SKETCH RELEASED OF SUSPECT WHO ATTACKED TEEN JOGGER IN EAST COUNTY
Printer-friendly version September 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore has released a sketch of a man suspected of assaulting and trying to kidnap a 19-year-old woman on Saturday at 5 p.m. The teen was jogging near Quail Canyon Road and Palomino Ridge in the Blossom Valley community. An earlier Sheriff’s release stated that the attacked occurred in Lakeside; today’s bulletin indicates it was in the unincorporated area of El Cajon. Additional details and a photo of a vehicle similar to the suspect’s van have also been made public. The man is described as an unshaven white or Hispanic male, approximately 30 years old with an average build, five feet six to five feet ten inches tall. He wore a blue Padres cap and drove a white box-style van, possibly a Ford, with tinted rear windows. According to the Sheriff, the man pulled up next to the jogger, got out and tackled her. During the struggle, both lost their balance and fell to the ground. A Neighborhood Watch Commander informed ECM that the teen hit her attacker and was able to flee, and that her shirt was ripped. The suspect escaped and was last seen driving away on Quail Canyon Road. Deputies searched the area extensively, but could not locate the suspect. If you have information on this crime, contact (858)565-5200 and refer to case #10055762, or contact Detective Brambila at Brambila@sdsheriff.org in the Santee Sheriff’s substation. Printer-friendly version
SULTANS OF SANTEE: SANTANA GETS MAYOR’S CUP WITH 31-20 WIN OVER WEST HILLS
Printer-friendly version “It was the biggest play of my life. We had a whole line of blockers and I went the whole way untouched.” — Zach Breidt, after scoring a 95-yard touchdown. By Christopher Mohr September 8, 2010 (Santee) – For years, the battle for the Mayor’s Cup has been a tradition between Santana and West Hills, rival high schools both based in Santee. The two schools are so close geographically, that both are in the same zip code and many commuters pass by one school while on the way to the other. It is not unusual to see families with connections to both schools. Some families have parents who attended one school but whose children are enrolled in the other. Some have rival parents with one Santana alum and one West Hills alum. Another common situation was to have a parent who was enrolled in one school as a freshman, but who graduated from the other school, a common occurrance for those who graduated only a couple of years after West Hills was built in the late 1980s. What’s unusual about this season’s matchup is that it takes place at the beginning of the season. Instead of playing the Mayor’s Cup game in November as many rivalry games are traditionally played, league realignment makes this a non-league game leaving both teams no choice but to face each other in the early part of the season. Both teams were in the Grossmont North league in 2009, but in 2010 the Grossmont North and Grossmont South leagues were renamed and reconfigured to be consistent with school enrollments. Santana is in the Grossmont Valley league with smaller enrollment schools like El Capitan and Mt. Miguel. West Hills is in the Grossmont Hills league with larger schools like Helix and Valhalla. This year’s matchup was not diminished by the recent changes in league configuration. The game took place at Santana’s home stadium, which was packed to capacity on both sides of the field. Santana alums who played football for the school were invited to watch the game from the team’s sideline. “As big as it is, it still feels like a small town,” said Victor Meier, who watched the game from the sideline. He graduated from Santana in 1993 and appreciated the rivalry in spite of Santee’s population growth since he last played. One of the notable teams from that era was a Santana team that beat West Hills 24-0 in 1992. That team featured a dominant defense that won four straight games by shutout and six overall. Defensive lineman Leon Bender played for that team and went on to play college football at Washington State University. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 1998 draft, but died only a few weeks after the draft due to complications from a seizure. Parking was difficult for those who didn’t plan ahead. If you arrived late to the game, you likely missed some good football as both teams scored on their opening drives. West Hills took a methodical approach with an opening drive that took 10 plays and covered 62 yards in 5:54. The drive ended with Gary Isaacson scoring on a quaterback sneak from one yard out to give the Wolfpack a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Santana responded with a 95-yard return for a touchdown by Zach Breidt, and before the Wolfpack could savor their scoring drive, the Sultans had tied the game at seven. “It was the biggest play of my life. We had a whole line of blockers and I went the whole way untouched,” said Breidt about his big return. “The kids really respond to something that big. We tell them all the time that nothing hurts a team worse than they score and get all fired up, then you bring it back. We spend a lot of time on kickoff returns,” said Santana head coach Dave Gross. Santana added to their lead with a 25-yard field goal by Brad Cornish, to make the score 10-7. This drive was a stark contrast to their previous one, taking 16 plays and nearly six minutes. What also served as a stark contrast was West Hills’ inability to match their well executed opening drive. One drive ended with the Wolfpack losing the ball on downs, while another