JOIN US MAY 8 FOR A FESTIVE FEAST! EAST COUNTY DINING CLUB AT LEMON GROVE BISTRO

COUNTY HOSTS TWO VIRTUAL MEETINGS THIS WEEL ON ITS HOUSING BLUEPRINT PLAN

LA MESA SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB HOLDS FUNDRAISER BOWLING EVENT MAY 10 AT PARKWAY BOWL

CITIZENS' LAW ENFORCEMENT REVIEW BOARD SEEKS APPLICANTS

WANT FRESH EGGS? TIPS FOR RAISING BACKYARD CHICKENS

HEAR OUR INTERVIEW WITH JOLYANA JIRJEES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHALDEAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL

ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

CELEBRATE WESTERN HERITAGE IN LAKESIDE THIS WEEKEND WITH RODEO AND PARADE

“SWATTING” CALL PROMPTS LOCKDOWNS AT RAMONA HIGH AND OTHER SCHOOLS IN VICINITY

FREE HEALTH FAIR SATURDAY AT GROSSMONT CENTER

RABBIT DEATHS RAISE CONCERNS IN RURAL EAST COUNTY: STATE SEEKS CARCASSES TO ANALYZE

JACK IN THE BOX GUNMAN ARRESTED AFTER PURSUIT

ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

October 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) --ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

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

ECM ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

October 10, 2013 (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:

STATE

LOCAL

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

MISSING MAN WITH ALZHEIMER’S IN EL CAJON, LAST SEEN ON TROLLEY

October 9, 2013 (El Cajon ) – At 7:46 p.m. tonight, Domingues Salvador, 67, boarded a trolley at 352 South Marshall Avenue in El Cajon after becoming separated from his spouse at the trolley station.  Domingues has Alzheimer’s disease, speaks Spanish, and only knows his name.  He has no identification or money.

He is Hispanic with white hair and brown eyes.  He is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds.  He was wearing a black jacket and sky blue pants.

WEBCAM ON VOLCAN MOUNTAIN DESTROYED BY LIGHTINING

 

(stock photo)

October 9, 2013 (Julian) – As searchers comb Volcan Mountain for a missing airplane tonight, thunderstorms have knocked the University of California’s hpwren atop the mountain offline—perhaps permanently, ECM has learned.

“This site was badly hit by lightning,” the webcam website states.  “The Volcan cameras may be outfor good, as we checked and they did not power back up after main power was restored. We can check them out further once we get them off the tower, but we have no hardware budget to repair or replace them any more.”

RESCUERS SEARCH FOR MISSING PLANE IN EAST COUNTY MOUNTAINS

 

October 9, 2013 (Julian ) –Amid cold, stormy conditions, a ground search is being conducted by Sheriff’s Search and Rescue in the Julian area for a Piper Mooney plane.   The small plane took off from Palm Springs for El Cajon’s Gillespie Field, but never arrived.

“They’re starting a ground search up in the Julian command area,” Lieutenant Dave Schaller with the Sheriff’s office told ECM tonight.  “We’re unable to get ASTREA up in the air due to the weather.” Lighting has knocked the webcam atop Volcan Mountain offline and snow is forecast to dip down to around 5,500 feet tonight.  Volcan Mountain is 5,350 feet.

LA MESA POSTPONES ACTION ON TERM LIMITS, MOVES FORWARD ON CHICKEN ORDINANCE

 

By Alex Riggins

(October 9, 2013 (La Mesa)--The La Mesa City Council voted 5-0 on Wednesday to postpone a decision on whether to place a measure on the November 2014 ballot regarding term limits for the mayor and council members. The item, introduced by Vice Mayor Kristine Alessio, is the first step towards imposing limits on the number of consecutive terms that councilmembers could hold office.

ARSON FIRE DAMAGES CHURCH IN SPRING VALLEY

 

October 9, 2013 (Spring Valley ) –Sheriff’s investigators along with federal agents have determined that a fire at Santa Sophia Church last night was intentionally set.  A reward of up to $1,000 is offered for information leading to arrest of the arsonist.

