February 15, 2014 (Jacumba)—Wayne Brammer sent in these photos of SDG&E’s new Eco Substation in Jacumba. The project is (so-named for hooking up to industrial-scale renewable energy projects. But to most backcountry residents, the project is an ecological disaster that destroyed the landscape and used three times more water (90 million gallons total) than SDG&E estimated.

“This thing is a monster and they’re wasting water all over the place, not just here but all the way to Boulevard,” writes Bramley, referencing other energy projects in the pipeline.  “We really do need to separate from the city and have our own county,” he concluded, linking back to a reader’s editorial on this issue.

November 20, 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.

• Home prices rise in 81% of U.S. cities as markets recover (Bloomberg)
• How the U.S. mortgage settlement can help military members (U-T San Diego)
• BP settles with U.S. for $4.5 billion in Gulf spill (Sacramento Bee)
• 2 BP workers indicted on manslaughter counts (Sacramento Bee)
• Obama insists on tax hike in “fiscal cliff” deal (Reuters)
• Secession petitions now filed in all 50 states (Yahoo News)
• Rick Perry does not support secession (CNN)
• Federal Wildlife Services makes a killing in animal-control business(Sacramento Bee)
• Obama vows action on climate change for future generations (RawStory)
• Toxic flame retardant detected in popular soda (Rodale Press, publisher of Prevention Magazine)
• Judge approves FTC's $22.5M fine of Google  (Politico)
• Jindahl: End ‘dumbed down conservatism’ (Politico)
• Petraeus case shows ease of government email snooping (Reuters)

WORLD

Israel-Palestine conflict:

• Obama: Israel has ‘every right’ to defend itself from Gaza missile attacks (U.S. News)
• Israeli official:Truce to begin in hours; IDF drops warning leaflets in Gaza (Haaretz)
• After rockets hit Tel Aviv area, IDF renews aerial assault on Gaza   (Haaretz)
• US Senate expresses firm support of Israel (YNet news)
• Turkish PM in Cairo vows support for Gaza (U-T San Diego)
• Gunmen kill six alleged collaborators in Gaza  (Reuters)
• IAF strikes 4 terrorists hiding in media building (Jerusalem Post)
• Lebanese army dismantles rockets aimed at Israel (UT-San Diego)
• Israel assassinates Hamas military chief in Gaza (Sacramento Bee)

Other world news:

• Scandal in Ireland as woman dies in Galway ‘after being denied an abortion’ (The Guardian)    
• Egyptian jihadist urges demolition of Sphinx, pyramids  (Jerusalem Post)
• Iran ready to double nuclear work in bunker: IAEA (Reuters)

HEALTH

• Cells reverse paralysis in dogs (BBC)
• Vegetative patient: “I’m not in pain” – breakthrough research (BBC News)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.