February 21, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• Judge: Utility customers owed about $1.6B (U-T San Diego)
• Company plans to reopen railway link to El Centro (Patch.com)
• Former San Diego Mayor admits taking charity funds for gambling addiction (Fox)
• Dianne Jacob Tells La Mesa Chamber Her 'Big Concern' is Public Safety (La Mesa Patch)
• Somalis raised in City Heights consider returning to their homeland (Voice of San Diego)
• $45M warranty payment for San Onofre (U-T San Diego)
• Santee takes water saving to the streets (U-T San Diego)
• San Diego avocado industry disappearing (10 News)

STATE

• Ex-California parks official fined in scandal (Sacramento Bee)
• New bill would bar California from honoring indefinite detention law (Sacramento Bee)
• Analyst says Jerry Brown's budget plan vulnerable to legal attack (Sacramento Bee)
• Geography to play larger role in health premiums (Sacramento Bee)
• Legislature to renew debate over rural fire fee (Sacramento Bee)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

January 30, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• Citrus Pest Spurs State Spraying In La Mesa (La Mesa Today)
• Board of Supervisors Approves Sale of 3-Acre Parcel to La Mesa For New Park
• La Mesa Winery to Open in Summer  (La Mesa Courier)
• County’s Equine Ordinance: Public input sought (Ramona Patch)
• Adios, Plaza de Panama project? (CityBeat)
• Watchdog Group Requests Council Transparency (La Mesa Courier)
• Nurse’s vision yields beds for homeless after surgery (U-T San Diego)
• Water war breaks out over PR contract (U-T San Diego)
• Padre Dam picks board officers (U-T San Diego)
• Mayor fires San Diego's lobbyists (Sacramento Bee)

STATE

• Governor Jerry Brown delivers State of the State address (Governor’s Office)
• Reactions to Governor’s State of the State address (Sacramento Bee)
• Calif. Speaker seeks to expand Medi-Cal for poor (Sacramento Bee)
• Doctors Ask Court To Review Medi-Cal Pay Cut (Sacramento Bee)
• Analysis: California budget fix relies on good times for the rich (Reuters)
• Secret hearings in case of Chandra Levy slaying (Sacramento Bee) 

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

January 24, 2013 (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 reflect 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:

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

U.S.

• House approves debt limit extension, presses Senate to pass budget (The Hill)
• Pentagon lifting ban on women in combat, opening new opportunities (Christian Science Monitor)
• Women in combat: Will they have to register for the draft? (Christian Science Monitor)
• TSA removing virtual strip search body scanners (CNN)
• OPEC forecasts record US oil supply growth in 2013 (Christian Science Monitor)
• How Older Parenthood Will Upend American Society (New Republic)

WORLD

• North Korea to target U.S. with nuclear, rocket tests (Reuters)
• Idle No More movement sweeps Canada and beyond as aboriginals say enough is enough  (Indian Country Today)
• Syrian opposition leaders fail to form government (Reuters)
• Algerian hostage-takers threaten further attacks (Jerusalem Post)
• Jakarta, Indonesia's megacity of 10 million, is under water (+video) (Christian Science Monitor)
• Egypt opposition leader aims to break Islamist dominance (Reuters)
• Blast, drone kill 13 al Qaeda-linked militants  in Yemen (Reuters)
• Raised on Hatred (New York Times)

HEALTH/SCIENCE

• Algae Fuel Could Help Solve The Navy’s Oil Dependence  (KPBS)
• It's Legal For Some Insurers To Discriminate Based On Genes (NPR)
• Warnings from a flabby mouse [strong link between endocrine disruptors and obesity] (NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof)
• TA researchers: Genome can reveal surname (Jerusalem Post)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

By Miriam Raftery

Jaunary 9, 2013 (La Mesa) – Mayor Art Madrid reflected on the past,  praised the city’s present accomplishments, and looked ahead to the future in his annual city audit report delivered on January 8 in the City’s Centennial year.

