June 26, 2013 (San Diego) – Commemorating the 53^rd anniversary of Somali independence, the 9^th annual Somali American Cultural Fest will be held on Saturday, June 29 from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Market Creek Plaza at Jacob Center in City Heights, 3- 8 p.m. 

Thousands of Somali refugees and immigrants now call San Diego home.  The event will feature music, dance, poetry, a fashion show, children’s activities, food and vendor booths as well as free health screenings. The event is organized by Somali Youth United.

More fires are reported on July 4 than any other day of the year; fireworks also cause many serious injuries each July

With the Fourth of July approaching, the Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Unit reminds San Diegans that it's illegal to possess and use fireworks in the county. It's also illegal to transport fireworks from elsewhere into San Diego County or to make homemade fireworks or explosives.

Under California law, illegal fireworks include sky rockets, bottle rockets, roman candles, aerial shells, firecrackers and other items that explode, go up in the air, or move across the ground in an uncontrollable fashion. Those convicted can be fined up to $50,000 and sent to prison or jail for up to one year.

June 27, 2013 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Department of Animal Services (DAS) impounded the animals May 23 when they were found without food and water. DAS had been monitoring the herd since May 20 when several of the horses were found on the highway. The California Highway Patrol and Intermountain Fire and Rescue safely moved the horses off the road and returned them to a nearby property. Intermountain Fire and Rescue also filled the horses’ empty water containers. DAS could not take any action then, but when animal services officers checked on the horses May 23, they found the herd was again out of water and lacked food so they seized the animals.

Governor Brown orders county clerks to begin same-sex marriages as soon as 9^th Circuit Court lifts stay

By Miriam Raftery

June 26, 2013 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme court, in closely divided 5-4 rulings, handed down decisions today in two landmark same –sex marriage cases. The rulings are being hailed as victories for supporters of same-sex marriage, while opponents vow to continue the battle at the state level. In California, however, the high court's dismissal of the Proposition 8 case opens the door for weddings between same-sex couples to resume soon.

For Dayna Dunbar of Spring Valley, the news sparked an emotional chord.  She and her partner, Brenda, have been together since 2001 and have an adopted son, Jesse (photo, left). 

“We were just holding each other, in tears,” she told ECM today.  When their son heard news of the court decision, Dunbar added, “He was so excited, he hugged us about three times each.”

By Miriam Raftery

June 26, 2013 (La Mesa) – “Isn’t this amazing?” Linda McWilliams, winemaker at San Pasqual Winery, exclaimed, standing inside the company’s new winery in a former industrial building in La Mesa. Hundreds of guests packed into the 4,500 square foot space for the winery’s grand opening celebration last weekend, savoring the fruits of McWilliams’ labors.

Those labors are yielding some impressive results.  At this year’s  San Diego County Fair, San Pasqual Winery picked up six awards, including a gold medal for the winery’s most popular offering, Habañera passionfruit wine.

June 25, 2013 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host a free senior discussion group presentation on “The Importance of Sleep,” from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26.  The public is invited to attend, and RSVP is not required.  The speaker will be Jason Chagnon, senior technician with Grossmont Hospital Sleep Disorders Center.

June 25, 2013 (City Heights) – Skateboarders in City Heights will soon be able to enjoy recreation at a Mini-Park and Skate Plaza. The site, designed as a safe place for families to enjoy outdoor activities, will also include a tot lot, playground, turf area and plaza with games, landscaping and trees. Construction will begin in October 2014 with completion due in November 2015.

The total site is slightly less than two-thirds of an acre, with the skate plaza 0.145 acre.  A design phase will include community outreach and input.

June 25, 2013 (La Mesa) – The Senior Resource Center at Sharp Grossmont Hospital offers free or low-cost educational programs and health screenings each month. The Senior Resource Center also provides information and assistance for health information and community resources. For more information, call 619-740-4214. For other programs, call 1-800-827-4277 or visit our web site at www.sharp.com.

June 25, 2013 (Borrego Springs) - Hotel Managers Group (HMG Hotels) and Casa Del Zorro LLC., the ownership and management team for La Casa Del Zorro Hotel and Resort in Borrego Springs, CA. recently announced that Lure Agency and Jen Roche PR have been selected as social media marketing and public relations agencies of record respectively. The two agencies will work in concert to rebuild the brand of the iconic property, which will reopen in fall 2013.

"Discrimination at the ballot box is intolerable, and we must ensure that minorities don’t have their votes purged, packed, gerrymandered, and redistricted away.” -- Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, commenting on the decision

By Miriam Raftery

June 25, 2013 (Washington D.C.) – By a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a requirement for states and communities with a history of discrimination against minority voters to obtain federal approval before changing their voting laws.  The Court did not find the Voting Rights requirement of preapproval itself unconstitutional, but ruled that Congress must act to assess which areas still have evidence of discrimination.

The action in the Shelby v. Holder case has triggered outraged reactions from civil rights leaders across the nation. 

“Communities of color, and young, women, elderly, and disables voters are at risk,” the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) warns.  The NAACP has launched a petition asking Congress to act to protect voting rights . (Petition: http://www.naacp.org/page/s/vra-no-voting-rights?subsource=strucklb)

June 23, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – This week, a phenomenon known as a Supermoon is occurring.  The Moon will be closer to the Earth than at any other time during the year - in fact, the upcoming Starting today, Supermoon will be the closest encounter between the Earth and the Moon until August 2014.

June 23, 2013 (San Diego)--Using misinformation, deception, and coercion, Border Patrol and ICE officers have pressured hundreds, if not thousands, of Mexican nationals with deep roots in the United States into forfeiting their right to a fair hearing and a chance to live here lawfully, alleges the ACLU in a lawsuit filed June 4 in federal court in Los Angeles.  

Plaintiffs include the mother of an autistic son who is an American citizen, a grandmother of U.S. citizens, a man with an American wife and children, and a man engaged to marry a U.S. citizen who has since wed his fiance in Mexico. All are barred from returning to the U.S. for at least 10 years.

Story, photos and video by Billy Ortiz

June 22, 2013 (Lakeside) The airwaves have come alive at the Lakeside Fire Protection District fire station annex this weekend, where the Lakeside Amateur Radio Club is taking part in a two-day Field Day event held worldwide. 

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL ) is a 150,000 + member organization partaking in an annual US, Canada, and Hawaii event. More than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations . ARRL says of the occasion,  “ Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN!”

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

June 23, 2013 (Poway) – Evelyn Jean Courtney, 19, a has been identified by the County Medical Examiner as the victim killed when the vehicle in which she was a passenger was struck by a fire engine en route to an emergency medical call.

Courtney, an aspiring model, was wearing her seatbelt when the fire engine broadsided the vehicle in which she was riding on June 20, 2013 at 4 a.m. in the intersection of Poway Road and Midland Road in Poway.   She had attended Poway High School and Mt. Carmel High School, according to 10 News. She was single and lived with her parents.

June 22, 2013 (City Heights)--The Fifth Annual Health Fair in Honor of World Refugee Day willl be held on June 22 in the City Heights Community Park at 3795 Fairmont Avenue, San Diego from 1-5 p.m. This year Somali Family Services is partnering once again with the East African Collaborative - a collaborative of eight organizations working with East African communities in San Diego. The Fair’s theme is Healthcare Reform, and this year SFS aims to inform the East African community about the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Admission is free and includes free healthcare screenings and presentations, cultural entertainment, children's activities, giveaways, and more.