SAN MIGUEL FIRE BOARD TO HOLD MARCH 27 HEARING ON SHIFT TO DIVISION ELECTIONS AND NOMINATION OF LAFCO MEMBERS

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 23, 2019 (Spring Valley) – The San Miguel Fire Protection District board voted Feb. 27 to shift to “by division” elections instead of at-large elections.  On March 27 T 5:30 p.m., the board will hold the second of two hearings to solicit public input, after which maps will be drawn for proposed districts.


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HEAVENLY MUSIC: SAN DIEGO HARP SOCIETY RECITAL AT MISSION TRAILS CHURCH

 

 

East County News Service

March 23, 2019 (San Diego) - The San Diego Harp Society will hold its annual advanced students harp recital at the Mission Trails Church, 4880 Zion Avenue, San Diego 92120 on April 14th from 3 - 4 p.m.  This is a free concert (for donations) and every dollar collected goes directly to the San Diego Harp Society.  Second Sunday Community Concerts and the Mission Trails Church do not take any donated money.


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EARTH DAY GATHERING AT DESERT VIEW TOWER APRIL 20 FEATURES LIVE MUSIC, WILDFLOWER HIKES AND HEALING

 
 
East County News Service
 
March 23, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- An Earth Day Celebration at the Desert View Tower (1 In-Ko Pah Park Rd., Jacumba Hot Springs) will be held on April 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
 
"We’ll have live music featuring local artists Damian and Marion Bowles on electric guitar and mandolin playing traditional American, blues, Classic Rock, Reggae," says Rebecca Person.  Other entertainment includes Mountain Mayhem, Stephen Cogswell, Meemusica and Jason Berneke and Grammy-nominated Shamanic healer Windwalker.  There will also be food provided by Gloria’s Authentic Mexican Cuisine, Jay’s 5 Star (vegan) Tacos and vegan treats by Valley Girl, Sweet Surrender and Vanessa’s Golden Lemonade.  Find native plants for sale, plant identification and wildflower hikes, farm products and displays, natural beauty, healing therapies (crystal bowl sound healing, intuitive counseling, reiki energy work, acupuncture, ionic detox foot bath) alpaca yarns, nutrition and EMF education and basketry.  Plus, you'll have a chance to explore In Ko Pah Boulder Park with its unique stone carvings. 

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AZTEC SOFTBALL FALLS IN SERIES FINALE AT BOISE STATE

 

 

SDSU run-ruled in five innings in rubber game of series

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 23, 2019 (Boise) - The San Diego State softball team was unable to overcome a difficult first inning in a 16-1, five-inning loss in the series finale at Boise State on Saturday afternoon.


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PICKWICK PLAYERS MOVE TO CARLTON OAKS SCHOOL: REVIEW OF ‘FOOTLOOSE’: THE MUSICAL INAUGURAL PRODUCTION

 

 

By Kathy Carpenter, Reviewer

Photos by Adriana Zuniga-Williams

March 23, 2019 (Santee) - Did I do the right thing? That's a question posed by Reverend Shaw to his congregation during Footloose. I know I did the right thing when I decided to go out for this show. Pickwick Players provides quality entertainment to East County. Footloose was no exception. 


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STEELE CANYON PRESENTS LES MISERABLES - LONDON STAR DEAN CHISNALL’S INFLUENCE FELT

By Kathy Carpenter

March 23, 2019 (Rancho San Diego) - Les Miserables is an epic musical. It’s extremely complex to put on. Over 120 students were involved, including the music department and the orchestra, who played the score seamlessly in the background. the show would not happen without them.


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STUDY: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S COASTAL MOUNTAIN LIONS HEADED FOR EXTINCTION

 

 

Big cats' habitat fragmentation highlights need for wildife crossings

Source:  Center for Biological Diversity

March 22, 2019 (Los Angeles) - Mountain lions in California’s Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains are heading rapidly toward extinction, a new study in Ecological Applications finds. Researchers with UCLA, UC Davis and the National Park Service found that habitat loss and fragmentation have driven the populations to dangerously low levels of genetic diversity.


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SKIP THE SLIP? CALIFORNIA LAWMAKER WANTS EMAIL RECEIPTS TO REPLACE PAPER ONES

 

 

By Elizabeth Castillo, CALmatters

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  Carol Dahmen poses with a receipt that's more than 4 feet long—for the purchase of a single item. Photo via Kevin Eckery for CALmatters

March 22, 2019 (San Diego) - When Carol Dahmen discovered the CVS receipt draped across the counter of her Carmichael kitchen, she couldn’t resist pulling out her tape measure to document it.

Her husband had purchased one single prescription. The receipt, she discovered, stretched on to contain 11 coupons before topping out at an astonishing 4 feet 8 inches—the height of Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles.


