EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

September 30, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories in our region and state, published in other media outlets.  These week's top Roundup headlines include:

LOCAL

• City to offer exhaustive report on Sept. 9 blackout (10 News)
• The green jobs transition (San Diego Union-Tribune editorial)
• SDG&E chopper strikes went unreported (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Schools, hospitals struggle to serve large Iraqi refugee population (KPBS)
• Santee Freeway smooths traffic but not for all  (San Diego Union Tribune)
• New director of Parks and Rec takes the reins at Santee Lakes (Santee Patch)

STATE

• California sued for cuts to developmentally disabled (KFMB-TV)
• Amazon truce wins Jerry Brown signature (Sacramento Bee)
• California undecided on No Child Left Behind waiver (Sacramento Bee)

Scroll down for excerpts from these important stories.

LOCAL

CITY TO OFFER EXHAUSTIVE REPORT ON SEPT 9 BLACKOUT

September 28, 2011 (10News.com)The city of San Diego is under scrutiny on Wednesday by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board for its release of more than 3 million gallons of raw sewage during the Sept. 8th blackout. 10News obtained a copy of the investigative order that directs the city to turn over records pertaining to technical and monitoring program reports pertaining to the discharge of untreated sewage into the Los Penasquitos Creek. http://www.10news.com/news/29333867/detail.html

THE GREEN JOBS TRANSITION (San Diego Union-Tribune editorial)

September 29, 2011 (San Diego) -- By ignoring the big picture of the Great Recession, purveyors of misinformation about green jobs have recently had a field day. With viral sharing on the web, these critics have no doubt influenced public opinion. Add a healthy dose of skepticism and disappointment about the ability of Washington to do much for Main Street, and some are ready to abandon the quest for green jobs entirely. This would be a catastrophic error of historic proportions. http://web.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/18/the-green-jobs-transition/

SDG&E CHOPPER STRIKES WENT UNREPORTED

September 23, 2011 (San Diego Union Tribune)Twice in recent months helicopters building the Sunrise Powerlink east of San Diego struck objects on the ground, causing damage to the aircraft and prompting federal investigations.

Now the California Public Utilities Commission has opened its own investigation into what are called rotor strikes, and why San Diego Gas & Electric didn’t report them to state regulators. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/23/chopper-strikes-went-unre...

SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS STRUGGLE TO SERVE LARGE IRAQUI REFUGEE POPULATION

September 23, 2011 (KPBS) -- Schools, hospitals and health care clinics in East San Diego County are struggling to serve the more than 13 thousand Iraqi refugees who have come to the area since 2005. After fielding an influx of concerns about lack of funding and other resources, County Supervisor Dianne Jacob organized what she called an historic meeting between federal, state and local refugee officials, and East County hospital and school representatives. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2011/sep/23/schools-hospitals-struggle-serve-la...

SANTEE FREEWAY SMOOTHS TRAFFIC BUT NOR FOR ALL

September 22, 2011 (San Diego Union Tribune) -- Nearly six months after its debut, the state Route 52 extension through Santee has ironed out many commuter kinks, while creating new wrinkles as well. Caltrans and Santee officials this week said the four-lane, nearly four-mile stretch has delivered on its key promises: It’s eased the daily drive for many in East County and cut traffic on city streets. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/22/santee-freeway-smooths-tr...

NEW DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC TAKES THE REINS AT SANTEE LAKES

September 23, 2011 (Santee Patch) -- If enthusiasm counts for anything at all, things should soon get very interesting over at Santee Lakes. There’s a new guy at the controls there, and he’s got a world of experience and some very good ideas about the future of the Lakes and the recreation district around them.

Jonathan Skinner arrives as the Director of Parks and Recreation at Padre Dam's crown jewels from a supervisory position with the city of Reno, NV, and behind that, 30 years of experience in recreation-related programs all over Southern California. http://santee.patch.com/articles/new-director-of-park-and-rec-takes-the-...

STATE

CALIFORNIA SUED FOR CUTS TO DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

September 28, 2011 (KFMB-TV) -- Advocates for the developmentally disabled are suing the state, claiming it has underfunded services for some 245,000 Californians.The Arc California, an advocacy group, and United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego filed suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento.California has frozen provider reimbursement rates since 2003. The state reduced reimbursement rates by 3 percent in 2009 and has since increased the reduction to 4.25 percent. http://www.cbs8.com/story/15571031/calif-sued-over-cuts-for-developmenta...

AMAZON TRUCE WINS JERRY BROWN SIGNATURE

September 25, 2011 (The Sacramento Bee)Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Friday reflecting a truce among the state, brick-and-mortar retailers and Amazon.com, giving the e-commerce giant a one-year reprieve from collecting California sales tax. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/24/3933905/amazon-truce-wins-jerry-browns....

CALIFORNIA UNDECIDED ON NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND WAIVER

September 24, 2011 (Sacramento Bee)It is unclear whether California will take President Barack Obama up on his offer to opt out of No Child Left Behind mandates. Applying for a waiver would be both beneficial and problematic, California Board of Education President Mike Kirst said Friday.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/24/3933953/california-undecided-on-no-chil...