January 28, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) has introduced legislation that would halt the repeal of the military’s don’t ask, don’t tell policy. President recently signed the repeal into law and the military is on a path to implementation of the repeal measure, which will allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the U.S. military.

Plan is opposed by cities, labor, development interests, and affordable housing advocates

By Miriam Raftery

January 27, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Governor Jerry Brown has proposed to eliminate redevelopment agencies (RDAs), a move he predicts would save the cash-strapped state $1.7 billion in the next fiscal year. The Governor’s plan would take away funds for improving blighted areas and instead divert those dollars to school districts, counties, and state coffers. But the plan is being met with strenuous opposition from cities and redevelopment entities around the state—including here in East County.

East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County, published in other media.

January 27, 2011 (Escondido) – The California Center for the Arts in Escondido and Mike Pettite Presentations will present the musical comedy Forever Plaid on Saturday, January 29 at 7 p.m.

January 27, 2011 (La Mesa) – A woman walking to her car in the Wal-Mart parking lot at Grossmont Center had her purse stolen last night around 6:30 p.m.The victim was approached from behind by the suspect, who grabbed the purse by the strap and attempted to flee. The victim tried unsuccessfully to hold onto her puse, twisting her lower back during the struggle.

January 27, 2011 (La Mesa)- On Tuesday, January 25 at 9:37 a.m., a lone suspect robbed the Pacific West Bank at 7966 La Mesa Boulevard. He handed a teller a demand note and fled on foot with the cash. No weapon was displayed and no one was harmed. Police called in the ASTREA helicopter to assist, but were unable to locate the suspect, who was last seen near La Mesa Blvd. and Guava Avenue.

Shocking numbers could be even higher if veterans were included

January 25, 2011 – Results of a new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry have found that 93 percent of soldiers contemplated suicide when they went without aggressive mental counseling in a controlled group.

Results of the study, conducted by the Army on 20,000 soldiers in Iraq, shows that 54 percent fewer soldiers contemplated suicide and the number of soldiers who needed to be sent home with mental health problems dropped by nearly 70 percent with more aggressive counseling in the field.

January 26, 2011 (El Cajon) – San Diego Sheriff’s deputies discovered a 93-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor living in “filth and squalor” in the 2000 block of Euclid Avenue in an unincorporated area of El Cajon. When deputies arrived yesterday, the veteran was holding a photograph of the ship on which he had served, the U.S.S. Vestal AR-4, which had been anchored next to the U.S.S. Arizona during the World War II attack.

Detectives arrested a live-in paid caretaker, Milagros Angeles, 62, for elder abuse.

January 26, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – President Barack Obama, speaking before a politically divided Congress, called on legislators to set aside partisan differences and work together to help America outcompete other nations in a fast-changing global economy. “We need to out-innovate, out educate and outbuild the rest of the world,” he said. “We have to make America the best place on earth to do business.”

By Betty McMillen

January 26, 2011 (Lakeside)--Recently the Cub Scout pack #3 from Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Catholic School donated 20 bird nesting boxes to the Lakeside River Park Conservancy. The boys had built the boxes at their meetings with the help of their dads. While they were building , the scouts also learned about conservancy and animal habitat.

by Christopher Mohr

January 25, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) - When most coaches talk about playing defense, they use terms like 'deny' and 'shut down'. When your opponent has a player as talented as Granite Hills' Garrett Larch-Miller, who averages 26 points per game, defensive vocabulary changes to 'containing' and 'slowing down'.

In Friday night's boys basketball game at Valhalla High School, the host Norsemen were able to slow Larch-Miller down enough to pull out a 54-44 win over the Eagles.

By Robert Pinto, Sr., Tribal Chairman
Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians

January 25, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--We’d like to set the record straight about the proposed Tule Wind Power Project’s expected impacts to protected species, namely the golden eagle and California condor.
 

As the Tribal Chairman of the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians on whose land a portion of the Tule Wind Power Project is being proposed, I represent the tribe when I say that we fully support the entire Tule Wind Power Project. Our Reservation’s Class 7 wind resource (the highest rating and one of the few available sites in the U.S.) is our Tribe’s only natural resource and currently our only potential for economic development on our remote lands. The project is proposed in a remote, rugged and sparsely populated area, and the wind turbines would be unseen by nearly everyone, including the Tribe’s residents who will only partially see a few turbines.

Viejas Chairman Pico, Congressman Duncan Hunter and Supervisor Jacob to speak at groundbreaking event honoring Alpine veterans

January 25, 2011 (Alpine)--What started as a dream is becoming a reality. The Wall of Honor is ready to start construction at the Alpine Community Center at 9 a.m. on January 29--and you can have a chance to be one of the first to move ground in honor of our veterans. A Labor of Love will start construction and give community members an opportunity to pitch in the effort to build a lasting memorial for area veterans.

January 25, 2011 (San Diego) – Darrell Steinberg, president pro tem of the California State Senate, has announced policy committee assignments. Among East County and eastern San Diego’s delegation, committee chairmanships were awarded to Christine Kehoe (Appropriations) and Juan Vargas (Banking & Financial Institutions).

Additional assignments for the region’s four representatives (including Republicans Joel Anderson and Mark Wyland, as well as Democrats Kehoe and Vargas) are as follows:

Money Will Fund 29 Projects Throughout County

More than $4.7 million is going to local programs that help homeless individuals and families who deal with challenges such as mental illness, disabilities and domestic violence. In East County, projects funded include Crisis House and Kurdish Human Rights Watch.

The County of San Diego Department of Housing and Community Development applied for funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Supportive Housing Program on behalf of community organizations.