BOTTLE BLAZE
East County News Service August 23, 2015 (Borrego Springs)–A fire in Borrego Springs over the weekend serves as a remind that in extreme heat, it’s wise not to leave reflective materials around your home. The reflection of sunlight shining through a glass bottle ignited a couch and trash outside a home on Palm Canyon Drive shortly before noon on Saturday. Fortunately, the Borrego Sun reports, firefighters quickly doused the blaze.
ASK THE RETIREMENT CONCIERGE: TO TEST DRIVE YOUR RETIREMENT
Dear SharonAnn, Our planned retirement and move in 12 months is heading toward us like a bullet train and such big changes in our lives are really scary. What if we cannot make new friends? What if we would have been better off to delay it for five years? What if we run out of money? What if we get bored not working? What if we detest our new community? Signed Nervous about Change August 23, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Dear Nervous: There is no doubt that life changes are nerve wracking. In fact for most of us any change pushes us into fight or flight impulses, even those changes we initiate ourselves. There is no substitute for doing your own investigation. Having Plan A and Plan B is also a smart strategy when thinking about your retirement or any move. Our best remembered baby boomer good-bye is remembered in the words of Spock, “Live long and prosper.” We all want that! One of the best ways to evaluate your retirement plan is to ‘test drive’ it. Initially when you set up your retirement goals you must have created a budget for your income and expenses. So pretend your retirement is now. [I try to treat each evening and weekend as little slices of retirement because no one is guaranteed a lengthy one at the end of their career. ~Mike Hammar] Pull out your retirement spending plan [budget] and live on it for the next three months. You have decided to move to a different community. Could you spend your vacation there instead of elsewhere? Attend all the social functions you can and be open to conversations with others. Extend your current hobbies throughout your vacation by reaching out to existing groups. For example ladies league golfing or adult softball leagues will welcome you even for a short time. Get the local newspapers and find out about the events and the community leaders. Often you can connect with an informal leader who will introduce you to many friends. Is there a cause you espouse? Volunteering is a good way to dial in to a new community. There are few major changes that are a hundred percent positive. A key to making yours successful is setting your mind ahead of time to make your move a good one. Calling it rightsizing is a good step in that direction because it underlines the fact that you are choosing to change. You are moving thoughtfully after evaluating many options and this seems to be the best one for you right now. If you give your new community a fair trial and you do not feel incorporated, then shifting to Plan B is an option. Plan B? Yes, we must have one. It is all part of the quality of resilience that you need in order to cope with change. Let’s admit that as time goes on we will have to face change. Our relatives age, we do too! Friends come and go from our lives. Investments flourish or fizzle. Our children have it all together or flub up. Plan B involves re-evaluting one’s resources, exploring alternatives and making another choice. Living their dream Judy and Rick retired four years ago, rented their large house out and hit the road in their RV. They drove all over the country, seeking out the sunny areas whenever possible. Two years later their budget was torpedoed when the truck engine failed and they had to buy a new one, they had a few medical problems that needed treatments and their tenant stopped paying rent. They took a deep breath and a serious look at their assets, decided to sell the house and now are able to continue to travel until they find a new homeplace. They are open to living anywhere in the US but would love to live near the water. They navigated from Plan A to Plan B. Yes, there was disappointment but they coped and ultimately decided to be happy no matter what. THIS illustrates resilience. We paralyze ourselves with a thousand fears by playing ‘what if’ games. A way to manage such fear is to take each question and research the answer until you are comfortable with your options. You can find advisors to help answer your questions. If you maintain a clear focus on your goal of retirement answers to your questions will naturally evolve. The big money question of ‘how can I be sure my money will last as long as I do’ really needs professional perspectives even if you have significant financial overflow from your spending plan. We sometimes think like the Spanish proverb: “How beautiful to do nothing and then rest afterward.” There are however many who don’t even believe in retirement. They continuously repurpose their lives using what they are able to contribute until the day they die. It is really all about choice and planning and resilience and mindset. All are actions within our abilities. Sometimes we might need a little help. We can turn to a retirement coach, a friend who has experience, a pastor or do our own investigation using resources in books and, of course, the internet. In your journey to fulfillment of your own retirement plan, take time to laugh along the way. Problems take on their proper perspective when viewed with a happy heart. “People who laugh actually live longer than those who don’t laugh. Few persons realize that health actually varies according to the amount of laughter”. James J. Walsh. We could shift Spock’s words to “Live long, laugh and prosper”! The Retirement Concierge offers Estate Settlement Coordination assistance as a team member of attorneys, trustees, and fiduciaries. We do not offer legal, financial or tax advice. We also wrote A 10-Step Action plan for Defining Your Mission helping Boomers on the verge of retirement to plan, make and manage life transitions by guiding them through a systematic process of discovery and re-creation where they write their
