EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

October 8, 2014 (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

• Local pastor tells congregation who to vote for (10 News)
• Judge clears way for trial of border agents over Taser death (KPBS)
• Grossmont president to lead MiraCosta (UT San Diego)
• Police Chief Aceves to retire (La Mesa Today)

STATE

• Could ratepayers day be coming soon? Feds investigate secret e-mails between PG&E and CPUC (SD Reader)
• With dry taps and toilets, California drought turns desperate ( New York Times)
• Gov. Brown vetoes Sweetwater-inspired reform bill (UT San Diego)
• Tom Torlakson vs. the corporate education reform machine (SD Free Press)

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

LOCAL

Local pastor tells congregation who to vote for (10 News)

 A well-known local conservative pastor is getting involved in the heated 52nd Congressional District race between Carl DeMaio and Rep. Scott Peters. Pastor Jim Garlow of Skyline Church is as conservative as they come. Yet in his Sunday sermon, the Wall Street Journal reported that Garlow announced his endorsement of Peters -- a Democrat -- and encouraged his church members to also vote for Peters.

Judge clears way for trial of border agents over Taser death (KPBS)

A civil case brought by the relatives of a man who died after being beaten and shot with a Taser by U.S. border agents can go to trial. A federal judge in San Diego ruled against the agents’ request for summary judgment in the case, saying valid questions of constitutional rights were at stake.

Grossmont president to lead MiraCosta (UT San Diego)

MiraCosta College hires Grossmont College president as new superintendent/president.

Police Chief Aceves to retire (La Mesa Today)

With almost 30 years with the La Mesa Police Department, Chief Ed Aceves has decided to resign. Aceves said today that he plans to retire as soon as a replacement can be hired.

STATE

Could ratepayers day be coming soon? Feds investigate secret e-mails between PG&E and CPUC (SD Reader)

Things are happening fast and furious over the back-channel communications between Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and officials of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) over the amount PG&E should be assessed for its role in the 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion that killed eight people and leveled a neighborhood. PG&E has announced that federal prosecutors are investigating eight years' worth of emails in which the utility was seeking — and got — pro-utility administrative law judges in the deliberations.

With dry taps and toilets, California drought turns desperate ( New York Times)

After a nine-hour day working at a citrus packing plant, her body covered in a sheen of fruit wax and dust, there is nothing Angelica Gallegos wants more than a hot shower, with steam to help clear her throat and lungs…But she has not had running water for more than five months — nor is there any tap water in her near future — because of a punishing and relentless drought in California.

Gov. Brown vetoes Sweetwater-inspired reform bill (UT San Diego)

Gov. Brown on Tuesday vetoed an anti-corruption bill inspired by revelations of a "pay-to-play" culture among contractors and South Bay public officials at Southwestern College, the Sweetwater Union High School District and the San Ysidro School District. Assembly Bill 1431, authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, would have banned school and community college administrators from soliciting or accepting campaign donations for their elected officials.

Tom Torlakson vs. the corporate education reform machine (SD Free Press)

The Most Important Race on the Ballot is the One No One is Talking About.