August 22, 2019 (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

• Lemon Grove officials say formula for proposed housing  quota ‘deeply flawed’ (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego is showing California how to use its red flag law (The Trace)
• San Diego residents file lawsuit against California’s assault weapons ban (KUSI)
• El Cajon provides update on city-sponsored homeless programs (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lemon Grove Mayor shares ‘State of the City’ (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• GOP Retreat: Fewer Republicans in San Diego, Independents Surge, Democrats Remain Steady (NBC 7)
• San Diego residents allege wrongdoing by campaign for Assemblyman Todd Gloria  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• DeMaio Proposes National Concealed-Carry Program to Stop Mass Shootings (Times of San Diego)

STATE

• Concerned by California Channel closure, lawmaker in talks to keep Capitol coverage on TV  (Sacramento Bee)
• ‘Radical’ tree trimming: Critics say PG&E’s rush to stop fires may hurt California forests (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Gig-worker bill: Gavin Newsom keeps his distance from California’s big fight (San Francisco Chronicle)
• California leads latest lawsuit over Trump immigration rule  (AP)
• The end of Cabernet in Napa Valley?  (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Gov. Gavin Newsom, who struggled with dyslexia, is writing a children’s book about it (Los Angeles Times)
• California now has the biggest legal marijuana market in the world. Its black market is even bigger  (Los Angeles Times)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Listen to the full interview, originally aired on KNSJ radio: click the audio link.

Learn more about Ammar Campa-Najjar's town hall at the Alpine Community Center on August 18 from 1-4 p.m. by clicking here.

August 9, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – “We need an economy and a government that works for working people,” says Ammar Campa-Najjar, who is running for the 50^th Congressional district seat currently held by indicted Congressman Duncan Hunter. So we sat down with Campa-Najjar on our radio show to discuss those plans in detail.

Headlines tout a strong GDP as well as low unemployment. But  those numbers don’t tell the full story,  Campa-Najjar points out. “That’s great if you own stock.  But it’s not great if unemployment is low because one person is working three jobs, barely making a living and living paycheck to paycheck, having to choose whether to buy a gallon of gas or a gallon of milk.”  He says that in talking with people across the district, he’s hearing from people who are having to cut prescription pills in half or who can’t pay for insulin, choosing which bills to skip paying to cover basic survival needs. “These are real issues in the district, especially in rural areas."

Unlike most candidates who have run for this seat through the years, Campa-Najjar says he is uniquely positioned to bring good jobs to East County and elsewhere in the district because “I worked at the Department of Labor to create good-paying jobs, not just in San Diego County, but throughout the country.”

At the Department of Labor, he worked on creating apprenticeship jobs to train workers in high-paying fields, as well as setting up summer youth jobs and opportunities for veterans.  He later worked for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as communications and marketing director, which included promoting opportunities for small businesses to secure contracts with the federal government and corporations. He’s also worked as an educator teaching at UCSD, USD and SDSU.

He’s also a small business owner and Jamul resident who was born in La Mesa and raised by a working class Catholic mother. His first job was as a janitor at his church, where he became a youth leader before graduating from San Diego State and later working in the White House and at the U.S. Department of Labor.

So what kinds of jobs would he bring to the district, including rural areas, small towns and Native American reservations?

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview at the audio link and scroll down for highlights.

July 28, 2019 (Lemon Grove) – East Count Magazine sat down last week for an interview with Warsan Artan.  Born in Nairobi, Kenya, after her parents fled civil war in Somalia, she came to Lemon Grove as a refugee at the age of 10. A decade later, she is the lead Youth Organizer at Youth Will, a nonprofit dedicated to making San Diego a world-class region for children and youth. Youth Will recently rolled out a Summer of Youth Power campaign with a series of events to help young people’s voices be heard.

Her goal to create a brand-new regional master plan for San Diego's children and youth. The organization also recently held the region’s first youth county budget forum with Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, created a youth bill of rights, hosted youth presidential debate watch parties, and more.

July 18, 2019 (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

• Lake Murray burglary calls new gun law into question (KUSI)
• Iowa Couple Arrested in San Diego for Smuggling and Allegedly Abusing Migrant Girl From Guatemala (NBC)
• Former fraud investigator calls on AG to investigate DA’s office over Rodriguez investigation (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Changes to operation of Sweetwater Authority raise some concerns (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Local Congolese family pleads with ICE to release detained father (10 News)

STATE

• Ridgecrest earthquake aftershocks move toward dangerous faults, sparking concerns of triggered temblors (Los Angeles Times)
• The Ahwahnee is back: Yosemite reclaims historic names in trademark settlement (Sacramento Bee)
• California’s coast is disappearing, and the debate over what to do about it is in full swing (Los Angeles Times)
• State May Push Cities And Counties To Draw 'Fairer' Districts (CapRadio)
• Report: PG&E Ignored Repairs On Aging Power Lines (CapRadio)

