By Miriam Raftery

June 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - As the weather heats up, it’s important to stay hydrated.  Experts advise drinking at least eight glasses of water a day--and if you’re hitting the hiking trail, it’s critical to carry plenty of water.

June 6, 2014 (San Diego County) - The voter turnout in the San Diego County for the June third primary elections surpassed expectations of a low turnout, the results were 20% equalling to 1 in 5 registered voters casting a ballot.

By Assemblymember Shirley N. Weber

"We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust.... We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better." -- Thurgood Marshall

June 7, 2014 (San Diego)--On May 17th 1954, the United States Supreme Court unanimously overturned the separate but equal doctrine of the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision after arguments presented by Thurgood Marshall - then a lawyer for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The Court concluded that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of separate but equal has no place and that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. The activism generated to enforce the Brown decision was a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement and led to further state and federal anti-discrimination legislation.

My colleagues and I commemorated the 60th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education this week with a resolution as a reminder of the significance and the achievements of this Civil Rights milestone.  (View video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq9YhN6qX70)  My hope is that we don’t let this anniversary deceive us into thinking we’ve fulfilled the hopes of Brown or that work of eliminating inequities in education is behind us.

E - The Environmental Magazine

By Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss - Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson

Dear EarthTalk: What are the environmental implications of the so-called “driverless car” that Google and others are working on right now?                                            ­-- April Jackman, Barre, MA

June 1, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Just a decade ago most of us wouldn’t have dreamed we’d live to see driverless cars whisking people around, but things are changing fast and analysts now think they will be common by 2020 and account for the majority of cars on the road by 2040. And with Google’s recent unveiling of its latest prototype—complete with no pedals or steering wheel—the future is indeed closer than we ever imagined.

By Stevon Marshall and Trevor Hill

June 6, 2014 (San Diego) — Results of Tuesday’s primary races for City Council have raised hopes among Republicans of reducing the power of San Diego’s Democratic majority.

Two Democratic Council members, Myrtle Cole and David Alvarez, won their races outright in districts 4 and 8, with over 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s primary, so they won’t have to vie in a run-off race in November. Republican Lori Zapf, a Councilwoman who had to run in a different district due to reapportionment, also won her district 2 race with over 50%.

But in district 6, Republican Chris Cate will face off against Democrat Carol Kim in the fall. If Cate wins, Republicans would narrow Democrats’ balance of power on the Council to a slim one-vote majority.

By Miriam Raftery

June 5, 2014 (El Cajon)--Six-time NASACAR Champion Jimmie Johnson will be returning to his hometown of El Cajon for a special tribute on Tuesday, June 17. 

Weather permitting, the El Cajon City Council will hold a special celebration to recognize the hometown hero for his racing accomplishments—and also his philanthropic contributions to the community.  The City is encouraging everyone to attend and show support for one of the racing world’s biggest stars.

By Ariele Johannson

June 5, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County is buzzing this weekend with an air show at Gillespie Field, an ethnic fair to celebrate diversity, an historical day in Alpine, music events, a farm tour, and more. Plus our preview has some exciting upcoming events, all happening right here in East County!

Mystic Grill and Bakery

8191 Fletcher Parkway, La Mesa, CA 91942

www.mysticgrillsd.com

Review by Stevon Marshall

June 5, 2014 (La Mesa)--When people hear or think of California, most think of the great weather, the celebrities living in Hollywood, amusement parks, and so on. But when it comes to food, most consider California’s trademark food to be burgers or Mexican fare. But with an influx of immigrants from around the world, San Diego’s East County is now home to an array of international restaurants – including quite a few serving up Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes.   

I've been living in California my whole life and I've dabbled in a variety of cuisines: Asian, Italian, Southern, some Mediterranean and of course, Mexican. So while interning at East County Magazine, we decided to take a team of tasters to try out Mystic Café, specializing in Mediterranean foods:  our editor, Miriam, our “East County Eater,” Leon, and myself, along with two of my internship peers, Jaden and Kayla.