ALPINE COUNTRY CRAFT AND HARVEST FESTIVAL OCT. 8-10
September 29, 2015 (Alpine)—Alpine Country Gifts & Crafts is hosting its 22nd annual “Something to Crow About” Craft and Harvest Festival from Thursday October 8 through Saturday October 10. The event will be held at Alpine Woman’s Club, 2156 Alpine Blvd., Alpine, and features crafts and homemade items, including “Owl Nesting Boxes.” The hours will be 4 – 7 p.m. (Oct. 8), 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Oct. 9), and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Oct. 10). Visa and MasterCard are accepted. For more information call 619-445-4212 or 619-478-2742 or visit online at www.alpinecountrycrafts.com.
TWO SDSU STUDENTS FACING EXPULSION OVER PATRIOTIC SYMBOLS
By Liz Alper September 30, 2015 (San Diego) – Two San Diego State students are in danger of losing their rights to attend SDSU for displaying patriotic flags. Cameron Box, an active duty Coast Guard member, and Connor Fenwick, who is in the Army ROTC, proudly display the U.S. Coast Guard flag, an Army flag and the American flag from the balcony of their on-campus housing unit at San Diego State. However, the school is threatening to expel them, citing a “fire hazard”, also claiming that the flags “block visibility.” According to the SDSU Residential Living Agreement, “no items except for patio furniture designed for outdoor use may be placed on balconies.” Fenwick told KUSI News, “If you look up the definition of furniture, it says that it’s an ornament, and ornaments are particularly designed to beautify something or make it look good. II don’t know anyone who wouldn’t say a flag’s not designed for outdoor use.” In a letter that the students received from SDSU, the school says that the policy was indeed violated. The young patriots are now in danger of losing their education. Box and Fenwick plan to fight back. They have launched a petition online at Change.org asking the university and Governor Jerry Brown to protect their First Amendment right to freedom of expression. The petition concludes, “Students should be allowed to express themselves in the comfort of their own residence without being subjugated to censorship.”
GERMAN BANDS, BEER, DANCERS & MORE PLANNED FOR LA MESA OKTOBERFEST OCT. 2-3
East County News Service September 10, 2015 (La Mesa)—Oktoberfest has been a tradition in La Mesa’s downtown village since 1942, drawing over 100,000 attendees in recent years. This year, the La Mesa Village Merchants Association aims to host the Oktoberfest on Friday and Saturday, October 2 and 3 from 12 noon to 10 p.m. After meeting its deadline for paying off past debt to the city and obtaining a permit, organizers plan to bring the popular festival goes back to its roots with a focus on German heritage. The Bavarian Beergarden Band, Alpine Gemutlichkeit Dancers, and the El Cajon German Band highlight the entertainment listed on the Merchants’ website. There will be German food including bratwurst and real German beer served up at two beer gardens. Beer lovers can choose from Oktoberfest Marzan, Hef, Munich Lager and kegs of Salvator. There will also be vendors. Below is the lineup of entertainment: The Show! Friday Oct 2nd in the Allison St Beer Garden (Family Friendly): 5pm to 9:30pm – Bavarian Beergarden Band and the Alpine Gemutlichkeit Dancers… At 6pm our Fun Keg Pop and Games in the Allison St Beer Garden… Friday Oct 2nd in the Palm Ave Beer Garden – (Adult Beer Garden Age 21): 6pm to 9:30pm – Mr. Mark Danisovsky Saturday Oct 3rd in the Allison St Beer Garden (Family Friendly): Noon to 9:30pm, – Bavarian Beergarden Band and the Alpine Gemutlichkeit Dancers Saturday Oct 3rd in the Palm Ave Beer Garden – (Adult Beer Garden Age 21): 1pm to 3:30pm, – Mr. Mark Danisovsky Saturday Oct 3rd in the Palm Ave Beer Garden – (Adult Beer Garden Age 21): 4:30pm to 9:30pm, – The El Cajon German Band For more details, visit the La Mesa Village Merchants Association website at http://www.lmvma.com/SeasonalEvents/Oktoberfest.aspx
BILL ON GOVERNOR’S DESK WOULD LET MOTORISTS CHALLENGE TRAFFIC TICKETS WITHOUT PAYING FINES FIRST
By Miriam Raftery Currently, California drivers who want to challenge a ticket in court have to pay a fine or fee first, in many jurisdictions. But Senate Bill 405, now awaiting Governor Jerry Brown’s approval, would give motorists the right to fight tickets without paying a fine or fee unless they are found guilty. The U.S. justice system is supposed to presume innocence until someone is found guilty. But traffic fines and add-on fees amount to hundreds of dollars in some cases. The American Civil Liberties Union has argued that those fees block access to the justice system for the poor. That has caused over 4 million California residents to lose their drivers licenses because they couldn’t afford to pay fines for traffic violations, or didn’t appear in court—often because they lacked the money to pay. Senate Bill 405 passed the Legislature almost unanimously, with only a single “no” vote cast. The Governor has until October 11 to sign or veto the measure, after already signing a second measure that grants partial amnesty to Californians with overdue traffic fines.