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VIDEOS OF THE WEEK: BORREGO BIGHORNS

March 21, 2019 (Anza-Borrego) -- Our editor, Miriam Raftery, took these two videos of Bighorn sheep along Montezuma Valley Road, the steep grade into Anza-Borrego Desert State park.  If you're heading to Borrego, which means "Bighorn," keep a sharp eye out for these desert denizens along rocky slopes.

 

 

 


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REAL ESTATE REALITY: A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT—LANDSCAPING WITH A PURPOSE

 

 

By Maryanne Jackson Real Estate Broker CNE. CPRES

March 21, 2019 (La Mesa) -

Dear Maryanne,

I own a property on Fuerte Drive in Mount Helix. With all the rain we have been getting recently, there’s an area in my front yard that has become a stream when it rains. Can I divert this water away from my house? What are some of the most common ways to deal with this?

--Ms. S. T.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: LUPINE AT INDIAN HEAD

 

 

East County News Service

March 21, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – Bob Kutscher has sent yet another gorgeous shot of wildflowers in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  These purple lupine are blossoming along a trail to a ridgeline to Hidden Saddle east of the Cove at Indian Head Mountain. 


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EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

March 21,  2019 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

STATE

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


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ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

March 21, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) --- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

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


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ARREST MADE IN SPRING VALLEY MURDER CASE

 
 
Update March 22, 2019:  A suspect in this case was arrested last night by the San Diego Regional Fugitive Task Force.  Carlos Davis, 22, of La Mesa has been booked for murder at the San Diego Central Jail and is being held without bail. The victim has been  identified as Carlo Avila, 27, of Santee and his family has been notified. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

 
East County News Service
 
March 21, 2019 (Spring Valley) – Sheriff’s deputies responding to a 9-1-1 call of a shooting at 1:21 a.m. searched the area and found a severely injured, unresponsive man on the ground in an alley behind 8914 Delrose Avenue in Spring Valley.

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ECPD OFFICER HONORED FOR AUTO THEFT RECOVERIES

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, L to R – Lt. Steve Paz, Captain Michael Mouton, Police Chief Jeff Davis, Officer Allen Boyer, Julie Boyer his wife and Captain Rob Ransweiler. 

March 21, 2019 (El Cajon) — El Cajon Police Officer Allen Boyer was presented with the Top Officer of the Year award yesterday in the 29th annual Auto Theft Advisory Committee (ATAC) awards program held at The Prado in Balboa Park.


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PASSAGES: TOM HYDE, VIEJAS TRIBAL ELDER AND LAST ORIGINAL RESERVATION MEMBER, 1927-2019

 

March 20, 2019 (Viejas Reservation) -- Tom Hyde, revered tribal elder, passed from this earth and his beloved Viejas community, March 14, 2019, at 92 years of age.  He is survived by a large family of 200, both blood and chosen.  Born Thomas James Hyde to Prudencia and Valentine Hyde, of El Capitan Village, he’s the last of the original Viejas Reservation members, and last to have personally witnessed destruction of El Capitan Village, at age five. Thus, he began life as a bridge between the past and future of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.


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SUPERVISOR DIANNE JACOB ASKS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE PREDATOR PLACEMENTS IN RURAL EAST COUNTY

 
 
By Miriam Raftery
 
March 20, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Today, San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob announced on Facebook that she has sent a letter to state Attorney General Xavier Becerra urging him to investigate the disproportionate placement of sexually violent predators (SVPs) in rural East County.

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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS


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EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL: COUGARS MAUL BRAVES 18-0

 

 

Story and photos by Liz Alper

 

March 20, 2019 (El Cajon) - El Cajon Valley and Steele Canyon baseball are both off to rocky starts as they begin conference play against each other this year.  The Braves are 2-3 while the Cougars teeter at .500 at 5-5. They started Grossmont League play today with a home-at-home series, starting in El Cajon. ECM Sports was there for our first baseball coverage of the season.  Senior Robert Verdugo took the mound for the Braves against senior Jack Schlotman for Steele.


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LA MESA SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS

 

 

East County News Service

March 20, 2019 (La Mesa) - The City of La Mesa is seeking volunteers for an ad hoc citizen committee on homelessness.  If you're passionate about homeless issues and want to make a positive difference in the community, you are encouraged to sign up.


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LA MESA EARTH DAY FESTIVAL APRIL 27 FEATURES PEDAL FOR THE PLANET TRAIL RIDE

 

 

East County News Service

March 20, 2019 (La Mesa) – A Pedal for the Planet Trail Ride, arts and crafts, vendors, STEM activities, educational materials, a bounce house and food trucks are all part of La Mesa’s Earth Day Festival.

Sponsored by the La Mesa Park and Recreational Foundation, La Mesa’s Earth Day Festival will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harry Griffen Park, 9550 Milden Street in La Mesa. The event promises “fun for all ages.”

For more information, contact ci.la-mesa.ca.us or call Misty at 619-667-1319.


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CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD SHIFTS FROM BORDER TO FIRE PREVENTION

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Creative commons by S.A.