ended with a fumble that was recovered by Santana’s Timothy Schultz at West Hills’ five-yard line. Santana took full advantage of the turnover, moving 95 yards in 13 plays and scoring on a three-yard run by quarterback Kyle Gasner to give the Sultans a 17-7 lead just before halftime. In the third quarter, the Wolfpack caught some breaks. Santana was penalized for a block in the back that placed the ball on their own 17-yard line to start the second half. On the next play, the Sultans lost the ball on a fumble and West Hills’ defender Steven Armstrong recovered. Four plays later, Andrew Tran scored on a four-yard run, and West Hills trailed by three, down 17-14. Whatever enthusiasm that Tran’s touchdown created for the West Hills sideline quickly vanished on Santana’s next drive. Gasner connected with Landon Lozoya on a 61-yard catch and run play that gave back a 10 point lead to Santana, 24-14. Momentum appeared to shift in Santana’s direction. In addition to the big pass play, the following kickoff did not go well for West Hills when kick returner Michael Scales’ knee touched the ground as he caught the ball. He was ruled down at his own 12-yard line, giving the Wolfpack a long field to work with. West Hills offense, however, seemed unfazed by the difficulties the bad field position caused. They took 11 plays, and just under five minutes to pull to within four when Tran scored from one yard out. A pass play from Isaacson to Armstrong for 16 yards and another one from Isaacson
SKULL FOUND IN LAKESIDE
Printer-friendly version September 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Authorities battling the Monte Fire found a human skull on a trail in the Cleveland National Forest, East County Magazine has learned. The grisly find occurred on August 22 at 4 p.m., the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office has confirmed. The Medical Examiner is conducting testing and cause of death has not yet been determined. The victim was not burned in the fire and may have perished in another location some time ago. “The exposure appears to be one or two years,” Lt. Dennis Brugo with the San Diego Sheriff’s homicide detail informed East County Magazine. Brugo said the skull was consistent with a Hispanic male, age 30 to 50, though a Medical Examiner’s report is awaited for confirmation. There are no indications of foul play, Brugo noted. “When a person dies in the backcountry, and it happens all the time, within a day or so it starts to decompose…then there is going to be animal activity.” Coyotes or a mountain lion may move body parts far from the location where the individual died, he said, adding that he once found an arm in the middle of a road in Jamul. Often such remains are those of migrant border crossers who succumbed to dehydration or injury traversing rugged terrain in East County. After the Medical Examiner has completed a report, the Sheriff’s office will submit records including DNA results to the U.S. Department of Justice to enter into a database. “We will also check for reports on any similar missing persons in the County,” Brugo said. Printer-friendly version
WHOOPING COUGH EPIDEMIC: NEW CASES INCLUDE ALPINE STUDENT
Printer-friendly version Public urged to get vaccines, now available at clinics September 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) updated 4 p.m.– A five-year-old at Boulder Oaks Elementary School in Alpine is among 11 new cases of whooping cough reported by the San Diego County Department of Health & Human Services last week. The County urges people to get whooping cough vaccinations from their family physician. "However, if an individual does not have a family doctor, the vaccine is also available at the County’s seven public health centers at minimal or no cost; one of them is located at 855 East Madison in El Cajon," County spokesman Jose Alvarez told East County Magazine. A statewide epidemic of whooping cough was declared this summer. In San Diego, 468 cases have been reported this year—the highest on record. Seven babies have died, including a San Diego infant. “It is extremely important for all children and adults to be fully immunized; especially adults who have contact with babies and small children,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., Deputy County Public Health Officer The California Department of Health sent a letter last month to doctors urging them to be alert for signs of the illness and to hospitalize infants with early signs of whooping cough. A typical case of pertussis in children and adults starts with a cough and runny nose for one-to-two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fever, if present, is usually mild. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, but without prompt treatment, the consequence can be deadly. Are you and your child up-do-date with the whooping cough immunizations? There are three ways to get the vaccine to protect yourself and your family from the disease that keeps infecting people in our region. The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is recommending that people with medical coverage go to their private provider to obtain the pertussis or whooping cough vaccine. People with no primary care physician can go to HHSA’s Public Health Centers or to any of the six Northgate Markets or the San Ysidro port of entry to receive protection against the disease. The clinics at the six Northgate Markets locations will be held on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The San Ysidro Port of Entry clinic will be held on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The clinics are scheduled to continue on weekends until Sept. 26, based on vaccine availability. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children get one dose of DTaP vaccine at the following ages: 2 months; 4 months; 6 months; 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years. The CDC also recommends that children receive a booster shot of Tdap vaccine at 10-11 yrs. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends an adolescent-adult pertussis booster vaccine (Tdap) for everyone 10 years or older who has not yet received it, especially women of childbearing age, before, during, or immediately after pregnancy; and other people, including household contacts, caregivers, and health care workers, who have contact with pregnant women or infants. Children 7-9 years of age who did not receive all of their routine childhood shots are recommended to receive a Tdap booster dose. In addition to the County medical clinics, several additional locations and dates have been announced for vaccination clinics (all are held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sept. 26, subject to vaccine availability): Saturdays San Ysidro Port of Entry, 720 East San Ysidro Blvd, San Diego Sundays Northgate Market, 2909 Coronado Avenue, San Diego Northgate Market, 1410 South 43rd Street, San Diego Northgate Market, 1058 3rd Avenue, Chula Vista Northgate Market, 1346 South Mission Road, Fallbrook Northgate Market, 1150 East Vista Way, Vista Northgate Market, 606 North Escondido, Escondido Last week’s new pertussis cases where there is a potential for public exposure are: A 7-year-old and an 8-year-old who are up-to-date with immunizations and attend Hannalei Elementary School in the Vista Unified School District. Contact: Steve Hargrave (760) 726-2170 ext. 2253 A 7-year-old and a 9-year-old who are up to date with immunizations and attended Adventure Day Camp at Jack’s Pond Recreation Center, which was sponsored by City of San Marcos Community Services. Contact: Jenny Peterson (760) 744-1050 ext. 3169. A 16-year-old who is up-to-date with immunizations and attends Vista High School in the Vista Unified School District), PIO: Contact: Raylene Veloz (760) 726-2170 ext. 2219. A 5-year old who is up-to-date with immunizations and attends Boulder Oaks Elementary School in the Alpine School District. Contact: Tom Pellegrino, (619) 445-3236 An 11-year-old who is due for the Tdap booster shot and attends Park Dale Lane Elementary School in the Encinitas Union School District. Contact: Liz Wallace (760) 944-4300. An 8-year-old who is up-to-date with immunizations and attends La Costa Heights Elementary School in the Encinitas Union School District. Contact: Lil Volkening (760) 944-4380. A 3-year-old who is not up-to-date with immunizations and attends St. Mark’s Nursery School, a private preschool in San Diego. Contact: M’Lu Colburn (858) 273-1489. A 12-year-old who is due for the Tdap booster shot and attends Aviara Oaks Middle School in the Carlsbad Unified School District. Contact: Ellen Durham, (760) 331-5000. An 11-year-old who was up-to-date with immunizations and attends Hidden Valley Middle School in the Escondido Union School District. Contact: Randy Garcia (760) 432-2247 For more information about whooping cough, please call the HHSA Immunization Branch toll-free at (866) 358-2966, or visit the web site at www.sdiz.org. Printer-friendly version
DENNY’S ROBBED IN LA MESA
Printer-friendly version September 8, 2010 (La Mesa) — An armed gunman robbed the Denny’s at 4235 Spring Street, La Mesa last night shortly after 10:30 p.m. After receiving the cash from a clerk, he fled on foot. The suspect is described as a black adult male in his early twenties, about 6 feet tall, weighit 200 pounds. He wore a dark “hoodie” sweatshirt, a blue bandana over his face, dark baggie pants tucked into white socks and black and white Converse shoes. He displayed a handgun. If you have any information on this case, please call the La Mesa Police Department at (619) 667-1400. You may also call Crime Stoppers’ anonymous toll-free tip line (888) 580-TIPS (or www.sdcrimestoppers.com). You can remain anonymous, and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case. Printer-friendly version
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: NORSEMEN WIN GRIDIRON BATTLE OF THE HIGH SEAS WITH 38-0 WIN OVER BUCCANEERS
Printer-friendly version by Christopher Mohr September 7, 2010 (San Diego/Pacific Beach) – Friday afternoon’s football season opener between the Valhalla High School Norsemen and the host Buccaneers of Mission Bay High School was a matchup between two playoff contenders from last season. East County’s Valhalla proved victorious in a crushing 38-0 blow-out. Both teams lost star players from the 2009 season to graduation. Pete Thomas left Valhalla midway through the 2009-10 school year to attend Colorado State University, where he has become the starting quarterback for the Rams. Mission Bay standout Dillon Baxter was on many scouts’ top five list as a high school prospect last season and presently attends USC where he is expected to develop into a star tailback. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, any similarities between the two teams ended there. Very little went right for Mission Bay after several early turnovers allowed Valhalla to take control of the game early. After only two plays from scrimmage, the Buccaneers lost the ball on a fumble at their own 24-yard line. Three plays later, Justin Wada scored on a nifty reverse play and after a successful try, the Norsemen led 7-0. On the next possession for Mission Bay, Valhalla’s Brandon Steed intercepted a pass and returned the ball to the Buccaneers’ 22-yard line. The Norsemen’s drive stalled however, and the team settled for a 29-yard field goal by Trevor McGirr to extend the lead to 10-0 in the first quarter. Ryan Ripley later recovered a fumble for Valhalla, but in what might be considered an act of mercy from the football gods, the Norsemen were unable to convert that turnover to points. Ripley proved to be troublesome for Mission Bay’s offense on another drive as he just missed adding an interception to his solid defensive performance. Valhalla scored in the second quarter on a nice 27-yard pass play from Franklin Foster to Jevon Hasten to make the score 17-0. Just before halftime, Foster added a touchdown on a 29-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-one play, and the Norsemen led 24-0 at the halftime intermission. Hasten and Franklin connected again in the third quarter on another touchdown pass play from 26 yards out to make the score 31-0. Hasten shared his thoughts on his two touchdown receptions: "It was a post route, the quarterback led me perfectly," Hasten then pointed to a different area of the field while discussing his second touchdown catch, "Over here too on the hitch route, I kept on going, the DBs kind of went to the right, I kept on moving, quarterback put it in the right spot, got a touchdown." The Buccaneeers’ misfortunes continued in the fourth quarter when their blocking broke down on a punting play. Valhalla’s Michael Steed was in the backfield so quickly, he could have almost taken the snap himself. Instead, he blocked Jorge Mendez’s punt and returned the loose ball 32 yards to close out the scoring at 38-0. "We were just doing a fake play and [coach] said, ‘Go for it’, So I went. The snap was wide right so I jumped over my guy and blocked the punt, got a perfect bounce and went to the end zone," Steed said about his highlight play. Mission Bay (0-1) travels south to Chula Vista on September 17th to face Otay Ranch (0-1) which lost 28-16 to Elsinore in their season opener. If the blowout loss to Valhalla wasn’t bad enough, the Buccaneers now have an extra week to think about it. Valhalla (1-0) travels to Spring Valley to face Mt. Miguel (1-0), which edged out Morse High School for a 21-20 win in last Friday’s season opener. Valhalla and Mt. Miguel were league rivals in 2009 and previous years, but league realignment has put the Norsemen in the Grossmont Hills league and the Matadors in the Grossmont Valley league. In spite of the game being a non-league matchup, the two teams should play a spirited contest. Mt. Miguel hopes to exact revenge for a 36-29 loss at Valhalla on October 16th last season. Christopher Mohr is a freelance writer in the San Diego area and is an avid Chargers, Padres and Detroit Red Wings fan. Scoring Summary _________________________________________________ Valhalla 10 14 7 7 – 38 Mission Bay 0 0 0 0 – 0 _________________________________________________ First Quarter V – Wada 9 run (McGirr kick) V – FG McGirr 29 Second Quarter V – Hasten 27 pass from Foster (McGirr kick) V – Foster 29 run (McGirr kick) Third Quarter V – Hasten 26 pass from Foster (McGirr kick) Fourth Quarter V – Steed 32 blocked punt return (McGirr kick) Printer-friendly version
LA MESA SPOTLIGHT: INCUMBENT MAYOR ART MADRID
Printer-friendly version More than Forty Years of Public Service By Kristin Kjaero and Miriam Raftery In part three of this series on election races in La Mesa, East County Magazine spotlights incumbent Mayor Art Madrid. For this series we asked all candidates the same set of questions based on local issues, with an open invitation to bring up anything else they would like to discuss at the end of the session. September 6, 2010 (La Mesa) – Ask Mayor Art Madrid about La Mesa and he sounds like a father, proud of his hometown and full of visions for the City’s future. “Being Mayor is really a full time job," he told East County Magazine. "You can’t run or provide leadership to an organization with a total budget $122 million on a part time basis," he said, explaining that the key to getting things done is to “establish professional relationships with the organizations that do the funding.” Accomplishments cited by Madrid during his 20 years at the City’s helm include: La Mesa’s “Live Well Initiative” is nationally recognized by the National League of Cities and the National Association of School Superintendents, for its commitment to provide walkability programs, and encourage healthy diets in the midst of a child obesity epidemic. The City’s innovative “Rides4Neighbors” program, for which the City received $700,000 in grants from SANDAG and the Grossmont Healthcare District, is a model being studied by other jurisdictions to provide transportation to seniors and the homebound. The City has received state transportation grants over $2.5 million which it has used for its “Safe Routes to School” program, to provide safe sidewalks and educational programs. A 2 1/4 acre Community Garden is in the planning stages. The City is a leasing site found by Madrid across from Maryland Avenue Elementary, in perpetuity for one dollar a year, with an eye to eventually finding more sites around the City. A long needed elevator is being built at the Grossmont Transit Station with a grant from SANDAG and a public-private partnership. A task force steering committee of owners in the Village was formed, which has decided to bring forward the concept of a Property Business Improvement District (similar to those in Little Italy and Adams Avenue) for a vote among property owners. La Mesa residents have new public safety