COLORFUL LUNAR ECLIPSE TO OCCUR OCT 8

 

By Dr. Tony Phillips, Science@NASA

September 19, 2014 (San Diego)--On Wednesday morning, Oct. 8th, not long before sunrise, the bright full Moon over North America will turn a lovely shade of celestial red.  It's a lunar eclipse—visible from all parts of the USA.


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DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 28

 

September 17, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – This week’s Destination East County has some hot musical and theater events, also marking the start of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.  Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions, from a Fiesta in Spring Valley to the Viejas Days Parade.


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MUSIC TO OUR EARS: ADAMS AVENUE STREET FAIR SEPT. 27-28

 

East County News Service

Photo: entertainer Raelee Nikole is among the 100 musical acts scheduled to perform

September 19, 2014 (San Diego)--Over 100 different musical acts on eight stages are slated for the 2014 Adams Avenue Street Fair on September 27 and 28, which is one of the largest free music street fairs in California, according to the organizers. It also includes four beer gardens, 300 food and craft vendors, and giant carnival rides.


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SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL RESTRICTS SALE OF E-CIGARETTES, BANS VAPING IN PUBLIC PLACES

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 18, 2014 (San Diego) - San Diego’s City Council has passed an ordinance to regulate electronic cigarettes just as tobacco is already regulated. The measure now heads to Mayor Kevin Faulconer for signature.


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STRANGER ACCUSED OF TRYING TO LURE 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL INTO CAR IN ALPINE

 

Source: Alpine Community Network

September 17, 2014 (Alpine) – Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a man who reportedly tried to lure a 12-year-old Alpine girl into his grey car as she walked home from the Alpine Youth Center with her little brother in the 2000 block of Arnold Way today, NBC San Diego reports. The girl’s mother told the Alpine Community Network that the man asked, “Where is your mother? Come here,” then sped off when a neighbor confronted him.


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VIEJAS CASINO & RESORT SETS TWO NEW GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

 

 

See full frame video from the event here:  http://youtu.be/Byf5fO_UxEQ  

September 18,2014 (Alpine)-- Viejas Casino & Resort set two new Guinness World Records today – for World’s Longest Sparkler Relay and World’s Longest Chain of Fireworks.


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ADVOCATES QUESTION SPENDING AT GILLESPIE FIELD

 

By Nadin Abbott

September  18, 2014 (San Diego)-- Robert Germann,  spokesman for Citizens Against Gillespie Expansion (CAGE), spoke before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to make a presentation. He wants to know the reason for a large increase in funds allocated for Gillespie Field airport that has been kept hidden from the public.

He told the Board, “According to the California Division of Aeronautics, Gillespie Field is slated to receive nearly $417 million."

He added that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will give the El Cajon Center $10.63 million. Yet the County stated that the field is only going to receive $232,070, said Germann. He asked why there is such a discrepancy?


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PASSAGES: FORMER LMSV SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBER PENNY HALGREN DIES

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 18, 2014 (La Mesa)—Former La Mesa-Spring Valley School District board member Penny Halgren passed away yesterday afternoon.  Halgren served on the school board from 1994 until January 2013. She resigned to move to Arcadia in Los Angeles County to be with her boyfriend and started a quilting business there.

A long-time La Mesa resident, Halgren also served on the board of the East County YMCA for 16 years and was actively involved with the La Mesa Rotary Club.


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GUHSD SUPERINTENDENT ISSUES STATEMENT ON UNIFICATION; ALPINE EDUCATION LEADER RESPONDS WITH REBUTTAL

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: GUHSD Superintendent Ralf Swenson

September 18, 2014 (Alpine)—The Grossmont Union High School District Board (GUHSD) has passed a resolution opposing the proposed Alpine unification initiative.  Now, Superintendent Ralf Swenson has issued a statement to media voicing disappointment that a County committee has approved the unification measure and sent it on to the State Board of Education to take action. He wants to see all voters in the district have a say on unification, not just voters in Alpine. 

