By Miriam Raftery and Paul Kruze

May 15, 2019 (El Cajon) – The Cajon Valley Union School District stepped up its war on the media during its May 7^th board workshop.  A guard demanded that East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery and contributing editor Paul Kruze move from the front row to the back, in a clear effort to prevent the investigative journalists from recording an audible copy of the meeting. Both refused, citing First Amendment freedom of the press and the district’s continued non-compliance with California public records act requests to receive audios of past meetings.

 At a subsequent meeting May 14, the guard repeated this demand for Kruze to move out of a front row seat, even threatening to the El Cajon Police for “disruption” if he would not comply. Kruze’s recording device is inobtrusive, about the size of a cell phone. There is nothing inherently disruptive about a journalist quietly recording a meeting, which is a right guaranteed to any citizen by the California Ralph M. Brown Act, the state’s public records act.

These intimidation tactics come after the board admitted destroying recordings of public meetings despite our requests for the recordings.  After receiving a cease and desist letter from an attorney at CalAware, the board on March 29 responded with a letter agreeing to comply with the law, as we reported, but has not done so. The board also voted to retain recordings for a year and make copies available on request. But the  district’s lawyer claims our more records request, along with other emails sent to multiple  people at the district, all went to a spam folder.

By Miriam Raftery

May 15, 2019 (Washington D.C.) -- The Federal Trade Commission is warning the public about a surge in phone calls from scammers posing as Social Security agents. The imposters try to con people into providing their Social Security numbers or other personal or financial data.

Update May 15, 2019: The San Diego City Council has voted to approve the new vehicle habitation ordinance.

By Miriam Raftery

May 13, 2019 (San Diego) – After a federal judge found San Diego’s vehicle habitation ordinance unconstitutional and issued an injunction to halt its enforcement of the ban on sleeping in vehicles, a new ordinance backed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer has been passed 3-1 by a committee and forwarded to the full city council, where a vote is expected on Tuesday, May 14 at 2 p.m.  

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

May 12, 2019 (San Diego) - Starting in June 2019, the CalFresh program will allow many seniors and people with disabilities receiving SSI/SSP to participate and have access to nutritious food.

CalFresh is designed to reduce food insecurity and increase food budgets, improving participants’ access to fresh and healthy food.

Source:  San Diego County Taxpayers Association

Annual dinner recognizes best and worst use of public funds in San Diego County; this year’s 1970’s-themed event takes place on May 16

May 10, 2019 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) hasreleased the list of finalists for its 24th annual Golden Watchdog & Fleece Awards. The annual awards dinner recognizes the best and worst in local government spending and decision-making in San Diego County. Winners will be announced at the awards dinner on Thursday, May 16. The theme: a 1970’s extravaganza, “Thursday Night Fever.”

Source: Calif. Attorney General

May 9, 2019 (Sacramento) – Calif. Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced that consumers may begin to apply for relief as part of the coordinated government and private class action settlements with Fiat Chrysler. The settlements, announced in January 2019 and approved on May 3, 2019, resolved allegations that the company violated environmental and consumer protection laws by using “defeat device software” to circumvent emissions testing.

Fiat Chrysler is accused of installing the defeat device software in approximately 100,000 vehicles nationwide and about 13,500 vehicles in California. The affected vehicles are 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500s equipped with 3.0L EcoDiesel engines.

By Miriam Raftery

May 8, 2019 (Jamul) – On Tuesday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m., the Jamul-Dulzura Community Planning Group agenda includes a proposed general plan amendment for Otay Ranch Village 14 and Planning Areas 16 and 19, prior to County Supervisors upcoming June 26 hearing. (Note, the county rescheduled its May 22 hearing to June 26.)

The project would include homes, a school, recreational facilities and more on property in the Otay Ranch area as well as land between Jamul and Chula Vista. Concerns have been raised by school districts, tribes, environmentalists and the Jamul-Dulzura Planning Group.  

The Jamul-Dulzura Planning Group’s agenda also includes an update on the Jamul Casino, a General Plan clean-up process and officers’ reports.  

See the full agenda below.

East County News Service

May 7, 2019 (San Diego) - More than 100 birds that were surrendered to San Diego Humane Society by their previous owner on April 25 are now ready for new homes. The pigeons and doves will be available for adoption at SDHS’s San Diego Campus on Wednesday, May 8.

By Miriam Raftery, Editor, East County Magazine

May 6, 2019 (El Cajon) – Cajon Valley Union School District Superintendent David Miyashiro, Ed.D., sent a blistering editorial in an e-mail to East County Magazine, board members and others blasting our article on board President Tamara Otero’s failure to disclose that her son owned a company that received a $665,000 contract.   He did not list any actions planned to address Otero’s lack of disclosure and transparency.

President forcefully denounces violent attacks at churches, synagogues and mosques

By Miriam Raftery

May 4, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – The National Day of Prayer service hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House rose garden on May 2nd included two local VIPs: Rabbi Ysroel Goldstein of Poway and El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells.

By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2019 (Santee) -- A workshop describing the controversial Fanita Ranch proposed master-planned community will be held during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 8th. The workshop is designed to provide information to the public about the project. No actions on the project will be taken at this meeting.

Updated with corrected figures for El Cajon, where homelessness rose and a higher percentage are without shelter than last year.

By Miriam Raftery

May 2, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – For the second year in a row, the annual Point-in-Time homeless count for 2019 found a 6% drop in the number of homeless people living on the streets and in shelters across San Diego County.  The count found a 1% increase in those who are sheltered and a 10% decrease in those left unsheltered.