By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2011 (El Cajon) – Drum Macomber of El Cajon is revved up over winning the “Best in Show Sycuan Casino Award” at last Wednesday’s Classic Cruise Night in El Cajon.

“I have owned the car for about seven years,” Macomber said of the 1963 Impala Super Sport that he purchased from the original owners with 132,000 miles.

May 3, 2011 (San Diego) - A SIG Alert is in effect on I-15 north of Carroll Canyon Road, where a multi-vehicle accident involving a semi-truck and at least three cars occurred this morning.  The truck, which was carrying a load of water, lost its rear axles.  Lanes are closed while awaiting heavy equipment to remove the semi-truck, according to CHP and San Diego SIG Alerts.

 May 2, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Summer class schedules are available now for  camps, enrichment classes, and youth aquatic classes. There’s something for every child and teen’s interests—from “Mad Science” camp to camp programs in fencing, flag football, theatre, and surf camp, to name just a few.  See schedule for class dates and times. For convenience in enrolling, there is a blue Enroll Online link on the Community Services web page.

May 2, 2011 (Valley Center) – Two of four suspects in a pair of school burglaries in Valley Center have been arrested. Two other suspects remain at large, including one who has been identified.

The suspects are all documented “Dorner Block Crip” street gang members from Moreno Valley in Riverside, according to Sgt. Bob Bishop with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.

May 2, 2011 (East County) -- A multi-company/ multi-agency drill hosted by the San Miguel  Fire District was held yesterday, givingEast County fire agencies an opportunity to work together to improve mutual-aid responses. The event included agencies such as CALFIRE, Sycuan, and San Diego Rural  Fire, giving them a rare opportunity to participate in a commercial structure drill.

May 2, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A small brush fire scorched less than quarter of an acre this afternoon near Bell Junior High School on Briarwood Road in the Paradise Hills area.  According to Maurice Luque, spokesman for San Diego Fire Department, the blaze was swiftly doused. 

Update:  The freeway is reopened. The device found was a pipe sealed at both ends containing inert military ordnance, NBC news reports. It is unknown how the object wound up in this location.

May 2, 2011 (San Diego) 9:30 a.m. - A possible pipe bomb has forced closure of I-5 southbound at the Coronado Bridge, Incident Page Network reports.  San Diego Police, San Diego Fire Department and the Bomb/Arson squad has been summoned.  A SIG Alert has been issued and all traffic is being diverted, San Diego SIG alerts confirms.

April 30, 2011 (Poway) -- The  Echo Pacific/POW! Golf Challenge  will tee off on May 16, 2011.  Golf, cocktails, games, dinner, live entertainment, and a silent auction are the components of a lively day and evening. Bid on weekend spa getaways, private cruises on San Diego Big Bay, VIP Padres tickets and a wide variety of dinner and entertainment packages- all to benefit  the POW! Foundation Profession Performances and Arts in Education Initiatives. 

April 29, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Four suspects have been arrested for allegedly participating in a home invasion robbery in which a Rancho San Diego family was brutally assaulted and their dog shot. The home invasion occurred on December 15, 2010 on Wildwood Drive.

Owners of El Cajon facility may apply to reopen if costly equipment changes are made to eliminate smoke, odors

By Miriam Raftery

April 28, 2011 (San Diego) – By a unanimous 4-0 vote, San Diego County’s Air Pollution Control District Board ordered an immediate shut down of  a Neptune Society crematorium  on Lake Jennings Road in El Cajon  to abate a public nuisance. 

“This was clearly a violation of public policy and a public health hazard,” Michael Drake, public affairs officer for the County’s land use and environmental group, told East County Magazine after the hearing.  He praised the Board for “doing the right thing” and expressed hope that the owners will upgrade or replace antiquated equipment so that they can “comply and come back into business.”

April 28, 2011 (La Mesa) – At All Things Bright and British, a La Mesa shop specializing in British goods from scones to fine china, new owner Bill Jaynes invites the public to a week-long “Changing of the Guard” celebration. Festivities begin on Friday, April 29—just in time for the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and his bride, Catherine Middleton.

“Watch the royal wedding with us—and bring a chair,” said Jaynes, who has taken command of the business from his parents, making this a double celebration. A piper band will perform Friday morning, followed by an Elton John tribute band from 2-6 p.m. Traditional English food, prizes and free gifts are all part of the fanfare.

April 28, 2011 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Arts Alliance and the East County Youth Symphony present the 4th Annual Spring Concert at the La Mesa Community Center on Sunday, May 1 from 3-5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The event also includes a silent auction and refreshments.

May 7 5K Run/walk will give public glimpse of new park lands—see it first in our ECM video adventure

By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Pam Wilmer
Video by Billy Ortiz

April 27, 2011 (Santee) – San Diego River Run is moving its 5K fun run/walk to the Walker Lakes property in Santee this year.  Participants will be the first members of the public to experience this site, which will soon become part of the San Diego River Trail, which is not yet open to the public.

East County Magazine’s Billy Ortiz got a special preview tour.  View his video adventure here.

Nothing but the Truth!
 

Action Violates Seventh Amendment to US Bill of Rights

By Will Power

April 28, 2011 (San Diego)--In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise examined by any Court of the United States, than according to the common law.

The US Supreme Court ruled this week (on a straight party-line 5-Republicans and Four Democrats) that corporations can avoid class-action suits by demanding consumers waive their constitutional rights and use Arbitration procedures instead. In what clearly is unconstitutional, the Bill of Rights is superseded by the Contract Law, America's Sacred Cow. What were the Justices thinking?