THE GOLD STANDARD OF DEDICATION
Keshia Baker returns from the 2012 Summer Olympics with a gold medal, but remains hungry for future success By Julie Mashburn February 8, 2013 (San Diego)– “I need you to run.” Those five words put Keshia Baker, a graduate student at San Diego State University, on the fast track to the other side of the globe. They kindle the competitive fire in Baker, a seven-time All-American, a two-time NCAA champion and, now, an Olympic champion. Months have passed since Baker earned the Olympic title, but today she continues to pursue her goals with tenacity.Nearly every day Baker trains with her coach, Quincy Watts, in Los Angeles. A typical morning starts with a 5 a.m. alarm for a three-and-a-half hour workout. Watts, a former Olympian and world record holder, sees an athlete that stands out. “Keshia sets the tone at practice,” Watts said. “She comes out with her hard hat and she’s going to give 100 percent. Everyone around her notices it and everyone around her is affected by it.” But Baker is more than just a professional athlete. Life as an Aztec Three days a week Baker endures the 121-mile drive between her home in Los Angeles and her classes on Montezuma Mesa. The athlete contends with exhaustion and traffic in pursuit of a master’s degree in public health and social work at SDSU. “I would say school is the biggest sacrifice,” Baker said. “The fact that I live so far from school is the hardest part, but SDSU has been really great. The teachers have been really helpful.” Baker came to SDSU after graduating from University of Oregon in 2010 as Pac-10 Track Athlete of the Year and six-time school record holder. She believed her track career was finished when she received her diploma. “I was already getting ready to move out [to San Diego],” Baker said. “Then I had the opportunity to run professionally and it was just figuring out how I could work track in with school.” The duality proved to be a difficult path. “I didn’t know if it was going to work,” said Watts, who expressed concern over the impact on Baker’s focus. “When you’re a trying to be a professional athlete, an Olympic athlete, it takes a lot of dedication on and off the track.” Baker shows how to succeed in both. Getting the call Last summer Baker was with family and friends when she received an unexpected opportunity to compete in a world championship track meet in Daegu, South Korea. “I was in Sacramento at home vacationing when they called me,” Baker said. “I just packed up and left the next day. I still didn’t know if I was going to be able to run or not. “Finally, they called and said, ‘I need you to run,’ so I ran,” Baker said. The decision came easily for Baker, as if she had spent her whole life competing. In reality track has been a priority only since 2008. “I started running track in high school my 10th grade year, but actually became serious my junior year in college,” Baker said. As the competition in South Korea ended, a new finish line began to appear on the horizon.“I didn’t really think about the Olympics until 2011 when I came back from Daegu,” Baker said. “Then it was the next big thing.” A taste of Olympic gold Baker debuted on the Olympic track in London. She ran the first leg of a preliminary heat for the women’s 4×400 race. When USA’s relay team won gold in the finals, Baker received her own medal, which initiated a new era of her athletic success. “My family mainly took the medal and they were the ones showing it to everyone,” said Baker. For Baker, the gold medal marks the beginning of an Olympic career. It is another reason to work even harder to make her mark on sports history. “I was happy that I got a medal, but realistically I have other things that I want to achieve,” Baker said. “I want to come first, second or third in my own individual event and definitely run in the prelims and finals in a relay and be a part of the 4×4 world record.” Enjoying the road to success In a sport that focuses on crossing the finish line, Baker balances her athletic goals with personal accomplishments along the way. Before she steps onto another Olympic track, she expects to graduate with her master’s degree from SDSU in May of 2014. The following June she will marry her longtime boyfriend Terrill Kirtz. The pair ran on the Fairfield High School track team together and shared classes in the 10th grade. Baker’s growing family provides an essential support system for her. With their help, the professional athlete is racing forward. “With her master’s I think she’s going to be able to inspire a lot of people,” Watts said. “She’s going to challenge them to be better than they thought that they could be. She not only has respect because of her speed, but she’s intelligent, and she is going to go places.”
