AWARD-WINNING WINEMAKERS RECOGNIZED BY REPRESENTATIVE DUNCAN HUNTER
Indication of Growing Winemaking in San Diego County By Miriam Raftery January 27, 2016 (Ramona) – Three award-winning Ramona Valley winemakers were presented recognition certificates from Representative Duncan Hunter at the monthly meeting of the Ramona Valley Vineyards Association (RVVA) on Tuesday, January 26th as an indication of the quality and growth of the winemaking industry in San Diego County. Duncan Hunter has represented San Diego County in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven years and is co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus. The wineries receiving the recognition include Ramona Ranch Winery, Altipiano Vineyard and Winery and Lenora Winery who won top honors at the Santa Rosa, CA-based Vineyard & Winery Management’s 25th Annual Grand Harvest Awards from a pool of nearly 1500 entries submitted from throughout the United States and as far away as New Zealand. These awards join a growing list of more than 200 medals received by members of the RVVA wines at competitions throughout the U.S. Michael Harrison, Hunter’s Deputy Chief of Staff, said, “First, I want to congratulate the three wineries we are recognizing today. Your hard work, investment, and skill paid off in your outstanding wines. As important, you represent the value and quality of the growing Ramona Valley grape growers and winemakers who have revitalized the local economy and grown the agricultural region. I expect to see many more wines from the Ramona Valley AVA receive recognition and with that recognition will come continued growth.” Ramona Ranch Winery’s Tannat was awarded best-in-class and double-gold. Sangiovese Reserve received gold, Merlot and silver. Altipiano Vineyard and Winery was awarded silvers for two Sangiovese wines and a bronze for Merlot. Lenora Winery was awarded silvers for Dessert Wine and Sauvignon Blanc Blend and bronze for Cabernet Sauvignon All three wineries are members of the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA), founded in 2001 and dedicated “to promote, protect and enhance the Ramona Valley American Viticulture Area (AVA), our wines, vintners and community.” Largely responsible for securing the federally designated Ramona Valley American Viticulture Area (AVA) in 2006, the RVVA continues to focus on community, education, sustainable operation of vineyards and wineries and taking a leadership role within the San Diego County wine grape industry. About Vineyard & Winery Management Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM’s conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited East and Craft Beverages Unlimited Midwest. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, the Grand Harvest Awards, the East Meets West Wine Challenge and the International Women’s Wine Competition. See www.vwmmedia.com for more information. About Altipiano Vineyard and Winery Altipiano Vineyard and Winery is located in the Highland Valley Region of San Diego County between Ramona and Escondido. Winemaker Denise Clarke co-owns the winery with husband Peter. They feature several Estate and locally grown varietals which include Brunello Sangiovese, Sangiovese Blends, Barbera, Super Tuscan, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Gris. For additional information, go to http://www.altipianovineyard.com . About Lenora Winery Lenora Winery has been serving the local community since 1999 and is the second oldest winery in Ramona. Lenora Winery is a family run vineyard of five acres located in the picturesque Ramona Valley in the heart of the Ramona Valley American Viticulture Area (AVA. They feature over 25 red, rose, white and dessert wines made from their own grapes that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Grenache as well as blends. Their picturesque estate home overlooking the valley affords outdoor and indoor tasting. For additional information, go to http://www.lenorawinery.com . About Ramona Ranch Winery Ramona Ranch Winery is a boutique winery located on Highway 78 in the heart of the Ramona Valley AVA (American Viticulture Area) co-owned by Teri Kerns and Micole Moore. They produce wines from grapes from Estate and local vineyards and offer both white and red wines, including the recently released and award winning Tannat red wine, Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and a light red Montepulciano along with white wines, Viognier and orange Muscat (dry), rose, and dessert Sauvignon Blanc. For additional information, go to http://www.ramonaranch.net.