facilities in the new Fire and Police stations, retrofitted Fire Station #11, thanks to residents passing Prop D. Most importantly, in contrast to many other cities, La Mesa has maintained a balanced budget without cuts to services or staff, is actually growing reserves, and has led the way reaching agreement on a two-tiered pension system with two of three employee groups in an effort to head off a pending structural deficit. (The remaining group comes up for negotiations in the spring). Madrid has been Mayor since 1990 and served on the City Council since 1981. In a 2001 reference to his many years of service, the San Diego Business Journal dubbed Madrid "The Dean of Local Politics." Although it is designated as a "part time" position, he estimates that he spends 60-70 hours per week on City business and local, regional, state, or national organizations from which he identifies potential grants and resources for staff to pursue for projects like the aforementioned. The Future: Quality of Life Standards and a Vision for the Village Madrid listed several priorities as the City prepares to celebrate its Centennial. “Public safety is uppermost in our minds, and we want to address potholes in as timely a manner as efficiently possible,” he said. Quality of life is a high priority, he added. “Standards here in La Mesa are second to none, and we want to continue to enhance them so people will keep wanting to raise their families here.” The Village has not had any physical improvements since the late 1970’s, and, like all the City candidates ECM interviewed, he would like to see it spruced up. Madrid has frequently referred to the Village the heart of the City, and told ECM the he would “never change the character or culture, or community standards.” He describes his vision for the village as “The same Village with enhanced ambiance and a greater variety of things to do; like what you do with your house, to make it more livable.” He lists Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Little Italy as examples of the kind of vital community hub he would like to see. For many years Madrid has contacted businesses to encourage them to relocate here. “A lot of people share our vision, and have made millions of dollars of investments in buying and upgrading buildings,” he said. The Mayor cites Randall Lamb for refurbished a historical building in the Village and bringing 45 jobs to the city, Millicent and Company hair salon for bringing about 55 employees, and Turpin & Rattan Engineering with another 40 or so employees. “Gio’s has made a significant investment and is now a destination point for East County. These are some of the things that happen when you talk to people,” he said. A Lifetime Under Public Scrutiny When you run for an elected position, you will be subjected to public scrutiny. Madrid, who began public life as a high school class president in a tiny town, has long been aware of this. Amid a decades-long career of public service with mostly-positive press, two highly publicized incidents generated controversy. In 2006, La Mesa resident Chris Tanner implied at a televised Council meeting that the Council and Mayor had allowed ordinances to be violated because of a developer. The City Attorney sent Tanner a letter informing him that there would be a closed Council session to discuss potential litigation for defamation, unless he apologized. When Tanner showed up at the next Council meeting with TV cameras and an attorney claiming that his First Amendment rights had been violated, the Council apologized – except Madrid, who offered to personally escort Tanner to
PRESIDENT PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR WORKERS, MIDDLE CLASS, & COMPANIES THAT CREATE AMERICAN JOBS DURING LABOR DAY ADDRESSES
Printer-friendly version East County News Service September 6, 2010 — President Barack Obama has unveiled a plan to invest $50 billion in infrastructure projects to create jobs while rebuilding our nation’s highways, building high speed rail, and creating a smart air traffic control system. The President made the announcement at LaborFest in Milwaukee before an enthusiastic crowd of working people. View video of the Laborfest speech. He also gave a White House address in honor of Labor Day, affirming commitment to America’s workers. He outlined past and future steps to repair the economy and strengthen the middle class, cut taxes for working families, and provide tax breaks for companies that will create jobs in America. (Scroll down for full text of both speeches and the latest unemployment news.) Last week, new unemployment figures showed good news — a decrease in jobs lost for the eight consecutive month and a growth in jobs created in the private sector (67,000 in August). After adjusting for layoffs of temporary Census workers, the economy showed a net positive in creation. FULL TEXT OF WHITE HOUSE SPEECH: On Monday, we celebrate Labor Day. It’s a chance to get together with family and friends, to throw some food on the grill, and have a good time. But it’s also a day to honor the American worker – to reaffirm our commitment to the great American middle class that has, for generations, made our economy the envy of the world. That is especially important now. I don’t have to tell you that this is a very tough time for our country. Millions of our neighbors have been swept up in the worst recession in our lifetimes. And long before this recession hit, the middle class had been taking some hard shots. Long before this recession, the values of hard work and responsibility that built this country had been given short shrift. For a decade, middle