The fire was reported around 7:57 p.m. last night in the church at 9800 San Juan Street in the Casa De Oro neighborhood of Spring Valley.   Cal Fire/San Miguel Fire district crews were on the scene in three minutes with  five engines and 20 firefighters, who extinguished the blaze within 10 minutes.  

READER’S EDITORIAL: NIGHTMARE SCENARIO? BREAKING

By Nadin Abbott

October 9, 2013 (San Diego) As things go, this is not precisely the best of news. Fidelity has sold a lot of its government debt. So reports the Journal Sentinel.  Money market portfolio managers at Fidelity Investments have been selling off their government debt holdings over the last couple of weeks, said Nancy Prior, president of Fidelity’s Money Market Group. While Fidelity expects the debt ceiling issue to be resolved, the Boston-based asset manager said it is taking steps to protect investors.

Prior said that Fidelity no longer holds any U.S. debt that comes due in late October or early November, the window considered by many investors to be the most exposed if the government runs out of money and defaults on its obligations.

Now this is very dangerous news, since it means Fidelity is getting ready for the other shoe to fall. As we have been speaking here of the effects of this Constitutional Crisis, and how a minority of the minority does not believe this is actually serious. How could this affect you and me? We could see a crash, quite brutally honest. This is not good news. In fact, this is very scary news.

NO SUNNY WELCOME FOR SOLAR DEVELOPER IN PINE VALLEY

 

By Miriam Raftery

October 9, 2013 (Pine Valley) --- Planners and residents provided a frosty reception to representatives from ecoplexus tonight.  Planners voted unanimously, 11-0, to find the company’s proposed solar project inconsistent with the Central Mountain Regional Plan and the County’s General Plan.

By energy industry standards, this is a small “green” project—three megawatts on two 12-acre parcels at Buckman Springs Road and Old Highway 80.  But to residents in this rural area, the project seems substantial intrusion along scenic highways without tangible benefits to Pine Valley residents.

To say it was a tough crowd would be an understatement.

BARONA MUSEUM LAUNCHES NEW EXHIBITION TO SHOWCASE “HISTORY OF SPORTS” ON THE BARONA INDIAN RESERVATION

Sports: The Competitive Spirit at Barona is Now Open to the Public

Photo: Vice Chairman Harold Hill, Curator Cheryl Hinton, and Brian VanWanseele, Barona Tribal member and President of the Board of Directors for Inter Tribal Sports

 October 8, 2013 (Lakeside) – To celebrate the history of sports on the Barona Indian Reservation, the Barona Cultural Center & Museum recently opened a new exhibition entitled Sports: The Competitive Spirit at Barona. The exhibit, on display this October through 2014, features Native American sports heroes from around the country as well as from the Barona Indian Reservation. Admission is free.

PROPERY OWNER WITHDRAWS OFFER TO HOUSE SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR IN CAMPO

 

By Miriam Raftery

October 8, 2013 (Campo) – Following a community protest and written complaints, the owner of a home in Campo has withdrawn an agreement to house Douglas Badger, a sexual predator with a long history of violence.  The state had announced plans to release Badger from a mental hospital to a residence on Hartnell Road in Campo, as ECM previously reported.

FBI WARNS OF ATTACK ON U.S. ELECTRIC GRID; SDG&E REACTS

 

By Miriam Raftery

October 8, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reveals that attacks on the  power grid have occurred, the Arkansas Times reported on October 7.  The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to arrest of those responsible for these crimes.

The attacks included setting fire to a substation, rigging a cable in an attempt to cause a train to take down power lines, cutting down power poles, and downing a high voltage transmission line.  A warning painted on a control panel read, “You should have expected U.S.”

National security experts have long voiced concerns over a terrorist cyber-attack on the power grid. But the attacks  in August and September in Arkansas were of the low-tech variety, yet capable of major disruption. 

LA MESA ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO GET MOVING FOR “WALKTOBER”

 

 

October 8, 2013 (La Mesa)—The City of La Mesa is taking steps to encourage residents to walk and ride bikes by rolling out several new programs.  These include a Regional Walk Day October 12,  Walk to School Day on October 9, and creation of La Mesa Urban Trails, thanks to a grant from CalTrans.  You can also download an ap for best walking routes, safe routes to school, and rate the streets where you walk. .Scroll down for details in a press release from the city.

