By Miriam Raftery

July 31, 2014 (El Cajon)—El Cajon Police are investigating the stabbing death of a man found bleeding and unresponsive last night at the Villa Embasadora Hotel.

August 1, 2014 (El Cajon) – Tomorrow, nearly 12,000 people worldwide will be staging protests over the violence against Christians in Iraq and Syria.   In San Diego's East County, Ben and Jessica Kalasho have organized a local protest at 6 p.m. in Prescott Promenade Park  on Main Street in downtown El Cajon.

ISIS terrorsts have sprayed the red letter for "Nazarene" shown at left on Christian homes, where residents face a choice of converting to Islam or death.  Many have fled, seeking safe refuge.

A Facebook page for the local event lists 156 participants so far.  “Join us to stand in solidarity with our Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac brothers and sisters around the world to protest the violence against the Christians in Iraq and Syria,” Kalasho writes.  Guests can RSVP at the Facebook page here locally:  https://www.facebook.com/events/813180182039823/permalink/815478478476660/

In other cities visit  https://www.facebook.com/events/653888978028664/ or scroll down for a list of events listed as of now:

By Miriam Raftery

July 31, 2014 (Washington D.C.)—“We must act with urgency to stop the ever-increasing incidence of skin cancers in the United States,” Acting U.S. Surgeon General Boris Lushniak, M.D., announced this week.

By Miriam Raftery

July 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--This week on Destination East County we’ve got music, music, music!  From a battle of the bands to a jazz concert-- and some good old ‘60s rock and roll.  Plus stay tuned for details on a political comedian, musical theater and a world championship event for sports fans—all in San Diego’s inland region!

July 31, 2014 (Washington D.C.)--A new bill in Congress would legalize use of medical marijuana, but only those varieties with very low levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient that makes users high.

Update July 30, 2014: By a 5-0 vote,  Supervisors adopted the feral pig eradication plan to trap and shoot wild pigs across our region.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy U.S. Forest Service

July 29, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--They wallow in waterways and root up sensitive habitat.  They breed prolifically—and they eat almost anything—from acorns to small animals—even goats with horns!  Those portly porkers – feral pigs in East County’s backcountry—can weigh up to 250 pounds. The largest wild pig caught anywhere--a gargantuan specimen dubbed "Hogzilla," tipped the scales at over 800 pounds.

Feral pigs are descendants of domestic pigs run wild and European boars brought over by Spaniards in the 1700s. Locally, San Diego's pig population has been around since only around 2006.  We don't know how they got here. One rumor is that  hunters released a few pigs as game animals. Another theory is that the pigs migrated in from elsewhere in California or Mexico. However they came, they've found fertile ground locally, where the number of wild pigs is now estimated at over a thousand. 

Hunting wild pigs is legal in California on private property and tribal lands – though not in our region's parks, preserves, or wilderness areas.  But bringing home the bacon isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Suspects arrested for residential burglaries and Craig’s list sale of stolen property

July 30, 2014 (La Mesa) – Two separate incidents kept local police officers busy in the wee hours on July 26.

July 30, 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:

U.S.

• House votes to sue Obama (The Hill)
• House approves V.A. healthcare overhaul (KPBS)
• General Motors sued on behalf of hundreds of plaintiffs (CBS)
• Peters blasts House move to sue President Obama (Times of San Diego)
• Federal judge rules DC ban on handguns unconstitutional (Reuters)  
• What's happened since Detroit turned off delinquent residents' taps  (Marketplace)

WORLD

• Ebola: Liberia shuts all schools to tackle outbreak  (BBC)
• Hamas attacks by tunnel rattle Israelis on Gaza border (+video) (CS Monitor)
• Hamas and North Korea in secret arms deal (The Telegraph)
• Somalian jihadist group Al-Shabab calls for attacks on Jewish targets worldwide (JPost)
• U.S. evacuates Libya embassy after 'free-wheeling militia violence'  (Reuters)
• Barrel Bomb Attacks Devastate Iraqi Families (NPR)
• UN report finds Islamic State is undergoing a 'Syrian-ization' (CS Monitor)
• Putin sends a message? Opposition leaders get prison for staging riots (+video) (CS Monitor)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by John Dill

July 29, 2014 (Lakeside)—Multiple spot fires broke out along Wildcat Canyon Road in Lakeside just south of Barona Creek Golf Club near Founders Way shortly after noon today. The blazes sparked some tense moments for residents in this rural community where the deadly Cedar Fire of a decade ago remains a smoldering memory.