TWO ACTIONS WITH BIG IMPACTS ON JUVENILE OFFENDERS
By Miriam Raftery January 27, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – Juveniles in federal prisons can no longer be sentenced to solitary confinement under an executive order issued by President Barack Obama that also reforms solitary confinement rules for adults. Also this week, the Supreme Court ruled that an earlier decision banning mandatory life sentences for juveniles applies retroactively—meaning prisoners who committed serious crimes before age 18 must have parole hearings or an opportunity for resentencing. Restricting solitary confinement An estimated 100,000 prisoners nationwide are in solitary confinement, including 10,000 in federal prisons, though only a small fraction of those are juveniles. Among other reforms, the new rules also reduce the time any prisoner can be put in solitary for a first offense from 365 days to 60 days. “How can we subject prisoners to unnecessary solitary confinement, knowing its effects, and then expect them to return to our communities as whole people?” Obama wrote, adding that such action can have “heartbreaking results.” He cited the case of Kalief Browder, who spent nearly two years in solitary confinement while awaiting trial for allegedly stealing a backpack at age 16. He was released without ever being tried or convicted, then committed suicide at age 22. The rules apply only to federal prisons, though the President has said he hopes to see states use the guidelines as models for their own reforms. Several states have already implemented reforms, including California following a lawsuit filed after revelations that nearly 3,000 inmates in state prisons are kept alone in solitary confinement cells 22 hours a day or more, the Washington Post reports. A chance at freedom for juvenile offenders The U.S. Supreme Court , by a 6-3 vote, has ruled that its earlier decision in a 2012 case, Miller v. Alabama, that banned mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles must be applied retroactively—meaning even elderly prisoners who committed crimes as youths will now have an opportunity for freedom, though not a guarantee that freedom will be granted. The U.S. is the only nation in the world that allows juveniles to be sentenced to life in prison without parole, the Juvenile Justice Forum reports. Justice Antonin Kennedy, writing for the majority, wrote, “Life without parole is an excessive sentence for children whose crimes reflect transient immaturity.” But Justice Antonin Scalia, in a dissent also signed by Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas,called the majority’s ruling “astonishing” and the requirements to consider even juvenile killers for parole “impossible nonsense.” A brief submitted by states opposed to releasing juvenile offenders argued that doing so would “undermine the community’s safety and would offend principles of finality.” But Katherine Mattes, director of the Tulane Law School Criminal Litigation Clinic, says some young offenders have matured while behind bars, adding, “some have mentored younger prisoners, some have earned an education and learned a trade,” McClatchy News Service reports. However the ruling does not grant freedom–only the right to a parole hearing. While parole boards will now have to review sentences, they won’t have to give parole, according to retired law professor Victor Streib, an internationally renowned expert on the juvenile death penalty and juvenile justice. “And it would be very typical for them not to,” Streib states, Juvenile Justice Forum reports. Daniel Macallair, executive director of the Center of Juvenile And Criminal Justice hailed the decision as humane. “It’s the right thing to do,” he concludes. “The rest of the world has recognized the idea that it’s not a good idea to sentence children to die in prison without any hope of release.”
