East County News Service

August 26, 2019 (Ramona) — It’s time for stompers and swabbers to create their two-person teams to challenge brother, sister, classmates, boss, colleague or best friend to win the  title of “Ramona Grape Stomp Champion” at the third annual Ramona Grape Stomp on Saturday, September 14 at the Ramona Outdoor Community Center (ROCC) from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The event offers fun for the entire family—children’s activities, wine tasting, competitive and fun stomping, music, line dancing, food, and shopping. 

By Liz Alper

Photo: Manny Machado's 27th homer lifted the Padres over the Sox. Via @Padres on Twitter

August 25, 2019 (San Diego) - The Padres have sustained two days of colossal punishment from the Red Sox.  Might as well take one more. Brian Johnson started today’s finale for Boston against Joey Lucchesi.

August 25, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our radio shows from  May and June 2019 are now online.  For links to listen plus an index with full list of topics and interviews in each show, click here or click the "read more" link and scroll down for audio links below the index. (Audio files may take a few moments to load.)  Our recent interviews include Sierra Club leader Peter Anderson on risks posed by developments in fire-prone rural areas, La Mesa Councilmembers Kristine Alessio and Colin Parent on regional transportation issues, and actor Victor Contreras on BonitaFest and San Diego’s 250^th birthday celebration.

We also covered hot issues including affordable housing, the Poway synagogue shooting, a local mountain lion attack, the future of La Mesa’s farmer’s market, a vacancy on the El Cajon Council, and the corruption charges facing Congressman Duncan Hunter as well as top events.

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Story by Liz Alper

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

August 24, 2019 (San Diego) - School is back in session and the Aztecs once again hit the soccer pitch at the SDSU Sports Deck for an exhibition game against crosstown rival UCSD.

East County News Service

August 24, 2019 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police Department’s traffic unit will conduct a DUI checkpoint tonight in the 4900 block of Spring Street from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.  LMPD will also have extra officer on the road now through Sept. 2 over Labor Day weekend looking for drivers suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The Department is partnering with law enforcement agencies nationwide in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign over Labor Day weekend.

Labor Day Weekend remains one of the deadliest times of year for alcohol-involved crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 376 deadly crashes nationwide during the 2017 Labor Day holiday period (Sept. 1 to Sept. 5). Among those crashes, more than one-third (36%) involved a drunk driver. Last year, two people were killed, and 31 others injured in California on Labor Day alone.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

Photo : Creative Commons via S.A.

August 23, 2019 (Sacramento) -- A new court ruling says states cannot penalize a delegate to the Electoral College for voting against the popular vote from that state. 

By Kathy Carpenter

August 23, 2019 (Spring Valley) – Watching Xanadu is like stepping into a time warp. The musical is based on the Universal film starring Olivia Newton-John. Yes, I saw the movie way back when and loved it--the music, the romance, the innocent kind of fun. It's what we did back in 1980. But I haven't seen the movie since.

East County News Service

August 22, 2019 (Spring Valley) – As a direct result of numerous complaints from concerned citizens, three illegal marijuana dispensaries in Spring Valley and Casa de Oro were searched and shut down by law enforcement and one arrest was made.

August 22, 2019 (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

• Lemon Grove officials say formula for proposed housing  quota ‘deeply flawed’ (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego is showing California how to use its red flag law (The Trace)
• San Diego residents file lawsuit against California’s assault weapons ban (KUSI)
• El Cajon provides update on city-sponsored homeless programs (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lemon Grove Mayor shares ‘State of the City’ (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• GOP Retreat: Fewer Republicans in San Diego, Independents Surge, Democrats Remain Steady (NBC 7)
• San Diego residents allege wrongdoing by campaign for Assemblyman Todd Gloria  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• DeMaio Proposes National Concealed-Carry Program to Stop Mass Shootings (Times of San Diego)

STATE

• Concerned by California Channel closure, lawmaker in talks to keep Capitol coverage on TV  (Sacramento Bee)
• ‘Radical’ tree trimming: Critics say PG&E’s rush to stop fires may hurt California forests (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Gig-worker bill: Gavin Newsom keeps his distance from California’s big fight (San Francisco Chronicle)
• California leads latest lawsuit over Trump immigration rule  (AP)
• The end of Cabernet in Napa Valley?  (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Gov. Gavin Newsom, who struggled with dyslexia, is writing a children’s book about it (Los Angeles Times)
• California now has the biggest legal marijuana market in the world. Its black market is even bigger  (Los Angeles Times)

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

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2019 (Sacramento) – Weedmaps will no longer list illegal marijuana dispensaries or other illicit enterprises in its online director of cannabis businesses.

The change reflects new state licensing requirements for advertising as California’s legal cannabis industry flourishes.

Announcement called “cruel and frankly evil”; legal challenges expected

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Overcrowding of families observed by Homeland Security Office of Inspector General on June 11, 2019 at Border Patrol’s Weslaco, TX, Station. Faces digitally obscured by OIG. 

August 21, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – In apparent defiance of a 2015 federal court settlement which limits detention of migrant children and their families to 20 days, the Trump administration has announced plans to adopt new regulations allowing longer detentions—potentially, indefinitely.

East County News Service

August 21, 2019 (El Cajon) - San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce and Alpine Chamber of Commerce are joining together for an end to summer Business After Hours for a "Taste of Parkway Plaza" on Thursday, August 22 at 5:30 p.m.