Owners of El Cajon facility may apply to reopen if costly equipment changes are made to eliminate smoke, odors

By Miriam Raftery

April 28, 2011 (San Diego) – By a unanimous 4-0 vote, San Diego County’s Air Pollution Control District Board ordered an immediate shut down of  a Neptune Society crematorium  on Lake Jennings Road in El Cajon  to abate a public nuisance. 

“This was clearly a violation of public policy and a public health hazard,” Michael Drake, public affairs officer for the County’s land use and environmental group, told East County Magazine after the hearing.  He praised the Board for “doing the right thing” and expressed hope that the owners will upgrade or replace antiquated equipment so that they can “comply and come back into business.”

April 28, 2011 (La Mesa) – At All Things Bright and British, a La Mesa shop specializing in British goods from scones to fine china, new owner Bill Jaynes invites the public to a week-long “Changing of the Guard” celebration. Festivities begin on Friday, April 29—just in time for the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and his bride, Catherine Middleton.

“Watch the royal wedding with us—and bring a chair,” said Jaynes, who has taken command of the business from his parents, making this a double celebration. A piper band will perform Friday morning, followed by an Elton John tribute band from 2-6 p.m. Traditional English food, prizes and free gifts are all part of the fanfare.

April 28, 2011 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Arts Alliance and the East County Youth Symphony present the 4th Annual Spring Concert at the La Mesa Community Center on Sunday, May 1 from 3-5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The event also includes a silent auction and refreshments.

May 7 5K Run/walk will give public glimpse of new park lands—see it first in our ECM video adventure

By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Pam Wilmer
Video by Billy Ortiz

April 27, 2011 (Santee) – San Diego River Run is moving its 5K fun run/walk to the Walker Lakes property in Santee this year.  Participants will be the first members of the public to experience this site, which will soon become part of the San Diego River Trail, which is not yet open to the public.

East County Magazine’s Billy Ortiz got a special preview tour.  View his video adventure here.

Nothing but the Truth!
 

Action Violates Seventh Amendment to US Bill of Rights

By Will Power

April 28, 2011 (San Diego)--In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise examined by any Court of the United States, than according to the common law.

The US Supreme Court ruled this week (on a straight party-line 5-Republicans and Four Democrats) that corporations can avoid class-action suits by demanding consumers waive their constitutional rights and use Arbitration procedures instead. In what clearly is unconstitutional, the Bill of Rights is superseded by the Contract Law, America's Sacred Cow. What were the Justices thinking?

By Caleb Trainer
 

ESCONDIDO -- Jason Kiesel shares a creative, hands-on ingenuity with his late grandfather, Lowell Kiesel. The younger is the founder and chief architect of Freedom Speaks Inc., the company that created the advanced software application program, CitySourced. (See related story on CitySourced “Escondido, Report It.”) Last century, the elder Kiesel was the founder and “chief architect” of the company that is now known as Carvin Inc., manufacturers of trail-blazing electronics for the music industry.

April 28, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A string of powerful tornadoes is moving across the U.S., with more than 146 twisters reported in southern and eastern states and as far north as New York. At least 77 people have died from the tornadoes thus far, including 61 in Alabama alone. Hundreds more are injured. 

Sandra Galea-Martinez and Paula Delgado Selected to Represent GUHSD in Prestigious San Diego County Teacher of the Year Competition

April 27, 2011 (El Cajon)—At its Governing Board Meeting on Thursday, April 14, the Grossmont Union High School District honored Teacher of the Year nominees from its school sites. These nominees are selected by their peers.

Neighbor hospitalized with chest pains

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Ron Logan

April 27, 2011 (Poway) – A fire in the 13600 block of Sycamore Tree Lane this afternoon forced evacuation of 16 homes and has displaced a family with two children.
 

“The fire gutted the home and the fire department needed to cut a hole in the roof to control the fire,” photographer Ron Logan, who was at the scene, informed East County Magazine.

April 27, 2011-- (Alpine) Lions, Tigers, and Bears is hosting a "Mother's Day Brunch" on Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at its facility just east of Alpine.

 
April 27, 2011 (Lakeside) – A five-year-old girl who slipped and fell into the pool at Barona Resort in Lakeside this afternoon has been transported to Children’s Hospital, East County Magazine has learned.

“A guest jumped in, pulled her out and gave her CPR,” a source at Barona who asked not to be named confirmed. “Our EMTs showed up and she was fine, breathing on her own.”

By Nancy Clement

April 26, 2011 (Santa Ysabel) – See history come alive at the Manzinita High Rendezvous april 28-May 9 at the Santa Ysabel Ranch in East County’s mountains. Visit a pre-1840 North American fur trade encampment complete with teepees, old tents, period clothing, and shooting competitions.

Nuclear Regulatory Hearing April 28 on San Onofre safety

By Helen Villines
Editor Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

“What if you had just 15 minutes to evacuate, looking around your apartment or house, trying to quickly decide what you will take, how overwhelmed would you be – knowing you couldn’t return for ten thousand years?” he asks.