By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Tom Steyer, cc by SA

March 1, 2020 (San Diego) – Tom Steyer announced yesterday that he is dropping out of the Democratic presidential primary, though his name will still appear on California ballots.

The billionaire businessman stated after a third place finish in South Carolina, “I can’t see a path where I can win the presidency.”

;Source:  goaztecs.com

Video courtesy goaztecs.com

February 29, 2020 (Reno) - San Diego State guard K.J. Feagin called it a "gut check." Coach Brian Dutcher said his team was "rattled."

But even in front of 10,855 fans at rival Nevada, the No. 5 Aztecs overcame a 13-point second-half deficit for a 83-76 win.

By Miriam Raftery

“I believe the county planning commission should be banned and that authority should be vested in each individual planning board,”—Brian Sesko

February 27, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- Last week, we published interviews with three of the four candidates running for the 2^nd supervisorial seat being vacated by Dianne Jacob through term limits. Now we’ve interviewed in depth the fourth candidate, Brian Sesko.

He’s chairman of the Lakeside Planning Group and a member of the Lakeside Design Review Board. He’s also a homebuilder, realtor, and a rancher who calls himself a “real life cowboy.”

Click the audio link to hear the full interview and scroll down for highlights.

February 27, 2020 (San Diego)-- The ballot for the March 3 primary in San Diego County is short but consequential, including candidates for President, Congress and Mayor of San Diego, as well as controversial ballot measures. It’s complicated by the chance you won’t get the Presidential ballot you need if you procrastinate.

Here is what you need to know to understand the candidates and prepare for the primary election in San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Barto's bruised and swollen hand after the alleged door-slamming incident

February 26, 2020 (El Cajon) – Cajon Valley Union School District trustee Jill Barto has filed a police report alleging that executive coordinator Naomie Rodrigues intentionally slammed a door on Barto’s hand at the district office on Dec. 19, causing pain, distress and injury.  ECM journalist Paul Kruze has told police that he witnessed the alleged injury.

The district calls the allegations of the door-slamming and injury to Barto “false.” The district’s law firm, Artiano Shinoff, has sent a letter threatening ECM with legal action after learning that ECM intended to publish a news report on the alleged physical attack.

The alleged door-slamming injury occurred just two weeks after Barto filed a federal lawsuit against the district alleging violations of her civil rights and First Amendment free speech rights, as ECM reported. The district then filed a countersuit against Barto. The legal threat to ECM, moreover, came just two days after journalist Kruze filed his own claim against the district alleging  "false and harmful" defamatory statements..

February 26, 2020 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:  

LOCAL

• San Diego Judicial Candidate Sparks Controversy With Facebook Posts (KPBS)
• In major AB 5 court ruling, San Diego judge says Instacart likely to flunk contractor test (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Vintage flea market moving from North Park to La Mesa (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Brian Jones faces new campaign law violations in Congressional race (California Political Review)
• La Mesa business owner Peter Carzis pleads not guilty to lewd acts accusation, fight with media members (10 News)
• Border Report: Complaints Detail Abuses Against Asylum-Seekers in U.S. Custody (Voice of San Diego)
• Landmark’s Ken Cinema to Shutter Next Month (NBC 7)

STATE

• The developer bonus tucked into the school bond on your ballot (Cal Matters)
• Filling out that presidential ballot? Here’s a quick look at candidates and key California issues (Sacramento Bee)
• New bill would end ‘financial incentives’ for home-schooling charter students (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Most California cities refuse to retreat from rising seas. One town wants to show how it’s done (Los Angeles Times)

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

February 26, 2020 -- A high wind warning is in effect until 4 p.m. for San Diego's mountains and inland valleys. A wind gust of 106 miles per hour was measured early this morning at Sill Hill in East County--possibly the highest ever recorded in our county, the Natioal Weather Service reports.  Gusts up to 75 mph with sustained winds of 30-40 mph are forecast for today. 

The National Weather Service issued this specific warning: "Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles." 

SDG&E's outage map at https://www.sdge.com/residential/customer-service/outage-center/outage-map  reports numerous outages have already occurred across our mountain and rural areas this morning. You can view estimated restoration times on the map.

East County News Service

Photo: Gretchen McNeil, keynote speaker and young adult novelist

February 26, 2020 (San Diego) -- Canyon Crest Academy’s Creative Writing Club announces the speaker line-up for the 9^th Annual CCA Writers’ Conference on Saturday, March 28, 2020. This event is the only free writing conference for high school students in the country.

Sophie Camilleri, president of the CCA Creative Writing Club noted, “We are very proud of this year’s line-up of speakers. We have New York Times bestselling authors of young adult  novels, graphic novels and comic books, Hollywood screenwriters and producers, an amazing poet and performer, a literary agent, a college essay expert, a Comedy Central stand-up comic, an award-winning playwright, songwriters, and so much more!”

East County News Service

February 25, 2020 (San Diego) – On Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 9 a.m., San Diego County’s Planning & Development Services will present to the Board of Supervisors a Zoning Ordinance amendment to include “Former Forest Conservation Initiative Properties Overlay of Part Five: Special Area Regulations” on former Forest Conservation Initiative lands that lie outside of Village or Rural Village boundaries.

The Forest Conservation initiative passed initially by voters once protected extensive forest lands in the vicinity of Cleveland National Forest, but the measure expired through sunsetting and was not renewed by Supervisors.

The Overlay does not change underlying land use regulations or General Plan densities. However, it requires additional analyses and findings before approval of any proposals that increase residential density on these lands beyond what is currently allowed by the General Plan.

The Supervisors meeting will be held in the County Administration office at 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, Room on the north end of the third floor.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: screenshot from video uploaded by Sanders' campaign; speaking after in Texas after his Nevada win

View video of Sanders' victory speech, delivered  before a large crowd in San Antonio, Texas

February 23, 2020 (San Diego) – Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders scored a decisive win in yesterday’s Nevada caucus, winning 46% of the votes, more than twice as many as any other candidate. His big win raises questions over whether Sanders' has the potential to mobilize his substantial grassroots support to defeat President Donald Trump in November, or whether the divided moderate wing of the party should unify to block a Sanders' win.

 He also proved wrong critics who claimed he couldn’t appeal to minority voters in swing states, picking up support of over half of Nevada’s large Latino population and holding his own (along with former Vice President Joe Biden) with strong support among African-American voters, as well as most white voters according to exit polls. He had by far the biggest support among voters age 30 or younger, drew many moderate voters and even won five of seven caucus sites at casinos among rank-and-file union workers, despite the culinary workers union opposing his Medicare for All proposal.

With 60% of votes tallied, Sanders has 46%, Biden 19.6%, Pete Buttigieg 15.3%, Elizabeth Warren 10.1%, Amy Klobucher 4.8%, and Tom Steyer 4.1%.

Of note, Nevada’s early voting period had already closed before last week’s debate, in which Warren attacked billionaire Michael Bloomberg over efforts to buy the election and over Bloomberg’s history of demeaning comments toward women as well as settling many sexual harassment and discrimination claims filed against Bloomberg or his company.

Warren’s campaign reported a $14 million bump in fundraising after the debate, too late to help her in Nevada, but she could potentially see a rise in South Carolina, the next state to vote, and/or on Super Tuesday, March 3^rd, when 14 states will hold primary elections, including California.

Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor, was not on the ballot in Nevada, skipping caucus states but investing over half a billion dollars on ads in Super Tuesday states.