EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

May 26, 2016 (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

• Patient secretly recorded by Sharp Grossmont files claim against hospital  (NBC 7)
• MTS faces possible bus walkout (Patch.com)
• KUSI goes one on one with Senator Bernie Sanders (KUSI)
• Voter guide to San Diego and California races in June 7 primary (Times of San Diego)
• Locals rally for fawn rescue center (Ramona Sentinel)
• San Diego’s top cops comment on ACLU report, UT article about asset seizure (Patch.com)
• San Diego County Dams Old But Still Passing Muster (KPBS)

STATE

• Labor unions, environmentalists are biggest opponents of Governor Brown’s affordable housing plan (Sacramento Bee)
• Study: humans responsible for 90% of wildfires in California (KPBS)
• California Senate approves broad new gun restrictions (Sacramento Bee)
• Lake Mead declines to lowest level in history (Desert Sun)
• California Agencies Send Mixed Signals On Drought Conditions (NPR)
• National Park Service loses early round over Yosemite trademarks fight (Miami Herald)
• Groups got $11.6M from board they serve on (San Diego Union-Tribune)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

LOCAL

Patient secretly recorded by Sharp Grossmont files claim against hospital  (NBC 7)

A woman who was secretly recording while giving birth by emergency caesarean section in September 2012 at Sharp Grossmont has filed a claim against the hospital for what she alleges is a "systemic and shocking breach" of her patient privacy rights.

MTS faces possible bus walkout (Patch.com)

MTS Access paratransit service and 18 of 95 bus routes would be affected by a work stoppage beginning Wednesday.

KUSI goes one on one with Senator Bernie Sanders (KUSI)

KUSI's John Soderman had a chance to meet with presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders prior to his rally at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista on Sunday. Here's what Senator Sanders had to say about San Diego as a military town, what he defines as the problem with "corporate media" and being called "Crazy Bernie" by conservative radio hosts. 

Voter guide to San Diego and California races in June 7 primary (Times of San Diego)

Record turnout is expected for California’s June 7 primary because of the Presidential candidates, but there are also a number of high-profile state and local races. Here is a guide to the key races on the ballot in San Diego County.

Locals rally for fawn rescue center (Ramona Sentinel)

Dozens flocked to the home of Ramona resident Terry Lockwood recently to raise money for a new fawn rescue center.

San Diego’s top cops comment on ACLU report, UT article about asset seizure (Patch.com)

San Diego Chief of Police Shelley Zimmerman and San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore released a joint statement Thursday in response to a watchdog article by the The San Diego Union-Tribune about an American Civil Liberties Union report focusing on California law enforcement agencies' use of the federal civil asset-forfeiture program. The ACLU report accuses cops of "using loopholes to profit from innocent, vulnerable Californians."

San Diego County Dams Old But Still Passing Muster (KPBS)

While San Diego's aging dams have passed their latest inspections, government agencies make little information public about the threat a failure would pose.

STATE

Labor unions, environmentalists are biggest opponents of Governor Brown’s affordable housing plan (Sacramento Bee)

Powerful opponents have emerged to fight Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to streamline affordable housing development — and their main reason isn’t about building homes.A coalition of labor and environmental organizations has come out against the proposal, arguing that the governor’s plan would harm public health because it allows housing projects to sidestep the state’s premier environmental law.

Study: humans responsible for 90% of wildfires in California (KPBS)

In its latest wildfire forecast, the U.S. Forest Service this week said Southern California is “particularly vulnerable” given the ongoing drought and 40 million dead trees that could fuel fires.But a new study, published in the scientific journal PLOS One, suggests it’s not just weather that's driving wildfires. Researchers at the George Washington University found human activity — everything from cigarette litter to toppled power poles — is as much to blame for how often and where wildfires occur.

California Senate approves broad new gun restrictions (Sacramento Bee)

11 bills, including regulation of ammunition sales and stolen gun reporting, advance to Assembly; Senate leader’s goal is to convince supporters to pull proposed gun-safety ballot measure; Initiative supporters reject that call because bills do not address all elements of their proposal

Lake Mead declines to lowest level in history (Desert Sun)

The nation’s largest reservoir has broken a record, declining to the lowest level since it was filled in the 1930s….The downward march of the reservoir near Las Vegas reflects enormous strains on the over-allocated Colorado River. Its flows have decreased during 16 years of drought, and climate change is adding to the stresses on the river…odds are increasing for the federal government to declare a shortage in 2018…political pressures are building for California, Arizona and Nevada to reach an agreement to share in the cutbacks in order to avert an even more severe shortage.

California Agencies Send Mixed Signals On Drought Conditions (NPR)

The metropolitan water district of southern California says it will ease up on some water restrictions, but the state is doubling down on others. KPCC reporter Sanden Totten explains.

National Park Service loses early round over Yosemite trademarks fight (Miami Herald)

The National Park Service has lost an early round of legal maneuvering over Yosemite National Park’s trademarked names, as a multi-front fight narrows to the court venue preferred by the aggrieved former concessionaire. In a procedural move that might shape the final outcome, the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board this week put on hold the park service’s request to cancel certain Yosemite-area trademarks.

Groups got $11.6M from board they serve on (San Diego Union-Tribune)

The $2 million awarded by First 5 San Diego last month to organizations whose leaders sit on the commission awarding the funds was part of a pattern of such grants.