“I dare say that in many ways we are glad to see 2012 in our rear view mirror,” he said, citing budget cuts by the state among the city's biggest challenges in the past year. Fiscal challenges will continue, he predicted, as Congress embarks on the federal budget negotiations battle. “We may be seeing the last of the Community Development Block Grants, CDBG and Housing Assistance Programs, plus other vital safety net programs that assist certain members of our society.”

Mayor Madrid also named climate change and environmental concerns among the key challenges ahead, spoken in a week when the National CIimatic Office announced that 2012 was the hottest year on record in the U.S.  “What is the role of local governments, including La Mesa, in addressing these problems? First choosing facts and science over politics, acknowledge that these issues exist, and define their impact on our city by evaluating the costs and consequences of doing nothing,” said Madrid.

How will failure of Congress to halt fiscal cliff impact you?

By Miriam Raftery

December 30, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – If Congress fails to agree by the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, automatic spending cuts of 8-9% across the board will take place as required through sequestration in both domestic programs and Defense.  That could cut the deficit by half, but theCongressional Budget office warns this could trigger recession as steep  tax hikes take effect along with spending cuts. It’s not just the rich who will feel the pinch—in fact middle class and low income earners would face severe economic impacts.

San Diego's biotech industry, military and Border Patrol offices are all bracing for potential painful cuts.

The deficit currently stands at $1.1 trillion, the lowest since 2008 but still a daunting figure that both sides seek to reduce, but with vastly different approaches.

Editor's note: Also see video interviews with Santee mayoral and council candidates posted here.

By Nadin Abbott

September 20, 2012 (Santee)—Candidates for Santee’s City Council and Mayoral races met at the City Council complex for a candidate forum organized by the League of Women Voters and moderated by Dana Quitner. Mayor Randy Voepel squared off against Rudy Reyes, while long-time Councilman Jack Dale faced off against challenger Maggie Acerra.

The mostly-friendly debate touched on a series of issues of importance for the city. These ranged from the budget and how the end of redevelopment agencies has affected the city to public safety, including how the Cedar fire affected both Reyes and Voepel. Marijuana medical collectives, also a hot issue, drew some fiery responses.

By Janis Mork

September 18, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- Several local school districts have ballot propositions on the November ballot, including Cajon Valley, Mountain Empire, San Diego Unified, Dehesa, Ramona Unified, Grossmont- Cuyamaca Community College, Chula Vista, and South Bay. All need 55% to pass instead of the usual 2/3 majority vote, according to Prop 39 that was passed several years ago. Below are details on each proposition, along with comments from Superintendents in each district.

September 17, 2012 (El Cajon) – Under darkening clouds of economic uncertainty, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board battened down the hatches Tuesday, September 11, passing a $150.4 million budget that prepares the district to weather the storm, should Proposition 30 – the governor’s tax measure – fall short in the November election.

September 13, 2012 (San Diego) – Baffled over ballot propositions? Not sure who’s running for what? Or maybe you need deadlines for registering to vote or requesting a vote-by-mail ballot.  The San Diego League of Women Voters has published a guide for new and busy voters with all of this information and more. You can also log onto the LWV’s Smart Voter website to access the complete ballot for your area, including information on candidates running for local, state and national races.  Read more for details provided by the LWV:

September 8, 2012 (Washington, D.C.) -- Food is expensive, but preparing your own meals can be healthier and less expensive than eating out. Get ideas on how to eat healthy meals on a budget, including:

• Sample 7-Day Menu
• Smart Shopping for Veggies and Fruits (PDF download Adobe Reader)
• 10 Tips for Eating Better on a Budget   (PDF download Adobe Reader)
  

September 6, 2012  --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• La Mesa-Spring Valley schools face cuts of $12.5 million  if tax vote fails (La Mesa Patch)
• Wages in San Diego not rising fast enough (UT San Diego)
• La Mesa City Council Candidates (La Mesa Courier)
• 10 privatization fact checks (Voice of San Diego)
• 21 homes red-tagged: What to expect from classic Brawley earthquake swarm  (NBC)
• Recruiting allegations haunt Helix, defending state football champions (Mt. Helix Patch.com)

