March 13, 2014 (La Mesa)- Hooley’s Irish Pub in La Mesa will be hosting its annual Sant Patrick’s Day Hooley Fest on Monday, March 17.  The festivities take place under tents in the parking lot at Grossmont Center outside the restaurant, starting at 5 p.m.

This year’s entertainment includes Tony Cummins, Times nominee for the Irish Music Awards, the award winning Jukebox, and American fiddle rock stars Lexington Field.

San Diego Ukranians Speak Out

“My 17 year old friend was shot by snipers for delivering vegetables to protestors in independence square.”—Vera Skop, San Diego

By Jessica Richmond

March 14, 2014 (San Diego)-- Since the February 28^th takeover of the Crimean region in the Ukraine by unmarked Russian troops, Ukrainians have been asking, “Are we safe from Russian expansionism?” In San Diego, with a population of approximately 15,000 Ukrainians, this has become a sensitive topic. Sources from Ukraine confirm that family members at home and abroad are equally worried about the escalating encroachment of Russia on the sovereign Ukrainian territory of Crimea.

By Jessica Richmond

March 13, 2014 (Santa Ysabel)—Iipay tribal member June Sortore has refused a request from tribal chairman Virgil Perez  to take down  a  statue of a hand with the middle finger raised.

 In a letter delivered to Sortore by tribal law enforcement, Chairman Perez called the hand-made statue ““indecent and offensive,” noting that it can be viewed by children on a school bus. Though the Iipay Tribal Chairman says the middle finger is an “obscene gesture,” Sortore says she erected the statute as a symbol of defiance against former Tribal Chairman Johnny Hernandez.

 “I built the statue to show him we had not lost nor have we given up hope,” she says.  She claims her form of expression is protected as free speech under the U.S. Constitution and further, that the symbol has historical significance.

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2014 (San Diego) – Mayor Bob Filner was the latest of several San Diego mayors who resigned under public pressure. Filner pled guilty to a felony count and two misdemeanors following a long string of complaints by women alleging sexual harassment. But there was no legal requirement for a disgraced or disabled mayor to leave office, under San Diego’s Charter. In fact, the charter allows removal of a Mayor or other city official only through death, resignation or recall.

 Now the San Diego County Grand Jury wants to see that changed. Today, the Grand Jury issued a report recommending that the City Council identify additional reasons for removing a public official and place a proposal to amend the City  Charter on the ballot for voters to decide in a future election.

Photos: Supervisors Dave Roberts, left, coauthor of the measure, and Bill Horn who voted against the regulations.

By Nadin Abbott

March 11, 2014 (San Diego) –Citing health concerns, Supervisors today voted 3-1 to regulate electronic cigarettes and vaping devices.  In addition, a proposal to ban these devices in all County buildings will be brought before the Council in May. Supervisor Bill Horn voted against the measure and Supervisor Ron Roberts was absent.

March 12, 2014 (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

• Lake Morena reservoir is 4 percent full and will stay that way  ( KPBS)
• Around Lakeside: Old theater is getting new life (EC Californian)
• CPUC shows its inbred corruption (Reader-Don Bauder)
• Drought threatens wildlife, ecosystems  ( U-T San Diego)
•  Person found dead under suspicious circumstances near Lake Jennings (Santee Patch)
• New Chamber takes root (La Mesa Today)
• Three injured in campfire blast in desert (Ramona Sentinel)
• Technology may curb cell tower angst (UT San Diego)

STATE

• Groundwater management emerges as new water debate (Sacramento Bee)
• Environmentalists protest Gov. Jerry Brown at state Democratic convention (Sacramento Bee)
• Jackpot! Casinos linked to reduce risk of childhood obesity (Los Angeles Times)
  

March 11, 2014 (San Diego) – San Diego State University police warn that on March 8 at 1:50 a.m., three male suspects attempted to steal an SDSU student’s wallet, but were unsuccessful.  The victim met the suspects earlier in the evening and they were walking near the Open Air Theatre on campus when the incident occurred. The victim sustained minor injuries from being punched and kicked during the attempted robbery.

