EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

April 1, 2023  (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Here's how Fletcher's seat on the Board of Supervisors could be filled (KPBS)
• Second Woman Accuses Nathan Fletcher of Improper Behavior (NBC San Diego)
• Latest storm creates rare tornado warning in San Diego (KPBS)
• San Diegans decry proposed SDG&E revenue, rate increase requests  (KPBS)
• Santee eyes spending surge for fire department after report says some response times are too long (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego Police Officer Staffing Impacting Emergency Response Times (NBC San Diego)
• San Diego hospitals have a need for more health care workers, especially experienced nurses   (KPBS)
• Lemon Grove to install all-way stop outside elementary school amid speeding concerns (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Newsom relaxes California water restrictions, but says drought situation is still ‘complicated’ (Yahoo! News)
• Newsom touts Imperial County's 'Lithium Valley' as future in green energy (KPBS)
• Federal judge blocks key parts of California handgun law (KPBS)
• 7 CHP Officers Charged In Death Of Man Captured On Video (Patch)

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

LOCAL

Here's how Fletcher's seat on the Board of Supervisors could be filled (KPBS)

Fletcher will be vacating the District 4 seat, which covers most of central San Diego as well as La Mesa and Lemon Grove. His departure will almost certainly spark intense political jockeying as Democrats seek to maintain their 3-2 majority on the Board of Supervisors. Here are the scenarios that could play out next.

Second Woman Accuses Nathan Fletcher of Improper Behavior (NBC San Diego)

County Supervisor Fletcher has resigned MTS board and will step down from the board of supervisors in May in the wake of a suit filed by a former MTS worker alleging sexual assaults

Latest storm creates rare tornado warning in San Diego (KPBS)

For 10 minutes, late Thursday morning, residents in part of North County were told to take cover for a possible tornado. The National Weather Service in San Diego issued the warning at 10:21 a.m. for Valley Center, Escondido and Hidden Meadows….

San Diegans decry proposed SDG&E revenue, rate increase requests  (KPBS)

Public forums were held at the Sherman Heights Community Center on Thursday to give San Diego Gas & Electric customers a chance to comment on the company’s rate requests that include an increase in revenue over the next four years. SDG&E is asking regulators to approve about $3.6 billion in new revenue between 2024 and 2027.  Over 100 San Diego residents came to the event to oppose the rate hikes…. Scheduled increases could raise bills by $400 to $850 per year by 2027.

Santee eyes spending surge for fire department after report says some response times are too long (San Diego Union-Tribune)

The head of the local firefighter’s union said a new tax was likely needed after consultants recommended significant changes.

San Diego Police Officer Staffing Impacting Emergency Response Times (NBC San Diego)

Depending on the type of emergency, when San Diegans call 911, it may be a while before an officer arrives on scene. Police callout data and internal communications reveal the department’s staffing issues are far from over and could linger for years to come.

San Diego hospitals have a need for more health care workers, especially experienced nurses   (KPBS)

A new analysis found there are just under 60,000 nursing vacancies across California, making it one of the most in-demand jobs in the state.

Lemon Grove to install all-way stop outside elementary school amid speeding concerns (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Lemon Grove will turn a busy intersection outside an elementary school into an all-way stop after parents raised concerns about speeding drivers. The council voted Tuesday to install two more stop signs on Canton Drive by Monterey Heights STEAM Academy, in addition to other safety measures that already got the green light.

STATE

Newsom relaxes California water restrictions, but says drought situation is still ‘complicated’ (Yahoo! News)

After months of wintry weather relieved much of California from its driest three years on record, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an executive order on Friday to modify — but not remove entirely — the state’s emergency drought proclamation….The executive order eliminates measures such as a 15 percent voluntary water conservation target that has been in place, while also rescinding “Level 2” drought mandates that required water agencies to implement local contingency programs…“Conditions have radically changed throughout the state, but not enough in places like Klamath and around the Colorado River Basin to call for the end of the drought in California,” Newsom said.

Newsom touts Imperial County's 'Lithium Valley' as future in green energy (KPBS)

The sunbaked valley has one of the world's largest lithium deposits, leading to the moniker "Lithium Valley." The California Energy Commission estimates there’s enough lithium in the Imperial Valley to meet all of the United States' projected demand and 40% of the world’s demand.

Federal judge blocks key parts of California handgun law (KPBS)

A federal judge on Monday blocked key provisions of a California law that drastically restricts the sale of new handguns in the state, saying parts of the legislation violate the Second Amendment…. In California, state law requires new handguns to have three components: A chamber load indicator, which shows whether the gun is loaded; a magazine disconnect mechanism that will stop the gun from firing if the magazine is not properly inserted; and microstamping capability so law enforcement can more easily link spent shell casings to the guns they were fired from.  "No handgun available in the world has all three of these features,” the judge wrote.

7 CHP Officers Charged In Death Of Man Captured On Video (Patch)

Charges were announced Wednesday three years after Edward Bronstein screamed he couldn't breath as officers held him down to draw his blood.