County News Service

Photo: NIFC.gov

Update July 21: Supervisors voted unanimously to ask the Obama administration to take action and allow USFS air tankers to land in Ramona.

July 20, 2015 (Ramona)—The U.S. Forest Service is refusing to fly its newest air tankers in and out of Ramona Air Attack Base – and the Board of Supervisors may turn to the White House for help.  

On Tuesday, July 21 at 9 a.m. Supervisors will consider a proposal from Chairman Bill Horn and Supervisor Dianne Jacob to appeal the decision to the Obama Administration. With the high-risk fall fire season approaching, they say flying the next-gen tankers in and out of Ramona could help save lives and protect property.

East County News Service

July 19, 2015 (San Diego) – The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)  will host its annual convention on Wednesday, July 22 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego. The organization is funded by corporations and pushes state legislators to introduce “model” legislation that it calls “pro-business.”  Speakers include Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Scott Walker and Mike Huckabee. The conference also will include other state and national legislators from across the nation.

But progressive organizations are mobilizing thousands of people for a march, rallies and protests against ALEC, which critics say pushes forward anti-worker, anti-environmental measures drafted behind closed doors.  Local State Senator Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) chairs ALEC’s California chapter.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos, left: Three of the five special needs children in Zeldin's care.

July 11, 2015 (Rancho San Diego) – Friends describe Debra Zeldin as an “angel.”  Twice named the County’s foster parent of the year, she has taken in over 60 foster children, specializing in those with special medical needs.  She currently has five children in her care, including a blind, 6-year-old boy for whom she helped obtain a kidney transplant and a 10-year-old girl with muscular dystrophy who  just came home from the hospital when Zeldin discovered her van had been stolen. Two of the children use wheelchairs and one is on a tracheotomy curently.

Now Zeldin needs help –and a friend has launched a fundraising drive to raise money for repairs, since the thieves who stole her van had no insurance or assets and Zeldin’s insurance company has informed her that her policy lacked comprehensive coverage.

June 27, 2015 (San Diego)--Congressman Juan Vargas and Mark Arabo will be featured in an hour-long special, “Crossing Jordan—Escape from Terror” on Fox News detailing their work  to help facilitate safe passage for religious minorities out of Iraq and Syria, and to secure their freedom.

The program anchored by Bret Baier premiered Friday night and will air again on Saturday, June 27 at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time and on Sunday, June 28 at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard time.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: The Moderate Voice

June 26, 2015 (Washington D.C.) – In a historic ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court majority has ruled that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states, protected under the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.

President Barack Obama likened the decision to “justice that arrives like a thunderbolt,” declaring, “When all Americans are treated as equal, we are all more free.”

The high court, ruling in the Obergefell v. Hodges case, was asked to decide two issues: can individual states ban  same-sex marriage and must all states honor same-sex marriages for weddings performed in other states. 

Justice Anthony Kennedy, a Republican appointed by Ronald Reagan, wrote the majority opinion in the 5-4 opinion, joined by the court’s four liberal justices.

June 25, 2015 (San Diego)--The San Diego Latino Film Festival has issued a call for entries for its 2016 event. The deadlines are September 11 for early entry, October 9 normal entry, and November 13, late entry. Entry fees range from $15-$25 for early entries up to $40-60 for late entries.

The 23^rd annual festival will be held March 10-20, 2016. The festival seeks entries for short films and feature films. Last year’s festival was attended by an audience of 21,500 actively-engaged film lovers, filmmakers, actors, programmers, distributors, industry representatives, and journalists.

By Miriam Raftery

June 15, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Helix Water District’s Board of Directors will vote on whether or not to close the campground at Lake Jennings in Lakeside. The vote is set for Wednesday, June 17^th at 2 p.m. at the board meeting at the district’s headquarters, 7811 University Avenue in La Mesa.

