By Miriam Raftery

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Ron Logan and Miriam Raftery

September 14, 2010 (El Cajon) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will host a debate among the three ballot-qualified Congressonal candidates in the 52nd Congressional District. Congressman Duncan D. Hunter (R-Alpine) will square off against challengers Ray Lutz, a Democratic community activist and businessman, and Libertarian Michael Benoit, a small business owner.

The event will take place Friday, October 15th at 7 p.m. in the Communication Arts Theater at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in El Cajon.

October 14, 2010 (La Mesa) -- The Foothills Bar Association invites the public to a Judicial Candidates Forum on Thursday, October 14th at 12 p.m. at the BJ’s Restaurant in Grossmont Center. Attorney Jim Miller and Deputy District Attorney Richard Monroy both seek the seat currently held by the Hon. Robert C. Coates, who is retiring soon. This is the only scheduled meeting where both candidates will be present.

The public is welcome to come meet the candidates and ask them questions. There is no charge, however guests are encouraged to purchase lunch.

October 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Union-Tribune has published Q&As with candidates for eight East County school districts: Alpine Union, Cajon Valley, Grossmont Union High School, La Mesa-Spring Valley, Lakeside Union, Lemon Grove, Mountain Empire Unified, and Santee school districts. Below are links to the questionnaires and replies from those candidates who responded:

Residents Can Complete Voter Registration Form Online

Oct. 18 deadline to register to vote; Oct. 26 deadline to apply for mail-in ballot

October 12, 2010 (San Diego) – Want to learn more about Prop 23, one of the most important environmental battles ever in California’s history? Prop 23 would overturn the landmark AB 32 measure that reduced greenhouse gas emissions and strengthened clean air standards.

By Miriam Raftery

By Miriam Raftery
 

October 6, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Who gets elected as California’s next insurance commissioner is important for East County,  where many residents face problems getting fire insurance and where recent tremors have heightened concerns over earthquake insurance costs. The new commissioner will also oversee healthcare reform implementation and regulation of rates for auto, health, and homeowner's insurance costs.

Dave Jones, a legislator who authored major bills to curb abuses by the insurance industry and who refused insurance industry donations in this race, is running for the job. Now the insurance industry has been revealed using back-door tactics to fund multi-million dollar TV ads for Jones' opponent, Mike Villines.

October 6, 2010 (El Cajon ) – “We need to think outside the box,” El Cajon City Council candidate Duane Swainston said at a candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters this week, “even though we’re in El Cajon, which is `the box’,” he quipped noting the Spanish meaning of the City’s name.

Issues debated included education, healthcare, immigration reform, jobs, the water shortage, and the economy – as well as Whitman’s undocumented maid
 

By Miriam Raftery
 

October 3, 2010 (San Diego's East County)--In the second debate between candidates in the Governor’s race, former E-Bay CEO Meg Whitman and –ex-Governor/current Attorney General Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown reached out to Latinos, who account for one-third of California’s population and constitute a major voting block.

Hosted by Univision, a Spanish-language TV station, the debate covered education questions in depth, as well as other issues of interest to Latinos including immigration reforms, the state’s water shortage, healthcare, jobs, and the state budget. The controversy over an undocumented immigrant housekeeper employed by Whitman also sparked contentious discussion.

October 2, 2010 (San Diego) – Stephen Whitburn, candidate for San Diego County Board of Supervisors – 4th District, is pleased to announce that the Board of Supervisors has adopted one of his key reform proposals. After Whitburn appeared before the supervisors on September 28, the Board approved his proposal to ban supervisors from taking gifts from organizations that receive taxpayer funding through the Neighborhood Reinvestment Grants.