East County News Service

June 17, 2019 (San Diego) – The San Diego Press Club will present “We're All Interviewers Here: Why Asking Better Questions Will Get You Better Answers In All Professions,” a program on interviewing techniques with Dean Nelson, founder and director of the journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 19, at the San Diego Downtown Central Library, Neil Morgan Auditorium, 330 Park Blvd., San Diego. The public is invited to attend.

East County News Service

June 16, 2019 (El Cajon) – Yariela Freeman, a graduate from Steele Canyon High School in El Cajon (class of 2008), has been named marketing director at SDX, San Diego’s oldest and one of the largest San Diego networking and professional groups for advertising and marketing executives. She will be involved in overseeing the business operations, marketing strategy and implementation, event planning and coordination, member relations, membership growth and partnerships with other local trade organizations.

By David Willauer

June 16, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Here are this week's top headlines for East County alumni in baseball.

June 9

By Miriam Raftery

June 14, 2019 (La Mesa) – Why can’t the La Mesa Village Association produce a federal tax ID number required of all organizations? Why has it never filed either a tax return or an application for tax exempt status with the state Franchise Tax Board?

By Miriam Raftery

June 14, 2019 (Campo) – After Border Patrol agents stopped two vehicles in Campo on June 2^nd that were traveling in tandem and suspected of smuggling undocumented immigrants, drug paraphernalia was observed during examination of the vehicles.  “Shortly after, one of the agents began coughing and complained of nausea,” says Justin Castrejon, public affairs officer for the Border Patrol in San Diego.  The agent reported an odor from inside one of the suspect vehicles.  The San Diego County Hazardous Incident Response Team responded, ECM news partner 10 News has learned.

Click here for a video explaining how Level Pay works.  

Summer electricity prices in effect as of June 1

Source:  SDG&E

June 14, 2019 (San Diego) - With summer just around the corner, SDG&E is encouraging customers to enroll in a Level Pay program that will help them avoid spikes in their energy bills and provide them with more predictable payment amounts throughout the summer and beyond. 

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community Colleges

June 14, 2019 (El Cajon) - Marking another record year, Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges last week awarded 5,652 degrees and certificates to 2,699 graduates, the largest graduating class in the college district’s history. 

By Lisa Marcolongo

Photo:  Camp Spero campers and their counselors, Kiana, Ashley, Lily, Victoria, Citlalli and Lorraine. Carrie Vines Photography

June 14, 2019 (Julian) - From May 31 through June 2, 100 children and teens from San Diego and Southwest Riverside Counties attended Camp Spero, a free bereavement camp hosted by The Elizabeth Hospice that is open to the community. Campers spent a fun-filled weekend in Julian, CA, where they honored and memorialized their loved one, learned coping skills and made friends with others who are facing similar challenges. Camp Spero is open to all youth in the community, ages 7 to 17, who are grieving the death of a significant person in their life.

By Ken Stone

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo: San Diego Union Tribune's Twitter Feed, via Times of San Diego

June 13, 2019 (San Diego) - Silver-haired Judge Thomas Whelan smiled to a packed federal courtroom Thursday as he took his chair in a case that could lead to the unseating of Rep. Duncan D. Hunter. 

But Hunter’s wife, Margaret, wasn’t smiling as she pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to use campaign funds for a family vacation in November 2015 — and attested to $200,000 in fraudulent spending involving at least 30 illegal transactions.

June 13, 2019 (La Mesa) -- Everything's coming up roses this spring in our editor's backyard,  where Mark Raftery snapped this photo of a purple rose in the sunshine.

June 13, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• House authorizes going to court over Barr and McGahn subpoenas (Los Angeles Times)
• The House just voted to hold AG Barr in contempt of Congress (Vox)
• Jon Stewart lashes out at hearing on 9/11 responders bill: "You should be ashamed of yourselves" (CBS)
• Funding for migrant children running out with no deal in sight (Roll Cal)
• Arrested as payback for what you said? Try to prove it. (Californians Aware)
• Alabama banned abortion for rape victims. It's also protecting rapists' parental rights. (Washington Post)
• New York man plotted killing police, attacking Times Square: prosecutors  (Reuters)
• Exploding danger: U.S. marijuana oil labs pose deadly, destructive hazard (Reuters)

WORLD

• Hong Kong gears up for mass strikes as thousands rally overnight against extradition bill (Reuters)
• Police fire tear gas at Hong Kong protesters, sending crowds running for cover (South China Morning Post)
• Russian police detain more than 200 at Moscow journalist protest (Reuters)
• Chinese exporters are dodging tariffs with fake “Made in Vietnam” labels (Bloomberg)
• Iran-linked terrorists caught stockpiling explosives in north-west London (London Telegraph)
• Mass Civil Disobedience In Sudan Is Latest Effort To End Military Rule (NPR)
•  U.N. Says More Than 4 Million People Have Left Venezuela (NPR)

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

Story and photo by Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Rep. Duncan D. Hunter and his wife, Margaret, in 2014

June 12, 2019 (San Diego) — Congressman Duncan D. Hunter’s wife, Margaret, is scheduled in court Thursday morning before Judge Thomas Whelan to change her plea to guilty in a federal corruption case, according to the court calendar. The Hunters are charged with 60 counts of stealing campaign funds for personal use and falsifying campaign finance reports to hide the thefts.

East County News Service

June 12, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- From Father’s Day to the Fourth of July, we’ve got lots of festive events coming up across East County. In late June, you can enjoy night fishing at Santee Lakes, the Bayou Brothers concert at Santee Lakes, Father’s day on artist James Hubbell’s Julian mountain retreat, a Father’s Day pit barbecue at the Santa Ysabel mission, and the Anomar Arts Festival in Ramona.

Plus, enjoy 4th of July parades in Julian and Alpine, the Lake Murray Fireworks and Music Festival as well as Independence Day celebrations in Santee, El Cajon and Poway. We’ll also have some all summer long events including outdoor concerts, movies in the park, classic car shows and dive-in movies at the Kroc Center’s swimming pool.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!