January 2017 Articles

TRUMP TWEETS ATTACK CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER JOHN LEWIS ON EVE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING WEEKEND

 

By Miriam Raftery

January 15, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – On the eve of the weekend when our nation honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President-Elect Donald Trump attacked one of the nation’s most respected civil rights leaders, Congressman John Lewis (D-Georgia).  His actions have drawn criticism even from prominent Republicans.


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FARMERS SEEK “FREEDOM TO GROW” CANNABIS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY: SUPERVISORS SET TO WEIGH IN ON JAN. 25

 

By Miriam Raftery

January 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Californians legalized sale of recreational marijuana with Prop 64. But farmers can’t grow cannabis commercially unless they receive a permit from their city or county. 


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NEW AND IMPROVED AZTECS MEN'S BASKETBALL DOWNS UTAH STATE 74-55

 

Story and photos by Liz Alper

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January 14, 2017 (San Diego) - After picking up their first win of conference play on Tuesday against San Jose State, the San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball team wrapped up their two-game home stand tonight against Utah State.


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SDSU TRACK & FIELD OPENS 2017 WITH STRONG SHOWING

 

SDSU’s 4x400-meter relay time posted the ninth-best time in program history

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

January 14, 2017 (Seattle) - San Diego State track and field had a positive start to the 2017 campaign, boasting 10 top five finishers at the UW Preview Saturday at Dempsey Indoor.


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SDSU WOMEN'S HOOPS: AZTECS UNABLE TO GET PAST UTAH STATE

 

McKynzie Fort became the 21st Aztec to enter the 1,000-point club

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo:  Geena Gomez courtesy goaztecs.com

January 14, 2017 (Logan, Utah) - Despite a thrilling fourth quarter, San Diego State women’s basketball team was unable to get past Utah State and fell on the road to the Aggies 53-47, Saturday afternoon in Mountain West play.


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TENANT SHOT BY LANDLORD IN EL CAJON

 

By Miriam Raftery

January 14, 2017 (El Cajon) – Michael McGinley, 53, has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon after shooting his tenant, Glen Reese, 48, in the leg.  The altercation occurred January 12 at 10:20 a.m. at 10140 Valle De Paz Road in unincorporated El Cajon.


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SDSU MEN'S TENNIS TOPPLES HAWAII 5-2

 

Three Aztec freshmen victorious in singles play

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo:  Joel Popov was a double winner in his first dual match as an Aztec on Friday. Courtesy goaztecs.com

January 13, 2017 (Honolulu) - The San Diego State men’s tennis opened its 2017 dual-match schedule in style Friday, posting a 5-2 triumph over Hawai’i at UH Tennis Complex. With the victory, the Aztecs (1-0) captured their seventh straight season opener and improved to 12-2 against the Rainbow Warriors (0-1) since 1989.


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AZTECS MEN'S HOOPS PRESS CONFERENCE JAN. 13: WE FINALLY WON

 

By Liz Alper

Photo, video and quotes courtesy goaztecs.com

January 13, 2017 (San Diego) - With the final game of their two-game homestand tomorrow night against Utah State, Aztecs men's basketball head coach Steve Fisher, sophomore guard Zylan Cheatham and junior guard Trey Kell sat down with the media on Friday.


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SENATE REPUBLICANS VOTE TO REPEAL AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT—WITH NO REPLACEMENT

 

 

Congressional Members Susan Davis and Scott Peters to hold Save Our Health” press event Sunday to share concerns over repeal

East County News Service

January 13, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – In the dead of the night while most Americans were sleeping,  the Senate voted 51-48 to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) even though no replacement plan has been introduced.  That leaves 300,000 people in San Diego County poised to lose their healthcare.  More than 900,000 others receive health care through Medi-Cal, many of whom became eligible through the ACA and could be left with no coverage potentially as soon as later this month, when President-Elect Donald Trump takes office, if he signs a repeal into law. 

The measure still needs approval by the House, but with overwhelming support by Republicans in control, it’s expected to sail through. Even many Republicans are raising doubts over whether any replacement plan could be enacted in time to prevent loss of coverage, how much coverage would cost, or whether some would be left uncovered by a future GOP plan.

San Diego Democratic Congressional members Susan Davis and Scott Peters will hold a “Save Our Healthcare” press event on Sunday, January 15th from 1 p.m. to 1:30 at Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion, 3075 Health Center Drive, San Diego. (view map)


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LISTEN NOW: OUR INTERVIEW WITH REV. SHANE HARRIS ON MONDAY’S MARTKIN LUTHER KING DAY MARCH AND TAKING BACK DR. KING’S DREAM IN SAN DIEGO

 

East County News Service

Hear our interview, originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM radio, by clicking the audio link.

