October 13, 2015 (Sacramento) - Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed six bills that sought to reform the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) , which has been the subject of two criminal investigations amid mounting evidence of corrupt practices.

East County News Service

October 14, 2015 (Sacramento)—Governor Brown has taken action on numerous crime-related bills as well as a measure banning concealed guns on college campuses.

The Governor vetoed 11 crime-related measures, objecting to the fact that each bill would “criminalize conduct that is already proscribed.”  Among the bills rejected was one that would have made it a felony to possess date-rape drugs with intent to commit a sexual assault.

A week after a gunman killed nine people at a college in Oregon, Brown signed into law a measure banning the carrying of concealed w4eapons on all school and university campuses in California, except when school officials have granted permission or if the carrier is retired from  law enforcement.

By Devoreo Bell

October 13, 2015 (Ramona)--The Ramona Unified School is scheduled to hold a public hearing on this Thursday evening, October 15 at 7 p.m. to make sure students have enough school materials and textbooks for the 2015-16 school year.

East County News Service

October 13, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Governor Jerry Brown has signed over a dozen bills to “help improve elections and expand voter rights and access in California,” according to the Governor’s signing statement.

Those include the New Motor Voter Act authored by San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez.  The measure will result in the Department of Motor Vehicles automatically registering Califoirnians to vote when they obtain a driver’s license, or renew one.  Drivers will have the right to opt out if they choose.

By Leon Thompson

October 12, 2015 (Mission Valley) – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) will hold its national conference in San Diego October 18-23.  The NCAI  is composed of Tribes and individual Native Americans to protect and enhance treaty and sovereign rights.  The Organization was started in 1944 in response to the termination and assimilation policies of the United States government toward American Indians.

County News Service

October 12, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --San Diego County has added a third helicopter to its firefighting fleet, beefing up regional air support in time for the high-risk wildfire season.

By Devoreo Bell

October 10, 2015 (El Cajon)--If you are hungry and looking for a great place to eat with a Middle Eastern flavor, Ali Baba is the place for you.

New law allows patients to be reimbursed for out-of-network care due to a mistake in an insurance company’s directory

East County News Service

October 11, 2015 (Sacramento) – Many consumers complained that after signing up for health insurance through Covered California, they learned that the healthcare plans they enrolled in had mistakes such as doctors listed who were no longer in the network.  Covered California discontinued its directory in February.  But a state audit also found many errors in directories by major health insurers including Anthem Blue Cross, Health Net and Partnership Health Plan, such as wrong phone numbers and addresses, plus inaccurate information on which doctors were accepting new patients.

East County News Service

October 10, 2015 (San Diego) – Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 953 into law. The measure authored by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, a San Diego Democrat, aims to reduce racial profiling.

By Kathleen Coates-Hedberg, Helix Water District board member

October 10, 2015 (La Mesa)--I got to the Board Room at 4:30p.m. and the parking lot was filling up and I parked on the street. When the meeting started at 5 p.m. it was a full house, every seat was filled and the people were lined outside the door and people were standing in rows near on the sides. At least 150 members of the public were in attendance, several TV crews (KFMB, KUSI & FOX that I saw) and we all echoed the pledge of the allegiance to the flag together. I was hopeful and optimistic that the meeting was going to go well...oh how wrong I was.

October 11, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - - -Our July 2015 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 July, click here and scroll down.

Our newsmaker interviews included Bruce Wilcox on a plan to save the Salton Sea, John Bolthouse with the Water Conservation Garden and some water-saving tips, author Paula Marguelies, representatives from the San Diego Concert Band, Mark Stevenson from the McAllister Institute, winery industry leaders on drastic new changes proposed to the county’s tiered winery ordinance, and our own interns with analysis on top presidential contenders, plus 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.

East County Alerts

October 11, 2015 (San Diego)--The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a heat advisory for San Diego County inland coastal and western valley areas from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday (today).

Temperatures are expected to range from 90 to 95 degrees for inland coastal areas and 95 to 99 in western valley areas.

The County issued an alert at 10:45 a.m. today. The County continues to operate the Cool Zones program and has designated buildings as cooling centers.

Lamplighters Community Theatre, La Mesa, Oct. 9-Nov. 8

By Miriam Raftery

October 11, 2015 (La Mesa)--When a caustic critic is lured to an old theatre under the pretext of a documentary about Lincoln assassin/actor John Wilkes Booth,  he swiftly finds himself drugged,  trussed up and tormented by an actress he’s savaged in reviews. The stage is set for mayhem and potentially, murder.

Devi Noel  portrays first the prim and proper Miss Leamington, who soon sheds her disguise to be revealed as the wickedly scheming actress, Mitzi Crenshaw.  Donning multiple costumes to portray notable roles in between extracting tortuous confessions from her captive critic,  F.F. Charnick, Noel clearly relishes the role and keeps the audience on edge throughout Lamplighters’ production of Stage Fright, a play by Charles Marowitz of Ventura.

By Miriam Raftery

October 10, 2015 (El Cajon ) – The family of Elijah “Bear” Diaz, 20,  who vanished on August 29^th, will hold a spaghetti dinner fundraiser and raffle at Barona Clubhouse on October 23, 2015 at 6 p.m. 

“Since we believe Bear is not missing on his own terms, the family has hired a private investigator which these funds will go toward,” Katey Hoffman told East County Magazine. She is working with Lelanie Thompson,  Bear’s mother.

The cost is $10 and includes spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, drinks and desert.  Raffle tickets are $5 and prizes include jewelry, art, cooking wares, and gift cards.  Donations of additional raffle prizes are welcome.