Source:  goaztecs.com

Video courtesy goaztecs.com

February 16, 2020 (Boise) - No. 4 San Diego State keeps winning, forcing coach Brian Dutcher to dig deep for creative ways to keep his team focused.



After the Aztecs beat Boise State 72-55 Sunday, he revealed some of his slogans that keep the team on task.

“Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less. I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand. Independence is happiness.” – Susan B. Anthony

By Hope C. Justice

Photo: Susan B. Anthony, public domain image, drawing by J.E. Baker, Boston

February 15, 2020 (San Diego) – Today is the 200^th birthday of Susan B. Anthony, who fought tirelessly to win the constitutional right for women to vote- a victory finally attained 100 years ago. She also fought for equal rights for women – a battle that two centuries later, has still not been won.

Alarmingly, as we see an erosion of protections for women across the nation in everything from equal pay to violence against women to reproductive health, we have men running for Congress here in California's 50^th  Congressional district whose voting records indicate that they are dangerous for women. 

Two of them, Brian Jones and Darrell Issa, have long legislative records of voting against freedoms for women and touting policies that belong in the Stone Age, not the modern era. A third Republican, Carl DeMaio, is less extreme but still opposes full equality in pay and health services access. (Mercifully, there are other choices in this race, including at least two candidates who support equal rights for women.)

“Our reservation is in dire financial condition. We have really nothing to give our youth…All we have are false promises.” – Dennis Largo, tribal elder who delivered a petition calling for a vote to overturn wind project approval

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Tribal elder Dennis Largo

February 14, 2020 (Campo)—Whistleblowers in the Campo band of Mission Indians claim that their tribal leadership pushed through approval of a massive wind project during an improperly noticed meeting. They have now collected enough signatures to overturn that approval with a revote.  But despite the Feb. 13th deadline to notify tribal members of a meeting to revote on the controversial project, several tribal members say they have not received any such notice.   

The proposed Campo Wind project would allow 60 turbines built by Terra-Gen on the reservation. Each would be 586 tall, the tallest wind turbines ever built on land, according to Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Community Planning Group, which also opposes the project.

By Kathleen Connell

February 13, 2020 (La Mesa)  On February 11^th, La Mesa’s Mayor and City Council heard from Director of Finance Sarah Waller-Bullock (photo, left) on the state of the City’s finances and metrics versus the budget for the quarter ending December 31, 2019.  Ms. Waller-Bullock also provided information on state and regional financial data.  In general, with the exception of housing, La Mesa is “flat” without extreme fluctuations in income or expenditures in the period; most departments are “at or slightly below expectations.”

Update February 14, 2020:  ECPC has identified the suspect who was shot as Keith Crenshaw, 21, of Arizona. The name of the officer has sitll not been  released.

By Miriam Raftery

February 12, 2020 (El Cajon) – A suspected car thief is hospitalized after being shot twice in the torso by an El Cajon Police officer this morning shortly before 9 a.m.  

According to Lt. Randy Soulard, an out-of-state law enforcement agency informed El Cajon Police Dept. that a stolen tan Kia Amanti sedan from their jurisdiction was in El Cajon.  The reported agency directed officers, who located the stolen vehicle parked in the 500 block of South Johnson.

The officers found a man asleep in the driver’s seat.  “As they planned their approach to arrest the suspect and prevent his escape, he woke up. The officers identified themselves as police officers and immediately began giving repeated commands for the suspect to show them his hands. The suspect refused to show his hands and repeatedly reached under his clothing and into his waistband,” says Lt. Soulard.

He reports that the suspect continued to ignore the officer’s commands and stated something similar to “Shoot me before I do it!” while reaching into his waistband.

Residents Reminded to Vaccinate Pets, Remove Wildlife Attractants

Source: Calif. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Photo: creative commons via N.A. on Bing

February 11, 2020 (Sacramento) -- The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is reporting an unusually high number of canine distemper virus (CDV) cases in wildlife populations throughout the state. CDV can infect a wide range of domestic and wild carnivores, including some non-canids. Gray foxes, raccoons and skunks are the most commonly affected species.

Unvaccinated domestic dogs can potentially contract the disease through contact with food or water bowls that are "shared" with infected wild carnivores. Pet owners should be particularly vigilant in their efforts to keep their domestic animals from coming into contact with wildlife. CDV is not transmissible to humans.

By Miriam Raftery

February 10, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County features Cupid’s Country Picnic in Santa Ysabel, Hikes and Hops in the Anza Borrego Desert, Emoja Jazz and Jokes at Cuyamaca College, Cupids and Canines at Grossmont Center, and Hawk Watch in Ramona.

Plus we’ll have a preview of coming events including music and comedy stars performing at the Magnolia in El Cajon,Tomatomania at the Water Conservation Garden, a Leap Day concert in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, Agatha Christies “The Hollow” onstage at Lamplighters Theater in La Mesa, and the La Mesa Chamber’s Salute to Local Heroes at Sycuan.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!