March 20, 2019 (San Diego) -- Instead of putting up razor wire at the border, California’s National Guard troops will soon be wielding shovels, rakes and chainsaws to clear brush, thin trees and help prevent the spread of wildfires.


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SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR MAN MISSING FROM EDGEMOOR HOSPITAL IN SANTEE



Update March 21:  This individual has been found and is safe.

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2019 (Santee) - A search is underway for Jose “Raul” Martinez, a 63-year-old patient reported missing yesterday from Edgemoor Hospital, a skilled nursing care facility at 655 Park Center Drive in Santee.  He suffers from medical conditions and may become disoriented.

He is Hispanic and was last seen waring a black jacket, dark jeans and white shoes. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.


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MEDICAL EXAMINER PUTS 20 YEARS OF DATA ONLINE

 

 

By Yvette Urrea MoeCounty of San Diego Communications Office

Photo: Chief County Medical Examiner Dr. Glenn Wagner in an examining room for death investigations.

March 20, 2019 (San Diego) - In a model of government transparency, the San Diego County Medical Examiner is releasing 220 years' worth of data--from 1997 to the third quarter of 2018, in a free searchable online portal.  The site makes over 59,000 records available.

Valuable comparisons and conclusions can be drawn from the types and circumstances of sudden unexpected deaths that occur in San Diego County, and in changes over time.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: WHY I AM AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY

 

 

By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH

 

March 20, 2019 (San Diego) -- On Wednesday, March 13th, Governor Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on the death penalty. The reactions, both supporting the governor and condemning his action, have come swift and furious. When I read stories of families whose members, especially children have been murdered, even more so by serial killers, families who have attended death penalty appeal after appeal, cases where the evidence of guilt is overwhelming, I find little sympathy for the defendant and if I were a lawyer would find it near impossible to represent them. However, as I will try to explain below, my personal reactions aside, I am against the death penalty, partly because of the risk of executing an innocent person; but even the execution of someone overwhelmingly guilty of some truly horrendous act. This is not about them; but about us as a society. For a good summary of the history of the death penalty and current status around the world, see Wikipedia. Capital Punishment.


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JULIAN VOTES TO ABOLISH THE JULIAN CUYAMACA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Miriam Raftery, Editor, contributed to this report

Update March 27, 2019: The margin has narrowed slightly but Measure A still leads by 114 votes and a 7.96% margin: yes 53.98%, no 46.02%

March 19, 2019 (Julian) – The County’s last all-volunteer fire department may soon be history. With 1,294 ballots counted tonight, Measure A is passing with 55.56%, the Registrar of Voters reports.

The measure would affirm a decision made last September by the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to abolish the 35-year-old Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District. Fire and ambulance services would be shifted entirely to the County Fire Authority, under the direction of Cal-Fire.

The Registrar’s office will continue to accept ballots until Friday, if postmarked by today. It is unclear how many ballots mailed out have not yet been returned, or whether there could be enough to make up the 145-vote gap (719 to 575).

Cal-Fire firefighters’ union local #2881 posted on Facebook tonight, “Thank you to the Citizens of Julian and Cuyamaca for the opportunity to serve them.” (photo, left)

For backers of the JCFPD who have fought hard to keep their volunteer firefighters, however, the outcome sparked strong emotions.


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TRUMP VETOES CONGRESSIONAL MEASURE TO BLOCK HIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION

 

 

President also threatens to veto Senate’s passage of a bill ending support for Saudis in Yemen civil war

By Miriam Raftery
 
March 19, 2019 (Washington D.C.) — A courtroom battle looms after President Donald Trump vetoed a resolution Friday passed by both houses of Congress. The Congressional resolution rejected Trump’s emergency declaration to fund a border wall. 

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THE PEOPLE’S ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE HOSTS ANTI-RACISM EDUCATOR JANE ELLIOT; HONORS FOUR WOMEN

 
 
By Angela de Joseph
 
March 19, 2019 (San Diego) -- Reverend Shane Harris is one of the few people who could put out a call on a Monday and get a hundred people to show up to downtown San Diego on Saturday morning to hear a talk about racism.  Harris, the former president of the San Diego chapter of the National Action Network (NAN) recently launched his own national civil rights organization, The People’s Alliance for Justice.

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HELIX WATER DISTRICT APPROVES $8 MILLION PAY-DOWN OF PENSION LIABILITIES

 
 
Source: Helix Water District
 
March 19, 2019 (La Mesa) -- The Helix Water District Board of Directors approved on February 13, 2019 a one-time, $5 million payment in 2019 and an additional $3 million in payments over the next four years to reduce the district’s unfunded employee pension liabilities.

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HELIX WATER DISTRICT LAUNCHES 2019 LAKE JENNINGS SPRING PHOTO CONTEST

 

 

Source:  Helix Water District

March 19, 2019 (Lakeside) - Helix Water District has launched its eighth 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 between March 1 and May 31, 2019.


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