Off My Rocker, by Kenny Weissberg (Sandra Jonas Publishing House, Boulder, Colorado, 2014, 311 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

January 15, 2014 (San Diego)--Kenny Weissberg, the former producer and promoter of the internationally acclaimed Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay series in San Diego, has lived the life that many of us could only dream about.  It is reflected in his wildly entertaining tell-all book, Off My Rocker.

Photo:  Elizabeth Maldonado Robinson, left, and Sister Justine Church,  right, from the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice

By Jordan Schaffner

January 12, 2014 (La Mesa) -- With the church choir wearing Charger blue and gold in the background, Elizabeth Maldonado Robinson, Program Coordinator of the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice and Sister Justine Church, Interfaith Committee treasurer, spoke about worker inequality  last Sunday, January 6 at the United Church of Christ of La Mesa. 

Maldonado Robinson said hotel workers earning minimum wage at the Hyatt in La Jolla are pressured to clean rooms within a certain time frame and often don’t receive breaks. When workers asked to speak to management collectively, they were refused. After objecting to this, a worker spoke to the manager in private. The worker was told she could have a break--but must take it in a closet filled with linens and toxic cleaning supplies. After many sanctions against workers, the manager finally agreed to let hotel workers organize--due to protests from the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice of San Diego County.

“I think the new sign and banner ordinance is going to help distinguish the unique characteristics of each of the unincorporated communities,” said Board Chairwoman Dianne Jacob. The board’s vote Wednesday will repeal the County’s current policy of banning community signs on County roads and create new rules that allow a number of different kinds of signs and banners — permanent and temporary.

Because the rule changes will create a new County ordinance, the action must be approved by the Board again when they meet Jan. 29, and would take effect 30 days after that.

Public Comments Due by February 17

By Sharon Penny

January 5, 2014 (Boulevard)--On Thursday, January 2, the County of San Diego released an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on massive solar projects proposed in East County by Soitec Solar (http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/pds/ceqa/Soitec-Solar-EIR.html).

At the Boulevard Planning Group meeting, County employees made a brief presentation of the EIR.  The small community room was packed with over two dozen residents of Boulevard, all expressing major concerns with the proposed projects. Robert Hingtgen and Mindy Fogg from the County’s Planning and Development Services discussed Soitec’s four proposed projects, which combined would encompass a total of 1,490 acres in Boulevard, with almost 7,500 solar trackers, each measuring 30 feet tall by 48 feet wide.

By Nadin Abbott

December 31, 2013 (San Diego)—On December 23rd, Judge Howard Shore delayed his final decision on the placement of Mikel Wayne Marshall, a convicted sexual predator, in Jacumba Hot Springs on a conditional release. Shore said that he wants to personally inspect the property recommended by state officials before making his final decision after hearing compelling testimony from residents, including a survivor of sexual abuse who resides in Jacumba Hot Springs.

Could Obamacare provide impetus for a county hospital in East County?

By Miriam Raftery

December 29, 2013 (Washington D.C.) – Consumers signing up for  new healthcare options or “Obamacare” through Healthcare.gov rose seven-fold in December, when over 975,000 people enrolled.  From October 1 through December 24, a total of 1.1 million people signed up for the new health insurance marketplaces nationwide.  Over a million more signed up through state websites, bringing the total to two-thirds of the 3 million goal set by the White House.

Marilyn Tavenner, administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, called this a “welcome surge in enrollment as millions of Americans seek access to affordable heatlh care coverage,” adding hat the surge came in part because “we met our marks on improving HealthCare.gov.” She added that the site supported 83,000 concurrent users on December 23rd alone before the deadline to sign up for coverage starting January 1.

 By David Dickens

December 18, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Christian High School in El Cajon won the CIF Division3 championship against  the San Marcos High Knights  on December 8. But another battle loomed in the courtroom over the prior week.

On December 9, Superior Court Judge William Sato denied Christian High’s request for injunctive relief to gain consideration as a Division 4 school in the state football series hosted by the San Diego CIF.  Athletic Director David Beezer  sought to create a fair advantage that Christian High should be entitled to based to its enrollment size.  According to the SDCIF handbook, Christian High should be a Division 4 school as far as athletics are concerned contended Beezer, who believes Christian High is being discriminated against and that this is in conflict with the CIF’s own written policy.

 Link to video from Toy Drive “Big Reveal”: http://youtu.be/Wt6i9YqPrHM

December 12, 2013 (Alpine) – When the curtain went up on stage at the DreamCatcher Lounge last night at Viejas Casino and Resort, it revealed 12,017 toys to benefit local children this holiday season. 