CA REDUCES FEES FOR OVERDUE TRAFFIC FINES
By Miriam Raftery September 30, 2015 (Sacramento) – If you’re a California driver with an overdue traffic ticket fine, you may be eligible for a limited amnesty program starting this week under Senate Bill 85, which was signed into law by Governor Brown. Under the program, all fines due on or before January 1, 2013 will be reduced by 50 to 80 percent. In addition, all penalties added for late fees will be cancelled. You can also make payments to pay off the balance, based on your income. In addition, if you lost your license for failing to pay a fine or appear in court, you can apply to get your license restored. The amnesty program starts October 1st of this year and runs through March 2017. It covers most moving violations including speeding, stop sign and red light violations. It also includes some non-traffic violations such as littering, trespassing and loitering. You cannot get amnesty for driving under the influence or reckless driving, and certain other major vehicle code violations. The amnesty is also not available for violations of local ordinances. To apply, contact the Superior Court in the jurisdiction where your ticket was issued. (See www.courts.ca.gov/find-my-court.htm.) The Court can charge a $50 fee. In addition, the Department of Motor Vehicles will levy a $55 fee to reinstate a driver’s license. California has drawn sharp criticism for hefty fines and add-on fees that in some cases amount to quadruple the original fines. Consumer and civil rights groups have argued that this is discriminatory toward minorities and the poor. Losing a driver’s license also can cost drivers their jobs if they can’t afford to pay the fines. Out of 4.73 million Californians with licenses suspended by courts for failure to pay or show up in court, only 82,000 have been reinstated. An amnesty program not only helps drivers get back on their feet and have a second chance, but also puts money in the state’s treasury. An earlier amnesty program in 2012 brought in $12.3 million dollars.
HELIX WATER CANCELS PENALTY ON HIGH WATER USERS, BUT STILL AIMS TO RAISE WATER RATES
Two meetings set on rate hikes Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 East County News Service September 29, 2015 (La Mesa) — Helix Water District’s Board has voted unanimously to rescind a 10 percent penalty assessed on its highest tier water users. The change comes after customers cut water use 28 percent, enabling the district to meet the 20 percent cuts mandated by the state. Board member Kathleen Hedberg asked for those penalized to receive rebates, but instead the funds will be used for water conservation outreach, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. But the district is moving forward on hefty water rate hikes for water users. The Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association (GMIA) opposes what it describes as a 70% rate hike over five years. The GMIA invites the public to a community forum on the rate hike on Wednesday, September 30th at 7 p.m. at Murdock Elementary School (4354 Conrad Drive in La Mesa). The GMIA has crafted a sample letter for those opposed to submit public comment: http://www.gmia.net/docs/SampleLetterToTheHelixWaterDistrict.pdf A recent California court case held that it is illegal for water districts to charge more than the actual delivery cost of water, making it questionable how Helix could predicts its water costs five years ahead of time. Ratepayers have already absorbed recent rate increases and fear that new rate hikes would cause economic hardship or result in loss of trees and orchards. The Helix district will host an official public hearing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 5 p.m. at the district headquarters (7811 University Avenue, La Mesa).
