Season kicks off June 16 with Monsters vs. Aliens, wraps up with Avatar
June 10, 2010 (Alpine) — The Viejas Outlet Center officially kicks off its free “Movies in the Park” series on June 16 with a showing of the hit movie Monsters vs. Aliens. The season concludes this year with Avatar, the blockbuster that set new worldwide sales records.
CALI COMFORT HOSTS VIEWING PARTY FOR OPENING SOCCER MATCH FRI. A.M.
June 10, 2010 (Spring Valley) – The World Cup Soccer tournament kick off Friday, June 11 at 7 a.m. with a match between Mexico and South Africa.. Next up, game two on Saturday, June 12 at 11:30 a.m. pits the U.S.A. vs. England. Cali Comfort Restaurant & Sports Bar in Spring Valley is hosting viewing parties bright and early for soccer fans both days.
June 4, 2010 (San Diego) -- Maybe Hollywood should focus on making comedies instead of romantic comedies. After enduring such sludge as When in Rome and The Bounty Hunter earlier this year, it has, in the past few months, been a welcome relief to see laugh out loud films like Death at a Funeral and Get Him to the Greek, which opens today.
Police seek getaway vehicle, a silver Ford Explorer
June 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Two robbers held up a Wells Fargo Branch on Navajo Road near State Route 125 in the Lake Murray area at 9:45 this morning. “They burst in and ordered customers to the floor,” an employee at another Wells Fargo branch informed ECM, adding that the robbers wore ski masks. A San Diego Police bulletin indicates thieves wore dark pants and hooded sweatshirts.
June 9, 2010 – Perhaps the most stinging defeat in San Diego’s June 8th California election went to conservative Christian judges backed by Better Courts Now, an organization seeking to oust four incumbent judges.
All four sitting judges won by hefty margins, each garnering about two-thirds of the vote. Judges Lantz Lewis, Joel Wholfeil, Robert Longstreth and DeAnn Salcido all won reelection.
June 9, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Local author Ella deCastro Baron will read selections from her autobiographical book, Itchy Brown Girl Seeks Employment, with accompaniment by singer Malia Martinez and guitarist Graham Hadidian this Friday from 7-9 p.m. at Borders Bookstore in El Cajon.
June 9, 2010 (Oceanside/Lake Henshaw) - Bicyclists lined up at the ampitheater next to the Oceanside pier Tuesday (June 8) to begin a 3,000 mile journey to Annapolis, MD in the annual Race Across America (RAAM). The participants included cyclists from as far away as South Africa. From the coast, racers headed the San Diego's eastern regions, then on towards the Arizona desert and beyond.
June 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – In a an error reminiscent of the infamous “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline, the Valley News reported that Jeff Stone won the Republican primary for the 36th State Senate seat. That’s because the district spans both Riverside and San Diego Counties---and the chagrined publisher apparently only checked the Riverside results, the conservative blog Flash Report revealed today.
In fact, Anderson leads by a hefty total of 6,810 votes with all precincts in both counties counted--though tens of thousands or more absentee and provisional ballots remain to be tallied.
June 9, 2010 (Spring Valley) – At tomorrow night’s meeting, San Miguel Fire District will consider reducing the size of its board from seven to five members. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the District’s headquarters at 2850 Via Orange Way in Spring Valley.
Fire official warns against use of metal blades to cut brush
June 9, 2010 (Spring Valley) – Clearing brush with a metal-bladed weed whacker set off sparks which caused today’s four-acre blaze on Dictionary Hill in Spring Valley, said Leonard Villareal, spokesman for the San Miguel Fire District.
“Metal blades are not a good idea for cutting weeds,” he said, adding that plastic strips or blades are safer. Ironically, clearing brush, while important to create defensible space, can actually cause a fire if caution is not taken. Villareal also warned against spilling flammable gasoline while refilling gas-powered weed cutters.
June 9, 2010 (San Diego) -- Assemblymember Mary Salas, candidate for State Senate in the 40th District, declared victory today in her Democratic primary campaign for the Senate seat. With 100% of the precincts reporting from all three counties – San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside – Salas leads opponent Juan Vargas by a slim 336 vote margin of 1.2%.
The campaign for the 40th State Senate seat has been one of the most expensive primaries ever for the legislature. Vargas and his allies spent over $3 million dollars, outspending the Salas campaign by nearly four to one. Salas has pointed to Vargas' hefty donations from the insurance industry, in which he once held a position, to suggest that he has been unduly influenced by special interests.
