August 30, 2014 (Lakeside) – Leon Thompson shot this tranquil shot of a sunset over the San Vicente Reservoir, with water level higher than in the past  due to the largest dam height raising in America.

Photo: Wind turbines in Ocotillo dwarf resident and mountains surrounding the desert town

By Miriam Raftery

August 29, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Jim Avery, a senior vice president at San Diego Gas & Electric Company, says the utility will meet California’s 33% renewable energy goal by the end of 2014 – six years ahead of schedule, IT San Diego reports.

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

August 30, 2014 (El Cajon) - A truck hit and critically injured a woman driving a golf cart in the parking lot at Shadow Mountain Church in El Cajon Friday morning.

By Miriam Raftery

August 30, 2014 (Sacramento) – Just in time for Labor Day, a bill to protect temporary workers, AB 1897, has passed the Legislature and is now on the Governor’s Desk.

Increasingly companies are relying on long-term use of temporary workers even for strenuous and dangerous jobs, and some have reportedly been cheated out of wages.A report by ProPublica found that in California, temporary workers face a 50 percent higher risk of being injured on the job than permanent employees. Subcontracted workers have no guarantee of future work and risk punishment for speaking out or reporting hazardous conditions--problems this measure aims to correct.

The bill has support of labor groups and opposition from large employers.

East County News Service

August 30, 2014 (Julian) – For the 45th year, Julian celebrates the end of summer with music.  The Julian Music Festival will be held at the Menghini Winery on September 20th from 1 to 8 p.m.  This year’s event features bluegrass to celebrate the festival’s roots, Western ballads to remember the past, as well as music by current songwriters and singers.

Performers slated to appear include singer/songwriter Melanie Devaney, guitarist/singer Steve Ybarra, Cool Band Luke performing high energy favorites, and Trails and Rails performing train songs, cowboy tunes, pop, swing, vocal harmonies and whistling. 

Story and photos by Robert Gehr

August 29, 2014 (El Cajon)--Built in 1876 by Amaziah Lord Knox, this structure was a hotel and residence combined. It was located near what is now Main St. & Magnolia Avenue in downtown El Cajon. The place provided a comfortable place for weary travelers to spend the night when traversing back and forth from the Julian gold mines to San Diego.

August 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)-- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• 3-D printed vertebra use in spinal surgery (CBS)
• Evidence suggests Ebola toll vastly underestimated: WHO
• Whole organ 'grown' in world first (BBC)
  
  Painkillers will be tougher to get this fall (Marketplace.org)

TECH

• Are Earthquakes Linked To Drought?  (KPBS)
• For sale: systems that can secretly track where cell phone users go around the globe (Washington Post)
• Hemp fibres 'better than graphene' (BBC)

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

By Miriam Raftery

August 29, 2014 (La Mesa)--Two security officers caught on video beating a passenger on a trolley in La Mesa on August 18^th have lost their jobs, Transit Systems Security has informed Metropolitan Transit System. MTS contracts with TSS to provide security services on trolleys and busses countywide.

“This incident never should have happened and we will take all appropriate steps internally and with TSS to help prevent future occurrences,” said MTS Chief Executive Officer Paul Jablonski in reference to the altercation between a passenger and two TSS security officers. “We do not tolerate that kind of behavior.”

August  29, 2014 (Descanso)--Our Lady of Light Catholic Church in Descanso will hold its 77th Annual Deep Pit Barbecue on Sunday August 31st of the Labor Day weekend. The Festivities will start at 11 a.m. and continue until 6 p.m.

The barbecue has been a major event of the mountain empire area since before World War II. It will be held on the Church grounds on Riverside drive in Descanso.

Update: Our interview is now online. Listen here:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Tune in Monday at 5 p.m. to hear our interview with East County’s Amnesty International organizer Renee Altson on KNSJ 89.1 FM or streamed live at www.KNSJ.org .

By Miriam Raftery

August 29, 2014 (Santee) – At the Summit Unitarian Universalist Church in Santee, a dedicated group of Amnesty International members meet each week.  They write letters to leaders around the world on causes such as seeking freedom for jailed journalists, stopping barbaric practices such as torture and stoning women to death, and ending conflict in regions such as Gaza. The group has celebrated several recent successes, which organizer Renee Altson discusses in a radio interview with East County Magazine airing Monday, September 1st.

Sometimes, those causes hit closer to home, such as a “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!” protest planned September 2^nd at 5:30 p.m. at the Metzli student union center on San Diego State University’s campus.  The protest focuses on police brutality in the wake of the Ferguson, Missouri shooting of an unarmed black teenager.

August 28, 2014 (Tierrasanta) – Andiamo Ristorante Italiano and Bar is serving up a brand new menu—along with live music by Blues Rise starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 30^th.  The musicians will perform vintage blues including Mississippi Delta Blues from the first half of the 1900s as well as more recent blues tunes.

August 28, 2014 (Julian) -- Talented artists from Julian and nearby communities will present their works at the Julian Labor Day Weekend Art Show August 30 through September 1. The show wlil be held in the Julian Town  Hall, 2129 Main Street in historic Julian, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Works dissplayed will includepaintings, photography, mosaics, ceramics, printmaking, jewelry and other works of fine art. Admission to the show is free, and many of the artists will be available to discuss their work.  For more details, visit http://www.julianartsguild.org.

August 28, 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

• San Diego among top spots for terrorism (10 News)
• Spring Valley Church arsonist sentenced to 29 years in prison (10 News)
• ACLU: Suit puts end to deceived detainees (UT San Diego)
• Killer, kidnapper smiles as he’s sentenced (UT San Diego)
• City allows hookah lounge to add live music, dancing (La Mesa Courier)
• Historical View: Village improvements: a 1970s déjà vu (La Mesa Courier)
• San Diego Egg Farmers Work To Improve Conditions For Hens (KPBS)
• Where the Good Jobs Are (Voice of SD)

STATE

• California Senate approves measure banning warrantless surveillance (Reuters)
• In California drought, big money, many actors, little oversight (Reuters)
• California wait period doesn't apply to gun owners (AP)
• Drought leaves California homes without water (Sacramento Bee)
• U.S. inspector wanted reactor shut on quake fears: report (Reuters)
• Napa earthquake: California's early-warning system worked (The San Jose Mercury News)

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

By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2014 (Sacramento)--A bill to restrict law enforcement and other government agencies from using drones to spy on Californians without a warrant has passed the State Senate with overwhelming support.  Senators voted 25 to 8 in favor of AB 1327, which now returns to the full Assembly for a concurrence vote on amendments made in the Senate. If approved there, it will advance to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for signature.

Caption: Head of School Kevin Yaley (left) and San Diego River Park Foundation Trustee Jim Dawe with Parker graduate Marly Isler, signing her booklets. Photo Courtesy of Francis Parker School / Ken Stone

August 27, 2014 (San Diego)-- The San Diego River has stories to tell — if you know where to find them. A booklet by  Francis Parker School graduate Marly Isler fills the bill. And it's easy to find.