LA MESA RESTAURANTS NOT HAPPY WITH DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK PROJECT
By Mike Allen Photo, left: Concrete pour for new sidewalk, courtesy City of La Mesa. See more photos on the City’s Twitter feed for the project. September 29, 2015 (La Mesa)–Several downtown La Mesa restaurants say the city’s Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project has taken a much bigger hit on their businesses than anticipated—and the owners aren’t happy about having to shell out more money to get their patio seating back. While the project that began construction in July of last year is nearly finished, there’s still work to be done, and most restaurants haven’t had their outside patios re-installed in time for this weekend’s big Oktoberfest celebration. “This has taken a toll on everyone,” said Carol Tolosko, owner of Centifonti’s and Kornichiwa Sushi, both in the Downtown Village area. Tolosko said she supported the improvement project and its goal of making the neighborhood safer and more pedestrian-friendly, but adds, “It’s taken too long a time and it’s affecting everyone’s sales.” Both her restaurants have lost a great deal of revenue during the past year because many of her customers would rather avoid all the construction impediments and stayed away until the the project is completed, she said. As of last week, Tolosko still wasn’t sure whether she would be able to replace the outside seating that she had before the project began in time to capitalize on the crowds expected during Oktoberfest, Oct. 3 and 4. The city is requiring restaurants with patio seating to have a permit and show proof of certain levels of liability insurance coverage before the seating is installed, Tolosko said. David Chiodo, owner of Tiramisu Tratoria, said he’s hoping to get his patio and railing back, but he’s been told it will cost a lot more to get the higher insurance coverage. (Photo, right, by MIriam Raftery: Tiramisu outdoor patio dining before demolition for Streetscape project) “They tell me it’s going to cost another $600 to $700 a month, and that’s money I don’t have,” he said. Sales have plummeted so much during the year-plus construction period, Chiodo said he considered selling the business he started some 11 years ago. He estimated his business has lost between $40,000 to $50,000 in sales due to the construction. And he will likely lose more if he cannot re-install the restaurant’s outdoor seating for Oktoberfest, he said. “A lot of people think we’re closed, and they haven’t come back,” Chiodo said. “Maybe the city is trying to kill the small guy.” Greg Humora, La Mesa Director of Public Works, said long before the construction began, the city undertook an extensive public outreach program, contacting all the affected businesses in the neighborhood to let them know how the project would be phased in, and what things the city could do to accommodate the businesses during construction. “Our intent was to minimize the impacts to businesses as best we could,” Humora said. The work was done in phases that allowed La Mesa Boulevard to remain open throughout the period, and allowed for access to some parking, he said. City staffers met with most of the business owners to give them more details of the project would be done, and to ask them about their particular needs. It also created a brochure giving more information on the project, and gave periodic updates on the city’s website, he said. Humora said while the city requires restaurants with outdoor patio seating to have a permit, there is no fee for the permit. A change in state regulations covering such patios may result is some restaurants having to provide higher liability coverage, but he couldn’t say what the additional cost would be. “Unfortunately, we live in a very litigious society, and sometimes having $1 million (in liability coverage) just isn’t enough,” he said. Tolosko said the downtown street improvements were long overdue, especially the added lighting to make patrons, many of whom are elderly, feel safer. While she said the city provided all the relevant information on how the project would be done, the reality is that far more of her customers avoided coming to the neighborhood because they weren’t sure where they would find parking. Tolosko declined comment on a pending lawsuit she filed against the city in July 2014. The complaint alleges negligence over damages to Centifonti’s restaurant floor caused by growing tree roots planted by the city. In the suit, the business claimed city workers visited the restaurant in 2012 when the problem first arose, and advised she file a claim to recoup damages. The claim, that didn’t specify monetary damages, was filed in October 2012 and was rejected by the city in July 2013, according to the lawsuit. At least two local eateries, San Filippos and Cosmos Coffee, have closed down in recent weeks, both faulting the lengthy streetscape project at least in part for negatively impacting their businesses. Similar street improvement projects to La Mesa’s have been done in many other county cities, all intending to attract tourists and local residents to aging and deteriorating downtown sections. In El Cajon, a similar street improvement project was completed about three years ago, and has spurred increased pedestrian traffic to that city’s core, said Gary Kendrick, an El Cajon councilman. “It’s been quite a success,” Kendrick said. “For our Friday outdoor concert series, we were seeing crowds of several thousand people.” He wasn’t sure whether El Cajon’s street improvements resulted in restaurants having to increase their insurance coverage.
