TECATE FIRE HALTED AT 2 ACRES
Printer-friendly version September 23, 2009 (Tecate) – A fire that began at 9:56 a.m. in a mobile home off Humphries in Tecate has been stopped at two acres, CAL FIRE reports. An outbuilding on the property also burned. Twelve engines, two fire crews, two air tankers, a helicopter, a bulldozer, a water tender and about 100 firefighters swiftly extinquished the blaze. Case of the mobile home fire is unknown at this time. Printer-friendly version
STEELED IN ADVERSITY: ONE WOMAN’S COURAGEOUS BATTLE AGAINST HATE
Printer-friendly version Estela de los Rios, Organizer of Oct. 1st Hate Crimes Summit in El Cajon By John Falchi ECM Editor Miriam Raftery also contributed to this story September 25, 2009 (El Cajon)–Estela de Los Rios is leading an effort that will bring a Hate Crimes Summit sponsored by United for A Hate Free San Diego forum to El Cajon’s Ronald Reagan Community Center On Thursday October 1, 2009. In this exclusive interview with East County Magazine, she shared details about shocking hate crimes in our community, including many in local schools. She also shared personal insights into the hardships and challenges that have steeled her resolve to achieve reforms. “It is in East County where many of the hate incidents and hate crimes have occurred,” she said, noting that hate-motivated violence here dates back more than a decade—and continues to this day," de Los Rios said. In one, an African-American male at a party held by a fellow Marine in Santee “was assaulted and beaten near the school, and paralyzed from the shoulders down; that was national news featured on 60 Minutes,” recalled a West Hills High School employee who asked not to be named. One assailant was convicted and sentenced to nine years, but others received sentences of less than a year and were not prosecuted for attempted murder. See the story. De los Rios called the light sentences "a slap on the hands." According to 60 Minutes, some witnesses changed their stories. Deputy District Attorney Jimenez told 60 Minutes "Undoubtedly, some witnesses were probably intimidated," adding, "I wish we would have had more evidence but we didnt…We made the best of what we had." Estela de los Rios is the Executive Director of the Center for Social Advocacy, an organization which champions the poor, the oppressed and the defenseless. Originally from Mexico, she didn’t know a word of English when she came here, and now she holds a B.S. in Sociology from SDSU. In 1982, she moved to San Diego and became more involved in helping others. “People are treated differently here due to language barriers and cultural issues. I have three kids–17, 21, 23. I was widowed three years ago,” she reflected. “ I think it just made me stronger. I’ve always faced oppressions, being a woman, being of color, and coming out of poverty. I’ve made that oppression a strength.” A major concern for de los Rios is the matter of inadequate statistics kept about hate crimes. Many incidents are not being recorded correctly, she believes. Some cases of domestic violence appear to be hate crimes , where the victim is in a protected class, but they are placed in a separate category of statistics. “Other hate-related crimes are reported as gang-related,” she said, “when a lot of these incidents should be reported as hate crimes." Violence between white supremacist and Latino or African-American gangs, for example, are often not reported as hate crimes even where race is a key factor. On the date of our interview there was a trial of the man who attacked Rhythm Turner, the gay musician assaulted for being gay in San Diego. “That, too, was not charged as a hate crime,” de los Rios noted. We asked her why we need to have a United for Hate Free San Diego? She responded, “For two reasons. One, to educate and provide awareness of hate motivated behavior in the San Diego region, and two, to give more strategic legislative action on how to address these incidents and crimes.” Quite a few hate crimes have been connected with East County schools. One such incident occurred in October 2007 at West Hills High School, de los Rios said. It took place on campus against an African-American student in this District. The student was severely beaten and needed reconstructive surgery. Why was he beaten? “They told him because he was a n*****r and they didn’t like him. It was a white Supremacy group. It was even reported to the Sheriff’s Office. The worst part is that the school didn’t do anything,” she said. “So it went to an attorney and there was a settlement. This is the reason I’m so angry. Nothing was done.” She mentioned another case. “A Mexican-American student at the same school was shot in the eye off-site. According to the Santee Sheriff’s report (GET) : 911 was called. Kids confided that “He was taunted, ‘Just admit you wish you were white.’ H e wouldn’t admit it. He was shot at close range in the eye. The party was of all students from this district high school. The shooter was a white supremacist, 16 or 17." Estela remarked, “We’re trying to get a student to come forward. They are fearful he could be severely harmed." The boy lost vision in his eye, she said. Estela became tearful. “It was cruel. Nothing was done with law enforcement. Silence is acceptance.” While all of this has been going on the civic officials in this area have been in denial about hate crimes, e.g., Santee Mayor Voepel asked de los Rios, in a handwritten letter, to “reprogram her perception of Santee to a caring equal opportunity , safe city that welcomes all.” He objected to Santee being “stereotyped for years as a white supremacist community that preys on minorities in the print and broadcast media.” He sent the letter on February 20, 2009, soon after de los Rios helped to reveal the latest FBI statistics in a report to a SANDAG meeting. That report showed that, of the total 285 hate crime events in San Diego County from 2005-2007, 22 occurred in Santee. That’s higher than any other city in East County, and third in the County overall after San Diego (which has a much larger population) and Oceanside, which includes the military base at Camp Pendleton. For de los Rios, hate-motivated violence in schools conjures up painful memories. Daughter of an
EDITORIAL: SDSU ATTEMPTING TO IMPLEMENT A POLICY THAT HARMS LOCAL STUDENTS
Printer-friendly version Public letter to Charles B. Reed, Chancellor and Board of Trustees, California State University "We concur that SDSU is once again pursuing a strategy of “discouraging” local students from enrolling at the campus. This discouragement had been one of the well kept secrets on the campus. …By closing the door to many of these youngsters the University and CSU will perpetuate the educational inequality that has plagued women in our society. " — W.A.G.E. (We Advocate Gender Equality) September 23, 2009 Honorable Chancellor Reed and Trustees: We Advocate Gender Equality (WAGE) is an organization committed to promoting gender equality. While our mission emphasizes gender equality we support the achievement of equality for other groups in the society, in particular groups that historically have experienced inequality in higher education. Yesterday WAGE(www.wage.org) read President Stephen Weber’s announcement that his administration will proceed with admissions changes that benefactors of the university, the chair of the Academic Senate’s Diversity and Equity Committee and community organizations have "predicted" will decimate the numbers of local students at SDSU. WAGE urges you to retract the adopted policy. We concur that SDSU is once again pursuing a strategy of “discouraging” local students from enrolling at the campus. This discouragement had been one of the well kept secrets on the campus. It is no longer a secret. In deciding to implement the new policy, President Weber and his staff, Provost Nancy Marlin, Ethan Singer, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Sandra Cook, the Director of Enrollment Service are communicating their disregard for the voices of supporters of equality, the educational needs of the SDSU service area and the importance of developing the native future workforce. President Weber claimed that the campus will continue to support the Compact for Success Program. This program does not and will not serve the multitude of students in the San Diego area whom the campus is callously telling “go elsewhere, we don’t want you here.” That is why community representatives and organizations such as the Education Consortium, a collaboration of county wide community and business organizations have been working with school districts in the county to improve student access to the A-G curriculum. This set of courses, as you know, is the curriculum required for eligibility for admission to the California State University and the University of California systems. Examination of the demographics of the San Diego area suggests that female students who now or are on the road to becoming the majority of students in local school districts and community colleges have been affected by the strategy of discouragement and will be adversely affected by the new SDSU policy. To cite one example, it was reported to WAGE that a female student, a former United States Marine who had served in Iraq and achieved a 4.0 grade point average in a local community college was denied admission to SDSU this past summer. By closing the door to many of these youngsters the University and CSU will perpetuate the educational inequality that has plagued women in our society. Scholarly studies and observations have revealed that female students tend to be more tied to the area of residence because they have more trouble getting support from their parents to go away, or because they earn less than young men do so they cannot support themselves elsewhere. Please restore and enhance the local student admit guarantee. Do not be complicit in reducing access to CSU. We urge you to do what is best for the SDSU service area, gender equality and the interests of local students and employers. Collaborate with organizations that are working to improve access to SDSU. Charity B. Hirsch, WAGE Co-Chair Cross Plains, WI and Pat Washington, PhD San Diego, CA http://patwashington.org/ The opinions expressed in this editorial reflect the views of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. If you wish to submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org. Printer-friendly version