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

July 4, 2019 (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

• New legislation would ban move by San Diego DA requiring defendants to give up future rights in plea bargains  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Mother of boy hit and killed by car in Lemon Grove files claim against city (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• New scooter regulations take effect in San Diego (10 News)
• Police transparency law does not cover car accidents, SDPD says (NBC 7)
• Pair convicted of murder in 2017 shooting outside La Mesa clothing store (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Ramona butcher claims top prize in History Channel contest (Ramona Sentinel)

STATE

• Hate crimes targeting Jews and Latinos increased in California in 2018, report says (Los Angeles Times)
• California lawmakers race to pass wildfire legislation by July 12 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Scant details: Are California utilities doing enough to fireproof their equipment? (Cal Matters)
• Chicken-killing Newcastle outbreak shows signs of subsiding (Riverside Press Enterprise)
•  Trump administration still holding on to $9 million owed to California fire departments (Sacramento Bee)

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

Updated with City of San Diego response and a wildlife biologist's reaction

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Grebe and chicks; grebe nest at risk

June 4, 2019 (Escondido) – A coalition of environmental groups has sent an urgent request to the San Diego County Water Authority asking for an emergency directive to halt pumping of water from Lake Hodges which has left grebe nests with eggs “high and dry” for the third time this season. The lake is in the city of San Diego, which has advised ECM today that it is taking steps to address the problem.

Grebes are famed for “dancing” across the water during mating system, drawing visitors for the spectacle. (View video of dancing grebes and a new video titled “Save the Grebe Chicks of Lake Hodges.”) 

The letter, signed by the Sierra Club, San Diego Audubon Society and four other environmental organizations, states that an estimated 300 eggs have been lost recently at Lake Hodges, from Western and Clark’s Grebes nests, some just days from hatching. 

May 30, 2019 (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

• La Mesa residents push for police oversight at community forum (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Rent cap could be coming to San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Newly Released Internal Report Details La Mesa Police Deadly Standoff In 2017  (KPBS)
• San Diego Ranks Eighth In Population Growth Among Major US Cities (KPBS)
• Two Additional Lanes To Open On South I-5 At U.S.-Mexico Border (KPBS)
• How Kevin Faulconer Touched Off a Historic Debate About San Diego’s Transportation Future (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego approves plans to expand Mission Trails park with a series of upgrades (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Uncovering A San Diego Porn Scheme: Deception, Humiliation Follow Online Ads (NBC 7)
• San Diego State Center apologizes for using photo of Palestinian terrorist (JPost)
• SD County Supes approve intellectually disabled hiring program (Patch.com)
• Advisory board recommends 30 changes to SDPD practices (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Chicken slaughter due to Newcastle spread tops more than 1.1 million in Inland Empire (Riverside Press Enterprise)
• PG&E says it will build Paradise power lines underground (Sacramento Bee)
• Think California’s too big and influential? Wait for the presidential primary (Los Angeles Times)
• Bye bye, big top? California lawmakers vote to ban the use of circus performing animals (Sacramento Bee)
• California (Poverty And Taxes) And Texas (Jobs And Freedom): A Few Key Comparisons (Forbes)

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

April 24, 2019 (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 at 250: A birthday like no other (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Something to celebrate? Indians’ conflicted feelings about San Diego’s 250th birthday (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• La Mesa ready to pay off library parcel (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• New Quake Map Shows Hazard Zones in San Diego County  (NBC7)
• Lawsuit Against Plan to Eliminate Parking in Transit Areas (NBC 7)

STATE

• California is paying tens of millions of dollars to settle claims from deadly wildfire (Sacramento Bee)
• Forget the trip to El Salvador, Newsom needs to focus on California’s problems (LA Times)
• New PG&E chief to receive millions in pay, stock to take over bankrupt company (Sacramento Bee)
• California wants sports competitions to award equal prize money to men and women (CNN)

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

March 28,  2019 (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

• NRC fines Southern California Edison $116,000 for nuclear canister incident at San Onofre (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Faulconer proposes new law to ban living in vehicles (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Feds take down alleged gang drug ring that sold dangerous carfentanil (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Local Democrats, Republicans react to Mueller report (KPBS)
• Four Men Accuse San Diego Unified Trustee Kevin Beiser of Sexual Misconduct, Abuse (Voice of San Diego)
• A Local Water Board Paid an Employee Not to Work There. Now He’s on the Board. (Voice of SD)
• VOSD Podcast Live: Transit San Diegans Might Actually Use (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• California voters could be asked to impose an estate tax, replacing the one Trump loosened (Los Angeles Times)
• Nearly 1,000 acre of redwood forests preserved in $11 million deal (San Jose Mercury-News)
• School accountability good for some, not others? (CAL matters)

