August 24, 2015 (San Diego) – The Barona Band of Mission Indians invites San Diegans to experience Native American dancing, music and traditional food at the 45^th annual Barona Powwow, which will be held on Labor Day weekend at the Barona Sports Park located on the Barona Indian Reservation. The three-day celebration starts on Friday, September 4 with Gourd Dancing at 6 p.m. and the spectacular Grand Entry at 7 p.m. and continues throughout the weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is free.

“For the past 45 years, the Barona Powwow has been a wonderful opportunity for Native Americans to not only celebrate our heritage and traditions with each other but to share our culture with San Diego,” said Barona Tribal Councilwoman Beth Glasco. “Over the years our Powwow has grown to become one of the most anticipated in our area and we are proud to invite the community out to experience this wonderful cultural celebration.” 

For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org

This column is also published in the http://EastCountyMagazine.org. If you are from East County, I highly recommend that you check out the ECM for articles and the latest in what is happening in the East County.

August 29, 2015 (San Diego)--Saturday, September 26 is Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. You can drop off your unused prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at locations throughout the county.  For a full list of locations in San Diego County including numerous East County sites, view the flyer.

August 29, 2015 (Spring Valley)—Cali Comfort and the Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce invite you to savor the 6^th annual Tailgate and BBQ Festival on October 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Amateur barbecue enthusiasts will compete for over$1,000 in prizes at this event, which benefits youth sports in Spring Valley and includes free live entertainment for NFL fans and families, a kids’ zone and street vendors.

Photo: Craig McClain with his wife, Kathleen and daughter, Deanna

August 28, 2015 (El Cajon)--The Boy Scouts of the Heartland District in East County honored Craig McClain of Boys to Men Mentoring at a luncheon on August 26^th at the Ronald Reagan Community Center in El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

August 29, 2015 (San Diego)—California highways have $57 billion in deferred maintenance and our state now ranks 45^th out of 50 states in overall highway performance.  Over half of our state’s highways need rehabilitation and 28%of bridges need repairs or replacement. But there is not enough money available to solve these problems, which are getting worse as time goes by. Those are among the dismal facts presented at a Cal Trans forum on transportation issues presented in San Diego this week.

Workers share how wage theft damages families, drives poverty; elected leaders share solutions to multi-billion annual wage heist  

August 28, 2015 (San Diego)--Speaker of the Assembly Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) along with California Labor Commissioner Julie Su and local leaders will host a “Fair Day’s Pay” town hall with San Diego workers on Saturday, August 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  The forum will spotlight how wage theft denies workers the opportunity to participate in the American Dream and leaves families in poverty.

The forum comes after a joint study by San Diego State University and the Center on Policy Initiatives found persuasive evidence of wage theft throughout San Diego’s food industry, with more than three-quarters (77%) of workers reporting having been victims of wage theft during the past year and a third saying theft from their paychecks occurs regularly.  Wage theft plagues workers in many other low-wage industries, and adds up to billions drained from California’s economy each year.

County News Service

August 27, 2015 (San Diego)--County Animal Services seized more than a dozen neglected animals from a property in Jacumba Thursday.

East County News Service

Aug 28, 2015 (San Diego)-- San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced today that Gary Snavely, a diagnosed pedophile and sexually-violent predator was ordered by Judge Louis R. Hanoian to return to Coalinga State Hospital, a mental facility, after violating the terms of his release. The violations included misuse of medications, failing to remain appropriately clothed at all times on his property while in public view, and failing to report any and all instances of sexual thoughts and fantasies involving sexual deviance to treatment staff.

Hear our radio interview, originally aired on the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ:

https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Story by Miriam Raftery, photo by Leon Thompson

August 28, 2015 (El Cajon) – Miguel Angel Soria and Peter Alkatib at Diego Valley Charter School in El Cajon are working wonders, helping 80% of their students—all at risk and drop-out youth—graduate with a high school diploma and go on to college or a career pathway. They are also co-producers of the Chaldean Voices documentary film debuting soon on KPBS and in El Cajon to celebrate Chaldean-American month.

About 30%  to 40% of the student body are Iraqi Chaldeans and most of the rest belong to other minority populations.  The school offers flexible scheduling to accommodate students who must work or raise children, also providing tutoring and other help to assure their students achieve their dreams.

August 27, 2015 (Pine Valley)--U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a man at the Interstate 8 checkpoint last night who had two undocumented immigrants locked inside his car trunk.

N. Scott Robinson to play instruments from Southeast Asia and beyond at free concert

August 27, 2015 (San Diego)--Local percussionist N. Scott Robinson will perform a variety of musical selections on several different instruments from around the world on Sunday, August 30th at 3 p.m. at the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center. Joining Robinson as a special guest will be K.S. Resmi providing vocals and other Indian music.

Robinson will play songs using various instruments, including the lap-style frame drum, riqq, mediterr-asian tambourine, ghaval, handpan, hammer dulcimer, mbira dza vadzimu, berimbau and hindewhu.

Decision could impact Tule Wind in San Diego’s East County

By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when it extended eagle take permits from 5 years to 30 years  for wind energy developers.  The rule had allowed the incidental killing of bald and golden eagles for up to three decades with no accountability, even though killing federally protected and endangered eagles is a felony subject to criminal prosecution under other circumstances.

August 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The Corners Fire burning near Lake Morena is holding at five acres with no structure threat, Kendal Bortissier with Cal Fire told East County Magazine at 3:40 p.m. today.  Air and ground resources are fighting the fire.

Bortissier confirmed that a second fire is burning in Cleveland National Forest near Cameron station. USFS has not yet responded to our call requesting details.

By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2015 (Sacramento)—Senate Bill 350 aspires to set new standards for renewable energy in California that the authors day will grow the state’s economy and improve public health by cutting petroleum use, increasing energy efficiency in existing buildings. But opponents contend that raising taxes on gas and vehicle users’ fees would create economic hardship for some Californians.