John Dill told East County Magazine that his wife called in the fire at 12:09 p.m. at mile marker 6.5.  “Within the ten minutes it took for a response, the fire went from a small area fire to a very large fire,” he said.

By Miriam Raftery

July 28, 2014 (Boulevard) – The Boulevard Planning Group meets Thursday, August 7 at 7 p.m. in the Boulevard Fire Training room, 39919 Ribbonwood Road in Boulevard.  Action items on the agenda include a faux water tower wireless communications facility near Golden Acorn, a presented by the County’s groundwater geologist, concerns over closure of the White Star fire station, and updates to a Park Lands Dedication Ordinance project priority list.

There will also be updates on numerous major projects proposed in the Boulevard area including Tule Wind, Soitec Solar, Rough Acres Ranch campground/conference center, a complaint against the Eco Substation, court actions challenging the county wind ordinance and Tule Wind, and Sempra’s cross-border high voltage transmission line.

“We  expressed our concern over the current debate that is focusing on sending the children back while we believe it should be focusing on the care and safety of the children.”—Doug Brunson, UCCLM Committee on Border Justice

View or sign petition: http://tableucc.com/witness/sign-the-petition-central-american-refugee-crisis/

Over 50,000 young children have crossed the border to seek refugee status in the U.S. this year.  Some are fleeing gang violence and drug trafficking, others are escaping grinding poverty or trying to reunite with family already in the United States.  Many have paid large sums to smugglers and made dangerous journeys atop trains to get here from Central America, only to be placed in overcrowded, often unhealthy holding facilities while awaiting determination of their status by understaffed courts.  Some have also endured the verbal abuse of militant protestors seeking to banish them back to the horrors from which they fled.

Inspired by The Rev. Kaji Douŝa’s sermon on Sunday, July 13, members of the United Church of Christ of La Mesa gathered to discuss the child immigration crisis and how the congregation, as a justice-oriented church, should respond.

Hear highlights of Bill Walton's inspirational speech, originally aired on East County Magazine's radio show on KNSJ 89.1 FM. 

By Miriam Raftery

July 26, 2014 (La Mesa)—NBA Hall of Famer and former Helix High School superstar Bill Walton is best known for his exceptional achievements on the basketball court.  But he’s also proud to be in the boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame, and knows first-hand the importance of positive role models. 

So now he’s leading efforts to raise funds to build a Bill Walton Gymnasium at the Boys & Girls Club in La Mesa, giving back to the children in this community, where mentors before him helped young Walton to achieve his dreams.  On Thursday, Walton delivered an inspiration speech at the Boys and Girls Club’s new Brady Family Clubhouse. 

“What great leaders do is inspire pride and loyalty,” said Walton.  “Loyalty is that human attribute that allows us as a community to come together and be part of a team—and to realize that what we have is so special, as a result of our caring about what goes on.  It’s not about us; it’s about these young children here who just have these fantastic smiles…who are just so full of dreams and full of hope.”

July 25, 2014 (Santee)--Santee’s City Council has voted to approve $2,000 as its fair share to assist the San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless.

The vote was 3-1, over the objection of Santee Mayor Randy Voepel. Councilman John Ryan was not present.

Former Campo artist now creating film on cofounder of Rancho La Puerta

By Mimi Pollack

On July 24^th, 2014, my good friend Vivian Blackstone will celebrate her 86th birthday. A woman in excellent health, she has lived an unconventional life with an artistic, bohemian and spiritual bent. That artistic side still continues as she is working on a film about Edmond Szekely [aka the professor], who along with Deborah Szekely, created and developed the world famous spa and resort in Tecate, Mexico, called Rancho La Puerta. This film is important to Vivian as the professor was an influential person in her life and she hopes this film will honor him and the influence he had on her.

By Mimi Pollack

July 24, 2014 (Tecate)--Many of us lead hectic, stressful lives, so it is always healthy to find ways to unwind. Spending a week at a spa is one good way to relax and recharge, but not everyone can afford that or has the time. Here in San Diego, we are lucky to have a world class spa and retreat, Rancho La Puerta, just across the border from East County. Founded in Tecate, Mexico in 1940 by Edmond and Deborah Szekely, Rancho La Puerta has built a solid reputation and a loyal following over the years.