EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

November 7, 2017 (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

• San Diego home price increases outpace nation, most U.S. cities (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Texas Shooter Served One Year in the MCAS Miramar Brig (KPBS)
• Meb Keflezhigi finishes 11^th at New York marathon, ends career where it started (Times of San Diego)
• La Mesa moves along with new ideas for MacArthur Park (SD Union-Tribune)
• Sons of Charity under scrutiny after entire board resigns, alleging misuse of funds(East County Californian)
• Marine Corps Waits for Nuke Waste Removal from San Onofre (KPBS)
• Fact Check: More than $100M for Mental Health Is Sitting in the Bank (Voice of SD)
• Suggestions for resolving the San Onofre case depend on who's talking (SD Union-Tribune)
• SDG&E's new computer system would cost almost $1B over its lifespan (SD Union-Tribune)

STATE

• As wildfires raged, insurers sent in private firefighters to save homes of wealthy (Wall St. Journal)
• East Coast Republicans push back against Trump’s tax plan: why didn’t California’s GOP? (Los Angeles Times)
• Marijuana is about to get expensive in California (Patch)
• A Russian Twitter bot promoted California secession, or Calexit (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• PG&E Reports Describe Falling Trees, Downed Power Lines on Night Deadly Fires Started (KPBS)
• State water board scraps restrictions on toxic metal (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

LOCAL

San Diego home price increases outpace nation, most U.S. cities (San Diego Union-Tribune)

San Diego had the third highest annual home price increase in the nation in August, a distinction not reached since 2014, said a top real estate index released Tuesday. San Diego County home prices have risen 7.8 percent in a year…

Texas Shooter Served One Year in the MCAS Miramar Brig (KPBS)

The man who opened fire with an assault rifle in a Texas church over the weekend, killing more than two dozen congregants, ended his military career with a stint in the brig at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar for domestic-violence crimes, authorities confirmed Monday.

Meb Keflezhigi finishes 11^th at New York marathon, ends career where it started (Times of San Diego)

From refugee to high school miler to decorated marathoner, the long and incredible competitive running journey of San Diego’s Meb Keflezighi came to a close Sunday at the New York City Marathon.

La Mesa moves along with new ideas for MacArthur Park (San Diego Union-Tribune)

MacArthur Park in La Mesa is getting a fresh start.

Sons of Charity under scrutiny after entire board resigns, alleging misuse of funds(East County Californian)

What started as a dream to help families with children suffering from cancer in San Diego County may be at risk with a status on Facebook announcing the sudden resignation of the entire board of Sons of Charity (SOC) along with several volunteers.

Marine Corps Waits for Nuke Waste Removal from San Onofre (KPBS)

The Navy and Marines would like to reclaim the military base land where the San Onofre nuclear power plant now sits, as soon as it is safely decommissioned. But with nuclear waste stored on the site indefinitely, that could be decades.

Fact Check: More than $100M for Mental Health Is Sitting in the Bank (Voice of San Diego)

State Sen. Ben Hueso claimed San Diego County is holding onto more than $100 million in state funds that could be used on mental health services.

Suggestions for resolving the San Onofre case depend on who's talking (San Diego Union-Tribune)

The utilities are sticking by the shutdown deal for the San Onofre nuclear plant, approved in 2014. Consumer groups say it should be modified to better protect ratepayers. And a San Diego lawyer says state regulators botched the case so badly they can no longer be trusted to make a fair ruling.

SDG&E's new computer system would cost almost $1B over its lifespan (San Diego Union-Tribune)

San Diego Gas & Electric wants to replace its outdated computer system with a $253 million new one that the company says will help save ratepayers money, but first the California Public Utilities Commission has to approve the deal. 

STATE

As wildfires raged, insurers sent in private firefighters to save homes of wealthy (Wall St. Journal)

Insurers see boost in enrollments ‘as people have seen us save homes’; consumer advocates say programs mean rich get better protections

East Coast Republicans push back against Trump’s tax plan: why didn’t California’s GOP? (Los Angeles Times)

When the House GOP released a plan last month that eliminated a popular tax break, some Republican representatives from high tax states like New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were outraged. Republicans from California quietly voiced concerns about the end of a tax break that 1 in 3 Californians use. The East Coast Republicans voted against a bill to pave the way for the tax overhaul, while the California members went along with House leadership and voted to move ahead.

Marijuana is about to get expensive in California (Patch)

… With the legalization of the recreational drug in California, state and local taxes could add another 45 percent to the cost, according to a Fortune magazine article…. Meanwhile, local governments are also adding taxes for sellers and growers that could result in a 70% increase in the price of a small bag of good quality marijuana in parts of the state," the article states.

A Russian Twitter bot promoted California secession, or Calexit (San Diego Union-Tribune)

A Twitter bot under the name @CaliforniaRep pushed for secession of California better known as Calexit.

PG&E Reports Describe Falling Trees, Downed Power Lines on Night Deadly Fires Started (KPBS)

Pacific Gas and Electric has informed state regulators of at least eight instances in which trees or tree limbs brought down power lines in the hours when a series of devastating wildfires started in the North Bay earlier this month.

State water board scraps restrictions on toxic metal (San Diego Union-Tribune)

California must go back to the drawing board and reassess limits for how much hexavalent chromium — a toxic compound made famous in the film “Erin Brokovich” — can be present in drinking water. The state water board last month eliminated a rule restricting how much of the heavy metal is permitted in drinking water supplies after Sacramento Superior Court Judge Christopher Krueger ruled that state regulators didn’t consider whether the restrictions were economically feasible.