By Miriam Raftery

July 7, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - Last week, we reminded you that fireworks are illegal in San Diego County and cautioned you about the dangers.  Today we have some stories that make clear why shooting off your own fireworks is not a good idea. Fireworks caused fires locally and statewide including a major brush fire, as well as some serious injuries.

These dogs are among dozens waiting for their owners at County animal shelters after fireworks Saturday night

Helix, Padre and Otay Districts share info, tips at Chaldean Chamber meeting

By Miriam Raftery

July 5, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Representatives from Helix,  Padre Dam, and Otay Water districts spoke at a California Drought program hosted by the San Diego East County Chaldean-American Chamber of Commerce on June 24^th in La Mesa.

All three districts are working to make sure their customers comply with Governor Jerry Brown’s order for 25% cuts in water use statewide. But their approaches vary, ranging from educating consumers to offering rebates to one district readying to impose fines on heavy water users.

Here’s what you need to know:

July 4, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --Caltrans construction crews will close several connector ramps on State Route 67 (SR-67) to and from Interstate 8 (I-8) and from SR-67 to State Route 52 (SR-52) for night work Sunday to Wednesday. See attached.

East County News Service

July 2, 2015 (La Mesa) –June Takekawa Hsu, an 85-year-old La Mesa resident, has died of injuries sustained in a crash on northbound I-5  in Del Mar on June 24th shortly before 5 a.m. , the County Medical Examiner’s office reports.

Update July 3:  A fund to rebuild the burned black churches has been started by MoveOn, with 100% to be donated for the rebuilding.  Click here to help rebuild the burned churches.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: 2005 KKK cross burning, Confederate till Death - English Wikipedia

July 2, 2015 (San Diego) – In a week when America celebrates its independence, the freedom to worship guaranteed by our constitution is under attack for some Americans.

East County News Service

July 1, 2015 (San Diego) – Law enforcement agencies across the United States, including here in San Diego, have been warned to be on heightened alert for potential terror threats over the July 4^th weekend. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Friday that his agency, along with the FBI are “encouraging all law enforcement to be vigilant and prepared.

East County News Service

Photo: View from Lyons Peak, Jamul, courtesy UCSD HP Wren webcam

Update 3:30 p.m. -

• Mudslide across roadway: Highland Valley and Archie Moore roads, Ramona, CHP site reports
• Hellhole Canyon Preserve: Vegetation fire, North County, per scanner
• Lightning fire on hillside, Bancroft and Campo Rd. reported, scanner and CHP

June 30, 2015 (Lakeside) 2:40 p.m. - Thunder, lightning and heavy fires are sparking multiple emergency responses across East County. Here are highlights within the past hour:

• Flooding is reporting in Alpine at Tavern and East Willow Road exits.
• A fire was reported at 94 near Shockey Truck Trail.
• Fire crews have also been dispatched to Kitchen Creek near Cameron Truck Trail, per scanner traffic.
• An earlier fire on Highway 67 near Slaughterhouse Canyon is out, halted at about 3 acres.
• Power lines are down and a power pole reported leaning across the roadway at Dye Road in Ramona.
• SDG&E reports power outages in Eastlake/Otay are impacting 171 customers with restoration estimated at 6:30 p.m.
• A larger outage is affected 623 households in Dulzura, Potrero, Campo, Japatul Valley, Buckman Springs, And Morena Village areas with rsetoration estimated for 4:30 p.m.
  

By Dan Herman, Public News Service

PHOTO: More than 60 organizations have sent a letter calling on Congress to remove a rider in its budget bill they claim would block the FCC from implementing net neutrality rules. Photo credit: Sean MacEntee/Flickr Commons.

June 29, 2015 (Washington D.C.) --- More than 60 civil-rights and public-interest groups have sent a letter urging Congress to protect the Federal Communications Commission's decision to keep the Internet open.

County News Service

June 26, 2015 (San Diego)--Love cats and kittens? How do you feel about a good deal? The County’s animal shelters are overwhelmed with furry felines right now so it’s holding a “Name your Price” cat adoption event starting Friday, June 26 through Friday, July 31. The normal cat adoption fee of $58 will be waived, and you’ll be asked what adoption fee you’d like to pay.

By Miriam Raftery

June 27, 2015 (Ramona) – A 21-year-old Ramona man driving a new 2015  Honda Civic was struck head-on Friday night at 10:34 p.m. on State Route 67.  A Kia driven by a 16-year-old San Diego teen with a provisional driver’s license crossed the center line after the driver lost control.  The two drivers, along with a 16-year-old passenger in the Kia, all sustained serious injuries.

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.

By Miriam Raftery

June 25, 2015 (Washington D.C.) –The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a landmark ruling to uphold nationwide federal subsidies in all 50 states to help people buy healthcare under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. 

Opponents had argued that the subsidies should be available only to people in states that set up healthcare exchanges .  Currently 8.7 million Americans receive the subsidies, but the vast majority of those – 6.4 million—are in states that did not set up exchanges. Those 6.4 million people would have lost their subsidies if plaintiffs had prevailed in the case, King v. Burrell.

Chief Justice John Roberts voted with liberal justices to support the law.  Writing the majority decision, Roberts concluded, “Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not destroy them.”

By Miriam Raftery

June 25, 2015 (El Cajon) – Nationwide, over 400,000 rape kits have never been tested, including many right here in our region.  Yet testing every rape kit can produce undeniably dramatic results.

By Miriam Raftery

June 24, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Thunderstorms capable of heavy downpours, gusty winds and lightning strikes may hit our mountain and desert regions starting this weekend. The storms are forecast from Saturday through Tuesday, mainly in the afternoons and evenings.