SWEEPING AWAY TRUANCY: GUHSD REDUCES DROP-OUT RATE BY DROPPING IN ON KIDS WHO DITCH SCHOOL
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery September 23, 2009 (Santee) – If you’re playing hooky in the Grossmont Union High School District, you might get some unexpected visitors . Today, Superintendent Bob Collins dropped in at the homes of truant students in Santee, along with a Sheriff’s Deputy and child welfare worker. Juvenile Detail sweeps also include visits to places frequented by truant teens, from Starbucks to parks to the local mall. It’s all part of a joint effort that has reduced drop-out rates in the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) from 7-8% three years ago to under 3% last year. “We believe it will move to under 2% this year,” Suerintendent Collins (photo) said, adding that the district has been recognized nationally as a model for drop-out prevention. "for a high school district this large, that would be truly remarkable." “We are working together as a team to keep kids in our community safe,” Captain Patricia Duke, Commander of the Santee Sheriff’s Station, said at a press conference before this month’s sweep. “Truancy is a stepping stone to juvenile delinquency and criminal behavior.” Absenteeism in school can also lead to children being victims of crimes. In addition, it can signal a need for help, as in cases of abuse or neglect. Sometimes family counseling is needed, or intervention for students using drugs or alcohol. “We provide early intervention,” Lucia Washburn, director of alternative education and student support services, explained. Students with recurrent truancies may face a School Attendance Review Board (SARB) and speak with drop-out prevention specialists. Kids and their parents are asked to sign an attendance contract—and if a student still ditches school, he or she goes before a juvenile court. In California, minors are required by law to stay in school. Truant students can be placed on probation or placed in the juvenile justice system—where school attendance is compulsory. Amanda, 17, is a student at Santana High School. “In my freshman and sophomore year, I missed up a lot. I ditched and didn’t go to class and just didn’t care. I was hanging out with the wrong crowd,” she says. Now a senior, she credits SARB with helping her straighten out. “When I started going to class, I realized I actually liked going to school,” she said. She hopes to attend Grossmont College and ultimately study psychology. Meggan Vega, 19, (photo) said she got into trouble with drugs and was not going to school, until SARB intervened. Placed on probation for truancies, she was required to do community service, serving food at a homeless shelter. “I was watching this lady, she kept falling asleep in her food,” she recalled. “My probation officer said ` She’s withdrawing from heroine.’” Since then, she’s graduated from Chaparral High School (a continuation school) and is attending Grossmont College. “I got a scholarship,” she said with pride. “I’m doing culinary school—I’m going to be a chef.” The Sheriff’s office now conducts monthly sweeps for truancy in Santee, Lakeside and the unincorporated area. In the 2008-09 school year, Santee area schools issued 669 truancy letters to parents; Santee Sheriff’s Station issued 116 citations and contacted approximately 283 juvenile contacts during school hours. This morning, one of those contacts included a male student who has already been ordered by a judge to stay in school, but is still ditching classes. The mother told officers she can’t get her son to listen. The boy got a rude awakening. “He was asleep—and very surprised to see the Sheriff’s Deparetment and the Superintendent of schools sitting in his living room,” Detective Jason Rouse said afterwards. Deputy C.E. May (photo) revealed, “The kid’s getting a misdemeanor charge for possession of alcohol. That’s probably one of the reasons he’s doing what he does.” The student could face a fine or an opportunity to make changes agreed upon in a behavioral contract before his hearing, but will most likely face custody time. “He could be placed in a court school with no choice, noted Rouse. “We’re going to do everything we can to prevent these kids from slipping through the cracks,” Rouse concluded. “The Grossmont District is very, very diligent about following truancy issues—and that goes right to the top, to the Superintendent.” Printer-friendly version
FROM HANDEL TO HALLOWEEN
Printer-friendly version September 23, 2009 (Santee) – San Diego Master Chorale presents “From Handel to Halloween”, a concert of “spirited” music on October 16 at the Sonrise Community Church in Santee. The program features classics, folk songs, popular music in keeping with the season, spirituals, and a special focus on men’s voices at this family-oriented concert. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for students. Sonrise Community Church is located at 8805 Magnolia Ave. in Santee. The program begins at 7 p.m.. ‘ For more information, visit www.sdmasterchorale.org or call (858)581-2203. Printer-friendly version
BIG INSURANCE: SICK OF IT!