13 ARRESTED IN LAKESIDE SWEEPS THAT INCLUDED HOMELESS CAMPS
East County News Service August 23, 2015 (Lakeside) – Yesterday at 5:30 a.m., 16 detectives and deputies from the Lakeside Sheriff’s Substation conducted a probation compliance/directed patrol operation in the Lakeside area. Thirteen people were arrested, including five on warrants and seven on misdemeanor crimes. Stolen property was also recovered, including a $1,500 sound system control console. The probation compliance objective was to contact active probationers and verify they are abiding by the terms of their releases from county jail. The probationers were identified through crime and intelligence analysis as individuals most likely to re-offend. In addition, Deputies from the Court Service Bureau Field Division actively worked warrants in the same general area. Also targeted were persons who were illegally lodging or trespassing on public and private land. In cooperation with state and county resources, clean up of open areas and encampments was also planned.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT DRAWS A CROWD
By Janis Russell August 22, 2015 (Campo)- Mountain Health hosted its second back to school night for this year in Campo earlier this month. (Others were held in Escondido and Sherman Heights.). The goal of these back to school nights is to provide backpacks and school supplies to K-12 students served by its Mountain Empire family medicine location. Most of these families live in poverty, so the school supplies are very beneficial for them. Besides the distribution of backpacks and school supplies, there was a BBQ dinner provided, games and activities. Over 700 backpacks have been distributed for all three locations. There were booths from Mountain Health, Center for Community Solutions, and the Real East County Fire Safe Council in Campo/Jacumba Hot Springs/Lake Morena. The fire safe council also had visitors resource guide brochures for Jacumba/Hot Springs and a flyer for their community clean up days on Saturday August 29, September 26, and October 24 from 7am-2pm. The August clean up will be at the Campo community center, the September clean up will be at the Old Boulevard fire station, and the one in October will be at Jacumba community park. East County Magazine spoke with Mary Parra from Mountain Health about this annual event that’s been held for the past 10 years. Parra said Mountain Health promotes the event through social media (Facebook and Twitter), word of mouth in neighborhoods and flyers to patients and in the community. Senator Ben Hueso also promoted the event on KUSI TV. Parra also mentioned their biggest sponsors are SDG&E and the California Chiropractic Association, but there were many other organizational sponsors and three individual sponsors. The association taught kids how to properly wear backpacks. ECM also spoke with Mountain Health’s CEO, Judy Shapiro. This was the first year that Senator Ben Hueso partnered with Mountain Health for this event in Campo, and he brought along the California Chiropractic Association, which donated $4,000 for supplies. This was also the first year they held fundraisers in Escondido and at Sherman Heights. “People really embrace this,” she said, adding, “Teachers have struggled with supplying kids.” Shapiro mentioned that Mountain Health has another fundraiser coming up to raise money for their new 23,400 square foot building in Campo. The total cost is $10 million, and they have raised $8 million so far- $5 million in federal and $3 in USDA loans. The capital campaign luncheon will be held on October 8, 2015 at the Town and County Resort in Mission Valley. They are still looking for sponsors and underwriters. Their current building in Campo is small. This new one will be bigger, and will include extended primary care rooms, pharmacy, dental, and X-rays among other services. During the event, Shapiro welcomed and thanked everyone for coming. She invited the Senator to come up and speak. Senator Hueso said, “I’m very excited about the future of Mountain Health,” adding that his staff is available to serve his constituents. “My district is from the Pacific Ocean to Arizona. I have offices in Chula Vista and El Centro.” He invited people to call his offices whenever they need something. Then Dr. Brian Stenzler from the California Chiropractic Association spoke. “Last year, Senator Hueso and the California Chiropractic Association created a resolution for healthy backpacks.” They want to make sure kids grow properly and do not have any spinal or shoulder problems as they get older. Stenzler offered these tips for students. “When packing a backpack, make sure the heaviest books are near the back. Elementary school kids shouldn’t have backpacks that weigh more than 10% of their bodyweight. Middle school kids shouldn’t have backpacks that weigh more than 15%. Also, keep kids’ spinal alignment in mind,” he concluded. Shapiro offered some final thoughts. “In September, Mountain Empire will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. We do this because we have a passion to serve… People keep asking me ‘When’s the new building going to be ready?’” Construction will start in October and hopefully will be completed before December 2016, she said. You can visit: http://www.californiachiropractic.com/ to determine if your child has any spinal or shoulder problems. For more information about Mountain Health visit http://wordpress.mtnhealth.org/ or call (619) 445-6200.
