February 7, 2013--(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/REGIONAL

• Local ACLU defends data critical of Grossmont HS District (Santee Patch)
• Somali terrorism trial gets under way (U-T San Diego)
• Local ACLU defends data critical of Grossmont HS District (Santee Patch)
• Somali terrorism trial gets under way (U-T San Diego)
• Judge Strikes Down Plaza de Panama Approval (Voice of San Diego)
• Helix Honors Veterans with Heroes' Garden(La Mesa Patch) 
• School Board to fill La Mesa-Spring Valley vacancy on school board by appointment (La Mesa Patch)
• Gregory Canyon pits water against trash (KPBS)
• Video: Dynamite Brings Down Eyesore Power Plant, Sends Booms Across South Bay (Patch.com)
• Customer Advocates Accuse Regulators Of Capitulation In San Onofre Probe (KPBS)
• An interview with Terry Weiner, Desert Protective Council (Canyon Country Zephyr)
• Man accused of setting Rancho San Diego Church on fire pleads not guilty (10 News)
• Levy joins hospital construction oversight effort (La Mesa Today)
• Sea turtles coming out of their shells (U-T San Diego)
• Argument Between Ex-Housemates Blamed in Fatal La Mesa Shooting (La Mesa Patch)
• Thirsty farmers turn to wine  (Wall Street Journal –subscription required)

STATE

• Report questions how Calif. schools managed lands (Sacramento Bee)
• Solar development absorbing Calif. farmland UT San Diego)
• Calif. quake warning system proposed (Sacramento Bee)
• Second Snow Survey Shows Below Normal Conditions (KPBS)
• Another state agency caught hiding funds (U-T San Diego)
• Stolen ancient rock carvings in Calif. found (Sacramento Bee)
• State Abandons Algebra Requirement For 8th Graders (KPBS)
• Calif misses millions in federal money for inmates (U-T San Diego)

 Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

February 7, 2013 (La Mesa)—La Mesa Police Sergeant Michael Pierce sustained lacerations to his left arm and wrist from a bite by a police canine during a search for a suspect on February 4. At 7:49 p.m. La Mesa Police responded to a report of a disturbance in the 8200 block of Orchard Avenue, where a suspect reportedly had threatened his brother with a hammer. An El Cajon Police K-9 responded to assist in searching for the suspect.

Editor’s Note:  If you have any information on wildlife killed by tax-funded trappers in East County, please send your tips to editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

 

Reprinted with permission from Voice of San Diego.

By Rob Davis, for voiceofsandiego.org

A country club near Chula Vista’s Eastlake had a gnawing problem.

Coots. Lots and lots of coots.

The small, black bird that looks like a duck was chewing greens and fairways on the club’s golf course, pooping so much near the snack bar that it occasionally closed for cleanups. Birds are attracted to golf courses’ open space, a common problem in heavily developed Southern California. The private country club — records aren’t specific about which one — suspected the coots were hurting their bottom line.

$44,000 in stolen property seized along with explosives, drugs, guns, and stolen cars

February 6, 2013 (Ramona) – Mark Ertman, an ex-convict, has been arrested along with 12 others after a search warrant found stolen property at his residence at 2411 San Vicente Road in Ramona. 

“The property, known as the "Chicken Ranch," was used by a burglary ring operating in the East County to conceal and dismantle stolen property,” Sergeant B. Hout with the San Diego Sheriff said.  “The ring is believed to be responsible for over 20 burglaries during the course of the last year.”

The burglaries ranged from early morning residential hot prowls to commercial burglaries targeting the Girl Scouts of America.

By E.V. Small

February 5, 2013 (San Diego County)--For the past two years this question was extremely easy to answer. The combination of historically low interest rates and abundant inventory due to the record number of foreclosures has resulted in the lowest housing cost in decades.

February 4, 2013 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s first Breakfast Meeting of 2013 will host Supervisor Dianne Jacob as Guest Speaker on February 12 from 7:15 – 9:00 a.m. at the Masonic Lodge, 4731 Date Street, La Mesa.  

