By Nadin Abbott

Photos by Nadin and Tom Abbott

Part two in a three-part series (Read Part One and Part Three)

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – Dana Stevens, Executive Director of the Communities against Substance Abuse (CASA), presented a PowerPoint presentation on bullying for parents last week during a forum on child safety in Santee.  East County Magazine has also recently spoken with other bullying experts to get tips on keeping kids safe. 

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – As San Diego heads into the warmest weather of the year, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is encouraging customers to sign up for Reduce Your Use alerts, to help them earn bill credits for saving energy during hot summer days when demand for electricity is high.

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – An unprecedented reduction in reservoir releases on the Colorado River announced on Friday, August 16 by the Bureau of Reclamation won’t cut water supplies to agencies in San Diego County or the rest of the Southwest during the 2014 “water year,” but the move does underscore the importance of continued conservation and water-supply diversification across the region.

August 29, 2013 (El Cajon) – The presidents of sister colleges in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District will be among the performers in a pair of staged readings of the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe at 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 6, and Saturday, September 7, in Room 220 of Building 26 on the Grossmont College campus.

Presidents Mark Zacovic of Cuyamaca College and Sunita V. Cooke of Grossmont College will read some Poe poems that have held them in their thrall since their childhoods.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – Next weekend is the start of Labor Day Weekend.  In order to ensure your Labor Day is a good one, there are some simple safety precautions to consider, says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.  Anyone want to barbecue or picnic?  Keep a close eye on the grill to ensure safety at all times.  Keep children away.  Keep the grill away from combustibles and vegetation.

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – The FBI and San Diego Police Department announced the arrest of Cesar Daniel Flores, age 23, of Santee as a result of the investigation into the robbery of the San Diego County Credit Union, 2245 Fenton Parkway, San Diego on Friday, August 2.

Flores was arrested on Saturday at the Mission Valley Mall after an off-duty FBI Agent spotted Flores at a bus stop.  After seeing Flores, the Agent contacted San Diego Police Department (SDPD) and requested a uniform Patrol Officer to respond to the area. When the agent and SDPD Officer returned to the bus stop they discovered Flores had left the area. After a brief search of the area, Flores was located in the mall and taken into custody without incident.

August 28, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Obama orders release of report justifying Syria strike (CNN)
• Facebook says countries sought data on 38,000 users in first half of 2013 (Reuters)
• After six budget showdowns, big government is mostly unchanged  (Washington Post)
• A face in the crowd: say goodbye to anonymity (CBS)
• Secret Ruling Found NSA's Surveillance Violated Constitution (NPR)
• Inside The Beef Industry's Battle Over Growth-Promotion Drugs (NPR)
• Beware of Warrior Cops (Reason)
• The FISA Court Didn’t Even Know NSA Was Collecting Some Domestic Communications (Reason)
• New Details On How U.S. 'Helped Saddam As He Gassed Iran'(NPR)
• Bradley Manning: 'I Am A Female,' Call Me Chelsea (NPR)  

WORLD

• Fears of food and water poisoning after Damascus gassings
• Tens Of Thousands Flee Syria After Alleged Chemical Attacks (NPR)
• Mexico officials find mass grave east of capital (U-T)
• Do rockets in Israel indicate Al Qaeda presence in Lebanon? (CS Monitor)
• Israel says bombed Lebanon in retaliation for rocket attack (Reuters)
• Israel military: 4 rockets fired, none hit country (AP)
• Bodies still being found after alleged Syria chemical attack: opposition (Reuters)

For excerpts and links to full stories, scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

August 28, 2013 (El Cajon) – A century ago, one of the first actions of El Cajon’s City Council was to outlaw saloons due to concerns over negative influences of alcohol on the community. Those restrictions were later relaxed.  But yesterday, Council once again voted to restrict sales of alcohol, over the objections of local merchants and the East County Chamber of Commerce.

By a unanimous vote, Council approved the “deemed approved” ordinance aimed at curbing serial inebriates from purchasing single-serve alcoholic beverages at markets.

By Derek Carlyon

August 28, 2013 (Otay) -- At the start of Little League season, every young player dreams of earning a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania to play in the Little League World Series.  For  12 young players from San Diego’s own Eastlake Little League in Otay, that dream became a reality. 

On Thursday at 6 p.m., a big homecoming is planned for the U.S. champion Eastlake All Stars team at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

August 28, 2013 (San Diego) – San Diego State University is back to school, welcoming nearly 8,000 new students to campus. For an easier and less stressful commute starting the first day of the fall semester, August 26, SDSU offers the following parking and traffic tips.

San Diego State University Parking Services will implement the SDSU Traffic Management Plan for fall 2013 with staffing from multiple agencies to assist faculty, staff, students and the College Area community with traffic flow, directions and parking.

For an easier and less stressful commute on the first day of the fall semester, SDSU offers the following parking and traffic tips.

August 28, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- A flash flood warning is in effect until 4:15 p.m. for east central San Diego County. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are occurring in and around the Chariot Fire burn area. 

Doppler radar estimates up to 0.6 inches of rain has fallen in the burn area in about 30 minutes this afternoon. This is well in excess of U.S. G.S. thresholds for debris flows from this burn scar. Roads, trails and campgrounds located along drainages within or below the burned basins can be impacted by flash floods and debris flows. This includes areas along Highway S-2 and the great Southern Overland Stage route as wel as the Butterfield Ranch area.

August 28, 2013 (San Diego) – Green Experts Academy is holding a forum to discuss what will become of the Green Vision for the City of San Diego and the region as the city transitions to another Mayoral election and administration. It will be held on September 26 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Cricket Communications Inc. Headquarters 5887 Copley Dr., San Diego.

By Nadin Abbott

Part one in a three-part series (Read Part Two and Part Three)

August 27, 2013 (Santee) — Experts offered parents tips on how to keep kids safe in today’s modern world, including advice on free software to monitor children’s online activities.

State Senator Joel Anderson and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis came to the forum at West Hills High School to meet residents in Santee last week. The forum presented a panel of specialists in child safety issues, as well as a question and answer session.

August 27, 2013 (San Diego) – A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing) will join Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP), the American Civil Liberties Union’s San Diego chapter, and other organizations in the U.S. and abroad in participation of the 13th annual International Overdose Awareness Day. The events honor and remember those who have lost their lives to an accidental overdose. According to A New PATH, it is also an opportunity to educate policymakers and the public about the growing overdose crisis in the United States and abroad – and to offer concrete solutions that save lives.

By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – California Highway Patrol Sergeant Dave Dreher has responded to East County Magazine’s inquiry regarding a truck with over-sized load that broke down, sitting for two weeks on State Route 94 in Dulzura before it was finally removed last week. Residents had complained of long delays and inadequate notification.