PASSAGES: PROMINENT PALESTINIAN BISHOP DIES IN POWAY
August 22, 2015 (Poway)–The Most Rev. Samir Hana Kafity, twelfth president-bishop and primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and bishop-in-residence at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Poway, died on Friday afternoon at home after a stroke. He was 81 years old. “Bishop Kafity kept a ball of barbed wire on his desk to help him remember that he was pastor to Christians on both sides of the barbed wire,” said the Rev. Mark McKone-Sweet, rector of St. Bartholomew’s, Poway, the parish home of Bishop Kafity and his family for the past eighteen years. “He gave himself relentlessly to bringing peace to all people, regardless of race, nationality, faith or political group, by breaking down differences and collaborating with countless religious leaders around the world.” The Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, said that when he arrived in this diocese over ten years ago as a new bishop, “it was a blessing to have a giant of the Anglican Communion present and active in our diocese.” Bishop Mathes joins “the Kafity family, the people of our diocese, the people of the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and friends around the world in grieving the loss of Bishop Kafity; the church and the world are better because of his life and ministry.” “Bishop Kafity was passionate for peace,” said the Rev. Canon John L. Peterson, Washington National Cathedral’s canon for global justice and reconciliation. “He was the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem during two major political conflicts, the first Intifada and the first Gulf War. He firmly believed that the foundation stone of peace was always justice and his call for peace always centered around a just world for all people. One of Bishop Kafity’s great sayings was ‘we are all citizens of Jerusalem.’ Today we celebrate Bishop Kafity’s life among us as he becomes a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem.” Born September 21, 1933 in Haifa, Palestine to an Anglican family, Kafity was educated at the American University of Beirut and was ordained to the Anglican priesthood in 1958 at St. George’s Anglican Cathedral, Jerusalem. After ministering as parish priest there, he served at St. Andrew’s, Ramallaha; St. Peter’s, Bir Zeit; and All Saints, Beirut, where he served in the capacity of parish priest and archdeacon. In 1976 he returned to St. George’s Cathedral, Jerusalem to be the executive secretary of the diocesan council. In the late 1970s he was a lecturer at Bir Zeit University and archdeacon of Jerusalem. In 1982 he became coadjutor bishop of Jerusalem and in 1984, he became the twelfth bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East. For the next 14 years he served in that position, only the second Palestinian-Arab to do so. His jurisdiction covered Israel, the Occupied Territories of Palestine, the Kingdom of Jordan and the republics of Syria and Lebanon. He was instrumental in developing many of the local institutions of the diocese, including St. Margaret’s Hostel in Nazareth, a hostel and conference center for pilgrims, and hospitals serving the large Palestinian refugee population in the West Bank city of Nablus as well as the Gaza Strip. He served two five-year terms as the provincial president-bishop and primate to Jerusalem, prior to his retirement in 1998. Bishop Kafity was active in local and international ecumenism through the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches, which made him an honorary life president. He was also a member of the Anglican Consultative Council, where he served on the standing committee. He participated in numerous interfaith committees, including the Royal Jordanian Committee on Jerusalem, The Interfaith Committee of Jerusalem and the Clergy of the Three Faiths for Peace Bishop Kafity traveled extensively for his work in ecumenical affairs. His efforts took him to Brazil, England, France, Canada, Peru, Ireland, Kenya, Jordan, Cyprus, Trinidad, Morocco, South Africa, New Zealand and many parts of the United States. Bishop Kafity co-founded of the San Diego Christian-Muslim Dialogue group, along with Jewish scholar and Professor Maurice Friedman. He received the Star of Bethlehem from the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, was dubbed a Knight of the Holy Sepulcher by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, was made an honorary chaplain by the Order of St. John, was awarded the Royal Jordanian Star, second degree, by