By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Vince Kattoula, President, Chaldean Coalition (Screenshot via CBS 8 video)

March 9, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The nonprofit Chaldean Coalition has filed a lawsuit contending that Chaldeans are being disenfranchised by San Diego County’s supervisorial redistricting in East County, where most of this ethnic and religious minority group resides.

The lawsuit, filed March 4 in Superior Court, claims the division of the close-knit community between two supervisorial districts is illegal under the California Election Code, which incorporates other state and federal statutory and constitutional law.

The suit was filed by attorneys from LiMandri & Jonna LLP, a Rancho Santa Fe firm with a specialty in civil rights, against the County of San Diego, its Independent Redistricting Commission, and its Registrar of Voters. The Chaldean Coalition seeks a stay, as well as preliminary and permanent injunctions, to restrain application of the County’s new Supervisorial Districts and require the redrawing of such maps in compliance with the law.

Photo: The Dog Society welcomes dogs and humans, by Charie Juaneza.

March 8, 2022 (Rolando) --The Dog Society, a new human-dog hangout spot that is part sports bar, part dog boarder, part restaurant, and part family-friendly fun, enjoyed its grand opening on February 25. 

The unique business located at 6331 University Ave in the Rolando Village area of San Diego, just east of La Mesa, is the brainchild of owner Sara Broetje.

“Basically, I love dogs and I love hanging out with my friends watching football, and I love drinking craft beer so I wanted to smash it all together,” she said.

East County News Service

File photo: Cottonwood Golf Course, site of the proposed sand mine along the Sweetwater River

March 7, 2022 (Rancho San Diego) – Several community groups have sent letters to the county sharply criticizing the draft EIR on the proposal for a controversial 10-year open pit sand mining operation proposed on the site of the Cottonwood Golf Course.  Groups providing detailed comments on the inadequacy of the report include the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, the Sierra Club, the Valle de Oro Community Planning Group and Stop Cottonwood Sand Mine, a coalition of concerned residents.

By Henri Migala

March 6, 2022 (Julian) -- If you live in San Diego, then you have probably enjoyed a country drive to the charming mountain town of Julian and perhaps stopped to have lunch at what used to be the Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant overlooking the lake. It’s now under new ownership and has been fully renovated, reopened as the Pub at Lake Cuyamaca.

Aztecs put the brakes on four-game slide

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 6, 2022 (San Diego) - San Diego State’s Tyler Glowacki singled home Kenny LeBeau with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday, as the Aztecs held on for a 4-3 victory over Arizona State in the final game of a weekend series at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Mac Barbara becomes fastest Aztec in program history to hit 10 home runs in a season

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 6, 2022 (San Diego) -  San Diego State split a pair of games on the final day of the San Diego Classic Sunday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Aztecs (13-9) run-ruled Stony Brook 8-0 in six innings in the opener before falling to Boston University 7-2 in the nightcap.

Story by Liz Alper

Source: Helix Water District

Photo: Bald eagles at Lake Jennings, by Scott Lagace

March 5, 2022 (Lakeside) -- Helix Water District has launched its 11th annual Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest to share the beauty of its reservoir with the local community. The contest is open to photos taken at Lake Jennings in Lakeside between March 1 and May 31, 2022.

East County News Service

March 5, 2022 (La Mesa) -- On March 12 at 10 a.m., the La Mesa-El Cajon Branch of the American Association of University Women will welcome Michelle Mullen, Chief Mission Delivery Officer of the San Diego Girl Scouts at their general meeting. The topic for the presentation is Girl Scouts Today: Mission and Design.

East County News Service

Awards honor photographer Mike Norris and The Hamlett Coffee Shop

March 4, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-79) has announced Black History Month honorees chosen after nominations were submitted by constituents.

Source:  San Diego County Sheriff

March 3, 2022 (Spring Valley) - Detectives from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station are releasing sketches of the men believed to be involved in at least one of two child luring incidents in Spring Valley.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Security footage shows fire at at  Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the southern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar

Update March 4, 2022: The fire has been extinguished and the containment vessel has not been breached, according to Ukrainian authorities.

March 3, 2022 (San Diego) – "As a result of continuous enemy shelling of buildings and units of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire,"  Dmytro Orlov, mayor of Enerhodar, a city in southern Ukraine, posted tonight on  hisTelegram channel. The facility contains six nuclear reactors.

The nuclear facility is the site where Ukrainian citizens have gathered in recent days forming a human shield in an effort to prevent Russian troops from capturing the nuclear plant. 

By Miriam Raftery

Read full transcript of State of the Union speech

View video of State of the Union speech

View part 2 of our coverage, on domestic issues addressed by Biden

View the Republican response

Photo: President Joe Biden, center, says of the Ukrainian people, "You inspired the world.'  Left, Vice President Kamala Harris, right, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

March 2, 2022 (Washington D.C.) –President Joe Biden drew bipartisan applause during his State of the Union speech last night, when he recognized the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. and asked those in the Capitol chamber to rise and show the world that, “We, the United States of America, stand with the Ukrainian people.”

Biden announced new, strenuous actions against Russia and key supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin. These include:

• Closing off U.S. air space to all Russian flights, further isolating Russia;
• Ordering the U.S.  Justice Department to form a task force to go after crimes committed by Russian oligarchs and “corrupt leaders” profiting off Putin’s regime;
• Plans to seize oligarchs’ assets including yachts, private jets and luxury homes
• Releasing 30 million gallons of oil from America’s strategic reserved, matched by an equal amount from other nations to help reduce gas prices without Russian oil.

These add to recently imposed sanctions including:

By Kylie Dees; Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

Photo:  Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, screenshot via C-Span

 View video of Gov. Reynold’s response. Read full text.

View video of President Biden’s State of the Union speech.  Read full text .

Read ECM's coverage:  Part 1:  Response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine; Part 2: Domestic agenda.

March 2, 2022 (Washington D.C. ) – On Tuesday, March 1st, in response to President Biden’s first State of the Union address, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds delivered the Republican rebuttal. Reynolds began by stating that “instead of moving America forward, it feels like President Biden and his party have sent us back in time.” She claimed that the President has failed to make America respected around the world and united as a whole, while Biden’s main priority is to make America united once again.

Reynolds said, “It’s time for America to once again project confidence; it’s time to be decisive. It’s time to lead.” She added that America cannot project strength abroad if we are weak at home. Her speech pointed out what she viewed as weaknesses as well as strengths to build on.