EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: OCTOBER 20, 2011

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October 20,  2011 (San Diego's East County)--East County Roundup highlights articles on top regional and state issues of interest to East County and inland San Diego County, published in other media. This week’s top Roundup headlines include:

 

 

LOCAL

  •  Habitat says fire donations misdirected (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  •  U.S. attorney orders shut down of all medical marijuana collectives in county (Ramona Patch)
  • Chaldean business owners meet with Obama
  • City Will Scrutinize Permit Applicants More Closely (La Mesa Today)
  •  City permit changes will get clarifying actions (La Mesa Today)
  •  Otay pins hopes on Mexico plant (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • Otay hired firm after limited background check  (San Diego Union-Tribune

 

STATE

  • Wave of state actions could hike water rates (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • Does open-carry gun ban make California safer? (Christian Science Monitor)
  • California Medical Association calls for legalization of marijuana (Los Angeles Times)
  •  California reportedly subpoenas B of A over toxic securities (Sacramento Bee)

 

Click "read more" to see links, and  stories

LOCAL

 

Habitat says fire donations misdirected (San Diego Union-Tribune)

 

The agency admits contributor wishes were not met after 2007 disaster

 

October 18, 2011 -- San Diego Habitat for Humanity on Tuesday acknowledged that 2007 wildfire donations were spent on other purposes, although insisting the money went to causes directly related to its home-building mission.

The acknowledgment is the nonprofit’s latest response to lingering questions about what happened to more than $700,000 donated in the wake of the deadly firestorm.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/18/habitat-says-fire-donations-got-mixed-in/ 

 

 

U.S. attorney orders shut down of all medical marijuana collectives in county (Ramona Patch)

 

October 7, 2011 --Commercial medical marijuana collectives in San Diego County and throughout California must shut down within 45 days or face civil or criminal prosecution, federal prosecutors said Friday.

http://ramona.patch.com/articles/us-attorney-orders-shut-down-of-all-medical-marijuana-collectives-in-county

 

 

Chaldean business owners meet with Obama

 

October 17, 2011-- A local Chaldean businessman recently spoke with President Obama about an issue that haunts East County's Iraqi Catholic community -- the on-going persecution of their culture and religion in Iraq.

Mark Arabo, president and CEO of the Neighborhood Market Association, said he raised the subject during a brief talk with Obama in San Diego.

"I told him basically that what's happening there is ethnic cleansing," said Arabo. He said Chaldeans in the war-ravaged country "are living in fear."

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/17/local-chaldean-leader-meets-with-obama/ 

 

City Will Scrutinize Permit Applicants More Closely (La Mesa Today)

 

October 11, 2011 -- The City of La Mesa is going to take a little closer look at organizations seeking to use city streets for special events.

The council voted 5-0 Tuesday night to require those seeking special events permits to prove their organization's paper work is in order and that its financial records have been independently audited.

http://www.lamesatoday.com/profiles/blog/show?id=4327660%3ABlogPost%3A36803&commentId=4327660%3AComment%3A36171&xg_source=activity

 

City permit changes will get clarifying actions (La Mesa Today)

 

October 17, 2011 -- The La Mesa Village Merchants Association will have a little extra time to get its books in order. Clarifying a vote by City Council members at last week's meeting, city officials said today new rules governing applications for the use of city streets will require a return trip to council and probably won't take full effect before the Merchants Association would have to get a permit for the Christmas In the Village events in December.

City Manager Dave Witt said Monday that after doing additional research city staff determined the change will necessitate precise changes to the city code and will require further clarification from the council, including whether the rules will apply to all organizations regardless of size and whether a distinction will be made between events using city parks and those using city streets.

http://www.lamesatoday.com/profiles/blogs/downtown-la-mesa-2

 

Otay pins hopes on Mexico plant (San Diego Union-Tribune)

 

October 10, 2011 -- The Otay Water District has shelved two local water projects to focus its resources on a proposed desalination plant in Mexico that Mexican officials say has many hurdles to clear before approval.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/10/otay-is-counting-on-rosarito-water-project/


Otay hired firm after limited background check  (San Diego Union-Tribune)

 

October 14, 2011 -- The Otay Water District unknowingly awarded a $175,000 contract this month to an Orange County firm that was accused by an ex-employee of the city of Maywood of handing out envelopes of cash as part of its bid-securing efforts.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/14/otay-hired-firm-without-background-check/ 


S
TATE


Wave of state actions could hike water rates (San Diego Union-Tribune)

 

October 18, 2011 -- Already paying more for using less water, Californians are being warned to brace for even higher rates in the coming years as the state moves on a number of fronts to slow global warming, protect the environment and build a reliable supply network.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/18/wave-state-actions-could-hike-water-rates/ 

 

Does open-carry gun ban make California safer? (Christian Science Monitor)

 

October 15, 2011-- Gov. Jerry Brown's decision to ban the open carrying of handguns puts California squarely against the national tide at a time when many other states have acted to ease gun laws.

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D) is the author of the open carry ban, signed this week by Gov. Jerry Brown, that makes it a misdemeanor to carry an exposed and unloaded gun in public or in vehicles.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/open-carry-gun-ban-make-california-safer/story?id=14722474

 

California Medical Association calls for legalization of marijuana (Los Angeles Times)

 

October 15, 2011 -- The doctor group questions the medical value of pot and acknowledges some heatlh risk from its use but urges it be regulated like alcohol. A law enforcement official harshly criticizes the new stance.

http://www.latimes.com/la-me-doctors-marijuana-20111016,0,179189.story

 

California reportedly subpoenas B of A over toxic securities (Sacramento Bee)

 

October 19, 2011--California is trying to determine whether B of A and its Countrywide Financial subsidiary sold investments backed by risky mortgages to investors in California under false pretenses, a source says.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-fi-bank-america-harris-20111020,0,7737925.story

 


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