By Mike Allen

Photo, left: Concrete pour for new sidewalk, courtesy City of La Mesa. See more photos on the City's Twitter feed for the project.

September 29, 2015 (La Mesa)--Several downtown La Mesa restaurants say the city’s Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project has taken a much bigger hit on their businesses than anticipated—and the owners aren’t happy about having to shell out more money to get their patio seating back.

While the project that began construction in July of last year is nearly finished, there’s still work to be done, and most restaurants haven’t had their outside patios re-installed in time for this weekend’s big Oktoberfest celebration.

East County News Service

September 29, 2015 (San Diego)—San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) on Friday asked the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to allow the company to charge ratepayers for 90% of its remaining costs to settle the 2,500 lawsuits from the 2007 firestorms.  SDG&E faced $4 billion in claims arising from the fires, but settle most cases for $2.4 billion.

Most of that was covered by the company’s liability insurance or recoveries from third parties. SDG&E now wants its shareholders to pay just 10% ($42 million) with the remaining 90% to be passed on to ratepayers.  If approved, SDG&E proposes to spread out the remaining $379 million over six years, which it estimates would raise monthly bills less than $1.70 for a typical residential customer using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month.

By contrast, a poll of East County Californian newspaper readers found that 100% believe  SDG&E and its shareholders, not ratepayers, should bear responsibility for the wildfire settlement costs.

East County News Service

September 29, 2015 (San Diego)--KPRI Radio, San Diego’s independent station known for its alternative rock format and cutting edge issues coverage, has sold the Educational Media Foundation which runs Christian music stations.  The deal will require approval from the Federal Communications Commission, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

In addition to music, KPRI radio has been home to programs such as a Morning Show that recently included discussions on issues and features ranging from climate change to the Master Chef competition.

September 29, 2015 (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.

• Pope tells Congress U.S. should reject hostility toward immigrants (Reuters/Moderate Voice)
• Here’s what’s in Donald Trump’s tax plan (Washington Post)
• FBI finds Hillary Clinton’s deleted 'personal' emails: What now? (+video)  CS Monitor
• NSA chief says Clinton emails were 'opportunity' for foreign powers (Reuters)
• No Fly Zone: Why TSA soon won't take some states' driver's licenses as ID (CS Monitor)
• Chinese activists in US blame Beijing for relentless cyberattacks (CS Monitor)
• Professor takes care of toddler: Should colleges provide free day care? (CS Monitor)
• American trained rebels gave equipment to al-Qaida Syria affiliate (JPost)
• OPM: millions more government fingerprints stolen in cyberattack (CS Monitor)
• Chinese jet buzzes US spy plane: Pattern of aggressiveness?  CS Monitor
• Banks must turn over Sudanese assets to USS Cole victims: U.S. court (Reuters)

WORLD

• Putin plans air strikes in Syria if no U.S. deal reached: Bloomberg (Reuters)
• Build a solar-powered school in rural Kenya – in 48 hours (CS Monitor)
• NHS uncovers 1,000 FGM cases in England  (BBC)
• Iraq says Russia, Iran, Syria cooperating on security issues in Baghdad (Reuters)
• Germany's Merkel says U.N. Security Council must be reformed (Reuters)
• As Europe embraces Syrians, a cooler reception for other refugees (CS Monitor)
• VW scandal exposes cozy ties between industry and Berlin (Reuters) - Angela Merkel learned early in her political career that taking on the German car industry carries risks.
  
  Volkswagen CEO Resigns, Saying He's 'Shocked' By Emissions Scandal (NPR)

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

East County News Service

September 28, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Western Blend horse feed, manufactured by Western Milling, has been linked to deaths of three horses and illness of dozens more.  The feed contains monensin, an ionophore that is used to put weight on cattle but that is toxic to horses. There is no antidote for the poisoning.

On Sunday, the company announced a recall of Western Blend sold in 50 pound bags in California and Arizona, with the lot number 5251. ABC news reports the deaths occurred in Fresno.

By Robert Gehr © 2015

September 28, 2015 (El Cajon)--You’re invited to reserve Friday night, Oct. 23 from 5 to 10 p.m. to attend the 4^th annual HauntFest on Main event that has become very popular with folks in East County celebrating Halloween.

This is a fun-filled family affair with plenty to do including a pumpkin patch for ‘picking’ that perfect orange decoration, two candy trails this year, an expanded carnival ride area, an LED rock climbing wall, face painting, food and drink, the famous TNT dancers, a KIDZ zone, outdoor movies on a 26- foot screen, arts and crafts booths, game booths, costume contests, live music on 2 stages, inflatables and more.