The cost is $15 for Chamber members and $20 for potential members and guests.  The “At Door” cost will be $25 for all attendees.  The Attendance Drawing is currently valued at $800.00.

February 4, 2013 (La Mesa) – San Pasqual Winery will be hosting a Dessert & Wine Pairing at the Tasting Room & Gallery, 8364 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa Feb. 12 – 14 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.  The Winery will pair five mini desserts with 5 specifically chosen San Pasqual Wines.

Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door ($20/$25 for wine club members).  For more information visit www.sanpasqualwinery.com.  For tickets call 619-462-1797.

February 4, 2013 (San Diego) – The Friends of Taka Sumi-e Art Society will exhibit traditional Japanese-style brush paintings, called sumi-e, on February 17 at Mission Trails Regional Park, 1 Fr. Junipero Serra Drive, San Diego from 1 to 4 p.m. as part of the Mission Trails Regional Park concert series featuring the Japanese bamboo flute.  The art show features the works of the members of the art- based society, Friends of Taka Sumi-e dedicated to studying and sharing the art of sumi-e brush painting.

By Jay Gee

February 4, 2013 (Boulevard)--I recently became aware of the numerous industrial size green energy projects being planned for the Boulevard area after looking at properties for sale. I have since changed my mind about purchasing property in the area as it will forever be changed in a negative way.

Having just read about the cumulative effects of the projects apparent "socioeconomic impact" to local residents the official response is that the impact will "diminish over time due to diminished sensitivity to the features". In other words, the local residents will get used to the beatings once they become numb to the pain.

By Aimee Walker

February 3, 2013 (Southwest U.S.)The southwest of the United States is of course widely known for that most magnificent of natural wonders, the Grand Canyon.  The region has much more to offer than a single scenic wonder, however.  The four states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona have some of the most magnificent hiking trails in all of the US.

By Janis Mork

February 2, 2013 (El Cajon)- The Heartland Lions Club of El Cajon  will host its annual fashion show to benefit the blind on March 23 from 12-3 p.m.. The event will be held at Ronald Reagan Community Center, 195 East Douglas Ave, El Cajon 92020.

By Nancy White

It’s pretty easy to avoid America’s leading killer, lurking in that dark alley.

February 2, 2013 (San Diego)--Heart disease kills more Americans – 599,000 in a recent year -- than such likely suspects as cancer, automobile accidents or illicit drug use. Start with the ABC’s. A is for avoiding tobacco. B means becoming more active. C stands for choosing good nutrition.

Challenge Launched to Support and Expand Workplace Charging Availability for U.S. Employees

February 2, 2013 (Washington, D.C.)-- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is one of 13 major U.S. employers and eight stakeholder groups to join the U.S. Department of Energy’s new Workplace Charging Challenge to help expand access to workplace charging stations for American workers across the country. In a speech at the Washington Auto Show today, Energy Secretary Steven Chu outlined the new initiative, which aims to expand the availability of workplace charging, increasing the convenience of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and providing drivers with more vehicle charging options.

Unfairly accused of widespread sheep deaths, coyotes are among the most persecuted predators in North America, All Animals magazine

By Karen E. Lange

February 1, 2013 (San Diego)--The lucky ones hide when the helicopters and planes appear overhead. Most coyotes, though, take off running for their lives. And this is just what the men from Wildlife Services want. Armed with Benelli shotguns modified to fire six or seven times in quick succession, they shoot and shoot again at the animals flushed from cover. They’re flying so low—sometimes as little as 20 to 100 feet off the ground—it feels like they’re shooting sideways. It’s easy to hit the coyotes: Some take a shot to the chest and die instantly. Others are merely wounded and crawl off to lingering deaths. Any the gunners miss, they can get on the next pass. Or the next. They stop only when they’ve shot every single coyote—when they’ve knocked down all the predators on the ground.

By Brian Lafferty

February 1, 2013 (San Diego) -- Every year around this time, the Landmark Ken Cinema - the venerable go-to theater for niche movies - treats San Diego to its annual showing of the year's Oscar nominated short films.  This year boasts a mostly impressive slate of animated shorts (my review of the live action shorts can be read here).