Representatives of Viejas Tribal Council also presented a $15,000 check to  East County Salvation Army Captain Terry Masango on behalf of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, along with the largest donation of toys ever received by the local Salvation Army chapter.

December 10, 2013 (Otay) – Elected officials and business leaders from the U.S. and Mexico will hold a groundbreaking ceremony today on a new state highway project aimed at reducing border wait times and improving cross-border commerce.  State Route 11  will be a four-lane highway connecting a planned port of entry, Otay Mesa East, to the state highway system.

The 2.5-mile project will be built in three segments. The $112 million Segment 1, starting construction now, will include connectors to SR 905, plus a stretch of new highway from SR 905 east to Enrico Fermi Drive. Segments planned for the future will extend the highway to the border and create a new border crossing.

By Nadin Abbott

December 5, 2013 (San Diego and Bonita)—Fast food workers in more than 100 cities went out on strike today, calling on employers to pay living wages. Locally, strikes were held in Bonita and in downtown San Diego.

Raquel Neri told ECM that she has been working for Wendy’s for 10 years. After a decade, she is paid $9.55 an hour. “I work 24 hours a week,” she said. She also has to pay all her costs, including rent, food and transportation costs--while she raises seven children.

File photo: Cows in snow at Descanso, by Rebecca Masten

December 1, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Cold weather is forecast to sweep into our region on Tuesday, bringing rain countywide and snow down to elevations as low as 3500 feet by Wednesday.  Areas at or above 3500 feet include Julian, Cuyamaca, Pine Valley, Descanso, Boulevard, Mount Laguna, and Warner Springs. 

November 28, 2013 (San Diego)-- Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Air and Marine (OAM) and the Border Patrol interrupted a drug smuggling attempt involving air drops of marijuana bales from  an ultra-light aircraft Monday.  Authorities seized over 260 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $157,000. Two suspects were arrested, said Mary Beth Caston with the Border Patrol.

November 25, 2013 (San Diego) --Ticks might be tiny, but they can pack a punch when it comes to affecting your health. The County’s Health and Human Services Agency warns of an increased possibility of contracting a tick-borne disease.

“It’s important to know that there are several diseases carried by ticks,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., County Public Health Officer. “People who work or play in grassy or brushy areas need to take special care to avoid exposure to ticks.”

In 2012, HHSA received reports of San Diego County residents with confirmed or probable tick-borne illnesses.  This included 14 cases of Lyme disease, two cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, two cases of other rickettsial diseases (which include spotted and typhus fever), and one case of ehrlichiosis, a bacterial disease affecting people and animals. Ticks can also carry tularemia and cause tick paralysis.

Barona Pledges More Than $20,000 & Launches Fundraiser for Typhoon Relief Efforts

November 22, 2013 (Lakeside)– Barona Resort & Casino has joined in relief efforts to help those affected by the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan. Barona presented a $10,000 donation to the Philippine American Business Improvement and Development during the organization’s annual gala. Barona will also continue to support those affected by Typhoon Haiyan with another $10,000 cash donation and a three-week, casino-wide fundraiser that will benefit relief efforts through the American Red Cross.

The casino-wide fundraiser begins on Saturday, November 23 as Filipino politician and boxing legend Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao takes on Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios in a pay-per-view fight which will be shown at the casino. From November 23 through December 15, Barona will match, dollar-for-dollar, the price of each Filipino-inspired entrée purchased at Ho Wan Noodle Shop. Players and staff will also have an opportunity to make a donation in designated collection boxes throughout the casino and everyone who makes a donation will be given a special thank-you button for their support.

Update November 20, 2013:  With 100% of precincts counted but over 34,000 mail-in ballots remaining to be counted, the tally stands at Faulconer 43.58%, Alvarez 25.59%, Fletcher 24.3%, Aguirre 4.44%. Of seven lesser known candidates in the race, none attained more than a half percent. A run-off election will be held early next year between the top two.

By Miriam Raftery

November 19, 2013 (San Diego) – The San Diego Mayoral race appears destined for a run-off election, since no candidate has captured more than 50% of the votes needed to win outright. 

With 86.9% of precincts counted, Kevin Faulconer, the only Republican in the race, leads with 43.84%. 

Of three prominent Democrats in the race, former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher had the early lead, up by 2% for most of the evening thanks to absentee ballots. But late tonight, as working class districts polling results came in, Councilman David Alvarez, the Democratic Party's endorsed candidate, has movedahead slightly of Fletcher slightly with 25.19% of the vote to Fletcher's 24.39%.