In his letter, Swenson claims a unified Alpine district won’t be able to afford to build and operate a high school offering programs comparable to those in the Grossmont district but insists that the GUHSD can’t afford to build the school, either.  Moreover, he  claims that the GUHSD remains 2,400 students below the “trigger” that the district has set for enrollment and that further declines are projected, making the likelihood that the district would ever build the promised 12th high school for Alpine appear to be virtually zero.

His letter has sparked a heated response, including a rebuttal from education leader Bill Weaver debunking dubious claims made by the Superintendent. Weaver has previously co-chaired education and business commitees for both the East County and Mountain Empire Chambers of Commerce.


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ROADS CLOSED IN THE BACK COUNTRY

 

By Nadin Abbott

September 16, 2014 (East County) - San Diego has many rural roads, many of them maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) maintains other roads.


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VIDEO OF THE MONTH: GRAPE STOMP AT HACIENDA DE LAS ROSAS

 

 

 

September 18, 2014 (Ramona)—It’s harvest time at our local wineries, and many now host grape stomps to encourage community members to join in crushing those ripe grapes.  Health rules prohibit drinking wine made from the stomps in California, but that didn’t stop patrons at Hacienda de Las Rosas Winery in Ramona from diving in and savoring the experience!  Our editor, Miriam Raftery,  caught the action with this video.


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ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

 

September 18, 2014 (San Diego's East County)-- East County Magazine's 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:

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

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


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SIGNATURES TURNED IN FOR INITIATIVE TO OVERTURN MINIMUM WAGE

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 17, 2014 (San Diego)—Opponents of San Diego’s new minimum wage ordinance have gathered 56,000 signatures, more than the 34,000 needed to qualify the measure for the June 2016 ballot. The Registrar is currently working to verify the signatures. If it qualifies, the wage increase will be put on hold until voters weigh in.


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EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

 

September 18, 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

 STATE

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


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E-MAILS SHOW PG&E HAD UNDUE INFLUENCE WITH STATE REGULATORS

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CPUC Chair Michael Peevey

September 17, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) –Thousands of e-mails released this week reveal unethical back-channel communications between PG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission, the agency that is supposed to regular public utilities. The e-mails reveal that PG&E was calling the shots as the public agency investigated PG&E mistakes leading up to the San Bruno gas pipeline explosion, which killed 8 people and destroyed 38 homes.


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SAN PASQUAL FIRE DISTRICT SHUT DOWN BY SUPERVISORS

 

 

 

East County News Service

September 17, 2014 (San Pasqual)--The San Pasqual Volunteer Fire Department has been dissolved by the San Diego Board of Supervisors.  Supervisors took the action after a fire board member was caught telling firefighters to steal water from a fire hydrant owned by the city of Poway.  The fire was not needed to fight fires; instead San Pasqual Fire delivered the purloined water to a friend of the board member whose well had run dry.

The board member, Charles Dilts, asked Supervisors to postpone their decision until after fire season is over. But Supervisors refused, citing a Sheriff’s investigation and violation of the public trust by the fire department. San Pasqual’s fire station will now be run by the County Fire Authority, which plans to replace some vehicles.


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DISTRICT RECEIVES NATIONAL DIVERSITY AWARD

 

State’s only community college district to net 2014 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award

September 17, 2014 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Tuesday received the 2014 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award, a national honor recognizing colleges and universities for outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.


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FREE LATINO SHORTS SCREENING IN EAST COUNTY SEPT. 17

 

 

September 17, 2014 (Rancho San Diego)—On September 17th Cuyamaca College will screen a free curated compilation of the best short Latino films that played at this year's festival as part of the celebrations for Latino Heritage Month.


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POWERFUL STORM CELL SOCKS REGION

Photos, left, by Kathleen Hedberg:  Storm cell swoops toward La Mesa

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – A powerful storm lashed East County early Tuesday afternoon, causing major damage before moving across San Diego later in the day.  Thousands were left without power from at least 16 different outages in East County, SDG&E reported. Hardest hit areas included Rancho San Diego, Mt. Helix, La Mesa and Spring Valley.

