East County News Service

January 5, 2015 (Rancho San Diego)--A man who threatened the lives of Sheriff’s deputies and hurled metal objects at them is now under arrest.

“Articles Concerning Trusts, Wills, Probate, Family Law & more”

By: Stephen C. Ross, Esq.

January 4, 2015 (San Diego County) – A stepparent adoption is the process of terminating a biological parent’s parental rights and recognizing the step-parent as the child’s legal parent. A biological parent’s rights can be terminated by consent or court order.

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2015 (Sacramento) – Businesses that falsify records to cheat on the amount of sales tax they owe cost the state of California an estimated $214 million in 2010.  Many of them did so by using sales suppression software known as “zappers” to make sales appear lower, often by not reporting cash transactions.

By Ariele Johannson

Photos Credit: Vittoria Allen

January 4, 2015 (San Diego)--Christian Community Theater of El Cajon delivered a charming and amazingly comprehensive Christmas experience to theatre enthusiasts performed this year at the Don Powell Theatre on the campus of San Diego State University from December 19^th through 23^rd, 2014, with the 21^st Annual Traditions of Christmas, A Musical Spectacular. San Diego theater enthusiasts enjoyed an evening of holiday cheer in the form of musical theater, performed to a live band conducted by Ryan Beard. The entire show from beginning to end was an absolute delight for all ages.

By Mimi Pollack

January 4, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)-- There are so many different subjects one could mention when writing about Bill Toone, such as California condors, monarch butterflies in Mexico, mountain gorillas in Uganda, Aquaponics, Patsari and Massai stoves, holistic conservation, guided trips to Mexico and Africa, yet in the end, they all tie in together.

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2015 (Sacramento)—“I wish everyone bone-appetit,” quipped Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, author of a bill signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown that now makes it legal for restaurants to allow patrons to bring their dogs for dining on outdoor patios, effective January 1^st of this year.

January 2, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Our November radio shows are now online!  You can listen online now (note sound files may take a minute to load). For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics and interviews in November, click here and scroll down.

We covered many hot issues and spoke with fascinating newsmakers including: Kumeyaay elder and former Hot Shots firefighter Charlie Brown,  Gretchen Burns-Bergman from A New Path on drug sentencing changes,  Anne Hoiberg with the United Nations and  KNSJ president Marie Johnson on efforts to stop violence against women, Pastor Harold Brown from East County Transitional Living Center on his programs helping the homeless, Art Neill from New Media Rights on net neutrality, insurance broker Marilyn Lyons on Covered California and Medi-Cal options, Tyler Strauss from Outlier Collective on medical marijuana issues, former State Senator Nathan Fletcher on his Three Wise Men foundation to help veterans, Chaldean community leader Mark Arabo on local priests ordered to Iraq, Grossmont school board candidate Barbara Stevens, and Pastor Terry Masango from Salvation Army on the East County Toy and Food Drive. 

We also spoke with authors and artists including La Mesa Police Chief Dan Willis on his book, Bullet Proof Spirit, San Diego Jewish World editor Don Harrison on his new book, Schlepping Across the West: There’s a Jewish Story Everywhere, Author Paula Margulies on her novels from a Native American viewpoint, and Maestero Anthony Mostardo with the San Diego Festival and Chorus, airing Vivaldi's Gloria.

January 2, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning recommending that the public avoid powdered pure caffeine—especially bags sold over the internet.  At least two young men who used powdered caffeine have died, the FDA reports.

January 2, 2015 (El Cajon)-- Heartland Fire Dispatch received reports at 6:21 p.m. on January 1^st of a structure fire at 1753 Woodburn Street in El Cajon.  As fire crews arrived on scene they found the attic area of the home in flames. Heartland Fire & Rescue crews from El Cajon, with assistance from the Santee Fire Department, quickly had the fire out in ten minutes.

January 1, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Nature and landscape photographers Ernie and Kati Cowan will lead a Cactus and Canyons photo tour to explore some of the most scenic and secret places of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on Saturday, January 17^th. This all day-hike runs from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

January 1, 2014 (San Diego)—The San Diego Sheriff’s office is hiring.

Recruitment for sworn positions will open for ten days in January. It means you can apply on-line for the position and register to take the written exam. The application process is often suspended to process all those that have come in.

Hear our interview with El Cajon Police Officers Association representatives Travis Howard and Samson Pak: http://kiwi6.com/file/rr5i0levth

January 1, 2015 (El Cajon)—On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, El Cajon Police officers stopped 10 people—but instead of giving them tickets, they handed them  cash—thanks to two anonymous donors who gave the police money to help people in the community—and improve the way the community views law enforcement.

January 1, 2015 (Boulevard) – Boulevard resident Pam Lawless has launched a drive seeking donations of doghouses or igloo-style shelters for backcountry dogs in her community.

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview with Jack Shu, Cleveland National Forest Foundation president: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au... 

December 31, 2014 (San Diego)—Jack Shu, president of the Cleveland National Forest Foundation (CNFF), sat down for an in-depth interview with East County Magazine on KNSJ radio.  CNFF and other environmental groups filed a lawsuit challenging the regional transportation plan proposed by the San Diego Association of Government (SANDAG) .  California Attorney General Kamala Harris joined the suit in support of environmentalist.

CNFF contends that instead of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as state law requires, SANDAG’s plan will increase them by 700 percent (see chart). 

San Diegans rely 95% on automobiles for transportation and only 3% on transit, yet SANDAG’s plan calls for more freeways instead of expanding transit in the near future.  San Diego also has the seventh worth ozone pollution in the nation as well as serious asthma issues, CNFF argues, yet SANDAG failed to provide a health impact analysis in its plan.

An appellate court and trial court agreed with plaintiffs that SANDAG failed to adequately address air pollution and climate change concerns, yet SANDAG voted 20 to 1 to appeal to the California Supreme Court.

December 31, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Monarch butterflies may warrant protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service states.  Monarch populations have dropped up to 90 percent in the last 20 years due to loss of milkweed plants that the butterflies need to lay their eggs and nourish caterpillars that emerge from cocoons.