RIDERS RALLY TO HELP BURN VICTIM WITH NO INSURANCE

 

By Miriam Raftery

February 8, 2015 (Ramona) – Nearly 80 riders on horseback hit the trail Saturday in Ramona to help pay medical bills for Lynn Fuller, a Poway resident who suffered burns over more than 75% of her body.


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LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORT


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TOMATOMANIA: MARCH 14 AT WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN

 

February 7, 2015 (Rancho San Diego)—Tomatomania, the world’s largest heirloom tomato seedling sale, is coming to the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College (12122 Cuyamaca College Drive) in the Rancho San Diego neighborhood of El Cajon.  Tomatomania will take place on March 14th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.


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KIWANIS CLUB'S DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATES 75 YEARS SERVING LA MESA

 

East County News Service

February 7, 2015 (La Mesa)--Chartered in February 1940, the Kiwanis Club of La Mesa celebrates its 75th Anniversary with a special, invitation only event at the La Mesa Community Center on Thursday, February 19, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.  An opportunity drawing will be held.  Complimentary hors d’oeuvers will be served, and there will be a no-host bar. Although the event is by invitation only, persons interested in attending may contact the event chair, Glenna Bloemen, at 619-743-5192 to receive an invitation.


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FEB. 15 DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR COVERED CALIFORNIA HEALTH INSURANCE

 

Tax penalties kick in for uninsured this year

East County News Service

February 8, 2015 (San Diego) – February 15th is the deadline to sign up for health insurance this year under Covered California, the state’s exchange for purchasing insurance under the Affordable Care Act, which requires every American to have health insurance.


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EL CAJON YOUTH OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED

 

February 7, 2015 (El Cajon)--The City of El Cajon Teen Coalition presents a “Youth of the Year” Award, recognizing those who go above and beyond in serving their community through their leadership abilities and/or community service in El Cajon.  These are the young individuals that have made a big difference in this community.


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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: IRON MOUNTAIN

 

February 7, 2015 (Ramona) – Greg Dunne and his son, Kyle, took a hike up Iron Mountain, along with an extended route to the top of Ramona View Point (8.4 miles total).


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"THE '60S BABY SCOOP": A STOLEN SON FINDS HIS WAY HOME

 

An interview with Wayne William Smoke-Snellgrove

by KB Schaller

Reprinted with permission of Indian Life Newspaper

"The hardest thing I ever did in my whole life was to grow up."

--Wayne William Smoke-Snellgrove

 

February 7, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - The tone of my friend, Beaded Wing's, email was excited: "You really need to talk to this brother and write his story. I've already told him you'll be contacting him."

"Brother" or otherwise, I wondered what he could share that I had not heard before. But, when Wayne William Snellgrove  mentioned the term "60's Baby Scoop" during our first telephone conversation, I knew that his story would be as riveting as any tale of fiction in its unearthing of an era largely cloaked in secrecy.


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COUNTY SLOWLY STARTS ROLL-OUT OF VETERANS SERVICES IN EAST COUNTY LIBRARIES

 

By Miriam Raftery

February 7, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Back in September 2013, our article titled, “Why is County Veterans Services Department  ignoring rural East County vets?” inspired Supervisor Dianne Jacob to get a measure passed that would bring veterans’ services to libraries in rural East County. 

We wrote our story after a reader, Claudia Millerbragg, informed us that there were no county services for veterans in our County's rural, mountain or desert regions--areas that lack adequate transit services, making it difficult for disabled veterans to travel and receive the services that they need. By contrast, ECM's investigation found an abundance of services in coastal areas, despite the fact that residents in those areas could access transit services--and the fact that East County has more veterans than the coastal region. 

Supervisor Jacob's measure passed in March 2014 and stated that veterans service would be introduced into the El Cajon, Ramona, Julian and Pine Valley libraries by year’s end, with other locations possibly to follow. 

But when East County Magazine contacted the County Veterans Services Department in January of 2015, we learned that a year and a half after our initial report, only two libraries have received veterans’ services – El Cajon and Rancho San Diego, both in suburban areas close to La Mesa, which already had services. Despite the measure passed by Supervisors, no veterans services had yet been brought to rural areas. 

So we made some inquiries - and got results. Those who served our nation will soon be able to access services they need in libraries across our regoin.


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COUNTY'S FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM REAPS SUCCESS

 

Hear our interviews with representatives of San Diego County’s “Farm to School” program aired on the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

February 7, 2015 (San Diego) – The second annual State of Farm to School in San Diego County Report reveals growth in farm to school programs bringing healthy produce to area school children – also generating returns for our region’s health and economy. See our earlier article on the program’s success here.   Recently we held a radio show on the County's Farm to School task force. We interviewed JuliAnna Arnett Director of Operations & Food Systems for the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative, Community Health Improvement Partners, along with Eric Larson, Executive Director at the San Diego County Farm Bureau,Johnna Jenkins, Director of Child Nutrition at Valley Center-Pauma school district, and Jill Wittenberg, Child Nutrition Director, La Mesa-Spring Valley School District.