Sereni-Tea, By Dharlene Marie Fahl (Transformation Media Books, Bloomington, Indiana, 2009, 209 pages.)
Book Review by Dennis Moore
June 9, 2010 (San Diego) Author Dharlene Marie Fahl, a protégé of Mark Victor Hansen (Co-creator, #1 New York Times best selling series, Chicken Soup for the Soul), has an ambitious goal: to become Amazon’s next best-selling author. From what I have read of her book, Sereni-Tea, this East County resident is on her way. She has used tea as a means to examine our roles in life and the spirituality that we all possess. She redefines success from the inside out – all while sipping tea. An upcoming graduate of the East County Leadership program, Fahl will introduce her book at The World Tea Expo, June 11-13 in Las Vegas.
PROP 14, “OPEN” PRIMARY MEASURE, MAY FACE CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES
By Miriam Raftery
June 9, 2010 (Sacramento) – Two ballot measures heavily backed by powerful utility and insurance industry money failed to win approval from voters. By narrow margins, Proposition 16 and 17 were defeated. A third controversial measure, which would eliminate party primary elections, won passage by voters but may face legal challenges in court.
HUNTER ALSO WINS EASILY; WATCHDOG TO FACE CONGRESSSMAN IN NOVEMBER
June 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Raymond Lutz won a decisive victory in the 52nd Congressional district Democratic Primary, winning 70.63% of the vote. His opponent, community activist Connie Frankowiak of Anza-Borrego, received 29.3% with all precincts counted.
In November, Lutz will face off against incumbent Republican Congressman Duncan D. Hunter, who won a resounding primary victory over Tea Party activist Terri Linnell by a 90.5 to 9.5% margin.
June 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A four-acre brush fire on Dictionary Hill in Spring Valley threatened homes in the 1400 block of Coronado. The fire caused some damage to decks and external walls, Chief August Ghio of San Miguel Fire has confirmed.
June 9, 2010 (San Diego) – Francine Busby, who received 43% of the vote in her 2006 run against incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray (R-San Diego) has won the Democratic primary by a nearly 66% to 34% margin over consumer attorney Tracy Emblem.
“I’m looking forward to working with Tracy and her campaign team to return responsible and representational government to our district,” Busby told East County Magazine. “We worked hard, and it’s good to be moving on from here.”
A member of the Cardiff School Board, Busby has pledged to restore ethics to the district formerly represented by jailed Congressman Duke Cunningham, who was convicted of bribery. Busby has taken zero money from political action committees (PACs), raising $364,000 from individual donors as of the last reporting filing.
June 9, 2010 (San Diego) – By a resounding 68.9%, voters in San Diego County approved Proposition B, which imposes term limits for Supervisors. The measure is not retroactive to the current Board, but will limit future reigns to eight years.
But voters may not need to wait eight years for the opportunity to change two seats on the Board, which is currently composed of five Republicans who have served for decades. Both Ron Roberts and Bill Horn failed to gain the 50% majority needed to win outright in the primary—and both appear headed for run-off races against challengers in the fall.
By Miriam Raftery
Richard Darvas also contributed to this report
June 9, 2010 (San Diego) – By a solid 56.8% margin, Sheriff Bill Gore won reelection to another four year term. Had he received less than 50%, a run-off race in the fall would have been triggered. Gore was appointed to fill the top lawman’s spot when Sheriff Bill Kolender retired.
Gore’s handling of prominent cases including the Chelsea King murder investigation contributed to his victory. In East County, his office’s efforts to obtain grants that boosted border security may also have raised his approval among voters.
June 9, 2010 (San Diego's East County) - Col. Rick Powell, a retired military officer and Green Beret with an extensive career in law enforcement as well as military service, has defeated Emma Turner, president of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board, to win the Republican primary in the 78th Assembly District.
Powell will face off in November against Assemblyman Marty Block, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
une 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Santee Vice Mayor Brian Jones has a substantial 41.43% of the vote with nearly half of all precincts counted. Christine Rubin has 29.65% and Brian Jones 28.91%.
Voters opted for experience; with seven years on the Council Jones has more time in elected office than his primary opponents. Rubin, a political communications specialist, held an appointed position in the Schwarzenegger administration. Wells, a one-term Councilmember in El Cajon, may be regretting his failure to submit a ballot statement.