By Miriam Raftery

September 28, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has announced he will resign from Congress at the end of October.  With a September 30^th deadline looming to pass a spending bill or force a government shutdown, Boehner has stated on Face the Nation that he expects a continuing resolution to pass for funding at least through the end of the year, averting a shutdown.  But after that, all bets are off, since the likely successor to Boehner, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, of California, is backed by conservative Tea Party forces.

East County News Service

September 26, 2015 (San Diego)—The San Diego Sierra Club plans a rally on October 7^th at 12 noon outside Sempra Energy headquarters (488 8^th Ave., San Diego) to protest the utility’s actions that environmentalists say are aimed at “crippling solar.”

64-year-old Casa de Oro woman undergoes aortic endograft procedure for complex abdominal aortic aneurysms

Story provided by Sharp Healthcare

September 26, 2015 (Casa de Oro)--You could say Lura Kienzle is a bit of a Disney fanatic.The 64-year-old gleefully boasts that she and her “Mousekapals,” a tight-knit group of six friends from San Diego, visit the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim about once a month.

But that monthly trek had to be put on the back burner last September when Kienzle started to not feel well.

East County News Service

September 27, 2015 (El Cajon) – A man suspected of breaking into a car in the Chase/Avocado area of El Cajon has been arrested, according to a  post left by the vehicle owner on the Mt. Helix Next Door neighborhood forum. 

According to the car owner, it didn’t take too much sleuthing to track down the alleged perpetrator.  “Good thing he had the bad luck of leaving his wallet in our vehicle,” she wrote, adding that the suspect had prior arrests and had just been released from jail two days before his arrest on September 14.

East County News Service

September 25, 2015 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Magazine Editor Miriam Raftery was injured Wednesday when an F-150 pickup truck driver pulled out in front of her Toyota Camry on Avocado in El Cajon.  Raftery's vehicle was totaled and she was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. 

"I am grateful to be alive and appreciate the kind wishes sent by many in our community," said Raftery, who asked for patience as our staff works to catch up on a backload of articles, story ideas and e-mails recently submitted. "I also thank the El Cajon Police and Heartland Fire & Rescue for their prompt response to the accident scene," she added.

East County News Service

September 26, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce announces three upcoming events including a Sept. 28 lunch with former Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, a Sept. 29  after hours business mixer at Steele Canyon Golf Club, and an Oct. 2 breakfast at the La Mesa Community Center with Oktoberfest speakers.

Congressional leadership’s refusal to take a vote to continue a critical parks fund means 50 year conservation program could disintegrate, despite support to pass in both chambers

East County News Service

Photo: Saguaro National Park, courtesy of the National Park Service

September 26, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--The Land and Waer Conservation Act Fund is set to expire on September 30th if Congress fails to act.  The Republican leadership is blocking a floor vote, despite enough support in both houses to renew the landmark measure.

“Leadership is dithering and deliberately stalling, because if put to a vote, the House would  have the 218 votes needed for  reauthorization of this core conservation program,” said Alan Rowsome with The Wilderness Society, which co-chairs the national Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition. “On top of that, the Senate secured 60 votes for reauthorization back in January. So House  and Senate leadership are snatching defeat from the jaws of victory by holding America’s parks, trails, soccer fields and historic sites hostage —when  more than 75% of America disagrees with them.”

By East County News Service

September 26, 2015 (San Diego) – An investigation by KNSD-TV Channel 7 , the NBC affiliate in San Diego, has dropped a bombshell regarding efforts to cover-up lax handling of nuclear waste and radiation leaks at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stations.   Get the full report and the confidential documents here.  

NBC’s investigation found high radiation levels endangered Southern California employees in trailers, including radiation levels so alarming that  Nuclear Regulatory inspectors at times refused to perform routine radiation surveys. A contaminated steam generator taken from a reactor exposed workers for 10 days, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission report form 1981 revealed.

Hundreds of pieces of contaminated radioactive equipment were stored on both sides of Interstate 5, which bisects the San Onofre nuclear waste dump now under construction following shut-down of the facilities.  Some were openly exposed to weather.

East County News Service

September 26, 2015 (Palomar) – Palomar Mountain State Park invites the public to its 2015 Palomar Apple Festival on Sunday, October 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

This free festival includes delicious apple goodies, spinning and weaving demonstration, arts and crafts,  games and activities, a pie eating contest,plus  live folk music and square dancers  (join in – all are welcome!).