Printer-friendly version Story and photos by Leon Thompson September 22, 2009 (La Jolla) Health reform advocates today held a “Big Insurance: Sick of It” rally as part of a nationwide day of action. Locally, a rally was staged in front of the San Diego office of Anthem Blue Cross, the California subsidiary of insurance giant Wellpoint. Protestors demanded that Anthem Blue Cross sign a pledge to support real reform and end what the activists called “bad health insurance industries practices.” More than 75 exuberant protestors called for an immediate end to such practices as denying coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions, arbitrary caps on payments, and terminating policies (in many cases, after people are sick with a costly-to-treat illness). Advocates for reform also charged that Anthem offers incentives to its employees to deny patient care or reject claims. The pledge includes a call for Anthem to stop using members’ funds to lobby against meaningful health reform proposals being considered in Congress. (Currently health insurance companies spend an estimated $641.000 dollars per day opposing health care reform, according to www.opensecrets.org). Organizers of the six actions statewide are members of California Health Care for America Now. They were joined in San Diego by other organizations including Health Access, MoveOn, the California Labor Federation and the Service Employees International Union. The California Health Care for America Now coalition claims to represent over 1100 organizations with 30 million people dedicated to winning quality, affordable health care that can be counted on. Local Organizing Director Stephanie Monroe explained, “We’re sick of big insurance denying our care in order to maximize their profits.” She added, “The debate in Washington comes down to this: if the insurance companies win – we lose.” After a delegation of activist entered the offices to present their demands to the insurance company’s management, security and company officials denied further entrance and glared at the protestors from behind the glass doors. One protestor, Carl Manaster, observed, “Health care in America is terribly broken and the insurance companies are doing nothing to fix it.” He pointed out that Anthem and other insurance companies use the premium dollars that we pay for health insurance to stop health care reform that could be used to deliver better health care. Several attendees took the megaphone to tell their personal horror stories at the hands of the insurance companies. Alexa Kaplan said she hadn’t had a bad experience personally but feared for her son Nickolas. “Everyone should have health insurance” she said. Marcia Bookstein carried a sign noting that the World Health Organization ranked the United States as 37th in the world – just ahead of Slovenia. Bill Hammett, President of the San Diego Association of Health Underwriters (www.SDAHV,.org) came out to reason with the protestors. “I don’t want President Obama to fail – that’s not it at all,” he said. “The public option is a loser but health care has to be subsidized – we have to get this right.” When asked what should be done, he cited three measures: “One, no denying coverage for pre-conditions but that has to be balanced by spreading the risk to a much larger pool of insured people. In other words there must be a mandate to cover everyone without denying for pre-conditions, but also a mandate that everyone has to buy insurance.” “Number two, tort reform and number three, electronic record keeping” he concluded. Critics point to the spiraling cost of health insurance premiums and doubt that forcing people to buy insurance from private companies will solve the problem for those who can’t afford coverage. But one protestor at the rally says he’s found a solution—thanks to a government-run healthcare program. Joe Sain recalled that before he retired, “Insurance cost me $300.00 a month in 1996, but by 2008 it was $1,200.00 a month.” Then he added, grinning, “Now it’s free – I have Medicare.” Printer-friendly version