They shared success stories on how this innovative program is helping farmers and students reap healthy rewards.  More participants are sought to meet rising demand for fresh produce in our public schools.

Audio: 


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SOME EAST COUNTY SCHOOLS HAVE HIGH RATES OF UNVACCINATED CHILDREN

 

 

By Miriam Raftery; Kristin Kjaero contributed to this report

February 6, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The current measles epidemic  has focused attention on concerns over parents who decline to vaccinate their children.  In East County and San Diego’s inland region (East of I-15) the rate of unvaccinated children in local kindergartens is as high as 90% (at Holy Trinity, a private school in El Cajon)  down to just 1% unvaccinated at Mt. Vernon Elementary in Lemon Grove.

Countywide, the rate of kindergartners who are unvaccinated or not current on vaccine boosters  is 7.6%.


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HEART TRANSPLANT NEEDED: BENEFIT FOR LA MESA DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL

Bolt Brewery to hold fundraiser Sun. 2/8 at 1:00 p.m.

By Kristin Kjaero

February 7, 2014 (La Mesa) – 33-year old Heartland Deputy Fire Marshal Adam Beardsley needs a heart transplant, and his colleagues at Heartland are holding a fundraiser February 8 to help with the unexpected expenses. Proceeds from an opportunity drawing with prizes and t-shirts sales will go to help the family, and Bolt Brewery has agreed to donate back 50%. Donations can be made on-line here.

Since January 6 Beardsley has been living at UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital. His wife, Megan Beardsley, commutes from her job at SDSU to visit him on weekends, taking on double expenses to rent an apartment close to the hospital. Beardley’s wife, sister, and parents all drive to Los Angeles on different days, so that one of them is with him at all times while waiting for a life-saving call when a donor heart may be found.


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FIRE DISPLACES NINE IN EL CAJON

 

February 5, 2015 (El Cajon ) -- Heartland Fire & Rescue crews from El Cajon were at 5:17 a.m. Wednesday following reports of a residential structure fire in the 1000 block of East Madison Avenue in El Cajon.   Fire crews arrived within five minutes to discover heavy fire and smoke coming from three sides of a single story duplex. Firefighters contained the fire within 10 minutes, and stopped the fire from spreading to nearby units. There were injuries reported.


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PRECRIBED BURNING TO CONTINUE

 

Photo: Ceonothus (wild lilac) on Middle Peak in Cuyamaca

February 7, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - Cleveland National Forest is slated to continue prescribed burning from now through June of 2015, depending upon weather and fuel conditions. But at least one environmental organization has raised questions about impacts of the burns.


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CALTRANS STUDY REVEALS ECONOMIC GROWTH POTENTIAL AT GILLESPIE FIELD

 

East County News Service

February 6, 2015 (El Cajon)--Gillespie Field in El Cajon ranks high among airports in California in potential for sustainable economic growth and job creation, according to a recent study by the California Dept. of Transportation (Caltrans), Division of Aeronautics.


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MAN CHARGED IN DEATH OF EAST COUNTY WOMAN

 

East County News Service

February 6, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Eugene Niggel has been charged with first degree murder and domestic violence resulting in the death of Linda Sue Irwin.  Irwin was admitted to Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa on November 19, 2014 with blunt force trauma. She was transferred to Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, where she later died of her injuries.


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SWEETHEART SCAMMERS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

 

By Andrea Toch

Reprinted with permission from http://blog.protectmyid.com/2014/01/22/sweetheart-scammers-what-you-need-to-know/?

February 6, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)-- Identity theft advocacy organizations and the FBI warn those who use online dating sites to watch out for “sweetheart scammers” who swindle money or bank account information from online daters.


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LAKESIDE PLANNING GROUP ELECTS NEW OFFICERS

 

 

 

February 6, 2015 (Lakeside) – At its meeting this week, Lakeside Community Planning Group elected new officers for 2015.


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SUSPECTED CASE OF MEASLES AT SHARP GROSSMONT HOSPITAL IN LA MESA

 

Reprinted with permission from www.ReportingSanDiego.com

By Nadin Abbott

Feb. 6, 2015 (La Mesa) Earlier in the day a patient came to Grossmont Hospital with what looked like measles. According to the twitter page the Emergency Room at 5555 Grossmont Center Drive was closed.

The ER is now open, and the patient has been put in isolation, this is per the hospital twitter feed.


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EAST COUNTY CHURCHES DONATE TRAUMA KITS TO EL CAJON POLICE

 

Photo (left to right): Kevin Miller, Foothills Christian Church; Capt. Jeff Arvan, El Cajon Police Dept..

February 5, 2015 (El Cajon)--A group of 25 churches in the East County have collectively contributed dollars to purchase 45 potentially life-saving trauma kits for the El Cajon Police Department.