— SENATOR ANDERSON SETS ‘COMMUNITY COFFEE” IN LA MESA SEPT. 30
East County News Service California Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) will listen to constituents and invite ideas on how to improve state government at a “Community Coffee” starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Chapel at Grossmont, 5651 Water St., La Mesa. The free event, open to the public, will be hosted by La Mesa City Council members Guy McWhirter and Bill Baber. “Make state government work for you is priority number one,” said Anderson. “This will be an opportunity for me to hear directly from you about your needs, opinions and legislative ideas to make state government more effective and efficient, and discuss the issues that are most important to you and your family. Additionally, if you need help resolving an issue with a state agency, district staff will be on hand to assist you.” To RSVP for planning purposes, contact Anderson’s El Cajon district office at (619) 596-3136, or visit www.senate.ca.gov/anderson. Anderson’s 38th Senate district includes La Mesa, Santee, El Cajon, Poway and most of East San Diego County. He was first elected to the state Assembly in 2006 and to the state Senate in 2010.
SDG&E WANTS RATEPAYERS TO PAY 90% OF ITS REMAINING WILDFIRE LAWSUITS COSTS
East County News Service September 29, 2015 (San Diego)—San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) on Friday asked the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to allow the company to charge ratepayers for 90% of its remaining costs to settle the 2,500 lawsuits from the 2007 firestorms. SDG&E faced $4 billion in claims arising from the fires, but settle most cases for $2.4 billion. Most of that was covered by the company’s liability insurance or recoveries from third parties. SDG&E now wants its shareholders to pay just 10% ($42 million) with the remaining 90% to be passed on to ratepayers. If approved, SDG&E proposes to spread out the remaining $379 million over six years, which it estimates would raise monthly bills less than $1.70 for a typical residential customer using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. By contrast, a poll of East County Californian newspaper readers found that 100% believe SDG&E and its shareholders, not ratepayers, should bear responsibility for the wildfire settlement costs. Lee Schavrien, chief administrative officer for SDG&E, states, “We have gone to great lengths to minimize the impact to our customers by successfully settling these lawsuits rather than taking them to trial, which would have been significantly more costly.” At least one case remains unsettled, by a plaintiff who say she wants to take her case to trial and have evidence admitted in a publicly accessible records. Dr. Christine Ross has advised ECM that she is currently seeking new legal counsel to represent her at trial. Ross, a veterinarian, contends that the fires were caused by a dangerous design flaw in SDG&E lines that has not been corrected. She wants to have an expert witness, Ed Clark, present testimony in court. Clark is the author of Circle the Wagons SDG&E: The Perfect Corporate Cover-Up. Clark is an electrical installation expert who formerly worked for a major utility company and has been hired as an expert witness by SDG&E in the past. SDG&E has repeatedly denied his allegations. SDG&E contends it has taken steps to improve safety including installing over 170 weather stations, the largest and most concentrated weather network in the nation, SDG&E states in a press release. Each circuit in high-risk fire threat zones in the backcountry has at least one weather station to provide wind speed, temperature and humidity every 10 minutes to evaluate impact of weather on system operation. Steve Vanderburg, senior meteorologist for the utility company, says Santa Ana winds in 2007 near where the Witch Creek fire started were blowing at “more than 90 miles per hour—that’s almost as strong as a Category 2 hurricane.” A CPUC investigation faulted SDG&E lines, along with Cox Cable, for causing some of the most devastating 2007 wildfires although the company has never admitted fault. SDG&E notes that other factors beyond its control, notably the Santa Ana winds, also played a “major role” in the ignition and spread of the fires. The CPUC is expected to make a final decision on the proposal in the first quarter of 2017. Attorney Mike Aguirre has sent a public records request to the CPUC asking for all correspondence with SDG&E and its officials regarding passing along costs of the 2007 wildfires to ratepayers. The 2007 fires killed two people and destroyed over 1,300 homes, sparking evacuation of a half million people and burning hundreds of thousands of acres across our region.
BARONS BACKROOM BEER PAIRING SEPT. 30 IN ALPINE
September 29, 2015 (San Diego) – Barons Market will host “Backroom Beer Pairing,” featuring locally made brews from Pizza Port Brewing Co. and yummy delights from Gourmet Bites. The event will be held on Wednesday, September 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. Join Barons Market at 1347 Tavern Road in Alpine to raise money for local breast cancer support. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased online at www.BaronsMarket.com. All proceeds go to CANCER ANGELS OF SAN DIEGO.