COUNTY CLERK WELCOMES COUPLES TO VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITION ON THE BAY
February 8, 2013 (San Diego)–It’s the most romantic day of the year… and San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk, Ernest J. Dronenburg, Jr., wants to make sure that all romantic couples wishing to “tie the knot” or renew their wedding vows come down to the historical County Administration Center overlooking beautiful San Diego Bay for their wedding ceremony. “Valentine’s Day wedding ceremony reservations are filling up quickly,” said Ernie Dronenburg. “We are planning on added staff at our downtown location for Valentine’s Day to accommodate all those wanting to be married on this special day. Call right now so we can plan on helping you.” The downtown office at 1600 Pacific Highway will be open from 8 am to 5 pm for licenses and ceremonies. Reservations can be made by calling (619) 237-0502. Appointments are recommended, but will not be required on Valentine’s Day. The cost of a non-confidential marriage license is $70.00; a confidential marriage license is $89.00. If the couple would like to be married on the scenic grounds overlooking San Diego Bay by enthusiastic County staff, the cost is an additional $88.00. Our office has witnesses available, if needed, for an $18.00 fee. There is no blood test or mandatory waiting period required to obtain a license. Marriage licenses and civil ceremonies are also available at the El Cajon (200 S. Magnolia Ave.), San Marcos (141 E. Carmel St.) and Chula Vista (590 Third Avenue) offices from 8 am to 4 pm. Appointments are required for these locations and can be made by calling (619) 237-0502.
ROLLING READERS CELEBRATES 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF “SHARE YOUR LOVE OF READING” EVENT ON VALENTINE’S DAY
Elected officials, education leaders, celebrities to read aloud at underprivileged schools throughout San Diego County on February 14 February 8, 2013 (La Mesa)–Rolling Readers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income, at-risk children enjoy reading, will celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of its “Share Your Love of Reading” event on Valentine’s Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of literacy and reading aloud to children with several business and education leaders, elected officials and celebrities acting as Honorary Readers. “Share Your Love of Reading began as a one-day campaign last February. Thanks to the generous support of our title sponsor Mission Federal Credit Union, this year we’re making it a one-month long campaign,” said Hoa Quach, who is on the Board of Directors for Rolling Readers. “We’re hoping to raise $100,000 by month’s end and to do that, we’re encouraging the public to make a donation to help us reach that goal. A donation of $20 helps us buy five books. Every dollar counts!” The elementary schools participating in the February 14 event include Alcott, Alvin Dunn, Chase Avenue, E.G. Garrison, Edison, La Mesa Dale, Lemon Grove Academy, Nubia Leadership Academy, Paul Ecke-Central, Silver Strand, Solana Vista, Valley, Washington, Chase Avenue Elementary School, and Jefferson. Some of the Honorary Readers who will be speaking on Valentine’s Day in classrooms include San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, Fox 5 Reporter Heather Ford, radio personalities Frankie from 93.3 and Haze from 94.1, and many other figures from around town. To make a donation, please visit http://rollingreaders.org/how-you-can-help.html or checks can be mailed to 2515 Camino Del Rio S. Ste 330, San Diego, Calif. 92108. For more information, visit http://www.rollingreaders.org/events/love-of-reading-month.html and follow the organization on Twitter at @Rolling_Readers and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RollingReadersUSA. About Rolling Readers Founded in 1991, Rolling Readers is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that is dedicated to helping low-income, at-risk children enjoy reading. In addition, the organization provides new books to children.
ON THE SILVER SCREEN: THE UNBEARABLE SADNESS OF BEING (SIDE EFFECTS)
By Brian Lafferty February 8, 2013 (San Diego) – The press screening announcement for Side Effects read “Please note that due to the non-linear nature of this film, we will not let anyone into screenings of Side Effects if they arrive LATE.” The impression I got was that Soderbergh’s last theatrical release – his final project is a Liberace biopic that will air on HBO later this year – would be a mind-bender like Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky or Christopher Nolan’s Memento. I was wrong, but the publicity people were right to deny entry to latecomers. (Even if they didn’t, I can’t grasp how any critic could feel comfortable reviewing any movie they’re late for. In many cases and for many reasons too irrelevant and lengthy to list, the first few minutes are a film’s most important.) The most that’s nonlinear about Side Effects is its television drama-style opening in which the camera lingers around the aftermath of a horrific scene before the film flashes back to three months earlier. Emily’s (Rooney Mara) life was turned upside down five years ago when her husband Martin (Channing Tatum) was sent to prison. Now he’s being released. Suffering from a paralyzing anxiety disorder that induces suicidal tendencies (she smashes her car into a parking garage wall) she is prescribed a new drug called Ablixa. Eager to get better, she leaps at the opportunity, dismissing her psychiatrist’s warnings about the side effects. The first third of the film concentrates on these nasty effects on Emily. You know those side effects you hear spelled out for you at length at the end of each commercial for the newest drug on the market? It’s those come to life. Any person who has taken medication