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ASSEMBLYWOMAN GONZALEZ COAUTHORS MEASURE TO BOOST VACCINATION RATES

 

Proposed legislation would eliminate California's personal belief exemption for vaccinations

February 5, 2015 (Sacramento)--California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) has joined State Senators Dr. Richard Pan and Ben Allen to propose legislation that would eliminate the personal belief exemption for vaccinations in California.


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WEST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN ORIENTATION FEB. 25

 

February 4, 2015 (Santee)—West Hills High School invites freshman and families to attend freshman orientation on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m.  Click here to view a flyer.


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VALENTINE’S DAY 4-COURSE APHRODESIAC DINNER & CLASSICAL GUITAR AT JEREMY’S ON THE HILL

 

February 6, 2015 (Julian) – What could be more romantic than classical guitar music and an aphrodisiac dinner cooked up by the Courdon-Bleu trained chef/owner at Jeremy’s on the Hill, nestled on the outskirts of the historic gold rush town of Julian?

The feast begins with “first love” stuffed mushrooms filled with almond-basil pesto. Next choose from  oysters on the half shell with champagne mignonette or butternut squash soup with coconut milk and cinnamon crouton.


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DINE YOUR HEART OUT: VALENTINE SPECIAL AT BO BEAU'S RESTAURANT

 

February 5, 2015 (La Mesa) -- Love is in the air at Bo-Beau's Restaurant in La Mesa, East County's only member of the esteemed Cohn Restaurants.  Chef Neil has put together a three-course menu with a shared dessert to showcase his cuisine on Valentine’s Day for $49.95 per person. 

Start with a teaser of escargot, heart beet bisque or red scarlett gem salad to whet your appetite. Then savor an entree, choosing from roasted chicken, steak, scallops, quinoa cakes or gnocchi alfredo. As a finale, share a mini ved velte torte complete with white chocolate mousse, raspberry sorbet and strawberry pearls.


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WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN OFFERS GARDEN CLASSES

February 6, 2015 (Rancho San Diego) -- If you're looking for some creative ideas for landscaping your yard, the Water Conesrvation Garden has classes coming up on Hillside Gardening February 7th and Garden Design February 28th.  The Water Conservation Garden is located at Cuyamaca College in the Rancho San Diego area of El Cajon.


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STATE APPROVES FUNDS FOR JACUMBA AIRPORT UPGRADES

 

East County News Service

February 4, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- The state has approved funding for construction of infrastructure improvements at the Jacumba Hot Springs airport . Back in 2012, County Supervisors authorized a co-pay with the state to pave the runway and make other upgrades.


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HAZMAT INCIDENT IN LA MESA

 

East County News Service

Photo by Craig Maxwell

February 5, 2015 (La Mesa)--A Hazmat crew was dispatched to downtown La Mesa this morning after a city engineering crew found an underground storage tank.  Fire crews were summoned and after abnormal readings were found, a Hazmat crew as called in. 

The old storage tank contained no gas, but did have trace amounts of kerosene and water, Sonny Saghera, public information officer for Heartland Fire and Rescue, told East County Magazine. The tank was too old to show up on any city records and may predate the century-old city.


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A DARK DAY FOR DEMOCRACY: SUPERVISORS OVERRIDE BOULEVARD'S ELECTED PLANNING OFFICIALS, FORCE INDUSTRIAL-SCALE SOLAR ON RURAL TOWN

 

By Miriam Raftery

View video of full hearing: http://sdcounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=1660

Note: Tune in Friday to our radio show on 89.1 FM from 5 to 6 p.m. to hear interviews with Boulevard residents and a hydrologist sharing their views on this outcome.  Jim Whelan, a representative of Soitec project property owners Hamann and Gibson was invited and refused to participate.

 

February 4, 2015 (San Diego) – Boulevard residents fought down tears in stunned disbelief today (photo, left) as San Diego Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to approve Soitec’s Tierra Del Sol and Rugged Solar projects, overriding a unanimous vote by Boulevard’s elected planning group that opposed the projects. Collectively the two massive projects will cover 1,185 acres (the equivalent of 185 city blocks) of rural terrain with thousands of concentrated solar tracking panels, each 48 feet wide by 30 feet tall.

Only Supervisor Dianne Jacob voted against the project, following an extensive speech in opposition. She called county staff’s finding that the project was compatible with rural community character “absolutely incomprehensible to me.”  Jacob pointed out that the General Plan is supposed to assure environmental stewardship, preservation of agricultural lands, open space and community character, among other qualities – all of which will be destroyed if the Soitec projects are built.


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NICK HARDWICK ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER 11 SEASONS

 

February 3, 2015 (San Diego) - After a career that spanned 146 games as the Chargers’ starting center, including 10 postseason contests, on Tuesday Nick Hardwick announced his retirement from the National Football League.


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TROUT STOCKING AT SANTEE LAKES FEB. 6

 

February 3, 2015 (Santee Lakes) - Santee Lakes will be stocking lakes two and three with 1,000 pounds of trout on Friday, February 6th – bringing the total of Rainbow Trout planted in the lake since November to a whopping 10,500 pounds.  For  fishing information, you can visit www.SanteeLakes.com.


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