October 5, 2012 (San Diego) – The California Public Utilities Commission will hold a public hearing on SDG&E profits on October 5 at 7 p.m. in the Al Bahr Shriners Hall, 5440 Kearny Mesa Road.
The utility has repeatedly sought rate hikes. But SDG&E already has among the highest profit rates in the United States at 11.1%. Further, a recent study by The Utility Reform Network (TURN) indicates a 9.4% profit would be a fairer rate that would enable energy bills to be reduced by $50 a year for the average family. The public is invited to testify at the hearing.
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October 5, 2012 (La Mesa) – Oktoberfest has been a tradition in La Mesa for 35 years, growing from a small street fair to a three-day fest that now draws over 186,000 attendees and 400 vendors. La Mesa Chamber has partnered with La Mesa Village Merchants Association, founders of the event.
This year’s festivities include not only such German favorites as bratwurst, beer, and a Raving Polka band, but also more contemporary favorites such as CarTune Dogs playing classic rock and Jumpin’ Jack Flash mobile music all weekend long.
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Six wildfires earlier this summer in East County were caused by target shooting
By Miriam Raftery
October 1, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fire investigators have pinpointed the origin of the Shockey Fire to an area where illegal target shooting was taking place on state land near Shockey Truck Trail, Mike Mohler of Cal Fire informed ECM today.
Investigators are not yet certain that shooting caused the fire, but if so, the shooter could be held liable for damages including loss of 11 homes and death of an elderly resident, Mohler confirmed in an exclusive interview with ECM. Cal-Fire urges anyone with information on the Shockey Fire to call the Arson Hotline at 800-468-4408.
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October 2, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – It saddened me to read the comments of San Diego Fire Captain Frank DeClercq which followed an article in the U-T San Diego September 24 titled Supervisor Jacob: Heed Authorities in Fire Area.
Captain DeClercq wrote, “Once again, Supevisor Jacob is in denial. The County of San Diego spends a mere $15 million dollars on fire protection while Orange and Los Angeles Counties spend $250 and $500 million dollars protecting their citizens. The City of San Diego taxpayers foot the bill to send City of San Diego firefighting crews to unincorporated East County to extinguish their fire. Unbelievable!” He added, ““Having and showing off a patch does not make a fire department.”
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Update 6 p.m.: The suspect has been identified as Paul Carl Tomasini. He is being charged with murder, the Sheriff's office reports this evening.
October 1, 2012 (Santee)—A man with stab wounds is being questioned by Sheriff’s homicide detectives in connection with the death of a woman found deceased in a home in the 10500 block of Strathmore Drive in Santee last night.
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October 1, 2012 (Ocotillo) – “This project is completely wrong and it’s unethical,” said Anita Nicklen, one of dozens protesting on National Public Lands Day to draw attention to the destruction of public land in Ocotillo. “It’s our land and they’re building on public land. The desert is crying and weeping and bleeding.”
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“There is a troubling and growing pattern of abuse and excessive use of force committed by Border Patrol agents; our community demands to know what led to such a brutal act by that plainclothes agent.” – Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committee U.S. Mexico Border Program
October 1, 2012 (Chula Vista)—Family members and human rights advocates seek answers from authorities following the bizarre shooting death of Valeria Tachiquin-Alvarado, 32, mother of five young children, by a Border Patrol officer in plainclothes. A candlelight vigil for the victim is planned tonight at 6 p.m.
Witness accounts vary sharply from the initial report released by authorities. The San Diego Medical Examiner has ruled the death a homicide.
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October 3, 2012 (San Diego)—The San Diego Candidates Green Policy Forum 2012 will gathers candidates for local, state, and national office on October 4th, 2012 from 5-9 p.m. to hear their positions on strategic issues in Green policy.
Join Congresswoman Susan Davis, Congerssman and Mayoral candidate Bob Filner, Congressional candidates Scott Peters and David Secor, County Supervisor candidate Dave Roberts, State Assembly candidates Dr. Shirley Weber, RJ Hernandez and Pat Hurley. Note: Other candidates were invited and declined including Congressman Brian Bilbray, Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio and Assemblyman Brian Jones.
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September 30, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A 27-year-old Coronado man collapsed and died yesterday on the return hike from Three Sisters Falls. According to the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office, the man was hiking with three friends on the trail in the Descanso/Julian area when he collapsed.
“It was a hot day and the falls apparently were dried up,” the Medical Examiner’s website reports. Temperatures were in the 80s, with an excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service in effect.
