By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview on KNSJ radio with Art Neill, New Media Rights Executive Director and FCC Consumer Advisory Committee member: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...  (Sound file may take a minute to load.)

View video of President Barack Obama’s announcement on net neutrality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKcjQPVwfDk

November 22, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) –President Barack Obama issued a statement on video on November 10 urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reclassify the internet under Title II.

“In plain language, the President came out in support of real net neutrality, the principle that says Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should treat all internet traffic equally,” says Art Neill, executive director of New Media Rights in San Diego and a member of the FCC’s consumer advisory committee, co-chair of the broadband working group.

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

By Miriam Raftery

November 18, 2014 (El Cajon)-  A driver who lost control while backing out of a parking space hit an unoccupied Ford SUV, then struck and injured three people who were waiting in line for food outside the Seventh Day Adventist church at 1630 East Madison Avenue Two of the victims, a 74-year-old woman and a 33-year-old woman, were pinned between the vehicle and a cement block wall, suffering serious injuries and were taken to a hospital, said Lt. Greg Robertson. A third woman, age 60, sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

The driver, 42, and her passenger, 62, also sustained minor injuries and were transported to a hospital.

East County News Service

November 18, 2014 (La Mesa) – Following a 10 News investigation that cited anonymous whistleblowers claiming corruption by a Helix Water District inspector and a construction company, the Helix Water District has responded to East County Magazine’s request for comments.  Read highlights of the 10 News story with links to the full report here.

Ted Salois, senior public affairs representative for the district, offered this response. 

“We strive to be excellent stewards of our customers’ funds and work diligently every day to continue earning the public’s trust.  When some concerns about our contracting practices were raised, we immediately initiated our own internal audit and commissioned a thorough review by an outside firm," he said.

East County News Service

November 18, 2014 (San Diego) – By a unanimous vote, San Diego’s City Council voted Tuesday to approve $3.5 billion to recycle water for drinking. The Pure Water project will include upgrading an aging water treatment plant in Point Loma to provide a dependable source of drinking water for the city during despite drought conditions.

UPDATE November 18, 2014 5 p.m. -- Helix Water District has responded to ECM's request for comments on the 10 News investigation.  Helix contends that an independent inquiry as well as an in-house audit found no irregularities.  You can read the Helix responses here.

View part 1 of the 10 News investigation here with links to documents and watch for part 2 airing tonight.

By Miriam Raftery

November 18, 2014 (La Mesa)—Whistleblowers are alleging that a Helix Water District inspector and a contractor conspired to overcharge ratepayers for work that was never done.

The district refused to be interviewed on camera about the allegations.  However an investigation by JW August at 10 News, an East County Magazine news partner, found documents that appear to substantiate some of the claims made by the whistleblowers, employees who spoke under condition that their names not be publicized due to fears of retribution.

East County Magazine has contacted Carlos Lugos, general manager at Helix, for comments on the 10 News investigation. We also inquired whether steps are being taken by the District to assure that overcharges are not made in the future. plus we asked whether competitive bids were obtained for the projects in question.  We will publish any responses once received.

By Miriam Raftery

November 16, 2014 (San Diego) – An oceanographer who has studied plutonium levels in the Black Sea after Chernobyl reports that small levels of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdowns in Japan have now reached waters off America’s west coast.

East County News Service

November 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Here are some of the top agenda items coming up on this week’s boards and commissions across East County, from a solar field in Lakeside's El Monte Valley to renovations at El Cajon’s City Hall to a marijuana dispensaries measure in Lemon Grove.  This week, the El Cajon and Lemon Grove City Council meet, as well as the Helix Water Board district.  Know of a hot item we missed on a board or council in your community? E-mail editor@eastCountymagazine.org.

November 15, 2014 (Spring Valley) – Our interview with Gretchen Burns-Bergman, founder of A New Path, is now online. Listen now at : https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...  .   Hear from this Spring Valley mother who helped lobby successfully to change drug sentencing laws and put more emphasis on getting help for those battling addiction. 

In the interview, she discusses newly announced reductions in federal drug sentencing laws that can also impact those already behind bars, as well as the impacts of Prop 47, the California ballot initiative recently passed.  This interview originally aired Wednesday on KNSJ 89.1 FM radio.

By Miriam Raftery

November 14, 2014 (San Diego)—The U.S. Ninth District Court of Appeals, in a divided 2-1 decision, ruled this week that California’s attorney general and gun control groups cannot appeal a decision that granted broader concealed gun carry rights in a San Diego case.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos, (ltop left to lower right):  Noori Barka and Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Wadi Deddeh and Congressman Susan Davis, Father Noel and Congressman Juan Vargas, Lion of Babylon/Citizen of the Year presentation to Pastor Harold Brown (third from right)

November 13, 2014 (El Cajon ) – With a theme of “together, we can build a better community,” the Chaldean American Association convened at the Crystal Ballroom in El Cajon on October 30^th for the organization’s annual awards banquet. 

Fire stations, schools, and public waterways among those targeted by thieves

By Miriam Raftery

November 11, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Water rustling is on the rise across California amid the worst drought ever recorded.  A thriving black market for purloined water has arisen, leaving authorities scrambling to catch thieves and lawmakers looking to stiffen penalties for stealing water.

East County News Service

November 10, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service predicts that the Polar Jet Stream will be forced south across the Pacific next week as a high pressure ridge moves to higher latitudes. This will force storms to track south, increasing the likelihood of significant rainfall by the middle of next week across southern California.

5 dogs now secured; missing pit bull mix sought by authorities

East County News Service

November 9, 2014 (Deerhorn Valley) – A pack of six dogs attacked a horse in Deerhorn Valley on Saturday.   Karen Sample heard her horse, Sergio, panicking and came out to find the horse kicking to defend itself against six dogs circling the frightened horse, lunging and biting. She fired a shotgun in the air to scare off the pack of dogs, the Deerhorn Valley Antler reports.

East County News Service

November 7, 2014 (El Cajon) – A man in his 40s was struck by a vehicle and killed while walking across Second Street at Marline Avenue in El Cajon shortly after 7 p.m. tonight.

CONTRACTORS REMINDED TO “CALL 8-1-1 BEFORE YOU DIG”

Nov. 6, 2014 (San Diego) – In response to an increase in damage to unmarked natural gas pipelines, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is reminding contractors about the importance of calling 8-1-1 before you dig. In the third-quarter of 2014, SDG&E crews repaired third-party damage to 50 natural gas lines, compared to 36 in the second quarter and 15 in the first quarter. Calling 8-1-1 or Underground Service Alert will help avoid possible injury or damage to hidden gas lines or service interruption (video link).