By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 3, 2017 (San Diego) -- They look like giant mosquitoes, or daddy-longlegs with wings, and they fly like crazy bumper-car drivers, bouncing off walls, each other, ceilings and light sources.

East County News Service

Update:  The deceased has been identified as Christopher John Kuhlmann, 37, of El Cajon.

April 2, 2017 (El Cajon) — A motorcyclist who drifted over the center line of Jamacha Road near Vista de la Valle struck an oncoming vehicle and died at the scene at 3:50 p.m. yesterday.  A second motorcyclist lost control and was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. 

“DHS policies confirm that ICE can target anyone who is removable for detention and deportation, even if they fall outside of the broad ‘priorities’ of the President’s executive order.” –Community advisory issued by the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild

By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2017 (San Diego) – The National Immigration Project (NIP) of the National Lawyers Guild has issued a Community Advisory on memos issued by the Department of Homeland Security in late February  to implement President Donald Trump’s executive orders ramping up deportation of  immigrants.  The immigration attorneys warn of sweeping changes that represent “a major shift and escalation in immigration enforcement.”

The NIP includes legal and policy analysis of key changes in immigration enforcement that “we believe will most impact community defense strategies," along with tips and suggestions for immigrations and those who assist immigrations.

East County News Service

April 2, 2017 (Washington D.C.) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection has unveiled a new webpage making available to the public data on apprehensions, admissibility, recidivism, and arrests of “criminal aliens” at the border. Information on the page will be expanded to include seizures of drugs, currency, and prohibited agriculture products in the coming months.

By Miriam Raftery

To hear the full interview, originally aired on February 20, 2017 on KNSJ, click the  audio link , and scroll down for highlights.

March 2, 2017 (San Diego) – Walter Oechel, PhD, is an internationally recognized expert for his pioneering research on ecosystems and global climate change.  Oechel is Director of the Global Change Research Group at San Diego State University, where he is also a distinguished professor of biology.

In a recent  interview on KNSJ,  East County Magazine spoke with Professor Oechel about his pioneering work, which revealed  that the Arctic tundra is now releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, instead of storing  CO2, a major greenhouse gas.

April 1, 2017—East County Magazine has the exclusive scoop on astounding major stories breaking today:

• Hunter, Davis announce plan to cut taxes, bring innovative jobs to El Cajon
• La Mesa to gain new library—and a virtual city hall
• Mexico to pay for border wall
• Motorists launch “pot for potholes” initiative
• Homeless haven to go underground in San Diego
• Proposals roll in to replace Sun Valley golf course in La Mesa

Is truth stranger than fiction? You decide.  Click links above for individual stories, or  click this link  to view blurbs on each of these stories in our extra-special April 1st edition. Then to open each special report, scroll down and click “read more." (Trust us, you won't want to miss this news!) 

By Miriam Raftery

April 1, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – A new study finds that 54% of Americans surveyed oppose cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds Public Broadcasting Service ie. public television.  The poll conducted March 24-25 by Morning Consult among a national sample of 2,201 U.S. adults found that only 31% support cuts.

East County News Service

April 1, 2017 (Guatay) – Jack Rafael Ruiz, 66, of Guatay died on March 30^th at a home he was working on as a pest control employee at 1526 Oak Hill Drive in Escondido.  According to the Medical Examiner’s office, a coworker left for two hours and upon return, found Ruiz unresponsive on the back patio with head trauma.

East County News Service

March 31, 2017 (San Diego) – “We’re heading for a sold-out house!” says Chuck Brown with the San Diego Concert Band.  “Be among the ‘Last 100’ to get your tickets for the 28^th annual Spring Celebration Concert – “Around the World in 90 Minutes” – presented by the San Diego Concert Band.  Don’t miss this musical travel log  as we visit Australia, England, Italy, Ireland, S. Korea, Spain, and other places.”

By Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2017 (El Cajon) –“This is truly our day. We’re here to celebrate,” Sycuan Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez told a packed house during a groundbreaking on the Sycuan reservation for the tribe’s casino expansion.

The ambitious project will include a 12-story hotel resort with 300 rooms,  adult pool with swim-up bar, kids pool,  gardens including a 420-foot-long “lazy river,” new restaurants , spa,  60,000 in additional gaming space, and a spacious 11,401 square foot ballroom that can double as concert hall seating 1,200 or banquet room  with capacity for 700. The $226 million, 500,000 square foot project is slated to open in 2019.

Source: State Board of Equalization

March 30, 2017 (Sacramento) -- California voters approved Proposition 56, which increased the excise tax rate on cigarettes and expanded the definition of “tobacco products” to include any type of tobacco, nicotine, little cigars, and electronic cigarettes sold in combination with nicotine.

By Miriam Raftery and Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

March 31, 2017 (El Cajon )—El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells is leading efforts among local officials opposed to Senate Bill 54, which would declare California a sanctuary state.  Officials from several local cities joined  Wells in a press conference March 29th at the El Cajon Police Department, where about 25 protesters who support the sanctuary measure also turned out.

Opponents of SB 54 claim it would make communities less safe and put federal funds at risk.  They have launched their own website, www.mayorsforsafecities.org. 

Critics disagree, and one local official contends that backers of the Safe Cities website have disseminated "alternative facts"  that mislead the public on SB 54.

East County News Service

March 30, 2017 (Sacramento) — Today, Senators Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) released details about their landmark Healthy California Act (Senate Bill 562) to create universal health coverage for every California resident.

Source:  SDG&E

March 29, 2017 (San Diego) — This week, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) along with local and state officials commemorated the 1,000th mobile home park residence to receive upgraded utility infrastructure. It is part of the Mobile Home Park Utility Upgrade Program that replaces aging energy systems that relied on one master meter for the entire park with new equipment connected directly to individual homes.

March 29, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• Justice Dept. action signals serious legal concerns for Hunter (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• State reps want to change county elections: County reps not so much (Voice of San Diego)
• Facebook pioneer donates $75 million to UCSD (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Unemployment rate in San Diego drops to only 4.2 percent (Times of San Diego)
• Border Patrol agents assaulted, threatened in three separate incidents (SD Union-Tribune)
• San Diego Emergency Officials, Geologist Sound Alarm on Tsunami Risk (KPBS)
• Chamber heads to Mexico City to protect cross-border ties in Trump era (Times of SD)

STATE

• Exclusive: Lead poisoning plagues California (Reuters)
• David Daleiden, activist from secret Planned Parenthood videos, charged with 15 felonies (Sacramento Bee)
• New parole rules released as California prisons near court-ordered cap (Sacramento Bee)
• California Cops and the FBI Want to Keep Their Facial Recognition Tech Secret (Reason)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.