VAPING E-CIGARETTES CAUSES INFLAMMATION AND RAISES RISK OF DYING FROM SUPERBUG
East County News Service January 27, 2016 (San Diego) – E-cigarettes have been touted by manufacturers as less dangerous than cigarettes known to cause serious long-term health risks. But now a new study by San Diego researchers reveals that among other hazardous effects of vaping, exposure to e-cigarette vapor dramatically raises the risk of death from “superbugs.” A quarter (25%) of mice exposed to e-cigarette vapor died when infected with MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus), a bacterial staph infection resistant to antibiotics. By contrast, all mice that didn’t inhale the vapor survived. The result held true in tests with seven different types of e-cigarette liquids. Senior author Laura Crotty, MD, states, “This study shows that e-cigarette vapor is not benign — at high doses it can directly kill lung cells, which is frightening.” Mice also had inflammation throughout their bodies, including in their airways and bloodstreams. The mice were exposed for just an hour a day, five days a week, over four weeks, NBC News reports. While human studies have not yet been done, the results are disturbing—adding fuel to the fire of those calling for regulatory reforms to restrict e-cigarettes. The federally-funded health study was conducted by researchers at the University of San Diego School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. It was published January 25th in the Journal of Molecular Medicine. Need help to quit smoking? Visit http://www.stopsmokingnowaids.com/complete-guide-to-help-quit-smoking-from-a-z/
ECM ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS
January 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include: LOCAL East County business owner duped in utility scam (10 News) Who’s planning a religious resort in Mission Valley? (U-T) ‘Lucky life’ lotto winner dies after becoming a millionaire (NBC) Local cities asked to back spent nuclear fuel bill (U-T) State Probing Experimental Hubbs Fish Breeding Program That’s Spawned Deformities, Mixed Results (Voice of SD) Federal Authorities Do Little To Punish San Onofre Over Closure (KPBS) State Accountability Scarce Four Years After San Onofre Leak (KPBS) STATE Saudi Arabia is buying up California farmland (Water Deeply) Porter Ranch: Regulators approve comprehensive abatement order over massive gas leak (Los Angeles Times) Porter Ranch ‘climate disaster’ shows need for national fracking ban: Sanders (Los Angeles Times) In California, A Treasure Hunt For Gold Rush-Era Fruit And Nut Trees (NPR) Leaking L.A. County Methane Well Under Stress (KPBS) California Regulators Order Company To Permanently Close Leaking Gas Well (NPR) Exclusive: California gas leak spotlights shoddy regulation of aging storage wells (Reuters) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” or scroll down. LOCAL East County business owner duped in utility scam (10 News) An East County businessman wants to warn everyone in San Diego County about an elaborate phone scam targeting San Diego Gas & Electric customers. Dave Landman, owner of the Jacumba Hot Springs Spa and the De Anza Springs Resort, considers himself a pretty good businessman. Who’s planning a religious resort in Mission Valley? (U-T) San Diego televangelist Morris Cerullo, widely known for his overseas healing crusades and the occasional legal skirmish, is now hoping to cement his spiritual legacy with the help of hologram-filled catacombs, a 20-foot tall wailing wall and an interactive Biblical museum. ‘Lucky life’ lotto winner dies after becoming a millionaire (NBC) La Mesa resident Kevin Boson won $3.2 million with a lucky Scratchers ticket in spring 2014, but never had time to spend his winnings. Local cities asked to back spent nuclear fuel bill (U-T) Bill would allow the removal of fuel from San Onofre to temporary facility State Probing Experimental Hubbs Fish Breeding Program That’s Spawned Deformities, Mixed Results (Voice of SD) The Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute is trying to build a massive fish farm off the San Diego coast. A smaller Hubbs effort to breed white seabass has spawned fish that have horns, deformed hearts or are blind. The state is now auditing the whole program. Federal Authorities Do Little To Punish San Onofre Over Closure (KPBS) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission never fined San Onofre plant operator Southern California Edison for failing to disclose it knew in 2006 that the steam generators it installed could have potential flaws. State Accountability Scarce Four Years After San Onofre Leak (KPBS) This month marks the fourth anniversary since the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station leaked radiation, leading to the plant’s premature shutdown. So far, Southern California Edison has mostly escaped accountability for that incident despite revelations that the company knew the equipment was flawed before it was installed. STATE Saudi Arabia is buying up California farmland (Water Deeply) California’s urban water conservation regulations are likely to get a lot looser in 2016, according to a draft of the rules released by the State Water Resources Control Board. Meanwhile, why is a giant Saudi Arabian dairy farming company buying up farmland in California? (Related: Saudi Arabia is buying up farmland in US Southwest) Porter Ranch: Regulators approve comprehensive abatement order over massive gas leak (Los Angeles Times) Regulators on Saturday approved a comprehensive abatement order that requires Southern California Gas Co. to take immediate steps to contain a massive natural gas leak in Porter Ranch, permanently shut down the damaged well, establish a leak detection system and conduct an independent health study. Porter Ranch ‘climate disaster’ shows need for national fracking ban: Sanders (Los Angeles Times) As the ongoing Porter Ranch disaster shines a spotlight on the dangers of aging natural gas infrastructure around the country, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and environmental experts are now arguing that the leaking well serves as “yet another example of the urgent national need to transition away from fossil fuels.” “The Porter Ranch gas leak is a climate disaster,” Sanders said in a tweet on Thursday, after being asked about the situation at a town hall meeting at Southern New Hampshire University. In California, A Treasure Hunt For Gold Rush-Era Fruit And Nut Trees (NPR) The search is on for heirloom varieties planted at homesteads and coach stops in the late 1800s. The resilient trees, still productive despite long neglect, could prove valuable at a time of drought. Leaking L.A. County Methane Well Under Stress (KPBS) The well that has been gushing climate-changing methane into the sky was operated by Southern California Gas Co. in a way that is legal but risky, some well experts say. California Regulators Order Company To Permanently Close Leaking Gas Well (NPR) A well on the outskirts of LA has been spewing natural gas into the air for months. Once it’s sealed off, regulators say, it can never be tapped again. Other new restrictions are also being imposed. Exclusive: California gas leak spotlights shoddy regulation of aging storage wells (Reuters) Long before a natural gas storage well sprung a disastrous leak near Los Angeles, California, utilities and national industry groups were raising alarms about the danger of aging underground storage infrastructure.