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September 30, 2012 (San Diego) -- San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating a murder that occurred on a Chollas Creek street this morning. At 5:34 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 5000 block of Sterling Court on a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. They arrived to find the victim in front of a home, suffering from several apparent stab wounds. Paramedics arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment. The victim died at the hospital this morning at 7:12 a.m.
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September 30, 2012 (El Cajon)—Councilman Tony Ambrose was appointed in March to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Jillian Hanson-Cox. Now he’s running for re-election, one of seven candidates vying for three seats. After serving more than 20 years on the city’s Planning Commission and previously chairing the East County Economic Development Council, he brings experience along with some new ideas to the Council position. A Republican, like the other incumbent Council members, Ambrose shares some values with his colleagues—but differs on some key issues.
In an exclusive interview with ECM, Ambrose shares his detailed vision for improving the economy and quality of life in El Cajon.
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September 30, 2012 (Ocotillo ) -- U.S. District Court Judge William Hayes has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Community Advocates for Renewable Energy Stewardship (CARES). The group sought an injunction to halt construction of the Ocotillo Express wind energy facility on public land. Hayes ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing.
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September 29, 2012 (La Mesa)—A man waiting at a bus stop in the 5200 block of Baltimore Drive in La Mesa reported that he was robbed at knife point at 6:05 this morning. The victim told police that a gold-four door sedan pulled up by the bus stop. A man with a goatee got out and held a knife to the victim’s side while a woman grabbed the victim’s backpack.
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September 29, 2012 (San Diego) -- Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States with more than 46 million Americans having doctor‐diagnosed arthritis (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2009). As joint pain is an extremely prevalent condition that many Americans face daily, new advances in technology for the delivery of image-guided injections are available.
Dr. Benjamin DuBois, a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon at Grossmont Orthopaedic Group in La Mesa, answers our questions about the causes of joint pain and the treatment options.
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September 29, 2012 -- Dear EarthTalk: I’ve always suspected that perfumes and colognes must not be too healthy simply because of the way the smell of most of them bothers me. Am I correct? Is there information available on this issue? -- Lucinda Barry, Minneapolis, MN
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September 29, 2012 (Santee) -- Founded in 2006 the Pickwick Players Community Theater has some Santee ties: namely Cameron and Alisa Williams—who are also teachers at Carlton Oaks School in Santee.
Teachers by day, at night Cameron is an artistic director and Alisa is the group’s choreographer; you can throw in weekends and summer breaks as well to those nights.
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September 29, 2012 (La Mesa)—At Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s Briar Patch Campus, families flocked to the 11th annual Kidscare Fest, a free event just for kids. Over 1200 kids were in attendance at the September 22 event.
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September 29, 2012 (Lakeside)—Sergeant Craig Johnson has been released from Scripps Mercy Hospital and is recovering at home with his family, Sheriff Gore reported today. Johnson, along with Deputy Ari Perez, were shot by a child abuse suspect with a high-powered rifle. Perez remains hospitalized following surgery.
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September 28, 2012 (San Diego)—Extremely hot temperatures and dry conditions are forecast for Sunday through Wednesday,creating elevated fire weather concerns.
Temperatures could reach 110 in the low deserts and 100 in high desert areas. In San Diego County valleys, 95 to 105 degree temperatures are forecast, with highs up to 95 in coastal and mountain areas.
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Sgt. Craig Johnson, also wounded, is recovering after surgery
Suspect pleads not guilty to attempted murder
By Miriam Raftery
September 27, 2012 (El Cajon )—The San Diego Blood Bank seeks blood donations for San Diego Sheriff Detective Ali Perez, who is in critical condition after being shot with a high-powered rifle yesterday during an attempted arrest in Lakeside.
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September 27, 2012 (La Mesa) – A resident sleeping in an apartment at 5300 Marengo Avenue was awakened this afternoon by smoke. Seeing flames coming from her stove, she tried to douse the fire with water, which caused the fire to spread. She then evacuated the apartment, which suffered $50,000 in damages to the structure and contents.
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September 27, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College will offer a fire-wise gardening seminar with Greg Rubin, native plant expert from California’s Own Native Landscape Design. Cost is $20 for members, $28 for nonmembers. The program will be held on Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
By Billy Ortiz, Lakeside Historical Society Member
Photos by Billy Ortiz and Lakeside Historical Society
September 26, 2012 (Lakeside) – Founded back in 1907, the Lakeside Auto Speedway is considered the first purpose-built auto racing facility in the United States. When completed, the Lakeside Auto Speedway transformed the nascent motor sports movement by moving races off dangerous public roads and horse race tracks.