class families felt the sting of stagnant incomes and declining economic security. Companies were rewarded with tax breaks for creating jobs overseas. Wall Street firms turned huge profits by taking, in some cases, reckless risks and cutting corners. All of this came at the expense of working Americans, who were fighting harder and harder just to stay afloat – often borrowing against inflated home values to pay their bills. Ultimately, the house of cards collapsed. So this Labor Day, we should recommit ourselves to our time-honored values and to this fundamental truth: to heal our economy, we need more than a healthy stock market; we need bustling main streets and a growing, thriving middle class. That’s why I will keep working day-by-day to restore opportunity, economic security, and that basic American Dream for our families and future generations. First, that means doing everything we can to accelerate job creation. The steps we have taken to date have stopped the bleeding: investments in roads and bridges and high-speed railroads that will lead to hundreds of thousands of jobs in the private sector; emergency steps to prevent the layoffs of hundreds of thousands of teachers and firefighters and police officers; and tax cuts and loans for small business owners who create most of the jobs in America. We also ended a tax loophole that encouraged companies to create jobs overseas. Instead, I’m fighting to pass a law to provide tax breaks to the folks who create jobs right here in America. But strengthening our economy means more than that. We’re fighting to build an economy in which middle class families can afford to send their kids to college, buy a home, save for retirement, and achieve some measure of economic security when their working days are done. And over the last two years, that has meant taking on some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for far too long. That’s why we’ve put an end to the wasteful subsidies to big banks that provide student loans. We’re going to use that money to make college more affordable for students instead. That’s why we’re making it easier for workers to save for retirement, with new ways of saving their tax refunds and a simpler system for enrolling in retirement plans like 401(k)s. And we’re going to keep up the fight to protect Social Security for generations to come. That’s why we stopped insurance companies from refusing to cover people with pre-existing conditions and dropping folks who become seriously ill. And that’s why we cut taxes for 95 percent of working families, and passed a law to help make sure women earn equal pay for equal work in the United States of America. This Labor Day, we are reminded that we didn’t become the most prosperous country in the world by rewarding greed and recklessness. We did it by rewarding hard work and responsibility. We did it by recognizing that we rise or we fall together as one nation – one people – all of us vested in one another. That is how we have succeeded in the past. And that is how we will not only rebuild this economy, but rebuild it stronger than ever before. Thank you. And I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend. FULL TEXT OF LABOR FEST SPEECH IN MILWAUKEE: THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Milwaukee! Hello, Milwaukee! Thank you. It is good to be back in Milwaukee. It is good to be — I’m almost home. I just hop on the 94 and I’m home. Take it all the way to the South Side. It is good — it is good to be here on such a beautiful day. Happy Labor Day, everybody. I want to say thank you to the Milwaukee Area Labor Council and all of my brothers and sisters in the AFL-CIO for inviting me to spend this day with you — a day that belongs to the working men and women of America. I want to acknowledge your outstanding national president, a man who knows that a strong economy needs a strong labor movement: Rich Trumka. Thank you to the president of Wisconsin
5 LOCAL MAYORS JOIN GROWING STATEWIDE OPPOSITION TO PROP 23
Printer-friendly version Measure backed by 2 big out-of-state oil companies would rollback air pollution standards and repeal incentives for clean, green-tech jobs La Mesa Council to consider No on 23 resolution on Sept. 14 By Miriam Raftery September 6, 2010 – La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid and El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis have joined with over 30 cities including Los Angeles and Sacramento, hundreds of business leaders, and many public officials to oppose Proposition 23, the deceptively titled “California Jobs Initiative.” A whopping 97% of funds come from the oil industry, with most from two large out-of-state oil companies, Valero and Tesoro. “Self-serving interests like the two funding oil companies place their corporate greed above the health and welfare of all Californians,” Madrid told East County Magazine. “Have we not learned a lesson from BP and their disregard of rules, regulations, and corruption?” Madrid will ask La Mesa’s City Council to adopt a No on 23 resolution at its Tuesday, Sept. 14 meeting at 4 p.m. in La Mesa City Hall. Opponents of the measure now outnumber supporters several fold. Other local opponents include the mayors of Chula Vista, Del Mar and Solana Beach. Prop 23 would repeal provisions of Assembly Bill 32, California’s landmark bill that addressed climate change, raised standards for clean air and created incentives for creation of jobs in green industries. According to a new report by California’s Employment Development Department, over half a million employees already work in green jobs, including 93,143 