2015 WAS WORLD’S HOTTEST YEAR EVER RECORDED, NASA AND NOAA FIND
East County News Service Photo: Scientific Visualization Studio/Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) “Climate change is the challenge of our generation, and NASA’s vital work on this important issue affects every person on Earth. Today’s announcement not only underscores how critical NASA’s Earth observation program is, it is a key data point that should make policy makers stand up and take notice – now is the time to act on climate.” – NASA Administrator Charles Bolden January 26, 2016 (San Diego)–2015 was the warmest year worldwide since modern record-keeping began in 1880, according to a new analysis by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and a separate analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The record-breaking year continues a long-term warming trend — 15 of the 16 warmest years on record have now occurred since 2001. Globally-averaged temperatures in 2015 shattered the previous mark set in 2014. The 2015 temperatures continue a long-term warming trend, according to analyses by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York (GISTEMP). “Climate change is the challenge of our generation, and NASA’s vital work on this important issue affects every person on Earth,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. “Today’s announcement not only underscores how critical NASA’s Earth observation program is, it is a key data point that should make policy makers stand up and take notice – now is the time to act on climate.” The planet’s average surface temperature has risen about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1.0 degree Celsius) since the late-19th century, a change largely driven by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere. This visualization illustrates Earth’s long-term warming trend, showing temperature changes from 1880 to 2015 as a rolling five-year average. Orange colors represent temperatures that are warmer than the 1951-80 baseline average, and blues represent temperatures cooler than the baseline. View video: https://youtu.be/gGOzHVUQCw0. Phenomena such as El Niño or La Niña, which warm or cool the tropical Pacific Ocean, can contribute to short-term variations in global average temperature. A warming El Niño was in effect for most of 2015. “2015 was remarkable even in the context of the ongoing El Niño,” said GISS Director Gavin Schmidt. “Last year’s temperatures had an assist from El Niño, but it is the cumulative effect of the long-term trend that has resulted in the record warming that we are seeing.” Weather dynamics often affect regional temperatures, so not every region on Earth experienced record average temperatures last year. For example, NASA and NOAA found that the 2015 annual mean temperature for the contiguous 48 United States was the second warmest on record. NASA’s analyses incorporate surface temperature measurements from 6,300 weather stations, ship- and buoy-based observations of sea surface temperatures, and temperature measurements from Antarctic research stations. These raw measurements are analyzed using an algorithm that considers the varied spacing of temperature stations around the globe and urban heating effects that could skew the conclusions if left unaccounted for. The result of these calculations is an estimate of the global average temperature difference from a baseline period of 1951 to 1980. NOAA scientists used much of the same raw temperature data, but a different baseline period, and different methods to analyze Earth’s polar regions and global temperatures. GISS is a NASA laboratory managed by the Earth Sciences Division of the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The laboratory is affiliated with Columbia University’s Earth Institute and School of Engineering and Applied Science in New York. NASA monitors Earth’s vital signs from land, air and space with a fleet of satellites, as well as airborne and ground-based observation campaigns. The agency develops new ways to observe and study Earth’s interconnected natural systems with long-term data records and computer analysis tools to better see how our planet is changing. NASA shares this unique knowledge with the global community and works with institutions in the United States and around the world that contribute to understanding and protecting our home planet. So what about the extreme blizzard that just hit the East Coast or the 2010 “Snowmageddon” shown in the photo, right, by official White House photographer Pete Souza? The frequency of extreme snow storms in the eastern U.S. has also increased over the past century–and climate change is key factor, NOAA has reported: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/climate-change-and-extreme-snow-us. That’s because warning ocean temperatures create conditions that can cause more extreme storms. The full 2015 surface temperature data set and the complete methodology used to make the temperature calculation are available at: http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/ The slides for the Wednesday, Jan. 20 news conference are available at: http://go.nasa.gov/2015climate For more information about NASA’s Earth science activities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/earth