January 13, 2017 (San Diego) –  Rev. Shane Harris with the National Action Network (NAN) aims to reclaim Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream here in San Diego, the eighth largest city in the U.S. , starting with a local MLK march on Monday.  This week, in an exclusive interview with East County Magazine on KNSJ,  Rev. Harris shared his concerns and visions for the future.

“What we’ve seen with the Democrats and Republicans nationally and statewide is they will run around touting Dr. King, but they don’t understand his dream and vision,” Rev. Harris explains. “Dr. King died for a poor people’s campaign.  He was getting ready to lead a poor people’s march in Washington D.C. when he was killed.”

Audio: 

Interview with Rev. Shane Harris on MLK March 2017

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NEW DYNAMICS OF THE 2017 EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL

 

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo: El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis and El Cajon’s liaisons from County Mental Health

January 12, 2017 (El Cajon) -- Formerly operating in lock-step unison, the El Cajon City Council picked up two businessmen in the 2016 elections, one supported by neither political party and one supported by the party previously shut-out.


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JOIN THE MLK DAY READING CHALLENGE

 

East County News Service

January 13, 2017 (San Diego) – Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) invites you to join her in honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day by participating in a Day of Reading Around the Region on Monday, January 16. This is a program championed by the national sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., an organization of educators that I have been a member of for four decades.


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IN HEATED CPUC HEARING, PUBLIC SPEAKS OUT ON SDG&E PROPOSAL TO CHARGE RATEPAYERS FOR 2007 WILDFIRE COSTS

 

By Rachel Williams

January 12, 2017 (Escondido) -- The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) hosted public hearings on Monday covering SDG&E’s second attempt to charge ratepayers for the utility’s unrecovered losses from California’s 2007 wildfires.


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HELIX WATER SEEKS CANDIDATES FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS: APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED JANUARY 19-26

 

East County News Service

January 12, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Helix Water District’s board of directors voted unanimously at their January 11, 2017 meeting to consider candidates for appointment to the Division 1 board seat left vacant by the resignation of Luis Tejeda.

The candidate appointed by the Board will represent Helix’s Division 1 customers, north of the I‐8 freeway in El Cajon, from Fletcher Hills to Bostonia (see map).


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EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS HIT BY DEBIT, CREDIT CARD SKIMMING SCAMS AT CONVENIENCE STORES

 

By Miriam Raftery; Thea Skinner contributed to this report

January 12, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Numerous local residents say that after using their debit cards inside a Circle K store in La Mesa, thieves attempted to withdraw money from their bank accounts.  Similar scams have been used recently at other local gas stations and convenience stores. 


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DESPITE RAINS, THREE EAST COUNTY RESERVOIRS REMAIN AT VERY LOW LEVELS

 

Dam upgrades slated to begin at Lake Morena in 2018, but there’s no guarantee water levels will ever be restored

By Miriam Raftery

January 12, 2017 (Lake Morena) --  Even after heavy rainfalls doused our region,  three East County Reservoirs remain at very low levels.  As of January 9th, Lake Morena is at  just 2.1 percent of capacity, Barrett Lake is att 5.5 percent, and Sutherland 7.3 percent of capacity, according to the City of San Diego.

These are the only local reservoirs not connected to the State Water Project system of canals and aqueducts, thus they are solely dependent on rainfall  which has not been enough to replenish large quantities pumped out by the City of San Diego to meet its thirst for water.


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SHERIFF HOSTS COFFEE WITH COMMUNITY JAN. 25 IN LEMON GROVE

 

Source: San Diego Sheriff

January 12, 2017 (Lemon Grove) -- The Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation is holding a Coffee with the Community on Wednesday, January 25th from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Lemon Grove Community Center, Lemon Grove Community Center, at 3146 School Lane in Lemon Grove.


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ALL ABOUT WORMS: VERMICOMPOSTNG WORKSHOP AT JACUMBA LIBRARY JAN. 24

 

East County News Service

January 12, 2017 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Vermicomposting (worm composting) is an environmentally-friendly way to turn your food waste into nutrient rich castings for your plants or garden beds. Learn all about how easy it is to compost your food waste with red wriggler worms at an interactive presentation on Tuesday, January 24 at 12:30 p.m. in the Jacumba Branch Library (44605 Old Highway 80 in Jacumba.).  Map | Website


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RAMONA’S WINEMAKING COMES OF AGE

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Mark and Miriam Raftery

Photos, left:  Bill Schweitzer, Ramona Valley Vineyards Association cofounder and past president at Highland  Hills Winery; Pamo Valley Tasting Room on Holiday Wine Tour

January 8, 2017 (Ramona) –“2016 is going to be our greatest vintage so far. Everybody says it came in perfect,” says Bill Schweitzer, cofounder of the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA) in 2002,  and a driving force in attaining an American Viticulture Area (AVA) designation for Ramona back in 2006.  That’s due to the ideal combination of heat, rains and drought years—as well as years of efforts by local vintners now savoring the fruits of their labors.