Helix Water Board member Kathleen Hedberg captured dramatic images of the stormcell swooping toward her La Mesa home-- a downdraft from a thunderstorm that looked more like tornados seen in the Midwest than a typical southern California storm. Gusts of at least 50 miles per hour were reported, with coin-sized hailstones and sheets of rain pouring down.  It was all a result of Hurricane Odile which struck the Baja coast at 125 miles an hour, ,still packing a wallop by the time it reached our region.


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CITY COUNCIL LIMITS ON PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE ILLEGAL

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 16, 2014 (San Diego)—San Diego’s City Council meets twice a week, but allows public comments on non-agenda only once a week, on Tuesdays. That may be illegal-- violating requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act for open government, says City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.


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LA MESA PLANNING COMMISSION TO HEAR REVAMPED PARK STATION PLAN OCT. 1

 

September 25, 2014 (La Mesa) –The last hearing on a proposed high-rise development in La Mesa ended in a shocker, when an American Legion spokesman announced his organization was withdrawing its support as a co-applicant of the controversial Park Station at the Crossroads of La Mesa project.


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THE KNOX HOUSE MUSEUM, PART II: A LOOK INSIDE

 

By Robert Gehr

 

Knox House Museum

280 N. Magnolia Ave. El Cajon, California

619-444-3800

Open Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (except the 5th Saturday of the month)

www.elcajonhistory.org

September 16, 2014 (El Cajon)--You may have read my last article about a unique place, and a part of El Cajon’s history: www.eastcountymagazine.org/knox-house-museum-offers-glimps-el-cajons-past.  Now, dear readers, I offer you part 2 - accompanied by some photos of the interior of this historic and beautiful building.


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BEAT THE HEAT

 

East County News Service

September 16, 2014 (San Diego)--If you’re sweltering in the extreme heat that’s hit our region, San Diego County health officials recommend these tips to help stay cool:


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LAKESIDE CANDIDATE NIGHT SET FOR OCT. 9

 

 

September 15, 2014 (Lakeside) - Residents of Lakeside are invited to meet candidates for public offices on October 9th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.


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OVERCHARGED TAX ON AN AUTO PURCHASE? GET YOUR REFUND

 

September 15, 2014 (Sacramento) – Californians who want to know if they overpaid sales or use tax when buying a car or truck should verify their local tax rate (www.boe.ca.gov/taxrate) and review their vehicle registration paperwork carefully.


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CALAWARE TO GOVERNOR: BILL TO ALLOW OIL COMPANIES TO SUE PEOPLE SEEKING PUBLIC RECORDS VIOLATES STATE LAW

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Donna Frye presenting Sunshine Award to CALAWARE’s Terry Francke

September 15, 2014 (San Diego)--Californians Aware, or CALAWARE, a nonprofit group that protects the rights of citizens and journalists to access public information, has sent a letter to Governor Jerry Brown urging him to veto Senate Bill 1300.


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SAN DIEGO COUNTY BAKERS PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR WEST COAST'S LARGEST BAKE SALE TO BENEFIT MAMA'S KITCHEN

 

Sycuan returns for tenth year, joins new bakers such as Stone Brewing and Sea & Smoke; Sales begin October 6, 2014

September 15, 2014 (San Diego)--Sycuan Casino, Urban Solace, and the San Diego Culinary Institute in La Mesa are among the local restaurants, hotels and catering companies that have pledged their talent to create and donate delicious pies for the upcoming Mama’s Pie in the Sky Thanksgiving Bake Sale.


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COUNCILWOMAN EMERALD BATTLING BREAST CANCER

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 15, 2014 (San Diego)--San Diego City Councilwoman Marti Emerald has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be undergoing outpatient surgery, she revealed on her Facebook page.


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SANTEE ESTABLISHES COOL ROOM DURING HEAT ADVISORY

 

September 15, 2014 (Santee) - The City of Santee today set up a “Cool Room” at San Diego Christian College, 200 Riverview Parkway, across from Trolley Square, to assist residents without air conditioning during the heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service.


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MINIMUM SCHOOL DAYS DUE TO HEAT

 

Sep. 14, 2014 (San Diego) The San Diego Unified School District has announced that schools will be on minimum school day tomorrow due to the heat. These will be schools without 100 percent air conditioning.


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