts was engendered solely by a desire to implement CVRA and to obviate a threatened lawsuit if we failed to do so. I believe that no one was motivated by a desire to deny a colleague an opportunity to compete in the 2016 election. Further I am unaware of any direction to our demographers other than to create a minority district that gave consideration to all communities of interest. Each of the three proposed maps accomplished those goals.

East County News Service

March 31, 2016 (El Cajon) -- As part of a Capital Campaign that will improve the lives of thousands, The Salvation Army in El Cajon will build a $5.4 million social services facility that will help to assist 1,500 families in East County every month. In a community where the poverty rate is approximately 30%--and 7,395 children living within two miles of our corps qualify for free or reduced price meals--the Salvation Army is there offering hope and a hand-up.  More than 40,000 are served from our El Cajon Corps annually with programs including: 

By Mimi Pollack

March 30, 2016 (El Cajon) - It is not easy leaving your home and moving to a new country as an immigrant or refugee. Many immigrants and refugees’ lives are shattered by political or religious conflict and they have to flee their countries. The ones who arrive in the United States have to learn a new language, and get accustomed to a new culture and different types of food. Not only that, many immigrants and refugees go from living in a rural place where they had land, or perhaps a house in the city with a garden to living in  small, urban apartments. Sometimes, they feel homesick and long for what they had back home. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 30, 2016 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police announced the arrest yesterday of John David Sanchez, 52, on felony assault charges. Sanchez, an Uber driver, is accused of sexually assaulting a female passenger in late February. 

East County News Service

March 30, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced recalls of three products including Toshiba laptop computer battery packs due to fire danger, Black Diamond carabiners used by rock climbers and nylon runners due to fall hazards.  Below are links for details.

By Leon Thompson

March 30, 2016 (San Diego) -- The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is scheduling extra Trolley service to accommodate 50,000 fans expected in East Village on Monday, April 4 when the Padres meet the L.A. Dodgers on Opening Day at Petco Park.

By Janis Russell

March 30, 2016 (Lakeside) - At the Lakeside Tea Party meeting on March 28, two of the 71^st Assembly candidates, Santee Mayor Randy Voepel and small business owner Tony Teora, both Republicans, spoke and answered questions from the public. Leo Hamel, another Republican candidate, wasn’t able to make it.

March 30, 2016 (San Diego's East County)-- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

General news

• Native Americans are taking their Voting Rights to court (Mother Jones)
• The Wind Tech by Jim Wiegand, Save the Eagles
• U.S. kills senior ISIS commander: Pentagon (KNSD)
• Legal marijuana is finally doing what the drug war couldn’t (Washington Post)
• Erik Prince in the hot seat: Blackwater’s founder is under investigation for money laundering, ties to Chinese intel, and brokering mercenary services
• North Korean propaganda video depicts nuclear attack on Washington (USA Today)
• Campus assault claims: 75 men sue for putting accusers' rights before theirs (CS Monitor)
• Brussels bomber brothers were on U.S. watch lists before attack: sources (Reuters)
• U.S. Indicts 7 Iranians Accused Of Hacking U.S. Financial Institutions (NPR)

Presidential primary

• Democrats evenly split over Clinton, Sanders in Bloomberg poll  (Bloomberg)
• Cruz blames Trump ‘henchmen’ for tabloid story (CNN)
• Bernie Sanders discusses his prospects of beating Donald Trump with the Los Angeles Times editorial board (Los Angeles Times)
• Donald Trump’s shocking ignorance, laid bare (Washington Post)
• Trump feeling female voter backlash (CBS)
• Trump open to nuclear retaliation after Brussels attack (CBS)

WORLD

• State media: Syrian forces capture Palmyra city from ISIS forces (CNN)
• ISIS soccer game suicide bombing kills at least 26 in Iraq (Reuters)
• Nigerian Military Says It Rescued More Than 800 Hostages From Boko Haram (NPR)
• Six arrested in Brussels raid as Paris attack foiled (ABC)
• North Korea warns of strike on Seoul's presidential palace (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• US, Israel denounce resolution passed by rights council (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Karadzic guilty of Bosnia genocide, jailed for 40 years (Reuters)
• The race against time that Belgium lost (Reuters)
• Suicide bomber kills at least 65, mostly women, kids in Pakistan park (JPost)
• Is China heading in the wrong direction? For once, the West calls Beijing out  (Washington Post)

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