The vote is slated despite huge gains made in stemming financial losses, from $200,000 in 2013  to just $24,000 this year, plus increased profitability of other attractions and activities with potential for more, including state approval to add kayaks just  last month.

Director Kathleen Coates-Hedberg urges the public: “If  you want to see Lake Jennings Campground stay OPEN for the future and would like to voice your opinion, please come to the Board meeting or send an email to our Board Secretary and she will forward to Board Members. Board Secretary, Sandy Janzen, Sandy.Janzen@HELIXWATER.org.”

Area rep also sought to help place foreign exchange students

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our radio  interview  on KNSJ with Karen Toledo  from the ISE (Click audio link, top left)

June 10, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Families are wanted to host international exchange students in East County and across our region, says Karen Toledo, assistant manager for the International Student Exchange (ISE) locally.  An area rep is also sought to help place the many students eager for local homes for the next semester—and those who place 7 students or more will be rewarded with a trip to Ireland.

Toledo, a Lemon Grove resident knows first-hand the joys of the program, having hosted over 100 foreign exchange students at her own home.  She’s also traveled the world – visiting students she formerly hosted to experience their cultures, too. 

“It’s an amazing experience…I’m a single mom and I was hosting two at a time…I’ve traveled to many of their homes and stayed with them,” says Toledo, who cites Spain and Brazil as recent places she has visited. “They treat you so well when you come, because they are so thankful that you treated their kids so well and they had an amazing year.”

Story by Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: "Would you want these kids breathing that, every day for 15 years?" -- Jessica Webb

June 5, 2015 (Lakeside) –  Imagine up to 250 trucks a day – one every minute and a half—hauling sand along a rural  road right in front of your house--five days a week for the next 15 years or more in El Monte Valley, if a sand mining developer has his way.  It gets worse:  noise and dust from sand mining operations clogging the area, kicking up potentially deadly Valley Fever spores lurking in soil here, where several El Monte Valley residents have already contracted the disease. 

The sand loads would be transported for use on highways, roadways and other aggregate projects across San Diego County—potentially bringing sand  laden with Valley Fever spores to construction projects near you.  All thanks to a deal cut by Helix Water District to settle litigation over a golf course and water reclamation deal gone sour on land that Helix owned in El Monte Valley, a county-designated scenic view corridor.

This project has the Orwellian-like name “El Monte Nature Preserve” though all parties including the developer concede it is first and foremost a mining operation that will strip bare the valley for decades, lowering the valley floor 30 feet with dredging  far deeper in places, in a project three times wider than Lake Jennings.

By Miriam Raftery

May 15, 2015 (Cleveland National Forest) – Last month, we reported that the County had begun a major cleanup of dirt dumped inside Cleveland National Forest along Boulder Creek Road, an area proposed for federal wilderness desgnation, following an East County Magazine investigation.

Now County communications specialist Gig Conaughton has provided follow-up information in response to our questions on whether piles would be completely removed, whether the dirt contained invasive or flammable weed species, and whether a similar cleanup would be done following similar grading by SDG&E.

May 13, 2015 (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

• How California's New Environmental Regulations On Desalination Affect Carlsbad's Plant (U-T)
• Tribune Publishing To Buy U-T San Diego For $85M (KPBS) 
• San Diego Biologists Find New Populations Of Rare Plant (KPBS)
• GCCCD bond panel seeks 3 new members (U-T) 
• City pumps drinking water into lake (U-T) 
• Commission Opts To Compare Alternatives Before Voting On Carlsbad Power Plant (KPBS) 
• Increased Terror Risk Causes Heightened Security At San Diego County Military Installations (KPBS) 
• Grand Jury Report: San Diego County's Backcountry Needs More Fire Protection (KPBS) 
• San Diego Rents Among Highest In Country (KPBS)
• City pays Chargers in 'Q' lease (U-T)
• San Diego Supervisors Say Dave Roberts Violated Brown Act
• The Case of the Missing Alpine High School (Voice of SD)

