October 1, 2010 (Sacramento) -- Legislation by Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78)  to restore special education funding to cash-strapped school districts was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger. AB 184 prevents the California Department of Education from requiring school districts to repay the state for Special Disabilities Adjustment funds that districts received in the prior fiscal year and already spent to enrich the classroom experience for special-needs children.

“AB 184 is a life saver for some of our neediest students across the state and provides immediate assistance to school districts already struggling to make ends meet and maintain high quality instruction,” said Block.

October 1, 2010 (Sacramento) – Late yesterday Governor Arnold Scharzenegger signed SB 1449, a bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Leno that downgrades the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana from a misdemeanor to an infraction. This will spare petty marijuana offenders the necessity of a court appearance and criminal arrest record, while saving the state millions of dollars in court and prosecution expenses.

Jeremy’s on the Hill California-style Bistro

4354 Highway 78 (between Santa Ysabel and Julian)

(760)765-1587 

www.jeremysonthehill.com

By the East County Eater

15-Year-old faces felony arraignment Sept. 28 for carrying hunting knife while jogging in rural area where kids were stalked by mountain lion

East County News Service

“My 12-year-old daughter was put against the car and she was searched by an adult male officer; the kids said they were touching their butts. My son said they put their hands up between their legs. They were crying and they were all shocked…No one in my household has ever been involved in illegal activities.” – Carmen Gomez Villeda Wagner , mother of two children stopped, including a 15-year-old boy charged with a felony

"I would never in a million years say that wearing camouflage clothing constitutes reasonable cause for anything." -- Rebecca Jones, president, Criminal Lawyers Defense Club, San Diego, who questions the legality of the stop made by Sheriff's officers.

“If they were three white children, would it have happened at all? I think it’s racial profiling.” – a concerned mother in the neighborhood who asked that her name not be published.

September 30, 2010 (El Cajon) – Lawrence “Larry” Hoagland pled not guilty today to rigging his wife’s vehicle with a pipe bomb in an effort to murder her. According to 10 News, authorities found bomb-making evidence on his computer.

A Superior Court judge in El Cajon today denied bail for Hoagland, whose wife was seriously injured after her car exploded near the Rancho San Diego day care center where she works.

September 30, 2010 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for dry lightning across San Diego County through 3 p.m. today, continuing in high desert areas through 11 p.m.

September 30, 2010 (Julian) -- As part of Julian’s Apple Days Centennial Celebration, a two-day Apple Days Festival will be held October 2nd and 3rd.  Festivities take place at Menghini Winery in the historic gold rush town of Julian, located on Highway 79 in East County's mountain region.

September 30, 2010 (La Mesa) -- The Environmental Sustainability Commission is holding the third annual “Sustain La Mesa” Environmental Festival on Saturday, October 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Harry Griffen Park, 9550 Milden Street, La Mesa, 91942.This year's festival will feature over 30 booths and exhibits as well as expert speakers and activities for all ages.

By Miriam Raftery
 

September 30, 2010 (El Cajon ) – Johnney P. Minarick prays perserverance will pay off. He ran for Grossmont Health Care district board in 1998, getting just 4.92% of the vote, and for Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College District’s board in 2000, drawing 18.5%.  Now he’s running for Mayor of El Cajon against four other candidates (incumbent Mayor Mark Lewis and challengers John “Mike” Garcia, Todd Moore, and Darris Mroz.)
 

Minarick says his biggest concern is that “nonbelievers took the Bible out of schools” and belives that kids "need the Bible to learn right from wrong.” As Mayor, he would seek to “bring reading the Bible back into schools again like we used to do when we were kids in Pennsylvania.”

East County News Service

September 28, 2010 (La Mesa) -- The City of La Mesa, the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce and the La Mesa Village Merchants’ Association invite you to La Mesa's annual Oktoberfest celebration in the downtown Village October 1-3.  This year's event will feature 400 vendors, two beer gardens, live music, carnival rides, and an estimated 200,000 visitors.

Hours are:

By Billie Jo Jannen

Firefighters shoot back at border fire

30% are economically challenged; 17% of region’s children live below federal poverty line
 

East County News Service
 

September 29, 2010 (San Diego) -- More than 100,000 San Diego County residents fell from the middle class into poverty or severe economic hardship in the past two years.  The County's highest poverty rate (22.4%) is in El Cajon.  

East County News Service

September 29, 2010 (El Cajon) –The German American Societies presents the 39th annual Oktoberfest in El Cajon over the first two weekends of October, the 1st – 3rd and 8th – 10th, 2010. Hours of this traditional, family-friendly festival are Fridays from 5:00 to 10:00 PM, Saturdays from noon until 10:00 PM, and Sundays from noon until 9:00 PM.

Vaccination, Booster Shot Best Defense, County Officials Say

East County News Service

September 29, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- Thirteen new pertussis (whooping cough) cases where other children may have been exposed were reported this week in San Diego County, including six in East County, according to County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) officials today.