and experienced soul-sucking side effects like I have can relate in some way to Emily’s downward spiral into deep depression and lethargy. I noted a persistent fogginess in the image, one that if by design aptly imparts her hazy and emotionally cloudy mental state. Thomas Newman’s score uses bells and chimes to elicit uneasy reactions the same way William Friedkin employed Tubular Bells in The Exorcist. Most movies I’ve seen about depressed people depict them wearing their sadness and despair on the outside like garish clothes. They know they’re feeling miserable and they let everybody around them know it. In my experience, real depression is kept hidden underneath. When I’ve been depressed I tried to bury it deep inside out of shame and self-isolation, not wanting anybody – not even friends or family – to take a look. (Emily struggles at work, even arrives late, but can’t bring herself to talk to her more than understanding boss.) I wanted to be left alone, not wanting people to see me. However, a huge part of me wanted to reach out, but I was too chicken. This trait is evident in the uneasy sessions between Emily and Dr. Banks (Jude Law). Once the film arrives at the scene of the horrible event teased in the opening, the focus turns to Dr. Banks. (Owing to the film’s never-ending twists and turns, I won’t reveal what it is.) Hounded by the news media, he loses his job, and his medical license may be next. He becomes obsessed with finding the truth. It becomes one of those movies like Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation (which in turn was inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up) about a man’s self-destructive obsession with finding the truth. This obsession consumes Dr. Banks dearly. His wife takes the kid and deserts him. He drinks. Everything he sees – images, videos, articles, etc. – is a possible clue no matter how remote or far “out there.” His rational mind deteriorates into one he would have treated (presumably successfully) before this whole mess. Watching this play out is witnessing a mastery of screenwriting and character development, and a remarkable piece of acting. This near self-destruction isn’t that of a collision between two speeding cars. I liken it to an unstoppable fire that slowly consumes a city. The score by Newman that caused uneasiness and tenseness in the beginning now carries a new connotation here, a haunting and surreal air that befits Dr. Banks’s borderline unhealthy preoccupation. The screenplay by Contagion writer Scott Z. Burns twists and turns with surprise after surprise, twist after twist. It’s almost cunning. I thought Side Effects was going to be a film about Emily and her struggles with anti-depressants. Then it became something else. Just when I got settled in again, it became a different type of film. I make this out to be a negative trait – it’s very risky to switch narrative gears – but it works because each of these types of stories begin, end, and transfer organically and are executed with calculated precision by both the direction, writing, photography, and the acting. B+ Side Effects is now playing in wide release. An Open Road Pictures release. Director: Steven Soderbergh. Screenplay: Scott Z. Burns. Original Music: Thomas Newman. Cast: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Channing Tatum. Running Time: 106 minutes. Rated R. Brian Lafferty welcomes letters at brian@eastcountymagazine.org. You can also follow him on Twitter: @BrianLaff.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TRIPLE HOMICIDE SUSPECT CHRISTOPER WARNER
By Nadin Abbott Vehicle found in Poway; sighting in Lakeside believed to be a hoax February, 8 2013 (San Diego)–Police agencies all over the state of California are on high alert. The manhunt for Christopher Dorner, 33, a former Los Angeles police officer wanted for three murders in the L.A. area, has spanned multiple counties including San Diego. Citizens across Southern California are asked to not engage and call 911. Dorner is considered extremely dangerous and well armed. He has threatened additional violence and released a manifesto accusing L.A. Police Department of corruption, other misconduct as well as wrongful firing. ECM news partner 10 News has an edited copy of it, with names removed. Yesterday morning, police issued a Blue Alert. The U.S. Submarine Naval Base in Point Loma was put on full lockdown. There were shelter in place orders as far away as Old Town, and there was a full SWAT mobilization from San Diego PD and multiple police agencies from across San Diego County It is known that he stayed at a hotel near the Submarine Base and his ID and badge were found yesterday near Lindbergh Field. http://www.10news.com/news/authorities-on-high-alert-as-manhunt-for-triple-murder-suspect-christopher-dorner-continues-020813 A grey Nissan believed driven by Dorner was found burned in the Big Bear area and a second vehicle linked to Dorner was found in Poway. Last night, Sheriff deputies responded to a reported sighting of Dorner in Lakeside now believed to be a hoax. Today CHP reported he may be in a white Lexus, but later backed off that report. For a regional blog with up to the minute coverage, see : http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2013/02/christopher_jordan_dorner_lapd.php?page=3
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT OCOTILLO WIND PROJECT ARRESTED FOLLOWING THREATS TO PHOTOGRAPHERS
