EAST COUNTY ROUND-UP — MID-MAY
Printer-friendly version East County Roundup highlights the best stories about East County issues found in other publications. MENTALLY ILL DETAINEES’ TREATMENT AT HOSPITALS WORRIES ADVOCATES San Diego Union-Tribune (May 18, 2009)–Federal immigration officials send mentally ill detainees to a private psychiatric hospital in La Mesa, where they are shackled to beds 24 hours a day, prohibited from watching television or using the telephone, and cut off from family. Disability-rights lawyers and advocates for the mentally ill say the conditions at Alvarado Parkway Institute in La Mesa violate state and federal laws governing treatment of mentally ill people. They also say the hospital, known as API, is one of a little-known network of private hospitals that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses to hold severely mentally ill detainees around the country, often out of reach of lawyers and even their families. SUNRISE PLAN HINGES ON FOREST IMPACT Opponents say SDG&E’s new route not studied San Diego Union-Tribune (May 9, 2009)– San Diego Gas & Electric planners are figuring where they want to place the towers for the Sunrise Powerlink. But a big piece of the plan to build the massive and controversial power line connecting Imperial County to San Diego has yet to fall into place: SDG&E does not yet have permission to build it across the Cleveland National Forest. The man who will make that decision, Forest Supervisor William Metz, said yesterday he is still sifting through thousands of pages of environmental documents – and he’s a long way from making up his mind. VALLEY CENTER WATER BOARD ADOPTS VOLUNTARY 8% CUTS Valley Roadrunner (May 13, 2009)– It’s official. On July 6 the water district’s customers will be asked to save 8%. Last week, after the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) took action to call for Level 2 water shortage response, and after a short public hearing, the Valley Center Municipal Water District adopted an 8% voluntary reduction program. OTAY WATER BOARD REJECTS MANDATORY CONSERVATION San Diego Union-Tribune (May 13, 2009) SPRING VALLEY – The Otay Water District board decided Wednesday against requiring mandatory water conservation for its customers in southeastern San Diego County. Board members, by a 4-1 vote, said the limits on water use in a Level 2 drought are not yet needed for Otay because of increased sales of reclaimed water and voluntary conservation efforts by its customers. CARLSBAD DESALNATION PLANT GETS WATER BOARD NOD San Diego Union-Tribune ( May 13, 2009)– The developer of ocean-water desalination project proposed in Carlsbad won unanimous approval from the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board Wednesday to build the largest plant of its kind in North America. NEW SEPTIC SYSTEM REGULATIONS COULD COST HOMEOWNERS The Alpine Sun (May 14, 2009) — The California State Water Resources Control Board is currently considering new regulations regarding onsite wastewater treatment systems (septic systems). The new rules come nearly ten years after a state bill was approved requiring statewide wastewater regulation. PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OPENS San Diego Union-Tribune (May 16, 2009) –The San Dieguito River Park officially opened a pedestrian bridge over Lake Hodges yesterday, which was Bike to Work Day. Interstate 15 is shown in the background. The bridge will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. ESCONDIDO: SHRINKING WATER SUPPLY PROMPTS IRRIGATION RESTRICTIONS Council exempts some parks, postpones fountain prohibition North County Times (May 20, 2009) — Residents and businesses can only water their landscaping three days per week under restrictions approved Wednesday by the City Council. But the rules, which take effect July 1, were revised to exclude a moratorium on yard fountains and to allow the city to continue liberally watering the grass in some heavily-used city parks. Printer-friendly version
WILL POWER REPORT: CALIFORNIA TO SELL COLISEUM?
Printer-friendly versionNothing but the Truth! California’s Governor “Terminator” Arnold Swartzenegger is now so frightened about California’s deficit that he now wants to sell off California landmarks like San Quentin and the LA Coliseum. He also wants Big Oil to drill off the coast of Santa Barbara which he has opposed for years. He thinks the state can earn $200 Billion. He’s using a self-created crisis to change the political landscape in California. Never trust a man who works for free. Swartzenegger’s great idea to finance California by borrowing from New York Banks has enriched the banks but ruined California’s credit. We now have worse credit than Bangladesh. But why stop there? Sell the Golden Gate Bridge! Sell San Francisco to China! The Federal Government could sell Yosemite to the Japanese. Don’t know who would buy Detroit? Even Canada doesn’t want it. San Quentin could be converted into a huge dog kennel without much delay or cost. Maybe if we sell the LA Coliseum to the Rams they will return from Saint Louis. We could let Disney manage the State Park system. That would keep the parks from closing, but it would cost $200 to visit for one day. Since we are giving so much cash to the banks and insurance companies I see no reason to stop the Big Giveway. Sell the LA River to Six Flags and they can build the world’s largest skateboard park. Sell Griffith Park to Mexico for a theme park. Make the Grand Canyon into an ORV test track. The possibilities are endless. I don’t know what we could do with the prisoners from San Quentin. Perhaps we could send them to Mexico as tourists. This seems to be the wave of the future. Give all the land and money to the rich, since they obviously are better managers. They’ve done such a great job with the banks we should reward them with more responsibilities! We should just give them all our public property so they can manage it for us! Will Power is a retired teacher who holds a masters degree in creative writing. Printer-friendly version
FREE LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY FROM BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
Printer-friendly versionThe San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB) has announced that distribution has begun at about local 500 retail outlets of its 2009 Summer edition of the BBB Yellow Pages, a free, 216-page, yellow-page-type directory that includes contact information on 6,000 BBB accredited businesses, as well as consumer protection tips articles and information on how to avoid scams and make better buying decisions. The BBB Yellow Pages is available at Vons, Ralph’s, Albertsons, Stater Brothers, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Henry’s Marketplace, Smart & Final, Sav-on Drugs, Blockbuster Video, Bally Total Fitness and 7-Eleven. About 300,000 copies have been printed. Consumers also can receive the BBB Yellow Pages by completing an ordering form available at http://www.sd.bbb.org. Printer-friendly version
ART SHOW AT WILLIAM HERRICK COMMUNITY HEALTH LIBRARY FEATURES DISABLED ARTISTS’ WORKS
Printer-friendly versionThe Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library in La Mesa, a public library specializing in health research information, has announced it is hosting a display of 20 charcoal drawings drawn by persons who have developmental disabilities from Sophie’s Art Gallery, an art program provided by St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, a non-profit based in El Cajon. The free exhibit of artwork runs through the end of May, and can be viewed during regular library hours, which are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For more information, phone (619) 825-5010, or visit www.herricklibrary.org. The Herrick Library, located at 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, is operated by the Grossmont Healthcare District, a public agency that supports health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County. St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center provides educational programs and vocational training to persons with disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Printer-friendly version