March 11, 2014 (El Cajon )- - Bernardo Teran, 49, owner of a tree trimming company, was killed February 26 while he and his sons, along with two employees, were removing a date palm tree from the yard of a home  at 1586 Falda Del Cerro in El Cajon.

By Miriam Raftery

March 11, 2014 (La Mesa) – Helix Water District will hold a special meeting with the Lake Jennings Campground Committee and Board of Directors on Wednesday, March 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the District headquarters, 7811 University Avenue in La Mesa.

The meeting will include a PowerPoint presentation and discussion regarding activities, marketing, and suggested maintenance at the Lake Jennings campground.  The Board has previously indicated closure of the campgrounds is likely if additional funding sources are not found.

March 11, 2014 (Lakeside)—A Lakeside man who scaled a security gate and prompted a SWAT team standoff for several hours on Sunday at the FBI headquarters in San Diego has been charged with destruction property, said San Diego Special Agent in Charge Daphne Hearn.

By Miriam Raftery

March 10, 2014 (Washington D.C.)--The U.S. Justice Department has created a national task force to study impacts of violence on Native American children.  Task force members have said they are shocked to find epidemic rates of suicide among young people on reservations.

By Miriam Raftery

March 9, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- Supervisor Dianne Jacob’s proposal to bring veterans’ services to several County libraries in rural areas. Will be on the agenda for San Diego Supervisors on Tuesday. Jacob introduced the measure following an East County Magazine investigation which found there are no County veterans services in rural areas of East County, or anywhere east of La Mesa.

File photo: SWAT team

March 9, 2014 (San Diego) – FBI hostage negotiators are accustomed to tense situations –but normally not at their own home base.  But after a man climbed a steel corrugated security gate and made his way onto the top of a building in the FBI headquarters at 10385 Vista Sorrento Parkway in San Diego, a stand-off ensued that ended this evening with the arrest of Lakeside resident William Durant, 36.

By Miriam Raftery

March 10, 2014 (Santee)—“The musicianship is top notch and the music is infectious. I’m loving every minute of it!” says bass player Danny Perez of Santee, the newest member of the popular Bayou Brothers band.  The Bayou Brothers will bring their rollicking, foot-stomping, musical gumbo style to Santee’s Pinnacle Peak restaurant on Wednesday, March 12 for East County Magazine’s own Mardi Gars party from 6-10 p.m. 

It’s a sound straight out of New Orleans’ dance clubs, Louisiana blues festivals and backyard crawfish boils complete with drums, accordion, keyboard, guitar, rub-board and three-part harmony.  The styles range from blues to R&B to zydeco.

 Rick Lee, a drummer who founded the Bayou Brothers back in 1996 with friends who had toured through the South and picked up the flavor of zyedco music, calls it “Louisiana party music.”

By Nadin Abbott

Photo, left taken March 8, 2014 by Greg Bowerman, creekcrossingphotography.com

Additional photos by Tom and Nadin Abbott

Update March 10: This fire is now contained.

Update March 9, 2014 -- The fire has burned 125 acres and is 30% contained according to the Incident page set up for the Gun Fire: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3783/  .  The wind advisory has been upgraded to a wind warning with gusts up to 70 mph on ridges possible.

March 8, 2014 (Mt Laguna) A fire that started around 1 p.m. in the afternoon in the Kitchen Creek area in Cleveland National Forest spread to 75-100 acres. The blaze was 5 percent containment by 4:40 p.m. with no estimate yet for full containment. 

A wind advisory has been issued for tomorrow and ECM news partner 10 News reports that crews could be battling this fire for days. Sustained winds of 15-30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are forecast.

Power is out to more than 500 residences in Japatul Valley, Buckman Springs, Morena Village, Guatay, Pine Valley and Mount Laguna due to a power shut off to protect firefightings working closer to powerlines. SDG&E estimates power will be restored at 5:30 a.m. Sunday.