DAUGHTER PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO MURDERING MOM FOUND DUMPED NEAR BARONA

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2013 (Ramona) – A woman accused of murdering her mother has entered a not guilty plea.  The body of Mehria Mansury, 79, an Afghan immigrant, was found  in a field near San Vicente and Wildcat Canyon Road east of Barona Casino last week. 

Mansury was a resident of Serra Mesa. She  was last seen September 23 and was reported missing on September 25. Relatives told authorities that they feared her daughter, who has a criminal record, could be involved, ECM news partner 10 News reported.

NEW STATE LAW BANS CALIFORNIA FROM COOPERATING WITH FEDS ON INDEFINITE DETENTION

 

 

Sweeping measure also applies to other laws that violate Constitution or state law

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2013 (Sacramento) – In a rare show of bipartisanship, Governor Brown has signed into a law a bill that passed the Legislature almost unanimously.  The measure makes California the third state to nullify provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) allowing indefinite detention of citizens.

However California’s law goes farther, banning state cooperation with federal authorities on enforcement of any federal law that violates the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution or California law.  The bill also prohibits use of state funds for such purposes.

BARBECUES TO FIRE UP OCT. 20 AT SPRING VALLEY TAILGATE AND BBQ FESTIVAL

The Fourth Annual Spring Valley Tailgate & BBQ Festival will take place on Sunday, October 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at  Troy Street between Bancroft Avenue and Central Avenue,  Initiated by the Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce and Cali Comfort Restaurant, the goal of the festival is to raise money youth sports programs in Spring Valley.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORT: HOT ISSUES ON THIS WEEK’S AGENDAS IMPACTING EAST COUNTY

 

See what’s on the agendas for city councils in  El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee, and the San Diego Supervisors this week

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)  - Chickens, term limits, renaming a theater, the Castlerock housing project, a regional water plan and a proposal to boost beekeeping in the backcountry are among the hot items impacting East County that will be heard this week.

GOVERNOR VETOES BILL THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED LEGAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT CITIZENS TO SERVE ON JURIES

 

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2013 (Sacramento) – Governor Jerry Brown today vetoed Assembly Bill 1401, which would have allowed permanent lawful residents who are not citizens to serve on juries. 

“Jury service, like voting, is quintessentially a prerogative and responsibility of citizenship,” Brown wrote in his veto message. “This bill would permit lawful permanent residents who are not citizens to serve on a jury. I don’t think that’s right.”

EL CAJON INVITES YOU TO FIRE EXPO OCTOBER 12

El Cajon's Fire Safety Expo Is October 12        

October 6, 2013 (El Cajon) -- It’s all about safety at the annual El Cajon Fire Safety Expo on Saturday, October 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 100 E. Lexington Avenue. This event celebrates Fire Prevention Week and brings to the community a wide variety of safety and health information.

Meet firefighters and police officers from the City of El Cajon and see Police & Fire K-9 demonstrations.   Kiwanis Club of East San Diego County will be giving away free kids safety helmets (while supplies last), and Home Depot is back with their children’s safety workshop. See over 40 exhibits addressing important issues such as fire safety, disaster preparedness from the Office of Emergency Services and Heartland Fire & Rescue.

LAKESIDE CHAMBER HOSTS BEANS, BEER & BUSINESS FAIR OCT. 12

 

 

Free Community Event with Chili Cook Off, Vendor Booths & Entertainment

October  6, 2013 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Chamber of Commerce will host its first annual Beans, Beers & Business Fair on Saturday, October 12th from 10am to 5pm at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds. This free event will be packed with vendor booths, entertainment from local schools and churches, a craft beer garden and an “amateur” chili cook off complete with awards and cash prizes.   For more information or to reserve a vendor booth, please go to www.lakesidechamber.org.