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Republican maverick has challenged his party on ethical issues in past, says he avoids "special interest money"
By Janis Mork
September 28, 2012 (San Diego)- Republican Michael Crimmins is running against Democrat Juan Vargas for Congress in the 51st district, which includes the entire border with Mexico and Imperial Valley. View a map of the district: http://www.crimminsforcongress.com/map/. The seat is open, since incumbent Congressman Bob Filner is stepping down to run for Mayor of San Diego.
Crimmins says he running because he wants to make a difference. His qualifications include military service and an education background. He is a retired military officer and San Diego teacher with two master degrees in education. Currently he resides in Point Loma, which is not in the district. If elected, he says he would move to Imperial Beach. Married in Florida in 1977, he divorced in 1988 and has a daughter, Ashley, a flight attendant.
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September 28, 2012 (San Diego) – You don’t know where you’ll be when the next wildfire or other major emergency hits San Diego County. But this week’s destructive Shockey Fire is our latest reminder that emergencies do happen here.
Starting today, you can download SD Emergency to your iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet to get critical emergency information wherever you are. The app is designed to keep residents and their families informed and safe throughout events likely to affect the region, such as wildfires, or potential threats, such as damaging earthquakes or terrorist events.
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September 28, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – For the fifth year in a row, East County Magazine reporters and photographers will be taking home awards in the San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. Nadin Abbott, Tom Abbott, Jim Pelley, Ryan Schuler, and ECM editor Miriam Raftery are all winners in the 2012 competition.
The winning categories—and just how many awards ECM has won – will be announced on October 23 at the San Diego Hall of Champions.
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September 27, 2012 (El Cajon ) – It was the hottest party in town last night at the El Cajon Brewing Company, where a “Beer Bash Benefit” was held to raise funds for East County Magazine’s wildfire reporting and to encourage the public to sign up for ECM's free Viejas Wildfire & Emergency Alerts.
The event raised nearly $3,500, including a generous $2,500 donation from the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. Charlie Brown, director of Community Relations for Viejas, and Chief Don Butz of Viejas Fire were on hand to make the presentation.
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September 27, 2012 (El Cajon)--The Grossmont College Guitar Guild will present “Bach to Beatles,” a solo concert by Fred Benedetti, Grossmont College guitar instructor, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28, on the Grossmont College campus, Building #26, Room #221. The public is invited to attend.
Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and military and $5 for students. Proceeds will benefit the Grossmont College Music Department.
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September 27, 2012 (Ocotillo)– The public is invited to a funeral procession mourning the loss of the Ocotillo Desert in Imperial County on Saturday, September 29. Organizers of the funeral procession note that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was established to protect and preserve precious public lands. The BLM’s stated mission is to sustain the health of public lands for current and future generations by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
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September 27, 2012 -- (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 reflecting 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.
Judge rules Arizona can enforce strict provision to immigration law (Reuters)
Worrisome levels of arsenic in rice (Consumer Reports)
Massive tumors in rats fed genetically modified corn (CA Right to Know blog)
More than 1,000 pastors plan to challenge IRS by endorsing candidates (Fox)
As tax credit wanes, jobs vanish in wind power industry (New York Times)
Tesla offers free solar travel with new super-charged tech (RawStory)
Senators to Hilary: Show us the ambassador’s cables (ForeignPolicy)
Mormons want to expel Romney critic (Daily Beast)
Whose next in line for a kidney transplant? The answer is changing (NPR)
WORLD
Out with color: Islamists force Timbuktu women to wear black veils or face corporal punishment (Observers)
Fake Italian pilot traveled in cockpit, police say (Reuters)
Marijuana and cancer: Researchers find cannabis stops metastasis in aggressive forms of cancer (Huffington Post)
Report: restrictions on religious views rise worldwide (Jerusalem Post)
Second day of anti-Japan attacks rock China (NPR)
Man held in revenge plot over Muslim cartoons (Christian Science Monitor)
Russia reveals shiny state secret: It’s awash in diamonds (Christian Science Monitor)
Pakistani TV stations air a real ‘made in USA’ video. Will it calm violence? (Christian Science Monitor)
The terrorist veto (City Journal)
Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.
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