Governor's May Budget Revise Increases Spending on Developmental Centers; People with Developmental Disabilities Urge the Governor to Stop “Taxpayer Supported Abuse”

May 18, 2013 (Sacramento) – People with developmental disabilities and their advocates are speaking out in reaction to Governor Brown's May Budget Revise, and his decision to spend even more taxpayer dollars on a system that has been repeatedly cited for abusing people with developmental disabilities:

“As a California taxpayer I’m outraged, and as a person with a developmental disability I’m repulsed,” said advocate Kiara Hedglin. “It’s unconscionable for the Governor to increase spending on a system that abuses people with developmental disabilities.   It’s time for these archaic centers to close and for people with developmental disabilities to receive the quality care they deserve in home-like settings.”

By Sholeh Sisson 

May 17 2013 (San Diego)-- On May 15, the San Diego Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance waiving building permit and plan review fees for disabled veterans who need home modifications to accommodate their disabilities.

"We are always looking for ways to improve the lives of those who risk their lives to protect our country," said Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who introduced the measure along with Supervisor Bill Horn.

History of turbine/blade manufacturer Siemens is riddled with bribery, corruption, and other scandals

An East County Magazine special investigative report

By Miriam Raftery

Sierra Robinson, Sholeh Sisson and Jim Pelley also contributed to this report

May 16, 2013 (Ocotillo)—One day after San Diego Supervisors ignored residents’ safety concerns and approved a wind ordinance that would open much of East County to industrial wind turbines, a wind turbine at the Ocotillo Express Wind Energy facility hurled off an 11-ton blade. The blade, manufactured by Siemens, landed on a trail used by off-road vehicles.   The accident has shut down the wind facility pending investigation into the cause. View video shot by Ocotillo resident Jim Pelley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7bpbQXfFOk

An investigation by East County Magazine reveals a dark history of serious safety hazards involving Siemens’ wind products as well as a corporate past that includes guilty pleas to corruption on a global scale, including accusations of bribery and other serious charges in at least 20 nations. 

Siemens contracted with Pattern Energy, a company with its own checkered corporate past, as ECM has previously reported, to build the controversial project on public land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Ocotillo and paid for with taxpayer subsidies.  Pattern's corporate predecessor also built the Kumeyaay Wind project in Campo, which blew apart in 2010, whirling blade parts over the area. All 75 blades on all 25 turbines had to be replaced; the project was off-line for months.

By Janis Mork

May 16, 2013 (La Mesa) – Graywater harvesting, a possible new dog park, and a community dialogue to discuss fiscal issues were among the agenda items weighed by La Mesa City Council at its May 14 meeting. 

Mayor Art Madrid wanted to develop a Graywater and rainwater harvesting ordinance for residential use in La Mesa.

By Sierra Robinson

May 16, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – A new generation of bladeless wind turbines now in testing offers promise for designs that could reduce risk to birds, reduce noise, require smaller footprints and lower heights, thus less view disturbance.

For example, the slogan on the SheerWind website is “Changing the Course of Power Generation” and with the company’s new wind turbine design, it just might. Sheerwind began creation of a new energy technology three years ago, when founded by Dr. Daryoush Allaei. Since then, SheerWind has created a bladeless, funnel-shaped wind turbine that  it claims is a ‘revolution.’

May 16, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• White House pushes media shield law (Washington Post)
• IRS: First heads roll (The Hill)

• Companies won't face charges in condor deaths    (Los Angeles Times)

• Senate overwhelmingly approves water infrastructure bill  (Sacramento Bee)
• U.S. Safety board is proposing tougher drunk driving standards (CNN)
• Associated Press: Feds Secretly Obtained Reporter Phone Logs (NPR)
• Holder Defends Subpoena Of Journalists' Phone Logs
• Monsanto: The behemoth that controls 90 percent of soybean production (Marketplace.org)
• Exactly what did the IRS want to know?  (NPR)
• Who is profiting from charters? The big bucks behind charter school secrecy, financial scandal and corruption (Alternet)
• Texas man held on pipe bomb charges denies role in fertilizer plant blast  (Chicago Tribune)
• Tsarnaev 2011 murders? Boston-bombing brothers also could be linked to earlier deaths. (Christian Science Monitor)

WORLD

• Award goes to Pakistani girl shot by Taliban (U-T San Diego)
• Mexico sets shelters as volcano shakes, spews ash (U-T San Diego)
• Ex-dictator convicted of genocide in Guatemala (U-T San Diego)
• Rat meat and Chinese food safety (BBC)

Click "read more" and sccroll down down for excerpts and links to full stories

May 16, 2013 (El Cajon) – Children, seniors and families had fun exploring better ways to live at the free Farragut Circle Health & Safety Fair on May 11 in El Cajon.