Update February 8, 2013: The court in Imperial Valley has issued a restraining order requiring Graham to stay away from Park Ewing, the photographer he reportedly attacked. By Miriam Raftery Jim Pelley and Parke Ewing contributed to this report. February 7, 2013 (Ocotillo) –Russell Scott Graham, 48, a representative at Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Wind Express Facility, has been arrested after allegedly attempting to wrestle a camera away from an East County Magazine photographer and making violent threats, including one documented on video during the attack. (Warning, coarse language.) According to the Imperial Valley Press and photographers documenting the project’s daily progress for many months, Graham is the construction manager at Pattern’s site. Freelance photographers Parke Ewing and Jim Pelley have spent months extensively documenting construction activities at the Ocotillo wind project. Many of their videos and photos have been published by East County Magazine, including photographic evidence that raised serious questions on whether the project is producing wind speeds claimed, as ECM previously reported in a story titled Where is the wind? In addidtion to his award-winning photojournalism, Pelley is an aerospace engineer; Ewing is a master carpenter and a former construction manager at other projects. The trouble began after Ewing posted a video on his Facebook page showing Graham confronted with questions posed by the photographers while he was giving a tour to visiting Canadians at the wind facility on federal public land on February 2. A photographer asked “How many houses are being powered today—none, right?” as the turbines stood silent, not spinning. “Zero. It’s been that way for the last two months,” the photographer, who resides in Ocotillo, continued, drawing laughter from the tour visitors. Graham repeatedly attempted to dodge the question, at one point noting that Pelley had complained of noise (on one of the rare occasions when the wind blew since the project went online in December): http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4290396898228. He later stated that “on a windy day” the turbines would power only 100 homes. (Note: That remark was edited off the video initially following threats of violence/intimidation to the photographers to protect their safety, however ECM later published the full unedited version, with photographer’s permission, after the Sheriff arrested Graham.) If Graham’s statement is accurate, with 110 turbines in the product, the total would power only 11,000 homes – far short of the 140,000 that Pattern claimed prior to the project’s construction. ECM has repeatedly sought to obtain records to document wind production since the project went online December 5, but the Bureau of Land Management and California Public Utilities Commission have failed to turn over the records; Pattern and SDG&E never responded to similar requests. According to Pelley, Graham (known as “Russell the Muscle” to some at the site) became enraged after viewing the video. A witness who says he overheard Graham threaten bodily harm to Pelley on February 5 tipped the photographers off. “He [the witness] called me first and said if we don’t have it [the video] off by 5:00 he[Graham] will be at my front door,” Pelley told ECM. According to Pelley, the witness told Pelley that Graham said if the video was not removed, “he will punch you in the throat, breaking both of your elbows.” Soon after, Ewing says he was seated in his Jeep on public property taking photographs of an underground trencher when Graham pulled his vehicle alongside and got out. He allegedly screamed at Ewing to get the video off the Internet. In addition, “he reached into my Jeep and tried to steal my camera from my hands.” Ewing turned on the video recorder and captured the threat to kick a hole in his throat on tape. “It was quite a struggle.” Ewing escaped the attack by revving the engine forward, then calling 911 to report the alleged crimes. After viewing the video and talking to witnesses, a reporting officer for the Sheriff arrested Graham, 48, who was later released on bail. According to Watch Commander Sergeant Joaquin, the Imperial Valley Sheriff’s Department has recommended to the District Attorney that Graham be charged with criminal threats of violence (section 422 of the California Penal Code) as well as attempted robbery under sections 664 and 211. A report was not yet available through the Sheriff or the District Attorney. A spokeswoman for the D.A.’s office said they have not yet received the report from the Sheriff. “Right now this looks like a Pattern stall tactic,” said Linda Ewing, Parke’s wife. Ewing and Pelley have sought restraining orders to keep Graham away from them. “Pattern has taken no precaution for our safety,” Ewing told ECM tonight. This is not the first time that violence has reportedly occurred at the project construction site. On May 19 2012, the Imperial Valley Press reported, “A man reported his supervisor choked him at the site of the controversial windmill farm project near here The unidentified man said his supervisor had choked him and requested medical aid on Thursday, according to Sheriff’s logs.” When deputies arrived at the site, however, they could not find the reporting party, who had gone to the Sheriff’s office to speak with a deputy. Neither Pattern Energy nor the Sheriff would say whether the assault reported last May involved Graham or a different supervisor. Graham, meanwhile, remains employed at Pattern. The photographers have indicated that Graham reportedly made threats to come back at a later date, whether or not he is still with Pattern. With three pending felony charges recommended, both believe Graham belongs behind bars to assure the safety of themselves and their families. ECM also received a troubling though unconfirmed claim of an overhead conversation by a Pattern employee who claimed that the company’s attorneys intend to “smash” the photographers and attempt to shut down their documentation of construction operations at the project on public lands. ECM contacted Pattern to ask that the company take steps to “assure that these photographers’ safety and First Amendment rights will be protected” and denounce violence and threats.
