By Miriam Raftery

April 29, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – One year after a botched execution in Oklahoma left an inmate, Clayton Lockett, writing in pain for 43 minutes before dying of a heart attack after the execution was halted, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about the constitutionality of lethal injection procedures.

April 29, 2015 (La Mesa) -- The Independent Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (ICBOC), a group of volunteers monitoring how the public agency Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is spending millions of dollars in taxpayer-approved bonds for new and improved patient care facilities at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, has issued its 2014 Annual Report to the Community.

By Rishi P. Dakal, Honory Consul of Nepal for San Diego

April 28, 2015 (San Diego)-- A massive earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday, April 24, killed over 4,000 people, and the death toll is rising because hundreds of victims are still missing in the debris.  Thousands of people have been injured, and several thousand others have been forced to spend nights out in the open because their homes have been destroyed.  

Nepal needs your help to tackle this massive scale of devastation.

By Miriam Raftery

April 25, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has released a $200 billion, 35-year regional growth plan for the county titled "San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan."   The plan lays out visions for transportation, sustainability and growth through 2050 including higher density land use along transportation corridors.

Several public hearings will be held including a May 13^th hearing at 6 p.m. in La Mesa’s community center.  But thus far, no hearings have been schedule in East County’s mountain, desert or rural areas.

East County Magazine asked the County why no hearings are scheduled in those areas. We pointed out that rural, mountain and desert areas lack public transit, making it difficult for residents to travel long distances to attend hearings in San Diego or even La Mesa.  In response, the County indicated it could hold additional workshops potentially if a community group to partner with could be found.

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2015 (El Paso)—A federal court ruled on Friday that the U.S. Border Patrol cannot be sued in U.S. courts by the family of a teenager in Mexico shot by an American border agent.

April 27, 2015 (San Diego)--Pacificaires and the Cedar Center Chorus will host a Spring concert on Saturday, May 16  at 2 p.m. in the College Avenue Baptist Church, 4747 College Ave., near San Diego State University.

April 28, 2015 (El Cajon)--Need help finding a job – or a new career?

By Kathy Carpenter

SDTheatrereviews. com associate and Youth reviewer

April 27, 2015 (Lemon Grove) - Celebrating 75 years, it's Diamond jubilee as a Parish, 1940 - 2015, St. John of the Cross will present "Fiddler on the Roof", the 20th play as a Parrish.The play opens at St. John of the Cross, in the Hall, at 8086 Broadway.  April 24th, at 7pm, with a wine and cheese hour at 6pm for $10.00, in the courtyard. People who attend this event go in ten minutes before everyone else. The seating is open. The play is also on the 25th at 7pm, 26th at 2pm, May 1st at 7pm, May 2nd at 7pm, and May 3rd at 2pm.

By Bonnie Baranoff

April 27, 2015 (La Mesa) -- It’s a beautiful, sunny day in Southern California as patrons enjoy lunch and dinner at Himalayan Cuisine, and shopping at the Himalayan Bazaar in La Mesa. But on the other side of the world in Nepal and in parts of India and China, the scene is much different: it’s raining, it’s dark, and it’s destroyed.

Mr. Khem Kharel, owner of Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa and a native of Nepal, says that his immediate family in Kathmandu--his 84 year old mother, his brother, brother’s wife and other family members--are thankfully “fine, just scared” and hungry. He has been in touch with his family, briefly, by phone, two times since the epicenter of the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the remote village of Barpak, in the northern-central Gorkha District, about 50 miles northwest from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu on April 25. The latest numbers report more than 4,400 deaths.

Street gangs reportedly issue threat against police, warning disseminated nationwide

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Another city has erupted in violent protests over alleged police brutality. Rioting has broken out in Baltimore, Maryland after the funeral of Freddie Gray, an African-American who died after suffering spinal injuries while in a van in police custody.

Rioters set fire to police cars and a pharmacy, sabotaged fire hoses and hurled bricks at police officers.  At least 15 police officers have been injured, Associated Press reports. Looting has also been reported. A senior center built by a church has also been torched.

April 6, 2015 (In-Ko-Pah)—The second annual In-Ko-Pah classic desert concert will be held  on May 2^nd .   This outdoor high-desert concert will be held at the Desert View Tower, a state historical monument perched on a rocky hillside overlooking the Anza-Borrego Desert. The In-Ko-Pah offers music lovers and naturalists alike a chance to experience an overnight event within our Southwest region.

East County News Service

April 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - Amber Alerts have been activated 240 times in California in the past 13 years, alerting people statewide about 298 missing children.  The system has been extremely effective, since 290 of those children – all but 8 – have been found safely—better than a 90 percent success rate. Four are still missing, and four were killed, UT San Diego reports. The system has worked eight times to recover kidnapped children right here in San Diego County.

East County News Service

April 26, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The Harley-Davidson Motor Company has announced a recall of 45,901 motorcycles for model years 2014 and 2015 due to dangerous clutch problems.

April 26, 2015 (Santee) – Sheriff’s deputies set up a checkpoint in the 8700 block of Mast Boulevard in Santee Saturday night to check for drivers under the influence of alcohol.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left, by CalFlier 001 on WIkipedia:  Famed Dharahara Tower, Khatmandu in 2013, was reduced to a stump by the April 25, 2015 quake

Photo, right: Google executivfe Dan Fredinburg, who perished on Mt. Everest, reported on Instagram by his sister, Megan.

April 27, 2015 (San Diego) -- A devastating earthquake has struck Nepal on Saturday, April 25th,  killing over 3,700 people  in India,  Nepal, Bangladesh and the Tibetan region of China.  The quake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale,  stronger than the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the strongest to hit the Nepal region in more than 80 years.

An avalanche on Mt. Everest killed at least 18 mountain climbers and sherpas, including Google executive Dan Fredinburg,  whose father and stepmother live in Carlsbad in San Diego’s North County.

Cultural resources have also been devastating particularly in Khatmandu Valley, including the landmark Dharahara Tower, which collapsed. Multiple temples have also been damaged or destroyed.