The community outreach effort of the Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program of the First Presbyterian Church of El Cajon drew a steady stream of people to the 500 block of Farragut Circle. Mother Goose and local princesses helped welcome the early crowds. 

“Everybody’s smiling,” said Jackie Jackson, library assistant at the Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library of the Grossmont Healthcare District in La Mesa. “This has to be the friendliest fair ever.”

May 16, 2013 (El Cajon) – Grossmont College is an official pit stop for “Bike to Work Day 2013,” a nationally recognized event celebrated on the third Friday of May.

Some 50 to 60 riders are expected from 6 to 9 a.m. May 17, in parking lot No. 1 at the intersection of Highwood Drive and Grossmont College Drive on the Grossmont College campus.

Refreshments and support will be available, along with free T-shirts for the first 30 riders. Cyclists needing a break can ride free on any transit system operated by the Metropolitan Transit System or the North County Transit District if space is available. For more information, go to icommutesd.com

May 16, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Order and Public Notification for the Los Tules Mutual Water Company located at 32995 Camino Moro, Warner Springs, CA 92086 effective immediately.  This public water system serves 100 residential homes.

The drinking water system has tested present for total coliform bacteria and absent for E. coli.  Total coliform bacteria can come from soils and other sources in the environment and can indicate a problem with the water supply system.   The Boil Water Order was issued to ensure all water used is free from contamination.  The Boil Water Order will remain in effect until the distribution system has been disinfected and additional samples confirm the absence of bacteria in the water supply.

May 15, 2013 (San Diego) – OASIS is hosting a technology fair on May 18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Macy’s in Mission Valley, 7017 Friars Road.  The event will help local adults 50 and older learn how to use social media and today’s technology, including smart phones and tablets.  Various technology experts will be presenting 30 minute sessions as well as one-on-one coaching.

Attendees will be able to attend a variety of classes, attend a hands-on computer lab session and get individual help from tech experts.  Lunch will be available and a raffle for prizes will follow.

For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org

May 15 (Wednesday, 5:00 pm) — Greg van Eekhout, San Diego-based author of the middle-grade novel Kid vs. Squid, The Boy at the End of the World and the adult novel Norse Code will be signing copies of his books at Barnes & Noble, Oceanside, 2615 Vista Way, Oceanside.

Lisa Kovach - Community Relations Manager, at 760-529-0270 or crm2153@bn.com for additional information.

May 13, 2013 (San Diego) – The San Diego City Council will vote on proposed changes to the city’s regulation and permitting process for sidewalk cafés at its meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 202 C St. in San Diego.

Leaders of the California Restaurant Association (CRA) San Diego County chapter have worked closely with city officials and the community to find ways to reconsider the existing burdensome and costly regulations that make it difficult for restaurant operators to expand their dining areas outdoors.

Review by the East County Eater

 Dolci Café Italiano,   2650 Jamacha Road,  Rancho San Diego (El Cajon) www.DolciCafeItaliano.com

 May 13, 2013 (Rancho San Diego)--Another culinary prize has turned up in East County.  Dolci Café Italiano is located next to Ralph’s in the Rancho San Diego Town and Country Shopping Center.  At once, the place felt entirely familiar and also seemed rooted in family and history.  It has the ambience of the Gaslamp District in Downtown San Diego—and for good reason.  George Georges, the owner - also owns three restaurants in The Gaslamp.  Chianti, La Fiesta and the Urban Bar & Grill.

George has been a restaurateur for 18 years.  He describes Dolci Café Italiano as “Italian-Mediterranean food served bistro café-style...Everything is cooked-to-order, everything is custom, everything is fresh, everything is gourmet…Even the lasagna.”

May 13,2013 (La Mesa)—Late Thursday night, two customers were robbed at gunpoint while using ATM cash machines in La Mesa.

According to La Mesa Police, the first incident occurred at 10:50 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Bank, 5610 Lake Murray Blvd.   A male customer using the ATM was approached by a man asking for change. When told the customer had no change, the man pulled a gun and demanded the man’s wallet before fleeing.

Close to midnight, a woman depositing money at an ATM at the Grossmont Center Bank of America was robbed by a gunman who demanded cash.  She gave him money and he fled east.

Ordeal shines spotlight on East County’s failure to offer shelter for the homeless

“We are too late. We the community of East County have let our homeless vets down again.”  --a reader's post on Fox News story about the fire

By Nadin Abbott and Miriam Raftery; photos by Billy Ortiz and Nadin Abbott

May 12, 2013 (Lakeside) – It was a grim Mother’s Day for families displaced by a fire that ravaged mobile homes in Lakeside today, and for a homeless woman veteran who is hospitalized with serious burns.