Photo (left): Dolly adopted by new owner;

Photo (right): man on video wanted for animal cruelty

East County News Service

September 29, 2014 (Ramona) - PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is offering a $2,000 reward to anyone with information about a man who threw a 6 month-old puppy over a fence in Ramona. The brutal act was caught on video on August 28th, showing a man in a red shirt and dark pants committing the violent act. The video went viral, drawing over 7,000 viewers on Facebook, but the crime remains unsolved.

By Miriam Raftery

September 28, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Congress adjourned last week without voting upon a measure to help relocate Iraqi minorities displaced by ISIL, the Islamic terrorists who have seized control of much of Iraq and Syria.

County urges residents to get flu vaccine

Source: County News Service

September 28, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) - Last influenza season had the most deaths in San Diego since the County began tracking the disease. Seventy people died due to complications from the flu, the highest number ever recorded by the County Health and Human Services Agency.

September 26, 2014 (Ramona) – The Ramona Art and Wine Festival, a benefit for the Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural project, will be held on Saturday, November 1^st from 12 to 5 p.m.  The location is the Amy Strong Castle at Mt. Woodson in Ramona.

100+ NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD, by KB Schaller (Peppertree Press, LLC., 2014, Sarasota, Florida, 213 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

“Be ashamed to die before you have Won some battle for humanity.”

 - Horace Mann (1796-1859), spoken to a college graduation class  a few weeks before his death.

September 26, 2014 (San Diego's East County)--Generally when we think of Native American women and their contributions to history and society, Pocahantas and Sacagawea come to mind. That is, until this groundbreaking book by Cherokee/Seminole heritage author KB Schaller, M.Ed., 100+ Native American Women Who Changed The World. Warriors, educators, an aerospace pioneer, a Catholic saint…100+ Native American Women Who Changed the World is a stellar collection of historical and contemporary women of indigenous heritage who have contributed to the survival and success of their families, communities – and the United States of America. This book is destined to be in classrooms throughout the country.

District-Sponsored Student Speech Contest commemorating the 60^th Anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision a huge success

September 26, 2014 (La Mesa)--Dr. Emma Turner, President of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Board of Education, and the District Governance Team, will host a screening on September 29 featuring the First Annual Student Speech Contest held earlier this year.  The topic of the speeches was “60 Years Later: What is the Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education?”

East County News Service

September 24, 2014 (San Diego)—Residents in El Cajon and City Heights have been approached by representatives of a company called “Spark Energy” claiming to be selling a discount natural gas service plan.

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Earlier this year, we reported on a 90% decline in the number of Monarch butterflies in their annual winter migration to Mexico. But now, there are signs of hope on the horizon.

County News Service

September 24, 2014 (San Diego) --A third firefighting helicopter, pre-positioned ground fire crews during red flag conditions, and contracting for night-flying operations throughout the County were among key upgrades approved by the County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. The steps are aimed at boosting the region’s wildfire resources going into what is expected to be a highly dangerous peak wildfire season. The new permanent helicopter is expected to arrive next year, but the County has already leased a third helicopter until the end of October.

September 22, 2014 (El Cajon) – You’re invited to come and enjoy authentic German food, such as bratwurst, ox-on-the-spit,  potato pancakes, sauerkraut, red cabbage, pretzels, and Bavarian pastries—all at the German American Club’s annual Oktoberfest in El Cajon. The festivities take place on two weekends, September 26 through 28 and October 3^rd through 5th.  Of course, you’ll also find plenty of German beers, as well as entertainment by the Guggenbach-Buam, all the way from Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Only 10,000 cheetahs remain in the wild, and Dr. Laurie Marker aims to save the species

By Mimi Pollack

September 24, 2014 (Ramona) – Kumbali looked at us with soulful amber eyes. Those present were struck by the magnificence of this cheetah--the star attraction at a benefit event for the Cheetah Conservation Fund. The event took place last weekend  in the Ramona home of well-known wildlife photographer Roy Toft and his wife, Robin.