April 21, 2014 (San Diego)-- Assemblymember Shirley N. Weber convenes the second of four hearings of the Assembly Select Committee on Campus Climate at the Educational Cultural Complex in San Diego, California on Friday, April 25 from 12-3 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

April 22, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Three competing budgets have been proposed in Congress-one by House Republicans, another by President Obama, and a third by the House Congressional Progressive Caucus.

All aim to balance the budget over time. The Republican plan focuses on cuts to social services and tax breaks to businesses and wealthier Americans in line with the trickle-down economic theory. The President and progressive budgets focus on raising revenues to closing tax loopholes for corporations and the rich, providing more help to middle class and low-income taxpayers under a rising tide floats all boats strategy.

But how do these three budgets stack up compared to what polls show most Americans want Congress to do?

By Miriam Raftery

April 21, 2014 (San Diego) – Meb Keflezighi is a champion in every sense of the word—an impoverished refugee who has become a symbol of the American success story—a story crowned by winning this year’s Boston Marathon.

As a child, he came to America as a refugee with his family, fleeing war-torn Eritria in Africa. The son of a janitor and one of 10 children, Keflezighi  found that running became his ticket out of poverty. He began running while at Roosevelt Middle School and won the CIF state championships representing San Diego High School. He went on to win four NCAA championships and All-American awards at UCLA before winning a silver medal at the 2004 summer Olympics.

By Miriam Raftery

April 21, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - It’s not often that a multi-national corporation backs down from a strategy to save money.

Update:  The suspect has been identified by the Medical Examiner as Robert Deleon, 40, of Spring Valley.

April 21, 2014 (La Mesa ) – A SWAT standoff has ended in La Mesa, with the suspect dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, five hours after barricading himself into a local motel.

A SWAT team and armored vehicle were called to  La Mesa after a parolee fired a gunshot at U.S. Marshals attempting to serve him with a warrant at the Rodeway Inn this morning, according La Mesa Police. The Inn is located in the 4200 block of Spring Street near state Routes 94 and 125.  The public was urged to avoid the area.

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By Miriam Raftery

April 19, 2014 (La Mesa)—Louis Bernath, 92, of La Mesa died April 10^th of injuries sustained when he was struck by a vehicle while out walking on April 1^st on Parkway Drive in La Mesa.

By Miriam Raftery

April 19, 2014 (El Cajon) – Egon Karl Vanderlee, 52, of El Cajon has been identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner as the victim who died in a fatal collision on April 11.  The accident occurred at the westbound State Route 94 transition to southbound State Route 15 at 5:25 p.m.

April 19, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Alberto Casteneda Carranza, 26, will be charged with murder in the deaths of two 20-year-old passengers following a crash on I-8 west of Lake Jennings Park Road in East County this morning at 7:26 a.m.

By Miriam Raftery

April 19, 2014 (El Cajon ) – After a day and a half of deliberations, an El Cajon jury on Thursday found Iraqi immigrant Kassim Alhimidi guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Shaima Alawadi.

After the verdict was read, Alhimidi prayed and spoke in Arabic, professing, “I attest to God that I am not the killer. I’m innocent,”  ECM news partner 10 News reports. 

Family members showed outbursts of emotion, divided in their reactions.  The couple’s oldest son, Mohammed, rose and shouted profanities, exclaiming, “My dad is innocent, he was tried unfairly,” before being restrained and  escorted out of the courtroom.  But Mohammed’s brother, Ali, reportedly said he supports the verdict.