King Hussein and was made a life member on the supreme council of the YMCA. He was awarded honorary degrees by Virginia Theological Seminary, Dickson College and the University of Kent at Canterbury. In 1998, he retired to Poway, California where he served as bishop-in-residence at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church. His involvement in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego began that year with visitations and workshops about the Middle East. His presence here was particularly helpful after the events of September 11th, as was his personal example of love, care, mercy and compassion. He strengthened interfaith relations with Jews and Muslims in this diocese, preaching regularly, leading workshops, and occasionally leading trips to the Holy Land. He became an American citizen on March 15, 2002 and was made an honorary colleague in the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops in 2004. He was one of the first to welcome the current diocesan bishop, Bishop Mathes, to his position after his election in 2004. The two maintained a warm working relationship over the past 11 years. Bishop Kafity attended annual conventions and participated in the life of the diocese as often as he could. He Bishop Kafity is survived by his wife of 52 years, Najat Abed, their two daughters, Samar Hireish and Rula Kassicieh, and four grandchildren, Beshara, Serene, Michael and Mark. The wake will is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and the funeral will be Friday, August 28 at 2 p.m. Both services will take place at St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Rd., Poway, 92064. An interment service will take place in September for the family. In lieu of flowers, the Kafity family kindly requests memorial gifts may be made to contributions
BARBECUE BASH WITH EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE! AUG. 30
August 18, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) — Subscribers and donors to East County Magazine are cordially invited to celebrate summer’s end (and our 7tht anniversary!) at our Barbecue Bash at our editor’s home on Mt. Helix on August 30th from 4 to 7 p.m. Not yet a subscriber? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and/or wildfire alerts here FREE, or donate here. Then join us as we show our appreciation for our wonderful subscribers and donors! You can also sign up at the door at 4438 Hideaway Place, La Mesa. Suggested donation: $20. This festive celebration will include live reggae music with Ed Barrena, wine tasting by Ramona Valley Vineyards, bourbon grilled chicken from Pick Up Stix, BBQ pulled pork (slow-roasted), juicy watermelons from Baron’s Market and scrumptious deserts from Grove Pastry Shop. We’ll have drawings and a silent auction with lots of prizes including a large barbecue grill with all the fixings, Visionary Dance Theater “Hairspray” show tickets, wine baskets, pottery from Get Centered Clay studio, Julian Wolf Preserve passes, Santee Lakes passes, wine tasting coupons, Water Conservation Garden memberships, Kwai Sun karate lessons, a hand-painted treasure chest, and much, much more! This event is private for our newsletter/alerts subscribers only, as well as our donors and staff. All donations will benefit our nonprofit community reporting and wildfire/emergency alerts. To RSVP, please pre-pay online (note “BBQ” in the donation designation) or mail a check for your suggested donation to East County Magazine, 4438 Hideaway Place, La Mesa, CA 91941 with “BBQ” in the subject line. Please also send an e-mail to editor@eastcountymagazine.org with the number of people in your party to reserve your space and to receive the address and directions of the party, after you’ve subscribed to our newsletter and/or become a donor. Come party with the press and share your ideas for what you’d like to see covered in community journalism! Also get an update on the hot issues in our region, socialize with our wonderful subscribers and enjoy some end-of-summertime fun — all for a good cause!
STORMS POSSIBLE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
East County News Service August 22, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Monsoonal flows could bring afternoon and evening thunderstorms, lightning and heavy downpours Monday through Thursday in East County, along with gusty winds. There is a severe threat of gusty downdraft winds and a slight risk of flash flooding in San Diego County’s mountains and deserts, says Alex Tardy, forecaster with the National Weather Service.