June 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Voters gave Assemblyman Joel Anderson a victory in his quest for State Senate, despite a campaign finance scandal that has dogged his race. With 38% of precincts counted, Anderson has a hefty 45.33% of the vote, leading Riverside Supervisor Jeff Stone with 24.83%, veteran Kenneth Dickson with 20.16%, and Rev. Greg Stephens with 9.68%.
Whitman, Fiorina win by large margins in Gubernatorial and Senate primaries
June 8, 2010 (San Diego) -- Former E-Bay CEO Meg Whitman trounced Steve Steve Poizner by a 64.4%-26.5% margin with 47% of precincts reporting as of midnight. Whitman,who spent more than $71 million on her campaign, will square off in November against former Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown.
June 8, 2010 (Alpine) - A high-speed police pursuit that began in Santee has now reached Viejas Grade Road in Alpine. The suspect is known to be armed and dangerous. We will post details as they become available.
June 8, 2010 (Poway) – The “Geezer Bandit” has struck for the tenth time, robbing the U.S. Bank at 14837 Pomerado Road in Poway (inside Albertsons grocery store) yesterday at 2:54 p.m.
The FBI, San Diego Police Department and San Diego Sheriff’s Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male bank robber believed responsible for holding up 10 banks in San Diego County since August 2009.
Editor’s note: ECM was unable to issue a wildfire alert yesterday for this fire due to a computer server crash at the national service that we utilize for our alerts. We regret this omission, which was beyond our technical control.
June 8, 2010 (Poway) – A brush fire burned approximately 12 acres yesterday afternoon on a hill near Metate Lane and Community Road in Poway yesterday afternoon.
Author Steve Tarde, who has taught sports visualization to top sports stars, will read from his book, Gift to My Dad, and sign copies of his book at a special Father’s Day event at Cali Comfort Restaurant, 8910 Troy Street, Spring Valley on July 20th at 3 p.m. Note: savor a free entree (with purchase of another) at Cali Comfort with coupon at bottom of the article.
Review by: Dennis Moore
"This is a beautifully written story about fathers and sons." - Dennis Moore
June 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- Steve Tarde, a legendary teacher of visualization, has written a homage for all fathers: Gift to My Dad. Although this 84 page book is written in regard to his dad, it could just as well apply to my dad, and every other dad out there. It comes at a very poignant time, just before Father’s Day. Tarde’s book certainly resonates with me as it has a baseball theme, our national pastime that I played as a little boy. To many young boys, it was their fathers who gave them their first glove, and played catch with them. This is a beautifully written story about fathers and sons.
Recent discovery at proposed reservoir site “unparalleled” in San Diego County
“This site is sacred to our people, and it is culturally and historically significant for all residents of San Diego County and southern California.” – Viejas tribal chairman Bobby Barrett
“Every resident in Blossom Valley, Crest, Harbison Valley and Alpine is a stakeholder for fire safety and economic growth in their communities.” = Mike Uhrhammer, communications, director, Padre Dam
By Miriam Raftery
June 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians has been granted a restraining order in the Superior Court of California-San Diego County to halt the Padre Dam Municipal Water District from "further desecrating a recently-unearthed Kumeyaay burial and ceremonial ground," a statement issued by Viejas announced. Padre Dam Municipal Water District is constructing a new reservoir and pumping station at the site, which is on approximately two acres south of I-8 near Lake Jennings Park Road and Old Highway 80.
June 7, 2010 (El Cajon)--At 39 weeks along in her pregnancy, Nicole waited in line to walk at Grossmont College’s 49th annual commencement on June 3, when her water broke signaling the delivery of her fourth child. The 28-year-old didn’t want to leave the college and go to the hospital, while 4,000 people waited to celebrate the 1,398 students in the Class of 2010 receiving an associate degree or a certificate of achievement.
June 10, 2010 (Alpine) — The Viejas Outlet Center officially kicks off its free “Movies in the Park” series on June 16 with a showing of the hit movie Monsters vs. Aliens. The season concludes this year with Avatar, the blockbuster that set new worldwide sales records.
June 10, 2010 (Spring Valley) – The World Cup Soccer tournament kick off Friday, June 11 at 7 a.m. with a match between Mexico and South Africa.. Next up, game two on Saturday, June 12 at 11:30 a.m. pits the U.S.A. vs. England. Cali Comfort Restaurant & Sports Bar in Spring Valley is hosting viewing parties bright and early for soccer fans both days.
Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Superintendent of Public Instruction among key open-seat races
Police seek getaway vehicle, a silver Ford Explorer
June 9, 2010 – Perhaps the most stinging defeat in San Diego’s June 8th California election went to conservative Christian judges backed by Better Courts Now, an organization seeking to oust four incumbent judges.
June 9, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Local author Ella deCastro Baron will read selections from her autobiographical book, Itchy Brown Girl Seeks Employment, with accompaniment by singer Malia Martinez and guitarist Graham Hadidian this Friday from 7-9 p.m. at Borders Bookstore in El Cajon.
une 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – In a an error reminiscent of the infamous “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline, the Valley News reported that Jeff Stone won the Republican primary for the 36th State Senate seat. That’s because the district spans both Riverside and San Diego Counties---and the chagrined publisher apparently only checked the Riverside results, the conservative blog 
June 9, 2010 (Spring Valley) – At tomorrow night’s meeting, San Miguel Fire District will consider reducing the size of its board from seven to five members. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the District’s headquarters at 2850 Via Orange Way in Spring Valley.
June 9, 2010 (Spring Valley) – Clearing brush with a metal-bladed weed whacker set off sparks which caused today’s four-acre blaze on Dictionary Hill in Spring Valley, said Leonard Villareal, spokesman for the San Miguel Fire District. 
June 9, 2010 (San Diego) -- Assemblymember Mary Salas, candidate for State Senate in the 40th District, declared victory today in her Democratic primary campaign for the Senate seat. With 100% of the precincts reporting from all three counties – San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside – Salas leads opponent Juan Vargas by a slim 336 vote margin of 1.2%.
Sereni-Tea, By Dharlene Marie Fahl (Transformation Media Books, Bloomington, Indiana, 2009, 209 pages.)
By Miriam Raftery
June 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A four-acre brush fire on Dictionary Hill in Spring Valley threatened homes in the 1400 block of Coronado. The fire caused some damage to decks and external walls, Chief August Ghio of San Miguel Fire has confirmed.
June 9, 2010 (San Diego) – Francine Busby, who received 43% of the vote in her 2006 run against incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray (R-San Diego) has won the Democratic primary by a nearly 66% to 34% margin over consumer attorney Tracy Emblem.
Strong Mayor initiative also approved by voters
By Miriam Raftery
une 9, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Santee Vice Mayor Brian Jones has a substantial 41.43% of the vote with nearly half of all precincts counted. Christine Rubin has 29.65% and Brian Jones 28.91%.
June 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Voters gave Assemblyman Joel Anderson a victory in his quest for State Senate, despite a campaign finance scandal that has dogged his race. With 38% of precincts counted, Anderson has a hefty 45.33% of the vote, leading Riverside Supervisor Jeff Stone with 24.83%, veteran Kenneth Dickson with 20.16%, and Rev. Greg Stephens with 9.68%.
June 8, 2010 (Alpine) - A high-speed police pursuit that began in Santee has now reached Viejas Grade Road in Alpine. The suspect is known to be armed and dangerous. We will post details as they become available.
June 8, 2010 (Poway) – The “Geezer Bandit” has struck for the tenth time, robbing the U.S. Bank at 14837 Pomerado Road in Poway (inside Albertsons grocery store) yesterday at 2:54 p.m.
Editor’s note: ECM was unable to issue a wildfire alert yesterday for this fire due to a computer server crash at the national service that we utilize for our alerts. We regret this omission, which was beyond our technical control. 
Author Steve Tarde, who has taught sports visualization to top sports stars, will read from his book, Gift to My Dad, and sign copies of his book at a special Father’s Day event at Cali Comfort Restaurant, 8910 Troy Street, Spring Valley on July 20th at 3 p.m. Note: savor a free entree (with purchase of another) at Cali Comfort with coupon at bottom of the article. 
“This site is sacred to our people, and it is culturally and historically significant for all residents of San Diego County and southern California.” – Viejas tribal chairman Bobby Barrett
June 7, 2010 (El Cajon)--At 39 weeks along in her pregnancy, Nicole waited in line to walk at Grossmont College’s 49th annual commencement on June 3, when her water broke signaling the delivery of her fourth child. The 28-year-old didn’t want to leave the college and go to the hospital, while 4,000 people waited to celebrate the 1,398 students in the Class of 2010 receiving an associate degree or a certificate of achievement.
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