in green manufacturing and 67,973 in green construction. Green industries are growing 10 times faster than non-green sectors. Both supporters and opponents of Prop 23 claim a win by the opposition would be a “job killer.” But the Yes on 23 campaign has relied on numbers from a flawed study written by Thomas Taunton, a former oil industry lobbyist now working for Pacific Research Institute – which is funded by big oil. He cites no methodology or sourcing for claims that the measure could cost a million jobs, or other claims made in his report. Moreover, the Yes on 23 campaign fails to offset its unsubstantiated claims of job losses against jobs that would clearly be gained if the No on 23 "Stop Dirty Energy Proposition" campaign succeeds in defeating themeasure on November’s ballot. No on 23 backers argue that the measure would kill hundreds of thousands of jobs in Califonia’s clean energy sector, bringing the state’s biggest growth sector to a halt. Clean energy jobs are growing 10 times faster than other sectors of California’s economy. San Diego has emerged as a national leader in clean energy industries, which account for 60% of new jobs. From 1995-2008, the SanDiego market saw a 57% green job growth, ranking second in the state. Some sectors grew far faster; clean transportation jobs grew 2,655%. Today, San Diego and Imperial Counties have 40,600 workers in environmental fields, the majority in construction. Five CleanTECH San Diego companies (Siliken Renewable Energy, Synthetic Genomics, PCN Co., Invergy and Clear Edge) plan to add 1,000 to 1,500 jobs in the next two years. Major corporations and even defense contractors are getting into green industries. SAIC and General Atomic are now pioneering development of algae-fuels, for example, while the U.S. Navy plans to launch a "green fleet" fueled by biofuels by 2016. Lisa Becker is president of CleanTech San Diego, a nonprofit formed with support of Mayor Jerry Sanders and named among the top ten clean tech clusters in the world by Sustainable World Capital. “We need to continue to provide certainty to the business and investment communities so that San Diego can cootinue to grow its clean tech economic engine. Prop 23 distracts from these objectives and our progress,” she said. Anne Tolch, vice chair of the Sustainability Alliance of Southern California, said as a result of the threat to repeal AB 32, “international investors are starting to consider Germany, Italy, Spain and China for billions of investment dollars into renewable energy and climate change products.” Reuters news service quotes Kevin Parker, global head of Deutsche Bank’s asset management division which oversees $6-8 billion for climate change products, that the U.S. is “asleep at the wheel this industrial revolution taking place in the energy industry” and that if incentives are not provided, “we’re going to take our money elsewhere.” The Bank will continue to look for climate change opportunities within the U.S., however, in areas that provide incentives for green energy investment. Mark Hanson, head of United Green, has pledges from 32 companies that want to bring green manufacturing jobs to California. But he warns that if Prop 23 passes it would be “disastrous” as some companies have indicated they would reconsider their plans. Major new projects are slated to add hundreds of thousands more green jobs. Examples include Tesla’s plan to make electric cars in California, Solyndra Inc.’s intent to move solar manufacturing here and add 4,000 jobs, Kyocera’s planned solar manufacturing facility in San Diego, and Private Energy Systems’ goal of bringing wind turbine manufacturing jobs to East County. In addition to Valero and Tesoro oil companies, the investigative site California Watch revealed that a "grassroots" No on Prop 23 group is, in fact, funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, who operate oil refineries in Texas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota. The Koch brothers also fund global warming denial websites and are major funders of the T.E.A. party movement. As of August 18, Yes on 23 lists not a single state or federal elected official endorsing their position. No on 23 lists 35 state and federal elected officials. Yes on 23 lists 58 businesses; No on 23 lists over 292 businesses and business organizations, including 182 renewable energy businesses as well as corporations including Google, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., and Blue Shield of California. Yes on 23 lists 158 total businesses and organizations of all types, including the California Automotive Association and Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association; No on 23 lists 474 groups in its camp including the American Lung Association and Sierra Club. Yes on 23 lists zero individual business leaders;
ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE MARK HANSON REVEALS COMMITMENTS TO BRING 32 GREEN MANUFACTURING COMPANIES TO CALIFORNIA & CREATE 2,200 JOBS