MiSSING EL CAJON MAN FOUND

 

Update October 8, 2013 - Johnny Singleton has been found in the 600 block of Main Street and is now home with family, according to a Sheriff's tweet thanking community members for tips.

October 6, 2013 (El Cajon) – A search is underway  to find  64-year-old Johnny Singleton. He walked away from his home in the 200 block of Hart Drive in the unincorporated area of El Cajon around 2:00 p.m. today.  He has medical issues which put him at risk. He might be trying to find his way back to his old neighborhood in the City of San Diego at 30th Street and Imperial Avenue.

Johnny was last seen wearing a light grey polo shirt with horizontal stripes, blue jeans, white and blue Nike shoes and a ball cap. He has a goatee and short grey hair. He does not drive a car. He likes football, Pepsi and tacos.

BRUSH FIRE HALTED IN LAKESIDE; POWER RESTORED ACROSS EAST COUNTY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photos  by Deborah Horger, , Jeff Holz. Rebecca Jefferis Williamson and Imed Fehri and Alexis Parmnnoff

Update October 7, 2013 --SDG&E advises that the suspected cause of the outage is a faulted capacitor station.  All power was restored by 1:30 p.m.; the outage began at 10 a.m. affecting 4,501 customers.

October 6, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- An SDG&E sky crane loaded with 2,500 gallons of water helped firefighters halt a brush fire in Lakeside at 28 acres. No structures were lost; mop-up activiites will continue through the night.  The blaze began shortly after power went out to more than 4,500 customers for reasons that SDG&E's website indicated were unkown at the time of the outage; power has been fully restored. 

Below are our earlier updates on this fire, which began at Aquilla Drive in Lakeside and sent smoke billowing forth that was visible across much of East County as well as Poway and San Diego.

50 RANCHERS GATHER TO "BRAND" DESCANSO JUNCTION REMODEL

 

 

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

 

October  6, 2013 (Descanso) –The aroma of burning wood filled the air as ranchers pulled their iron brands out of a flaming pit at the Buckel Ranch in Descanso. Old-timers said it was the only time ever that ranchers from all of East County’s historic ranches gathered  in one place. The occasion?  Tammy Cooker, owner of the Descanso Junction Restaurant, invited these seasoned cowhands to burn their brands into tabletops for her popular eatery now undergoing a remodel. 

Cooker has earned the community’s loyalty, having opened her restaurant just before the Cedar Fire, then keeping it open to serve up firefighters, displaced residents and stranded motorists.  Located in a century-old building, her restaurant closes down tomorrow and will hold a grand reopening celebration October 10-12. The revamped interior will celebrate our region’s historic roots.

HERE’S THE BUZZ: SUPERVISORS TO CONSIDER EASING RESTRICTION ON BEEKEEPING IN THE BACKCOUNTRY

 

October 5, 2013 (San Diego) – A proposal by Supervisor Dianne Jacob to encourage beekeeping will be heard by the County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday, October 9.  Find meeting details here.

European honey bees have an important role in the $5.1 billion agriculture industry in San Diego County. Currently, crops pollinated by bees account for approximately one-third of food eaten. There has been a sharp decline in the bee populations throughout California, prompting municipalities and beekeeping organizations to step-up efforts to promote safe beekeeping in both urban and rural areas.

MAJOR BRUSH FIRE AT CAMP PENDLETON

 

Update 9 p.m.  Sam DiGiovanna, our  "Chief's Corner" columnist, sent us this report and photo:  The fire has scorched 1,000 acres and is 15% contained.  Approximately 230 residents were forced to evacuate a housing unit near Lake O'Neil base, officials said. Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton was not threatened by the fire, but a power outage prompted officials to evacuate about 30 patients to other hospitals in the area and stop accepting new patients.

HOUSE APPROVES RETROACTIVE PAY FOR FEDERAL WORKERS

 

Shut down to cost San Diego region $7 million each week

October 5, 2013 (Washington D.C.) --  By a unanimous vote, the House of Representatives approved back pay to all furloughed federal workers for the full duration of the federal shutdown.  The Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act (H.R. 3223), was approved by the House of Representatives 407-0 during a rare Saturday session.

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