GAME OF THE WEEK – BONUS COVERAGE: MONARCHS ENCOUNTER REBELLION AT SFC
Printer-friendly version by Christopher Mohr (SOLANA BEACH) – At a private, religious K-12 school like Santa Fe Christian, it’s a given that students are well-versed in the story of David and Goliath. What’s doubtful however, is that those who taught that story expected its lessons would be applied to the high school football program. According to the CIF, SFC has an enrollment of 357 students in high school, while Monte Vista has 2,001, a ratio of almost six to one. Conventional wisdom suggests that when two such schools face off in competitive sports, the school with the larger enrollment is supposed to win–and that when the difference in enrollment is this enormous, athletic competitions are supposed to become routs. You can throw out conventional wisdom when you talk about SFC. Only 28 students are out for the team and only three, according to their program, weigh 200 pounds or more. In Saturday’s game it was SFC doing the routing as the Eagles defeated the visiting Monte Vista Monarchs, 42-6. SFC’s success in spite of the odds is due to many factors. The low number of players dictates that many must play both offense and defense and be well-conditioned. The offense can best be described as a choreography of misdirection where all players must be in the right location at the right time, so discipline is critical. The Monarchs had to feel that this just wasn’t going to be their day. An illegal block penalty by SFC on a Monte Vista punt pinned the Eagles deep on their own three-yard line. On the very next play, Sam Hoekstra ran for a 97-yard touchdown run, the second longest play in school history. "In the huddle, I told my teammates, ‘We gotta drive down, get a touchdown’. It was just a basic sweep, I found an opening and ran as hard as I could," Hoekstra said about the play. He finished the game with 132 yards on seven carries. Earlier, Hoekstra was slow getting up after taking a hit in the tailbone, obviously not hard enough to slow him down. Keaton Giannotti also had a solid day for the Eagles with two touchdown runs and a touchdown pass while Kurt Luedtke and Trent Von Yokes added touchdown runs of 55 and 52 yards respectively. Big plays were few and far between for the Monarchs, but one bright spot was the play of Shervin Iraniha, who had three catches for 80 yards and one touchdown. The loss dropped Monte Vista to 1-2. They visit Lincoln High (2-0-1) on Friday. SFC is 3-0 and will play another Saturday home game against an East County team, this time against the Grossmont Foothillers (2-1). Christopher Mohr is a freelance writer in the San Diego area. He writes articles for BleacherReport.com and is a huge Chargers, Padres and Detroit Red Wings fan. Scoring Summary _________________________________________ Monte Vista 0 6 0 0 – 6 SFC 7 21 14 0 – 42 _________________________________________ First Quarter SFC – Giannotti 13 run (Kirwan kick) Second Quarter SFC – Giannotti 1 run (Kirwan kick) SFC – Hoekstra 97 run (Kirwan kick) MV – Iraniha 29 pass from Payne (kick failed) SFC – Luedtke 55 run (Kirwan kick) Third Quarter SFC – Zarubin 14 pass from Giannotti (Kirwan kick) SFC – Von Yokes 52 run (Kirwan kick) Fourth Quarter No scoring Scores from other East County games: Pt. Loma 9, EL CAPITAN 7 GRANITE HILLS 42, EL CAJON VALLEY 26 GROSSMONT 42, Castle Park 0 Cathedral Catholic 41, HELIX 19 SANTANA 18, Imperial 15 VALHALLA 28, Montgomery 3 Hoover 54, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 0 Olympian 21, CHRISTIAN 17 MT. MIGUEL 35, WEST HILLS 7 Printer-friendly version