STATE

• California Commission Approves Raise For Gov. Brown (AP)
• Los Angeles homelessness rises 12 percent amid slow economic recovery (Reuters)
• Los Angeles job growth flat while San Francisco booms, report says (Reuters)
• Close dilapidated, rodent-infested prison, California lawmaker says (Reuters)
• Emails show UCLA, CPUC deal making (U-T)

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

April 29, 2015 (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

•  Ex-La Mesa mayor Art Madrid writing book
• 4 San Diego climbers trapped in Nepal (UT San Diego)
• It’s Over: The Chargers Are Done With San Diego (Voice of SD)
• San Diego's homeless on rise (U-T)
• How The Fall Of Saigon Made San Diego A Refugee Hub (KPBS)
• Utilities on the trail to tiers  (SD Reader)
• Padre Dam Water District launches pilot drinking water program (Alpine Sun)
• Las Colinas is something to Yelp about (SD Reader)
• New Chief of Police Walt Vasquez getting reacquainted to serve the citizens of La Mesa (East County Californian)
• Emerald Wants Her Chief Of Staff To Take Over San Diego Council Seat (KPBS)
• Water deal with Imperial Valley on the line
• City’s own water use spiked

STATE

• Governor, state get tougher on water use (U-T)
• What's that Caltrans is using for water? (U-T)
• CA still tied to Gold Rush era water rights system (U-T San Diego)
• Is that joint damaging our environment? (U-T San Diego)
• Marijuana: the new drought villian? (U-T San Diego)
• Thirsty for clean power, California taps winds in Mexico (U-T San Diego)
• Time for state's leaders to tackle teacher tenure (UT San Diego)
• Union challenges CPUC law deal (U-T San Diego)

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

April 8, 2015 --  (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

• No viewing before writing: Bill challenges body camera policies (Fox 5 News)
•  Judge: you will stand trial for those threats (10 News) 
• My next step (SD Rostra, posted by Assemblyman Brian Jones) 
• San Diego gets $143,000 settlement in Briggs-Cacciatore conflict (KPBS) 
• Commissioner taken off San Onofre case (U-T) 
• Regulators Plan To Drop Case At Closed San Onofre Nuclear Plant (KPBS) 

STATE

• Hardship on Mexico’s farms, a bounty for U.S. tables (Los Angeles Times) 
• California Housing Restrictions Relaxed For Some Sex Offenders (KPBS) 
• California's death row faces no-vacancy situation (Reuters) 
• Beneath California Crops, Groundwater Crisis Grows (NY Times) 
• Kamala Harris Raises $2.5M For California Senate Bid (AP) 
• Millions At Stake In California Tribe Membership Dispute (NPR) 
• CPUC law firm deal questioned (U-T) 

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

Plus Part I in a series of essays on attaining sustainability for our region

April 4, 2015 (San Diego) – Last month, we sat down for an in-depth interview on our radio show with ecological designer Jim Bell, an internationally recognized expert on sustainable development. You can hear the interview, originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM, here: http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/fgoysx432j/Newsmaker-JimBell-SustainblePlanForRegion2015.mp3

Bell has a plan to make the San Diego and Tijuana region sustainable in terms of energy, water, food, and more.  Currently he is working to distribute 20,000 free copies of his newest publication, Consciousness and Knowledge, throughout our region including 10,000 in Spanish.  You can download a copy here.  

Director of the Ecological Life Systems Institute and the San Diego Center for Appropriate Technology,  Bell is also the Sierra Club’s representative on the City of San Diego’s Regional Advisory Energy Committee.  He has lectured at the World Conference of the Society of International Development in Mexico City, the American Institute of Architects’ California conference, and many other prominent events.  A past mayoral candidate, he is the author of “Achieving Eco-nomic Security on Spaceship Earth” as well as many other articles and papers on creating sustainable economies.

Below is the first in a series of essays by Bell on how we can achieve sustainability in our region.