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

March 14, 2019 (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

• Facing widespread criticism, Senator Hueso withdraws bill to rewrite state public records law (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• CPB: Two young girls dropped over border fence as distraction (10 News)
• George Bailey, whose political career spanned 35 years, dies at 100 (San Diego Union Tribune)
• Verizon customers experience problems with 911 Calls (KUSI)
• Source: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Government Tracking Journalists and Immigration Advocates Through a Secret Database (NBC 7)
• Bad behavior reported at Southern California wildflower super bloom (10 News)
• Local agencies respond faster than federal agencies to request for public records (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Morning report:  Travel ban splits a San Diego family ( Voice of San Diego)
• University of San Diego raises tuition above $50,000 for the first time (SDUT)
• The Learning Curve: Schools With Cops But No Counselors (Voice of San Diego)
• Fault Lines Emerge in Push to Connect Airport to Trolley (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces moratorium on death penalty, calls decision 'personal' (ABC)
• Sick marine mammals turning up on California beaches in droves (Los Angeles Times)
• How we mapped more than 100 years of wildfire history (Open News)
• California agencies dispute Colorado River drought plan (ABC News)

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

February 28, 2019 (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

• Hueso, City Attorney Pushing Law to Make Enforcement of Public Records Act Far More Difficult (Voice of San Diego)
• SDCFA Puts Backcountry In Danger, San Diego LAFCO Knows About It Too. (Julian Times)
• Lemon Grove looking at allowing short-term rentals to make money (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• `A new day at SANDAG,’ as agency admits it must cut promised projects (Voice of San Diego)
• La Mesa amends its laws about moving parked cars (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• George Bailey, East County icon, turns 100 (San Diego-Union Tribune)
• Major Shake-Up at San Diego’s Water Department (NBC 7)
• Tribe dips toes into pot trade with dispensary at former Santa Ysabel casino (San Diego Union Tribune)

STATE

• Governor Newsom declares state of emergency from winter storms (Patch.com)
• California lawmaker makes aggressive push against local development restrictions (Los Angeles Times)
• It’s Been Snowing in the Desert and People Are Losing Their Minds (Sunset)
• Saying no to the nurses: California Democrats aren’t pushing government-run health care this year (Sacramento Bee)
• Russian River reaches flood stage — evacuations ordered (San Francisco Chronicle)
• California Almond Growers Feel the Sting After Bee Thieves Abscond With Hives (Fortune)

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

By Miriam Raftery

February 16, 2019 (Boulevard) – The County will be holding a scoping meeting February 28 at 6 p.m. at the Boulevard Fire Station regarding Terra Gen’s Boulder Brush Gen-tie power line and new substation facilities proposed on private land to support the Campo Wind project.

The wind turbines would cover most of the Campo reservation with 60 4-megawatt wind turbines, if approved. The new turbines are twice as powerful and about 100 to 200 feet taller than the existing 25 Kumeyaay Wind and 57 Tule Wind turbines in the area, according to Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Community Planning Group.  The public is encouraged to come voice your views as part of the official public input process at this meeting.

Public comments are due to the County by March 18. 

February 6, 2019 (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

• Lemon Grove asking judge to remove city from lawsuit involving Councilman, dispensary applicant (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Campaign for Rep. Duncan Hunter reports spending hundreds at amusement park, disputes drone charges (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Baja Railroad's overhaul of MTS-owned Desert Line appears stuck in the sand (SDUT))
• Immigrant rights attorneys and journalists denied entry into Mexico (SDUT)
• Marijuana business opening, children's center to move (in La Mesa) (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Local school board member to lead statewide organization (SDUT)
• Santee – where everyone wants to live (San Diego Reader)
• San Diego restaurants can legally add a surcharge to diners' bills for labor costs, court rules (SDUT)

STATE

• Wildfire victims living in RVs forced to leave their own properties (NBC)
• Federal judge asks PG&E: Should I ‘let you keep killing people?’ Rules utility violated its felony probation (San Jose Mercury News)
• Lorena Gonzalez announces 2022 Secretary of State bid (SDUT)
• As California wildfires grew, so did PG&E lobbying spending (Sacramento Bee)
• A web of threats to California's power supply could leave the state in the dark (CAL Matters)
• California Introduces Rewards Program for Buying Milk (Food and Wine)

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

January 24, 2019 (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

• Lemon Grove picks S.Broadway as spot for future emergency shelter (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Social-justice activist announces bid to challenge Rep. Vargas (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Bird, Lime sued by disability rights activists who claim obstructed sidewalks (ArsTechnica)
• Man admits to attempted murder (The Alpine Sun)
• Gov. Newsom reverses parole for San Diego cop killer (Times of San Diego)

STATE

• New Ruling Could Upend Cases Where Poor Litigants Were Denied a Court Reporter (Voice of San Diego)
• Judge says uninsulated power conductors caused California fires (NBC)
• PG&E’s other big problem: Regulators detail gas record falsification claims (San Francisco Chronicle)

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

East County News Service

January 11, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Heavy rain and snow is forecast to fall starting tonight, with several new storm systems from the Pacific northwest slated to reach our region next week.

According to the National Weather Service, tonight and tomorrow morning should bring a half inch of rain west of the mountains and up to an inch or rain in the mountains, with several inches of snow above 6,000 feet including Palomar Mountain. Be prepared for a brief period of very heavy rain and strong surf.