Printer-friendly version New jobs include many slated for East County; Cedar Fire survivor also calls for stronger fire protection and improved emergency notification in region By Miriam Raftery September 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Most candidates only talk about creating jobs. But Mark Hanson (D-Lakeside) aims to hit the ground running if elected to fill the open 77th Assembly seat vacated by Joel Anderson, who is running for State Senate. “I’ve already met with over 200 companies around the country, and I’ve identified 32 who have committed to bring green manufacturing jobs to California,” he told East County Magazine, adding that his plan includes a facility in Boulevard to manufacture parts for wind turbines. “Those companies will generate 2,200 jobs within the next two years.” Asked to name a few of the firms, he listed these: Private Energy Systems (a Minnesota-based wind energy company), Pure Enviro Management (a soil renovation and reclamation currently based in Utah), AGP Global (a maker of biofuels in the Phillipines) and ThermaSave ( a green building product company that manufacturers structural insulated panels in Alabama). “These companies will boost manufacturing from 7% to 30% of workers in California’s economy, said Hanson, who wears many hats. One of them is head of United Green, an entity of the nonprofit Heartland Foundation (a division of Heartland Coalition) of which Heartland is executive director. United Green is dedicated to creating sustainable energy and green jobs for our region. Now Hanson hopes to take his expertise in creating good-paying jobs in sustainable industries to the state level—attracting similar businesses statewide. Hanson grew up in Lakeside (winning a barrel race in a local rodeo at age 11) and has lived in East County for most of his life, along with his family. A Cedar fire survivor who lost his home in the 2003 blaze, Hanson led efforts through Heartland to raise funds that helped other fire victims rebuilding their lives, getting donations of cars, computers and other equipment. Heartland Coalition was also instrumental in establishing the VIejas Wildfire & Emergency Alerts powered by East County Magazine, a publication which now averages 2 million hits a month due in large part to popularity of the free alert service for the public. Hanson expressed amazement that the County’s emergency website had zero information on the nearly-1,000 acre Monte Fire last weekend, which started in the same area of Lakeside where the deadly Cedar Fire began. He faulted notification procedures for failing to reach many residents in the vicinity and also expressed concerns over the impact of budget cuts on state and local firefighting and fire prevention. “I will get the focus on fire prevention and protection in San Diego and all over California to keep our communities safe from wildfires,” he pledged, adding that he will also seek ways at the state level to improve emergency notifications. Education is another plank in the Hanson platform. He was twice named teacher of the year, taught English at local colleges and high schools, and served as an administrator in the Grossmont Union High School District back when California schools were ranked highest in the nation. He won state and national awards for writing/teaching programs he developed, also writing grants that were funded to help the District. “Terrible things are happening today in education,” said the candidate, who holds a PhD and masters degrees. “The $1.6 billion cut eliminating Cal-Works that the Governor has proposed will eliminate terrific community college programs that produce jobs…A 10% oil tax, like Texas and other oil-producing states already have, would keep the Cal-Works program.” He also called for more emphasis on making sure kids turn in their homework, noting that nations with higher rates for this have better academic results. “We have to be the very best in education,” he said. Hanson has noted that when education fails, drop-out rates increase—along with crime rates and prison crowding. He also called for prison reforms modeled after some programs in Europe. He said that in some European nations, prisoners don’t cost the state a penny—instead, each prisoner generates revenues for the state while producing items in prison and learning job skills that can enable the prisoners to enter the work force when they get out, lowering the rates of repeat offenders and easing jail overcrowding with no new taxes. Hanson opposes new taxes on the middle class or poor, and also opposes any measures that would harm small businesses. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of a community,” his website states. “They provide two-thirds of all new jobs in California, fueling the California economy. But increasingly, small businesses are facing financial pressures from rising fuel costs, soaring health insurance premiums, and a maze of complex business regulations and bureaucratic obstacles. Our government leaders have given huge tax breaks to big corporations, while doing little or nothing to ease the burden on small businesses.” He proposes tax incentives to help small businesses, as well as closing loopholes that allow large corporations to offshore assets and dodge paying taxes in California, streamlining regulatory and bureaucratic procedures, and offering tax incentives for businesses that build alternative energy manufacturing facilities in California to boost our economy and help America attain energy independence from high-priced foreign oil and create good paying jobs. “I believe that people who work hard deserve good jobs with fair wages and health benefits,” he said. In addition to bringing green manufacturing jobs to our region, he noted, “My plan will make it easier for small businesses to start up, compete, and thrive throughout California.” He added that Prop 23, a ballot measure backed by two large out-of-state oil companies, would cripple growth in California if passed, noting that several of the companies that have pledged to bring green jobs here have told him they would reconsider if Prop 23 passes. Hanson is known for his abilities to work with both sides of the political aisle, also bringing together business and labor interests