STATE

• California jobs picture brightens (Sacramento Bee)
• Gov. Brown promotes Prop 30, warns of devastating cuts to education if it fails (Santee Patch)
• Most tax deals die as GOP stands united (UT San Diego)
• Self-driving cars approved by California legislature (CNBC)
• California way behind Germany in solar development (KCET)
• Three races could tip the balance of power in state Legislature (Sacramento Bee)
• U.S. Chamber launches ad attacking California budget, economy (Sacramento Bee)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

• Mother Goose Parade celebrity bookings probed (UT San Diego)
• Shedding light on UT San Diego: Editor’s partisan comments to Nathan Fletcher open daily paper to scrutiny (CityBeat)
• County budget to decrease by 2% (La Mesa Patch)
• Construction expected soon at Sempra’s Baja wind farm (San Diego Business Journal)
• How to prepare for the big eclipse on May 20 (UT San Diego)
   

• Gov. Jerry Brown: State budget now $16 billion (Sacramento Bee)
• Human trafficking measure qualifies for ballot (Sacramento Bee) 

• CBO says GOP budget would double cost of healthcare for seniors (Forbes)
• Home sales show strength, prices rise (Reuters)
• GOP budget calls for fire sale of public lands (Think Progress)
• Wind energy poses threat to golden eagle population (Fox News)
• California could decide the GOP nominee (Washington Post)

• Hundreds of houses damaged after strong quake hits Mexico (CNN)
• France on high security alert after 4 killed in shootings at Jewish school (CNN)
• Chevron execs barred from leaving Brazil over spill (Reuters)
• Explosions rock Syrian capital (CNN)
• Europe’s chief scientist warns against climate delays (Reuters)
• Israel  issues travel warning on Turkey (UT San Diego)
• North Korea says it will launch long-range rocket (UT San Diego) 

September 30, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories in our region and state, published in other media outlets.  These week's top Roundup headlines include:

•          Tribe attempts to evict private military contractor: Los Coyotes band in a legal standoff with Blackwater-tied company (San Diego CityBeat)
•          Ballot effort to repeal fire fee falls short (Sacramento Bee)
•          San Diego family of 3 needs $63,000 to be self-sufficient (KPBS)
•         San Diego ATM fees second highest in nation (KPBS)
•          Tankers for Sunrise Powerlink project upsets residents (10 News)
•          Palomar Mountain State Park campgrounds close for good (signonsandiego.com)

•          California breaks from 50 state probe into mortgage lenders[will conduct own probe] (Los Angeles Times)
•          Education lawsuit would impact future California budgets (Sacramento Bee)
•          Advocates for disabled to sue over state budget cuts (Sacramento Bee)
•          FPPC looks at easing candidate reporting requirements (KPBS)  

Cutting government spending doesn't create jobs--it increases unemployment and is bad for our economy

By Carol Guerrero, Spring Valley

July 26, 2011 (Spring Valley)--As the debate on the debt ceiling continues, I am distressed to hear the Republicans continue to use propaganda techniques to obscure clear economic analysis. Although there are many possible examples, I will use one from the House Speaker’s response to President Obama’s address to the nation last night. He repeated, as have his Republican colleagues over and over again, that lowering government spending will create jobs and help the economy.

As any macroeconomic class teaches, this statement is false in the short run and probably in the long run as well.

a column written for the East County Magazine

“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”

By Judith L. Seid, CFP ®
President, Blue Summit Wealth Management

April 16, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--The market has not reacted much to the budget agreement that finally came late Friday night. This void of impact is due largely to the fact that the “budget fight is not over” but also because several other factors threaten to have an even greater impact on the overall market. We’ll brief you on them in chronological order…