WINTER STORM TO DROP SNOW LEVEL TO 2500 FEET
February 8, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – A cold front will bring chilly temperatures, thunderstorms and in mountain areas, snowfall starting Friday. Four to ten inches of snow are expected to fall above 4,000 feet, with snow levels dipping down to 2500 feet or even lower Friday night and Saturday. Travel may be hazardous on portions of I-8 as well as on mountain roads. Areas where snow is expected include Boulevard, Campo, Cuyamaca, Descanso, Julian, Lake H enshaw, Morena Village, Mount Laguna, Oak Grove, Pine Hills, Pine Valley, Ranchita, Santa Ysabel and Warner springs. Waterspouts are possible in coastal areas. Souhtwest to west winds are forecasts in mountains and deserts, with gusts up to 55 mph. Travel in mountain areas will be extremely hazardous, the National Weather Service warns. If you must travel during the storm, carry food water, a flashlight, and blankets. Visibility will be poor due to blowing/drifting snow. In addition, watch for areas of black ice and slippery roads.
REP. SUSAN DAVIS SPONSORS MEASURE TO REPEAL CITIZENS UNITED RULING
February 7, 2013 (Washington D.C.)–Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) joined Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) and more than two dozen of her colleagues in introducing a constitutional amendment to undo the Supreme Court ruling that allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns. “We need to restore accountability in our political process,” said Rep. Davis. “We are supposed to have a government of the people, by the people, for the people. The integrity of our democracy is at stake when corporations can drown out the voices of the people in our elections.” The Supreme Court essentially ruled that corporations are people, finding that Congress cannot limit corporate spending on campaigns. As a result, the Citizens United case opened the floodgates to unrestricted special interest campaign spending in American elections—permitting corporations to spend unlimited funds, directly or through third parties and political action committees organized for those purposes, to influence federal elections and opened the door for the emergence of super PACs. According to opensecrets.org, more than $1.2 billion was spent in the 2012 election cycle by outside sources. The proposed constitutional amendment stipulates that the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit Congress and the states from imposing regulations and restrictions on the spending for political activity by any corporation or other corporate entity. In Congress, Davis has been a leader in election and campaign finance reform. In the 111th Congress, the House passed two of Davis’s bills – The Federal Election Integrity Act and the Absentee Ballot Track, Receive, and Confirm Act, which helps states establish a system to allow voters to track their absentee ballot. Davis’s hallmark election bill, the Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act, has passed the House Administration Committee twice. She wants to shine a light on corporate contributions with her support of the DISCLOSE Act. Passage of a constitutional amendment is an arduous process that requires not only passage by Congress, but also ratification by three-fourths of the states.
FEBRUARY EVENTS AT CREST BRANCH LIBRARY
February 7, 2013 (Crest) – The Crest Branch of the San Diego County Library, 105 Juanita Lane, El Cajon, is hosting a number of events throughout the month of February. They encompass activities for every age. The children’s programs include a PJ Storytime and Craft, Baby Storytime and Family Movie Day. For teens there are craft days and video game fun. Saturdays feature family craft activities. Adults can take a basic computer class in either English or Spanish. The Book Club for February features “Lolita”, by Vladimir Nabokov. Click here for the event flyer and calendar or visit www.sdcl.org.
MEMOIR WRITING CLASS WITH MARSHA KAY SEFF
February 7, 2013 (San Diego) – Marsha Kay Seff, a former seniors writer for the Union Tribune, is teaching a class a class on storytelling at the College Avenue Older Adult Center, 4855 College Ave., on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 12:45 p.m. The classes began February 6 and the next one will be Feb. 20. If you like to write, she’ll help you put your memories on paper for your kids, grands and great-grands. If you prefer, you can simply share your stories with the class. And if you just like to listen, that’s great, too. For more info, call (619) 583-3300.