Sipping wine on the sunny patio at Highland Valley Winery during the Holiday Wine Trail event in December, he reflected that back in 2001,  Ramona had just one winery (Schwaesdall) and 20 vineyards growing grapes.  Today, there are at least 29 wineries in Ramona, soon to be 35, and 150 vineyards.


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MEET MAYOR MINTO JAN. 17 AT SANTEE CHAMBER MIXER

 

East County News Service

January 12, 2017 (Santee) – Santee’s Mayor Minto,  newly elected in November, will be the featured speaker at the Santee Chamber of Commerce mixer on January 17th at 7:30 a.m. at Mimi’s Café (9812 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee).


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DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: TOP FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

 

East County News Service

January 12, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes a writer’s conference, a British comedy, a Casablanca film showing in Alpine, and Ben Vereen onstage in Poway.

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions including cabaret nights, a Celtic guitarist, and a Powwow.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!


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CHARGERS TO RELOCATE TO LOS ANGELES; CUT 55-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH SAN DIEGO



By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy chargers.com

January 12, 2017 (San Diego) - It's official; the Chargers are goneDean Spanos, Chairman of the Chargers, announced this morning that the team is relocating to Los Angeles and will begin the 2017 NFL season as the Los Angeles Chargers.


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PEOPLE’S BALL “COUNTER-INAUGURAL” JANUARY 2017 IN SAN DIEGO

 

 

January 13, 2017 (San Diego) – Activist San Diego,  the nonprofit owner of KNSJ radio,  is hosting its annual “People’s Ball” on January 20th,  which this year falls on the presidential inauguration date. 

The event will be a “counter-inaugural” featuring a live dance band, food, spirits, raffle and a keynote speech by Greg Palast, investigative reporter and filmmaker known for exposing schemes to steal minorities’ votes.


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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: NORTHERN VISITOR

 

January 12, 2017 (Lakeside) -- Canada Geese have become frequent winter visitors in San Diego's East County,  sometimes lingering year-round.  This one cruised in for a landing at Lake Jennings in Lakeside, photographed by our editor, Miriam Raftery.


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CAT FOOD RECALL EXPANDED FOR 9LIVES, SPECIAL KITTY AND EVERPET

 

Source: U.S. Food & Drug Administration

January 11, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that the J.M. Smucker Company is expanding a voluntary recall on certain lots of 9LivesTM, EverPetTM, and Special KittyTM canned cat food due to possible low levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1).


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ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS

 

East County News Service

January 11, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Magazine's 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.

GENERAL NEWS

POLITICS

WORLD

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


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SDSU WOMEN'S HOOPS: FORT'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE NOT ENOUGH IN LOSS TO SAN JOSE STATE

 

McKynzie Fort became the 21st Aztec to enter the 1,000-point club

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

January 11, 2017 (San Jose) - San Diego State women’s basketball battled Mountain West foe San Jose State to the final second but ultimately fell in a heartbreaking 81-80 overtime loss to the Spartans Wednesday night. McKynzie Fort, who notched her second-career double-double, became the 21st member of the program’s 1,000-point club during the game as she matched career-highs with 29 points and 12 rebounds.


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EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

 

East County News Service

January 11, 2017 (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

STATE

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


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MOTORCYCLIST INJURES CHP OFFICER, FLEES SCENE

 

East County News Service

January 11, 2017 (Santee) – A California Highway Patrol Officer was injured today after stopping to investigate a collision on I-15 south at the junction with State Route 52.   The officer was outside his patrol car and put his hand out to stop a motorcyclist who was passing on the shoulder, but the motorcyclist accelerated and struck the officer. 


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FREE SAND AND SANDBAGS AVAILABLE ACROSS COUNTY

 

By Gig Connaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 11, 2017 (San Diego) - San Diego County didn’t have to deal with the “atmospheric river” of rain that swamped Northern and Central California this week. However, we’ve still gotten a lot more rain so far this winter than expected — two to five times as much in some areas in December 2016 than December 2015, when El Niño was raising fears of big rains.


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