By Miriam Raftery

May 2, 2016 (San Diego) – The San Diego Association of Governments  (SANDAG) board voted last week to send a ballot measure that would fund transit, freeway and infrastructure improvements to voters in November.  Next up, Supervisors must decide whether to let voters have the final say.  If approved the $18.2 million plan would raise county sales tax a half cent to fund freeway projects, road repairs, public transit, open space management and complying with state water quality mandates.

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

May 1, 2016 (Sacramento) - If you have a credit card or a job, have ever seen a doctor or needed a nursing home, you've probably signed an arbitration agreement that requires you to give up the right to sue, and go through mediation in the event of a dispute.

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2016 (San Diego) — Mayor Kevin Faulconer is being rocked by criticism after a homeless advocacy group posted photos on Facebook of sharp, jagged rocks installed by the city of San Diego beneath an overpass where homeless people had been sleeping and taking shelter during storms. San Diego has no year-round homeless shelter and has also been conducting sweeps to confiscate belongings of homeless individuals.

Source:  Heartland Press Release

April 25, 2016 (El Cajon) — A fire at a mobile home in El Cajon has caused an estimated $40,000 worth of structure damage and $20,000 to the contents.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy Billy Ortiz

April 24, 2016 (Lakeside) – Yesterday morning’s Western Days Parade in Lakeside was marred by tragedy.   Diana Cavender, an experienced horse trainer and member of the Escondido Mounted Posse, has died of head injuries suffered in a fall that occurred when her horse spooked while she was riding to a staging area after the parade.

Source: San Diego Sheriff's Department News Release

Photo: Ramona Airport, courtesy County News Center

April 23, 2016 (Ramona) - Earlier today, deputies from the Ramona Sheriff's Substation assisted firefighters with CAL FIRE with a plane crash at Ramona Airport.    

By Miriam Raftery

April 20, 2016 (Sacramento) – Despite intense opposition from more than 100 Californians at a grueling 3-hour hearing on April 13^th, the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee approved Assembly Bill 2395 by a 10 to 3 vote.  View hearing video on CalChannel.  (Click on AB 2395 to hear testimony).  The measure would allow elimination of land line telephones in many parts of California.

Update April 23, 2016:  County staff has responded to ECM questions on this issue.  View their response here.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Elaine Lyttle, Hatfield Creek Winery & Vineyard, says the county's "priorites are wrong" and faults excessive regulations for stifling her award-winning winery in Ramona.

April 20,2016 (Ramona) –  Leaders in Ramona’s burgeoning wine industry warn in correspondence to Supervisors that Ramona’s wine industry could die on the vine as a result of changes proposed to the County’s Boutique and Small Wineries Regulations.

 The changes are set for hearing by Supervisors on Wednesday, April 27 at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Center (Room310, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego).  View agenda and hearing announcement. 

Two versions of the ordinance will be up for consideration, one approved by the Planning Commission, the other a recommendation by staff of Planning & Development Services. One important note: legal challenges may be limited only to issues raised at a public hearing or in written correspondence delivered to the hearing body at or before the hearing, according to the hearing notice.

April 20, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- The City of Lemon Grove, along with its fire department, Heartland Fire & Rescue, will be taking steps to clear brush from eight and a-half acres near Lawton Drive and Camino De Las Palmas in Lemon Grove. Goats will be used as part of the process in clearing heavy brush to minimize fire danger and help create defensible space for homes in this area.

ELM began delivering 150 adult and 50 juvenile goats (kids) on Monday, April 18, 2016^. The brush clearing event will last approximately 2 weeks. The goats may be visible to those traveling along the 125 freeway in the area of Lemon Grove during this weed abatement process.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Creative commons by Editor Brad

April 19, 2016 (Campo) – A quirky relic of East County’s past is now gone.  Locals called the nest-shaped satellite dish the “Pterodactyl birdbath.”

East County News Service

April 2, 2016  (Ramona) – East County Magazine subscribers are invited to join us to savor “Mountain Magic” at the beautiful Vineyard Grant James (25260  Old Julian Highway) in the heart of Ramona's wine region on Saturday April 16 from 1-4 p.m.  (Not yet a subscriber? Join free.)

This very special afternoon will include wonderful wine-tasting, savoring Cheeses from the Cave gourmet cheeses, fresh fruits, chocolates crafted by master chocolate-maker GB Treats  and other delectable delights, plus live music by the award-winning Baja Blues Brothers and a wealth of prizes!

Drawing and silent auction prizes include mountain getaway vacation, wine lovers’ baskets,  gardener’s gifts,  hand-crafted pottery, yoga, personal training, Santee Lakes family fun pack, Mountain Hempire gift basket, bookstore gift certificate, music CDs, coffee lovers basket, and more!

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: McCain Valley in San Diego’s East County, site of Iberdrola’s planned Tule Wind energy project

April 14, 2016 (Sacramento) – California’s Public Utilities Commission announced yesterday that an administrative law judge for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has ruled that Iberdrola Renewables LLC and Shell Energy North America defrauded California state officials out of $1.1 billion on the heels of the Enron energy scandal. 

Iberdrola, a Spanish energy corporation, recently won approval from the federal government to build the controversial Tule Wind project in McCain Valley in a federal recreation area.

East County News Service

April 13, 2016 (Santee) - An SUV driver who reportedly ran a red light after exiting State Route 52 near Mission Trails Regional Park in Santee struck a big rick truck at high speed early Wednesday morning, Patch.com reports.  The dark blue SUV became wedged under the big rick, trapping the driver inside.

By Miriam Raftery

April 12, 2016 (Sacramento) – Tomorrow, April 13^th at 1 p.m.,  the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce will hear AB 2395, a measure that aims to eliminate hard-wired land line phones in California communities where cabled fiber optic connections are not available or are too expensive to install, such as rural, mountain and desert regions.  Customers would have no choice but to switch to wireless cell phone service, if the measure being pushed by AT&T is enacted.

In emergencies, 911 callers’ locations cannot easily be verified, unlike calls from land line which can be pinpointed instantly. In case of fire, medical emergency, or a serious crime in progress, prompt 911 responses are critical.  Moreover, during power outages, cell phones run out once batteries are dead and there is no way to recharge batteries in an outage, whereas old-fashioned land lines (though not cable phones) continue to work even when the electricity is off.

"In addition, some of us living near the U.S./Mexico border do not have cell service due to rugged terrain and agreements with Mexico not to have cell towers too close to the border,” says Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Community Planning Group.  So eliminating land lines would leave border residents in the most remote areas of  San Diego County with no phone service at all.

Public encouraged to send letters to state and county decision makers

East County News Service

April 10, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Supervisor Dianne Jacob has sent a letter to the County Board of Education President Gregg Robinson PhD urging support for a public vote to determine the outcome of the Grossmont Union High School District’s proposal for “by trustee” area elections. The GUHSD board majority is seeking a waiver from a state requirement that would ordinarily require a public vote on any redistricting proposal. 

But Jacob writes, “The importance of representing the people through elections is paramount to the political process. Normally, election `by trustee’ is a fair way to ensure that constituents are being properly and proportionally represented. GUHSD’s proposal to move to a `by-trustee’ area election method is not something that is generally considered unusual, however, recent actions and decisions by GUHSD’s Board of Directors has created a sense of public distrust.”