GENERATORS AND RADIOS TO AID RURAL AREAS IN EMERGENCIES, THANKS TO FUNDS FROM SDG&E AND SD REGIONAL FIRE FOUNDATION
East County News Service January 26, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — Soon, three portable trailer-mounted generators will provide power to local communities during local emergencies such as wildfires or earthquakes. The generators could be sent to temporary charging stations in neighborhoods without power, bringing electricity to people who rely on medical equipment. Two remote fire stations in Boulevard and Jacumba will also be upgraded to microwave radio-based internet connectivity radios and several other stations will also receive upgraded radios. The new equipment is made possible by a donation of nearly $100,000 from the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, which obtained the funds from San Diego Gas & Electric and allocated it to the County Office of Emergency Services to purchase the generators and radios. The generators will be pre-positioned for rapid deployment. On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to accept the donation.
SUPERVISORS APPROVE INCREASED FUNDING FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
East County News Service January 26, 2016 (San Diego) — San Diego County will spend an additional $6.3 million this fiscal year to expand existing contracts for County Behavioral Health Services programs. The additional funding was approved by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday and will add seven Psychiatric Emergency Response Teams, which pair licensed clinicians with specially trained law enforcement officers. The action will also strengthen homeless outreach and treatment, increase programs serving youth on probation, expand the countywide suicide prevention campaign It’s Up 2 Us, and more. County Behavioral Health Services serves more than 73,000 individuals of all ages. The $6.3 million for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2015-16 represents an ongoing investment of an additional $12.4 million in the County behavioral health system. The funding sources include Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) revenue, and a combination of federal and state sources.The additional funding brings the total MHSA investment this fiscal year to more than $140 million. The mid-year funding increase follows the Board of Supervisors’ approval in September to invest $10 million for permanent, supportive housing to serve homeless residents.
WEARING O’ THE GREEN: IRELAND OR EAST COUNTY?
“May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.” – Irish blessing January 26, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)—Those winter rains have left our drought-parched hills wearing a lovely coat of green. In fact, some areas in San Diego’s backcountry now bear a striking resemblance to Ireland! Can you tell which photo was taken in East County yesterday, and which was shot in the Irish countryside? (Click “read more” for the answer.) The photo on the left, above, was taken along State Route 94 just south of Jamul by our editor, Miriam Raftery. The photo on the right, above, was taken in Ireland, courtesy of Pixabay. Sure and we can’t resist sharing more photos of that road rising up to meet you in beautiful Jamul, along with a field soft and blooming after the recent rains:
EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS
FIRE DESTROYS TRAILER IN EL CAJON
Story and photo by Miriam Raftery January 26, 2016 (El Cajon) — A fifth-wheeler trailer erupted into flames on Terrace Hill Road around 10:30 this morning, sending a plume of black smoke visible across much of the community on the boundary of El Cajon and Lakeside. The fire briefly threatened a home before firefighters subdued the blaze. Heartland’s El Cajon Fire, Lakeside Fire, San Miguel Fire and Cal Fire responded to the incident. Cause of the fire remains under investigation.